Category Page travel

I wish that we could open up our roadside park, I noticed many small ones are shut down. Great memories as a child traveling with my parents we would pull over and make sandwiches and burn energy. 

Visiting Boston as a Tourist Made Me Understand What ‘Local Gatekeeping’ Feels Like

Boston is historic, impressive, and proud — very proud. I didn’t expect that pride to show up as hostility. In a café near Beacon Hill, the barista asked where I was from. When I said California, she smirked and said, “Oh, so you’re here to ruin our city too?” Later, a guy at a bar lectured me about “tourists driving up rent” as if I personally caused the housing crisis. Boston locals love their city, but some act like visitors don’t deserve to be there unless we pass a quiz on colonial history and Red Sox stats. Travel is supposed to open doors, not make you feel like you’re trespassing on someone’s identity. #Travel #Boston #TouristLife

New Mexico 🇲🇽 or South America

Visiting Portland Made Me Realize How Different Liberal Ideals Are from Reality

Portland markets itself as progressive, accepting, artsy — the kind of place where “everyone belongs.” But when I visited, the contrast between the image and the reality felt impossible to ignore. I saw activists holding signs about equality while stepping around homeless camps like they were trash. I watched a man overdose outside a vegan cafe while everyone kept sipping lattes like it was normal background noise. Then a local told me, “What you see on Instagram isn’t Portland. This is.” It made me wonder: How can a city preach compassion yet coexist so comfortably with visible suffering? And why do tourists get blamed for “not understanding Portland,” when maybe the city doesn’t understand itself? #Travel #Portland #RealAmerica

I’ve been traveling through Europe for years now, and I keep hearing the same thing: “Too many immigrants.” “Europe is losing its identity.” “We need to stop immigration.” And honestly… I don’t agree. Because from what I’ve seen, Europe is not losing its identity. If anything, it’s evolving—like it always has. But let’s talk about something people don’t like to talk about: history. There was a time when Europeans didn’t ask for permission to enter other countries. They didn’t apply for visas. They didn’t wait in line at embassies. They went to Africa, to Asia, to South America… and they stayed. They took land, resources, and even imposed their languages. Now fast forward to today. People from those same regions are coming to Europe— speaking Portuguese, French, English— languages that were once forced on them. And suddenly, it’s a problem? To me, this isn’t an invasion. It’s history coming full circle. But here’s where I want to be honest—because it’s not black and white. I’ve been to Lisbon. It’s one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever seen. But I also saw something else. I saw immigrants working hard, contributing, building a life. And I also saw people struggling—homeless, begging, living on the streets. And that raises a real question: Why would someone leave their country… just to struggle like that somewhere else? The answer is simple: Nobody leaves home to suffer. People move because they believe things will be better. But when they arrive—and there’s no housing, no support, no opportunity— they fall through the cracks. So what you’re seeing on the streets isn’t just “immigration.” It’s what happens when systems fail people. Now, do I think immigration should be completely open with no rules? No. Every country has the right to manage who comes in. And yes—people should come with the intention to work, contribute, and respect the place they move to. But let’s not pretend immigration is the problem.

I Traveled to Miami Alone — and Apparently That Means I ‘Chose’ to Get Harassed”

I thought Miami would be beaches, music, and freedom. Instead, I learned how normalized harassment is there. On South Beach, a group of guys whistled when I passed, then followed me all the way to Ocean Drive. When I confronted one of them, he laughed and said, “Why you here alone then?” Later, a bartender told me the same thing — that women who travel alone in Miami should “expect attention.” Why is the conversation always about how we should “adjust our expectations” instead of men adjusting their behavior? Miami sells itself as a paradise for women, but the moment you set boundaries, you’re suddenly “too uptight for this city.” Maybe the real Miami is less about palm trees and more about how quickly people blame women for existing in public spaces. #Travel #Miami #WomenTravel

Traveling Through Arizona Made Me Question What ‘Safety’ Even Means

I’ve never been to a place where people talk about safety so much — yet define it so differently. In Scottsdale, I heard wealthy tourists brag about how “safe and pristine” it felt. An hour away, in Phoenix, I saw police stopping Latino families for no clear reason. A local told me, “This is normal here. They call it ‘protection.’ We call it something else.” Then a Border Patrol truck passed us on the highway, and everyone acted like it was as normal as a delivery van. Arizona is beautiful — but beauty doesn’t erase the tension you feel when a place is obsessed with safety while half its residents don’t feel protected at all. #Travel #Arizona #SafetyDebate

Amazing day in Charlotte North Carolina!

Miami’s beaches feel less like paradise, more like a fight for space

I used to love Miami for its wild freedom. But this summer, it felt different. Too many influencers, too many rules, too many people arguing over what’s “appropriate” to wear or film. I saw a woman in a bikini get yelled at by a mother for being “disrespectful.” Isn’t this Miami? The place that once celebrated openness now feels policed by everyone with a phone. Tourism has turned into moral warfare. #Travel #CultureClash