Reasons to DEFINITELY date while traveling
Reasons to DEFINITELY date while traveling
Alright, so you find yourself in a foreign country, your friends back home are all asleep because of the time difference, and you’ve done all the touristy tours your hostel offers. What now? Well you could go haggle prices for useless souvenirs at the market, you could get tipsy with the singing hippie at the hostel bar OR you could go on a date! No, not with that traveler from the states that you keep running into, but with a local!
As a solo traveler there are times we find ourselves out on the road, a little lonely and wanting a new experience. Because hello, that’s why we picked up all those extra shifts waiting tables all summer was to go somewhere new and experience the unknown, right? Well a lot of us don’t consider dating in another country. Here are some good reasons to give it a try:
If you are in a different country than your own, the chances are pretty high that the people there look different than you. Who knows maybe they are just a little bit different, like lighter skin, and darker eyes. Or perhaps they are polar opposites from you. The locals might not even be your “type”. Who cares? It’s always fun to mix things up, and you never know, maybe the cute barista will be your new “type”
Have you ever wanted to try out a new accent or even just a new hairstyle? Here’s your chance. Most likely, you don’t know anyone in this country, therefore no one’s going to call out your British accent in say Mexico. You can be anyone you wish to be here. And if you like it, you can try a whole other personality tomorrow night. In my opinion, this might just be the best reason!
Ok, now that you’re whomever you want to be, let’s get to the nitty gritty. Let’s be honest; as travelers we’re sometimes at the mercy of those blogs written by other travelers of the suggestions of the hostel’s front desk girl. But there has to be other things to do than that boring free city tour. And guess who knows the most fun things to do or see? You guessed it: The Locals! There are so many things that you won't find on a best of list, that your Mr. or Miss right now can show you. And maybe you can pass on the cool activities to other travelers you meet on the road.
Piggy backing on number 3- Locals definitely know the best places to eat. And that’s the real reason we travel anyway. We’ve all spent hours scouring the internet and yelp for best places to find local grub. But here if you let them know, you’re date is most likely happy to to show you the places he/ she are the most proud of. And if you’re really lucky, and brave they might invite you to their house and cook make you a homemade meal full of local delicacies.
I’ve heard many people say that if you’d like to learn a different language to fully immerse yourself in the everyday life of the locals. Well, I choose to believe that they meant to fall in love even if just for 24 hours. There’s nothing like a language barrier to kick your butt into gear to learn those conjugations, because using google translator just isn’t it cutting it. Once, your in love or heck even lust, you’re going to want to express your true feelings after Lady and the Tramping dinner all night.
I think the ol’ quote goes “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard” While it may be difficult to leave your new found crush when it’s time for your next adventure imagine how exciting it’s going to be once you are reunited next time you’re in their country. The time you spent with them is the ultimate souvenir.
Let’s say you and your foreign lover have kept in contact for however long, and you just can’t seem to stay apart. Why not invite them to visit you in your home country? They’ve played tour guide, now it’s your turn. Imagine toting around that souvenir to all your favorite places and showing them all the delicious food your town has to offer.
The truth of the matter is who knows if the one or one hundred dates abroad will ever turn into anything. Perhaps none of them pan out. That’s okay! The stories you’ll have to tell your friends back home are worth every good, bad, awkward, or perfect date you had. Plus we all love to say “Oh ya, I have a friend in so and so country” even if it’s not all that true. And let’s say you’re too embarrassed to share the crazy details of your traveling while dating stories to anyone you know, you can always create a blog about it! We’re sure someone wants to hear all about them.
So, open up that dating app, get out there, and start swiping right and left! We’ll see you on the road!
“Reasons to DEFINITELY date while traveling” was written by Jillian Salazar
Jillian Salazar is an avid traveler from Colorado, USA. She studied abroad in Madrid, Spain and discovered that being on the road long term was definitely for her. In early 2017, she dropped everything, left Denver, and has now been traveling consistently for about a year and a half. Her goal is to show at risk youth, that traveling is an option regardless of where you come from. In October, she will be embarking on her biggest adventure to date- The 500 mile Camino de Santiago. You are welcomed to follow her travels on her personal blog @ ajillianmiles.com.