WEBVTT - S06E02 - Delve deeper into... Travelling While Black with Charmaine 0:00:00.000 --> 0:00:02.280 I knew it was going to be living overseas, and 0:00:02.320 --> 0:00:05.520 even whilst living overseas, I had a whole list of 0:00:05.640 --> 0:00:06.600 countries that I want to. 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:08.520 Go to and so on and so forth, and so 0:00:09.160 --> 0:00:09.960 I am a traveler. 0:00:10.200 --> 0:00:12.840 And my argument is we went to boarding school. It 0:00:13.000 --> 0:00:15.800 was stuglife might as well have been a hostel. But 0:00:15.960 --> 0:00:18.919 my gosh, that's the most racist place that I grow 0:00:19.320 --> 0:00:21.240 and the way that I was treated. 0:00:21.480 --> 0:00:24.639 You really have honed in that idea that Africa is 0:00:24.680 --> 0:00:34.760 not one country. 0:00:37.920 --> 0:00:43.960 I'm always always be careful those. 0:00:48.040 --> 0:00:52.040 Hi. I'm Amanda and I'm Roumbi. Welcome to Slayered Podcasts. 0:00:52.240 --> 0:00:55.600 We're under the Blackcast network, powered by iHeart and recording 0:00:55.640 --> 0:00:57.560 in studio in Melbourne today. 0:00:57.320 --> 0:00:58.080 He been a. 0:00:58.080 --> 0:01:01.200 Sweet studio which is really really lovely for us. And 0:01:01.280 --> 0:01:04.200 this lovely setup done by pink Lady Picnic. 0:01:04.560 --> 0:01:08.000 And if you're wondering who this beautiful lady here who's 0:01:08.080 --> 0:01:13.399 giving us Bridgerton, you know soft girl era vibes. 0:01:13.280 --> 0:01:16.520 Is she understood the assignment. She overstood. She was like 0:01:16.880 --> 0:01:17.240 a bit. 0:01:17.800 --> 0:01:19.520 If you're listening to this, you might want to watch 0:01:19.560 --> 0:01:23.000 the video because it's just so Gordon, that so wonderful 0:01:23.000 --> 0:01:24.759 to have you here, Charmaine a man. 0:01:24.840 --> 0:01:26.200 Can you tell us a bit about Charmi. 0:01:26.440 --> 0:01:30.800 Charmaine's an inclusion advocate, focusing on youth empowerment through mentoring 0:01:31.000 --> 0:01:34.920 and coaching for both professional and personal development. She's a 0:01:34.959 --> 0:01:38.880 skilled communicator, which we'll get into immedia Powis, who's further 0:01:38.959 --> 0:01:42.880 demonstrated as being a host of a multi award nominated 0:01:42.959 --> 0:01:46.600 Can We Talk About It podcast where she tackles pressing 0:01:46.680 --> 0:01:51.080 issues affecting the Australian Black diaspora, which is why we 0:01:51.280 --> 0:01:53.240 had to bring you on the pod because we know 0:01:53.680 --> 0:01:56.280 you get it to get all the things. So Chamaine, 0:01:56.360 --> 0:01:57.600 welcome to a podcast. 0:01:57.800 --> 0:02:03.560 Thank you, Thank you exciting. It's so so thrilled to 0:02:03.640 --> 0:02:04.360 have you on here. 0:02:04.840 --> 0:02:08.000 And before we delve deeper into a really fun topic, 0:02:08.000 --> 0:02:10.119 we actually had started talking and then we actually christ 0:02:10.480 --> 0:02:11.359 yeah because. 0:02:13.080 --> 0:02:13.640 Exactly. 0:02:13.720 --> 0:02:15.840 But before we do that, we'd love for you to 0:02:15.880 --> 0:02:19.240 share with us with our audience how you would describe 0:02:19.240 --> 0:02:22.720 your podcast and how you got into podcasting and what 0:02:22.800 --> 0:02:25.560 led you to starting this podcast. Okay, yeah, So my 0:02:25.600 --> 0:02:29.400 podcast essentially, it focuses on psychosocial issues that affect the 0:02:29.440 --> 0:02:33.320 African Flian community and so it's aiming to sort of 0:02:33.320 --> 0:02:35.360 shed light on some of the traumal topics that we 0:02:35.680 --> 0:02:39.160 typically don't like to talk about because it's either we're 0:02:39.160 --> 0:02:42.160 embarrassed about it or we