Written by women on the road

She Can Travel Anywhere

NomadHer is the #1 App to create a safe community for female globetrotters with a vision of empowering women through travel. We believe that every woman can start their solo trip when we are together. So since 2019, we have held Female Globetrotter Festival starting in Paris to connect and share inspiration for female travelers. In 2022, The festival is crossing borders and will take place in three different countries and cities around the world: Seoul South Korea, Paris France, and San Francisco California, USA!🌏 The NomadHer community is growing and going global— watch out world!

So this year October, the NomadHer festival will be held in Seoul, the capital city of South Korea which is the most dynamic city these days with a vibrant mix of traditional and modern, bustling vibe with life and endless entertainment opportunities, and famous K-pop music and culture.

NomadHer will bring together inspirational speakers, entrepreneurs, globetrotters, and NomadHer community members worldwide to celebrate the joy of solo traveling!

EVENT THEME

For the 2022 Globetrotter Festival, we have decided to celebrate travel with a theme that also reflects our mission statement: ‘She can travel anywhere!’🌸

Why? Many women still hesitate to solo travel for various reasons: safety concerns, discouragement from those around them, and uncertainty about where to start. But there is too much to be gained from solo traveling to let anything prevent women from experiencing the adventures of solo traveling. And who knows what adventures are waiting for you in Seoul, Paris, and San Francisco ✈️

TICKET REGISTRATION

TICKET A (FREE ENTRY)

TICKET B (14€ / NOMADHER T-SHIRT)

TICKET C (28€ /ALL EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS BELOW)🎁

WELCOME GIFT BAG

🎉 For the Seoul festival, welcome gift bags including vegan & eco-friendly cosmetic brands and beverages)  will be provided below. More products will be added. (consist of random items, Only Ticket C will be provided a Full package of products)

🎁 Full packages for Ticket C (9 Products / cost 70000krw / €50): knee sock, vegan lipstick, lip butter with Agave, rolling milk facial cleanser, morning cleansing serum, vegan oil-pulling toothpaste, oil-pulling mouthwash, refresh basil & lemon toothpaste, oat brew coffee

• For Ticket C, We provide exclusive benefits including a Hula class, a colorful hula skirt, a NomadHer t-shirt, and Full-package gift bags.

• For all Ticket B, We provide NomadHer t-shirt, Gift bags.
• For free Ticket A, the First 50 people who come early on the day of the festival will get gift bags.
  

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

🎪14:00 Festival starts and the startup booth open

🎆14:30 - 16:00 Panel session : Digital Nomad & Female Empowerment

• 🎤 Panel Talk(EN) : “Connecting with my inner-self in India” (Sunhee Maeng)
• 🎤 Panel Talk(KR) : “Empowering women by awakening the wilderness in their hearts” (Honey Kim)                        
• 🎤 Panel Talk(EN) : “How to do self-marketing as a digital nomad” (Kim-J)

👭16:00 - 17:00  Group networking with panels

💃 17:00 - 18:00  Hula class with Hayati

After 18:00:00  After-party(subject to change depending on operation condition)

The Festival will be run in English & Korean both.

FESTIVAL DETAIL

🎤 Panel discussions with digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and professional solo travelers:

1. Kim - J (@kimj_do)

“How to do self-marketing as a digital nomad”

Using marketing tools and insights from over 3,000 global brands, Kim-J has designed and developed her own brand of remote work. As a digital nomad who creates her own area in global marketing and lecturing, she helps people who want to expand their boundaries to get out of their comfort zone by creating educational programs and workcation programs.

2. Honey Kim(@hitchoneyker)

“Empowering women by awakening the wilderness in their hearts”

An inspiring millennial woman and digital nomad traveling LA, US & South Korea.  She is the CEO of the education startup “Youth Mango” and also creates the Women’s Basecamp community to encourage women to get out of their comfort zone and help adventure.

3. Sunhee Maeng(@sunheem89)

“Connecting with my inner-self in India”

After working at a big company, she becomes a certified yoga teacher after completing a 200-hour teacher training course in Kerala, India. She has been to 35 countries alone! Interacting with fellow solo female travelers is always fun for her.

💃Let’s Hula dance :

Hula is a Hawaiian traditional dance in that our hand movements deliver the lyrics of a Hawaiian song. Its movement can depict nature like the sun, sea, flowers, and wind. Hayati runs a dance studio “Huladang” in Seoul where people are inspired to dance Hula. She loves dancing and Hula is the most favorite dance because it gives her great pleasure. She believes that the pleasure will get bigger and make people feel happy when people dance Hula together.

🎨 Booths from startups and artists:

- Sustainable, unique, and eco-friendly vegan products for the earth

- NomadHer sweatshirt, short-sleeved t-shirts, stickers, phone grips, and other goodies!

