Solo traveling in Thailand almost destroyed me | The Story
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 เม.ย. 2024
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I'm happy you exist! Thanks for being here cutie 💕
my ig: @anjaexists - บันเทิง
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hey just a heads up i would recommend you really look into better help because it has been in a lot of controversies and the "therapists" aren't certified or board approved pls, look into the allegations and the horrible things that better help has done ( like selling private information and personal info you talk about with therapists) before taking any more sponsors from them... or don't it your platform.
agree -- in addition they are an israeli owned and zionist company... so all around not a great company to work with
Certainly not helping Anja 😂😂
THANK YOU for saying this!!!
I paid for a whole month and the therapist kept having bad connection so our meetings would get cut short and they kept “forgetting” to send me homework they wanted me to work on. Basically talked for like an hour the whole allotted time and they refused to refund me and just said I could change therapists if I continue to pay. (which it’s not cheap 🥲) But I’m happy that it works for some people and they find therapist that help them! I suppose the company just needs to monitor things a bit more and be more consistent.
i tried using it and it consistently matched me with the exact opposite of the kind of therapist i wanted and it just seemed sketch
I'm an anthropology student and I think the questions you raise at the beginning are so worth exploring. I took a course called Anthropology & Travel at my university and we really focused on different elements of tourism and how they impacted the communities they're targeted at. It was an interesting look at travel that I didn't fully pay attention to until that moment.
Thought you might like this quote from Vonnegut, Palm Sunday:
“What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.”
This is my favorite video you have ever made. It’s remarkable how specific this was for things that I’ve experienced feeling but didn’t have words for and haven’t heard anyone else talk about! So much love to you, Anja ❤
I get what you mean by your life is meant to be lived with others, but also life doesn’t pause when others don’t want to go. Why do I solo travel? Because I don’t want to wait for others to go and I don’t expect my friends to live the same lifestyle only saving up to travel. I met some of my best friends abroad and I would not trade it for the world. I went through so much while I was alone traveling for months, but I learned so much resilience. I love you and your mindsets Anja, but for me and a lot of people I met it was out of necessity instead of choice
i am sobbing. as someone who has drove across the country and sat crying at the airport in costa rica looking for something inside. travel has brought me to the most wonderful people. it hurts to be home and away from community. we are meant to be together, truly meant for it :,( thank you for this video. i feel it immensely. every aspect. and the hug between you and ur sister. i hope one day to experience that hug again. ur vulnerability is important and this share is so special. thanku for being you.
There is a difference between being alone and feeling loneliness. Also, you need to empty the garbage in your mind or the garbage will follow you even to paradise. At the the end we are the architects of our own hell. Enjoy the spectrum!
Anja I just wanna say that your videos have been giving me so much comfort for years now. Your spirit and kindness have such a special and beautiful energy you can literally feel through the screen. Everytime I watch your videos something inside of me heals and I appreciate you and your work so much. You deserve nothing but all the happiness in the world, thank you for your existence, I hope you know how happy you make the people around you and how special you are.
i tried solo traveling last summer (because of a breakup) and it opend so much. I loved it so muchhhh. and it is just a thing to escape from things for me
I just love your honesty and thought process on everything! You're the best Anja
You're a gem, your videos are a gift and I'm so glad you're in the world. Thank you.
Always a good day when the queen uploads ❤️
I LOVE ur hair when ur talking to the camera!!! it's so pretty!!! and such an amazing video
an Anja video is all i need rn!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on solo travel (especially Thailand!), I’ve had these exact thoughts while traveling south east asia solo for 7 months, but I felt so alone with this! At times I even felt really guilty bc of feeling depressed on a cool trip so many people would do anything for, this was beyond validating! Loads of love from berlin
girl you spoke UP im so glad u did
Thank you Anja for speaking so honestly about Solo Traveling! A lot of what you mentioned i have already thought about and it is nice to hear somebody have the same thoughts!
Your videos being tears to my eyes. So beautiful and raw. You’re an inspiration 💕
Ι always find your videos when i need them the most 💛
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Anja I really resonate sm with you. I've lived in China for the past 10 months and I still have 14 more months ahead of me living here and it's been quite hard for me to realize that I have left my nest of deep rooted connections behind, it's felt quite lonely here, and I cannot wait to see my friends and family again. I also think that solo traveling is sometimes overrated and the way society and media sometimes is trying to push you into not needing anyone with all these, on my opinion, selfish unrealistic speeches about independency and focus on just making your money I find it quite sad and extremist. Your videos feel like a hug and is nice to see that others think similar to you and you're not alone. Thanks for this! 🧡
Your hair color and style during narrating is a vibe as well as your whole outfit 🤙🏼
Thank you for sharing Anja, I truly feel like I have grown up with you watching your videos, as I have just come back from one of my solo trips myself and have been having some of the same thoughts you've just expressed, I really love watching your videos as I feel I am listening to a friend.