actually don't even have a 0:02:42.200 --> 0:02:44.840 safe space for us to talk about it. And this 0:02:45.080 --> 0:02:48.960 was influenced through my work within the community because I 0:02:49.000 --> 0:02:51.840 was having psyche conversations with a lot of people and 0:02:51.880 --> 0:02:54.840 they all have similar grievances. And then we're like, well, 0:02:55.320 --> 0:02:57.880 if you're having this problem and this other person who's 0:02:57.880 --> 0:02:59.760 had the problem but then they found a solution to it, 0:03:00.160 --> 0:03:03.640 why can't we talk to each other? And then so 0:03:03.680 --> 0:03:08.800 I then created the platform talking about the different topics 0:03:08.800 --> 0:03:12.120 and it's like very varied, like we have child brides 0:03:12.160 --> 0:03:17.240 who talk about the experience, well, transracial adoptees. We have 0:03:17.639 --> 0:03:21.400 also a mixed race experience as well, Like you know, 0:03:21.440 --> 0:03:23.520 what does that look like growing up in a multiculture 0:03:23.520 --> 0:03:27.400 of sohold in Australia Because for me, I came as 0:03:28.480 --> 0:03:32.880 an expat right and economic migrants, so my finishy or 0:03:32.960 --> 0:03:35.400 experience in Australia will be vastly different to someone who 0:03:35.440 --> 0:03:36.040 grew up here. 0:03:36.800 --> 0:03:38.600 Yes, but then there are a lot of people. 0:03:38.320 --> 0:03:42.800 Who like the African Austrian community is so varied and 0:03:42.880 --> 0:03:45.760 so people have different experiences. So it's bringing all those 0:03:45.800 --> 0:03:48.280 people to talk about their journeys and their experiences and 0:03:48.280 --> 0:03:51.880 how they relate to Australia and even to the term 0:03:52.000 --> 0:03:56.160 African Australia because I know we are still an emerging 0:03:56.320 --> 0:03:59.839 community where we don't exactly have like a set I did. 0:04:00.320 --> 0:04:03.040 I think we're still developing that. And then so I'm 0:04:03.080 --> 0:04:05.120 just testing out with the audience. So you know, what 0:04:05.120 --> 0:04:10.040 what do they yeah, what do they resonate when someone 0:04:10.080 --> 0:04:13.080 tells them that, oh, African Australian or would they consider 0:04:13.160 --> 0:04:14.160 themselves Afganist? 0:04:15.360 --> 0:04:17.200 You know, it's so funny because every time I listen 0:04:17.279 --> 0:04:21.320 to your podcast, I'm like, you really have honed in 0:04:21.360 --> 0:04:24.520 that idea that Africa is not one country, you know, 0:04:25.040 --> 0:04:28.520 and I love that you have guests from everywhere, you 0:04:28.560 --> 0:04:30.440 know what I mean. And I think people always seem 0:04:30.480 --> 0:04:33.160 to forget that we're so accepting of Europe and Asia 0:04:33.240 --> 0:04:36.640 to a large extent of being different or distinctly different, 0:04:36.880 --> 0:04:38.160 you know, same thing but different. 0:04:38.640 --> 0:04:41.160 But then with Africa, Oh yeah, Africa, yes exactly. 0:04:41.160 --> 0:04:44.920 We're all just want you know, yes, yes, it's amazing. 0:04:45.040 --> 0:04:49.520 Can I ask from the because we're Zimbabwean. I think 0:04:49.560 --> 0:04:51.160 all three ladies here Zimbabwean. 0:04:52.040 --> 0:04:52.640 I don't think. 0:04:52.680 --> 0:04:53.000 I know. 0:04:55.040 --> 0:04:59.479 We're all Zimbabwean. And I think that economic migrants is 0:04:59.480 --> 0:05:01.479 a big for us. A lot of us can relate 0:05:01.520 --> 0:05:01.800 to that. 0:05:02.440 --> 0:05:06.440 What are some of the traumas you would see think 0:05:06.680 --> 0:05:07.680 show up for us that. 0:05:07.760 --> 0:05:09.800 Maybe we don't think we are. 0:05:09.680 --> 0:05:11.640 Traumas or like we don't really think about it because 0:05:11.760 --> 0:05:14.920 your life is quote unquote better here, you shouldn't really 0:05:14.960 --> 0:05:17.359 have any issues, if that makes sense. I'm just curious, 0:05:17.400 --> 0:05:19.279 you know, and for our audience to like know, and 0:05:19.320 --> 0:05:21.440 then of course they need to listen to your podcast. 