How To: Kill It At Your First Travel Conference

 *Photo credit to sheswanderful.com

This past weekend, I attended my very first travel/blogging conference (woo!) in Boston, Massachusetts; Women in Travel Summit. Now before I start this how to, I would just like to thank Beth Santos and everyone else involved in the Women in Travel Summit. You all put together such a fun, inspirational experience for all of us there!

I've never been to a travel conference (or any conference for that matter), so I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into. Before I went, I was really concerned if I would get anything out of it and if the other women there would be way more traveled than I was.


As it turned out, I had absolutely nothing to worry about. As a new traveler/blogger, it was one of the most beneficial experiences of my life. I met so many new people, explored a gorgeous new city, and learned some extremely valuable tips and lessons. So, here's how to kill it at your first travel conference:

• Be open - this is probably the best way to get the most of your experience. If you are open to trying new things and listening to people's different opinions, you will leave your conference having learned more than you ever expected.
  
  
•  Make friends with your hostel (or hotel) roomies - for me, this one was especially easy because we were all in Boston for WITS. But even if you are not there for the same reason as your roommates, still make friends with them! You never know where a conversation can lead. Who knows, maybe they live in your favorite European city. If you befriend them, maybe you'll have a place to stay next time you're in their city! Also, shout out to Hostelling International Boston and to my roommates of the weekend for being so awesome!
  
  
• Talk to new people each day - At least one new person each day! It is so important to make connections at these events, especially if it is a travel event. Like I said before, you never know where a conversation can lead! Make as many friends as you can, and try to keep in touch with them after you go your separate ways.
  
  
• Go exploring - Especially if the conference is located in a city you've never been to! Take some time to go out on your own and explore the city you are in. Take their buses and trains, walk their streets, ask the locals where to eat. Just explore!
  
  
• Have confidence - "Confidence is key". Super cheesy, super right. Be confident in yourself and in your beliefs. Know that you are there for the same reason as all the other conference goers. They may be more traveled than you, or more experienced in the blogosphere, but they are there to learn just like you. So hold your head high and be proud!
  
  
• Ask questions - In school, my teachers used to say "There's no such thing as a stupid question". And in this situation, that saying holds true. Ask as many questions as you need to. You are there to learn and to grow. You won't look stupid, you'll look like you are serious and passionate about travel and your blog.
  
  
• Take notes - This is so important to do!!! Whether its taking physical notes, or taking pictures of presentations, you should leave the conference with as much material as you need so you can put it all to good use. Also, it is good to take notes to share with others! Sometimes there are more than one session going on at the same time and, to my knowledge, we can't be two places at once. So find a friend to exchange notes with!
  
  

• Tell people about yourself - It's your first travel conference? You're pretty new to the travel and blogging scene? You're quitting your job to travel the world for a year? Tell people these things! We're travelers. We're bloggers. We love a good story!
  
  

• Listen to other people's stories - Just as it is important to tell people your story, it is just as important to listen to others stories. I heard so many inspiring stories this weekend that have made me want to go to so many new places in the world.
  
  

• Have fun - Last, but not least, HAVE FUN!!! If you're going to a travel conference, you're probably going because you love to travel. So have fun while learning about what you love! You're surrounded by so many like-minded people. They understand your wanderlust. These are your people! Go out there and embrace every second of this experience.

I hope these tips were helpful! I will definitely be attending more travel conferences in the future. Especially WITS'16 in Irvine, California!! Thanks to all the amazing and inspiring women I met this weekend. You're all changing the world by doing what you love to do, and it is awesome.


Do you have any other tips on how to kill it at your first travel conference?! Let me know in the comments below :)


xx

Living With Less

The past 2 years, I have become quite a spender. As soon as I would get paid, it would be off to the mall or Sephora. I would end up blowing my whole pay check. And I would never be satisfied. I wanted the best of everything. I had the money, so I was going to spend it.

It was around June of 2014 that I realized how bad I had gotten. I would spend hundreds of dollars in Sephora, buying new makeup products at least once a week, when I already had a whole box full of products that I didn't need. Clothes were also a problem for me in the same way. I would just keep on buying and buying, never becoming satisfied with what I already had.

But being that I am going to be traveling the world for a year with only a backpack, I decided a few lifestyle changes were necessary.

I have decided to start living with less.