thank you so so much for this ❤❤❤❤
Wow you really brought up a new perspective I never thought about with solo traveling and the comfortable feeling of capitalism abroad. Oh Anja, I’ve missed your videos so much. They truly bring me so much joy and I wish I could find a friend like you
I want you to know how valuable you talking about these things is!!!! You make this world a better place one video at a time. Love you
Anja I’m so happy for you. Love you ❤❤
this is a masterpiece
you give me hope
omg PERFECT TIMING i just made food 🤭
Tahnk you for this video and for sharing your realisazions with us! It was very eyeopening and comforting at the same time
Thanks for this video and sharing your thoughts. It makes so much sense. Solo traveling is not always easy and fun, there will be often days, where life just sucks. (It feels like a full time job, working on yourself and being outside of your comfort zone, alone by yourself). You made me realise a lot of things I didn't had words for that before
I really resonate with what you´re mentioning at the start. I two years ago I was loving solo travelling because I had nothing pulling me home. Last year I went off on my own again expecting the same liberating feelings I had the year before. But since day one I was so homesick because now I had someone waiting for me back home, someone I just wanted to spend time with, no matter where that is. So now I am obviously very happy to have found my home-person but at the sime time I´m sad to not be able to enjoy solo-travelling any more :D
pausing 7 minutes in to say wow wow wow. I feel so understood. I recently solo traveled on my own, and long stayed in asia for about 2 months. and i struggled so much with all of these thoughts, emotions, and more. it really opened my eyes to "tourism" and escapism and even, as you said, modern-day colonialist fervor with which us young people are selfishly going out in search of purpose. It really immediately brings up so much hidden to your surface. I empathize so much Anja, love you and thank you for sharing this vulnerability 🤍
I just love you so much
Was NOT expecting this video to send me into a full 2 page writing of your questions brought up + answering them. Yeowza! Thank you!
I resonate with your message in this video. I found it really amazing you feel the same as me about caring for others and not using money to have connections with others.. it's almost if that experience was transactional.
Hahah cutie, you respond to so many comments - i hope negativity doesn‘t ever get you down.
I really appreciate your sincere videos and to hear about your view on life
It‘s nice listening to you and I resonate with a lot of things that you share.
You go girl, live your artsy cute little life and figure out what it‘s all about for u - i love hearing about it :D
I always save your videos for a special moment where I‘m calm and can really enjoy it, if that makes sense :) it‘s like a treat hehe
Aw thank you for your kind comment!! ❤let’s live our cute lil artsy livesss hehehehe
This was a really interesting view of travel, which I had never really considered. as someone who is considering going travelling potentially on my own for the first time. thanks for another Interesting video that challenges my perceptions of the world. It be tough out here but I'm glad to see you making an attempt to thrive :)
i love you and your videos Anja! ive been following you for a long long time when you were just posting art videos haha and its been so fun to see your journey through life. i truly resonate with the things you talk about and it makes me happy :) i wish you the best!
thank you avaaaa❤ Just wait!! There’s lots of fun art content coming backkk hehe :)
i do relate to one of your point ..... at first the way for me to travel was Erasmus projects and volunteerings ... and once i had my own money to go and travel it was just soo fake and didn't enjoy that much
I'm still watching, so I might add on to this - but for now, unrelated to the topic: Anja, you are GLOWING! You look so good, shining from the inside out. I hope that's how you feel too :)
What happened 9:00 ? You never explained, there were tourists with shocked faces running around? I am so confused
ugh yes I just realized I didn't properly explain. I didn't go into full detail incase it could be too triggering but I'll explain it here. i witnessed the after effects of someone drowning in the resort pool :( The ambulance came with the AED and cpr but it was too late. This was very sad and I hold so much empathy and sadness for the family of this person ❤️
@@ANJAexists Shit, that must've been horrible. Even worse for the people who knew the person who drowned of course, but it must've been terrible for the rest of you too. Must have sucked to be travelling alone and experience something like that. I get that it's probably some time ago, but sending hugs.
@@ANJAexists aww that's so sad. I understand why it shook you so much now.. I appreciate you looking out for people that get triggered but in the end it is your story and the point of the trigger warning is to go into these uncomfortable topics (if you want to) without offending anyone, because you know.. you warned them. Very sad. But you are extremely eloquent in specific parts of the video I can't imagine you not finding the right words. Thanks for sharing! ❤
after almost finishing the video, i remember myself back in 2020 when i found your videos, and how different i am from the teenager i once was 💛
i fr did not understand what happened in that live footage?
maybe I missed it too but I don't think she explained it?!
hiii :) ah! your right :/ I didn’t fully explain because last second I decided it might be too sensitive of a topic to talk about here. But I responded to another comment explaining what I saw :(😢
1:57 hit me where it hurts. For as long as I could remember I had dreams to solo travel. I went on a handful of solo trips and I already noticed that a lot of it (in my case) is running away from community and reality. Running away from self. It's an interesting realization to come to, especially when your only real dream was traveling. After my last adventure, I don't know if I can solo travel anymore. I start to feel lonely much more quickly these days and it's a little more difficult to cope with that. Thank you for being vulnerable in this
thank you for this video anja!!! may i ask which nail polish colours you are using? love the pink and purple!
