“I don’t live in the moment. The moment lives in me.” — G. Gross
Tiananmen Square, Beijing
Greg Gross is the publisher, senior editor and principal content producer for I’m Black and I Travel. A writer, photographer and life-long traveler who took up travel writing and blogging after 41 years in mainstream journalist, his blog — known affectionately to regular readers as IBIT, has been nationally recognized as the Best Travel Blog by the 2011 Black Weblog Awards.
He has visited 42 of the 50 United States and 20 countries on five continents…and counting. In his view, you can never be too rich, too thin or have too many visa stamps in your passport.
He’s in no danger of achieving the first two, but his sights are firmly fixed on those visa stamps.
“Whether as African-Americans or Americans in general, playing the hermit in the global village is not to our benefit. Today’s world is too inter-dependent and too globally competitive for that. We need to get in the game — and these days, the game is international.
“I am SO looking forward to the day when I can stop automatically counting — and rejoicing at the sight of — each black face I see outside the United States, because it has become commonplace for African-Americans to see, learn from and enjoy the world. That’s my goal. That’s why I created this blog.
“And that’s why I’m so glad to see YOU here. I hope you’ll come back often, not just as a reader but as a participant, with your own questions and comments — and even your blog posts from your own travel adventures!
“So let’s get Out There!”
Greg can be reached via e-mail at greg@imblacknitravel.com
HI, I AM CARLOS.
AND I LIVE IN TIJUANA, MEXICO, AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IN TOUCH WITH YOU…
BEST REGARDS
CARLOS REYES
Hi, Carlos–
My email address is greg.gross09@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
.greg
like the blog title. I’m definitely an advocate of travelling, I guess the further black people travel, the less people are going to stare and point at us when we get there! lol!
First, welcome to the blog! And second, you’re exactly on point about us becoming less of a curiosity once the world gets used to seeing us around the globe. I’m looking forward to that day. I’m also looking forward to black folks feeling so comfortable and confident wherever they go in this world that they won;t casting about nervously, hoping to find another black face. They can simply enjoy it when they find one!
Where do you like to travel and what kind of traveling do you enjoy most?
.greg
where I like to travel is EVERYWHERE, next country on my list is Jordan. I’m into the arabic world at the moment, cos I speak a little arabic and used to live in Tunisia. I’m so used to NOT seeing black faces when I travel that I don’t do the whole desperately looking around thing, in fact I’m more surprised when I DO see black people then when I don’t. Dunno if you’ve been to Macau, but that’s the country I was referring to with the pointing/staring, it got quite exhausting after a while, I kinda felt like a circus attraction but it’s not their fault I guess.Anyways happy travels keep up the good work with the blog. Ciao
You are definitely my kind of traveler! Coincidentally, I’ve been thinking about Jordan of late. A have a good friend who’s been there often for work and just loves it.
As far as the pointing/staring thing goes, we got that in Japan. I know what you mean about it being a draining experience, but Fate intervened to give us a coping mechanism, as you’ll see when you read that link.
Anyway, thanks for the kind words. Stop by often, and bring friends!
This blog is seriously rad! I look forward to reading more of your awesome posts. Got any advice on hostels in the south of France?
Haven’t stayed in any hostels in southern France myself as yet, but the whole country is packed with them. If you know some of the specific locales in the south of France where you’d like to stay, here are a few sites with information on hostels. The last link is to a site for hostel jobs. Depending on how long you plan to be in one place, if you can land a hostel job in the place you want to stay, they might let you stay for free. If you plan to travel with friends, and it’s in reach of your budget, you also might want to look at gites. They cost a bit more than hostels but might provide you a nicer experience.
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Thanks!
Fantastic site! I agree with making blacks (especially African-Americans) become less of an exotic fruit while travelling abroad. I just read an interview from a young woman who spent a summer in India where most of the people she came across didn’t even know that black people existed in the US (they assumed she was African). Good luck with you endeavors and I plan to follow!
I am a Af-American In Keepr in Grecia Costa Rica. I am also interested in seeing more blacks travel outside of the US and any forums that I can contribute to. I also blog about being Af-American in Costa Rica.
Hey Greg:
Wanted to say hi and also to say I found a great color shot of you and me near the fountain at the LA train station with our bikes. We are just about to begin one of those LA to San Diego bike trips, and we seem a good deal younger. I forget what year it was. I haven’t scanned the pic and I am looking for the neg or slide to do this, but I can send you a paper copy shortly if you can give me your mailing address. I came across your blog on the Reber journal. It looks good and I sure hope it is doing well for you. I have an appointment soon, but all the best and hope to hear from you soon — Steve
Hello. I’m trying to follow your blog on WordPress but can’t seem to find the link to do it. Thanks
hi, and thanks for your interest.
You won’t find IBIT listed on the WordPress.com site. IBIT used to be listed on WordPress.com, but WordPress does not allow you to put ads on your site, so I had to leave. The URL now is http://imblacknitravel.com. If you do a Google search for “I’m Black and I Travel,” the old dead URL always comes up first, but the other links beneath it will take you to the live version of IBIT. Just follow any working link to IBIT, then click on the title to go to the home page. If you’re not on a public computer, you can then bookmark the home page so you’ll always have it.
Hope that helps. Thanks again for your interest, and welcome to the IBIT family!
greg
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the website. i am a “baby” in my travels – but i am hoping to make traveling a full time job once my youngest is out of the nest (i tease him and say i’m coming to his graduation with my bags packed). four more years!
keep encouraging people to get out and see the world…..and maybe i will catch you on my journey!
angela
Many thanks, Angela, and welcome to the IBIT family! I hope you’ll come here often, both as a reader and an active participant! Where do you have your sights on traveling once you’re ready to take flight?
Hello,
I just stumbled upon your blog and am excited to have found you. I’ve been to 35 of the 50 United States and counting. I’ll be expanding upon my International travel (Jamaica, Mexico and the British Virgin Islands so far) and am glad to know of another kindred spirit. Fair Winds!
Thank you, Tonya, and welcome to the IBIT Family! You’re exactly the kind of reader who inspired me to start this blog oin the first place. I hope you’ll come back often — not just to read, but participate with questions and comments…and maybe even some posts of your own from your future travels!
Yes! When I checked out the Black Blogging Awards yours came up for the popular vote. (And between you and I, who cares about anything else?) I usually don’t tell people this but I am a former flight attendant. I went everywhere. I fell in love with Italy. I can’t want to dig all through your posts, and hopefully you’ll do the same with my blog, go to http://www.helesetalks.wordpress.com and http://www.youtube.com/helesetalks for my little piece of the world that I’ve carved out. It’s waiting for you!
Hi Helese, and welcome to the IBIT Family! Thanks too for the links, which I’m looking forward to seeing. What was your favorite place in Italy, and what made you fall in love with the country? I think my fav is Venice, although in fairness, I’ve scarcely seen any of Rome and wouldn’t mind spending more time in Florence.
Again, thanks and welcome! Hope you’ll be an active participant as well as a reader!
Hi, Greg! I’m Black and I travel, too (:
Welcome to the IBIT Family, Risamay! I hope you’ll be a regular visitor — not just as a reader but as a participant, as well! Where have your travels taken you lately and what do you have on tap for 2012?