When friends and family oppose your travel dreams

Abha wrote last week about how to explain yourself to friends and family when you’ve decided to embark on some long term travel. I thought I’d share my experiences too.

Announcing to friends and family that you intend to pack up your stuff and set off for destinations unknown, can bring a variety of responses. More often than not, they’re negative:

• “But aren’t you being selfish / foolish / naive / unrealistic?”
• “That will never work”
• “What happens if…?”
• “Isn’t that dangerous?”
• “What about money?”

One of the hardest things for our families and friends to accept is that my husband and I are traveling with no planned end in sight, nor any signs that we’ll settle anywhere permanently.

I’ve realized that the reason this bothers so many people is because it’s not ‘playing by the rules’. It’s not what’s accepted as the ‘norm’ and in essence that makes people feel very uncomfortable.

The one piece of advice I give to the people who ask me how to deal with friends and family being difficult about their travel plans is this: Understand that many of the fears, concerns and doubts expressed are driven by a person’s own internal fears, insecurities and doubts; once you realize this, you can understand what it is they’re really worried about and, if possible, allay their concerns.