Hello!

This is my seventh year of blogging, and it’s wild just how fast time flies…

However, I still remember when I first set up Rebecca Goes Rendezvous way back in 2016: I had just finished my first year of teaching English abroad in France and had traveled a ton throughout Europe that I wanted to create a blog to document my trips then, as well as the ones I would have in the future. I was 23 years old, barely a year out of university, and reveling in that post-grad life without much thought as to what I wanted to do with my life. Everything still felt new and electric, and I used my blog to capture that youthfulness of my twenties, traveling and living every day like an adventure.

Fast-forward seven years later, and while Rebecca Goes Rendezvous is still very much about travel, a lot has changed: I no longer live in France, I have a regular 9-to-5 job, and I have settled back in my hometown of Los Angeles. There’s more care and planning put into where and when I travel now, due to financial reasons and post-COVID, and everything seems more weighted with responsibility and worry. I also recently turned 30 years old, and that comes with uncharted waters as I try to navigate my thirties. And finally after all this time, I bit the bullet and purchased my blog domain to have creative ownership over what I like to do– writing.

For the past couple of years, I’ve been doing this sort of Q&A for my “blogiversary,” in which readers can get to know me better. A good handful of you asked questions in my post earlier this month, so thank you! As always, I appreciate the support all of you have given me throughout the years, and I can feel that my 10th blogiversary is just around the corner! Without further ado, here’s the Q&A!

Seven Years of Blogging! (Q&A)

1. Is there a place (country, city, etc) that you absolutely wouldn’t want to visit and if so, why?

I’ll never say never to not visiting any place in the world, but at least for the time being, I wouldn’t be keen on visiting high-risk countries like Afghanistan, Venezuela, or Ukraine. Besides the serious political turmoil, there’s also the threat of being targeted as a foreigner, and I honestly don’t think it’s a good idea to put myself at risk for the sake of traveling for pleasure. I’ll wait until it’s safe, thank you!

2. Who is your favorite musician?

I have so many, but if I had to choose, Sara Bareilles comes first to mind. I’ve enjoyed her music since high school, and I love how immensely talented and hard-working she is, from writing her own songs to producing a Broadway hit! I also got to see her in concert many years ago, and it was a blast. My music tastes change from time to time, but Sara Bareilles’ remains constant, no matter what.

3. Do you still use your French from time to time? (Movies, music…)

Yes, sort of. I do my best to read articles in French (and sometimes out loud for speaking), but otherwise, I don’t really use my French anymore. I can still understand it and communicate, but I will say that I did struggle a bit during my recent trip to France this spring (after three years). It was mostly with conversations, as I haven’t been practicing on that end, but I managed!

4. Do you have a strategy in place to ensure the continuity of the blog in the event of any unforeseen hiccup? If so, what is it and for how long?

My current strategy is to continue writing, and to schedule blog posts to be published up to three months in advance. I also take my time writing about my travels, making sure to space them out over the next few months (even year) so that I don’t run out of places to talk about. And even if I do, I have other travel-related post ideas to write!

5. What are some of your big travel ticket places/experiences that you still want to do one day?

Too many to count! If I had to narrow it down, I’d say that I’m itching to visit the Faroe Islands, hopefully within the next couple of years. And a bigger project later down the line would be a mega-trip to Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan)– one can dream!

6. What are the top 5 places that you want to go back to and why?

This is a hard one, as there are so many. But here are the five that come to mind:

1) Taiwan— besides being my family’s home country, I haven’t been back in over seven years. I’m due for a visit very soon, so stay tuned…

2) Copenhagen, Denmark— I fell in love with this Nordic city when I visited over a decade ago. I only had a short stay, so I hope to return to take my time to explore more of its harbors, palaces, and Danish food scene!

3) Buenos Aires, Argentina— similar to Copenhagen, I only spent a couple of nights here, and I’m keen on returning to discover more of its neighborhoods and food scene (especially empanadas)!

4) China— it’s also my family’s home country, and I haven’t been back since I was a teenager. I especially would like to revisit Shanghai for its cosmopolitan scene, and perhaps to improve my Mandarin, too!

5) Canada— I was only a kid when I was last in Canada, and I have fuzzy memories of my time there. I’d love to return to the Francophone region (Montréal, Québéc) and have some poutine. Just a hop across the border!

7. If you could only visit one country in Europe, which one would it be, and how long would you stay?

I’d have to go with France. Besides the fact that I lived there for four years and know French, it would be the most-familiar country for me, and for convenience’s sake. I’d like to stay a summer to go all over the south of France, from Toulouse to Nice– and to explore the hundreds of villages along the way. It’s this part of France that has my heart, and I’d love to have some time to visit it again.