0:05:21.440 --> 0:05:23.919 But I would love we need to share that well. 0:05:24.720 --> 0:05:30.040 I would say our proximity, our proximity to whiteness. It's 0:05:30.120 --> 0:05:33.320 something that we don't exactly unpack because even if I 0:05:33.360 --> 0:05:37.040 think about it back home, you're feeling it right even 0:05:37.320 --> 0:05:40.160 back home, the way that we sort of elevate whiteness 0:05:41.120 --> 0:05:44.080 and then when we then come here, how we also 0:05:44.279 --> 0:05:48.040 interact with this predominantly white environment, the way that we 0:05:48.120 --> 0:05:53.520 conduct ourselves. It's uh yeah, it's something that it's an 0:05:53.520 --> 0:05:57.000 interesting dynamic and you can even see it as well 0:05:57.080 --> 0:06:01.800 with again, the African communities here came in different forms, right, 0:06:02.040 --> 0:06:04.360 there are different avenues and pathways that they came here. 0:06:04.600 --> 0:06:07.200 And so when you then hear their stories and their 0:06:07.240 --> 0:06:10.920 experiences and then I reflect on my own, I was like. 0:06:10.880 --> 0:06:16.280 Oh it's different. Yes, it's very very different, very varied. 0:06:16.760 --> 0:06:21.599 And then so what I have identified is or even 0:06:22.120 --> 0:06:25.719 like something that I didn't realize was important to me 0:06:26.279 --> 0:06:28.120 but only when I came here, is when I saw 0:06:28.160 --> 0:06:32.960 other African communities how connected they are to their Tinians. 0:06:33.080 --> 0:06:38.480 Ye yeah, r so how do you do this? 0:06:38.640 --> 0:06:40.400 Or like where you and do you know we actually 0:06:40.400 --> 0:06:43.919 wear it as a badge of honor. Sometimes you're like no, no, no, actually, 0:06:43.960 --> 0:06:44.640 and that's the myth. 0:06:44.720 --> 0:06:48.560 That thing maturing is realizing that the joke was on 0:06:48.600 --> 0:06:51.360 a fact literally fact. 0:06:52.279 --> 0:06:53.120 Wow, thank you. 0:06:53.200 --> 0:06:55.480 So I just think it's really good because I think 0:06:56.000 --> 0:06:58.279 sometimes it's all our but your life is a better thing. 0:06:59.400 --> 0:07:01.880 It's kind of punted and said over and over. But 0:07:01.920 --> 0:07:05.920 it's like what at what costs? There's always a cost 0:07:05.920 --> 0:07:08.880 benefit as soon as you are uprooted from where you 0:07:09.680 --> 0:07:12.400 come from, where, whether it's a safe space or not, 0:07:13.200 --> 0:07:14.280 there's something you lose. 0:07:14.440 --> 0:07:16.800 Yeah, even if you're definitely there's a pay off, right 0:07:16.840 --> 0:07:19.120 because yeah, people will be like, ah, you're Zimbabwean. You're 0:07:19.120 --> 0:07:20.800 not like and people try to make it sound like 0:07:20.800 --> 0:07:22.800 oh you're the you know, the good black. 0:07:22.680 --> 0:07:25.760 Or you're like, yes, oh my god, unpacked that I. 0:07:25.760 --> 0:07:27.080 Just don't make you feel uncomfortable. 0:07:28.000 --> 0:07:30.960 So you know, yeah, we could go on, but let 0:07:31.000 --> 0:07:34.080 me know, I just thought you did departos departos there. 