Jessica Peterson of Global Girl Travels in Guam on Gun Beach
Comments 18

Thank you for such an amazingly honest post. As a multiracial American traveler, when I came back from living in Spain, I was once again floored by the heavy focus on race in this culture. It is something that many of us are grappling with, given the current events. When you share pieces like this I think it creates an incredible opportunity for a dialogue that we desperately need, because the truth is that race and racism are still very much present, but many of us don’t know how to go about talking about it. It was a subject that we spoke about once in my education and that wasn’t until graduate school, and even then most of the students were quiet, too afraid or perhaps apathetic to speak up. I’ve found, like you, through my travels that that level of tension isn’t there, though there are definitely some places where racism occurs. My only consolation is knowing that if I share my stories and others like yourself share yours, we can initiate a larger discussion of these issues and finally begin to tackle them at their root cause.

Thank you for your comment, Nina. The root is definitely ignorance and upbringing. There are no quick fixes for deeply entrenched racism, but I believe most of us have biases that we’re not even aware of. Hopefully, discussions like this cause us to question our thinking.

Hope you are having the time of your life. It is a great experience. Greetings.

Thanks, Ivana. I’m enjoying it!

I really enjoyed this reading. It kind of defines what I feel every time I come back home after a period of time abroad.
I haven’t been abroad for 7 years absolutely immersed in another culture as it seems you did, but I left home 8 years ago to study, I have lived in 3 different countries and backpacked around, and never again came back home for a long period of time.
However, when I do It feels so strange, and at the same time everything is the same around me. I changed, but seems like nothing else did around me. I’m probably not as good as you are when it comes to describe feelings and impressions, but I could see myself on your post.

Thanks so much for sharing 🙂

Hi Marina. Yes, I know this feeling well. Where did you live abroad?

I have lived in Spain (my original nationality), in Norway, Ireland and Iceland so far! Now I’m more in a backpacking mood, but sometimes I just settle abroad with a season job so I can travel and save again abroad! 🙂

I would love to live abroad just to get out of my bad habits at home and experience a new culture. I feel like my house is tied down to work and no freedom.

Hi Nicki. It takes some planning, but I hope you meet your goal to live abroad!

I think this is a timely post. Thank you for sharing. Where did you come back to in America? Texas? I’ve been traveling around the world for 16 months and just got back to the states. I’m still trying to sort out my thoughts on how I feel about being back.

Hi Kesi. Thanks! I am nomadic and living in an Airstream trailer now. Where did you go when you traveled?

I’m also nomadic. I traveled to Europe, Central America, Tokyo, Morocco, Australia, New Zealand, and se Asia. Will continue traveling until sept 2017

What an eye-opener it must have been for you and I am sure to many readers too. While Guam is part of US administratively, they are, I think , completely different in terms of culture and maybe even language.

Hi Nisha. Yes, Guam is a U.S. territory but has its own indigenous culture with very different values from Americans. They do, however, speak English. 🙂

Such a lovely read! Issue like racism have been ignored or discussed in length for generations but I guess us humans are just born this way. I just wish the minorities from any race didn’t have to deal with hatecrime or any kind of abuse. I am not sure if racism will be abolished entirely in any specific place, but all we can hope is that in the future people works towards coexisting.

Thanks for reading and for your positive thoughts!

This is such an impressive and lovely read. I have been wondering where Guam was throughout the whole read, and then I realized it was in the Pacific, and you were living out of the US, where you were born and raised for the most of 7 years. Reading it, I got like it was really such a challenge, and I did felt the same when I came back just after one year abroad in Israel. Issues like racism, or even just some misconception students are fed of constantly is something I aware and trying to understand, since I’m living in Europe, but being part of a minority, I do understand it way more better. Throughout generations, and I guess depending on the place you’re living in the US, you can definitely be part of this so called land where the white supremacy and the racism against people of color is so anchored. I just wish that every minority could live with each other without being under any abuse. I don’t think it’s going to be better soon, since Trump just passed, but we might as well fight for our children future!

Hello Jessica!
I’m sooo impressed by your soul searching mini manifesto😳lol
I can’t wait to travel more. Your blog is very encouraging and I hope to read more of your expressions on your year road trip of America.👍🏾💕😘💁🏽

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