Why My 24-Hour Bus Ride Shocked My Friends

In this episode, I dive into a powerful reminder that what’s normal for you isn’t always normal for everyone else.

A recent conversation with a friend sparked this reflection on how people often become fascinated—or even stunned—when they witness the sacrifices you’ve made to reach a goal they can’t relate to. And for many of us who grew up Black Gen X, first-generation, or navigating worlds not built with us in mind, those sacrifices weren’t extraordinary… they were just our norm.

I share the story of taking two of my college friends with me from Tampa, Florida to Pine Bluff, Arkansas on a 24-hour Greyhound bus ride—a journey filled with transfers, long stretches of silence, heavy luggage, and the determination of someone paying his own way through an affluent PWI.

My friends were used to flying. They were used to comfort, ease, and speed.But for the first time, they saw what my reality looked like.They saw the cost of my dream.And they realized that my “normal” was something they had never even imagined.

This episode is about travel—but it’s also about class, race, adaptation, resilience, and the invisible work so many of us put in to make our goals possible.
If you’ve ever had to do whatever it took—even when others couldn’t understand why—you’ll feel this one.
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