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Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

Working together

Girl Gone Travel is a favorite among readers worldwide and I enjoy sharing my voice in different ways, on various platforms. Here are some ways we can work together.

MARKETING AND BRANDING

Please visit my agency, Brave World Media where we have a team of creatives and professionals in the area of photography, videography, branding, graphic design, social media marketing and more to assist with your branding and marketing needs beyond influencer work.

FREELANCE WRITING

I have been lucky to have had the opportunity to write about various topics in many different publications. This is the short list.

The Cool Girl’s Guide to Latin America – Essence Magazine

A First Timer’s Guide to Beautiful Finger Lakes Wine Country – USA Today

Best Small Cities in America to Visit – The Thrillist

This is Us Provokes a ConversationAbout Complexities of Going to Therapy – Parade Magazine

Collection of Work – Expedia Viewfinder

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

I am available for speaking engagements (in either English or Spanish). Speaking engagements have included:

New York Travel Writers (NYTW) and Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) Eastern Chapter 2019
Influencers and the Changing World of Travel Media
Women in Travel Summit 2019
Keynote: Is Influencer a Bad Word? Authenticity and The Future of Our Industry
Women’s Travel Fest 2018
Diversity and Overcoming Stereotypes
Travel Con, Austin 2018
Family Travel
TBEX Ireland 2017
Destination Marketing
Women’s Travel Fest 2016
Opening Keynote
TBEX Florida 2015
Opening Keynote
We All Grow Latina Bloggers Conference 2015
Niche Monetization: creative Business Models that Work
TBEX Athens 2014
Bloggers, Brands, and Agencies: Tips from a PR Pro Turned Blogger
Social Media on The Sand 2014
Tips for a Successful Rebrand
Type-A Parent 2014
Closing Keynote Panel: Legends of Blogging
SUNY-ESF’s Symposium Towards a more diverse Adirondack 2014
Diversity: Perspective and Blind spots
New Media Expo 2014
Diversity and Blogging: Making the multicultural connection to tell your story
TBEX Dublin 2014
Multicultural Travel Bloggers
Women’s Travel Fest 2014
Creating Your Travel Fairytale
New York Travel Fest 2014
Panelist, Family Travel
Macaroni Kid Family Travel Expo and Blogger Conference
Moderator, Working with PR Best Practices
Blogher Honoring Your Culture. Celebrating Your Community.
Engage! Conference and Expo
Panelist, Marketing in the Digital Age

AMBASSADORSHIPS

Every once in a while a great company comes along with a great brand or service that I love and they need an ambassador (i.e. a face and voice to help promote their message). Please email me at carol[at]girlgonetravel[dot]com to discuss further.

As a travel and food site, I am most interested in working with brands that help me represent that. Brand Ambassadorships have included:

Expedia Viewfinder 2014 – 2017 with ongoing campaign partnerships as needed
France Wine Travels Ambassador (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) with Atout France
Embassy Suites Ambassador 2015, 2016
Canon Bring It in Brooklyn Campaign 2015
Sony Club Ambassador 2013
Travel+Leisure Global Bazaar Ambassador 2013
Residence Inn by Marriott Resident Mom 2012
MasterCard “Priceless NYC Insiders” 2012
Expedia Kids in The City
New York City Partners in Preservation / American Express

WHAT I DON’T DO

I don’t accept link exchanges.

I don’t host affiliate links.

I don’t host giveaways.

I don’t consider exposure a replacement for monetary payment.

I don’t honor blind requests for rates or media kits. 

Thank you and I look forward to partnering up with you!

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am a Communications professional, an award-winning travel blogger, a public speaker, a social media marketing and branding agency owner, a wife, and a mom of 3 boys and 2 puppies. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading!

