The Best Way to Travel Abroad Solo (for Catholics)
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“I wouldn’t want to go to Italy by myself, how lame is it to enjoy a glass of wine alone?”
“Maybe I should wait to travel so that my spouse and I can one day experience new places together.”
Perhaps you have found yourself, or know others, who are waiting to travel until they have a special someone to travel with. It is natural to want to share the joy of traveling and seeing new places with that one special person, but that is certainly no reason to postpone exploring the world until you meet him or her. After all, there are one-hundred and ninety-five countries to explore and five oceans to swim in.
So if you have a desire to travel, there is no better time than now to get started!
Some of my best travel experiences have been during my single years.
Some of the best travel experiences I have had have been during my single years, specifically a solo trip to Europe a few summers ago.
Despite being excited about the new adventure I was about to embark on, I was also nervous about the unknown. Would I enjoy eating dinner by myself? Would the romantic music played by the street vendors be a bitter reminder of my singlehood? Maybe I built up my expectations too high and this trip was a bad idea...
Sitting in the airport, waiting to board my international flight, I started to write in my journal. As I sat, I was thinking about how the truths of life don’t change from one country to another. Culture is different to be sure, but life is life.
Sometimes, I hop on the couch at home with a dinner prepared for one. When I drive down the street, I see couples holding hands. Wherever I go, I have the power to choose how I will respond to a given circumstance.
Words of wisdom from my dad came to me in that moment. He said to me, “Your home is where Jesus is, and that means that you are always home.”
Traveling with this truth in mind continues to bring me great comfort. Because I know this is true, I have confidence that God will be the same for me whether I am at home in the United States or halfway across the world. He won’t leave me hanging out to dry.
I prayed before my European trip that God would open my heart and help me to look for the blessings he had in store for me. I entrusted my heart, mind and soul to Jesus, with the joyful expectation that he would providentially guide my trip.
I was reminded I'm never alone, even while in a different country, and it was like the Holy Spirit traveled with me.
Day one in Rome was amazing. The Holy Spirit led the day and he did well! I licked a creamy cone of gelato, gazed at the Holy Spirit window in Saint Peter’s, prayed Hail Marys in front of Saint John Paul II’s tomb, walked the Spanish Steps, stared at paintings by Caravaggio, ate pizza in Piazza della Rotonda near the Pantheon, watched the World Cup in an Irish Pub, and ate dinner with new people I met that day.
I walked the cobblestone streets of Rome on my own, but I felt the Holy Spirit leading the way and Jesus’ presence with me. We enjoyed each other’s company and shared in the joy of a beautiful city. I was comforted and at peace.
The next day as I was praying in Saint Peter’s Square, I read a quotation by Father Jean-Pierre De Caussade, “Let your own motto be: Have patience and let God do the work. For, when all is said, you can do no other. Yours is merely to say: I adore and resign myself; fiat!” This was God’s confirmation to me that he was and would continue to provide good things for me on my trip. Each day in Rome continued to be better than the last.
Traveling can help you deepen you faith—even if you aren't on an official pilgrimage.
Traveling alone in Rome also called to mind Hosea 2:16: “Therefore, I will allure her now; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak persuasively to her.”
Although Rome is definitely not “the wilderness,” it was a pilgrimage which required vulnerability, meekness and boldness. Jesus led me to him in Rome, he allured me by his goodness, and I learned that I enjoyed walking the streets of Rome on my own. I walked slower, I soaked up the sights, and I had a self-assurance and confidence because I was under his protection, a protection which kept me safe and wrapped in the warmth of Mary’s mantle.
Jesus wants to allure you too, and if you sense he is inviting you to go on an adventure with him, don’t hesitate to join him!
Of course, while traveling alone, there are precautions to take! Here are a few tips:
1. Be aware of your surroundings and do not be overconfident!
Before heading to your destination, research the peak tourist season as well as popular sites for pickpockets. I was in Rome during the height of tourist season and my overconfidence caused me to fall victim to a pick-pocketer who softly snuck my wallet out of my purse while I sat reading next to a fountain in a busy piazza.
You really can never be too careful, so be sure to either have your hand over your purse and/or bags whenever you are out in public, otherwise consider wearing a money belt which you can wear underneath your clothes. I was also very careful to only walk alone while it was still daylight.
2. Send your travel itinerary to a few family members and friends and touch base with them throughout your trip.
Even if you do not have every detail planned out, this will help your family and friends know where to find you in an emergency. Provide them with contact information for your accommodations as well as your flight schedules.
3. Print extra copies of your passport.
Whenever I travel, I bring at least two printed copies of my passport, and I keep them in separate bags. In the case that your passport does get stolen, at least you will have back-ups to present to customs and hopefully avoid the hassle spending hours in the embassy to have a new one made.
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