Black Women Who Travel: Kimberly

As I continue to #AmplifyMelanatedVoices this week and next, I’m grateful to share the stories of two Black women who reached out to me to be part of this. First up, we have Kimberly – the genius behind Birthday Bash Diaries.

She writes about fun learning activities and recipes she does to keep her kiddies busy which you can do with yours too. Her latest recipe to kick off summer is Strawberry Shortcake Oreo Popsicles. I don’t have kids but even I want to make this, so do yourself a favor and check it out! I mean, look how delicious they are… *drool*

I met Kimberly through Gwen Lane’s (aka The LA Girl) Spark Society VIP group which is part of The Spark School. Though she is out here killin’ the game in the Mommy Lifestyle world (which you probably think I wouldn’t be interested in, but hey… I love crafting and cooking so I’m here for her content!) what really intrigued me is how she is living the expat life between Saudi Arabia and Dallas, TX. And doing it with a toddler and 4-month-old baby girl!

When we spoke about collaborating together, her joy was so evident when she spoke about her family, husband, and children. And as I asked about how she started to blog about travel in addition to all the other things she’s putting out there, she said: “I want my girls to see the world. They’re too young to remember it now, so I’m doing this as kind of like a diary for them – though a public one LOL! –  to see when they grow up.” *insert heart eye emoji here!* HOW PRECIOUS, AMIRITE?!

Just like Shaniece did last week, Kimberly took the time to write about what traveling means to her and share her own perspective. So let’s hear it from this Super Mommy!

I’m Kim, wife, mother, daughter, sister. I’m a stay-at-home wife & mom living my life full of love, excitement and a splash of color. I want to explore the 4 corners of this Earth and all of it’s awesomeness. I love food that has spunk and character. And I live for making my family as happy as can be.

-Kimberly P.

What is your favorite country you’ve traveled to?

France (Nice)

Which country is next on your list?

South Africa, Cape Town, or the Maldives. I would love to go over South Africa in a hot air balloon and check out a safari and see the penguins and trace Nelson Mandela’s steps on Robben Island.

What brings you joy and happiness in traveling?

Doing anything adventurous & with food involved. I love seeking out restaurants or foods that I have seen on Pinterest or Instagram. I usually always have to visit a spa too. I live for getting massages in other countries to see their style and experience the whole relaxation vibe. And I was born an adventurer, so I love to explore and do something that’s thrill seeking like parasailing or cliff jumping.

What is a favorite travel memory you have?

A simple misunderstanding of words in the Bahamas while I was there for my wedding. A group of us went to have dinner and the waiter was telling us about the menu and mentioned Chicken “thighs.” However, because of the accent we all heard Chicken “Thai” and instantly got confused. It had to be 10mins that we went back and forth with the guy about the restaurant having “Thai” food until he finally got it. “Oh, Chicken T-H-I-G-H-S.”  You had to be there to get it. It was hilarious!

Is there something you want to tell fellow Black people about traveling?

When traveling to other countries outside of the US color is typically not a factor and if you’re American, people tend to get excited about that. Outside of the US we are American and that’s it, not black, not white, just AMERICAN, don’t ever forget that. At least this has been my experience. You should not feel self-conscious of being Black while traveling.

If there’s something you can tell non-Black people to do/not do or to know when it comes to you traveling as a Black person, what would it be?

I would say that not all Black people are loud, or rude, or ghetto, or listen to rap music, or smoke weed. That is how the media tends to portray us. Or if it’s not that then that is what people tend to take from our culture by listening to Black music and watching Black movies and so on.

Since we can’t really travel currently, what’s one thing you’re doing to take care of yourself right now?

Walking daily to get healthy and exploring my city and seeing it through fresh eyes as a person who is visiting for the first time.

Follow Kimberly on Instagram

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South Africa in a hot air ballon? Dreamy. Adventure, food, and spas? We love it! Chicken thighs or chicken Thai? Sounds like those memories you’ll always laugh about when reminiscing. Exploring our cities through fresh eyes? Let’s all do this!

If you want even more from Kimberly, don’t forget to follow her on Instagram and check out her latest travel posts, “Beach Please,” and “268 Steps to Buddha.” Here’s a sneak peek into some of her travels:

And before I go, you know what to do: if you want to share your own travel tale or suggest someone else, hit me up with a DM on Instagram!

Til next time and with wanderlust,
Avagail

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If you’re interested in becoming an influencer and working with brands, my mentor & coach, Gwen Lane, has a free online workshop on how to get paid brand deals EVEN if you don’t have a huge following. You should definitely check it out because it’s helped me launch this blog and start my own little space on this here interwebz!

You can sign up for a free class here: https://www.thespark.school/a/29056/o6dyZMKG

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