🤟 Networking with international entrepreneurs, digital nomads, & globetrotters:

- Group networking with inspirational female leaders

- Dancing Hula to feel the vibe of freedom and nature

VENUE DETAILS ⏰

Saturday, October 29th (14:00 - 18:00)

🎟 Free for everyone and anyone! Online & Offline registration.

📍 Google for Startups Seoul

🚇  Transportation Metro Line 2 - Samsung Station exit 3(5 min walk from metro)

 B2 Autoway Tower 417 Yeongdong-daero Gangnam-gu, Seoul

[KR] 서울 노매드헐 여성 여행자 페스티벌 일정과 무료 접수 방법

❇️ 페스티벌 소개

여성 여행자를 위한 페스티벌 들어보신 적 있으신가요? 전세계 172개국, 15000명 이상의 여성 여행자들이 안전한 혼자 여행을 위해 사용하는 커뮤니티 앱으로 성장한 노매드헐이 She Can Travel Anywhere 라는 주제로 오는 10월 29일 삼성역 근처 구글 스타트업 캠퍼스에서 서울 여성 여행자 페스티벌을 개최합니다!

✳️2019년부터 파리에서 시작해서 올해로 4번째 여는 페스티벌이라고 들었어요. 노매드헐은 왜 매년 여성 여행자 페스티벌을 여나요?

노매드헐은 여자 혼자 여행하면 위험하지 않나요? 라는 질문에 "우리 여성들이 함께라면 해결할 수 있어요" 라고 대답해요. 파리에서 만난 1000명의 여성들과 직접 인터뷰하면서 언어와 문화가 달라도 여성이기 때문에 느끼는 혼자 여행에 대한 두려움은 비슷하다는 것을 발견했거든요.

노매드헐은 여성 여행자들이 서로에게 주는 용기와 응원이 큰 힘이 된다고 생각해요. 페스티벌을 통해 비슷한 고민을 가진 여성들과 이야기를 나누고, 어려움을 극복하고 씩씩하게 자신의 길을 만들어 나가는 여성 리더들을 직접 만날 수 있어요.

❇️ 프로그램 일정

📍14:00 페스티벌 시작 및 스타트업 부스 오픈
📍14:30 - 16:00 연사 토크쇼 (디지털 노마드 및 우먼 임파워먼트 분야 여성 리더들의 이야기 / 디지털 노마드, 창업가, 여행가로 구성)

🎤 (EN)여성 혼자 떠난 인도 여행 그리고 새로운 내 인생의 시작(Sunhee Maeng)

🎤 (KR)내 안의 야생성을 깨워 더 강한 여성으로 성장하는 법(Honey Kim)

🎤  (EN)나를 아는 것이 나의 직업, 디지털 노마드의 셀프마케팅(Kim-J)

📍16:00 - 17:00 스피커와 함께하는 그룹 네트워킹
📍17:00 - 18:00 하야티님과 함께하는 훌라 클래스
-저녁 6시후에는 애프터 파티가 진행 예정입니다(운영 상황에 따라 변동 가능)
-해당 행사는 한국어와 영어로 동시에 진행됩니다.

❇️ 토크쇼 연사 소개

📌 지구별 노마드 마케터이자 아이두미 컴퍼니 대표 김정은님 (@kimj_do)
한번 뿐인 소중한 내 인생, 살고 싶은 나라에서 하고 싶은 일을 다 해보자! 라는 마음으로 시작한 정은님의 프리 워커 도전은 하와이, 샌프란시스코, 뉴욕, 한국 등 전세계를 누비며 종횡무진 달리는 중입니다. 현재까지 130번의 강의, 3000개 브랜드의 컨설팅 프로젝트 기회를 스스로 만들어낸 정은님! 믿고 실행하면 반드시 된다는 정은님의 이야기를 들어보세요!

📌 모험하는 여성들의 아웃도어 커뮤니티 파운더 김하늬님 (@hitchoneyker)
LA와 한국을 누비며 일하는 디지털 노마드이자 교육스타트업 Youth Mango의 CEO이기도 한 하늬님이 최근에 여성들의 야생성을 깨우는 커뮤니티 우먼베이스캠프를 열었어요! 편안함 대신 새로운 도전을 선택해 자신의 길을 만들어 가는 하늬님의 이야기를 들어보세요!

📌 인도여행을 통해 요가강사로 변신한 맹선희님(@sunheem89)
혼자 35개국을 여행해 온 선희님은 인도에서 200시간의 수련을 마치고 요가 강사로의 새로운 도전을 시작했어요. 인도에서의 여행으로 새로운 꿈을 꾸게 된 선희님의 이야기 페스티벌에서 직접 들어보세요!

❇️ 오시는 길

일시 : 2022년 10월 29일 토요일

장소 : 구글 스타트업 캠퍼스 서울 (2호선 삼성역 3번출구에서 도보 5분)

국적, 성별, 나이에 상관없이 누구나 참석하실 수 있어요!