This past week, I spent all of my free time going through everything I own. I took all of my clothes of out my closet and drawers, collected a large pile of shoes from around my room, and took on the big box of makeup. I figured that I would start pretty slow and then do another clear out in about 3 months. After all, I'll only need a small amount of clothes come October!

In the past, I always had a problem whenever I tried to get rid of some of my stuff. I would be so attached to everything I owned. And in some ways, I still am. But this whole journey for me is a learning experience. I have learned a lot about letting go this year. Now, I'm not as mental about leaving my possessions behind.

Once I was finished going through all of my belongings, I had 4 fully packed garbage bags of clothes to donate, 5 pairs of shoes left in my closet, and only the makeup that I have recently been using daily.

The feeling I had once I was done, was freedom.

It was so freeing to not have to worry about all of that junk taking up space. I now felt like there wasn't material things holding me back as much anymore. Before I cleared my stuff out, I didn't even realized it was holding me back. Life suddenly became so much more simple, just by getting rid of unnecessary objects.

Just by donating half of my stuff, I already know that living with less is a lifestyle that I want. I cannot wait to go through the same process in another 3 months and free myself even further.

Don't let material things hold you back. Learn to set yourself free and come to see how life can be so much easier and simpler if you just let it be. I don't think I'll ever be able to go back to the way I was living. This clear out gave me so much hope for the future and my travels ahead...

xx

Anything Could Happen

Once upon a time, there was a young, 17 year old girl living in Staten Island, New York. This girl loved her home city and all of her family and friends that lived there with her. She wanted to spend the rest of her life in this city, surrounded by all of her loved ones. But this, was not to be the case at all.

The girl was about to be torn away from all of her family and friends, and her beautiful city. She was moving to Sugar Land, Texas with her parents, brother, and sister. It seemed as though her world was falling apart.

On July 5, 2012, the girl said her goodbyes to NYC and all of the people in it, hopped on a plane with her little sister, and flew to the far away land of Texas.

The first 2 months were the hardest for the girl. This place called Texas was like an entirely different world from what she had know back home. There were no buses to chase, no subways to ride, and nothing was of walking distance. Not only that, but she had no friends in this new home. The girl spent her first 2 months here crying herself to sleep. If only she knew how her life was about to change..

Before moving, the girl was quite close minded and would never stand up for herself or voice her opinion. All she wanted to do was blend in and follow the crowd. If she thought something was cool, but her friends did not, she would change her opinion to match theirs. The girl started to become miserable. She started fighting with her family all of the time and started doing terrible in school. But she was only doing it to herself. The girl had the power to change her life; she just didn't know it yet.

But after about 6 months of living in her new home of Sugar Land and being away from her old, toxic life, the girl started to realize how much of life she was missing out on. Since being away from all of her friends and family back home, she started to become very independent. She was learning that she did not need to follow a crowd, or change her opinions so that others would agree. She was becoming herself; who she was meant to be.

Dreams were being shattered, while new dreams were forming. The girl was making a life for herself all on her own. One day, she decided to make her new dream of traveling the world a reality.  Since opening herself up to a brilliant, new way of looking at life, the girl didn't want to waste on more second of her life not striving to be the happiest version of herself possible. And she knew that to be her happiest self, she had to follow her heart, and her dream. She was going to travel the world. Alone.

So, she told her family of her plan to quit her job and travel the world on her own. At first, they were not very comfortable with the girl traveling on her own. But the girl knew that she could handle this on her own. She wanted to do this on her own.

So, she started her journey of planning a year to herself. During her planning, she looked back on her New York self and realized that if she would have never left, she would not be chasing her dream and following her heart around the world. The girl probably would have stayed in New York for the rest of her life. She would have went to college (something that she realized she didn't have to do, so she never went), got a job, maybe would have got married, had kids, and played the game of life. If it wasn't for moving to Texas, her heart and mind would have never opened up. She would possibly still be that same girl she once was. Who knows where her life would have led her. All the girl knew at that moment was that she would not be as happy as she was now. Even though she had to leave her family and friends, she was still happy. At the time, that was exactly what the girl needed. She needed to be independent. On her own. Happier.

