Faraway Files #17

TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY

Let’s build communitY

We believe no matter who you are, where you’re from, who you love or who you worship – we all belong. The world is more beautiful the more you accept.”
– #weaccept, Airbnb

The above Airbnb advertisement aired this past Sunday on the largest screen available in the United States. It was played during the National Football League’s coverage of the Superbowl championship. And whether or not you are a fan of American football has nothing to do with the message that Airbnb continues to passionately endorse – that the world is a better place when we accept that our differences are part of what make us beautiful.

I concur.

Let’s share beautiful.

FAVORITES WEEK #16

There were so many beautiful posts linked up by our Faraway Files community last week. Missed them? Don’t worry – click here to catch up over on cohost Clare’s Suitcases and Sandcastles blog.

My personal favorites brought both beauty and a smile. I loved this post from Keri at Ladies What Travel about the fun street art in the George Town neighborhood of Penang, Malaysia. I adore how real objects are incorporated into the murals and create a true sense of joie de vivre for the area and its visitors. Hold on tight – it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

STREET ART IN GEORGE TOWN, PENANG | MALAYSIA | Ladies What Travel

Jonny from The Adventures of Daisy the Bus shared his family’s outing to the Open Air Museum near Amsterdam in The Netherlands. I adore the pure wonder on his daughter’s face as she learned to knit under the watchful attention of this volunteer Dutch gramma. In Denmark – we call that hygge.

THE NEDERLAND’S OPENLUCHT MUSEUM | The Adventures of Daisy the Bus

Jumping across the channel, we welcomed another Faraway Files newcomer – Jo from Where Jo Goes. I loved her post about lovely little Lacock in Wiltshire, England. Listen to me – like I know where Wiltshire is! Guaranteed – I looked it up posthaste after reading of its charm. A classic English village – put on a cuppa and take a look.

LACOCK, WILTSHIRE: TOP 5 THINGS TO DO | Where Jo Goes

And if you prefer your cup with something a little stronger – check out Curious Pixie’s things to do in Vegas to rock your trip. And while Sima can show you where to get a cocktail and how to maneuver a casino – she goes beyond and offers a balanced approach to Sin City with suggestions to see the Grand Canyon as well as the classic neon museum. I’m in love.

LAS VEGAS: 7 ABSOLUTE MUST DOS TO ROCK YOUR TRIP | The Curious Pixie

Where will you take us this week? Me? I can’t believe that it took me writing a post about why to take your kids to the Caribbean for it to finally snow in Copenhagen! The differences are both beautiful. #Weaccept.

FARAWAY FILES TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY LINKUP #14
WANT TO JOIN IN?

We’d love you to join us in building this supportive and growing community who will inspire and share each other’s posts. All three hosts will try to read and comment on every post and we’ll share them on social media too. Each week we’ll choose our favorites and highlight them on our blogs and social media channels using #FarawayFiles.

HOW IT WORKS:
  • Link up one travel-related post and add the Faraway Files badge onto the post or your blog (code below) or link back to the hosts.
  • The link up will go live every Thursday at 8 am UK time (9 am, CET) until midnight on Friday. It will alternate between Untold Morsels, Suitcases and Sandcastles, and Oregon Girl around the World.
  • Link ups work best if everyone shares so please comment on all three of the hosts’ posts and at least two others.
 
I’M HOSTING THIS WEEK |  OREGON GIRL AROUND THE WORLD
TWEET US YOUR POSTS

(@suitandsand, @UntoldMorsels, @oregongirlworld) using the hashtag #FarawayFiles and we’ll retweet to our followers.

SHARE TRAVEL IMAGES ON INSTAGRAM

Tag @FarawayFiles and #FarawayFiles – and we’ll repost our favorites.


WE’LL PIN YOUR LINKS

We are posting each week’s links on community Pinterest page – join in over there.


FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Find Faraway Files on Facebook. Like us. We’ll like your page. We’re friendly that way.

GRAB BADGE CODE HERE:
Oregon Girl Around the World
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Weekly Travel Blog Community Linkup

Faraway Files #15

TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY

HEJ! From Oregon this week.

