Toronto was cool. It felt very similar to any U.S. city, kind of like visiting Chicago. I didn’t think about my race at all, it’s had some cool paths to get around the city on bikes and some cool city tours by bus or boat. A nice vacation but nothing to write home about.

I LOVED Liberia! I was there for a church conference so I wasn’t expecting resort level comfort but it was incredible. The mountains and sea are unmatched, everyone is Black and there are markets everywhere. The infrastructure is still damaged from the last war but even in a gas shortage, this has been my favorite of the 15 countries I’ve been to.

I enjoyed Athens but it wasn’t my favorite as a Black woman. I had short natural hair (3 inches) when I was there and constantly got stares and was confused for a man enough that i started wearing a scarf the rest of the week as you can see in the photo. I was there in April of 2019 and I saw very few Black people. The ruins were cool to see and the beaches were lovely. I really enjoyed the seafood and Mama Tierra (a hole in the wall vegan/gluten free restaurant that was amazing!). The museums got repetitive so I would only recommend a day or two in Athens proper and then time on the beach.

I loved Cape Town! I went pre-pandemic so I’m sure some things have changed but it was a great mix of history and adventure. I highly recommend the Robben Island Prison tour and Tabletop mountain.