#ThanksCorona

For those of you who know me, you know that I try to spend as little time in America as possible. And, for those of you who don’t know me, you’ll find that I love traveling! I take a trip (maybe two) at least once a month, with the exceptions of June and July because DMV summers are magical, and too lit for me to leave!

Given my affinity for travel, it’s very natural for people to wonder where I’m headed to next after #TheRona dips out. I mean, this pandemic CANCELED ALL FIVE OF MY TRIPS that I had scheduled, like yes, actually scheduled with tickets in hand, from March until June. Not to mention all the other countless trips that would have just popped up from June onwards, but I won’t focus too much on that. So, I am DEFiNITeLY ready to get back out there and reclaim the trips that #TheRona stole from me. But, even though I am really, really, really, excited to reschedule these missed trips, I am not pressed to get back out there anytime soon. I’m not trying to die just to go and see the Eiffel Tower (RIP to my March Family Vacation) . I’m cool on that.

Lowkey, I might be out for the count until 2021 or until a safe and thoroughly tested vaccine becomes publicly available, but that’s a post for another day (stay tuned)! As of today, I’m not actively planning to take any personal trips ANYTIME SOON until all of my personal/health terms and conditions are met by my travel destinations. Yes #MsRona, I’m talking to your stank a$$. Coming out of nowhere uninvited!!!! Who asked you to be here?

I’m not going to lie and act holier than thou. I too was tempted to buy cheap tickets when this pandemic first broke out. But, after careful consideration and some long term thinking and analysis, I’ve made the conscious decision to chill tf out, and stay my a$$ at home! Here are the TOP 7 REASONS why I’m not traveling, and lowkey why you shouldn’t either!

why I’m staying my a$$ at home

Before you buy that $15 ticket to El Salvador, read this!

#1: COVID-19 is REAL

Ms. Rona is not sparing anybody. In the United States alone, there have been well over 1 million cases, and 80,000 deaths, which are likely to increase due to inconsistent bans in each state (Y’all know who I’m talking about).

Do you know how much 80,000 people is? That’s like going to a football game, or better yet, a Beyoncé concert and never coming back because everybody in the stadium died (except Queen Bey of course). That’s how many people have died in JUST the United States alone over the past TWO MONTHS because of this thing. AN ENTIRE STADIUM! And the number is likely to rise if people keep traveling before the world has a better grasp on what to do next.

Let’s not forget that COVID-19 disproportionately affects black people in many major US cities. I can’t comment on the racial disparities and inequities in other countries, but I know I’m not too keen on leaving my house right now, let alone the country.

ok fair. But this only applies to me if I get #TheRona. I haven’t gotten it yet, so I’m good! Right?

#2: sh!t is CLOSED…everywhere

Can you imagine flying through two airports, across an ocean, and thousands of miles to go see the Eiffel Tower, only for it to be closed? And yes, all of my references in this post will be related to France because I’m still salty that I couldn’t f*ck up some creme brûlée with my family there in March. Tourist attractions, restaurants, the arts, and literally anything fun that you would want to do overseas is closed to the general public for the unforeseeable future. I hate to state the obvious, but sis, you can’t go to Bella Noche right now. Just chill at home.

Even if you want to plan a trip for the Fall, or a time when they might relax restrictions, your favorite attractions may still be closed for a long time. Things won’t just open back up. Some of your favorite spots may have filed for bankruptcy or even CLOSED PERMANENTLY (#RIPOzios) because we’re in the middle of a pandemic! We’re all taking Ls.

I can’t tell you what to do, but I know that I would rather wait to plan my trips for a time when I KNOW things are going to be open so I can have the best possible experience.

But what about the tourism industry? They live off the money that I bring.

#3: the tourism industry does not need my coins!

I have a lot of respect for people in the tourism and hospitality industries, and this point is not meant to attack or to belittle their earnings. I wholeheartedly understand how waiters, bell hops, tour guides, and other people in the service industry rely on tips and tourists to survive.

But tourism is a $7 trillion industry worldwide that will take years to recover from the coronavirus. Your $2 tacos are are not going to save Juanita or the Mexican economy. No matter how much you ball out on vacay, you won’t spend enough to save somebody’s pockets. You can take the L, and stay at home to help save a life instead.

But, if you do really want to support someone overseas, you can do the following, all from your phone:

• Kiva - A Microfinancing App where you can provide loans to entrepreneurs overseas. You can earn interest on your loans, and make money without having to fly halfway across the world to tip someone (even though y’all barely tip anyways, but whatever)

• United Nations Volunteers - Volunteer directly! Check out the UN for their list of initiatives that you can support and participate in remotely

• Buy a Gift Card or a Tour for a Future Date - Try to get in contact with the local business and tourist groups that you love, and buy a gift card that you can redeem when things let up. It puts money into their pockets now that you can spend later.

Ok bet. Plane tickets and hotel fares are so cheap right now. Shouldn’t I take advantage?

#4: your cheap flight might get canceled!

Airlines can cancel flights with little to no warning! Just because you book a $5 flight for a trip 6 months in advance does not mean that your flight is actually going to fly as scheduled. I’m not accusing the airlines of malice or ill intentions. I’m just saying that airlines are businesses that have their profits and shareholders’ best interests in mind. And, they’re hemorrhaging by the second. So, if your flight ain’t profitable for them when it’s time to fly, they could either cancel it with the quickness, or delay the departure time, which would ruin your trip or connection. Or, your airline may declare bankruptcy and leave your flights and refunds in limbo. These are unprecedented times.