Yes. You heard me. Oregon Girl was in Oregon this week. It has been awesome. A quick celebration of a with a friend for her 40th and a check in with family was just what January needed.

Faraway Files is a quick one for me this week – around the world and back, prioritizing time with my peeps.

A heartfelt thank you for those who linked up last week. We had lots of great posts. The following though, were my faves.

FAVORITES WEEK #14

Chiera from Young and Undecided blog has started a fabulous new series on her blog called “Women who Wander,” encouraging women to seek out solo travel. Empowering and inspiring, I applaud and support this idea and hope to see more from other women around the world.

WOMEN WHO WANDER | MEG’S SOLO EXPAT LIFE IN MALAYSIA | Young and Undecided

Bumble Bee Mum shows us the power of teaching our kids about ecology and environment on an eco-vacation. Singaporean city kids get hands on education while having fun on the island of Bintan. Go Mama!

A FUN-FILLED FAMILY ECO-VACATION | BINTAN ISLAND, MALAYSIA | Bumble Bee Mum

And lastly, Phoebe from Lou Messugo helps remind us that when it feels like the world has left us lemons, we might as well make them into awesome displays! Check out the Lemon Festival in the south of France. I love this Viking ship made of citrus. Of course I do! You knew I would right?

FÊTE DU CITRON | MENTON FRANCE | Lou Messugo Blog

This week I want to take you under the sea. Come discover Scuba Diving with our whole family in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Want to join our growing and giving and engaging flock of travel blogging friends? Read on fellow traveler.

FARAWAY FILES TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY LINKUP #14

WANT TO JOIN IN?

We’d love you to join us in building this supportive and growing community who will inspire and share each other’s posts. All three hosts will try to read and comment on every post and we’ll share them on social media too. Each week we’ll choose our favorites and highlight them on our blogs and social media channels using #FarawayFiles.

HOW IT WORKS:
  • Link up one travel-related post and add the Faraway Files badge onto the post or your blog (code below) or link back to the hosts.
  • The link up will go live every Thursday at 8 am UK time (9 am, CET) until midnight on Friday. It will alternate between Untold Morsels, Suitcases and Sandcastles, and Oregon Girl around the World.

LINK UP OVER AT UNTOLD MORSELS THIS WEEK

  • Link ups work best if everyone shares so please comment on all three of the hosts’ posts and at least two others.
TWEET US YOUR POSTS

(@suitandsand, @UntoldMorsels, @oregongirlworld) using the hashtag #FarawayFiles and we’ll retweet to our followers.

SHARE TRAVEL IMAGES ON INSTAGRAM

Tag @FarawayFiles and #FarawayFiles – and we’ll repost our favorites.


WE’LL PIN YOUR LINKS

We are posting each week’s links on community Pinterest page – join in over there.


FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Find Faraway Files on Facebook. Like us. We’ll like your page. We’re friendly that way.

Grab badge code here:
Untold Morsels
Faraway Files Travel Blog Community Linkup hosted by Oregon Girl Around the World, Suitcases and Sandcastles, Untold Morsels

Faraway Files #7

TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY 

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
– Mark Twain

This is one of my favorite quotes. Never have I ever believed it to be so true. And don’t worry, you don’t have to move all the way around the world to feel and see and understand the benefit that travel brings to your corner of the world. Just open your mind. Let your heart explore. Let’s travel together. That’s what Faraway Files Travel Blog Community is all about. Educating. Illuminating. Sparking interest.

To travel. To experience. To see. To learn.

Last week on our Faraway Files travel community linkup – we were taken many places. Shown exceptional and unique corners of the world from the beautiful perspectives of our engaged and growing travel community. There was #swoonworthy photography. Excellent writing. I was happy for the education and inspiration.

Take me somewhere this week. Show me your faraway place. Didn’t travel this week? Don’t worry. Your own backyard may be just the faraway sought by someone else. Illuminate us. Build our world garden.

