Friday, November 14, 2008

Is Anybody Out There?

I had an epiphany the other day. While walking down the street thinking about how I couldn't wait to get home and catch up on my fellow travel bloggers' work, I realized that, while their locations, subjects and writing styles differ, they all have one major thing in common. Each and every one of the writers I follow is a North American who is living or planning to live abroad. From Yankee in a New World, to Nomadic Matt, Christine from Almost Fearless, Greg and his Esoteric Globe, Gillian and Jason taking their One Giant Step, and even my college friends, Erin and Lou, hanging out in Dublin, they have all originated from the same land mass and spread out into the big, wide world. It made me wonder: where are all the non-New World travel bloggers?

I love to travel and I love to read about others who do the same. Following travel blogs lets me learn about foreign countries and cultures, get travel tips from those in the know, and stay in touch with like-minded individuals. But I'd also like to see the world through eyes much more different than my own. What's it like to be a Japanese man or woman living in Europe? Or a Brazilian in China? Better yet, what's it like to be from anywhere and living in the United States? I'd love to explore the country I know the best from a different point of view. Such a blog would surely highlight the good, the bad and the ugly, much like my own musings on France, and would provide for a new perspective on life right here at home.

So, if you're out there non-North American travel bloggers, please let me know! I'm dying to hear your stories and reflect on your opinions. Feel free to make your foreigner-in-the-United-States (or anywhere else!) selves known by commenting on this post. I'm sure I won't be the only one who'll be happy you did.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Actually one of my favorite bloggers, Zhu is a French woman, who studied and speaks fluent Mandarin, Spanish and lives in Ottawa, Canada. She's like me, in the opposite direction! I linked to her site with my name, so go on over. =)

Would you like to hear more about my life through Indian eyes? Because I have that perspective, too.

Tanya said...

Thanks, Sasha! That blog is a great find. You should do an article on your blog about being someone of Indian descent in Europe.

julie said...

Hi, Tanya-

I feel the same! I just met a great group of bloggers in Chile, so I'm beginning to dip into their blogs. If you happen to read Spanish, this one is my favorite: http://blog.paloma.cl/

I'm also trying to find some blogs written by Mexicans who aren't expats.

Great topic!