Travel coach and influencer Inez Chimhangariso, known as International Inez on social media, didn’t get bit by the travel bug until graduate school. Growing up in Philadelphia, Chimhangariso remembers traveling a lot as a child. However, it wasn’t until she visited Japan that her perspective changed.
“My experience there led me to see that there was so much of the world that I had no idea about,” she said.
Since then, Chimhangariso visited over 22 countries. Every trip, whether solo or as a group, is transformative and life-changing. Now, she coaches Black women seeking to broaden their travel horizons through her company “It’s Deeper Than Travel.” Primarily working with Black mothers, Chimhangariso works to help more women realize the importance of investing in themselves. Whereas leisure travel was once only a luxury to women of color, Chimhangariso believes now is the time for them to see the world.
“Transformative travel experiences allow us to experience a higher level of freedom,” she said.
Getting Back to Self
Chimhangariso said a lot of Black women are taught at a young age to care for others. However, self-care oftentimes is placed on the back burner for motherhood, jobs and responsibilities. Due to a lack of access, luxury, fun vacations were simply out of the question for most women of color. Chimhangariso says this was also the reality of the mothers and grandmothers who came before them.
“They spent a significant amount of their time pouring into their families, working, loving and serving their men, and doing a lot of things that were important to their family and the growth of their children,” she said.
Now, Chimhangariso says there are more opportunities for Black women to see the world. Travel does not only allow some time away from life’s duties, but also makes space for women to get back to themselves.
“Now we’re in an era where we have so much access to the world,” she said. “We don’t carry the same burdens, strains, and stresses as our mothers had because we have our own.”
Beyond booking trips, Chimhangariso encourages women to create the lives they want by traveling. Through her adventures, she says she’s gained more insight into who she really is. Her experiences in different destinations made her realize the entire world was open for her to explore.
“I also have immersed and unearthed things about myself I had no idea about,” she said. “I had no idea that I would love and fall in love with the music of the world.”
Broadening Horizons Through Transformative Travel
For Chimhangariso, broadening horizons means more than crossing borders and catching flights. Instead, it’s a rebellion against the stereotypical expectations placed on Black women. Chimhangariso knows firsthand how consuming motherhood and careers can be. However, she believes all women should have the opportunity to prioritize themselves.
“We deserve to have those opportunities presented to us,” she said. “We deserve to move through the world with confidence and boldness and authenticity that potentially our matriarchs did not.”
Her company helps women to realize the potential that awaits them once they begin their travel journeys. Chimhangariso hopes more women find the confidence, boldness, and self acceptance she’s discovered during her transformative travels.
“With travel, you learn how to handle the expected situations and the unexpected situations and that’s building confidence in ourselves – that no matter what comes along, we can handle all of those situations,” she said.