JOIN US

Faraway Files is a weekly travel blog community link up hosted by Katy from Untold Morsels, Erin from Oregon Girl around the World and Clare from Suitcases and Sandcastles. Continue reading “Faraway Files #7”

Introducing Faraway Files – A New Travel Blog Community

When I began blogging nearly two years ago I was motivated to share stories about my experiences living in Denmark and travels abroad. In the beginning my followers were friends and family – mostly my mom. Thanks mom! In that same time, my biggest surprise and delight in this process was discovering an incredible online community of like minded people from all corners of the globe. Today I engage with people around the world. It is amazing. I never dreamed that there would be so many who would be interested in my stories and share their own, inspiring me daily. Last month I was lucky enough to meet two of these people in person. In real life. In London. At the Royal Academy of Art. If you know me – all of these things make me very happy. Meeting interesting people while traveling and seeing art? Yes. Yes and YES. Oh. And bubbles. There may have been bubbles involved. Only one – I promise! We were working! On something cool. Together.

Today I want to introduce you to Katy – an Australian blogger living in London and author of Untold Morsels. And Clare Thomson – a British ex-journalist now blogger in Kent who writes at Suitcases and Sandcastles. Katy is saucy and savvy and knows how to manuever epic travel with twin toddlers in tow. It is impressive especially when you see where she takes them – from Italian lakes and Swiss alps to Melbourne and back. Clare is truly the nicest and brings a detail oriented yet approachable style to her posts about real castles and sandy islands – from the UK to the Greek isles and spots in between. I appreciate her honesty and trust her opinion, knowing it is fully vetted and thoroughly experienced both with her kids and without.

What drew us together online and was confirmed in person is a common love for a slower pace of travel. We share a desire to explore places deeper. A need to connect on a local level. We three are also interested in creating community. Here online and out there in the world. It is our goal to create a space where people can seek out inspiration and information and new destinations. We immediately agreed that this space had to be supportive and collaborative and welcoming. We hope you find that it is. Without further ado – I am beyond excited to introduce our new weekly blog link up and invite you to travel along. Add your post. Read others. Join us. This is Faraway Files.




Welcome to Faraway Files
, the new travel link up hosted by Katy from Untold Morsels, Clare from Suitcases and Sandcastles and myself at Oregon Girl around the World

This is the place to link up your travel posts every Thursday. We want to make Faraway Files a great resource for all of us and create a weekly file of the best travel ideas on the web. We want to dream of faraway places, to make new travel plans and share our travel secrets. Inspire us to travel to places we’ve never considered before or revisit a place we thought we knew. We know that you can feel faraway even when you’re close to home so share your experiences of travels near and far wherever you are in the world.

We’d love you to join us in building a really supportive community who will inspire us all and share each other’s posts. All three of us will try to read and comment on every post and we’ll share them on social media too. Each week we’ll choose our favourites and highlight them on our blogs.

How it works:

  • Link up one travel-related post and add the Faraway Files badge onto the post or your blog (code below) or link back to the hosts.
  • Link ups work best if everyone shares so please comment on all three of the hosts’ posts and at least one other.
  • We’ll be sharing all our favourite posts on our social media channels using #FarawayFiles.
  • We’ll be adding your posts to our Faraway Files Pinterest board so do ask if you’d like to join us there.
  • Love Instagram? Share your favourite photos from your posts with us, tagging #FarawayFiles and we’ll add our favourites to our Faraway Files Instagram feed.
Faraway Files
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.untoldmorsels.com/welcome-faraway-files/" rel="nofollow" title="Faraway Files"><img src="//oregongirlaroundtheworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/faraway_files_travel_blog_linkup_badge.jpg" alt="Faraway Files" style="border: none; height: auto; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
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Let’s connect with #FarawayFiles

faraway_files_pinterest_travel_blog_community

The Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

When I started this blog, oh so many months ago ;), it was really just a cathartic way for me to be able to communicate as a newly expatriated American living in Denmark. A way to absolve a wee bit of the isolation I was feeling not speaking the language, nor really getting the local customs and not knowing anyone yet. I thought it could be a place to share my new experiences with friends and family from my “from.” And it has been. What I didn’t realize was that it would open up another new community and a different sense of belonging and sharing. There is a whole community out there who are doing THE EXACT SAME THING as me. Well, ok, maybe not the EXACT same thing – we all like to think that we are unique and different and special (unless you live in Denmark, because here we’re all part of the unique and different and special WHOLE.)

