Traveling Solo at 17: Living In Confidence
This was written in October 2024.
“The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.”
― G.K. Chesterton
I’m back in Europe.
At the time of writing this, I’m curled up in the bustling and beautiful city of Sevilla, Spain. Pearing outside the hotel balcony. I’m grateful for every single moment to breathe and have a movement to reflect. You don’t need to travel to do that; in fact, for me, it’s easier to do this while traveling because I’ve built this practice over the last few years at home.
This moment of appreciation takes me back to when I was 17 when I ventured on my first solo adventure to study abroad in Bergen, Norway. Unlike the familiar comfort of traveling to Ethiopia, the motherland, growing up during the summers with my family, Bergen marked something new.
It was my first time in a foreign country without my parents.
The experience was nothing short of transformative.
Through the University of Ottawa’s partnership with the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), I immersed myself in Bergen’s vibrant natural ecosystems alongside learners from across the globe. For five weeks, we experienced an immersion in Norway’s largest natural resources industries. Through their business community connections, they hosted thoughtful excursions in the natural environment and planned nature-focused expeditions—through the fjords, enjoying salmon at a small fish farm.
I vividly remember wrapping up our course requirements and presenting our final case study with three days left before my return flight home. I was sitting in my room thinking, “I’m so close to Copenhagen and Stockholm. Let me see if there are flights there.”
They were relatively inexpensive.
I called my parents and told them about my (scary) plans lol. With their green light, I scoured the internet for safe neighborhoods to stay and booked three flights: (1) Bergen to Copenhagen, (2) Copenhagen to Stockholm, and (3) Stockholm back to Bergen.
Two cities in three days. Bet. Challenge Accepted.
I started my mornings with Scandinavian breakfasts, flipping through newspapers in hotel lobbies and savoring the quiet.
I wandered calm, cobblestone streets.
I booked a Segway tour in Stockholm and was paired with a lovely older couple from the U.K. We got along beautifully.
I leaned on my resourcefulness.
I deepened my appreciation for being present and sparking up conversation.
What happened after those three days? Even though I didn’t have a travel buddy, I made friends along the way, strengthened my confidence, and learned how to use my voice…
“Could you please take a picture of me in front of this beautiful statue?”
“Do you know which way X is?”
“Hey! What’s your name? What’s your favorite thing to see/do in your city?”
Yes, these small interactions flexed my voice muscles. They encouraged me to ask when I didn’t know.
Ten years ago, and, still it’s a trip I will always remember.
It’s the trip that created a possibility for me to be relentless and unabashed in my exploration of the world and myself. It’s the trip that deepened my appreciation for cultures different from my own.
Fast Forward to Today
For me, travel is much more than seeing new destinations. It’s about wandering local streets, experiencing connections in unexpected places, and learning about culture through immersion.
And this trip to Spain has unlocked a new core memory.
Because this time, I’m not traveling solo.
My incredible fiancé planned this journey—Madrid, Sevilla, Barcelona—for ten months. He even invited our families to join us, which still fills my heart. And in the middle of this adventure, surrounded by love and laughter, he asked me to marry him.
I said yes.
God is good. All the time.
I would love to hear from you. What travel experience opened your eyes and heart to the world?