How This Introvert Survived Traveling With 16 Friends

April 16, 2018 • 1412 views

One summer, I was taking a trip with 16 of my friends down to Siquijor Island in Central Philippines. It wasn’t just another relaxing beach trip. We planned it as sort of a pilgrimage to some well-known cliff jumping spots and sandbars.

Siquijor-Dumaguete by Genre Gato — The group on the Manjuyod Sandbar, a 7-kilometer stretch of white sandbar in Dumaguete. Dumaguete is about an hour from Siquijor.

Of the 16, 10 guys were traceurs, 2 were experienced rock climbers, and the rest were committed to keep up with the adrenaline rush. Nothing excites me more than an adventurecation (word?). But damn did that trip wear me out psychologically, broke me out of my shell. One of the best things that happened to me.

Let me explain

I found myself always with company. For an introvert, being constantly surrounded by people and being in the center of attention kick-starts a feeling of being uncomfortable in your own skin. I already feel like raising a white flag and retreating to my own space within 30 minutes of being in a micro group.

Don’t get me wrong – I love my friends. I maintain a few, intimate circles who are vocally appreciative of me. But I love being on my own and unguarded. I love not having to think about what to say next. I love sitting silently for hours on end next to my boyfriend and I know he’s having the best time. Silence is a language you can’t speak when in a group.

Islands

For the uninitiated, my country is home to a sprawling mass of 7,641 islands. Some of our fellow citizens live through their lives never leaving the island they were born in. We might have been born with a natural disposition to isolate. But should we accept that fate?

I moved out of my parents’ house when I was 24. My hypothesis then was just like everyone else’s (albeit not necessarily accurate): your entry into adulthood start when you move out of your parents’ house and out of your comfort zone.

But moving out had me creating another bubble of comfort where I was the only person allowed. I paddled away from the mainland just to be washed ashore in another island.

I never once concluded that deciding to move out and hole up my introvert tendencies was a wrong move. Being an introvert isn’t like living with a disability. It’s just that preferring to be a lone wolf can be so exclusive and unnecessary lonely. After a huge shift in perspective, I decided it wasn’t how I wanted the next years of my life playing out.

Traveling with 16 people is uncomfortable. There are many reasons not to do it again. And for those challenging reasons, I will do it again. Every now and then it’s nice to be in a noisy room where you can hardly hear your voice. At least you hear your voice.

It’s about mindfully shifting perspectives. All the worries might be in my head. Maybe it won’t be all that bad next time.

Also, take a look at the things to do in Cancun and Tulum. They are also one of the best tourist attractions.

With Cali ♥ in Salagdoong Beach, Siquijor

At the end of the day, it’s nice to hold someone’s hand on the edge of a cliff. It’s nice to sit by your lonesome on top of a mountain. It’s nice to be here and alive, period.