But honestly, I wish I had started writing long before actually expatriating. It would have been a cathartic part of the process. I believe it would have eased some of the initial frustrations knowing that many, many, many others had gone through or were going through similar scenarios. Just trying their hardest to create a new normal, fit in, connect, learn and explore in their new news. And if you have found your way here to this post because you are the one embarking on this road of expatriation as the “trailing spouse” or “expat partner” –  I can’t recommend highly enough reading The Expat Partner’s Survival Guide by Clara Wiggins. You are NOT alone! I am helping road test the new book – a few more insider bits about Oregon Girl (see our link here!). Expat Partner's Survival Guide

But Clara is just one of the many expats I have met recently. Some near and some far, we share similar experiences that connect us – whether here in Denmark, or further afield. I have truly enjoyed participating in the newly establishing My Expat Family twitter chats (#myexpatfamily) and connecting about common experiences, even gleaning some advice to enhance life here in my evolving new. Come join us – read more about how to link up and join in the fun over at Seychelles mama.

Relatively new to the blogosphere, I am not new to exploring social media. 4 years ago, I downloaded this little app called “Instagram” (you might know it). Instagram now isn’t the same experience as when I first joined, but I really don’t mind the evolution. There is space for us all on Instagram. (Find me here on IG.) I will admit that instantly while using the app and meeting a new virtual community, I knew that I wanted a little more – I wanted to interact face to face with this new community. Lucky for me – in Portland, Oregon – one of the very first regularly meeting Instagroups had already started monthly meetups. Many around me didn’t really get why I would was interested in getting to know “strangers” I met online (or on my iPhone.) On one level, it was me pushing myself outside of my comfort zone – meeting new people I would not normally have had exposure to. On another level, it was a place to meet like-minded individuals doing the same thing – interested in exploring the visual spaces around them. (Sensing a pattern here?) Some of my very good friends that I was very sad to leave were connected through the Portland Instagram Group.https://instagram.com/oregongirl_aroundtheworld/

One of my new blogging friends – Angie Americana (check out her expat experiences over at The Stereotypical American) recently nominated me for a blogging award. What?! An award? In my head, I envision a huge box with “FRAGILE” written on it being delivered to my door (“It must be Italian!”) and I like to tell my family that I won a “…major award!” Maybe I shouldn’t liken this blog love to fish-netted plastic leg lamp, because in all sincerity, I DO appreciate the blog love. And the fact that I have garnered readers outside my wee circle back in my “from,” is something right? Worth an award, I’d say. So thank you Angie! Now I really think we must meet in person as we’re both American Expats in Denmark and I really want to learn how to make homemade tortillas. (And she’s an EAGLES fan! I’m already planning communal cheesesteaks in the dark winter months and streaming NFL! Ok – I may have gotten ahead of myself.)

So no traveling pants, but I was nominated for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award!

Here are the guidelines:

1)Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you and link them in your post.
2) Answer the ten questions you have been sent.
3) Come up with 10 questions of your own.
4) Spread the love and nominate up to 10 bloggers!

Ok. So here it goes! THANK YOU ANGIE!

Angie’s Questions for Me:

1) What was the best gift you have ever received?

Quick qualifier – all of the brilliant questions put out by Angie were very thought-provoking and not simple to answer, so I’m going with first responses – top of mind – what jumped in first. I have received many, many awesome and amazing gifts over my life – but first to pop in when responding to this question was my 40th birthday trip to Paris with my husband. It took some secrecy, some communal accommodation (thank you mom for agreeing to watch my three kids!) and clearly expressed wish lists! I used to say that my “dream trip” (we didn’t call it a bucket list) would be to fly on the Concord to Paris and see the Kirov Ballet perform Swan Lake at the Paris Opera House. Turns out the Concord no longer exists and Paris Ballet is equally as excellent. For my 40th birthday, I got to see Swan Lake in PARIS. Sigh. Tears. Champagne. Dream lived. Sigh. Ahhh.

