Fight or Flight in 2021: First Time Traveler Jitters

Three years ago, I woke up to what felt like a scene out of a movie. An angry alarm clock, a sleep-deprived roommate, and a suitcase large enough to fit a family of tiny chihuahuas, were all caving in on me. It was at that moment I had to make a crucial decision: whether or not to pack everything I owned. This is my story as a first-time traveler leaving the United States 🌎

We rushed to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, ignoring the countless breakfast tacos that seemed to whisper our name. At 4 a.m., the temptations were fierce, but we had one mission and one mission only: to board our outbound flight to Madrid, Spain. After wrestling with TSA, Brittani and I raced across the terminal to make it to the finish line of Gate 25. 

We looked at each other with huge grins, stepping aboard the plane as if we had won the lottery. We knew we had a long way to go — 10 hours and 34 minutes to be exact — but THIS WAS IT.  This was my first trip out of the country, accompanied by Brittani, who had backpacked South America solo a few years prior. No big deal. 

To this day, the window seat on an airplane has always been my go-to. When in doubt, there’s always some strange way you can sleep. Despite functioning like two zombies, we couldn’t help but feel a wave of adrenaline rush over us as the plane took off. We sat idle listening to the sounds of the other passengers making sly remarks in Spanish. 

Fast forward after nine hours of napping to when my eyes suddenly grew wide. Brittani was snoring up a storm. OH MY GOD. ARE WE HERE?! I pried open the tiny window looking out at a giant new world. I couldn’t help but stare out of the window in amazement. 

I had no idea what was ahead of us, but I couldn’t shake this feeling that it was the beauty of the unknown. What sort of people would we meet? What kinds of places would we go? The world felt like our playground. Once we get off this plane, anything goes. It was empowering to think that we had made this spontaneous decision to take matters into our own hands. 

The world felt like our playground.

The same goes for 2021. Although our cards may look drastically different than before, that shouldn’t stop us from experiencing this adventure called life. The urge within you to try something new, venture to a new place, talk to the guy next door—don’t let that brave feeling go unnoticed. There’s a reason that your life is prompting you to embrace the exciting journey ahead.

For me, it was launching Out of Nowhere, this travel blog & brand that’s a safe space for first-time travelers to come to when they’re ready to take the leap. Whether that leap is jumping out of a plane or tasting seafood from afar, is for you to find out  👀

If you’re looking for some travel inspiration, you’ve come to the right place. To learn more about Out of Nowhere, click here, or for more tips and tricks about traveling abroad, check out my A to Z guide.

What sort of adventures are calling your name in 2021? 

Don’t be afraid, you got this 💪