❇️ 온라인 티켓

• Ticket A (무료) : 무료 입장 + 온라인 등록 후 행사 당일 선착순 50명 웰컴 기프트백 증정
• Ticket B(14€/2만원) : 무료 입장 + 전원 웰컴 기프트백 + 노매드헐 반팔 티셔츠
• 🎁Ticket C(28€/4만원) : 무료 입장 + 전원 웰컴 풀 패키지 기프트백 + + 노매드헐 반팔 티셔츠  + 훌라 클래스 1회 + 훌라 치마 선물    
  Ticket C 에는 풀 패키지 기프트백 (총 9가지 상품 / 7만원 상당 이상) 이 제공됩니다. 그외 티켓의 기프트백 구성품은 랜덤 아이템으로 구성됩니다.

티켓 A (무료입장 등록)

티켓 B 예매하기(노매드헐 티셔츠)

티켓 C 예매하기(모든 특별한 혜택을 누리세요!)🎁

She Can Travel Anywhere

On Saturday October 29th, NomadHer will bring together inspirational speakers, entrepreneurs, globetrotters and NomadHer users to celebrate the joy of solo traveling 🌸. We have organized this event since 2019, and we are sure each year will expand our community across the globe! Are you ready to meet a diverse group of like-minded travelers, hear from inspiring female globetrotters, and become inspired to chase your dreams and travel? Look no further, this is the event for you!

Over the past few weeks the NomadHer team in Paris and Seoul have been hard at work preparing for the much awaited Female Globetrotter Festival 2022! For the first time this year, the event is crossing borders and will take place not only in Paris but also three different countries and cities around the world: Paris France, Seoul South Korea, and San Francisco California, USA! The NomadHer community is growing and going global— watch out world! 🌏  

NomadHer, the #1 App for female globetrotters has a mission to empower women through solo travel— and that is exactly what the Female Globetrotter Festival is about!

⬇️ REGISTER ON EVENTBRITE ⬇️

Buy Tickets

FESTIVAL THEME

For the 2022 Globetrotter Festival, we have decided to celebrate travel within a theme that also reflects our mission statement: ‘She can travel anywhere!’ 🌸.

Why? Well, because many women still hesitate to solo travel for various reasons: safety concerns, discouragement from  those around them, uncertainty about where to start. But there is too much to be gained from solo traveling to let anything prevent women from experiencing the adventures of solo traveling. And who knows what adventures are waiting for you in Paris, Seoul and San Francisco ✈️!

⏰ FESTIVAL SCHEDULE (14h - 20h)

🎤 Panel discussions with industry experts, inspirational women, & NomadHer users:

16h - Digital Nomads Lifestyle

17h - Eco-Friendly Travel

18h - Female Empowerment

🎨 Booths from small businesses, artists, & startups:

- Handmade illustrations, gifts, and items

- TravelTech businesses, start-ups and projects

- Sustainable, unique and culturally diverse products from near and far!

- NomadHer tee-shirts, stickers, phone grips and other goodies!

💃 Networking with international entrepreneurs, digital nomads, & globetrotters:

- Group games and activities!

- Food and drink discounts for all participants

- Music and dancing during an afterparty!

🪩 Afterparty at Jo&Joe Nation (20h - Midnight)

• Discounted food and drinks
• DJ Set for upbeat music
• Jo&Joe Paris rooftop access! 🎉

EVENT & VENUE DETAILS

⏰ Saturday, October 29th (14:00 - 20:00)

🎟 Free for everyone and anyone!

📍 Jo&Joe Nation Youth Hostel in Paris (59-61 Rue de Buzenval, 75020)

🚇  Transportation

Buzenval Station - Metro Line 9

Avron Station - Metro Line 2

Nation Station (8 min walk) - Metro Line 1, 2, 6, 9, & RER A  

REGISTER FOR THE GLOBETROTTER FESTIVAL‍

I love the version of myself when I'm traveling. I love being able to get to know the cities from a cafe sitting down watching locals and tourists come and go, and walking until my feet hurt because I don't want to miss any tourist spot.

Surely at this moment thousands of moments that we live when we travel come to our mind. There are moments that we hope that they last forever. Nevertheless, there are other moments that cost us a bit like being away from home, missing family, or the comfort of our room.

And in the midst of the adventures of the solo trips I love to maintain my connection rituals with myself:

1️⃣ 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲

I do small meditations of 8-10 minutes to be able to set an intention for my day and not start the day automatically.

Many people think that to meditate you need to be in a zen position and 100% focused all the time; however, even though that would be ideal, there are other ways of meditating called active meditations.

For example, concentrating on listening to the sound of nature for 5 minutes, or you can be in the present while you do your exercise routine, noticing every movement your body makes and how you feel. To begin with, it helped me a lot in my practice to concentrate on observing an object for a period of time, like seeing a flower and being able to delve into its shape, color, its characteristics, etc.

