You should travel alone at least once in your life

You can always choose your itinerary without negotiating time or destination with anyone. That's freedom

I had never traveled alone abroad, only within Brazil. In all previous experiences, I was either with friends or an ex-girlfriend. In January of this year, I went to Montevideo alone. And it was one of the best decisions I could have made.

Many people don't like or don't dare to travel alone, even to nearby destinations. I understand the insecurity, especially among women, as journalist Letícia Naisa wrote in October in No Direction Home.

However, I argue that everyone should try traveling alone at least once in their lives. If you don't like it, that's okay; you can always find company on future trips.

For those accustomed to solo travel, traveling alone in their home country is easy. Even though the food or some customs may vary slightly, the language is the same, and the general culture is the same. There's less strangeness.

The feeling of being alone in another country is entirely different. Even though the language of my destination was Spanish, which shares similarities with Portuguese, you'll have to manage constantly in a non-native language. And you'll be confronted at every moment with feelings of strangeness, some small, others immense.

However, Brazil and Uruguay are neighboring Latin American countries with much in common. I don't recommend that your first solo trip abroad be to a country with a completely different culture, like Thailand or Japan. Start slowly.

The advantages of traveling alone are numerous. You can always choose your itinerary without negotiating time or destination with anyone. That's freedom. You wake up when you want, have lunch when you want, and visit whatever you want.

Alone, you force yourself to be more open to the outside world. In a bar in Montevideo, I started talking with a couple—a Nicaraguan woman and a Uruguayan man. They invited me to an "asado" at their house on Sunday. I thought it was just a polite invitation, one of those that never materializes. The next day, they wrote me on Instagram: "Mateus, it will be a pleasure to have you for the asado tomorrow. Our address is…"

It was a memorable day. I sang Bella Ciao with an Italian chef who worked for the Saudi government and introduced the other Uruguayans present to the best Brazilian axé music.

My Uruguayan friends

Technology is an ally of today's solo travelers. Google Maps helps you avoid getting lost, transportation apps can make it easier to return from a tour when tired, dating apps help shy people meet others (or expand the possibilities for the non-shy), Instagram helps discover activities, and WhatsApp facilitates contact with friends and family back home. Don't overdo it to avoid turning the trip into virtual oversharing—value offline time.

Despite all of this, it's undeniable that a feeling of loneliness can accompany you along the way. The longer the stay, the greater the chance of this happening. In my case, I'm not traveling in the original sense of the term, but rather living-traveling-working, so work takes up a good part of my time.

For full-time solo travel, I recommend starting with a shorter period, five to seven days.

I created a routine in Montevideo, practiced my Spanish, lived like a local, and made friends. I'm already looking forward to my next solo trip abroad in April, to Santiago.

Do you enjoy traveling alone and have stories to share? Have you never taken a solo trip and feel motivated after this edition?