1.People are surprised to see you in a hostel because, you know, “Black people don’t travel.”
2. You’ve been mistaken for Oprah (not that being a billionaire matters), Madea, or Allen Iverson.
3. To your horror someone called you the N-word — with genuine affection.
4. Someone has asked whether anyone you know has been affected by Ebola, HIV/AIDS, or any other disease or affliction associated with black people.
5. “I heard they don’t like black people” is a common excuse your friends / family / acquaintances make for not traveling.
6. You get really excited when there are black hair care products at a store.
7. There is one African or Dominican lady that can do your hair and she does every black woman’s for two towns in every direction.
8. You’ve been asked at least once whether you prefer to be called ‘colored,’ ‘black,’ or ‘African-American.
9. Authorities told you up front that they were discriminating against you because of the color of your skin.
10. Stereotypes about your race have made finding a place to live more difficult than for fellow expats.
11. You embraced the sight of another black person abroad and bonded over commiserating and mutual understanding.
12. There are few times you’ve felt lonelier than when the Trayvon Martin or Michael Brown verdicts happened because there was no one to talk to about it.
13. You love visiting the Caribbean and countries in Africa where you can see your face reflected in those of the locals.
14. It continues to baffle you why so little travel writing and marketing reflects your experiences and needs — despite the fact that black travelers are spending $48 billion on travel annually.
15. You used to think travel was ‘for white people’.
16. You’ve felt disappointment because you thought you left this shit back home.
17. Someone has mistaken you for a prostitute in South America.
18. People have refused to accept that you are American or Canadian, even after flashing your passport at them.
19. It’s assumed you can dance, have large genitalia, or other ‘positive’ stereotypes.
20. A person rubbed your skin — just to see if it would come off.
21. You’ve never let an individual’s bigotry mar your view of a country.
22. You don’t let the color of your skin dictate how much of the world you’re going to see.