PRO TIP: Do not judge yourself if thoughts come to your mind because it is normal, the important thing is not to judge them but to recognize them and let them go.

2️⃣ 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

I write in my own diary, I wrote, designed it myself and it is available for sale! Writing is a practice that has changed my life. I love it because it allows me to externalize my thoughts and feelings. I can also save all the stories I'm living on paper to keep them as memories and remember them over and over again when I read them. I love collecting the details of each place on paper and in photos.

3️⃣ 𝐆𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞

I love going to coffee shops and reading, or just people-watching. I love trying to understand how different we are and how much in common we have with people even though we come from geographically different places.

I was in a coffee shop in Amsterdam and they were selling marihuana. During the time I was there, 3 people entered, and I could perceive the way they asked for it. For example, a person asked with great suspicion; while another person asked for it as something natural. But what is the point? That the same situation can be perceived differently depending on the perspective of each person. And it's so interesting to be able to see different points of view and realities because that expands ours.

On every trip I take, I really enjoy being able to see people's daily lives, and how they enter and leave restaurants or cafes. Some are passing through, others take their time, others go alone, others are accompanied, others are on the phone, some arrive and make noise, and others are very quiet. I love how we are surrounded by so many people so different and so alike at the same time.

✨ 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩

I really enjoy being able to write everything I experience in every place I go, I always learn something from someone, from some situation, and from someplace. I love sharing cultures because I feel that I feed my soul with new experiences. I love coming back from my travels and telling my family and friends about all my adventures, all the doors that have opened, all the places I've discovered, and the people I've met.

I have seen many benefits of writing as part of my daily routine and being able to write on a trip helps me to live in the present adventure and be grateful for it. As well as being inspired by perceiving the world I'm living in something I can preserve like a diary. I would like to be able to share more about this topic, surely many of us can connect with this topic.

❤️ 𝐀𝐧𝐝, 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬!

Traveling is a privilege, and being able to do it with yourself seems to me to be one of the most rewarding experiences of this life. So, enjoy those little moments, the cities will be there whenever you want to come back but the version of you that is experiencing all those places never comes back, so enjoy every minute you are in each place, be thankful for the privilege of being present and share your adventures to inspire others.

And as I always say: Believe, let go and trust. Everything comes and everything is as it should be, live in the present, dream as big as you can, never hold on to anything, and experience each day to the fullest.

I would like to tell you in other articles about my top coffee shops in various cities, my plans for a date with myself, rituals, books, and my journaling tips.

👩Vale Loaiza is from Ecuador and loves solo trips. She is a digital marketing strategist and human design reader. So She considers herself a spiritual person. She loves to create digital content, meet people and connect. She dreams to live in Bali someday.

NomadHer is the #1 application for female globetrotters encouraging safe solo travel. Our mission is “Empowering Women Through Travel”.

NomadHer opens an illustration competition for the official poster of the globetrotter festival 2022. This Oct, the Globetrotter festival for women travelers will be held in Seoul, Paris, San Francisco, and New York. It is the opportunity to show your illustration all over the world. Over 15,000 women travelers from 178 countries in the community are waiting to see your great work now.

Thank you to everyone who submitted an illustration to the 2022 NomadHer Illustration Challenge! Click the link below to vote for your top 5 favorite illustrations!

🌸 Competition Theme

Subject: “She can travel anywhere”

For the NomadHer Illustration Competition 2022, we invited all female illustrators who verify as NomadHer to draw an illustration to encourage women travelers to start their trip with confidence!

See the gallery below for all 133  beautiful illustrations submitted by NomadHers from all around the world!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE!

🌸 Illustration Voting Timeline!

Semi-Final Voting (12 PM Tuesday, Sept 27  -  11:59 PM Thursday, Sept 29th)

Vote the illustration that best represents that “She Can Travel Anywhere” through the NomadHer App voting form. The top 15 illustrations will move on to the final  round of voting on the NomadHer App!

Final Round Voting (12 PM Friday, Sept 30th -  11:59 PM Sunday, Oct 2nd)

Vote for your 2 favorite illustrations from the top 15 images in the final round. The top three illustrations with the most votes will win 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes.  

Winner Announcement (Monday, Oct 3rd)

The Illustration Challenge top three winners will be contacted directly on the NomadHer App. The illustration with the most votes will become the official banner for the 2022 Female Globetrotter Festival in Paris, Seoul, and San Francisco! Along with that, the top three illustrations will be featured as future splash screens of the NomadHer App.

All times are in Paris Local Time!

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CLICK HERE TO VOTE!

🌸 How to Increase Your Chances?

• If you submitted an illustration, feel free to share your illustration ‘behind the scenes’ story on the app to appeal to NomadHers and show your illustration again!
• Upload your illustration on your Instagram and tag @nomad_her with hashtags #nomadher #nomadherillustrationcompetition #shecantravelanywhere.

