A Pedacito of Our 1-Year Anniversary
One year ago today on May 25th, Michael posed a question to his Facebook friends and followers: "If I created a blog based on my travels, what topics interest you most?" Not long after, he created the first Pedacitos webpage and a single article "A Pedacito of Paracas, Peru." Since then, Michael has created an ever-growing community of storytellers, travelers, and individuals who are passionate about their experiences with the world around them.
In honor of our first birthday, our storytellers have shared why they joined Pedacitos Blog and what this community means to them.
Michael Acevedo | Founder of Pedacitos
Hello Friends,
What a year it has been! During the middle of a global pandemic, with no travel in sight, I started Pedacitos Blog as a way to relive my personal travel experiences and share them as short stories with the world. From the very beginning, I knew that Pedacitos Blog was not going to just be a “travel blog”, I had dreams of this being a community where we can all share our unique perspectives with one another with the goal of blurring cultural and geographical boundaries - we are doing just that!
We are reaching thousands of people each month through our informative and inspirational storytelling, and we have some exciting plans for expanding our reach and broadening our community. I’d like to personally thank you for believing in our WHY and being part of our community. As we look toward the future, I am confident that we will continue to inform and inspire one another through our personal storytelling and that our community will grow to unfathomable numbers.
I thank you for being here, for being authentically you, and for doing your part to help this community grow.
Many Thanks,
Michael
Want to read Michael's stories? You can check them out here!
Alex Gerlach | Marketing and Communications Manager
"After being laid off in January, I was looking for ways to turn my unemployment into an opportunity. I saw a job posting for a freelance travel writer for Pedacitos and thought it would be a great way to get involved in new forms of writing. After speaking with Michael, I learned that Pedacitos was more than just a travel blog and was inspired by his message. Now, I'm a proud contributor to our wonderful collection of stories alongside helping spread the Pedacitos mission."
Click here to learn more about Alex and her worldly experiences.
Melissa Lipari | Social Media Manager
"After graduating college in December, I started my journey as a Freelance Writer during one of the most difficult job markets we've ever experienced. When I saw the ad for writers on Pedacitos Blog, I felt inspired by the company message and sense of community that was being built– it truly felt like fate. Fast forward to a few months of writing for Pedacitos, I was given the opportunity to utilize my other talents to help grow our following and outreach. I'm proud to be a Social Media Manager for such a diverse and inclusive company!"
Check out some of Melissa's stories to learn more about Pennsylvania and the Philly food scene!
Ryle Eddings | Editor
As someone who has lived and worked abroad for the last five years, I am constantly inspired by the people and places I see while traveling. Pedacitosblog.com has given me a community where I can both share my own wanderlust experiences and discover other global destinations through the eyes of fellow writers and travelers. I'm so excited to be a part of this growing network and can't wait to see where the next year takes us!
Ryle has some amazing stories to tell. Click here to read about his rich travel experiences.
Hassan Ansah | Storyteller
"I started out as a photojournalist traveling the world looking for answers from diverse cultures. My evolution has led me to write with Pedacitos blog and articulating my cultural experiences with a more transparent understanding of the world’s many options, as opposed to just reaching definitive conclusions."
You can read about Hassan's unique experiences here.
Emmy Ciabattoni | Storyteller
"I learn so much while I travel; it's one thing to go on that journey by myself, and an entirely new thing to share that kind of knowledge with others. It's priceless. I hope that our audience gets real, true, unfiltered, and unsponsored travel advice in the form of stories.
I hope that the audience is able to stumble upon the same random gems that I have – even if they're not on the hottest lists or the most-liked Instagram posts. There is a lot of undiscovered beauty out there."
Check out some of Emmy's amazing adventures here!
Kay Davis | Storyteller
"When I travel, I love to research the destination to see if there are things I shouldn't miss. Being a part of Pedacitos Blog allows me to share my experiences that will hopefully give the traveler, like me, ideas on places to go, things to see, and people to meet along their travels. I hope to inspire people to look beyond the obvious spots and explore the world even more."
Check out some of Kay's awesome stories!
Anusha Parthasarathy | Storyteller
"I've always been a wanderer and traveler, even if it means just exploring a new part of the city or reading a story about it that I didn't know about. Pedacitos is a great community of travelers who bring all kinds of amazing stories and experiences from across the globe. It's not just a good opportunity for me to talk about the places I've visited and the stories I've collected along the way, but also about learning about other places and building my next 'places to visit' list! That's why I love writing for this blog."
Learn more about Anusha and her experiences with the world here!
Nyda Ahmad | Storyteller
"Wow. I can't believe it's already been a year since the blog started! Maybe because I only joined a couple of months ago... Writing for Pedacitos has been great. It has a really chill vibe where you can tell your stories your way. The photography is gorgeous. This is the travel blog you should be following if you want to read about the "out of the way places", the personal experiences, the stuff that changes lives and perspectives."
Read more about Nyda's worldly experiences here.
Judson Blane | Storyteller
"For so many years and so many trips, it felt like such a shame that I’d come home with all these photos and copious notes about a trip but wouldn’t have anything to do with them. Sure, a few things would get posted to Instagram or Facebook, but it somehow never felt satisfying or the right venue. I’m so excited to be writing for Pedacitos because I finally have an output for all of it. I‘m a total nerd about research when I travel, both historical and cultural, and combined with my linguistics obsession, I’ve always been a natural tour guide, whether my fellow travelers liked it or not. I‘m ecstatic to be able to share some of my own experiences and insights while hopefully encouraging fellow travelers to see the world in a new light and inspire them to have their own unique experiences.
Want to learn more about Judson? Check out some of his experiences abroad.