By: Pamela Gliatis

Traveling is important for so many reasons. It’s an opportunity to leave your comfort zone and explore new places while appreciating the familiar you left behind. It forces you to be bold and take risks, to open your mind and learn, to have conversations with people you never imagined you would, and to hear stories that will stay in your mind and heart for years to come. It also makes for special moments like slowing down at sunset, realizing what you miss and what you don’t, and laughing and crying while experiencing sights that will take your breath away. 

But more importantly, it is just as important to travel right after graduation. Less than 6% of American students take the opportunity to study abroad, even though it can increase your hiring prospects substantially. This may mean there is a lack of awareness of how vital traveling is for your future prospective career and you as a whole. I was fortunate enough to have attended a university that made it a requirement to study abroad overseas or within the U.S. for graduation but also stressed the importance of traveling. Even though I had already traveled to 15 countries then, I still took the opportunity to study abroad in South Africa for a winter semester, one of the most incredible trips I’ll ever have taken. I knew that college and post-graduation were the only times I could maximize my time and travel as much as possible before I buckled down and focused on my career. Because, if not now, then when?

Occasionally, naysayers may warn against a woman traveling alone or with a group at such a young age due to all the possible dangers women can experience overseas. Anywhere you go, there will always be a potential danger, but what’s important is remembering how to be prepared and educated on what you can do to travel smartly and safely. I’ve compiled a list below of things that most female travelers never travel without. Be sure to keep reading on for additional tips!

Travel Checklist

Backup copies of important documents.

While this may seem obvious, it must also be discussed for its importance. The State Department advises making copies of all documents—passport, hotel/car rental/tour package confirmations, airline/rail/bus ticket confirmations, and health/travel insurance—one for you and one to leave behind with a trusted family member or friend.

Bring a portable charger.

You will always need this on hand, especially in emergencies or traveling where electricity is scarce. Plus, the phone battery can drain pretty quickly when taking photo after photo. South Africa was one of the countries where I learned that I’d need multiple portable chargers because they do rolling blackouts to conserve energy, for they have an electricity crisis. I was prepared for that scenario because I did research ahead of time, so make sure to research where you’re going to see how much you’ll need to bring with you.

International phone plan.

Double-check with your phone provider to ensure connectivity in the destination you’re headed for and make any necessary changes to your international plan. Sometimes, there may not be much connectivity from your phone provider in specific destinations, but you can quickly grab a SIM card for your phone to avoid any connectivity issues and prevent roaming charges. Usually, these are available in most airports in most destinations.

Translate apps.

Google Translate will come in handy in many situations. The app offers text translations in 108 languages, with 59 languages available offline, and more. There are also other voice apps such as iTranslate. iTranslate not only allows you to voice text and translate into your desired language, but there’s also an option to take photos of menus, road signs, cards, and many more to be able to translate them. Two apps are better than one as it is always good to have extra apps to help you in these situations as one may work better than the other at times.  

Snacks, electrolytes, and all medication from home.

You never know when you’ll need an emergency food, electrolyte, or medicine stash. You could be in the middle of nowhere, having lost track of time, but thankfully, you have what you need on hand to give you fuel and care.

Money belt, pepper spray, rape alarm, and doorstop.

All these things take up very little space and come in handy in many different situations. There are often pickpocketers or purse snatchers in many touristy places or even remote areas. A money belt or a fanny pack is a great way to protect your money while out and about. While I don’t want to scare female travelers into not traveling, I want to stress that it is essential to carry a pepper spray or rape alarm regardless of where you are traveling to, you always want to have some protection. 

And lastly, a door stop is helpful, for it can be shoved under flimsy hotel room doors at night in case someone tries to come in. From my travel experiences, many tropical places have door stops in case people want to leave doors open and they won’t slam shut due to winds. However, it wasn’t until my experience in staying in hostels in South Africa, which can get dangerous at times, I overheard a female solo traveler talking about how a doorstop can offer additional security while staying in Airbnb or hostels. Since then, I made it a new travel habit to bring a doorstop anywhere I go. 