Let’s just pretend, that you do decide to fly to… Thailand as soon as outside opens back up. You get there (yay), but on your return to the US, you have a layover in Dubai, and for some reason, your flight from Dubai to the US gets canceled. What are you going to do? And, don’t forget, that Dubai has a 14 day self isolation period for travelers, and a mandatory 14 day quarantine (at the traveler’s expense) if you test positive for COVID-19. Yes, you could spend hours on the phone with customer service trying to get your flight rebooked. But, if that doesn’t work, then you may have to stay in a hotel in Dubai (without any sight seeing) for an extra two weeks. It’s either that, or pay thousands of dollars for a flight chartered by your country’s embassy to get out of Dubai.

You may not get stranded if you travel, but it is a scenario that you should consider and plan for accordingly.

#5: you could unknowingly transmit the disease!

My immune system is gucci. I’m not catching it. The flu is more deadly. Blah blah blah

Given the fact that the US has the highest number of cases, deaths, and an overstrained and racist healthcare system, I can definitely see why people who live in the US would hedge their bets elsewhere. Better and cheaper healthcare systems exist in other countries forreal. But, don’t forget that you can still contract and spread the disease without knowing that you have it, or showing any symptoms. It’s called being an asymptomatic carrier, kinda like having herpes.

So, even though you may be able to get out, prosper, and recover if you catch the disease or were previously exposed elsewhere, you could unknowingly transmit the disease to someone else who does not have the privilege or access to good healthcare, depending on where you go and what community you’re in.

Again, not telling you what to do, but I know that the best way that I can help others is to sit my a$$ at home.

Ok fair. Maybe I should stay put for awhile. But can’t I just wait until this dies down and then get back out there in a few months! NO!!!!

#6: the future of travel is SO uncertain

Nobody knows what the future of travel holds. And I don’t mean this in a meta way. I mean this in the most literal way possible. Until there is a safe and trusted vaccine that is readily available, the global community, and travel at large is going to be a sh!t show. We’re probably months away from any international standard for how tourists and travelers should operate in a post-corona world because everybody is just trying to survive this pandemic. Most countries are too preoccupied with the safety of their own citizens, their healthcare systems, and keeping their economies afloat to worry about creating international standards for screenings, vaccine stop-gap measures, and what documentation is acceptable. And, quite honestly, I don’t blame them! I’m not making this point to critique or attack any leadership or government. Rather, I’m just trying to point out that travel is going to be messy for awhile, and I don’t want to be that international citizen who gets caught in the cross hairs because of it.

You know how frustrating it is to go through TSA in one country where they barely even scan your bag, and then you go through another where they force you to put all of your shit in a bag that they provide, and when it doesn’t fit, you have to throw away some $50 face cream? Well, traveling post corona could be like that, times 10. As of May 2020, some countries have closed all of their airports indefinitely (Barbados). Others have temporarily revoked all international visas and are not allowing foreign nationals to enter (Australia). Some are screening upon arrival (Bahrain), and others are are requiring you to prove that you tested negative to COVID-19 before you enter (Cambodia). Many are requiring a 14 day self isolation upon arrival (Singapore), and others are enforcing a mandatory 14 day quarantine (Zambia). And yes, the difference matters because one allows you to chill at a home of your choice (self isolation) while the other requires you to stay in a hotel, or government sanctioned facility at your own expense (quarantine).

I say this to remind everyone that the inconsistencies in enforcement could leave you, and thousands of other travelers at risk. Foreign countries are not prioritizing tourists, and tourist safety right now. They are prioritizing profit and their own well being, so don’t be fooled. Again, I’m not attacking anyone or any government. I just want you to be aware of what you’re stepping into if you travel soon. Many of the services that put in place to protect tourists while they’re traveling overseas are currently suspended, either by your parent country, or the country you’re visiting. And, when outside reopens, there is going to be such a significant backlog in things to deal with, that those services aren’t going to be as readily available as they used to be.

So, where does that leave you? If everything goes well, then you’re fine. But, let’s say you lose your passport, or you have a medical emergency, or your credit card gets stolen, or anything bad that you never plan for or want to happen actually happens while traveling post Rona but before sh!t is under control? What are you going to do? A process that could have taken 2 days to resolve is now going to take 2 weeks.

I don’t have an answer for what to do. But I know that traveling too soon may be more isolating than you think because the global infrastructure won’t be ready to support normal day to day just yet. So, please consider this before you go.

And, I would be weary of any country that tries to attract tourists too soon. Because, that either means that said country is prioritizing profits over the health of their own citizens (#sus), or they’re delusional about the kind protection that they can immediately provide tourists.

Which brings me to my next, more difficult point….

#7: xenophobia is on the rise

Now, I’m not trying to fearmonger you into not traveling because of xenophobia; I hate when my mom does that $hit to me lol. But, it is something that you should be increasingly aware of if you travel internationally within the next few months. This post-rona time period is easily becoming one of the worst times to travel because of the scarcity in money and resources. People are hurting financially, physically, and mentally right now, so they’re expressing their anger and rage in unconventional ways.

I’ve heard of heard of white and black people getting attacked and banned from grocery stores in southeast Asia because the locals in that country were pissed at Europeans and Africans for introducing and transmitting Covid-19 in their country, even if it wasn’t true.

These things may not happen to you at all if you do choose to travel. You could be perfectly safe. But, just remember that desperation, uncertainty, and misinformation is a recipe for an unsafe environment, so be vigilant and stay safe.

YOU MADE IT TO THE END

woooo! Thank you for reading!

I did not realize that this post would be this long when I started writing it. But, I hope some of it was helpful and thought provoking! As tempting as it is to get back outside, I think we should all just rest at home for a bit. I hope you enjoyed the 7 reasons why I’m staying my a$$ at home for awhile.

Up next, I’ll post the terms & conditions that I need to be met by #TheRona before I head anywhere! What do you think? Are you ready to hold off on travel? Or are you planning to go somewhere?