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December 13, 2011

Owning Your Voice

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This site, where I have shared so much with you and in turn have learned so much from you all, has turned 3 years old.

To think that in December of 2008 I simply started writing with the intention of staying connected to our family out-of-state and share with them what our new lives back in NYC from Wisconsin, and with me as a stay at home mom (yes, this was what I was supposed to do) was going to be like.

I was excited to share, but lacked the confidence in my voice, in my ability to interest anyone – even my family – in what I had to say. So, I hid behind the 3rd person. In my very first post I give an insight into my new life; the playground cliques, the changing scene in New York, and my favorite place to visit nearby, Fort Tryon Park, all while hiding behind this persona I had created to shield me from criticism and ridicule.

I thought it silly at the time to be sharing my life via a computer with everyone. I mean, not to date myself, but when I was a kid we called each other on the phone or (gasp!) wrote letters. I had NO IDEA there was this whole world of blogging out there, I had no idea the life changes that have taken place were even possible for us, and I had no idea you would ever care enough to read, and respond, and come back for more.

I wrote about the time I met Barbara, from the fabulous travel blog a Hole in the Donut, and how her words of courage and pride as a female writer forever changed how I would write on this blog. I will never forget it. This is what I wrote in the post where I detail our meeting:

In talking about our paths and what has lead us to travel writing and in sharing with her how I came to blogging, she asked, “Why do you write in the third person?”  I paused.  I realized even before I answered that those ancient reasons seemed silly to me now, 7 months later, but I told her anyway. 

“When I started writing I felt weird about it being all about I, I, I. It didn’t seem believable to me, at the time, that anyone would be interested in what “I” had to say.”  And she looked at me, sharing with me in essence, the importance of women being confident in their writing, how it was this lack of confidence that lead, for example, to such low numbers in female submitted editorial pieces to such giants as The New York Times and others.  She encouraged me, in short, to own my blog and come out  from behind it. – From previously published Adventures at BlogHer 2009

Today, I sit here writing as I have since I met Barbara in 2009, owning my voice, my writing, happy and proud to share my words with you, humbled and honored to have you here reading them all.

It’s been an incredible year for us. Just today Babble named this blog, NYCityMama, one of their Top 100 Mom Blogs in 2011, one of several accolades we have received. And we again, we are humbled and honored that you are here, reading.

But in moments like this I am reminded of all the amazing people, like Barbara, who have inspired me, motivated me, encouraged me, pushed me, and given me the opportunities that make this site what it is today. It is because of them bloggers, writers, travel and public relations professionals, marketers, family and friends, both new and old – and even some I have never met – that I am here. It is because of their friendship and faith in me and in my work that I have the many wonderful stories that I do to share with you.

It remains our goal to inspire you to live life to the fullest. To travel and explore. To taste and discover. To take nothing for granted or look past the details.

Whether a traveler, or not, with kids or not, plan on visiting NYC or any of the places we visit and share with you here, or not, we thank you for reading, commenting, connecting, and caring.

It’s an amazing thing to own your voice. It doesn’t have to be loud. It doesn’t have to have a blog. But speak it. Use it with pride. Allow it to bring you forth in all your adventures and through all of life’s challenges.

My family and I look forward to sharing many more adventures with you! Thank you all for an amazing year!

 

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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9 Comments
  • wendy
    December 13, 2011

    Congratulations and happy blog birthday! I started writing my own this year, and your confidence and spark inspired me from the beginning. I love this community for its very real, lovely and strong women. I love their stories and their authentic voices– and look forward to hearing more of yours!

    Reply
    • Carol Cain
      wendy
      December 14, 2011

      Thank you so much Wendy! I am excited for your journey as well : ))

      Reply
  • Patty at A Day in My
    December 14, 2011

    Congratulations Carol! I love your voice 🙂

    Reply
    • Carol Cain
      Patty at A Day in My
      December 14, 2011

      Thank you so much Patty! I love yours too!

      Reply
  • Charu
    December 14, 2011

    Congratulations Carol! It's an honor to read you and to know you! You have a lovely, warm and open voice and it's no surprise you are a big success.May all your dreams come true in 2012

    Reply
  • isaida (mami dearest
    December 14, 2011

    Happy Blog Birthday! I started my blog in 2007 with much the same idea as you, to keep family and friends updated on our lives here in NC. It's fun to look back and see how much you've grown! I've grown alot!

