Meet Auzzi “Orville” Aiken of Black Nomad

Today we’d like to introduce you to Auzzi “Orville” Aiken.

Black Nomad is a digital platform for Black people and other people of color to share their experiences, resources, and tools for international solo travel on a college kid budget.

Founded in 2013 by Orville “Auzzi” Aiken, Black Nomad was created as an acknowledgment and overall celebration of the unique experience of being a Black explorer. With his desire for exploration and individual liberation, Auzzi began the documentation of his travels in Brazil and continued through South America. His lifestyle was in many ways nomad-like. Eventually, Auzzi’s travels have led him to more than 100 cities in 54 countries on six continents over a four-year period. Through various social media accounts, Auzzi has been able to share his experience as a Black traveler with thousands of people of color around the world and has inspired many to do the same.

Black Nomad intends to expand its community of Black travelers by creating a space to connect, express thoughts, and share conversations and interactions with the people they meet along the way. The goal is to make international travel simpler and show that people don’t need a lot of money or a complicated itinerary to see the world, or to create unforgettable moments and connections with the places we see and the people we meet.

We highlight the nuances of travel that are missed by many luxury travelers: we don’t just mention tourist attractions and well-known landmarks, we delve deeper into the culture, history and everyday life of the countries we visit. Real people bring real experiences to life for others by sharing encounters and genuine conversations with locals and strangers that become friends. Travelers have a space to share what they learned, what they felt, what they created, what they took with them, and what they subsequently left behind.

Whether you’re a first-time traveler or a seasoned explorer, by reading our stories Black Nomad hopes to inspire you to go outside of your comfort zone—to explore yourself as you explore the world. What do you have to offer? Leave your mark and pursue your own adventure.

We invite you to travel with us. Our family of curators invites you to tell us what launches you on your path. Share the experiences you cherish, the people you’ve met, the meals you’ve shared, and the moments you have difficulty putting into words. Black Nomad asks: how has travel changed you?

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?

It has been anything but smooth! We initially launched with a group of six in 2015 with a solid strategy and framework to operate the business. But unfortunately, it fizzled out; like most startups, there wasn’t a lot of capital. Everyone was trying to balance a full-time job, or looking for a solid job, and putting that much effort with no immediate reward was difficult…and I understand that. We were a group of friends and family who wanted to be the first Black owned and operated company in the travel business. And our goal was to be successful in showing children that look like us and come from similar backgrounds that’s it’s possible to dream and see the world even if you come from a disadvantaged background. We started with six strong, dwindled to two—me and Adedamola Sokoya—and with him starting law school three years ago, it eventually was just me.

Unfortunately, just as social media was taking off, Black Nomad was slowing down. I started traveling again (after all it was my dream), so I continued to collect dope content but didn’t have the platform to showcase what I was doing. So naturally, I downscaled and kept the mission alive through my personal Instagram account @worldbossmisay. Now that Sokoya has finished law school, we are back and more motivated than ever with a different strategy and a smaller, more focused group, but we’re still trying to figure things out. It’s not easy, but if it were easy, I guess everybody would be doing it.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Black Nomad – what should we know?

I travel the world on a budget, and I mean a STRICT budget of $35 USD per diem or less. I never stay in hotels, like never: I use hostels and couch surfing for accommodations. When I arrive in a country, I use the cheapest mode of transportation, which is usually the slowest, (e.g. public bus, train, or tram). I eat street food or find local cookshops, the same place locals eat. I’m not on a vacation, I’m a traveler. I support sustainable travel: which means you put the people and the environment first. Here are some ways any individual can respect the locals and their native land:

• Don’t use single-use plastic items like plastic bottles, cups, and straws.

• Minimize waste by conserving water and electricity.

• Eat local while traveling and avoid package food apart from water.

• Travel local (avoid air travel, use trains and buses instead).

• Carry your own toiletries while traveling to avoid wastage.

• Leave no trace of your presence and carry your waste until you can dispose of it properly.

• Respect the environment and culture of the places you visit by observing local government and religious laws. 

• Be an example for others and ask them to travel and do the same.

• Support the local vendors and business over big chains and supermarkets.

Black Nomad specializes in Budget Travel for Black People. And that’s important because a lot of people of color don’t travel on a budget or solo. It’s rare that I run into other travelers of color that are traveling alone and with a low budget. I really think we need to get the word out and teach people how to see the world in this direct-contact way because it saves money. Like I said before, anyone can see the world and do it at a fraction of the cost, meet locals, and really experience their culture. I’m most proud of the fact we are authentic. I showcase the good and bad of travel the truth, not the phony always-happy-travel-model side.

Another key part about Black Nomad is keeping in contact with and helping locals. Two weeks ago, I, along with three other guys at a hostel, met some street kid in Nepal coming from the monkey temple. This child was so intelligent: at the age of 4 or 5, he already spoke a few languages, but he wasn’t enrolled in school. And to all of us—having lived at least some of our lives in a developed country—this was rather sobering: a reality check of sorts. So, we decided to go to his house and speak to his parents. We found out the boy’s father lost his job and couldn’t afford to send the boy and his siblings to school. Our conversation ended with us offering to pay for him to go back to school. After meeting with the school, we paid the balance and are now raising money to cover his tuition until he turns 18. If we were in a hotel, we likely wouldn’t have met this kid because we’d be on the other side of town and it’s those small things that makes me and Black Nomad different. That’s what sets our style of travel apart: the authenticity. There are many people who use travel blog sites to see the world that will never have the experience of truly making a difference in the lives of other humans.

We also curate travel for people of color that prefer to explore a country in a group or just enjoy making new friends in a new place that they may not have gone on their own. The trips visit different countries and host a maximum of 35 people evenly split between men and women. The goal is to have a large, intimate group with a balance of personality, all with good vibes. We offer different packages with the price depending on the country. Kingston, Jamaica -the real Jamaica! – is our original destination. Kingston is the capital, but tourists are nonexistent, so a lot of people miss the vibrant reggae and dancehall culture that is synonymous with the country. We really want to connect people to that in a real, authentic way. So, in October, we’ll be taking a group there. I’m extremely excited about that because we’ve got some really cool things planned. Starting in 2020, we plan to expand to other destinations to Asia, Africa, and South America.

What is your favorite childhood memory?

I grew up in Jamaica and Miami and spent most of my childhood between the two places until about 13. And in each place, I was going outside, going on adventures, just enjoying being a kid. I feel like children growing up today have technology to keep them company and don’t understand that kind of freedom.

Riding your bike all over or walking to the park, the lake, or the pool during the summer without your parents.  I mean that was what being a kid was all about to me. We didn’t have cell phones, so you had to call your friend or walk to their house and knock on their door. We were independent. We didn’t sit at home and meet our friends through the TV by playing a video game. We were encouraged and required to go outside. I’m Jamaican so my parents didn’t want us inside “running up the light bill” watching TV; we had to be outside until the streetlights came on. Although, I did get into trouble and suffered a few whoopings for coming in late (lol), but it was well worth it. It taught me that I can do anything if I just try and 54 countries later, I’m doing it all on a global scale. I guess I’ve always been a Black Nomad.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.blacknomadw.com
• Phone: 7865376830 or 240-501-1160
• Email: blacknomadw@gmail.com or info.blacknomadw@gmail.com
• Instagram: @blacknomadw @worldbossmisay

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