Vulnerability is a recurring term when we women talk about travel.
Whether it’s associated with fears and insecurities about traveling alone or even traveling without the presence of a male figure.
But what is at the heart of the matter when we talk about vulnerability and solo travel?
The reasons why we feel vulnerable are many, diverse and personal.
We relate “being vulnerable” to emotions we want to avoid, such as shame, uncertainty, insecurity and fragility.
Vulnerabilidade (subs. fem) Característica, particularidade ou estado que é vulnerável; qualidade que pode se encontrar vulnerável. Fragildade.
The term “vulnerability” originated in the 1980s during the human rights movement when dealing with the AIDS epidemic.
At that time, vulnerability was related to the social and economic context and individual behavior.
But a lot has changed since then.
Researchers – such as the famous Brené Brown – are showing that
vulnerability goes beyond the rational and conscious will of each individual, and is related to various social, cultural, economic, political and other factors.
important emotions that
we experience, such as the love we receive. Therefore, vulnerability can also be in the emotional and psychological spheres, as well as the physical.
We women always mention vulnerability when we talk about the fears and insecurities of traveling alone or even without the presence of a male figure in certain countries.
Putting yourself in a vulnerable position is risky, but it’s also the chance we have to be seen, create connections and overcome our fears.
Can we change the pole of vulnerability from negative to positive and use it to our advantage?
Yes, it is possible.
Overcoming vulnerability and feeling comfortable with situations that cause emotional or psychological discomfort is a personal and individual journey, which for some people can be long and for others easier.
But the most important thing is to respect your own process, your own time and to celebrate every small victory you are achieving. 
Thinking about solo travel, we’ve listed 9 ways that can help you feel less vulnerable and safer while you’re traveling.
- Reading and researching the destination (blogs, news, Facebook groups, social media, tips, etc.)
- Find out as much information as you can about each part of the trip (transportation, climate, social and political context, safety, distances, holidays, etc.)
- Always have an offline map of the region
- Connect with other women who live there or have traveled there
- Create a support network to share, vent and ask for help
- Emergency phones and learning how to activate your phone’s emergency mode
- Trust your intuition (always!)
- Do not eat food that is not properly sanitized, such as salads, fruit or uncooked food.
- Portable battery
- Have a digital copy of all documents
