By Reynaldo Mena
Stefany Hernandez says that the summer is approaching, and many individuals and families are in the final stages of preparing for their trip.
“It is very important to take a break this summer; it is important for mental health to spend some time under the sun,” says Stefany, a travel content creator and promoter through her site @wanderingstefany.
She mentions the limitations this year: the economic situation, the price of plane tickets, among others.
“This year, flying is very expensive. I have already checked the prices, and they are all sky-high. But it is not necessary to travel by plane or go to another country. California has many places that can be visited, it is not expensive, and it is perfect. We have beaches, mountains, and deserts. There is something for everyone,” says Stefany.
For her, traveling with the right mindset is vital to make the most of this experience. It is not just about traveling for the sake of it.
“And this includes many things. For me, an experience is more important than buying something material,” she adds. “Traveling helps people reconnect, spend quality time together, disconnect from social media, from the phone.”
She mentions that it is also very important for children. Therefore, it is important to involve them in conversations with parents about the places they want to travel to.
“It is very important to make decisions as a group, so that everyone is on the same page, which reduces the risk of causing stress or problems during the trip. It makes me laugh that now even on TikTok, you can see kids giving presentations suggesting places to travel and why it is important to them,” adds the influencer.
Regarding the conflicts that may arise during trips, Stefany is aware that it is part of everyday life.
“There is always the possibility of facing all kinds of problems, but most importantly, we must be honest with our plans. We always need to have a plan, know what we will be doing each day, and provide the freedom that if someone does not want to participate in an activity, they can have some time for themselves and then rejoin the activities,” says Stefany.
Money is one of the biggest concerns, but this influencer believes that there are always ways to travel.
“You can go to a nearby beach or Yosemite. Prepare your own food and take it with you. It is not necessary to spend on restaurants or luxury hotels. If we are honest with expenses and the available money, there shouldn’t be any problems. We may face the opinion of children who want to take a plane trip or go to New York because their friends are doing it. We have to have a direct conversation and let them know what is within our budget,” she adds.
Stefany suggests not getting into debt to take a trip, reducing the use of credit cards, and if used, paying them off immediately.
“We have to make the cards work for us and not the other way around,” she says.
Stefany is an influencer who travels a lot but also emphasizes the need to disconnect during her trips.
“I always have a day with no plans. We read, walk without a schedule, or if I am feeling anxious, I take 15 or 20 minutes to meditate. Isolating oneself is good, but it must be done with a purpose,” she concludes.
“Traveling is very important. Through it we nourish our culture”