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On June 26th, 2021, one week before the start of my first solo trip, I received an email in my inbox that I had written one year earlier and sent to the future through FutureMe.com. The message was written in 2020 during a time when I, like the rest of the world, was in the middle of a global pandemic and could only dream of traveling. And I had been dreaming of traveling long before the pandemic started.

“Dear FutureMe, …” I had written to my future self. “You might already be in Montpellier or getting ready to go in a few days or weeks. I am so excited for you. Make the best of it!”

It was more than a coincidence that when I received the letter on June 26th, 2021, I was set to be taking off in just one week to travel to France for one month and visit Montpellier to study French! When I wrote the letter to my future self, I did not write it as a question. I wrote about my goal of traveling as a statement. I wrote it as if I already knew it would happen. And in a way, I did know. I knew that I would do everything in my power to make this trip a possibility.

During the year between June 2020 and June 2021, I spent countless hours studying French, working two part-time jobs, and saving my money to be able to take that trip. Here are three lessons I learned in each city I visited in France during my first solo trip at age 17:

1️⃣Challenge Yourself to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Phalempin, Hauts-de-France

Despite having learned French in school for about 3 years before my trip, adjusting to a new linguistic environment was a bit of a challenge in the beginning. I still remember my first real interaction in French at the post office of a small town near Lille called Phalempin. I am sure I stood outside of the post office pacing for at least five minutes before mustering up the courage to go in and ask the woman behind the desk about the possibility of getting service for my phone while I was in France.

While neither the conversation nor my French was perfect, at that moment, I pushed myself out of my area of comfort. I was determined to reduce, or even eliminate, my use of English while I was in France, and this would mean stumbling over my words and sometimes feeling lost in conversation.

But as I continued, I found that my comfort zone expanded. Slowly but surely, speaking French with strangers was no longer outside of my comfort zone. By no means was my French perfect, but I began to be comfortable expressing myself in the language and learning to accept the things that I was unable to express and see it simply as room for improvement.

I believe the same thing applies to solo traveling in general. The first time you head to the airport alone and land in a new country alone, you may be met with anxiety, uncertainty, and hesitation. You may literally be out of your comfort zone, but the more you are willing to step into the unknown, the further you will be to go and the more your comfort zone will expand.

2️⃣Trust Your Intuition

Montpellier, Occitanie

Initially, I was not going to travel to Montpellier but instead had planned to stay with family friends in the North of France for three weeks before traveling to Paris for a final week. But about a month before the trip, I got the feeling that I should take the extra leap, and sign up for two weeks of French classes in Montpellier. And, as it turns out, that was one of the best decisions I could have made.

When traveling, whether it is regarding where you will go, what you will do, or who you meet, trust your intuition about what you will do while you are abroad. I followed the feeling of wanting to go to Montpellier in the South of France to take French classes, and ended up learning so much more French than I would have otherwise, and coming out of the experience with friends I am still in contact with today!

When solo traveling, especially as a woman, it is important to follow your intuition not only before your trip but also while you are traveling. If something doesn't feel right to you, even if you can’t quite explain why it is worth considering that feeling and acting accordingly.

3️⃣Spending Time Alone will Help you Gain Independence

Paris, Île de France

When I think back to the week that I spent in Paris, the most freeing thing about the experience was not the city I was in, the beautiful scenery that I saw, or the culture around me (although all of those factors were very impactful). It was the chance to be completely on my own and not have anyone to rely on or accompany me throughout the city. Any challenges, changes, or joys that arrived along the way were completely my own to overcome and experience.

And oh, did I experience a lot! When I was about to leave France, already at the gate, ready to board my flight back to New York City, an airline employee came by to give me an attestation form that I was to turn in with confirmation of a negative COVID-19 test from the past 72 hours. This would have been fine, except that I had not known I would need a negative COVID test to board the flight and had not gotten tested before checking in! The mistake of not having checked before heading to the airport was all mine; after all, there was no one else who would have done it for me. And, along with the independence of traveling on my own, I was placed in a situation where I had to solve the challenge that I was facing on my own as well.

Thankfully, after an hour spent rushing through the airport, back through costumes, and to the pharmacy to take a COVID test, I was able to successfully get a negative COVID-19 test, and reach my flight in time to board at the very end of the line.

When you are traveling alone, things will go wrong; you might miss a flight or forget to check something important, but through each mistake you make and challenge you to face, you learn how to advocate for yourself and to trust yourself. Through solo traveling, you learn to push yourself out of your comfort zone, listen to your intuition, gain independence and trust yourself to handle anything and everything that comes your way. There is nothing quite like it!

👩 Gloria Kuzmenko-Latimer(IG: @global__gloria) lives in the U.S. She recently graduated from high school. She is an avid language learner so now she can speak English, Russian, French, Ukrainian, and Korean.  Learning a new language and Traveling is her passion. She is excited now about what’s coming on in a new life in Paris during her gap year.

