Traveling to States - Solo and a Hijabi
How did people in States treat you as a hijabi?
It is the common questions
people asking me when they found out that I did my solo travel to States.
Five years ago, I applied
for a US Visa and it turned out the guy in the embassy gave me the approval
once he saw my Vietnam stamp. I remember his question, “you’ve been to
Vietnam?”
By having the visa then I
forgot that I must go there. Time passed by till last November, I remembered
that my Visa is going to finish this March and I told my mom about it.
Hearing that, she just said
“Go to
States! My blessing is with you”.
I was just, well, I do not
like solo traveling but thinking over how many people have struggled to get the
US Visa, I then checked the ticket fare.
I bought the ticket since
there was promo (yeah, $500 differences did mean lots) and that means – I have
to dig my saving, hoho hooo….
A week later, BOOM!!!!
Paris Attack!!!!
Oh God, I was terrified. I
could not think clear. I was so ready to lost my saving by not going to States.
Will the immigration allow
me to enter States? What would they think of this solo hijabi traveling to
States?
I could not sleep. I
received lots of advises from people I know. Some friends from States send me
their concerns of my trip.
My Mom who pursued the
journey has her own thought – You will be OK, dear…
I said to
myself - Yeah mom, it is me who will go and I will be all-alone,L
Along with it, I checked
for places to stay. In the correspondents for my homestay, I always
specifically mentioned that I wear Hijab. In reply, they did not have problem
with it.
Then the time came…
It was
about time for my trip. It was more than 24 hours trip from Jakarta – tiring
but I slept the whole flight.
It was only The Martians
and The Walk that I watched. Both gave me the encouragement to fulfill my dreams.
When
there is a will – there is a way.
Arriving in Los Angeles and
having to queue for more than an hour, I was a bit scared. People brought lots
of documents and me??? Nothing!!!
My time came and it was the
new arriving officer – I remembered his name up till now and he only asked me
“why do you come to States?” – just that one then my
passport was stamped!
HOH!!!!
Finally, Me pursuing my
dreams to travel alone and I chose States!
The
trip from West to East – 4 cities covered!
People did not care if I
wear hijab or not. No one gave a damn.
Well, it was in the Metro
that an old lady did not want to sit by me then having seen it, a young Latino
came and sit with me! That’s it!!!!
Having
18 awesome - days trips in States, I plan to have another ones by covering
other cities (soon, hopefully!). This means, I have to apply for another US
Visa *fingers crossed, this time is gonna be as easy as before*
You
can check my instagram for more pics of my trip (be prepared to drool…)
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