The world in Chicago for Travel Blog Exchange ’09 conference
July 28, 2009
Flight attendant blogger Heather Poole (www.gadling.com and www.HeatherPoole.com) and 'round-the-world blogger Matt Kepnes (www.nomadicmatt.com) shared thoughts on "Creating a Lively and Successful Travel Blog" during one of TBEX '09's lively panel discussions.
When you’re a writer, there’s nothing like surrounding yourself with likeminded people to get and stay inspired. And this past Sunday, I found inspiration that’ll keep me jazzed for weeks and months to come at Travel Blog Exchange ’09, a fabulous (and FREE, thanks to generous sponsors!) daylong conference in downtown’s Chicago Cultural Center. About 100 veteran and newbie travel bloggers (I’m one of the latter) from all across the globe (they came from as far away as Laos and Chile!) showed up for an incredible day of panel discussions on everything from whether travel blogs and travel journalism should be held to the same standards (of course, this reporter says YES!) to creating compelling podcasts and video for our sites. The event was organized by bloggers extraordinaire Kim Mance and Debbie Dubrow and hosted by Travel Blog Exchange, which functions as a virtual meetinghouse for all things blog- and travel-related, and gives those of us with specific passions (such as Bloggers Based in Europe, Solo Travelers, Vegetarian and Vegan Travel) a forum for interacting and sharing across hemispheres and global time zones.
And while the info exchanged and shared was great, even BETTER was the chance to meet a super-cool, smart and worldly group of bloggers and journalists who sleep, drink and eat travel and see that as a way to connect us all in ways that probably seemed impossible just 10 years ago. The Travel Blog Exchange Web site says it best: travel bloggers and writers “are a unique breed of people, part explorer, part chronicler, all insatiable curiosity.”
Since TBEX, I’ve checked out their fabulous blogs, gotten big-time encouragement about UrbanTravelGirl, and even found myself invited to Santiago, Chile, by a fellow blogger who lives in this South American city. (Anyone who knows me well knows never to extend an invitation unless you REALLY want me to show up… because I WILL!)
Over time, I’ll be asking some of these incredible folks to “guest blog” here on UrbanTravelGirl, sharing their perspectives about why global connections are so critical, especially now in our increasingly small world.
Going to events like these helps me remember why I LOVE travel, why I’m willing to spend most of my disposable dollars to see the world – and they remind me of the power of WORDS. As someone who writes not just for a salary but because it’s the most soul-fulfilling work I know, it was the best possible way to spend a Sunday in Sweet Home Chicago.
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18 Comments Leave a Comment
1.
Fly Girl | July 30, 2009 at 2:29 pm
TBEX was great, I don’t think it would have been envisioned even 5 years ago. The web has changed so much about how we live.
2.
KMc | July 30, 2009 at 2:50 pm
i am totally loving your travel blog! it’s wonderful seeing how passionate you are about exploring the world – and how fearlessly you do it! if you ever do decide to head to chile – keep me posted, i’ve been looking at combining a trip to chile and argentina.
3.
urbantravelgirl | July 30, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Ciao, KMc –
So glad you (virtually) stopped by! Yes, now that I’m 40 I’m ALL about being fearless. I will SURELY let you know when I’m headed to South America. I absolutely love Buenos Aires and have a good friend there (one of the guys from my “Check, Please!” show) … and since my new travel blog buddy invited me to Chile, I say, VAMANOS!
4.
urbantravelgirl | July 30, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Fly Girl, since I’m a newbie to travel blogging — and the TBEX conference was so great — I figured these cool “meetups” had been going on for awhile. I was psyched to see those of you who’d been tweeting and exchanging blog posts over the years got to finally hook up in person! Can’t wait for next year’s!
5.
enchantedtraveler | July 31, 2009 at 9:04 am
Hi Maureen, it was great to meet you Sunday at TBEX. I love your blog, and your spirit. It’s hard for those who don’t have the “travel bug” to understand us, but we understand each other!
Can’t wait to hear more about your adventures, and let’s plan a trip back to the south of France!
Mary Ann
http://www.enchanted-traveler.com
@enchantedtravel
6.
jessiev | July 31, 2009 at 9:49 am
tbex was so much fun, but i regret not meeting so many people – including you! the room was too crowded and there wasn’t enough time, eh?! great summary!
7.
urbantravelgirl | July 31, 2009 at 10:02 am
Mary Ann,
SO glad Heather Poole connected us @ TBEX! You’re right… not everyone “gets” the I-wish-I-could-travel-overseas-all-the-time” thing… but that’s what this blog and conferences like Travel Blog Exchange are for. Yes, let’s certainly keep in touch and exchange some France stories soon! A la prochaine….
8.
urbantravelgirl | July 31, 2009 at 10:06 am
Hey there, Jessie — so sorry we didn’t get a chance to meet @ TBEX this weekend. But thanks a bunch for visiting my blog. I just checked out yours and saw that gorgeous photo of a Tuscan villa at the top… talk about the way to my heart! I’ll have to go back and visit when I have more time.
Anyone out there who’s got a travel blog or wants to start one should totally check out http://www.travelblogexchange.com and start meeting folks through it… and stay tuned for what we HOPE will become an annual conference. And maybe next time they’ll make it two days long!
9.
kellyecarter | August 7, 2009 at 8:58 pm
You always find the coolest events! Glad this one was so useful. And I do know you will be in Chile as soon as you can work it out with your schedule.
10.
urbantravelgirl | August 8, 2009 at 10:00 am
Hey, Kelly! I’ve been super-lucky this summer that both the Travel Blog Exchange and Writers & Editors One-on-One Magazine Writers’ Conference were both here in Chicago — and both literally down the street from where I live! And it cost only a ride on my company-paid-for CTA bus pass to get there.
But you’re right — I WILL be trying to get to Chile by “hook or by crook,” as they say. And it’s nowhere I would have thought of visiting before. Such is the joy of meeting folks from literally all over the world at these events.
11.
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