8. Is there any place that you didn’t like at first but over time it grew on you? And why?

Madrid didn’t impress me when I first visited: I found the locals rude and the city didn’t seem to have much to see or do. However, it grew on me upon a second, then third, visit, and I came to appreciate its elegant architecture and thriving food scene– I’d go back just to have that good food!

9. Why do you blog?

I love to write, simple as that. Although I’ve done all sorts of writing– novels, poetry, essays, SEO– I’ve come to enjoy blogging, as it’s easy just to pull up the site and write whatever you want. Blogging comes naturally to me, and for the past decade or so, it has been my go-to way of writing and keeping those creative juices flowing.

10. Have you been criticised before for starting a blog? If yes, how did you handle it?

I’ve never been criticized for starting a blog, so I’ve been fortunate in that regard. I will say that I’ve found the blogging community extremely supportive, and if it weren’t for all of these talented bloggers out there with their creative energy and encouraging words, I wouldn’t be at the place I am today. That said, I appreciate all of you bloggers out there!

11. Which place has surprised you the most on your travels?

Although I’ve mentioned it before in other posts, Romania surprised me the most on my travels. I had no expectations going into it, and I ended up being pleasantly blown away by its jaw-dropping landscapes, delicious and hearty food, and kind people. Romania is an underrated country, and I’d love to return some day. ❤

12. When are going to visit Croatia again?

I last visited Croatia in 2018 and had a wonderful time. I’m not certain exactly when I’ll revisit, but I hope it’s sooner than later!

Thanks for reading and supporting Rebecca Goes Rendezvous over the years– here’s to many more! 🙂

— Rebecca

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

65 thoughts on “Seven Years of Blogging! (Q&A)”

  1. Congrats, Rebecca! 7 years is a long period of time, good job blogging! I am going to your family’s home country, first time in China. I also hope that someday I will go to Ukraine, my home country, and be able to invite you over, God willing.

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    1. Have fun in China! It’s a wide and diverse country with so much to do, see, and eat. It’ll take time to get to Ukraine, given what’s going on at the moment, but we’ll have to see!

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  3. Congratulations on 7 years of blogging, Rebecca! Here’s to many, many more! 🥂I love Sara Bareilles’ music, too. I’ve seen her in concert, but wish I could see Waitress, too! 🎶

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  9. You were one of the first blogs I read when I started a wordpress account. Didn’t have a clue what or how to do it. I have been very grateful for your support as I have moved along. I have now been going for a year! Thank you!

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    1. I’ve enjoyed the ride so far over the years wity blogging. Glad to have met you through this platform, and I’ve been happy reading about all your adventures in Lima, Peru, and beyond!

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  12. Woohoo! Congratulations, Rebecca! 7 years of blogging is an incredible accomplishment, and I’m so thankful to have stumbled across your wonderful blog. Here’s to many more years of blogging. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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    1. I tend to write in spurts, so I would dedicate a weekend to writing a LOT, and for the posts to be scheduled in advance for publication. I’ve come to find this method the best for me in my otherwise busy life, so I’ll keep at it! Thanks for your support, Lyssy. 🙂

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  19. Congratulations on your blog’s 7th anniversary! I can totally relate with No. 4. Like you, I also schedule my blog posts at least two months in advance, so that when life gets in the way I won’t need to neglect my blog.

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  21. Congratulations, Rebecca. Blogging is a journey in so many ways and it’s been fun following yours. Canada is also creeping up our own list and now that my brother lives there it seems it will only be a matter of time before we get there. Oh, and the Faroes are also high on our wish list. Keep blogging Rebecca and, for the zillionth time, thanks for your ongoing readership of my own blog.

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    1. The pleasure’s all mine, Leighton! I think I first started following you when I stumbled upon your China posts a few years ago. Canada is gorgeous and, like you, I have family there to give me a reason to return! The Faroe Islands are a dream, and I’m looking into heading there in the next year or two. Keep on dreaming, keep on traveling!

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  23. This is great work! I can see that you put a lot of thought into the way you work on your blog. I also feel that blogging is part of life, and that blogging ends up influencing and motivating the way we travel. I hope you’ll travel a lot more to gather interesting material. Merci pour tous les commentaires pertinents.

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    1. Thanks for your support over the years! Blogging is wonderful, as it not only offers a creative outlet to express yourself through words, but also to find a community of like-minded individuals who also inspire you, e.g. travel. I have plans to do more travel in the near future, so stay tuned! Je suis contente d’avoir votre soutien, merci beaucoup!

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  28. Congrats on 7 years🎉🎉. Here’s to many more🥂!
    The blogverse is really supportive indeed. Always makes different bloggers feel welcome and there are some damn kind and supportive people in the blog world🌚.
    While I’m not crazy about traveling the world, these places sound like they’d be great to visit🌎✨!

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    1. Thanks, Sabrina! The blogosphere is indeed a supportive community, which gives all the more motivation to keep writing and engaging here! I appreciate you stopping by!

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