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.