0:07:34.400 --> 0:07:36.120 You know, like obviously we talk now we're in a 0:07:36.240 --> 0:07:38.760 soft girl era. We're trying to like because I think 0:07:38.760 --> 0:07:41.600 we we when we leave zim you come here with 0:07:41.680 --> 0:07:44.000 the survival kind of mindset where you're like, I have 0:07:44.040 --> 0:07:46.440 to make it work. I have to maybe, as we said, 0:07:46.600 --> 0:07:49.720 assimilate and get a job, do all those things. But 0:07:49.800 --> 0:07:52.119 now I think as you live here for longer and longer, 0:07:52.200 --> 0:07:54.400 you start to let go of some of that those 0:07:54.680 --> 0:07:57.200 I guess hardships that you felt in the beginning of 0:07:57.240 --> 0:08:00.160 your journey. And now we're going to talk about traveling, 0:08:00.320 --> 0:08:02.560 and obviously all of us here I love to travel, 0:08:02.560 --> 0:08:05.880 we want to see the world. Fun fact, we're all 0:08:05.920 --> 0:08:07.880 going to meet again in Thailand. 0:08:08.240 --> 0:08:14.600 You know, so people you're gonna be saying us gets 0:08:14.760 --> 0:08:15.200 of us. 0:08:15.400 --> 0:08:22.040 You know, this is a solf launch being, you know, 0:08:22.120 --> 0:08:25.680 but you know, obviously celebrating love, we're selling birthdays, but 0:08:25.840 --> 0:08:28.160 at the core of it, we're also doing something that 0:08:28.200 --> 0:08:31.320 maybe even our own mothers and now the generations before 0:08:31.400 --> 0:08:34.840 us didn't get to do. How do you best describe traveling, 0:08:34.960 --> 0:08:36.720 especially as a black woman. 0:08:37.640 --> 0:08:40.840 So for me, travel has always been within my family 0:08:40.920 --> 0:08:43.559 because my grandmother actually lived in the UK for eight 0:08:43.640 --> 0:08:46.640 years when she was young, and she's one of the 0:08:46.679 --> 0:08:52.720 first nurses to be trained through the British the British system, 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:56.160 and so they got a cohort of young women to 0:08:56.240 --> 0:08:58.760 go and train in the UK, and so she did that. 0:08:59.200 --> 0:09:01.640 And so for me have always wanted to travel. And 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:04.720 I knew that I was never going to like settle 0:09:04.720 --> 0:09:06.880 in Zimbabwe. I knew it was going to be living overseas, 0:09:07.600 --> 0:09:10.400 and even whilst living overseas, I had a whole list 0:09:10.880 --> 0:09:12.840 of countries that I want to go to and so 0:09:12.880 --> 0:09:15.760 on and so forth, and so I'm a traveler. I've 0:09:15.800 --> 0:09:20.760 traveled to thirty six countries so far, and talent is 0:09:20.800 --> 0:09:23.120 actually that's going to be my first time being entirely. 0:09:26.280 --> 0:09:26.560 For that. 0:09:28.400 --> 0:09:32.640 But what I found so liberating about traveling is seeing 0:09:32.679 --> 0:09:37.959 different cultures and then also reflecting on my own culture. 0:09:38.000 --> 0:09:41.160 As well, and then even understanding the narratives that they 0:09:41.240 --> 0:09:45.680 have about Africa and how we view them as well, 0:09:45.760 --> 0:09:51.280 the voyeurism of it all as well. So it's equally interesting, 0:09:51.360 --> 0:09:55.240 fascinating and also frustrating because like, I see how they 0:09:55.280 --> 0:09:57.600 have preserved a lot of their cultures and a lot 0:09:57.640 --> 0:10:01.600 of their traditions, especially in the Western cultures, and even 0:10:01.760 --> 0:10:05.280 the way that they have a lot of the artifacts 0:10:05.320 --> 0:10:08.640 our own artifacts. 0:10:07.880 --> 0:10:10.520 Looking at you when you go British that a bit. 0:10:11.320 --> 0:10:12.880 Can we talk about that please? 