BlackGirlTravel.com - FlyGirl Newsletter - Packed with Information for Fun-loving Black Female Travelers

Our goal at BlackGirlTravel.com is exposing Black women to the world, while exposing the world to Black women. In many countries Black American women are only represented on televised American programming like CNN, MTV, and VH1 and webcasts. We are so much more than what is being broadcasted. CBS news featured a story on the misrepresentation of Michelle Obama as an "angry black women." Also fueling the "angry" fire are television shows like Real Housewives of Atlanta and Basketball Wives that are now internationally portraying black women as nothing more than a group of bitter, callous and back-biting people. These negative portrayals greatly influence how we as black women are perceived and treated when traveling internationally. The dilemma for Black women, especially as they travel, is confronting those negative ideas formulated about us individually and collectively.

We at BlackGirlTravel.com are up to the challenge! Our FlyGirls are shattering those myths and misconceptions about African-American women by displaying a spirit of unity and a cultural sensitivity right for positive interactions in the countries visited.

This month's newsletter also feature articles on singleness in the Caribbean, the destination and restaurant of the month, Fly Guy of the month as well as other cool and relevant information for you FlyGirls to enjoy. As always, I am thrilled to know that our FlyGirls are helping to expand the minds and hearts of people, here and abroad, as we increasingly learn how to become conscious global citizens of the world.

First lady Michelle Obama is challenging assertions she's forcefully imposed her will on White House aides and says people have inaccurately tried to portray her as "some kind of angry black woman." Mrs. Obama tells CBS News she hasn't read New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor's new book that characterizes her as a behind-the-scenes force in the Executive Mansion, whose strong views often draw her into conflict with President Barack Obama's top advisers (read more)

Picture this, five black women; an attorney, a Grammy award winning song writer, an entrepreneur, a former fashion model, and a guest take a trip to South Africa for a time of relaxation, reflection, reconnection and their adventure is filmed for television. To chronicle a trip to the motherland for television sounds pretty harmless right? Not if these five women are the Real Housewives of Atlanta. While these ladies cooled their stilettos South Africa, it did not take long to realize that along with their shoes, they packed a whole lot of drama in that designer luggage ... (read more)

Shout out and BIG FlyGirl thank you to Christelyn D. Karazin and Beyond Black and White for selecting me as one of the New, New Black Women. (Check out the story)

On Saturday, March 10 only, it is Passport Day in the USA. FlyGirl veterans and beginners, this is a perfect opportunity to get the ball rolling on your international odyssey by getting or renewing your passport. Click the link below to find out how you can apply for your U.S. passport at a Regional Passport Agency without an appointment. (Click to link to website)

Maureen Jenkins, as she describes herself, "is a woman madly in love with her passport!" Urban Travel Girl is her personal blog about her love affair with international travel. She captures the attention of her readers (especially Black women) with catchy titles, colorful snapshots and witty yet insightful stories; detailing her thoughts and adventures across the globe. She is indeed living globally and we here at BlackGirlTravel.com are just as inspired and thrilled about a sistah who’s taking international travel by the horns. Click on the link below to read one of her many blogs. In this particular blog she talks about the lack of black women in movies about travel. (Click here)

Grateful for rain on a Caribbean vacation? You bet I was. And you might have been, too, had you just escaped from a mob of bronzed bodies dancing under the stars in whipped-up, blissed-out unison to a 1980s disco hit. "Gimme, gimme your heart ..." they sang to "Hands Up," madly waving their arms. Then, suddenly, the purple sky opened and a hard rain sent them scurrying to a covered bar. Hours after checking into the Club Med in Turks and Caicos, I had yet to acclimate. As I would quickly learn... (read more)

City slickers and travelers alike will adore Buenos Aires which is known to be the "Paris of Argentina," given the strong influence European culture has on this region. Mix together a beautiful European-like city with attractive residents (call them porteños), gourmet cuisine, awesome shopping, a frenzied nightlife and top-drawer activities, and you get Buenos Aires, a cosmopolitan metropolis with both slick neighborhoods and equally downtrodden areas – but that's part of the appeal. It's an elegant, seductive place with a ragged edge, laced with old-world languor and yet full of contemporary attitude. Buenos Aires is strangely familiar, but unlike any other city in the world
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Why we like it: Chandi offers its diners a cozy yet classy set up with an upscale rooftop lounge, chic and trendy atmosphere and delicious, well renowned fusion Indonesian cuisine. It is a place that lends itself to relaxed long meals, meandering conversations and delicious cocktails; a girls favorite way to let loose and let her hair down with her girlfriends after a hard day of shopping. Shall we say "Sex-in-the-City?!!"

Favorite Dish: The beef sate plate consisting of 5 skewers on a bed of superb peanut sate, small mixed salad and other condiments.

Janet shows us she's a FlyGirl with her grooves and melody in this dance video. Using a futuristic African paradise as the backdrop; it gives us a glimpse of the beauty and grace found in nature, different cultures and peoples present in the world. Let it inspire you to dream, live and travel! (Watch Video)

Ever wonder what to pack for the trip of a lifetime? The the task seem too daunting because you can't squeeze your walk-in closet into your backpack or suitcase? Is the thought of paying $50 extra dollars or more for extra baggage just overwhelming? Well, let Fleacé show you how packing is made easy, by checking out and following the tips she demonstrates in her YouTube Video. She made this video with you Flygirls in mind, so check it out, and learn to travel simply without breaking a sweat. (Watch video)

Traveling "FLY" is possible, but the tricky part comes with packing the least amount of clothes, without betraying your personal style and the fashion gods! BlackGirlTravel.com are pros when it comes to packing, but we found some more inspiration from a sistah known by her YouTube name as the "Solutionista." She gives the viewers a visual presentation of maximizing your wardrobe options by just mixing and matching a few pieces of clothing together. If she can do it, surely our FlyGirls can too. (Watch video)

FlyGear
Made in Italy Android Watch

Did you forget your phone at home? No worries, It can receive and send phone calls, e-mails, instant messages, text messages, stores addresses, photos, receive Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare notifications, check stocks, read the news and a lot more on your watch. The wireless Bluetooth also enabled the connection with the Android phones, the iPhone and the Blackberry. (Grab it)

Flyby (hit & run travel tips)

Quick and Cheap way to visit Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. There's a small entrance on the left hand side of the Glory Facade (modern facade) connected to the inside of the building. It is opened to the locals who want to pray and participate in the misa, but it is always opened.

It will not be as fancy as climbing up the stairs of the temple and looking down at the nice view of Barcelona, but it's good enough if you have limited time and bugdet

Travel Lounge
Garb a glass vino and join the converstion in the FlyGirl virtul travel lounge. Topic this month: Has being in a relationship ever interfered with your non-couple travel plans? If so, why? If you are Flying solo (single) would you date a man that have problems with you traveling without hime to places like ... hmmm ITALY?
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So what comes to mind when you hear about French men? Passionate? Masters of flirtation? Charming? Well, our FlyGuy of the month brings all of those things qualities to the table and more. He goes by the name of Cyril Marouli and not only is he gorgeous ("tres beau"), but he is a talented model/actor. Oui Oui! To learn more about Cyril Marouli click on the link.
(Click Here)