Making Friends as a Woman in Your 30s Through the Power of Group Travel
“We will travel together for the rest of our lives!”
Written by Kat Harrison, El Camino Travel contributor. Originally published July 26, 2022
This article is part of a multi-part series about making friends through travel. With El Camino, you know that you’re going to get an unmatched travel experience as you gain a deeper understanding of the destination’s culture, all while empowering the local creative economy. But what you may not realize is that you will also form deep connections with your travel group. Nothing brings people together quite like an El Camino trip, where the experiences are as meaningful as the friendships formed along the way.
Meet Caroline and Teresa
Six years, two El Camino trips, and several vacations later, Caroline and Teresa’s friendship is still going strong. It all started back in September 2016 during an El Camino small group trip to Colombia. Although, it wasn’t just the two of them that immediately hit it off. Caroline and Teresa remember the group connecting quickly and effortlessly, from everyone coming out of their shells during the first activity in Cartagena, to a deep discussion about what it means to be a single woman in the app-era.
“There were no cliques or super tight pairs. Everyone in our group got along so well that we all bonded equally,” recalls Caroline.
“Each traveler was open, independent, genuine, and excited to be on the trip. I think that atmosphere really allowed lasting friendships to form,” adds Teresa.
The September 2016 Colombia crew
With their friendship foundation established, Teresa and Caroline decided to meet up in New York after the trip. “We spent the day hanging out in the city, going to museums, and grabbing drinks. We had so much fun that we became instant friends while hanging out one on one!”
Their reunion in NYC solidified that the duo would be friends and travel partners for life. Since then, Caroline and Teresa text every day, chatting about everything from their favorite brands to big life decisions. And when they’re together in person, they can talk for hours.
Teresa and Carolina on the ECT Colombia trip where they first met
“I feel so lucky to have met Teresa—making friends in your 30s can be tough. She is now one of my closest friends. She is so supportive—she helped encourage me to move to Oaxaca City, Mexico, where I live now!”
Teresa shares that feeling of gratitude, “I am so thankful to have a friend like Caroline!”
Of course, their friendship also includes lots of traveling. They have visited each other in their hometowns, Fargo and Kansas City, taken a second El Camino trip to a different part of Colombia, and visited a few different areas of Mexico together.
Teresa and Carolina on their second ECT adventure, an alumni retreat to Colombia's coffee region, Eje Cafetero.
They even have their next trip planned—Teresa and her mom will be visiting Caroline in her new home in Oaxaca this month. And this is certainly not the end of their travels.
“I don't doubt that Caroline and I will be meeting up around the world for years to come,” says Teresa.
“We will travel together for the rest of our lives!” confirms Caroline.
Ready to meet your El Camino BFF?