The Introvert's Group Trip

Over ten years ago, a fellow creative sent me an article in the Atlantic about being an introvert. It was published in 2003, way before introvert was the buzzword that it’s become. It explained to me a mystery about myself that had baffled me all of my life. I was finally free to declare that I was indeed sane. I found people tiring and needed ample time to recharge and this was called introversion not being antisocial. What a relief…or so I thought.

A few years after that, armed with this lone article, I finally came out as introverted. I picked the planning of a group trip to unleash this newfound information. I was going to the Bahamas with my friends for my 30th birthday. They kept adding people to the trip. I resisted. They called me names. Nobody understood.

I sent the article, my evidence, to one of my closest friends in an email with the subject: This Is Me. He replied saying that I wasn’t introverted and that I was actually very extroverted.

He didn’t read the article. I was hurt and confused, but it was all so new. Introverts hadn’t revolted yet. I understood why he didn’t get it, even if that left me feeling misunderstood.

The trip went horribly wrong. I was suffocated and nobody cared. I was pulled and prodded to go places that I didn't want to go. I dampened the fun when I needed some time alone. After that, I swore off group trips. 

This is why Holy Sip, my Jamaica destination dinner, is the anti-group group trip. It’s the way that an introvert (me) feels the most comfortable. I love to host, entertain and share experiences with others (especially Jamaica), but at some point, I’m going to want to be alone. One dinner is all that I can commit to.

While there isn’t an itinerary, people that travel for the dinner still get together to hang out and do excursions. I plan or participate in most of these additional activities. However, I don’t have to and nobody expects me to. Also, other people (other introverts) can opt out and it’s not frowned upon. Everyone is encouraged to do whatever they want to do and however they want to do it…alone or with others.

I can’t think of a better way to travel with a group.