How The Travel Bug Bit Me

Lifestyle blog, Jaiemare is about my own experiences. My intent with every post is to share information and experiences as openly and honestly with my readers.

I have been traveling since I was three. My mom would fly with me to Michigan, give me to my grandparents for the summer.

She would fly back to Minnesota and work a second job to earn enough money to pay for my school clothes, supplies, sports, and music activities.

Upon arrival, my grandparents and I would jump in the car. We would drive across the United States to attend church conferences and watch my grandfather preach at other churches.

We made stops along the way to visit and stay with family and try some not so familiar dishes.

Listening to people talk about the history of a dish fascinated me then as it does now. It is probably the reason I am a food nerd willing to try anything.

One year my grandparents decided to go to New York City. They sent me a postcard of Lady Liberty which I still have to this day.

I told myself when I had the means to travel, Lady Liberty would be the first person I would come to see.

My first visit wasn’t as smooth sailing at the beginning. I needed to learn how to be a local tourist — more about visiting New York City in another post.

What has followed is being curious and a life long learner about all things travel, food, health, and wellness.

What This Blog Isn’t About

While I do extensive research to complement and enhance my travel foodie, health and wellness experiences as a digital nomad, each place visited, food is eaten, alternative treatment tried and tested are based on my personal experiences.

Sharing information about how all of us can show up and become our best selves through travel, food, cultural influences, and holistic health takes priority.

Global Citizenship

I am not in the business of bashing a country, company, a person(s), or talk about politics. Someone else gets paid the big bucks to spread propaganda.

My multi-topic blog is about teachable moments by explaining the pros and cons of the situation or event, offering alternative recommendations, and leaving it up to the reader to make the final decision. 

I do like supporting small businesses and buying local as much as possible and giving back to organizations that support and promote social well-being.

Affiliates And Ads

Alright, let’s talk about affiliates and ads.

Like you, I turn to the internet, blogs, websites, and people for tips and ideas whether it’s on travel, products, better ways of practicing minimalism, eating healthily, taking care of my body so I can take care of others in need.

I don’t pretend to be a know it all, and quite frankly don’t want to be one. Knowledge is a powerful tool that can bring people from around the world together. 

That is the positive side of globalization. 

be it all kind of person and love gaining knowledge and making new discoveries.

I get a solution to a problem, and marketers/influencers/salespeople receive compensation for selling a product or service. To me, that’s fair and a win-win.

Any recommendations I make on products or services, I use personally.

Before I buy, I do my research and read the reviews and so should you. I don’t accept free trips, products, services in exchange for a like or positive review.

However, if I don’t like something about a place I have visited or eaten at, I am not going to ignore the situation or event or sugar coat it. 

One aspect of travel is to not only have fun but learn from mistakes made get tricked into a tourist trap.

Yet, we find we wake to live another day fresh with no mistakes to tell stories of daily encounters and discoveries of a small town not listed in travel books. 

Let me tell you about my travel beginnings, cultural influences, traveling victories, and mishaps. These experiences motivated me to become an explorer.

Let’s begin our journey together to Amsterdam.