It is food for thought how we love to travel to far-away 'exotic' places, yet when we get there we want them to be familiar, with people speaking a language we already understand, food we're used to, a tourism industry, etc. and how we thusly 'westernize' countries when we travel to them.
I sometimes feel that loneliness/sadness as well when travelling alone so I totally feel you🫶🏼❤️
Everthing is a part of being...even the bad things. Accept them! You will grow the most about them!
te amo Anja
I'm sorry but I don't really understand what happened at the restaurant, can someone explain it to me? :(
I didn’t understand either
You are so wise ❤
omg yes! love your videos and how much connected I feel to the things you share. i’m honestly feeling the same way rn about solo traveling and about traveling in general!!!!!!! there’s so much complexity to it - it’s hard to find the way to travel that actually fulfills our soul and not just feeds the hurting inside and the capitalism outaide
Hello:)
Love the video & your point of view! I just wanted to ask what kind of retreat you made:) thanks for helping me!
This video sums up all the thoughts I had on my last vacation!
This is a good one yoh
Hi anja, i never comment on videos, but I’m currently travelling south east asia, and i’ve had exactly the same feelings you had whilst travelling. Especially regarding the erasure of culture due to capitalism/the reality of tourism/the purpose of travelling. So hearing you talk about this, especially when its not really takes about (i feel like social media has such a big impact on driving the hype around tourism and glorifying the influencer lifestyle) reassured me a little that i’m not the only person seeing all the bullshit. I started really questioning all of this after reading an article by the new yorker called the case against travelling. I would recommend you read it, it doesn’t get too into capitalism and it’s impact, but it explores the facade around travelling culture. Love that you shared this, sending love from indonesia!!
I solo traveled last summer and it was some of the most miserable moments of my life. I’m an extremely outgoing person yet still struggled to meet people and create connections, and when I did they wouldn’t last longer than a day. I fell into a really lonely and hard cycle and ultimately came home early. Knowing what I know now community and companionship take priority over travel in my life, fortunately I’ve figured out how to have both to a degree. An experience, for me, isn’t lived until it’s shared.
You are a wonderful person and you need to be around people you trust. There is nothing wrong about that.
The pool story is really sad. There is nothing to say to make it any better.
I saw similar things with bike drivers, so I'm glad you walked. Thailand is one of the most dangerous countries for tourists and it's not because of crime. But it's the county of smiles and that suits very good to you. So if I can wish something for you.. you can adopt everything from us Germans but never stop smiling or to be Anja. Even if it's just for people you trust 😉
Still having better help as sponsor after the controversey…. .
Maybe she's contract-bound for a certain period.
Lots of wisdom here Anja
this was wonderful. i'm thinking about so much.
also im very curious about this painting behind u w the green ladies
loved this video! also, where can i get that beautiful necklace?
I love the way you go through your various thought processes ❤️ I am big into the ways capitalism and tourism intertwine and you just collected all those thoughts beautifully
Hey Anja!
Have you read the essay "A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again", by David Foster Wallace? It was all I could think about while watching the video. It's a really funny article Wallace wrote for a magazine covering 7 days on board of a luxury cruise. He goes quite deep into the whole "tourist experience"
Independence as a skill is nice. But community for me is what matters more, the connections of humans. 💕 I can be alone a few hours but also is humans are meant to be together. I’m happiest and most regulated with people I love and in the beautiful part of humanity.
Anja, I'm soo in love with your Videos :)) and just wanted to share that something of the sound quality ist a little weird. sending love!!
Oh thank you!!!
I also did solo travelling 2017 to Indonesia. Felt mostly super alone and isolated. struggled a lot. had a boyfriend at home, but he kept stopping our communication. Didnt watch yet the video until the end, but felt already super related to it. It was a learning, but also quite harsh.
Thanks for this video! I can totally relate with your thoughts and struggled a lot with that feeling of guild while travelling
I am now solo travelling in Vietnam. Let me tell you....I am strugglinggggg.
I love your video idea
my view on your experience on solo travel is that you were not in the 'right' mindset for it. you just had a sort of break-up or started a ldr and you were feeling kinda down and that, to my eyes, affected your mood, and your views on it...
Next you should go to Bali, Indonesia.
Love you too !!!!!
