Who am I? Where do I belong?
Those are questions I’ve always asked myself, wherever I find myself. Whether I’m on the beach listening to waves crash against the shore on the island of Bonaire, walking on the crunchy carpet of leaves deep in the forest in Schroon Lake in upstate New York, sitting under a mango tree in Accra, Ghana, or cycling through Amsterdam on my way to work, I’ve always felt a little bit out of place, just a second out of sync from everyone else around me.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for what I have, and the places that I’ve been. But it gets a little complicated in my situation. I was born in the Caribbean, on the small island of Bonaire. My mom was born there, my Dad in Ghana—although they met in Buenos Aires at university. After a few years in Bonaire, we moved to upstate New York, but the awful winters (and several almost-accidents that could’ve gone fatal) forced us to move down to North Carolina, and eventually to St. Petersburg, Florida. After that, we moved to Ghana, where we moved around in Accra, and eventually to Dodowa, over 12 years. Every 3 years, we’d go back to the U.S. and then Bonaire for a few months—as well as sometimes Europe. Slightly confused? Imagine living it!
When I was in Ghana, despite being black, I’d always be called “obroni”, the Ashanti word for “white person,” because I spoke differently and looked lighter than my playmates and peers. When we’d be in the U.S., people would wonder if I lived like Tarzan, jumping from tree to tree, and how I lived without water, electricity, or Wi-Fi. In Bonaire, my cousins would tease me for not being able to mimic their tone or accent when I spoke Papiamento. And when I moved to Amsterdam, I’d be “Dutch,” but not quite Dutch. What a doozy.
It’s difficult, that’s for sure. I have roots in countries around the world, but none of them fully. I’m a little bit of everything, but all of none. And that’s okay. I’ve found a circle of friends who understand and empathize, or who even find themselves in the same situation. So it is okay.
But for my exchange during my 3rd year of university, I ended up in Madrid for 6 months, and it was an unbelievable experience being in a country where I had no real ties to, mingling with people just like me. We were connected by what we did, and while we weren’t directly a part of the culture, it just clicked. It really did. And yes, I’ve always had a wanderlust and do my best to travel as much as possible, that unlocked something in me that I never could’ve imagined. The goal to discover if I belong elsewhere.
I’m currently at the end of my bachelor’s and about to graduate in a few months. After that, what’s next? I want to travel, but obviously have a limited budget. Do I work in my field? Work in hospitality to save up and then travel? Volunteer and teach English? Start a master’s? But where?
I want to find out who I am, once and for all. See where I belong. Maybe I belong back here in Amsterdam. Maybe it’ll be in the middle of nowhere. Nobody knows. That’s why my aim is to see all the places I’ve yet to see and immerse myself into the cultures I’ve yet to immerse myself into, as you can see with my proposed itinerary below. To discover all these cultures and nuances I’ve not been a part of. I’ve been privileged to see some of it already; I would be beyond lucky if I were able to travel around and discover more, and help however possible. I’ve always wanted to give back however I can, and if I were able to do that on the trip with AirTrek, I’d be incredibly honored.
And maybe, as I trek the the corners of the universe…maybe, just maybe, I’ll explore myself and discover my place and see where I belong.
The adventure awaits.
Josh Treks the World 