Traveling with Love & Boundaries - how to travel with your South Asian family.
I thought this would be such a fitting topic for a blog as I just got back from traveling internationally with my South Asian family. Let me tell you all, did I learn a thing or two about myself and I can do better next time. Now don’t get me wrong WE had the time of our lives, but everything is just a little better with love and boundaries.
There’s no shortage of laughter, chaos, and love, but at the same time, there’s a deep cultural emphasis on togetherness, which can make it hard to carve out space for yourself. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the constant closeness during family trips, you're not alone. Setting boundaries and finding space without hurting feelings can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible ( or is it, just kidding!)
The first step would be to acknowledge that there is a cultural difference or gap between what you need and what your family expects of you. Generally in a South Asian family the expectation to do everything together such as meals, sightseeing, outings, is very real and trying to do anything on your “own” can be taken as an offense that maybe you don’t wish to spend time with the family.
Let your family know how excited you are to be spending time with them, and validate their feelings as well as yours.
The second step would be to clearly communicate your boundaries, be clear and specific in your needs in asking for space. A good example would be to state “after breakfast, I’d love to explore this museum on my own for a few hours. I’ll meet up with you for lunch.”
This is a better way of expressing yourself and asking for space vs. stating “ I need space from you all”.
The third step would be to make space for yourself without feeling guilty, such as waking up early and having some time for yourself, make sure to schedule some solo time for yourself between sightseeing, and lastly taking breaks when you need them.
I hope these tips help you in traveling successfully with your South Asian Family!
Until next time….