Also, really relate to a lot of your moral dilemmas + painful realizations about capitalism, thank u for sharing your thoughts with us i wish more people spoke on things like that
“Gotta have the opposites dark and light, light and dark in a painting. It’s like in life. Gots to have a little sadness once in a while so you know when the good times come. I’m waiting on the good times now.” Bob Ross
What's the name of the song in the very last minute? :)
seu cabelo está combinando com você
Hi
just wanna say i love your nails
yeyyy omg thank you!!! i feel so fun with them :)
It is important to acknowledge that the tourism sector is important for these people that had to have an income. Yes it is unfair that it often is their only way but I would not put that on the travelers but the nations letting and have let this happen. The realistic thing to do is to unite and fight against these problematic areas!
I love you
❤❤❤
I mean i do travel alone to be „alone“. 90% of the atime i travel around I do that by myself and I want it that way. But i also get what you mean
I admire that you can have such lucid revelations while abroad, often it takes me weeks to process after going on a trip. Your observations of capitalism creating comfort abroad for tourists are really poignant and I agree that for all of the valuable things you can get out of travel, deep meaningful connection to place and people isn’t one of them. Unless you do workaway, which I would recommend for anyone. Otherwise even if you do a program or retreat somewhere and make great friends, most of the time those people are from all over the world and when the program ends, you may never see them again. I’m not sure I 100% agree with your criticism of solo travel, because for me it isn’t a lonely experience - in fact it’s one of the few times I can be alone and not feel lonely. There’s so much to do and see and I love being a mysterious stranger sometimes, looking out at the other mysterious strangers and imagining the possibilities. While not lonely, I do struggle with the ethics of solo travel, as it can be easier to leave a place than to put down roots somewhere and do the work to build a life. But since people usually don’t have the means to spend their whole life traveling, this is pretty much a moot point, and overall I think solo travel is one of the best ways to challenge yourself, learn what your limitations are and areas for growth, and improve certain skills like languages, photography, and cultural sensitivity and exchange. And like you said, a seemingly inconsequential meeting with someone or a new experience abroad can totally change the course of your life. You’ll never know if you don’t try it.
I have a free room here, but it's in the surroundings of Potsdam and probably a bit too far from berlin i guess
I’m gonna skip over all the deep stuff this time just to say you look GORGEOUS! ✨
❤️
I resonate so much with this video. I felt so much guilt while solo traveling, on one side because I felt deep inside me like I was doing something wrong (a capitalism marionette, made to take pictures and go from attraction to attraction) and on the other hand I felt a huge pressure to enjoy it and be productive and felt guilty for not being able to appreciate the amazing places and cultures I was experiencing.
When I came back home I told myself I would only travel with a purpose.
I really felt the community thing. I’ve been trying to be completely independent for my whole life and have now realized that it’s a ridiculous pursuit. Being with supported and appreciated and loved by others feeds us and it enables us to grow. Independence doesn’t have to mean being alone!!
Thank you so much Anja these were words I really needed to hear, I’ve been feeling very alone in my view of solo traveling.
solo travel has always ruined me so lets plan a trip sometime :)
you have no idea how fast i clicked!! (my notifications are late...)
btw anja if you ever come to turkey again i would LOVE to meet you （╹◡╹）♡ ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡
omg hiiii :)) ah! i’m happy you’re heree hehe🤭 if i’m ever in Turkey again i’m messaging yewww
@@ANJAexists 😭❤️ i'll be waitinggg!!,!!
Hi Anja, your videos are so well edited, what editing tool do you use?
Anja have you ever looked into your attachment style? You totally strike me as a Disorganized type or also called Fearful Avoidant or Disordered. I have that same type. We struggle with regulating our emotions. This is due to inconsistent parenting or a turbulent childhood. Also, Better Help is a big no, please please guys get yourself a real therapist.
thanks for talking about colonialism while travelling
Omg hiiiiii
I think your views on travel are very valid but that theres also another side to it. Yes tourism has changed the culture in some areas, but it has also provided for communities in a way that was not previously there. Yes solo travel can seem selfish if you view it from a 'I pay you serve' point of view, but if you look at it from a 'intentional reset' time it might seem less selfish. Absolutely consumerism has major ethical and moral issues but I think what you've actually discovered in all of this is that choosing HOW you travel and interact with tourism culture matters.
Choosing places that aren't big tourist traps but instead share local culture, choosing to support local businesses and local cuisine/products, choosing to emerge yourself in another place instead of expecting that place to conform to your comfort levels - that all supports all the things you love and encourages growth in those communities, while also still supporting those communities with your travel.
I would say the question is not 'is tourism right?' and rather 'what is the right way to tour a place?'.
Come to India! You're welcome
Are you kidding?? Im in the Bus to Pai right now. Are you still there?
Wait what happened on the beach?
she witnessed someone drowning or the aftermath :(
Ok am I stupid but what actually happened at 8:30?