Intro

Have you ever struggled with finding a sense of belonging? Like wherever you go, whether you’re at school, in the workplace, or out there travelling, you just always feel out of place?

Don’t worry, you’re not weird. I can relate with that.

It's easy to spark a connection with someone as there are shared interests and experiences that we can always talk about such as music, our hobbies, or even current events. But once we run out of small talk, we begin to realize just how different we really are from the people outside of our home, and that can turn into a struggle for most of us.

This becomes even more apparent when we’re out there, exploring the bigger world. And so how do we find that sense of belongingness when we’re far away from home?

In this episode, Topaz Smith talks about her experience as a black woman travelling all over the world, the importance of understanding different cultures, and how she helps other immigrants and travellers find a community abroad.

Guest Bio

Topaz Smith is an experienced International Consultant, and also the Founder and CEO of EN-NOBLE, an app that helps travellers find community and explore different sub-cultures abroad. Learn more about Topaz and her business, En-Noble, here.

Key Takeaways

• How your upbringing affects how you interact with the world  [05:13]
  
  


• Dealing with generational trauma  [08:00]
  
  


• How growing up in white spaces has moulded Topaz’s identity  [10:11]
  
  


• Why solo travel is such a transformational experience  [19:53]
  
  


• How to find different sub-cultures abroad  [24:58]
  
  


• Pros and cons of growing up in a multicultural community  [44:44]
  
  

Quotes

"Solo travel is a great way to figure out who you are and what you like, what you don't like, what your values are.”

“I really feel like solo travel forces you to sit with yourself, and to ask yourself questions, because you're not attached to what the group is trying to say, or what the group wants to do that week or that hour.”

“The purpose of travel is not to do what you do at home. It's different and you learn from it. That’s how you’re transformed."

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Website of Navigating Culture