Travel Story
Traveler Story: I’m a Mother of Five Who Prioritizes Travel as a Form of Self-Care By Spencer Jones
P
arenthood permanently alters your life, and Iris Martin believes that travel is not only a form of self-care, it has helped her be an effective mother for her five children. Three are adults with their own homes and families, while the other two reside with their mother in North Carolina. Iris thinks the world of her children and her two grandsons, but does that mean she can’t enjoy what else the universe has to offer? For her, the answer is a resounding no. “Being a mom is hard!” Iris told Travel Noire. “Mama needs a break, and she needs it often.” Simply put, travel allows her to be the most balanced version of herself. To understand why this form of self-care has been so invaluable, it helps to be familiar with her formative years. Iris became a mother for the first time at fifteen, and shouldered a kind of responsibility that would be challenging for an adult, let alone a child. “I have roots everywhere,” Iris said. “As a child, I lived with a lot of family members and friends. At one point, I was a homeless, teen mom living in an abandoned building in Buffalo, New York. Perhaps that is what truly sparked my interest in travel because I had lived in California, Mississippi, New York, Illinois, Texas, and Virginia by the age of twenty-five.” Back then, all that domestic travel wasn’t for pleasure. But it was still a growth experience for Iris, who saw each state’s unique qualities firsthand. Once circumstances allowed, she was determined to not only up the ante on her own travel, but bring her children along for the ride. However, this hasn’t come without moments of hesitation and self-doubt. “I do often think about the guilt associated with traveling while still having two children under my
roof and three adults that rely on me,” Iris said. “But I have to prioritize my happiness so that I can show up for those that need me. There’s sacrifice with everything. I do travel without my kids quite often, both for work and pleasure. However, I also travel with my kids. They’ve been all over the United States and also the Dominican Republic, Grand Turks, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Mexico, just to name a few.” Iris describes herself as an eclectic, random woman, and one could draw the same conclusion about her travels. In the travel group Live Be Do, she posted pictures and a glowing review of her experience with Virgin Voyages, an adult only cruise line. It had everything you would expect an adult playground on the sea to have. Gambling? Yes. Alcohol flowing in excess and delicious food? Yes. Themed parties and plenty of raunchy fun? Well, obviously. “Next time, I’m bringing friends!” Iris declared. “I’ve been on a lot of cruise lines, but there is nothing like an adults-only experience, whether that is on a cruise or at a resort. This particular cruise was very edgy, exciting, and inappropriate, which I love. Nothing was kid-friendly.” Iris has spent much of her life being innovative, and it hasn’t failed her yet. As a young mother, she had to be for her own survival and that of her children. As an adult, her innovation spawned a series of businesses, once she determined that
36 | ABA Publications | Africa TRAVEL | Jan 2022
