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I can’t believe it’s been a year already since the day I started this blog! It was Earth Day 2010 and my blogging knowledge was, um, nada!
Six months ago I wrote about how this blog began and the purpose behind it. One thing is for sure; it has come a loooong way from what I ever thought this blog could be.

Now, this year has been incredible, full of travel, and extremely eye-opening. I had no idea how much you could learn and how much you could gain personally by blogging. So, these are 12 things I’ve learned on my countless WordPress-playing hours.
1. To value every person who takes their time to stop by this blog
They are my fuel, inspiration, and drive to keep on doing this. Without them, I would be writing to, um, no one. I always like to express my sincere gratitude for reading, commenting, and participating either here, on Facebook, or even twitter.
Thanks for the love… lost of love back!
2. To be myself, ALWAYS.
What makes this blog unique? Me! So, I’m not afraid to express my own voice and to say when I like something, have mixed feelings of a place, feel lonely on the road, and how I’ve evolved through travel, among others.
Being myself and honest is something I not only apply to blogging, but to life in general.
Also, I’ve learned to…

3. To not be afraid to embarrass myself
I’ve made common mistakes, had accidents, and had embarrassing moments while on the road and not. Sometimes they make funny stories, other times they teach lessons, but they’re all part of the road to here. Chances are other people have experienced the same and I just don’t know it.
4. Other travelers are a great source of inspiration
There are so many inspirational travelers out there. Some of my traveling inspiration comes from them – things to do, places to visit, and even traveling philosophy and styles. There is so much to learn and share in the travel community.
5. People follow people, not just blogs
People follow people, and I want people to follow me if they feel inspired and entertained by my stories, experiences, and by what I have to say. I love it when I have the chance to connect with people on a more personal level through social media, tweetups, or making friends while traveling.

6. To chase my dreams. I only live once!
Ok, ok… I know it’s corny, but it’s true. This blog has been an eye-opener since it has exposed me to many free thinkers out there. It’s easy to settle for comfortable (and at one point I did), but to truly be happy in life; I need to chase my dreams (even if they sound crazy to others).
7. I lose nothing by asking
I started this journey without an ounce of blogging knowledge. At times I was afraid of asking simple things for fear of sounding stupid, but I still asked. 99% of the time I got the answer I wanted and stupidity was not an issue.
The same thing goes for getting sponsorship, and other travel-related stuff. So, if you want something, ask.
8. I’ve learned about myself by learning about the world
It’s funny how I’ve learned about myself while traveling. Not only I’ve learned things on a personal level – what makes me tick and not – but also a few random details like my name is the Spanish version of a German name, and part of my ancestry is Jewish. Yikes, that would have been very conflicting during the 1930s and ’40s.

9. The world is a beautiful place; I should always take a minute (actually, more than a minute) to enjoy it
The world is out there to be explored. It would be a shame not to enjoy it and experience it. I plan to explore it the most possible and to get the most out of it.
10. There is so much power in social media, but just being online doesn’t cut it. There are offline potentials too.
Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms have been great to spread the word, but spreading the word is not enough, connections have to be made, and a sense of community has to be created.
My fellow travel bloggers from yTravelBlog are great at this, and I admire them so much for their impressive work. Kudos!
Also, “blogging connections” are not only virtual; the offline travel community is as vibrant offline as it is online.

11. People are more interested in the mix of architecture and travel than what I imagined
Obviously, since I’m an architect, I’ve had the intention of mixing and matching both of my passions: travel and architecture. At first, I wasn’t sure what would be the response, but it has been a great match and one that I love doing and intend to explore even more.
12. To not give up! Ever!
Nothing comes quick or easy, and when it does, it can go as quickly as it came. If I want something, I have to work for it. The world owes me nothing.
I’m giving it my all in order to succeed.
What have you learned from blogging?

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