Blog Posts — WILL DRINK FOR TRAVEL

Can you believe it's been three years since the launch of Will Drink For Travel? It's been such an amazing adventure. I wanted to take a moment to highlight all of the amazing things I've done this past year.

Last January, I was featured on Great Day Washington to talk about all things Martinique. It was my first television appearance for the site, so I was super nervous but excited to share my drinking and traveling knowledge of Martinique with the Washington D.C. metro area. I hear I did a great job too! :)

Shortly thereafter, I left for what turned into almost a year of travel in Zambia and South Africa. It was an amazing, life-changing experience. From Lusaka and Victoria Falls to Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg (not to mention a safari in Botswana and an afternoon in Zimbabwe), I fell more in love with Africa than ever before. (Seriously, everyone needs to visit a country in Africa at some point in their lives...trust me!)

In between my trips to Zambia and South Africa, I traveled to Finger Lakes, New York, Cartagena, Colombia, Curacao, and road tripped from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

I appeared on Great Day Washington again, this time discussing my experience at Zambia's Devil's Pool in Livingstone. (Be sure to watch the episode on Will Drink For Travel TV!)

Of course, I can't forget hosting the Women of Color Travel Event in New York City, which brought together women of color in travel to discuss how the industry impacts us as travel professionals. This was our second annual event and it has turned into one of my favorite travel events of the year.

Hosting #WomenofColorTravel with Metanoya of Globetrotting Stiletto

Finally, one of my favorite blog posts was republished on Matador Network, which I think is a huge accomplishment as a travel blogger.

This past year of Will Drink For Travel has been the biggest yet! As I embark on year four, I look forward to more giveaways, sponsorships and brand partnerships. As such, I am giving away $50 in drink credits to one of my favorite restaurants in D.C., Pinea at the W Hotel, to thank my loyal readers! To enter:

Follow @willdrinkfortravel on Instagram or Facebook. Already follow? Leave a comment and let me know you entered!
Follow @PineaDC on Instagram or Facebook and leave a comment letting us know you did!

It's that simple! With a menu inspired by Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, Pinea is one of the most elegant restaurants in D.C. Once you've enjoyed your cocktails, head upstairs to my favorite bar in the whole city, the P.O.V. Lounge, to take in one of D.C.'s best views!

The winner will be announced next Monday, January 30th at 12 pm EST. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor!

*Giveaway Closed* Thank you to all who participated!

Well, the day is finally upon us. Agent Orange is about to take his place as the next President of the United States, arguably the most powerful position in the world. We've had two months to come to terms with this, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still hurt, disappointed, angry and disgusted that Americans would vote for such a divisive, mean-spirited, and racist man. Nevertheless, it's a fact of life and we have no choice but to move on.

Even before the election, American politics was usually the first topic strangers wanted to talk about after finding out I was American. But who can blame them? Our election cycle was like a never-ending episode of "As the World Turns" on steroids. And after the results were announced, foreigners would say things to me like "What were you guys thinking?!" or "How did you guys let this happen?!" or any variation thereof...because the rest of the world (except Russia apparently) knows what a big mistake America made. While I honestly didn't think the election would turn out the way it did, I've come up with 4 standard responses I plan to choose between when asked about American politics while abroad:

1. "The only Donald we acknowledge is Glover."

Awesomely Luvvie couldn't have said it any better during this year's Golden Globe Awards. If you're not sure who two-time Golden Globe Winner Donald Glover is, you have probably seen or heard his work without even knowing it. He's been a writer at "30 Rock", rapper under the name of Childish Gambino, a DJ, an actor and currently stars in "Atlanta" on FX, which he also created. Donald's also about to star in the upcoming Star Wars movie. See? Such a great way to avoid talking about the Angry Cheeto. And you'll get cool points for introducing your audience to a piece of relevant pop culture.

2. "So what about the price of tea in China?"

Because I would literally rather talk about the price of tea in China than about how the Combover King manipulated and conned his way to become the president of the United States.

3. "He's not a legitimate president."

Which isn't even a lie! He lost the popular vote by close to 3 million votes. If the election was a true popularity contest (which it is), Lord Voldemort would have lost and had to go back to his New York City penthouse kicking and screaming like the toddler he is. He has no experience in government and if his cabinet picks are an indication of how the next four years will go, we are in for an even more rude awakening. As far as I'm concerned, Barack Hussein Obama will continue being my president until January 20, 2021 when the next president is sworn in. That is unless America decides it's a glutton for punishment and votes him into office again, which brings me to my next quotable...

4. "America America'd."

After having time to digest the results of the election, several hundred think pieces were published that discuss how America has never seen progress without regressing first. While slavery was abolished in 1865, it was followed by Jim Crow laws that enforced racial segregation until the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Not to mention the 'Reaganomics' era under Ronald Reagan, who opposed affirmative action and created drug enforcement policies that disproportionately affected black Americans and quite frankly, still do. President Obama actually mentioned this recently in his farewell address. He says,

Yes, our progress has been uneven. The work of democracy has always been hard. It's always been contentious. Sometimes it's been bloody. For every two steps forward, it often feels we take one step back. But the long sweep of America has been defined by forward motion, a constant widening of our founding creed to embrace all and not just some.

While President Obama offers more hope than I can muster right now, he's right to some extent. But some may argue that America showed its true colors by electing a person to the highest office in the nation who has such disregard for anyone who is not like him. America was built on free labor, violence and superiority complexes. By electing him, Americans acted in the same self-serving ways the country's forefathers founded it on.

It's not a coincidence that this post is being published on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday (reluctantly signed into law by Ronald Reagan, oddly enough), where we are supposed to reflect on and celebrate the accomplishments of a man who challenged the status quo in America. As we embark on the next four years under this presidency, I challenge all of us, Americans or otherwise, to think about how we can be more inclusive of those not like us, speak out against injustices and make our communities better places than we found them.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. - Martin Luther King Jr.

By: Crystal Walton

Related Posts:

Will Drink For Travel Turns Three!

4 Responses to Give When Asked About American Politics While Traveling Abroad

1. "The only Donald we acknowledge is Glover."

2. "So what about the price of tea in China?"

3. "He's not a legitimate president."

4. "America America'd."

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller