women travel

Last week, my intention was to post this blog as a dedication to my beloved sorority’s Founders’ Day. But this adulting thing just won’t let me be great. With most black Greek sorority’s celebrating Founders’ Day last week (the founding anniversary date of our respective sororities), I wanted to recognize my beautiful sorors and fellow sistergreeks making strides and globetrotting all over the world. We’ve come a long way in opportunities since our founders set the path for us over a century ago. I’m sure they never fathomed that sisterhood, service, and excellence would be reflected all over the world today. Actually, I take that back. Of course they knew. Our founders were pioneers and visionaries. They dreamed big without limits. They saw beyond the mental walls and ceilings of defeat and “it can’t be done”. And not only am I happy to be part of such a glorious legacy, but I’m happy their legacy can be seen around the world today. So, without further ado, I bring you the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, and Sigma Gamma Rho. Young, black, educated, and TRAVELED. Note: If one sorority seems more represented than others, it wasn’t intentional. I “pinky” swear LOL.

@passportprissy at Big Red Sand Dunes, Dubai (Alpha Kappa Alpha)

@tanzamerican1920 at the Colosseum in Rome (Zeta Phi Beta)

@starrdevereaux at the Chichen Itza in Mexico (Alpha Kappa Alpha)

@esha_diva10 at the Eiffel Tower in Paris (Delta Sigma Theta)

@ms_nicky at Los Cabo Mountain Top (Alpha Kappa Alpha)

@raegaddy in Pont de l’Alma (Sigma Gamma Rho)

@sassybebe30 at The Hamptons, New York (Alpha Kappa Alpha)

@alexisaifa13 at Koh Phi Phi Beach, Thailand (Alpha Kappa Alpha)

@jasheceo in Costa Rica (Delta Sigma Theta)

@viva.la.vina at Christ de Redeemer in Rio, Brazil (Alpha Kappa Alpha)

@blktraveladdict at the Taj Mahal (Alpha Kappa Alpha)

@chakalate_mamihlapinatapai at Copocabana Beach in Rio during the 2016 Summer Olympics (Alpha Kappa Alpha)

@curlsandcouture in Indonesia (Delta Sigma Theta)

@poshandpumps, Chacchoben Mayan Ruins (Delta Sigma Theta)

@jorilacour at the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Rome, Italy

@queennadiaa in Capetown, South Africa (Alpha Kappa Alpha)

@pearlsofarabia, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE (Alpha Kappa Alpha)

@tydomo_45 at the Royal Palace in Seoul, Korea (Alpha Kappa Alpha)

@i_carlii at Skogafoss Waterfall in Iceland (Sigma Gamma Rho)

@encassilating at the Cathedral-Basilica de Nuestra in Spain (Zeta Phi Beta)

@urbantravelista

I promote solo travel often in my blog, because it’s a fairly new experience for me. But I must admit one truth: I MISS MY GIRLFRIEND GETAWAYS. I miss the late night girl locker room talks, being silly, catching up on life, seeking advice, and being surrounded by those that “get” me and still love me in spite of my shortcomings. Overall, I guess once could say that I miss my sister friend connections. Through the years, I’ve lost many of those connections. Some were by choice and others were due to life taking us in different directions. And there’s no love lost. We get married, we have children, we pursue advanced degrees, we start business ventures, we get promoted into demanding positions, we have aging parents that require our attention, and we even relocate. I get it, life happens. In the midst of balancing life’s demands, friendships sometimes fall the wayside. But, as truthful as this all sounds, it would be dishonest of me to blame all of my lost connections on life changes. The truth is, while I excel in attracting connections, I suck at maintaining them. I don’t know if I should blame it on my introverted personality or my Gemini cusp Cancer moon sign. I don’t know if I should blame it on my desire to retreat and cut myself off from the world when I’m going through life’s storms. And I don’t know if it’s my pride in being self-sufficient and feeling like I don’t need anyone. But whatever the reason, none of those should ever be an excuse. Friendship/sisterhood is a reciprocal relationship. Just like a marriage or any other relationship of significance, it requires effort by both parties. It requires communication and reaching out. It requires giving and sacrificing. It requires you calling to check in when you don’t feel like it. It requires you to show up to baby showers and children’s parties when you’d rather do a child-free event, because motherhood is a touchy subject for you. It requires you to be vulnerable and let your friends know that you’re going through something and you need help (or you’re still okay). To maintain a friendship, you have to be a friend – a very basic exchange, one that I struggle with getting right.

I hope to have those kind of connections again someday. But until then, in honor of my nostalgia, I bring you my top Instagram Travel Squad photos that will make you want to phone your sister friends, organize your travel squad (or rent one), and get into travel formation. Here’s to not taking our friendships for granted…here’s to restoring our sister friend connections…and here’s to making new connections. And remember, friendships must be nurtured or they will eventually die.