0:10:13.040 --> 0:10:15.080 And someone nicely say that the British Museum they have 0:10:15.120 --> 0:10:18.280 stuff in storage, the stuff you see, they even because 0:10:18.280 --> 0:10:21.680 then they can do seasonal work. They can do so 0:10:21.720 --> 0:10:23.880 I think they got stuff on, stuff on. 0:10:23.840 --> 0:10:26.120 Stuff, like literally you go into it. 0:10:26.120 --> 0:10:28.040 I never get. We're in Vienna with friends of mine 0:10:28.040 --> 0:10:32.320 and we went to some museum and the Egyptian collection 0:10:32.920 --> 0:10:36.120 was so massive. We were like, what did the Egyptians have? 0:10:36.360 --> 0:10:38.120 Bro like, what have you? 0:10:38.160 --> 0:10:38.280 Like? 0:10:38.440 --> 0:10:42.560 Insane? Insane, insane. And that's why they said, when rip 0:10:42.840 --> 0:10:46.520 Queen e but give us back our dynasms, because that's 0:10:46.760 --> 0:10:52.200 absolutely first of all, the shade of having Africa underground. Yeah, 0:10:52.520 --> 0:10:56.360 at the British Museum, and then you're seeing all the 0:10:56.400 --> 0:11:00.760 different artifacts, like you know, the Benin bronze, and they're 0:11:00.760 --> 0:11:04.240 like like there, and I'm like, well, why why do 0:11:04.280 --> 0:11:06.280 you so hold on to this and everything? And I 0:11:06.280 --> 0:11:08.920 think also that's probably why you know, we kill. 0:11:08.880 --> 0:11:15.400 Monger when in black that's not the villain. 0:11:16.640 --> 0:11:20.920 You get to really understand and appreciate, or rather we 0:11:21.400 --> 0:11:24.920 understood it on a deeper level because we've lived that, 0:11:25.640 --> 0:11:28.960 and we see how our cultures are portrayed and you know, 0:11:29.679 --> 0:11:33.440 adapted to other cultures without our own consent or even 0:11:33.720 --> 0:11:37.800 our own narratives, and sometimes our narratives are erased. 0:11:39.320 --> 0:11:41.319 So true and scary. 0:11:42.080 --> 0:11:44.520 So now if we've established thirty six countries, that's a 0:11:44.559 --> 0:11:48.120 whole lot of count okay. And I think you know, 0:11:48.360 --> 0:11:50.800 if you are on socials, we see there's like travel 0:11:50.880 --> 0:11:54.760 noir black girls who travel all these platforms and really 0:11:54.800 --> 0:11:57.760 they are a resource tool for other black women to 0:11:57.760 --> 0:12:00.560 see where they feel safe traveling, where they feel safe 0:12:00.600 --> 0:12:03.720 traveling alone, so on and so forth. So but we 0:12:03.800 --> 0:12:07.120 also know like being American or British is different to 0:12:07.200 --> 0:12:11.520 being of Zimbabwe heritage and traveling or do you understand? 0:12:11.600 --> 0:12:14.559 So I think it's great that you've traveled so extensively, 0:12:14.640 --> 0:12:17.400 and we'd love to hear from you. Which are the 0:12:17.440 --> 0:12:20.640 countries you felt the safest when you traveled and also 0:12:21.559 --> 0:12:24.800 the most unsafe and why, Like, can you tell us 0:12:24.840 --> 0:12:26.400 a bit about that, Like if you're a. 0:12:26.440 --> 0:12:28.559 Friend, was like, Okay, I'm trying to go somewhere. Where 0:12:28.559 --> 0:12:29.000 should I go? 0:12:29.040 --> 0:12:30.080 Where will I be safirst? 0:12:30.080 --> 0:12:31.959 What's the best experience for a black women? 0:12:32.480 --> 0:12:33.320 Yeah? 0:12:33.360 --> 0:12:35.280 So for me with the travel advice, you know that 0:12:35.360 --> 0:12:38.280 it is often seen on the I always do the 0:12:38.280 --> 0:12:41.880 opposite because I realized that the way that they're portraying 0:12:41.960 --> 0:12:46.000 or viewing the be it warning or concerns in that country, 0:12:46.160 --> 0:12:48.880 I have a completely different experience. So, for example, there's 0:12:48.960 --> 0:12:52.640 no travel advice for Italy, but my gosh, it's the 0:12:52.679 --> 0:12:56.080 most racist place that I've grow and the way that 0:12:56.120 --> 0:13:00.480 I was treated was just I remember, I mean youautiful 0:13:00.800 --> 0:13:04.680 you know, beautiful culture, beautiful food, you know, beautiful scenery, 0:13:05.120 --> 0:13:09.320 but the people. Yeah, I always have second thoughts, Like 0:13:09.559 --> 0:13:12.840 I've revisited other places Italy, I have not gone back 0:13:13.320 --> 0:13:16.480 simply because I actually don't feel safe in Italy. 