I had gone through a really bad breakup in 2016, but my dream came true, and I was able to travel to the United States. However, this was a new situation for me, as I had to fly alone to the other side of the world. I had saved for six months to be able to make the Florida trip on my own, which I had originally planned with my ex-partner.
I had already planned everything—what we would see, what programs we would attend, which cities we would visit to get a taste of Florida. But then came the disappointment—our trip was planned for November 2015, but my then-boyfriend told me he didn’t have the money for it. This was probably because he was planning to break up with me.
I was so desperate that even the fear of “what if” couldn’t stop me. I simply focused on my birthday and told myself I deserved to be happy. Since it had been my dream to visit the United States one day, the opportunity was there, and I had to do it ALONE.
It was 4.5 months until my birthday, and everything changed. I had to travel alone, where would I stay, the hotel would be too expensive for just one person, how would I explore Florida—these were the questions running through my mind.
I searched for tickets for 2.5 months, knowing that I had to buy them very cheaply, otherwise I wouldn’t have any spending money left. I booked my trip on Bravofly, almost at half the price compared to the current rates, but in exchange, I had to spend one night in Rome, then travel to Istanbul in the morning, and from there, I flew 10 hours to Miami.
By then, my imagination had already kicked in. If I was already there, I had to figure out how to get to the Bahamas. I knew flying would be expensive, so I started looking for cruise options.
After a few weeks of searching, I found the Balearia route from Fort Lauderdale to the Grand Bahama Islands, and all of that for just 100 dollars round trip. I could have jumped for joy, because I managed to travel to the Bahamas on my 36th birthday.
What I knew was that with this trip, I would find my “independence” and “faith in myself.”
I did it, and many more solo trips followed. Then, after my divorce in 2021, I gained strength again and set off to see the world with my little one in a stroller.
If you’re thinking about taking your first solo trip but you’re stuck in the “what if” stage, here are two great pieces of advice.
DO IT! AFRAID? PLAN EVERYTHING!
Everything can be fixed. If you fail, use that failure as a stepping stone for your growth.
REMEMBER, NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE YOU.
Only you are! You are responsible for your own happiness!
But remember, your happiness doesn’t depend on others; you have to find it within yourself!
That’s why it’s so great to set off alone, with your thoughts and fears, and return home to find that all of it has been replaced by happiness and self-confidence.
My trip turned out even better than expected, even though there was an acquaintance who said that even if they got a free ticket, they wouldn’t go to America alone. I’m not saying I wasn’t scared of the unknown, but I went for it anyway.
Since I would have to pay for the hotels on my own, I made a radical decision to achieve my goal: I decided to stay in free private accommodations (Couchsurfing).
It was a big deal for me, as I had always stayed in apartments and hotels, but now the goal was to achieve my dreams. I knew I had to give up some of my old expectations in order to reach my dream.
I had to try something new, something that many people fear. I guess I wasn’t afraid because I was driven by the desire to see Florida, and one of my dear friends even gave me a generous amount of money, so that if anything went wrong, I would at least be financially secure. It was very touching that she cared so much about me, wanting to protect me from any potential trouble.
I set off, ALONE!
My first pleasant surprise was in Rome, where a Couchsurfing guy spent a few hours with me after I arrived, showed me a few places, and then I just had to sleep and head to the airport early in the morning.
The transfer in Istanbul went smoothly, and for the first time in my life, I sat on a 3×3 seat plane. Arriving in Miami, I breathed a sigh of relief that I was still alive, I had survived the 10-hour flight, and I was in the land of opportunities.
My first task was to catch a taxi, and I gave the driver the address of the hostel where I would stay for 3 days. I had originally booked a mixed dorm room, but life is unpredictable, and we have to adapt to new situations. It turned out that there was only space left in a 10-bed room, and 9 guys were already inside. Some women might have been excited about this, thinking, “Wow, I’ll be under the same roof with 9 guys!” Well, I was a bit taken aback, thinking, “Seriously? I’ve barely gotten off the plane, and here come the challenges.”
At 36 years old, I found myself among guys aged 18-27, who had come from various countries around the world for the Ultrasound festival.
I should mention that it was one of the best experiences of my life; we had such a great time together. As the only girl, I got one of the bathrooms for myself, and the nine guys used the other one. During the day, I joined organized tours, so I was hardly ever at the accommodation.
An American couchsurfing guy gave me a free ride from Miami to Fort Lauderdale by car, and there, I stayed for 2 days in a 4-bed room.
Then came another problem: the taxi dropped me off at the wrong place, so the bus to Tampa left without me. I had to take a 5-hour train ride to stay with my first American host.
When I arrived in Tampa, my host was waiting for me at the station in his big jeep, dressed in military uniform (he was a professional soldier). He hugged me as if we had known each other forever, even though we had only started talking a few weeks before my departure.
Since he worked at night, he showed me around Tampa during the day and took some of the best photos of me in my life. At night, I had the privilege of sleeping in his big “king-size” bed, even though I insisted that the couch would be fine for me.
A few days later, I returned to Fort Lauderdale, where the boat was departing from. As I boarded for the Bahamas, tears welled up when the lady thanked me after seeing my birth date in my passport. It made me think that I shouldn’t be alone at this moment. But it didn’t matter anymore. This is what I had been longing for, I was here, and I had to be grateful to the heavens for this!
On the ship, I deliberately sat in a secluded spot, wanting to immerse myself in my thoughts, but what happened… a young, single Argentine girl did everything she could to strike up a conversation, no matter how grumpy I was.
She was also traveling alone, so we decided to spend the whole day together, as we both were only there for one day on the Bahamas.
When she found out that this was my birthday treat to myself, she couldn’t be stopped, and she bought me a ticket for a one-hour boat tour to see the celebrity villas. I must mention, the ticket was already $70 at that time—and this girl paid for it for a “stranger,” me, just to make me happy.
This girl, Janina, is still my friend, and we keep in touch. Our plan is to meet next time with our children somewhere in the world. As for the soldier guy, we chat or video call several times a week. He’s invited me back to the United States multiple times.
What is the lesson of this story?
- If we don’t overcome our fears, we can’t experience the happiest moments.
- Don’t be afraid of the unknown; often, the best experiences come when we take the plunge.
- Often, strangers become the best friends, like the Argentine girl and the American soldier, who are still good friends of mine.
- People cling to familiar things, like staying in hotels, but I didn’t have the money for that. I had to let it go, yet my dream still came true, and as a bonus, I gained two great friends.
- Let’s not be influenced by others’ opinions; often it’s their own fears projected onto us, or they’re envious that we’re brave enough to do something they wouldn’t dare.
- Life is unpredictable. I had my challenges too (sharing a room with 9 guys, missing my bus), but despite that, years later, I still consider it one of the greatest experiences of my life, because the many amazing moments outweighed the few frustrating ones.
Never give up on your dreams – dare to make them come true!
