or the less talked..
benefits of travelling solo 

I believe it’s essential to express my gratitude to my family for supporting my decisions. No one of them really travels for work abroad and for a long time, I seemed crazy. Crazy for travelling solo and pursuing the modelling career. As my biggest fan would always be my granny. She even watches FashionTV because of me.

The travel bug infected me since childhood. My grandfather used to work in Egypt and Nigeria. Super exotic destinations, which I still have seen only on photos.

In my previous article, I mapped down all the things, I wished I knew before starting modelling. You can read it here. https://wp.me/pc4dpq-g7

This is another retrospection. I will focus more on travelling solo, how it changes you and what were my life-lessons so far. I believe travelling enhance your world vision and makes you a more compassionate person. Everything is strongly individual but I do believe many things apply to any young person who has the opportunity to travel and experience the world.

I resonate a lot with the quote by C.S. Lewis

Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back everything is different?

I am not who I was a year ago and I am not who I was five years ago. Change is the only constant thing in life. We all experience change differently. I owe to modelling abroad and travelling solo, the person I am today.

Benefits of travelling solo as a woman

Always moving, living in my suitcase.
Modelling and travelling by myself taught me very necessary skills. Any model will confirm that the first thing you learn is to get around the cities yourself. The agencies rarely arrange airport pick-up, you get a map on your email and you are on your own. The adventure begins after you land.

The first day is always a nightmare. I am jet-lagged, I have no idea where I am. I don’t speak the language (English is not enough).

Carrying all of my life in a few suitcases trying to reach my “future home” with the caution, I could be a target to some pickpockets. Or the other way around, sometimes the agency wants to see me immediately after the airport. After I just arrived in the new country, they might send me to castings.

It’s real work, not a vacation.
From all the years doing modelling and travelling solo, I learned how to use a map and improve my orientation (I can’t access Google maps when I still don’t have a Sim Card). All men reading this will think it’s not a big deal. But there are countless researches showing that men have a better sense of direction and navigation skills.

When I had 8 castings a day, during Fashion Week, I had to mark my schedule. If you are not Kate Moss, you go to castings by public transport. No fancy cars.

A habit I developed with lots of travels is running. I would go for a run, the first day I arrive. To observe my surroundings. No headphones, no distraction. That way, I would know what services, buses or supermarkets are around me.

I have realised that when I travel alone, I manage to remember the path. When I am with friends I tend to focus more on our conversation and don’t pay attention to getting from A to B.

I lived in many countries where I wasn’t fluent in the native language. And some times on set, nobody was speaking English. When I end up in a situation like this, I try to be creative and find solutions. 

THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX IS A MUST

On my modelling contract in Beijing, I had to explain to the crew what I would like for lunch. Explaining you are vegan, no deep-fried food and no Mac Donalds is harder than you think. When NO ONE SPEAKS ENGLISH. In China, they even have a Chinese word for Mc Donalds, so if you say Mc Donalds, they don’t know what you are talking about.

In 2019, I went to Taipei solo and even ordering a ‘hot cup of coffee’ was challenging. I am very specific about my coffee. No sweeteners, no syrup, no dairy, just hot black coffee. In tropical countries in Asia, people tend to drink cold sweetened coffee. So I had to explain myself by pointing out, gesturing and smiling.

 

I know what you think!

– Rosie, life is not all about food. Who cares that you will eat fried food on work and drink coffee with sugar once.

I agree, but I don’t live/work there for a week to feel okay with it. Imagine trying to explain the address for a casting/job to a taxi driver in Bangkok, who doesn’t speak English and you don’t speak Thai. It’s funny until you spent 1,5 hours trying to reach a place because traffic is crazy and the driver didn’t understand you well.

Patience is a key element.

While I was far away from friends and family, I needed to overcome many obstacles by myself. I have been robbed on my first contract in Milano. I lost all my money, cards and passport a few days before flying back home. Few days before Christmas. It was my first time abroad and I was very young and inexperienced. A lesson I had to learn. Not only on how to take care of my things but also on how important is to make friends. To embrace the discomfort and let your friends help you when you need it the most.

Discomfort is also your friend.

Only in discomfort, your real growth is happening. You develop a lot of self-satisfaction. It’s very testing. You understand how capable you are. Overcoming obstacles, in general, lessen the stress of regular life.

I have been lost so many times with dead battery on my phone, no idea where I am. But all of this taught me how to trust myself, make fast decisions and always find solutions. When you get in peace, nothing feels like the end of the world. And with time, everyday situations don’t make you upset or angry anymore. Less drama.

Travelling alone gives you freedom. Freedom for your own choices. One quality which is significant for a woman is to be independent. Before I start travelling, I was one very spoiled girl. I am the only child and I have always been treated like a princess. Everything has been done for me and I could always count on my family to do something for me/instead of me. Being on 8,409 km from home, taught me how to be responsible. To be on time, to be organised. To take full ownership of my life.

Growing up as an only kid makes you selfish. Everything I had was mine. I was not used to sharing my things, food and even my room. Living with other models, taught me how to share. Share my belongings, share my meals and share memories.

Meeting so many people from diverse backgrounds, raised with a different culture and values, taught me a lot about humanity. So many stereotypes I threw from the window. I, definitely, learned how to be a friend.

The conclusion, is travelling solo, might sound crazy to you, too. It might sound scary to your parents. It’s not for everyone, but it gives you a different perspective on life. I am a big advocate of travelling and I see only the benefits of it. Like everything else, there are good and bad moments, but you can focus on taking the positives.

If you seek lessons and accomplishments, don’t hesitate and go on your own journey. You won’t regret it.

What are the things, you have learned while travelling the world? Share with me your experience while travelling solo.