Rahma Arafa is a 23-year-old Egyptian girl with big dreams and a palpable passion for seeing the world. Rahma has always had a fascination with adventure, but also with influencing and encouraging other women to live the life they choose. So, after many challenges, Rahma took her first plane to Sri Lanka to begin her adventure and fulfill her passion to become the first Egyptian woman to travel the whole world. Rahma also decided to take thousands of other people with her on the journey, so she started her platform Rahma Traveler to share the excitement and help others on their journeys too.
Just like her love for painting, camping, waterfalls, beaches, and anything exciting, Rahma’s spirit is just as contagiously exciting and loving.
We sat down with Rahma Traveler to know more about her journey!
When did you decide to be a traveler?
I always wanted to do it but it was impossible for me at some point as I grew up in Saudi Arabia and my family was 100% against the idea of solo travel for women. By the time I became financially independent and I could choose for myself, I decided to travel. It took a lot of arguments, fights, and convincing but I did it. I got on a plane heading to Sri Lanka, a country I didn’t know anything about, and I couldn’t even speak English fluently at that moment. I adapted very fast and I had the best time in my life exploring, and getting to know a new culture, religion, and people. This was the thing I enjoyed the most in my life.
Only then, a belief started growing inside me that we were not born to stay in one city or one country for our whole life, and I want to see as much as I can.
What are some of the places you’re looking most forward to visiting?
All over Latin America!! I just want to take my backpack and explore for a year or two.
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Also, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Ireland. I also can’t wait to go to Japan, both Koreas, and China.
What were the biggest challenges you faced throughout your journey? and how did you overcome them?
My unsupportive family, my Egyptian passport, and my finances. Even though most people are proud of what I am doing, and of me for being financially independent since I was 18. I had a running business and was traveling the world. However, my family didn’t care about anything except what people were going to say about me, my beliefs, and when I was going to get married to have someone to protect me in my travels. For a long time, it has been very challenging and disappointing for me, but I’ve overcome it now, and our relationship is okay.
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Regarding the finances, I had to find a way to work while traveling in order to live the way I wanted. So, I tried almost everything, from starting a business, freelancing, working in return for accommodation and food, working remotely, crypto investing, to content creation and blogging. I’m still trying to learn to find the perfect option for me.
What’s something you’re grateful for throughout this experience?
I am grateful for all the people that influenced me to be who I am now, whether they were bad or good. Our lives are all about human interactions, and every person passing your life will influence you somehow. I am happy with the results and how I turned out.
I am grateful that I was strong enough to fight for my freedom and to choose the life that I wanted for myself even though it was and still is very challenging.
What are some of the misconceptions people might have about traveling that you would like to address?
That traveling has to be expensive. I proved that this is not true by traveling on a budget to a lot of countries around the world.
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Have you faced any challenges being a female Egyptian traveler and blogger? If so, how do you deal with the psychological effects of that?
Of course! I get a lot of negative and ignorant feedback addressing my beliefs, and what I wear. People say that I’m doing all of that just to show my body, that I am getting all the views, the reach, and the success because I’m showing my body. They say that I am not a good example for “OUR” girls and women, that I should just get a husband and be a good housewife.
It affected me a lot at the beginning, but I think I’m pretty much immune now. I laugh and share these kinds of messages with my friends as a joke because it’s unbelievable how some people are still living in the dark ages. I also believe that any successful person receives a lot of hate and jealousy from a lot of people who don’t have a life.
What made you decide to document your journey on social media?
First thing was to make money to support my travels. Then I found that I am actually influencing other people, especially girls. I started receiving a lot of messages saying that I encouraged them to travel and convince their families. Some girls told me they started working to save money for travel. So, that gave me the motivation to continue.
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What would you say to anyone who’d like to take the same step towards traveling but might be intimidated or scared?
Just do it. We just need to stop thinking for a moment and just start doing it.
Anything new is scary but as time goes by, it will be okay.
What do you hope for your platform and your journey in the future?
I want to reach millions of Arabs and people around the world, and I want to improve my content quality. Also, I want to hire a whole team to help me deliver the best content with creative ideas. I also want to be one of the top travelers and content creators out there, as an Arab Egyptian woman.
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Where are you off to next?
Around South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Madagascar, Namibia, and more around this part of Africa.
You can follow Rahma Traveler on Instagram here, and follow her journey more closely on Youtube!