LIFESTYLE
The privilege of travelling can also bring up a sense of guilt in a world where just SO much is going on .
Whether it ’ s the feeling of guilt for leaving family and friends behind , guilt for spending money on trips instead of saving it , “ flygskam ” ( Swedish for “ flight shame ”), or simply the pressure of “ having to get out there because everyone is ”, travel guilt can be a real issue . Considering travelling and its impact on the environment , as well as the aftermath of a pandemic , how do we even dare to think about travelling in 2023 ? Some may view it as a much- needed and well-deserved escape from their daily routine , after holding themselves back during lock down times . Others take a big step back due to the environmental damage it causes and explore the local holiday spots . Travel guilt is a common feeling among people who have the privilege to explore the world and it can be a difficult emotion to grapple with . Twenty talked to a young couple who is travelling around the world , despite feeling guilty .
Daniel and Ania are sitting outside on the terrace of a little bungalow in Thailand when they pick up my video call . The bright blue sea in the background of the smiling couple on the screen , awakes longings to book a holiday . All I can offer them is a rainy London in March .
After their first journey to Vietnam over seven years ago , they got inspired to take their wanderlust on the road and make it to their mission to explore the world . After quitting their jobs , and living off savings for a while , the were able to find another income . They started a business , a joint blog called “ Just go and travel ” which quickly showed success . On their website they offer help for other ambitious travellers , like a step-to-step introduction for travelling the world , tips for every country they have been to and a link to their podcast .
While Ania shows me around their current camping site on facetime , I am wondering if I would have the mental capacity to feel guilty if I was staying in such a beautiful place . Daniel and Ania say they do . The environmental impact of flying is by far the biggest issue they struggle with , and they try to even it out with small habits and changes . “ We are very passionate about sustainability in our own ways . We never buy fast fashion clothes , we eat a plant-based , locally sourced diet and try to find the most sustainable ways to live wherever we are .”
Flight shame seems to have an impact on Ania and Daniel as well , which lead them to change their flying habits over the years . In autumn 2023 they gave up their flat in their home country Germany . Instead of going back and forth between home and their latest destination , Ania and Daniel now follow a long-term travel plan with longer stays in each country to avoid frequent flying . “ I ’ m not defending our own flying . I ’ m mindful of its impact , and of the privileged position of our ability to travel . We are making an effort to fly less , and I think the awareness is more important than not travelling at all .”, Ania explains .
Climate change as a topic is overwhelming , and our own impact is sometimes difficult to comprehend . While we as individuals can make choices to reduce our carbon footprints , it is important not to lose sight of the larger picture while focusing on personal lifestyle changes , because we can ’ t save the world by ourselves unfortunately . Daniel and Ania want to share the message that it is possible to travel and still be mindful about the environment .
" Travel guilt can be a difficult emotion to grapple with ."
Along with the environmental guilt , they feel guilt towards their loved ones at home . With giving up their apartment the couple felt like leaving family and friends behind . “ Giving up that flat felt like giving up on our home and our roots . But it will always be there , it doesn ’ t matter if we are renting a place we barely stay at or not .”, Daniel says . Yet , coming home for a visit involves a lot more planning without having an own place to return to , and especially Ania struggles with that . “ I still need to get used to the fact that I will miss out on some family birthdays and probably always will be the long-distance aunt who comes home occasionally with cool souvenirs . But I chose this lifestyle and Dan and I are so grateful . We know we can always go back home but we enjoy where we are at for now .”
On their Instagram account the couple posts the most recent photos and stories of their life for their 40K followers . Daniel and Ania are unsure if they would take as many photos if it wasn ’ t part of their job .
Not that long ago , vacation pictures were taken as a memory , but for travellers nowadays , they ’ re the entire point . The top priority of young adults traveling abroad , is how presentable their destination is on Instagram .
Millennials and Gen Z are choosing , booking , recording , and sharing their travels on social media in ways older generations simply didn ’ t ( and couldn ’ t ). But as we all know , social media becomes dangerous when it sets up false expectations . 10 years ago , backpacking was cool . Caused by social media , there ’ s this emphasis on luxury lifestyles and spending money so you can show it off on Instagram . Travel psychologist Dr Charlotte Russel says travel content has a huge impact on people ’ s mental health , as it results in FOMO (“ Fear Of Missing Out ”) and creating pressure in the sense of needing to do more to be able to travel or doing something wrong in life . “ People used to go travel to find themselves . But nowadays especially young adults seem to think something is wrong with them and they are wasting their time if they are not travelling around in their twenties .” Dr Russel says .
Travelling is a wonderful privilege , with more meaning to it than social media posts . And remember : Not being able to travel everywhere in your twenties is totally normal . And traveling is just as great later in life as it is in your twenties . Daniel and Ania are aware of the influence they have and try to picture the positive and negative experiences they gained over the years , including emotions like guilt and responsibility for the environment . But also , a lot of joy like great food and sunshine in Thailand .
18 2wenty ISSUE 1