Travel Tips

Now that there’s a good idea of what is essential to bring while traveling, it would also be great to have tips on what to do when traveling overseas. I’ve gathered some of the best tips that I’ve learned from traveling solo and with others, but also tips that I’ve gained insight into from expert travelers I’ve met along the way.   

Dress like a local.

While every woman should dress however they like, from my experiences traveling alone, one of the best lessons I learned is to blend in when I can. This ensures that you won’t draw too much attention to yourself while respecting local culture and customs. A lot of times, looking like an American tourist can make you an easy target for thieves or scammers to try to rip you off. For some reason, many countries can look down on American tourists for not understanding what other cultures are like, and that can also open you up to unnecessary problems. However, if you blend in when you can, people will treat you better overall which gives you an easier and smoother travel experience. On the plus side, you get to be a part of that culture and experience it further by blending in.  

Don’t get wasted, and don’t tell people where you’re staying.

This was especially repeated several times for its importance during my debriefing meeting about studying abroad. But even more so, as a young woman traveling alone or in groups, you don’t want to put yourself in situations that open you up to all kinds of problems. Some countries have strict rules about public drunkenness which can get you in trouble, but other than that, you also don’t want to be in such vulnerable situations where you can get taken advantage of. 

It’s also okay to tell family and friends back home where you’re staying, but certainly not people you meet while traveling. No one needs to know where you are staying, and if you make plans to meet someone you meet abroad, meet at a local landmark or point instead. Be aware of your surroundings as much as you can, and use your instincts when meeting new people while traveling. 

If you plan on traveling alone, join day tours.

Or, if you plan on traveling solo but would love to join other solo female travelers to enjoy the trip, check out Dreamy Trips Bali. It is not only female-owned, but they also usually do groups of 10-15 women between the ages of 20 and 40 with various destinations in Bali, Greece, Spain, Italy, Mexico City, Paris, Sri Lanka, and many more. All of their trips include some type of tour every single day as well as an option to add several activities to your itinerary or to simply use a day as a rest day. 

I recently used this company myself back in August where I got to travel with 15 other female solo travelers from all over the world to Bali and it was one of the best experiences of my life. We were able to see waterfalls, visit monkey temples, do a traditional Balinese spiritual cleansing and flower baths, hang at beach clubs, ATV ride through the rice fields, and many more. The best part is I not only left that trip with incredible memories, but I also gained new best friends who I still keep in touch with daily. 

Stay in hostels and lock your valuables up.

For my fellow budget travelers, Hostel World is a great resource to not only look for hostels but also allow you to connect with other travelers. Hostels are a great place to meet other people and break out of your comfort zone. Hostels are a budget accommodation that shares many common rooms with other travelers such as bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, etc. However, they do also have an option to upgrade to a private room if you don’t want to share with others. Many hostels also have lockers for you to lock up your valuables so you can rest knowing your things are safe, among other things. The best part about Hostel World is that they also offer student discounts. 

Be aware of your surroundings and know where your embassy is.

It’s usually good to research your area ahead of time and learn the “no-go” areas to avoid. Knowing where your embassy is also helps you know where to go in case there’s a problem. The embassy can also help you if you lose your passport, but this is also where a digital copy of your passport will be handy. Having a digital copy will help prove your identity in case of a disaster or if a passport gets lost or stolen. Another great tip is to take a photo of your passport stamp as soon as you go through passport control in any country, to show and prove your date of arrival in case of emergencies.  

Learn to read situations and trust your instincts.

This is the most important for any female traveler, especially while solo. Be aware and learn to read situations; ultimately, always trust your instincts. Self-preservation is key, so don’t worry about what you need to do to protect yourself.

While it may seem like an overwhelming amount of information, it is always better to be over-prepared than to be stuck in situations you wish you prepared yourself for. It’s normal to feel nervous or scared when going on an international trip for the first time but I promise that the experience is like no other. The memories, lessons learned, and people you meet from traveling far outweigh any worries, concerns, or fears that may arise. Getting out of your comfort zone will always be scary, but absolutely worth it. Take this chance while you still can!