Interview With Marina Villatoro of Travel Experta
Please give my readers a background about yourself. What made you want to start
travelexperta.com?
I've been living and traveling with my family for years around Central America.
And originally wanted to do a mommy blog about being an expat but it simply didn't
fit right since I mainly wrote about our travel experiences around these areas
rather than parenting tricks.
Then I came up with Travel Experta and it all clicked. It originally was just about our adventures and with my personal experience I started getting tons of emails about people needing help with their trips and it slowly, organically evolved into my business and life :)
In all of your travels, in your opinion what part of country has the best
food? and the worst food?
I have to be honest with you, I don't find Central American food very exciting.
It certainly has it's goods and bads, but on a whole it's not that great.
So I learned to enjoy the basics like rice and beans (different variations of it) and I like Guatemalan Tamales as opposed to other CA countries.
If you had to choose one favourite destination, which one would you chose?
It's impossible. Each country is SOOOOO different you simply can't decide which
is better.
What has been the least exciting destination you've traveled to?
Nicaragua. Traveling around Central America I found it to be the least impressive
not only with scenery but with the people and service. And also the most corrupt
when it came to border crossings. It was a bit of a disappointment to us.
Did you always have a love of travel or did you develop your passion for
traveling as you got older?
Always! I am pretty sure with our move from Russia to the US when I was six
had a lot to do with it. But my parents told me that I was on my first flight
when I was 3 months old and we haven't stopped. I am hoping to raise little
travelers as well, I think that is the greatest gift someone can give their
children the love for discovering!
What impact has travelexperta.com had on your life?
Everything. It is literally my sole income source, it inspires me to travel
more with my family and share, it has shaped the way we live since I started
it 3 years ago.
What has been the most surprising destination you've been to? Meaning, you
had a specific mindset about a certain destination but it was totally a different
experience than you had imagined.
El Salvador. You hear such bad stories about the gang warfare and other horror
stories. But when you arrive there it's sooo gorgeous, the people are so humble
and kind. And it has some of the best beaches in Central America -not counting
the Caribbean side in Belize and Honduras.
If you had to decide which destination has been the most influential in
your life, which destination would you chose?
Costa Rica. It all started there for me and I am so grateful to have lived there
for 7 years and have had the great experiences and connections that I do.
What advice would you give to a newbie traveler?
Take the leap. 10 years ago I took a gap year with no time limit just set off
by bus from my house with a backpack. I met my husband camping in Tikal Maya
Ruins. Since then I have been living my dream life of an expat raising my kids
with lots of diversity and travel.
This couldn't happen if I sat at home dreaming about it, wishing it and then regretting not doing it.
Just go, it will all come together and be great!
In 10 years, do you see yourself still traveling or slowing down?
Absolutely not! Why would I ever want to stop?
Thanks Marina for the interview. Please visit her blog @ Travel Experta
Follow Marina on Twitter and Friend Her on FaceBook !
