Liebster Blog Award Nomination

My dear readers,

Please use this post as an opportunity to get to know me and everything I stand for.

I am beyond thrilled to announce that I have been nominated for the Liebster Award by The Trekking Cat. Thank you so much for this nomination… I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.

The Liebster Award is a great tool used to recognize new bloggers for their hard work and dedication to blogging. Beyond that, it’s a great way to share upcoming blogs and get a feel for the face behind up and coming blogs.

This award is one that is passed down from blogger to blogger. Once nominated, the nominated blogger must answer 10 questions he or she is given. They must  then nominate new blogs and propose 10 new questions to them.

When nominated:

1. Thank the Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog
2. Link back to the blogger who awarded you
3. Copy & Paste the award to your blog
4. Answer the questions you were given & share ten facts about yourself
5. Nominate 5 blogs to receive the award (must have less than 3000 followers)
6. Let them know of their nomination!

My Responses to the 10 Questions I was asked:

What inspired you to start travel blogging?

My mother is a travel agent, so I have always been in love with travel. My first trip was to the Bahamas at the age of 18 months. When I started to travel on my own, I would constantly have to tell family and friends the stories of my travels over and over. I realized I had great stories to tell, and I needed an outlet to do it. So I started to blog… Then my mother came to me with the idea of sharing not only my stories, but travel tips and resources as well. That was how Jet-setting Spirit was born!

What do you take into account when looking at accommodation for travel? (Budget? Location? Etc.)

I look at location, safety, and then budget (in that order). If luxury can be included at a decent price, I will incorporate that as well. I read reviews on TripAdvisor and Yelp! I also search travel blogs for information on destinations. 

Do you travel alone or with buddies? Why?

I try to travel with others. I love being able to share my experiences with my friends and family. They also make great idea boards when writing posts on the go 🙂

What is your style of travel: budget, average, luxury? Why?

I am a combination of the three. I am a fan of luxury conditions, I mean, who isn’t? But I am also realistic. I know that on some trips, my accommodations are only for sleeping, so I will go the budget route. If I a going somewhere that I know is expensive, and will require a larger amount of money for experiences, I’ll stick to the average route.

Share a learning opportunity you’ve had while on travel

When my parents booked a family trip to Playa del Carmen without me, I learned to be spontaneous. I booked a trip the day before departure, packed a backpack, and was on my way. I have never done anything like that before… I am a total planner. So my lesson “go with the flow, if an opportunity presents itself… take it”

What is your ultimate goal for your blog?

This is a hard one. I hope that one day my blog would be a travel resource for travelers of all types (solo, family, budget, luxury) to rely on for advice on where to travel, how to make the most of travel experiences, and what to see in different countries around the world. Who knows where this blog will take me? But I am sticking around to find out…

How often do you travel?

I try to travel at least once a month. I get restless at home. However, recently, I have been traveling once every 2 weeks.

What mistakes have you made along the way with blogging? Would you have done anything differently looking back?

This is a tough one. I guess this isn’t a mistake but in the event I had unlimited time, I would be more organized with my blog posts and engage more with social media. I have learned the importance of this through trial and error!

Photography is a big part of travel blogging. What camera gear do you use for your travel? Any ones you would recommend?

I am currently in the process of learning how to use a GoPro and a Nikon camera… currently most of my pictures are taken on my handy-dandy iPhone 6S (god bless iCloud storage!)

Besides blogging, do you do other freelance work or perhaps carry on another job?

I am going to be featured on The Huffington Post soon, and hopefully will continue to do more freelance work!

Since I just graduated from college, I have a lot of time on my hands and am working at three part-time jobs (I am a nanny, substitute teacher, and swim school coordinator!) Thankfully, all of my part-time jobs are very flexible with my travels! 

My 10 fun facts are:

• I speak fluent Russian
• I have lived in Chicago my entire life
• I did rhythmic gymnastics for nine years
• I love spicy food but I hate how  a jalapeno feels in my mouth
• I have never seen the homes my parents grew up in, but I want to some day
• I have shattered a bone in my toe before
• I have a pet turtle named Clara who is 19 years old
• My favorite cuisine is Thai
• I have a goal to travel to every continent (does the Middle East count as Asia? Cause then I have 3/6 down)
• I believe that travel is the most important experience a person can have

My 5 Nominees are:

1.  A Friend Afar
2. Tigernuts Travels
3. Luxury Travel Diva
4. What Emily Does
5. Blissful Vagabond

My 10 Questions for my Nominees are:

1. What was your first blog post about?
2. What was the first international trip you went on? How old are you?
3. What made you start blogging? Is it a career for you or a hobby?
4. Where do you hope to see your blog in 5 years?
5. What is your favorite movie? Why?
6. How do you manage your time when blogging? Do you have another job outside of blogging?
7. What is your dream trip? Where would you go, how long would you stay, what would you do?
8. How often do you travel?
9. What is the one item you would want with you if you were on a deserted island with no cell reception or wifi?
10. What is your favorite thing to do outside of blogging?