Solo Trip to Barcelona
By Daizha Brown, Foster Undergraduate who is participating in an exchange with Bocconi University.
“Hi, my name is Daizha and if I could go to any place in the world it would be Spain.” This was always my answer during icebreaker games when we had to say a place we would love to travel to. I even made a collage of all the places I wanted to travel, and Spain was 
right in the center. At 11 years old, I watched Cheetah Girls 2. I saw a group of ambitious and excited girls travel out of the country all the way to Spain and had the time of their lives. It was then I told myself I would see the world. I was going to go to Spain no matter what. I wanted to see different countries, cultures, and just travel. This was my dream. I would sing Strut in the streets of Barcelona no matter what.
Fast forward almost 10 years later and I am just so full of happiness because that dream came true. I’ve enjoyed travelling throughout my quarter abroad but this trip was so special to me. As a kid we all have dreams of going places and doing things, but as we get older we sometimes forget about them because of “reality”. This encouraged me even more to never let what I see or the challenges I’m facing to stop me from taking risks or dreaming big.
This was an amazing trip and such a great experience solo travelling. As a young woman, it can be easy to let fear stop you from travelling alone. But using general safety precautions, and trusting your instincts will help you be safe while having an enjoyable time!
Tips for a female solo traveler:
- Book your Airbnb or hostel in a central area
- Don’t have your phone out all the time when walking (Take a visual picture of your journey and look at it to see when to turn/make sure you’re going the right way)
- Wear a purse or bag that wraps around your neck
- Enjoy this time for yourself. Time for self-care and celebrating all your hard work!
