Traveling Abroad as A Black Woman

My birthday just passed, and I chose to celebrate this milestone in Los Cabos, Mexico.

It was my first solo birthday, and let me tell you—it felt different in the best possible way. Sure, I’ve spent countless birthdays surrounded by friends and family, but there’s something uniquely powerful about turning your gaze inward on your special day—sitting with your feelings, sifting through memories, and basking in pure gratitude.

Traveling solo is nothing new for me, and over the years I’ve met so many wonderful, curious souls on the road who marvel at my confidence. Honestly, I welcome the conversations every time—they’re the best ice-breakers. But on this trip, something struck me deeply: I crossed paths with so many Black women adventuring abroad.

As a first-generation Nigerian American, whose parents came to the States as young adults, it was nostalgic and affirming to meet women of the African diaspora outside the U.S. Though my roots don’t trace back to America, my upbringing here has always bound me to my Black American brothers and sisters. I’ve long lived at the crossroads of Nigerian and African American cultures, never fully “fitting” into one camp but feeling intimately connected to both.

Meeting Black women in a foreign land instantly felt like finding home. Their warmth, kindness, and genuine pride in my solo journey—each “I’m proud of you” and “Be safe”—touched me deeply. In those moments, I felt surrounded by mothers, sisters, and friends I’ve known forever. It was healing in a way I can’t quite explain—like comfort for my inner child, a reminder of how far we’ve come as a community, and how boldly we continue to claim our dreams.

I’m so grateful our paths crossed. It feels like a true privilege to experience this sisterhood abroad—a bond I hope every Black girl in America gets to feel one day.