    Love your blog and look forward to reading more.

    sn – my favorite post of yours is when you and little man were walking to school, all the adventures he had. You remember that post? i loved it, so cute 🙂

    Reply
    • Carol Cain
      isaida (mami dearest
      December 14, 2011

      Thank you Isaida! I just tweeted it to you, but here you go…you mean this one: A Morning in The Life of a NY City Mama https://girlgonetravel.com/2010/01/a-morning-in-th… Thanks for reading!

      Reply
  • Barbara
    December 14, 2011

    Love it — and I value your voice a great deal, kiddo! 🙂

    Reply
    • Carol Cain
      Barbara
      December 14, 2011

      Thank you Barbara!

      Reply

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

Contact

  • caincarol@gmail.com

Follow @girlgonetravel

A message about yesterday’s event: Happy Monday A message about yesterday’s event:

Happy Monday, y’all. Woke up in time to enjoy the soft glow of sunlight that shines its way around our house in the morning, and sipped on a cafecito without being rushed for anything. So already today is a win. 

Yesterday we worked our longest day yet for our little coffee cart that could (7 hours!!!) at the Heritage Fiesta in Ithaca, NY. 

Though we were ready for a crowd, the reception was also unexpected because there was a popular coffee shop just steps away. 

But we had Cómodo Fam stop by, family (who also fed us 🙏🏾), and soooo many members of the Latinx and BIPOC community who were just excited to see a small business like ours representing. 

I want to share that we were ALL worried about potential harassment and assault by 🧊and fliers were handed out to prepare us. And you would think that it would’ve intimidated the community enough to not come out…BUT WE DID. In numbers. 

And for hours that little parking lot next to Press Bay Alley was packed with all sorts of Latinx and non-Latinx community members, eating, laughing, dancing, singing, and drinking all the cafecitos and refreshers we had to offer. Literally. We went home cleaned out!

All this to say that we are all aware of the threats but we also understand the power and importance of coming together as a community and a people. By no means are we all the same, and Lord knows a lot of Latinos have a lot of self-reflecting to do based on the choices they made, but yesterday was a testament to the best of us, and I thank @yenospina and @lcatompkins for putting together such a wonderful event, for inviting @cafecomodony to be a part of it, and to all the friends, old and new, who came out to support us and la cultura. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #cafecomodo #coffeelover
Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite lazy day pastimes of the season: market shopping for fall goodies - which in the Finger Lakes is especially bountiful. 

📍Joseph’s Wayside Markey, Naples, NY

#fingerlakes #newyork #octobermood #fallday
Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The proce Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The process is busy and noisy but also exciting and fun to watch. 

This cloudy morning seems to have calmed things down a bit, but not for long I am sure. These families work hard!

Bonus: they set up roadside stands so we can purchase and taste them 🍇 I highly recommend picking some up if you see some in your drive. 

#fingerlakes #lifeinthecountry #newyork
The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️ The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️
I want to take moment to send out love to my fello I want to take moment to send out love to my fellow Latinx and immigrant community. 

To send strength to my community of glorious misfits who are out in the world making good trouble and emboldening us to not give up hope on our dreams, our livelihoods, our future, our country, our people. 

The country our parents worked so hard to get to so that we could fly. A country they helped build and bring to prosper. A country our communities help to feed and house and care for. 

I am my immigrant parents dream come true, and my children are a continuation of that dream. 

I just want to remind all of us who represent the targeted, of our worth. Of the value of our contributions. In our languages, our culture, our insights, our work ethic and skills and knowledge. Of the things we bring to the table.

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or to us. But, as someone whose family lived through a dictatorship, I have an idea of how this story will end. And all I can advise is that we remain on the right side of it, our convictions unaltered, our core values untethered. Our spirits unbroken. In these stories, the monsters might scare us, and even harm some of us, but they never, ever win in the end. 

I am living proof of that. ❤️ And every time you succeed and feel joy, you are too. Pa’lante, mi gente.
Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes. Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes.

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