And so, while the girl still misses her family and friends, she could not be happier that she had no choice but to leave her home. If there is one lesson that the girl took away from the past 3 years of her life, it's this: sometimes the worst of situations seem like an absolute nightmare, but turn out to be the best thing to ever happen to you. Always have an open heart and mind. Never doubt yourself. You write your own story. Go live your adventure.

xx
"Look how far I have come without anyone holding my hand ... There's still so much to learn, so many dreams to earn, but even if I crash and burn ten times a day I think I'm here to stay, I'm gonna find my way"

Lessons Learned From NYC

*Photo credit to my cousin, and awesome photographer, Kacie Horstman. Check out her links!!!
Kacie's Twitter, Instagram, YouTube

The city that never sleeps, the melting pot, the Big Apple, the city so nice, they named it twice.

New York City.

Having been born and raised here, spending almost 18 years of my life here, this city will always be my first home and my first love. It's a place where you can find everything you ever wanted, eat some of the best food there is, and meet the most interesting people. Some people can thrive here, while others can't make it.

Living here, you get to be more exposed to the world then a lot of other places. You just never know what you may see when you step out of the door! So of course, I was bound to learn quite a few lessons from this superb city.

Here are 10 lessons I learned from New York City:

1. No matter where you go in the world, you will never, and I mean NEVER find better pizza. If you have ever had NY pizza, then you know exactly what I am talking about. Sorry Chicago, our pizza is the best! And me being from Staten Island, my favorite places to grab a slice are Denino's and Brother's! And in the summers, you go right across the street from Denino's to get some Ralph's Famous Italian Ices (aka where I worked my first job for 4 years (':)

2. Not all New Yorkers are mean and rude. Are we most of the time always in a rush to catch our bus or the subway? Yes, but that doesn't make us rude! The people of New York can be helpful and kind, just catch them at the right time, not when they are in a rush!

3. There is no need to own a car in NYC. I never had my license when I lived here. There is absolutely no need. If you need to get somewhere you can either walk there, take a bus, train, subway, The Ferry, or a taxi.  I really believe that if you live in any of the five boroughs of the city, having a car is a waste of your money! Take public transportation people!

4. Umbrellas are useless. Now, this one may not apply to everyone, maybe just me, really. Being that I took 2 buses to and from school everyday, rain was never my friend. And neither were umbrellas. For some reason, every time it rained and I wanted to use an umbrella, it would be terribly windy, therefore my umbrella would blow over and break. In my four high school years, I probably broke a good 20 umbrellas before giving up and just trying to find a tree to stand under near my bus stops. Thanks for all the times I was soaked all day in school, umbrellas. You taught me it's better to just dance in the rain.

5. There can be beauty found around every corner. In NY, there is so much art everywhere you look. Between the brilliant skyscrapers, the amazing street art, and the talented subway performers, creativity is all around you. This is the reason that so many people are inspired by this city. It shows us that anything is possible and life is full of beauty.

6. Stressing over traffic will not make it go away. I definitely learned this the hard way. The Staten Island Expressway used to make me so stressed out anytime I had to get on it because there is always so much traffic. Most of the time in New York, it does not matter the time of day, there will always be some kind of traffic. Whether it's trying to get over the Verrazano Bridge or trying to get onto a packed subway or bus, stressing out over it is not going to be any help to anyone. You'll eventually get where you need to be, so just chill out, listen to some music, and relax!

7. There is no other group of people in the world who love their city as much as New Yorkers do. Every New Yorker you meet will tell you that there is no place like their city, like home. I can say, first handed, that this is so true. Everyone dreams of one day either visiting NYC or living there. Being in this beautiful city, you soon begin to see that every person, no matter how different they may be, loves their city and will always stand strong with it.

8. There is so much diversity in our world. Living in this city, you get to see more diversity in a day then some people do in there whole lives. You get to be exposed to so many people on so many different walks of life and see how they are all just trying to get through the day. Some of the richest people walk down the same street as the poorest of the poor.

9. You have to work hard for the things you want. Living in New York is expensive. Yet so many people do it. For a lot of people living there, living in that city is a dream. And they are willing to work like crazy to achieve their dreams. Because if you are not working for what you want, you will drown in this city. No one is going to simply give you what you want. Thank God my parents raised my siblings and I like this, because I know quite a few people who were handed everything they wanted while growing up, and now expect that from the world, but are learning the hard way that you have to work for what you want!

10. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. This always seems to give me a boost of confidence. I lived in this city. I made it 18 years there. Leaving this city was one of the hardest things I had to do in my life. But I left knowing that I was prepared to take on the world because of the lessons this city taught me. Leaving NYC was hard, but it was a huge game changer for me. If I never left this city, I would have never realized that I don't want New York to be my only home. I want the world to be my home. And I have New York City to thank for that.

