I am having a great time becoming a part of a larger blogging community. I would like to thank all of you who read my blog. A very special thank you to secretsofatrailingspouse for following me, and for nominating me for the Liebster Award. She is an expat wife and mother who is having some wonderful adventures in Brunei. You can find a link to her blog here.

The rules of Liebster Award are:

Acknowledge and link back to the person who nominated you.
Answer the 11 questions asked by the person who nominated you.
Share 11 random facts about yourself.
Nominate 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers.
Give your nominees 11 questions to answer on their blog when they post about the Liebster Award

Here are the answers to the 11 questions asked me by secretsofatrailingspouse.

1. Why did you start blogging?

After the birth of my 4th child, having had a c-section, I was feeling somewhat depressed and cut-off from the rest of the world. I knew it would be a while before I could travel again, and I spent some of my recovery time watching shows about travel. Two of my favorites were “Travel with Kids” and “Word Travels”. I started thinking about writing about travel. I thought it would be great to build an online community with fellow travelers. They really are the best resources for places to go, stay, eat and experiences that are a little off the beaten path.

2. Where in the world would you most like to live?

This is a really tough question. I think the best answer for me is to have several properties throughout the world. We could spend a part of the year at each of them. Some of our ideal locations would be New York City, Hong Kong, Venice, Costa Rica, and maybe Malta.

3. What is the best travel advice anyone has ever given you? Or, what piece of travel advice would you like to share?

When we started having children, we decided to keep traveling, and to stay as close to a backpacking travel style as possible with young children in tow. Children learn from their parents’ examples. Our children are becoming amazing travelers because we spend time preparing for our travels, both in setting expectations and teaching them something about the country we are going to visit. I think this makes all the difference in their excitement level, and good behavior on the trip. Cherish the time you travel together as a family.

4. If you were stranded in an airport for a day, what book would you most like to have with you?

If I was by myself, it would probably be the “Lord of the Rings”. What can I say. I’m a little bit of a fantasy/scifi nerd. If my children were with me, I would probably have some collection of books by Julia Donaldson and maybe some of the “Chronicles of Narnia”.

5. What is your worst holiday experience?

Shortly after we were married my husband and I took a trip to Trinidad and Tobago. We were married during a very brief break in his schooling, and didn’t have time for a honeymoon right after our wedding. This trip was supposed to be sort of a delayed honeymoon. Our second night in Tobago we both got horrible food poisoning. We spent three days in a beautiful hotel room right by the beach throwing up. We were so weak at the end of our trip that we could barely hobble a mile to see Argyle Falls. Older British couples in their fifties kept passing us. We were happy to be home from that trip.

6. Can you speak a second language?

Not really. I know a few phrases in French, and a few in Spanish, but I can’t really say I speak a second language.

7. What is the best thing about the place where you currently live?

The weather. It is comfortable to eat outside for most of the year. There are a few cold weeks in January (meaning it gets down into the 40’s F during the day). The summer is hot, but a glorious time for swimming.

8. Describe your ideal day in no more than ten words.

Solitude. Exploration. Shared experiences. Dance. Beach time. Family bonding togetherness.

9. What inspires you?

My children. My husband. Artists and dancers. Those who don’t hold themselves back, but bravely reach for their dreams and live their lives the way they want.

10. Do you have a pet hate? (I.e. something which really annoys you, not a pet you hate!)

I really dislike when people overuse catchphrases in their communication, instead of taking the time and effort to find their own words.

11. Post a link to your favourite blog.

Picking one favorite is really difficult, but I love the quote from C.S. Lewis on the About page of this blog:

Rooted Wanderings

It describes how I feel about a lot of the art and choreography that is produced, which seems to be for shock value and without any intrinsic worth.

11 Random Facts About Myself:

• I have lived in 7 different states, and never in the same place for more than 4 years.
• My husband and I originally met in a Latin Ballroom Dance Class.
• In high school I played the flute for marching band, and the bassoon for wind ensemble.
• I was an extra in a movie once while in college.
• I am the only one of five siblings who lives in a different state than my parents.
• I used to teach at a liberal arts college.
• I like to play volleyball.
• I dragged my husband on stage to dance during a Pink Martini concert.
• I am a CMA, a certified movement analyst.
• I’ve been to more rock concerts as an adult than I did as a teenager.
• I want to take my family to all the Disney Parks in the world.

Here are 11 questions for my nominees.

1. What song would be your theme song?
2. What is your worst food related travel experience?
3. What is your most recent nightmare?
4. Would you prefer a trip to the mountains or the beach, and why?
5. If there were no monetary constraints, what would you spend your life doing?
6. What was your favorite cartoon as a child?
7. Describe a disappointing experience.
8. Describe an exhilarating experience.
9. What is your favorite holiday and why?
10. What is your favorite form of exercise? Yoga, running, weight lifting, etc…
11. What do you find most rewarding about writing your blog?

And now, the nominees:

Rooted Wanderings

My House Talks

Book Urchin

Truly, Madly, Italy

Neroli Speaks

Culinary Creations by Katie

Katie is Running

Sunshine and Showers