My first trip ended up traveling for 229 days, through three continents and 24 different countries. I spent Halloween in Transylvania (home of Dracula), camped in the desert in Egypt, rode horses and camels through the mountains of Turkey, and more.

Try to avoid fear at first

In 2020, like many others, I was faced with the isolation that COVID-19 brought us. I spent eighteen months building my wanderlust for the world. I began to find curiosity in looking into new places and dreaming of being able to see them on my own.

As much as I dreamed, I never thought I would be able to do it. I was too scared to overcome fear, scared of the idea of getting up and leaving everything I knew to travel the world alone. Wanting to experience new cultures without having to leave my room, I began studying Mandarin and teaching English to Chinese students online. I thought this would satisfy my urge to see the world, but it only made it greater.

Find a way to travel and study both

As those eighteen long months of isolation drew to a close and I finished my final year of high school, I looked for what I would be doing next. I had always seen myself continuing my education and was not ready to give up on that. My wanderlust continued to grow as I began to figure out what university I would attend. One day I had the relaxation, why can't I just do both?

With lots of research, I finally landed on a way to do it. Through a local college, I was able to take classes that would allow me to travel through different time zones and be able to make my own schedule around them. Finally, I had figured out the perfect way to do school and travel, but now I had to face my fear of leaving everything I knew to do it.

Decide to begin my first solo trip starting from Turkey

Where to go? Where to go on your own when you have no clue what you are doing? I had no one around me that had solo traveled before and said to me to try a solo trip once in my life. So I had to rely on myself and my research to do it.

After months of research and studying places, I finally found the perfect one, Turkey. Now you may wonder why Turkey? I was asked this many times and even asked myself that same question. Many people told me it was unsafe for women, or that it was a dangerous place overall. Though these questions alarmed me I stuck to my instincts and bought my ticket leaving less than a month later.

After some very hard goodbyes and a lot of questioning if I could travel on my own, I packed up one giant backpack and a duffle bag and was on my way. I had a day-long layover in Lisbon, Portugal which was where I would stay in my first ever hostel. Not knowing anyone that had been to a hostel before I had no clue what to expect. When I arrived, I was shocked to find the helpfulness and community that it held, and I knew that through the worry, it was all worth it.

Turkey becomes my love

When I arrived in Turkey, I instantly fell in love. The people, the food, the nature, it was just the most beautiful place. I spent a month there (and would return six months later to see it again), before heading off to see more places. I had no clue what my adventure would bring, but I can now safely say that buying that ticket was the best choice I could have made.

I ended up traveling for 229 days, through three continents and 24 different countries. I spent Halloween in Transylvania (home of Dracula), camped in the desert in Egypt, rode horses and camels through the mountains of Turkey, and so much more. I have made countless new friends that I still speak to all the time.

Being a solo female traveler, especially for the first time, can be scary, but it is one of the most worthwhile things in the world. Not to mention that while I traveled the world I was able to achieve my goal of continuing my education at the same time. Travel is such a beautiful thing, and I truly believe anyone can do it.

👩 Delaney Brewer(IG: @whereevenisdelaney) lives in the U.S. Traveling and learning about new cultures is her passion. After her first solo trip of 229 days, through three continents and 24 different countries, She falls in love with traveling even more. This is just the beginning of her travel life.

Barcelona is the perfect combination of the big city, beach, and mountains which makes the city one of the world's leading tourist destinations. Barcelona has a lot to offer from its culture, history, and art to gastronomy, architecture, relaxing parks, and not mention the world’s oldest magic shop, speakeasy bars, and secret restaurants. Yet, the greatest value to me is the kindness and compassion of Spanish people who can make your stay unforgettable.

✳️ Best time to visit

▪ May ~ mid-September

If you want to enjoy the beach this period is the perfect time to visit Barcelona. I would avoid August since by usually this time the sea warms up and jellyfish are present.

▪ October-May

If you prefer a more pleasant climate, less-crowded places, less waiting time at tourist attractions, and cheaper accommodation, recommend visiting during October - May. You still can go to the beach (open & free) but the sea will probably be too cold for a bath.

▪Fun fact

Barcelona is heaven for those women who are looking to undergo IVF treatment due to the excellent public & private healthcare system, advanced technology (Barcelona is a Health Tech hub), high success rates, and multilingual medical professionals.

✳️ Safety

Most of the countries have a consulate in Barcelona (embassies are in the capital) so make sure you have their contact details in case of lost documents or any other emergency.

▪Areas to need to avoid: La Rambla, the port & the district of Raval at night or when there are no people around. If you like legends, there is one about the Vampire of Raval.

▪Pickpocketing: Barcelona is generally a safe city. However, pickpockets are the main crime problem (generally not violent) mainly in the city center and near major tourist attractions. Keep your bags in front of you when walking in crowded places. In the metro, no wallet in your back pocket, and don't put phones, or cameras on tables at cafes and restaurants. It’s also an issue on beaches so if you plan to swim, I recommend renting a locker for your belongings.

