Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – Carl Jung
Human psychology is fascinating, and it also happens to be something I know next to nothing about. And yet, even people like myself, with next to no knowledge of the field, know what it means when someone is described as an ‘introvert’ or ‘extrovert’. You probably have some notion of which classification you fall under.
Despite some extroverted tendencies from time to time, I think of myself as an introvert. Reserved, reflective, solitary… these are all words used to describe introverts which I also feel apply to me. Enthusiastic, assertive, gregarious… these are words which describe an extrovert.
Now think about the act of traveling. What type of person do you think would be best suited to extensive travel? When I first thought about this, I figured extroverts are best suited to the task. So how the heck does someone like me derive joy from traveling as an introvert?
In this post, I look at five trials and five triumphs of traveling as an introvert. Hope you enjoy!
Taking the Leap – Deciding to Go
Trial: A preference for solitude can greatly influence the type of travel introverts tend to be drawn to. For example, joining a multi-day (or multi-week) group tour might seem like a painful prospect, as might going to visit a massively popular tourist destination such as Angkor Wat or the Taj Mahal.
Triumph: Chances are, if an introvert goes to a site like Angkor Wat, they will do so with the grudging assumption that the crowds there will drive them crazy. I know I did, but while there were pockets of the park which were a bit crowded, I was shocked at how easy it was to get away from them. Going to Angkor Wat with such a healthy dose of skepticism led to it being a surprise favorite experience of my journey. Sometimes, low expectations can lead to a greater appreciation of the experience.
Meeting New People
Trial: The knowledge that traveling — as an introvert or extrovert — involves extensive interaction with others can be draining. Conversations with ticketing agents, customs officials, hotel staff, other travelers, the butcher at the corner shop… all of these potential interactions can drain an introvert’s energy. It can be all too tempting to stay in the quiet solitude of a hotel room rather than force oneself to engage in social interaction.
Triumph: As any traveler will tell you, traveling is good at shoving you out of your comfort zone. Inevitably, travelers have to interact with others. Traveling as an introvert and finding myself in situations like the one above — stranded at the Tajik border post in the Pamir mountains — forces me to roll with the punches. Not only do I come away with an awesome memory of the experience, but I have the added bonus of succeeding in a situation unfavorable to my psychological strengths.
Finding Time to be Alone
Trial: One of the hardest things to do while traveling as an introvert is finding enough time to be alone. Budget travel, in particular, is well-suited to extroverts in this regard. Dorm rooms, communal bathrooms, bustling common areas — the communal environment is a constant. Not being able to get away and recharge can leave an introvert frayed and exhausted, no matter how enchanting the destination.
Triumph: Luckily, finding solitude is something introverts get quite good at doing. Some destinations make it easy, like Mongolia. The country with the lowest ratio of people to total area, it’s an introvert’s paradise. Even a short walk outside the capital can lead to standing in an eerie stillness, save for the gusting of the frigid wind. Those moments — of tranquility after a deluge of constant humanity — are balm for a traveling introvert’s soul, and they are something that will stay with that person for a long time.
Being Affected by the Act of Travel
Trial: As many travelers will attest, interactions with people from another culture can make or break a trip. How can you appreciate the hospitality of Mongolian nomads without getting out and experiencing it? How can you experience a samgyeopsal dinner in Korea without a group of friends to share it with? At times, travel can seem like a battle between introverted tendencies and making the most of a trip.
Triumph: In my opinion, the tendency towards being reflective is one of the biggest advantages to being an introvert. To be comfortable with turning the lens inward and engaging in self-reflection lets me internalize experiences in a very deep way. That carries over to travel — being able to examine myself and see how the trip is affecting me makes me appreciate the experience even more.
Talking About the Adventure
Trial: This has been a strange phenomenon, one most travelers will experience after returning home from a trip. People ask, “So how was _____? What was the most amazing experience you had? How did it change you?…” The questions come in a tumble, but oftentimes I find myself struggling to formulate a response. My thoughts turn inward, towards that internalized sense of what the journey meant to me, and all I can think to say is, “It was really cool.”
Triumph: For me, this is where my blog comes in. Since I was a kid, I’ve loved writing. It helps me express myself in a way I can’t accomplish through speaking. I can sit down, reflect on my experience, and attempt to convey my internal journey to a patient audience. As John Green
Writing is something you do alone. It’s a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story, but don’t want to make eye contact while doing it.”
The best part? I get to go back and relive my memories through these stories I’ve written. How cool is that?
Does It Even Matter?
If I’ve learned anything from my travels, it’s that, as much as I consider myself an introvert, I know my personality is malleable enough to play the extrovert as well. ‘Introvert’ and ‘extrovert’ are descriptions, not constrictions. Many modern psychologists believe the majority of people are both introverted AND extroverted, with one trait being more dominant than the other. So don’t let the restraints of either hold you back from getting out and exploring. Safe travels, friends!
How about you? Do you see yourself as more of an introvert or extrovert? How does that affect the way you travel? Let me know in the comments below!
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I’m a solo traveling introvert. It’s great because I get a lot of time to myself, but it also forces me to interact with other people in order to get the things I need. If you travel as a group or a pair, you rely more on one another than local people.
Totally agreed, Shannon! Thanks for reading 🙂
I would defo say i am more of an introvert, especially when it comes to meeting new people. I think solo travel has certainly helped me become more comfortable with this.
That’s awesome! I agree, it can be a huge confidence booster. Thanks for reading!