This city made me strong. It made me a dreamer. It made me a New Yorker for life. While I'm sure that I will leave my heart in many cities around the world, NYC will always, truly, have my heart. Thanks for being my home for 18 years. But also thanks for kicking me out and opening up my heart to the world. Until we meet again, New York!

*My old home in Staten Island*

xx

"A Budget Traveler's Bible"

Hello! I feel like it's been quite some time since I wrote a post. But here we are now!

On Friday, I went to this cute little bookshop in Houston to attend a book signing/talk for Matt Kepnes's (Nomadic Matt) book, "How To Travel The World On $50 A Day", and it was pretty awesome.

I've been a reader of Matt's for a few months now. Once I found his site, I literally spent weeks reading every post on there. Anything that I had questions about, or was concerned about when it came to traveling, was all in his posts. When I needed to decided which travel credit card to get, the first place I went was to Matt's post on credit cards. When I was trying to pick out a backpack to travel with, the post on how to pick a good one helped lead me to my perfect match.

Also, when I was very much doubting myself and considering not taking the year off to travel, because no one was supporting my decision, I emailed Matt and he very quickly responded and calmed my nerves. He probably doesn't know this, but he gave me that little push and boost of confidence to follow through with what my heart was set on, even if no one was supporting my decision at the time. (Now my family thinks that it is the best idea ever and are behind me 100%!)

So, as you could imagine, I was pretty excited to go to this book signing. I met some cool people there who are all on different travel journeys of their own. Some where very seasoned travelers, while others, were just about to start their journey, like me. Oh, and there was free wine!

Before signing everyone's books (there was quite a large turn out!), Matt gave about an hour talk on the book and just traveling in general, and then let us asks questions. I really enjoyed this, because it was much more personal. He told us some awesome stories about some of his early adventures as a traveler, and the mistakes that he has learned from. Hearing Matt's stories and knowing that he started out just as some of us have, made me really feel like I can do this.

Oh, and we also talked about our favorite places in New York to get pizza! No one can top NY's pizza! (And bagels, but that's another story..)

The whole event was great. I left there feeling more inspired and confident in my decision to travel then ever before. And when I got home that night, I nearly finished the book.

One of the praises for the book says "The bible for budget travellers.", from BBC Travel, and they could not have summed this book up any better. If you are trying to travel on a budget, whether it be for 2 weeks, or a year, this book is your go to for everything you need. It is broken down into 3 parts; Part One: Planning Your Trip, Part Two: On-The-Road Expenses, and Part Three: Breaking It Down By Region. And it also has appendix's for travel companies, a suggested packing list, and vaccinations. The book shows that even if you are not rich and don't have a lot of money, you can still travel! It all comes down to budgeting, saving, and learning how to find everything at a price you can afford, while still being comfortable.

All in all, this book is amazing. If you need tips or suggestions on almost anything while planning a trip, I highly recommend getting Matt's book AND reading his blog. It's pretty cool how someone can run a successful blog and write multiple books just by living out his dream.

To any traveler out there who hasn't read any of Matt's stuff, you're missing out on some of the most helpful tips you can get! Thanks for all the inspiration and help, Matt! See you on the road!

xx

Songs That Inspire!

I love listening to music whenever I travel anywhere. Whether it's in an airport, on a bus, walking, or stuck in traffic on my way home from work. Music can make things go from a boring drag to a fun concert in your head. 
Music is also something that inspires my wanderlust. So now I give to you, my top 17 songs that make me want to hop on a plane and travel! I highly recommend to give them a listen if you have the chance. (Note: some of these songs have absolutely nothing to do with travel, but a memory associated with travel.) 

1. 53 Steps - Rachel Platten
"I am 53 steps from my apartment, I've memorized the cracks that age the road. I couldn't quite grasp what my heart meant, but I think that it was telling me to go"  This song makes me want to drop everything and run away to travel forever. 

2. Nothing Ever Happens - Rachel Platten
"A ticket out sits on her shelf, but gathers dust upon itself. Cause chasing shots is for the brave, maybe soon she'll feel that way"   Rachel Platten's songs are the definition of inspiration. I just want to quote this whole song!! This is probably the song that most inspires me to go. Every line in the song speaks to me and my wanderlust. A dreamers song!