Carol Cain

Categories

  • Asia5 Post(s)
  • Caribbean17 Post(s)
  • Central America4 Post(s)
  • Europe53 Post(s)
  • North America309 Post(s)
  • Oceana1 Post(s)

Contact

  • carol@girlgonetravel.com

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I have received such an overwhelming number of DMs I have received such an overwhelming number of DMs, emails, and texts from friends who have not heard from me in awhile. I’ve replied to as many as I could then decided this was easier. So much of my joy is shared so here’s some of the not so fun stuff...with a word of advice. I have been in the hospital since Sunday, so 4 days at time of this post. I ignored the pain that led me here for 3 days before. I had a small pimple on my thigh and tried to get rid of it. I then proceeded with my life - which included working out and sweating on said “no big deal” pimple. I felt the area bothering me. I ignored it. Saw it sort of swell up a bit. Ignored it. Went to beach with my girlfriends, got sand on it, it hurt, I ignored it. Woke up the next day with a golf size inflammation on my thigh and a massive headache. Went to urgent care, got antibiotics, and that’s it. When I started getting weak, and my husband said we should go to ER, I said no. When it got bigger and the pain made me cry, I still said no. When my fever reached over 101 he just took me. I’ve been here since. The diagnosis: a bacterial infection that has taken a hold of the tissue along the upper section of my thigh. It’s called cellulitis. I was told any longer and I would have ended up in ICU fighting for my life as it would’ve entered my blood stream. I have such issues with care for myself from others. With doctors. With all of it. I think I can fix it - except when it comes to my kids or husband. I rush them to the first specialist at the first sign of anything. I am not proud of this, and it almost cost me my life. So, while I heal, and yes, I am clearly much better now that I can post this, please know that not all care is SELF care. Sometimes it has to come from others, with the help of many, and the willingness to trust many more. And thank you for your messages of missing me. I won’t reply much more till this is all over but as I hope to always leave something to ponder and learn from, I hope that this can be one of those times. Listen to your body. Listen to those who love you. When you need help, let others help you. I feel loved, supported, and very, very much cared for. ♥️
I have amazing friends. Beautiful, gorgeous in fac I have amazing friends. Beautiful, gorgeous in fact, and smart - so much smarter than me in so many ways, and strong, and compassionate and brave. And even when one of us doesn’t feel any of those things, the others lift her up and walk her to the light again. Find yourself those people. Surround yourself with strong women who inspire you and educate you and help you grow. The ones who make you laugh so much your sides hurt, and for whom you would cuss a bully out. Find yourself friends who will always be honest, even when you don’t want to hear it but kind even when you don’t think you need it. I love my peeps. And they love me. No matter what. That makes me pretty lucky. Here are some images of our time in @asburyparkbeach. . . . #jerseyshore #newjersey #girlfriends #beachescape
There’s this narrative that has taken a hold in There’s this narrative that has taken a hold in travel, across the board: that our travels, our presence in places, and our stories are somehow God’s work, valuable beyond measure, worthy of all the attention and praise because it is so special. I am a first generation American in my family. First to graduate from college. First to own her own business. And certainly first to travel as I do. But my mother started this journey before me as a travel agent in the 60s with no English, no degree. Before her, my family fled a dictatorship. Before that, slavery. I have ancestors that accomplished greater things. My story is personal and empowering and beautiful and significant to me. Maybe to my siblings as I am the oldest of 10. Maybe to some in my family. Maybe to some readers and followers. Maybe something I said or did touched someone deeply, inspired them, motivated them. So much of my travels, like this trip to Thailand, is significant to me and my family’s storyline. But I am by no means doing God’s work here. I am not saving lives. Feeding the homeless or saving the tormented with my travels. So, while our travels are important and valuable to us and our journey - let’s relax with this BS narrative as if ours is the first, most important, most worthy of all the stories or that we are over here saving the world one passport stamp at a time. Embrace humility. Center yourself in gratitude for the privilege you hold, even as POC, to have made it this far. Remember the suffering and struggles of those before us, understandings we are not alone. Or first. Use your time to tell the stories that don’t center you. And praise those who truly make your story complete. I look back at these pics and all I can think of is about @tammileetips. How she cared for me after I had given up my hotel room hours before my flight to the U.S. and fell ill. I was in really bad shape and she let me stay in her bed, gave me meds, and really made the journey home a safe one for me. I will never forget the friendship and support, and the many people like her who have complimented all of my travels and made much of it possible. . . . #thailand #travel #travelstories