✳️ Public transportation

If you prefer to discover the city on your own and create your own itinerary, the Barcelona public transport will be your best friend since it’s very convenient, reliable and you can get to the attractions easily.

You have the options:

▪Hola Barcelona Travel Card: It provides unlimited journeys on public transport for consecutive periods. ▪T-casual ticket: Individual 10-journey ticket, one journey is valid for 75 minutes when changing lines or mode of transport.

▪T-dia ticket: Individual ticket for an unlimited number of journeys in one day.

▪Moovit app: This is the app I use for public transport since it shows real-time arrivals. With this app, you can be completely independent and save money on the taxi ride.

✳️ Things to do on the first day

To start the first day in Barcelona, looking around the entire city can be a good choice. They guide you to some historical sights and famous attractions. It helps your understanding of new places at once. Here is information about the walking & bus tour.

▪Barcelona Free Walking Tour

▪Hop on Hop off Bus Tour

▪ Barcelona Night Tour Bus

✳️ The apps to help organize your trip

▪Barcelona beaches: This is the website of the city and provides real-time updates about the occupation level, sea conditions, water quality, and jellyfish presence on the Barcelona beaches, and you’ll also find useful info about activities, living, and working in Barcelona.

▪Nextdoor app: If you’d like to discover and connect with people in your neighborhood or exchange recommendations, check this app out

▪My 112 app: I haven’t used this app but it can be an interesting option. If you call the emergency operator from the app, it automatically sends your location to the operator so they can locate you more quickly (only works in Spain).

👩 Alma Schiffer(IG: @almaporbarcelona) lives in Barcelona. Traveling and learning about new cultures is her passion. Recently, She creates some great designs that she gets inspiration from the famous Korean drama called Extraordinary Attorney Woo. Do you want to follow up on her next trip? Then find her in the NomadHer community. She is waiting for women travelers to share their travel stories and inspiration right now! You can connect to her through the NomadHer community now!

During more stressful times, one thing that relaxes me is thinking about future travel. I stayed in Dublin🇮🇪 for five days with two friends and my little brother (16). Here are my suggestions to travel to Dublin which is the capital of Ireland and has lots of attractions. It includes transportation, bar & restaurant, and main highlights to go. hope you will enjoy them!  However, I’ve discovered that Dublin is more than pubs, it has a fascinating history and is surrounded by nature.

✳️Transport

The EU is easily accessible because you need only your ID card, don’t worry if a border policeman says otherwise -it happened to me. The airport isn't far from the center and Ireland also has its own air company, Aer Lingus. Check if they have sales.

💳 Transport pass

Online or at the airport, you can buy the Leap Card, a convenient transport pass. There are different types, be careful. Both the center and suburb are well-connected. For example, if you want to do a day trip to Howth you can reach it by bus -as I’ve done- or by train, the DART. On every bus, you can charge your phone in a USB socket!

✳️ Food and drinks

Dublin is famous for the Guinness beer, but give also a try to other beers and alcohol such as whiskeys! 🍴Irish food is based mainly on meat and fish. Some traditional dishes are the Irish Stew, Seafood Chowder, and their generous breakfast. For lunch, almost every restaurant is closed, but you can still find some international restaurants, cafes, and fast-food chains.

🍻The Brazen Head: The oldest pub in Dublin, they serve traditional food and Irish beer (we loved Kilkenny beer)

🐟 King Sitric Seafood Bar: It offers yummy and fresh fish in Howth port.

🍩 Offbeat Donut Co: There are a lot of lovely donuts and even one vegan option, my advice is to buy one and eat it in a park, you will not regret it!

🍗 Nando’s Dublin: Chicken chain restaurant with tasty plant-based options. Ask for tap water, you will save money.

For better food advice, ask locals, some of them also have a list of favorite restaurants.

✳️Places to visit in Dublin

• Visit the city center, in particular, Temple Bar, the Trinity College Library, St.Patrick and the St. Christ Cathedrals.
• Spend an afternoon in Phoenix Park and look for fallow deer.
• Go to Howth, there are seals in the port and amazing walks.
• Learn how Guinness beer is made and drink a pint in the Guinness Storehouse.

Other information when you look around

• Notice that almost every museum/church/clothing store closes at 5 p.m.
• Remember to book tours or other activities, in particular the Guinness Storehouse.
• In pubs, underage (18) can’t stay after 10 p.m., even if with an adult, and in many pubs you must be at least 21 years old.
• Some national museums are gratis, the others have student discounts.

✳️Accommodation

I’ve stayed in Dublin One Hotel and I really recommend it. It’s twenty-minute from the center and, when I looked, it was cheaper than hotels and hostels. In addition, it’s clean and comfortable and it has delicious breakfast/brunch options, even vegan, so book the breakfast too.