0:13:16.800 --> 0:13:18.440 Can you share a little bit of like what that 0:13:18.520 --> 0:13:21.599 experience was like or what you felt like if you 0:13:21.800 --> 0:13:25.720 if you're comfortable if not, so like the rudeness even 0:13:25.720 --> 0:13:28.640 within the streets, even when you go into stores, you 0:13:28.720 --> 0:13:30.120 actually get monitors. 0:13:31.320 --> 0:13:34.200 I remember we were checking into a hotel and then 0:13:34.440 --> 0:13:35.640 you know, they didn't. 0:13:35.320 --> 0:13:38.959 Believe that we could afford to be insaid hotel. 0:13:38.960 --> 0:13:39.640 Like are you lost? 0:13:39.920 --> 0:13:43.360 Exactly, I'm not, like, Wow. 0:13:43.160 --> 0:13:44.120 What are you talking about? 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:49.240 Literally, and so incidence is like that, or even like 0:13:49.280 --> 0:13:51.319 when you're in the street and then you know, people 0:13:51.400 --> 0:13:54.280 just feel like they can just shove you simply because 0:13:54.440 --> 0:13:56.080 like or get out of my way kind of thing, 0:13:56.679 --> 0:13:59.480 and I'm just like, I'm a tourist. Yeah, you know, 0:14:00.120 --> 0:14:04.600 is this how you treat visitors in the country. So yeah, 0:14:04.720 --> 0:14:07.960 it was really and it was predominantly within the city 0:14:08.000 --> 0:14:11.440 eras when I went to like remote villages or remote 0:14:11.520 --> 0:14:14.040 towns like I went to see it was beautiful and 0:14:14.120 --> 0:14:17.079 people were very accommodating and there were you know, it 0:14:17.120 --> 0:14:17.719 was it was. 0:14:17.840 --> 0:14:19.680 Very exciting in that sense. 0:14:20.640 --> 0:14:22.920 But I guess, yeah, in the main cities it was 0:14:23.040 --> 0:14:26.080 just yeah, I wouldn't be in a rush to go back. 0:14:25.920 --> 0:14:28.240 To Okay, okay making notes making. 0:14:28.040 --> 0:14:29.960 And which one which kindry did you feel the most 0:14:30.040 --> 0:14:30.480 safe in? 0:14:30.760 --> 0:14:32.960 Honestly, when I was in South America, I felt like 0:14:33.000 --> 0:14:35.920 I was at home. Regardless of where I was. I 0:14:35.960 --> 0:14:39.640 loved Columbia. Oh my gosh. I really felt like I. 0:14:39.560 --> 0:14:40.000 Was at home. 0:14:40.160 --> 0:14:41.720 And I hate that I didn't end up going to 0:14:41.840 --> 0:14:47.120 Katna because the travel advice to Kata Henah is don't go, 0:14:47.680 --> 0:14:48.280 but then. 0:14:48.200 --> 0:14:49.400 That's all the black people are. 0:14:51.120 --> 0:14:53.120 And I'm like, Henah made in. 0:14:53.280 --> 0:14:56.480 I wish i'd gone there, but because I then followed 0:14:56.560 --> 0:14:58.840 the trouble advice and I'm like, no, I actually would 0:14:58.880 --> 0:14:59.760 have been much safer. 0:15:00.720 --> 0:15:02.400 Very we don't one of us. 0:15:03.680 --> 0:15:05.120 That actually is what was happening. 0:15:05.120 --> 0:15:07.160 And I when I went to Brazil, I felt like 0:15:07.480 --> 0:15:13.400 they're like speaking Portuguese, are like sorry, sorry. 0:15:12.720 --> 0:15:14.880 I have a colabor friends and she was like yeah, 0:15:14.920 --> 0:15:17.520 and a lot of people don't realize how many like 0:15:17.680 --> 0:15:21.320 black columbis such a and she's like yeah, I get 0:15:21.400 --> 0:15:26.680 all the time. Yeah, so yeah, some America I felt 0:15:26.680 --> 0:15:29.440 at home, where whether I was in Peru and Bolivia, 0:15:30.800 --> 0:15:36.360 Argentina was an interesting experience, like it wasn't racist, but 0:15:36.600 --> 0:15:42.720 because they're like the most European but it wasn't racist, 0:15:42.720 --> 0:15:45.000 but also at the same time, I felt a little 0:15:45.000 --> 0:15:46.800 bit uncomfortable because. 