Hi. My name is Society and I am a Tap-aholic.
In a world today where everything is, in one way or another, connected to the Internet, the “not-so-much” sole reason for why my desire to travel the world grew exponentially was due to photographs and videos that I saw on different social media platforms. Whether it be Facebook, Instagram, City Snapchat LIVE stories, Pinterest, Twitter, etc., I was constantly having the gorgeous wonders of the world thrown in my face no matter where I was browsing. Sounds miserable right? Yeah no, not to me neither. Doesn’t sound too shabby at all if you ask me.
On Instagram, I find myself lost in the newsfeeds of Black Travel pages such as TravelNoire, Shetravelsluxe, SoulSociety and BlackTravelFeed. Double tap, scroll. Double tap, scroll. Send Direct Message to “Sisters” group message; comment: “TRAVEL GOALS!! *Insert plane emoji here* “ Scroll. Double tap. This has been me for the last two years. They make it so easy to become addicted to the pictures, poses, and filters that are shared from all over the world for all to see, constantly seeking to perfect your scroll game and not miss a single post. Not only are the pictures stunning, but I found it extremely inspirational to see people of African descent travelling all over the world. That is what makes truly the difference.
All of my life, I have been brought up around images of people in front of landmarks all over the world, but hardly ever were they people that looked like me. This was something that I never really questioned, for I did not know what was missing. However, looking back in hindsight, I had not really thought it feasible for me to travel the world like the people that I would see on flyers and spread across the pages of my library books. The idea had always seemed so distant. My parents had travelled a lot before I was born, but that was never something to fully grasp onto and visualize; only recently were they able to find the old photo albums with their memories from places like Egypt and China. Furthermore, it was only recently that these social media accounts featuring those of African descent travelling the world came to surface.
Seeing people who look like me — for once — gives me the affirmation that I need in order to stand up and say, “Hey. I am going to travel the world one day, you just watch.” Seeing these posts makes me feel as though I am there with these relatable travellers, sharing their joy and experiences. As I view one post, I could be scuba diving in Zanzibar, Tanzania. I could scroll down to the next photo and be riding atop the back of an elephant in Phucket, Thailand. Then within seconds I could be hiking Machu Picchu, Peru, touring the canals of Venice, Italy,or even climbing Mount Everest in Nepal. One can only hope, right?
False. One can get out there and live the life that you have been witnessing through the screen of your smartphone. I learned so much about myself by closely observing sites like these; I found extra motivation that I didn’t necessarily need but appreciate nonetheless, I now know where I would love to go, where I definitely wouldn’t, things that I would love to try doing and eating, and everything in between. Using these social media tools are incredible and truly inspirational, but that is only the first step. The world is such an incredible place, full of beautiful places, faces, and cultures to explore. Don’t let others live the life you wish to have. Go out and live it for yourself!
