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 can be. Talking of which, you’ll need to hear the small print…
20-12 months Running a blog Anniversary
I began my first weblog in my school dorm room in Windfall, Rhode Island in 2002. Two of my suitemates had blogs, as did a few our different associates 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
Figuring out we wouldn’t see each other till the next August, my suitemates recommended I begin a weblog so we might keep up a correspondence for the eight months we have been aside. Considered one of them sat down and walked me by the method of setting it up.
Similar to that I had a weblog. And with out figuring out 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 season internship on the US Embassy in Paris (the place I managed to persuade a couple of of my fellow interns to start out blogs as properly).
After I bought again to campus in August, I wrote about my research, my relationship drama with my boyfriend, and my job provide from an funding financial institution.
As commencement approached, I made a decision to cease operating 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? (On reflection, 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 artistic 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 handle it. It was about demystifying the customarily opaque world of this nook of the monetary providers sector.
I wrote a handful of posts about what hedge funds have been earlier than I bought so bored of writing about investing that it began feeling like work. I deserted it.
A Girl in London
A number of months later I give up 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 strategy to keep up a correspondence with household and associates again dwelling. Skilled running a blog didn’t actually exist again then, and I by no means imagined my new one can be something however a passion.
Within the two months main as much as my transfer, I wrote about my visa course of, pleasure in regards to the prospect dwelling abroad, and close-to-home adventures across the Bay Space.
After I bought to London, I lined subjects like flat looking, getting arrange as an expat, and my early explorations of 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 an incredible time touring to totally different European international locations each weekend after I was on the continent in school, and I wished to do it once more. I did.
Again then flights have been cheaper than water, and my associates 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 distant.
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 really about international journey. However London was my past love, and I by no means thought to alter the title.
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 possibly can monetize, too.
I made it my New 12 months’s decision to give up my job in 2010 and begin operating 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 bought caught abroad attributable to heavy snow. However I made my decision occur and I’ve by no means appeared again.
Immediately the A Girl in London weblog is acknowledged as one of many prime journey blogs within the UK. I’m happy with the arduous work I’ve put in and the enterprise I’ve constructed.
There have been huge ups and downs over time (don’t get me began on how tough it was to make a dwelling from a journey weblog in 2020), however it’s been an journey I’ll all the time treasure. It nonetheless is. I can’t wait to see what the longer term 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 may 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), however 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 school associates who inspired me to start out running a blog means again in 2002, my followers and subscribers for supporting me alongside the way in which, 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 longer term brings. I hope you’ll come together with me for the running a blog adventures which are but to return.
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