0:15:46.600 --> 0:15:47.960 I couldn't see another black people. 0:15:49.640 --> 0:15:51.960 So it was just like I'm pretty sure, like I've 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:56.240 been everywhere else I see people, how come here is 0:15:56.640 --> 0:15:59.680 so European And I mean they pride themselves in that right, 0:16:00.680 --> 0:16:03.120 in being very centric. 0:16:03.280 --> 0:16:04.560 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 0:16:05.200 --> 0:16:08.840 I have a friend from Mexico and she's like, you know, 0:16:09.000 --> 0:16:12.080 we see Mexicans on TV and we're like, that's not 0:16:12.120 --> 0:16:15.520 how we look. Most of them have very eurocentric white features. 0:16:15.680 --> 0:16:18.360 They're the ones i'd get on like the TV, the 0:16:18.400 --> 0:16:21.800 shows and all that. But if you see an average person, 0:16:22.040 --> 0:16:25.120 they don't look like that. And it's crazy how you know, 0:16:25.280 --> 0:16:27.880 only they are put in the lights so media guys. 0:16:28.320 --> 0:16:30.920 Yeah, that's what you say about Australia too, that when 0:16:31.000 --> 0:16:31.480 you came. 0:16:35.000 --> 0:16:38.840 Like so many Asians, so many like literally because like 0:16:38.960 --> 0:16:40.040 I guess I just. 0:16:40.000 --> 0:16:43.040 Assumed Amanda is like one of the very few. 0:16:43.560 --> 0:16:46.600 But it's so diverse and it keeps like hitting me 0:16:46.680 --> 0:16:49.200 and I think you guys maybe getting more used to it, 0:16:49.240 --> 0:16:52.560 and obviously it's not like the UK diverse or something, 0:16:53.000 --> 0:16:54.920 but I was just like, oh my gosh, why do 0:16:55.000 --> 0:16:57.640 we not see this? Like I remember walking through Chinatown 0:16:57.840 --> 0:17:01.000 and I was like, oh my gosh, it's such and 0:17:01.040 --> 0:17:03.160 the food, the cuisine. For me, that was a tell 0:17:03.280 --> 0:17:08.120 sign like you have such range of cuisine as well. 0:17:08.280 --> 0:17:12.200 So you guys are I mean, you're like media does, but. 0:17:12.119 --> 0:17:13.840 The media doesn't match up to it. 0:17:13.720 --> 0:17:15.679 It does, but do you come here and expect to 0:17:15.680 --> 0:17:17.240 see the Chris Himsworth type? 0:17:17.520 --> 0:17:17.680 Right? 0:17:18.119 --> 0:17:21.399 So then Maggie, Margot, Robbie like that Bobby you know, 0:17:21.440 --> 0:17:23.640 and it's like that's not the. 0:17:25.080 --> 0:17:26.159 But it's actually a blessing. 0:17:26.200 --> 0:17:29.000 I take it as like such a refreshing thing because 0:17:29.000 --> 0:17:31.560 I was telling Amanda we went to the mall and 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:34.240 I was like seeing just people, different groups, young people, 0:17:34.280 --> 0:17:36.359 friendship groups, mixed and all that. I was like, that 0:17:36.520 --> 0:17:38.919 is what we want to see more of because the 0:17:38.920 --> 0:17:40.520 world is really moving in that direction. 0:17:41.119 --> 0:17:42.800 So kudos to you for doing the work because I 0:17:42.800 --> 0:17:43.240 know a show. 0:17:45.080 --> 0:17:47.200 What do you enjoy the most about traveling? 