Finding Balance as an Ambivert Traveler
Before I left for a two-week holiday through France, Portugal and Spain, my coach challenged me to write a blog post during my travels. For…
Before I left for a two-week holiday through France, Portugal and Spain, my coach challenged me to write a blog post during my travels. For most of the trip, my mind felt empty and uninspired. However, as I sat on a catamaran in the stunning city of Barcelona, watching the waves, and feeling the gentle breeze, I couldn’t help but reflect on the interactions I’d had so far. I suddenly found myself inspired to write.
The journey up to that point had been a series of awesome experiences, and it’s been a fantastic opportunity to explore the dichotomy of my personality as an ambivert.
Interestingly, it was a conversation with an extrovert in Barcelona that triggered this reflection. She had been visiting Europe with her husband before we met in Barcelona and she confessed that she would start to feel crazy and desperately need to be surrounded by people after just a couple of days of solo travel. I found this amusing because I’m quite comfortable with solitude and can relish being alone for extended periods. Yet, throughout this trip, I’ve realized that what I love the most is a mix of both being alone but surrounded by people AND interacting socially with others.
During my journey, I had the chance to connect with a small group of couples and members of my partner’s cohort when I met up with him in Barcelona, so I was rarely alone. This mix of solitude and social interaction made this vacation thoroughly satisfying for me. As did taking my time in the mornings alone in my Airbnb’s or at the end of a long day of touring around.
I’m reminded of a bakery across from where I was staying in Paris. Often, when I would return to my flat in the late afternoon, they were getting ready to close, and I would find them blasting EDM music while dancing up a storm. This always put a smile on my face and I felt a feeling of happiness and camaraderie welling up inside.
Throughout my journey, I interacted with many people, often in nonverbal ways. Like watching some rowdy kids being allowed to jump on the nets at the front of the catamaran (which was honestly quite dangerous because the kids could have easily fallen off the side of a boat at the slightest shift in the waves.) The captain finally came out and told the kids (and their parents!) to go back inside because they couldn’t make responsible decisions. I shared a knowing smile with the couple in front of me as we silently agreed, “Finally!” It reminded me that even when we might not share a common language, the language of music, laughter, and shared experiences can bridge the gap.
One of my most significant takeaways from this holiday is that I no longer want to be a mere tourist, racing to tick off all the must-see sights in a few days or a week. Instead, I want to spend more extended periods in a single destination, ideally a month or a few weeks. This would allow me to explore leisurely, take days of rest, immerse myself in the local culture and engage with people in more meaningful ways without the pressure to do and see everything. While this trip has been incredible, I can’t help but feel a pang of sadness as I look out at the beautiful hillside in Barcelona, a place I’d love to explore more but don’t have the time for before my departure.
Something about this journey has been on my mind, though, is my tendency to feel less inhibited after even just one drink. It’s a reminder that sometimes, I use alcohol as a social lubricant, a way to balance my introverted and extroverted sides. While it’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s important to recognize it and an invitation to find healthier ways to navigate social situations.
As I reflect on my two-week adventure, I’m grateful for the self-discovery, the connections made, and the lessons learned. Solo travel as an ambivert has allowed me to embrace both my need for solitude and my desire for social interaction, making every moment of this journey a valuable and memorable one.