Few things feel as magical as standing on the sands of foreign lands, staring at the bluest body of water with a rolling paper full of some Boy, What’s That, and Where’d You Find It?
It’s the exact reason that the first thought as you step off a plane is probably “Bet. Where’s it at, though?!” Sadly, when traveling, finding that answer can sometimes feel like a near-impossible mission.
Finding quality cannabis and making connections abroad
It’s hard as hell to find weed internationally since it’s not like the US, where 23 states and districts have legal, adult-use cannabis. Here, it’s easy to post an Instagram story asking, “Anyone know where I can get bud in *insert city here*?” and have a homie plug you in with a connect moments later.
In foreign countries, you’re on your own to use the eye or smell test to find bud. The eye test is looking at someone and stereotyping them as a person who smokes weed. The smell test is smelling weed in the air and following the scent to the source — like Tom and Jerry sniffing out freshly baked pies.
Gina Coleman/Weedmaps
I’ve smoked weed in Germany, Croatia, and Monaco. In Monaco, I lucked out, and a friend who was local knew a person that brought us over a bag of weed. That same friend helped in Croatia. In Germany, however, it was me and some homies on a press trip. The hosts should’ve had weed for us but didn’t — we were on our own. We were a group of people used to smoking all day, every day, so when we didn’t have it, we got a little anxious, agitated, and fiendish, if I’m being real.
We ended up at a pub sipping beers (gross, man), and in walked a dude with dreads. As a dude with dreads myself, I already know the stereotype attributed to us, and I knew it was on me to see what was up — the eye test at work. I asked the dude if he knew where we might be able to get some weed and guess what? He sure did.
In fact, he had some in his pocket and said he’d step outside and smoke with us. Instantly, a new friend was made. He also said he had a connect for us days later, and we were like, “Bet.” Ultimately, his connect failed, but the homie burned some of his personal stash with us. Trip made.
There’s something so beautiful about smoking weed where you aren’t supposed to. Weed is legal in Germany now, but there weren’t a bunch of dispensaries around like in California and Washington. In Monaco, weed is so illegal that when me and a homie were smoking on a walk-around, a woman told us that we could get in a lot of trouble and that we needed to chill. In Croatia, it’s illegal too. So lighting up some cannabis in all of these places scratched that same itch that used to be scratched in the days of having to hunt down weed and meet some random person in a Walmart parking lot at 10 am.
Gina Coleman/Weedmaps
Getting high unlocks specific access to feelings and emotions that can only be understood by people that partake. No matter how much I appreciated the seemingly once-in-a-lifetime experiences, sitting back off some weed and being high and relaxed made it easier to be present and not think about any worries in the world. This was my moment. This was our moment. Let’s bask in the blessings that many people that look like me or grew up like me have never experienced and may never experience. It’s hard to take that in when you’re constantly searching, looking for who got it, where, and when.
But when you finally no longer have to worry about that? Oooohweeee.
In addition to the joy of securing the bag (of weed), there’s also a certain joy of seeing how and what people in foreign countries smoke. In the States, you can afford to be snooty about the weed because there’s a store right down the street with some fire. Across the water, man, you take what you can get — and better thank the universe for the experience regardless. So the quality isn’t the best, and the selection isn’t so vast, but that’s what’s interesting about it.
In Germany, I had no clue what we were smoking. In Monaco and Croatia, though, it was most definitely some Jack Herer in that bag. I’m not the biggest fan of Jack, so as soon as the super awake alertness hit my body, I knew, based on smell, taste, and feeling, that I was dealing with some old-school Jack. Even though I don’t like this strain, it put a huge smile on my face. Recognizing the specific strain made me feel a connection to the stones of the country I was in. Trip made — again.In the end, it’s hard as hell to find weed in a foreign country. But when you do, it brings about a certain “if you know, you know” type of happiness that simply will not exist if you can’t find it. Every beautiful moment will have that “Damn, I wish I had some weed” thought in the back of your head. Why? Well, it’s like Wiz Khalifa said on Up, “because everything’s better when you’re high.” Especially new experiences in new worlds.