0:17:47.240 --> 0:17:51.000 Do you think I'm a curious person? So I really 0:17:51.119 --> 0:17:54.520 enjoy just being around different people. And even when I 0:17:54.840 --> 0:17:57.320 when I travel, yes, I go to the tourist places, 0:17:57.320 --> 0:17:59.480 but also go to where the locals are, yeah, because 0:17:59.480 --> 0:18:01.640 I feel like I have a better experience. Then get 0:18:01.800 --> 0:18:03.399 to get to know, like what what is what's a 0:18:03.480 --> 0:18:06.600 day in the life be it's a local Parisian because 0:18:06.880 --> 0:18:16.200 Paris is all another but you see what, like, for example, France, 0:18:16.200 --> 0:18:18.160 that I realized is if you go regional like. 0:18:18.160 --> 0:18:20.160 Other places, it's actually really really nice. 0:18:20.160 --> 0:18:23.520 So like I went to Leon and I absolutely loved it, 0:18:23.640 --> 0:18:25.679 and I'm like, Okay, next time I come to France, 0:18:25.840 --> 0:18:26.320 I'm not going to. 0:18:26.359 --> 0:18:29.520 Do Paris places. 0:18:29.920 --> 0:18:34.159 So I enjoy yeah, eating like a local, going to 0:18:34.200 --> 0:18:37.480 shop with a local shop, and just seeing what life 0:18:37.520 --> 0:18:40.200 would look like, you know, in that sense, and through 0:18:40.240 --> 0:18:44.680 that experience, I actually absolutely fell in love with Portugal. Listen, 0:18:45.160 --> 0:18:49.159 I love it. We went and then we spend a 0:18:49.200 --> 0:18:53.440 few days. After this, I was like, I just it's amazing. 0:18:53.040 --> 0:18:56.600 The way my skins when I was. 0:18:58.320 --> 0:19:00.280 Yes, I know I can tend, but I've never hand 0:19:00.320 --> 0:19:03.639 like this is I was golden and I was just like, 0:19:03.800 --> 0:19:05.760 oh my gosh, I love this. And the people are 0:19:05.840 --> 0:19:09.520 great and they're not overbearingly like we're so nice, but 0:19:09.560 --> 0:19:12.120 they kind of just like we'll respect you, will give 0:19:12.119 --> 0:19:12.560 you good. 0:19:12.440 --> 0:19:15.240 Service you need to do, and you get on with 0:19:15.320 --> 0:19:15.760 your life. 0:19:15.960 --> 0:19:16.200 Yeah. 0:19:16.400 --> 0:19:18.359 Very And I think there is a bit more of 0:19:18.400 --> 0:19:21.320 a mounting pot than there is in other places in Europe. 0:19:21.600 --> 0:19:23.399 So it's not like when they look at you like 0:19:23.440 --> 0:19:26.240 as a black girl, like yeah, so true. 0:19:26.520 --> 0:19:29.760 Yeah. I remember I was asking myself, why does this 0:19:30.040 --> 0:19:33.359 place feel so homey? And then I remembered the you know, 0:19:33.400 --> 0:19:37.040 the history of you know that peninsula, the moors, you 0:19:37.080 --> 0:19:40.920 know that were coming across going to Europe, they traveled through. 0:19:41.000 --> 0:19:43.359 That was the gateway, and so that's why it's so 0:19:43.520 --> 0:19:46.679 malticultural and people are still commodating. And then so it 0:19:46.760 --> 0:19:49.240 just felt I felt really even though I don't speak 0:19:49.280 --> 0:19:52.000 the language, but still I was like, I think I 0:19:52.040 --> 0:19:55.400 can you know, I think I can live here. 0:19:55.560 --> 0:19:57.159 And there's actually a lot of expensive a. 0:19:57.160 --> 0:20:01.800 Lot, and I think they incentivize digital nomads. I know 0:20:01.880 --> 0:20:04.760 my sister has a friend who the digital nomad. There incentivize 0:20:04.800 --> 0:20:06.600 people to go live there and work for there, so 0:20:06.760 --> 0:20:09.199 I think they're really trying to encourage that. 0:20:10.440 --> 0:20:14.760 Yeah, maybe is anything that you dislike when you're traveling 0:20:14.800 --> 0:20:16.600 that you're like, rather not have I. 0:20:16.560 --> 0:20:22.080 Have a list, but please go first. Oh well let's 0:20:22.080 --> 0:20:27.080 see inas. Much as I enjoy solo travel, I also 0:20:27.119 --> 0:20:32.320 appreciate the benefits of traveling with someone, but always travel 0:20:32.400 --> 0:20:38.000 with everyone has to be right someone and sometimes that's 0:20:38.000 --> 0:20:40.119 that's hard to try and find someone who has like 0:20:40.160 --> 0:20:41.720 a similar travel style team. 0:20:41.720 --> 0:20:43.719 I was gonna ask, what's your style of travel? 0:20:43.920 --> 0:20:48.840