✳️Safety

I felt pretty safe during the day and people are very kind, if you need anything ask them! In the evening you have to be more careful because there are plenty of drunk people, stay on busy streets and check around you.

To sum up, I really enjoyed Dublin and I hope to return to Ireland soon!

👩 Valentina Gianotti(@Valentina Gianotti) is from Italy. She loves art, travel, and animals. Now, she expects what’s next on her journey.  Do you want to follow up on her next trip? Then find her in the NomadHer community. She is waiting for women travelers to share their travel stories and inspiration right now! You can connect to her through the NomadHer community now!

I’m proud to say that I’m a female solo traveler. I’ve always been very independent, but I’ve never had the courage to make a solo trip abroad, until April 16: on that day I went on my first solo travel abroad to Bucharest, the heart of Romania.

This travel was a double challenge for me: demonstrating that I’m capable of traveling alone and, most of all, demonstrating to everybody that Romania is absolutely safe if you’re a female solo traveler.

I guess I could talk about this experience for an entire day, but I’ll try to keep it short and give you important information and tips to arrange a solo trip to this beautiful city that just needs to be discovered!

✳️ Is Romania safe for solo female travelers?

All I can say is that I’m so grateful to have chosen this city for my solo trip: I’ve never felt unsafe walking alone, Romanians are very welcoming, and be sure that if you need help, you will find a Romanian ready to help you. Romania has so many things to offer, it’s only up to us to go there and discover them all.

And I guess that on a solo trip you never stop meeting new people and that day I had the chance to meet so many of them, especially the guide who knew that I was there alone and, therefore, we spent all the free time together talking (in my funny Romanian) about so many different things.

✳️ Can I use Euro in Romania?

Even though Romania is in Europe, they don’t have Euros. Instead, they use a currency called the Romanian leu. But don’t worry because a credit card is accepted everywhere, so you can survive easily without changing your money.

✳️ How can I go downtown from the airport?

The airport “Henri Coanda” is well connected to the city center with 🚌 the 783 bus that goes back and forth every 20 minutes, so let the adventure begin: I got on the bus and in half an hour I arrived at the hotel (Tip #1: always book a hotel located in the very city center so you would feel safe going out at night or simply coming back to the hotel after dinner, and in this city, you can find a lot of good-for-value hotels).

✳️ Where are your favorite places in Bucharest?

After checking in, I immediately started to explore the city Bucharest has a lot of streets full of cafes, cute shops, and beautiful places.

1. Grand Café Van Gogh

The most beautiful cafes in Bucharest

2. The Carturesti Carusel

One of the most beautiful libraries in Europe.

3. Parliament of Romania

The Parliament is actually the heaviest building in the world (Tip #2: it’s definitely worth a visit inside, the interior is very pompous and if you’re a student the ticket is only 4€). It was quite far from the city center. But, despite all, I’ve never felt unsafe walking down the street alone and the Romanian people, 😀as I expected, were so kind, some men even changed the sidewalk so they wouldn’t give me the impression they were following me and I really appreciated it.

4.  Bran Castle

It is called Dracula’s Castle

5.  Peles Castle

The most beautiful castle I have ever seen so far. If you come to Bucharest, you need to visit these two castles. So the next morning I took part in this tour to the two castles and the city of Brasov, and visiting these places covered with snow was the cherry on the cake. Romania is one of the most beautiful countries to good to go to during the Christmas season.

6. The ethnographic museum of Dimitrie Gusti

On the last day, I left the hotel early so I could have one last walk to the city that, apparently, at 10 am is still sleeping and I walked for almost 10 km until the last attraction: the ethnographic museum of Dimitrie Gusti. This is an open-air museum where there is a village made of small houses coming from all parts of 19th-century Romania. The ticket is only 4€ euros and I’ve been there until the afternoon when I took the bus to the airport and said goodbye to this city.

✳️ Could you recommend a restaurant that is good to go?

🍷 Caru' cu bere restaurant

Finally, dinner time has come and I want to be honest with you, I was a little bit “afraid” that people would judge me for going to a restaurant alone, but I was wrong because basically, no one looked at the in a bad or “pity” way.

I went to the restaurant Caru’ cu bere which is considered one of the most beautiful restaurants in the city and it really was. The food is amazing, the waiters were very kind, and every now and then there were dancers and singers going around in the restaurant and interacting with customers.  

After dinner, on my way back to the hotel, I decided to have a walk through the cute streets of the center taking some pictures.

If you are planning to go on your first solo trip, I strongly recommend Romania as the country that you are looking for. As a woman traveler,  you feel safe, see beautiful scenery and meet kind people. You feel welcomed wherever you go.

👩 Denise Laniro is from Italy. After her first solo trip to Romania, she falls in love with this country.  She loves to travel around the world and meet people. Do you want to follow up on her next trip? Then find her in the NomadHer community. She is waiting for women travelers to share their travel stories and inspiration right now! You can connect to her through the NomadHer community now!