3. Ready To Run - One Direction
"This time I'm ready to run, escape from the city and follow the sun"   This song is about following your heart and your love to wherever it/they are in the world. For me, I see it as following my dream. Wherever it may be in this world!

4. I Lived - One Republic
"I owned every second that this world could give, I saw so many places, the things that I did, yeah worth every broken bone, I swear I lived"   This song reminds me of why I love to travel...to live! It's all about making sure life doesn't escape you.

5. 3x5 - John Mayer
"Didn't have a camera by my side this time, hoping I would see the world with both my eyes"  

6. Boom Clap - Charlie XCX
"Boom clap, the sound of my heart, the beat goes on and on and on and on and"   This song is in here because it plays in the scene of The Fault In Our Stars when Gus and Hazel first touch down in Amsterdam. So, it will always remind me of Amsterdam. And one day when I visit, this will be the song that I play as I arrive!

7. The City - The 1975
"Yeah you wanna find love then you know where the city is, the city is"

8. Daydreaming - Paramore
"Not that won't remember where I'm from, just don't want to be here no more ... It's not enough ... I'm gonna go ... Where the rest of the dreamers go"

9. Disconnected - 5 Seconds of Summer
"I admit I'm a bit of a victim in the world wide system too, but I found my sweet escape when I'm alone with you, turn down the static sound of the city that never sleeps, here in the moment on the dark side of the screen"   Just makes me wants to quit technology and run away!

10. Independence Day - 5 Seconds of Summer
"I'm not gonna waste my life away, this is my independence day"   \m/

11.  International Smile - Katy Perry
"That girl's a trip, a one way ticket, takes you miles high, so high, cause she's got that one international smile"   I mean, come one, it even has the word international in it! It's a must for any travel lovers (especially good for girls!).

12. Let Me In - Grouplove
"All this time been trippin' and slippin' around, you got me, now I'm swimmin', swimmin' in clouds"

13. Long Way Down - Tom Odell
"It's a long way down, you know it's a long way down, feels like a long way down, love it feels like a long way down"   This is going to sound extremely weird, but my favorite place to listen to this is actually on a plane. Cause, I mean, it really is a long way down!

14. Simple As This - Jake Bugg
"Oh, the answer, well who would have guessed, could be something as simple as this, something as simple as this"

15. Starlight - Taylor Swift
"Don't you see the starlight, starlight, don't you dream impossible things"   Another song for dreamers! This song always reminds me to chase my dreams, cause without our dreams, we sometimes lose sight of the important things in life.

16. Why Not - Hilary Duff
"You keep waiting where you are, for what you'll never know, let's just get in to your car and go, baby go, so why not, take a crazy chance, why not, do a crazy dance, if you lose a moment you might lose a lot, so why not, why not"   These lyrics just say it all.

17. Fight Song - Rachel Platten
"And I don't really care if nobody else believes, cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me"   Yes, another Rachel Platten song! I highly suggest listening to her music. She is one of my absolute favorites and deserves all the success in the world! And if you want to feel empowered or inspired, Fight Song is the song for you!!!

Well there you have it! I hope these inspire you as they inspire me!

xx

THINGS ARE HAPPENING!!!

Just a quick little updating post..

The excitement is real!!! Things are happening and I am extremely excited about it!

By things happening, I mean that I booked my first hostel, in my first stop, on my first trip (I just said first a lot)! This was a big step for me. Now everything just seems more real. I was going to wait a little while longer to book the hostel, but I found such an amazing deal for a cute little hostel in Reykjavik, Iceland, and I could not pass it up.

Reykjavik is going to be my first stop. I'll be there for about 4 days. Then it's off to Tromsø, Norway for a bit. And then traveling down Norway to Oslo!

Booking the first hostel for this trip gave me such a feeling of joy like I have never felt before. This may seem silly, but it made me feel so much more confident in myself and my trip. It was kind of like reassuring myself that I can and will do this. And I'll do it on my own.

If just booking my first hostel for this trip made me feel the way it did, I honestly cannot even imagine what it's going to be like while I'm full on into this. Soon it will be October and I'll be on my way to living my dream. This is such an exciting thought, I cannot even contain myself!!!!!

Thanks for bearing with all of my excitement. And also the fact that I said excitement/excited too much..

Have a fabulous weekend and go find an adventure! My adventure this weekend is finding a second job to fund my travels :)

Until next time!
xx