I’m certainly glad that you’ve been able to enjoy the experiences, even at times pushing yourself. Seems like that has helped you to grow as well.
Thanks Don! Living abroad has definitely been a learning experience 🙂
feel ya. I’m a little bit of an introvert and love traveling alone. Usually I don’t really meet new people when traveling. love your examples and your tips! post well done!
This was a very interesting article. Personally I feel like an extrovert but I definitely need alone time to recharge every day. That’s by far the hardest thing for me when traveling, as well as when I have friends stay over. I really enjoy my alone time.
Great read! Now I am on reflection mode because of your post. I am an extrovert in a sense that i love being with people. I love entertaining in my comfort zone. But I have only come to travel outside my country with my husband. And that makes us content without much need of company. So in a sense that makes us introverts hahaha. You’re such an extensive traveler and a great writer. I’m sure you get to have those output because you were inspired. I always enjoy reading your posts. Now I know it comes from your connection with your introvert self.
I really like your take on being extroverted and introverted. They are descriptions and not definitions. I find myself exhibiting qualities of both. I like you, hate large crowds and need my alone time too. While I was on Okinawa, I found my happy place on Okinawa by learning to be alone and not needing people. Being introverted is nice because it gives you time to reflect upon yourself!
Nice! I’ve found that a place seems more special to me if I let my introverted tendencies play out. It makes it more of an intimate experience, I think. Glad you managed to have one of those in Okinawa 🙂 Thanks for reading!
I used to meet people all the time when I travelled solo – in hostels, on trains but since I started travelling with my husband, we’re kind of a self-contained unit. Having said that, we’ve struck up conversations with people in restaurants and some of them have become great mates – we’ve caught up twice since, once staying at their home in Switzerland and last year we all met in Helsinki. One of the newer things to do is meeting up with friends made via Twitter. So far that’s going great, because we’re already members of the same community, so there’s lots to talk about.
Yeah, Twitter is a great way to meet random people in a new city. Do you participate in any Twitter chats? I was able to meet up with a bunch of bloggers I’d met on a Twitter chat when I traveled through India. Good times!
Very well written piece on something that I have not given much serious thought about, but actually now realize has shaped much of my travel experiences. When I travel with a friend or friends, I’m certainly a very excitable extrovert, but looking back on it, some of my most memorable experiences while traveling were when I was alone, with my camera and thoughts forging my own path. Nowadays I don’t get to travel, but I often go out by myself to photograph Jeju, and those times when I am lost in the challenge of creating a photo are highlights in my life now. I like how after reading your post, I am suddenly reflecting on my own life. Well done, your blog has done its job!
Happy new year! I really appreciated reading this. While I am definitely more of an extrovert, but over the years I’ve certainly started to appreciate time alone and in fact need it to recharge. I think travel is certainly wonderful for these types of situations and enables us to have these introspective moments and “ah-ha!” thoughts about how much we’ve changed. Kudos to you for gaining this sense of understanding – glad you’ve totally escaped your comfort zone in a positive way.
Thanks for reading, Laura! I’ve often wondered how different my travel experiences would be if I was more extroverted. Time will tell 🙂
I really enjoyed reading this, although I think I am mostly an extrovert in social situations I can relate to this post, like you mentioned I think everyone does have both extrovert and introvert tendencies. There were times while we traveled that I loved talking to new people from all over the world and chatting, then there would be times were I just wanted to relax in a hammock all by ourselves in a bungalow and not see anyone for days. At first it was hard for me because I talk ALOT! But as we traveled more I began to appreciate communication with people who didn’t speak the same language with me and being able to figure out how to find a bathroom, money, or guesthouse based off of non verbal communication. I also really like what you said about Angkor Wat, going into a place with lower expectations does often lead to a greater appreciation as well. Thanks for sharing Nathan!
Thanks for reading, Megan! Non-verbal communication is such a cool part of traveling! Not going to lie, my charades skills have significantly increased since I moved overseas…
This is really interesting Nathan, thank-you! I often have found that I need to force myself to interact with other people in hostels and then it begins to come a bit easier after a while. Camping is a great way to get some alone time though!
A little bit of Nature is always good 🙂 Thanks for reading, Katie!
What a fantastic post. If it means anything – psychology doesn’t help – I have a post-grad in psychology and only realised in 2013 that I’m an introvert. I was so busy trying to be nice to other people, I didn’t look at my own needs!
I allow travel to take me outside of my comfort zone, as you’ve mentioned above. Both in daring – I’m constantly challenging my fear of heights – and in meeting people. I do better on the former but do constantly strive to meet to and talk to locals.
I actually ran this post by a friend of mine who studied psychology before publishing it… glad you give it a pass as well 😉 Thanks for reading, Mandy!
P.S. I’m scared of heights as well! Like you, I try to challenge it regularly, but it’s still tough sometimes.
I can really relate to this post. I’m a 100% introvert and I really get what you mean when you say that conversations with a lot of people can drain your energy. Travel has forced me out of my comfort zone many times but even today I loathe these situations. I have to choose my hostel carefully because I don’t want to be in a situation where I’m surrounded by young party-happy extroverts who will most likely assume I am snobbish and rude. Going to conferences and blogger/travel related networking events makes me anxious because I’m not sure how I will approach people and carry on conversations (it somehow works out in the end but the anxiety before itself drains me out).
Glad to know I’m not the only one! 🙂 Have you been to a TBEX? I went to my first this year and was absolutely riddled with anxiety beforehand. Like you said, it worked out. Hoping to make it to the one in Manila this year!