I booked a 5 week trip to visit my distant friend. We broke up a month earlier, but I went anyway.

In 2022 I came into a very long distance relationship between Paris (the French) and Boston (the American).

For about eighteen months we staggered along, despite the thousands of miles between us.

From the start, he seemed convinced that I had to move to America if I wanted us to have a future. Despite my doubts, I started considering moving. I had fallen for Boston, I live for adventure, and if I hated it I could just… leave?

At this point the cracks were seriously showing, but we agreed that I would come to America for the summer, as a kind of test run.

We never got that far.

Even though we both had doubts about the future of our relationship, I was still stunned when he broke up with me a month before I was supposed to fly to the US.

The flights were non-refundable, and I love a solo tripbut I couldn’t decide if this time it would be single or catastrophic.

However, I have family and friends in the US and my flight was to San Diego where one of my best friends lives, so I decided to go for it.

Deep down, I hoped that maybe this experience would be more empowering than sad.

Admittedly, the post-breakup trip had its highs and lows

I went from San Diego to San Francisco to Portland, where I enjoyed several weeks with some of my favorite people, and it was the best tonic I could have hoped for.

I was probably boring company at times; I’ve spent a lot hours discussing the myriad reasons why the relationship was never meant to last. But my nearest and dearest listened to me, laughed with me and took me on all kinds of adventures to the most fantastic moments. beautiful corners of California and Oregon.

It’s pretty hard to be sad when you’re having so much fun with the people you love.

The hardest part of the trip came towards the end, when I planned to spend a week in Boston. My first challenge was logistical: I now had nowhere to stay in one of America’s most expensive cities, and as usual, my travel budget was virtually non-existent.

That’s why I posted a candid appeal on Facebook group for female travelerstelling me about my breakup and offering to host someone in Paris later in exchange for hosting me in Boston.

I received some incredibly kind responses and eventually connected with a single mother who generously let me stay for a few nights.

Ultimately, I was able to make the best of a strange situation

With the accommodation crisis averted, I began exploring every nook and cranny of Boston. I hung out with lovely people, saw many beautiful sights and ate fantastic food, including a Boston cream donut that I still think about.

However, I was not prepared for how strange it would feel to wander alone day after day through the city in which I had imagined building a life.

I also made the mistake of looking ridiculous emotional Pixar film and almost had to walk out because I was sobbing so hard.

I just wanted the popcorn, for crying out loud. (That liquid “butter” on tap may be America’s greatest invention.)

I’d like to say that ‘Inside Out 2’ was the culmination of the emotional turbulence, but that came in the form of a dinner with my ex just before my return to Paris.

It was quite nerve-wracking and I barely touched my food, but it was exactly the ending I had dubiously hoped for.

I was still processing the blow to my ego and the outrage over the way everything had unfolded, but as I sat across the table from this man who I had shed all those tears over, it was crystal clear to me that the breakup had been the best decision for both of us.

Ultimately, when it comes down to it travel solo you had planned with an ex, I would advise to approach with caution.

It wasn’t always easy; emotions ran high. But overall it was an incredible experience – a deeper healing than I could have hoped for. And yes…a pretty damn powerful one too.