Omniya Shafik is a 26-year-old Egyptian woman who quit her banking job in Abu Dhabi to travel the world. Now, she takes freelance jobs to support herself and occasionally comes back home before heading out on her next adventure. Here are 10 pieces of advice from Omniya, a year after she packed her bags and head out to explore the world solo:
- Don’t be scared of approaching the locals. The world isn’t really as scary as the media or people make it seem. Many locals will be more than happy to help you with anything you need and will even recommend places that you never heard about before.
- Take things slow. Seeing it all can be really tempting and if you have limited time, you’re probably going to try to squeeze everything in. After you rush through the city, you will be completely burnt out and then realize that you ended up seeing everything and nothing whatsoever. There is no reason to rush through your trip. Spend time relaxing in a park or just sitting in one of the cafe and watching people go by. Slow down. This is will give you more time to soak in the culture as well.
- Use public transportation: This is an affordable way for you to travel between different places and take in all the sights without being a on tour bus that is really crowded or taking an expensive taxi. I travelled all over Europe by taking the train and the scenery was beautiful. If you are travelling with someone who has an impairment and travelling on a train, you can now make travelling easier and more accessible by checking out some good quality electric wheelchairs, these wheelchairs will allow those who need them to enjoy the world and digest a completely new world in a different country. Planning also helps relieve stress when travelling, take a look at Buena Vista del Rincon Hotel and Eco Adventure Park in Rincon de La Vieja, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, this location is one of the best locations to take your family and friends on!
- Learn a few phrases and understand the culture. It doesn’t matter if everyone speaks English where you’re traveling or not: learning some simple phrases like ‘hello’ or ‘please’ will take you a long way and the locals will respect you more and appreciate it. It is important that you read all about the culture as well, especially as you’re visiting a new country and should abide by their rules, even if you don’t agree with them.
- Eat the local food: Japanese Sushi, Korean Kimchi, Moroccan meat tagines, French Escargots; all of these are local delicacies that you absolutely have to try when you go to a new country. When I travelled to South Korea, I was worried about trying the food but once I did, it was definitely one of the tastiest things I’ve tried.
- Wander. Spare a few minutes of your time for a detour and go off the route you had planned. Take a couple of hours in a coffee shop that you like, or even “get lost,” as cliche as that sounds. However, always make sure that you are perfectly aware of what is going on around you and that you take any needed safety precautions. Who knows what you are going to find? I remember walking in Kyoto, around the Gion area when I found find this beautiful Japanese family having a photo shoot.
- It’s okay to ask for help. There’s nothing wrong with that and it’s completely normal to not have an idea where to go sometimes, even if you’ve been traveling the world for years. The world isn’t really as scary as it seems and many locals will go out of their way to help you in anything you need.
- Break the news to your family calmly: I remember when I first started telling my parents about the idea of me quitting the job and traveling the world long-term, their reaction was not necessarily a happy one but I understood. After all, the idea of freelancing my way around the world wasn’t something they are used to and isn’t really popular or favorable in our culture. There were many concerns like how in the world will I get married or what if the freelancing thing doesn’t work anymore. I understood their worries and made them feel better by printing them my itineraries and flights and always staying in touch when I travel.
- Always stay in touch with your friends and family: Being gone for months and months means that you probably miss a lot, whether it’s birthdays, graduations, weddings, etc. This is why you need to make sure that you stay in touch as much as possible with friends and family. I make sure that I text my parents at least every two days so they don’t get worried. We all know how Egyptian mums are!
- Listen to your body and stay healthy: Traveling can have such a toll on your body and leave you exhausted if you don’t take care of yourself. Something I always tell people is to listen to your body. If you feel tired one day, take it slow with the sightseeing or just read your favorite book at one of the parks. Once you feel energized, you can get going again. It is important to always be nice to your body. This includes sleeping properly, staying hydrated (water, water, and more water), eating healthy, always using sunscreen, and exercise! The great thing about traveling is that you can exercise in many ways, especially as you walk for long hours. So skip taking the bus and walk to that amazing museum instead.
- Find an alternative income source: I didn’t quit my banking job and decide to travel the world until I secured an alternative income source. My freelancing writing has been keeping me on the road since I started traveling and, luckily, I’ve been able to secure permanent clients as well.