2) If you could steal anybody’s closet (celebrity, tv/movie character, blogger, etc), whose would you want and why?

This one is tough for me as I am not one to covet famous peoples’ anything. I appreciate a well-heeled celeb (as long as she isn’t creating a name for herself for the wrong reasons) and look to fashion magazines more for the inspiring photography than what designer to buy next. I do appreciate Danish design and fashion, but also appreciate the high value placed on thrifted and repurposed “vintage” finds here. I don’t think I can point to a specific one closet here for this answer. I’m a dabbler, call me a chameleon, the world is a stage and I like finding the next costume to “perform” in.

3) If you were an actor, would you rather be cast as the hero or the villain and why?

I was never an “actor,” but I did grow up performing. Many many years in the ballet (does the wish list make more sense now?) and symphony, I loved being on stage – just not speaking on stage. So I would never choose to be the hero or the villain as defined by those would be “Best Actor” nominated roles. My gut response is – I wouldn’t mind receiving “a major award” for the Best Supporting Actress in a role that was surrounded in mystery, shrouded in ambiguity – is she good or is she bad? We can’t tell… YET. Snarky and surreptitious potentially, the quirky one, the colorful one. Starts off as an unknown and in her little way somehow helps the hero win the day in a subtle and did that just happen kind of way?

4) If you were a singer, what would your debut album by called?

Oregon Girl – duh.

5) What was your favorite childhood cartoon?

This is going to date me. But “Super Friends.” It was on ABC Saturday morning cartoons in the 80’s. “Super Twins to the rescue” anyone? “Form of?” “An eagle!” “A bucket of water!”  I told you it would date me.

6) What company(ies) would you love to be a brand representative for?

Anthropologie. I love that store. Or Swedish Hasbeens. I love those.

7) What is your favorite food to cook?

Anything. I love cooking. I’m an excellent baker – my specialty is German Chocolate Cake or a Double Chocolate Ganache cake made with either stout or strong coffee. Yum. But seriously I love making risotto. Something about the slow, slow process (if you have the time) is so soothing and calming and slow and lovely. I put on good music, pour a glass of wine and stir, stir, stir. (Carmelizing onions has the same effect.)

8) What is your favorite holiday and why?

Christmas. For sure. I love the decorations. I love the food. I love the community. Danes call it hygge. It’s cozy and warm and full of friends and family. I can’t wait to celebrate it here this year. Last December was a little harried and discombobulated as we’d only been in Denmark for a couple weeks and in our flat for 10 days. This year – our community extended, we will celebrate our American Christmas love Danish style.

9) What is your biggest pet peeve?

Listening to people eat. I heard though, that is a sign of being creative. Right? It is right?

10) What are your blogging goals for 2015?

More connections and more growing and more exploring and more learning. Above all – keep it fun!

SO – here are my 10 questions for bloggers that I nominate for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award:

I would love to hear from everyone, not just those nominated (seriously if you have it in you to respond – please do! You can just leave your 10 answers in the responses below.) But officially, I nominate the following blogs (in no particular order) – share the love and go check them out!

Seychelles Mama
Life Love and Sausages
Amanda Afield
A Dusty Olive Green
The Copenhagen Tales
Misplaced Brit
Mad About Copenhagen
Eat Sleep Love Travel
Danish Exchange
The Gracious Girl
Delige Days

1. Where are you “from” and how does it color WHERE you are living now?

2. Please share one favorite book and why?

3. Who inspires you creatively?

4. Do you have a favorite place for breakfast? (I love breakfast!)

5. If you could have a second home – where would it be and why?

6. Please describe a pair of shoes that made you feel special!

7. What is your favorite season?

8. Have you had an interaction with a stranger who left an imprint on you?

9. Who is your favorite artist?

10. What are you listening to on repeat lately? (I need new music!)

Thank you Angie for nominating me! And thank you to all the nominees for playing along – can’t wait to see your responses! Cheers from Denmark! Erin