‪What are your favorite road trip destinations? ‪What are your favorite road trip destinations? Thinking about some of our favorite #roadtrips in the states and #Montana is up there on our list. Such a gorgeous destination year round (yes, winters too) and a highlight for nature lovers. @visitmontana
This is my family. Both personal and professional This is my family. Both personal and professional (missing is our newest team member @fromannettewithlove). I left the corporate world because it just never felt like it was for me. I would go in all ambitious and eager to work, full of fresh ideas and solutions, only to be stifled and limited. I learned so much from my many years working in these incredible organizations but most of all, I learned about the kind of leader I would be if I ever had the chance. I always thought that chance would come from climbing the corporate ladder but that ladder isn’t for single working moms of color - which is what I was during the most successful years in this environment. I got pretty high up there but it came at a cost of years not fully committed to my family. Then as a freelancer and blogger, I got a chance to learn going at it alone. And seeing areas that were still falling short and failures in the systems, and even more ladders not meant for me. And so @braveworldmedia was born to fill the gaps I saw, to make better the things I think I can and to build my own damn ladder. I asked myself a gazillion times if I was crazy, and told myself I was scared, and allowed myself all the emotions so that I could move past them and forward. And here we are, 3 years later with a roster of clients we truly love, making every work day such a gift, and with a team of creatives that inspire me every day to be the best leader I can be. I place joy and self care above all. I encourage individuality and team work, creativity and learning. I never assume to know it all and am learning to lean on them more so as to not take it all on. And I want everyone to feel like there is a ladder for them to climb or build too, with me or with my help. It is exciting and scary and not for everyone, this insane thing I’ve done with the support and help of so many. And I’m so happy I didn’t force myself into spaces where I didn’t fit but instead built a space that was meant to be mine. I want my legacy to be represented in the success that I helped others achieve, whether they be my children, my friends, my clients, or my team. Hopefully our little agency can help me do that. ♥️
There are a lot of things I miss about traveling. There are a lot of things I miss about traveling. I miss the discomfort that comes with the unfamiliar - language, foods, places. And the excitement of learning new things and meeting new people. I love the hard lessons and the emotional journeys. Not taking anything for granted and trying not to miss the value of anything offered. Travel media is a different journey. On one hand, there’s the opportunities to travel that it offers and the access it can give - without travel related work I would not have been able to afford all the travel I have done. Travel media, at least travel blogging, allows for unheard and underrepresented voices to carve a space for themselves, their stories, their voices, their truths. But travel media also encourages greed and the yearning for glory and fame. It creates competition and infighting, as if the world weren’t big enough and there weren’t enough people to share our stories with or stories to be told. And places become a thing to sell, under the guise of love, measured by how much you’re paid. I love travel and am eternally grateful to travel media. But to work in travel is not the same as to be lost in the journey of travel and grow from it or be humbled by it. I try to balance both, because both have given me so much. But the travel I miss most doesn’t come with a price attached to my narrative. Or promises me the insignificant prominence so many foolishly associate with self worth and relevance. To travel is a privilege and a gift. You are no more special or worthy because of it. Your voice doesn’t matter more because of the mileage you garner, and truth be told, sometimes it actually can make you a worse person than when you started. Trust me. I know those people. But yes, I miss traveling. I miss all the places I’ve traveled to and have kept to myself. I miss the opportunity to see all the places I’ve yet to visit. And I can’t wait to feel uncomfortable and excited and moved and enlightened again. . . . #travel #ohtheplacesyouwillgo #lifeonpause

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