Thrilling information! I’m celebrating my 20-year running a blog anniversary this month. My story goes again a good distance, beginning half a decade earlier than the A Girl in London weblog existed. I by no means imagined I’d sometime be one of many first skilled journey bloggers, and I definitely didn’t anticipate the journey my journey could be. Talking of which, you’ll wish to hear the small print…
20-12 months Running a blog Anniversary
I began my first weblog in my faculty dorm room in Windfall, Rhode Island in 2002. Two of my suitemates had blogs, as did a few our different pals on campus.
We have been all about to move off for winter break earlier than dispersing internationally to check overseas. I used to be heading to Prague, and my classmates have been going to Hong Kong, Vietnam, London and different far-flung locations.
My First Weblog
Understanding we wouldn’t see each other till the next August, my suitemates urged I begin a weblog so we might keep up a correspondence for the eight months we have been aside. One in all them sat down and walked me by means of the method of setting it up.
Identical to that I had a weblog. And with out realizing the long-term implications of it, I turned a blogger.
I saved the weblog for a yr and a half. I wrote about my time learning overseas within the Czech Republic, my relationship drama with my boyfriend, and my summer time internship on the US Embassy in Paris (the place I managed to persuade a number of of my fellow interns to start out blogs as effectively).
Once I received again to campus in August, I wrote about my research, my relationship drama with my boyfriend, and my job supply from an funding financial institution.
As commencement approached, I made a decision to cease working the weblog. I used to be going to be an grownup, in spite of everything, and grownup life is boring.
Who needs to examine what it’s prefer to work at Goldman Sachs? (Looking back, lots of people. However I in all probability would have been fired for running a blog about it).
My Second Weblog
Two years later, I left the financial institution to work as a macroeconomic analyst at a hedge fund in San Francisco. Whereas there, I missed having a inventive outlet a lot that I made a decision to start out one other weblog.
I used to be involved in regards to the lack of ladies within the hedge fund world, so I created a weblog to deal with it. It was about demystifying the usually opaque world of this nook of the monetary companies sector.
I wrote a handful of posts about what hedge funds have been earlier than I received so bored of writing about investing that it began feeling like work. I deserted it.
A Girl in London
A couple of months later I stop my job to maneuver to London (with no job and no plan). The day after I left the monetary sector, I created one other weblog. This one was referred to as A Girl in London, and it was going to be about my expat life within the UK.
As with my first weblog, I noticed it as a method to keep up a correspondence with household and pals again residence. Skilled running a blog didn’t actually exist again then, and I by no means imagined my new one could be something however a pastime.
Within the two months main as much as my transfer, I wrote about my visa course of, pleasure in regards to the prospect residing abroad, and close-to-home adventures across the Bay Space.
Once I received to London, I lined matters like flat looking, getting arrange as an expat, and my early explorations of the town. I had sufficient sense to not write about my relationship drama with my boyfriend.
Then I began touring. One of many causes I moved to London was that I’d had a tremendous time touring to totally different European nations each weekend after I was on the continent in faculty, and I needed to do it once more. I did.
Again then flights have been cheaper than water, and my pals and I traveled throughout Europe for the price of a modest meal. I as soon as flew to Portugal for £1.
I went additional afield, too. Cartagena and Senegal have been two of many long-haul locations I traveled to. Australia and New Zealand didn’t even appear too far-off.
I wrote about all my journeys on my weblog, and I quickly realized that regardless of being referred to as A Girl in London, it was truly about international journey. However London was my past love, and I by no means thought to vary the identify.
Going Full-Time
A pair years after I launched A Girl in London, the weblog had attracted a major following. Running a blog was turning into one thing you might monetize, too.
I made it my New 12 months’s decision to stop my job in 2010 and begin working the weblog full-time as a enterprise. It was terrifying and thrilling on the similar time.
I needed to wait till January eighth handy in my discover since my boss received caught abroad on account of heavy snow. However I made my decision occur and I’ve by no means regarded again.
Immediately the A Girl in London weblog is acknowledged as one of many high journey blogs within the UK. I’m pleased with the onerous work I’ve put in and the enterprise I’ve constructed.
There have been large ups and downs over time (don’t get me began on how tough it was to make a residing from a journey weblog in 2020), nevertheless it’s been an journey I’ll all the time treasure. It nonetheless is. I can’t wait to see what the long run holds for it.
Running a blog Immediately
This yr I launched into a brand new running a blog journey and a brand new chapter in life. I began splitting my time between London and California, and I launched a second weblog referred to as California Wayfaring. You possibly can learn the story right here.
It’s been extra work than I ever imagined I might deal with (all of the hours I’ve spent at my desk have landed me in bodily remedy), nevertheless it’s been extremely rewarding. I can’t wait to see how this new weblog’s story unfolds.
Thank You
As I have a good time this 20-year running a blog anniversary, I’m grateful to my faculty pals who inspired me to start out running a blog means again in 2002, my followers and subscribers for supporting me alongside the best way, and also you for studying this proper now. Thanks!
The journey continues to be in progress, and I can’t wait to see what the long run brings. I hope you’ll come together with me for the running a blog adventures which might be but to come back.
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