I Did It For The Culture, But Found Treasure Instead

Part One of a Two Part Series Guest Post by Elizabeth Mitchell.

Anyone who knows me can tell you travel is at the center of my heart. Experiencing new cultures, foods, atmospheres..it takes you to a different place. Like, the time I went to the Caribbean. I came back excited, rejuvenated, and ready to take on the world. Everything had me acting like a new person. From the food to the music to the people.. It was a whole vibe. So, it was no surprise when I got the opportunity to go to Ghana, West Africa last summer..I jumped straight on the chance. I made sure I had everything together because who really gets to say they’ve been to Africa!!! I’ll be honest though, as much planning as I did, I still wasn’t ready.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about traveling to other countries, it’s that you are never really ready or prepared. You’re probably like..Girlll what are talking about… Ain’t nobody got time to be unprepared going to a place you’ve never been. Well, that’s exactly my point. I had all my money together. I had my clothes, my shoes, my itinerary. Trust, a sister was prepared physically. However, there was another level I wasn’t prepared for.

Going to another country challenges you to take off this identity you’ve built up. In America, it’s easy to build up the identity you want people to see. On Instagram and Facebook you can filter a picture to look the way you would like. On YouTube, you can present this front that you want people to believe, but what happens when all you have is your true authentic self.

Well, you come back with treasure you never expected. Now, trust me.. You will come back with a suitcase full of stuff, but you’ll come back with an awakened part of you that you didn’t know existed. The treasure I came back with was a renewed sense of identity. I found not only an appreciation, but a lost love for my identity as a black woman. I came back with an understanding that… I am necessary.. I am Beautiful…I am uniquely created because I am a black woman not in spite of it. It’s a treasure no one will take from me because it’s a truth that’s embedded in my heart. So, next time you travel whether internationally or across the state, ask yourself what am I taking with me, and do I have enough room for the treasure I will bring back?

Heyyyy, My name is Elizabeth Mitchell. Most call me Liz. I’m a true southern girl with a strong love for sweet tea. I Love music, adventures and traveling any chance I get. I live in the city of Spartanburg, South Carolina and I am a Youth Development Coordinator at Parks and Recreation with the city.