Garrick , I enjoyed reading this piece. I'm blessed to have lived and traveled abroad mainly as a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana in the late 80s to mid 90s and as Fulbright program participant in Russia in the early 2000s . I totally get your point, of feeling free from the contruct of blackness while traveling abroad. I wish more Americans had the opportunity to live outside the confines of our parochial enclaves. Thanks again for writing this piece. Looking forward to checking out some of your other writings.