Traveling In This Political Climate

I’ve been talking to a lot of people lately about how they plan on traveling in the near future while everything is so up in the air and uncertain. People are being detained at the border, even if they are US citizens, recession is probably coming and there are wars in a lot of places as well. 

So, how do we navigate these new, unprecedented times? Do we stick close to home or do we pretend that nothing is different and plan all our trips like we have just been going about life and work like everything is normal. It’s not normal. 

The answer isn’t simple, unfortunately. It depends on who you are and how you usually travel. A white-presenting person is going to have a lot fewer problems than someone with black or brown skin. The same goes for U.S. citizens versus those with Green Cards or naturalization. And still someone who is trans or non-binary is going to have different concerns traveling right now than traditionally gender-conforming cis people.

I look white, but also have a popular middle eastern name, so at the moment, I don’t really feel comfortable going to Egypt, which is one of the places I thought about traveling this year. Luckily, I have Global Entry and PreCheck, so coming back to the country from mostly anywhere shouldn’t be that big of a deal for me. I never changed my last name when I got married and I don’t look threatening in any way.

Over the next month or so, I will be doing a series on traveling while the world is so uncertain and the US government kind of wants to ruin everyone’s life. I hoped that the Covid pandemic was our only tumultuous once-in-a-lifetime event, but it looks like this may be another one for Americans. Luckily, most other countries know that many of us didn’t vote for this administration and are still welcoming to us. 

My face when the cherry blossoms weren’t blossoming, but possibly your face reading this

Also, don’t worry. If this doesn’t sound interesting to you, I’ll still be writing about where you could be traveling on a budget, where to travel for Asian American culture/history (for AAPI History Month), packing light, Portland coffee, and I still have a bunch of reviews to get to. 

So, I want to know how you are traveling, struggling, staying home, or planning for the future right now. Tell me in the comments.

Want to read more tips for traveling worldwide on a budget? Check out my blog at Shereen Travels Cheap or find me on Facebook or Twitter. You’ll also find product and website suggestions, packing tips, current deals and a whole lot more to help you travel better for less!