Her Love For Language And Authentic Experiences Has Transformed This Homesick Introvert Into An Independent Expat
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GAFFL connects solo travelers with similar itineraries to explore destinations together. Whether you are backpacking in Asia, road tripping in Australia, or exploring national parks in the US, simply type the destination you are traveling to, find travelers who are going there at the same time as you, connect with them, plan trips, meet, and travel together.

Cristina
Cristina, a Spanish expat in the United Kingdom, is a travel blogger and content creator.
19th Mar | 6 min read

Table of Contents

    At GAFFL, we love to publish inspiring travel stories from adventurers around the world. You can connect with adventurers from 170+ countries on GAFFL, meet up, and explore destinations together. In this post, we are featuring Cristina, a Spanish Expat living in the UK.


    Cristina, a Spanish expat in the United Kingdom, is a travel blogger and content creator. Her blog, My Little World of Traveling, is for female travelers who desire to live abroad, travel and have real experiences by immersing themselves in the culture and visiting off-the-beaten-path destinations. You can also follow her along on her Instagram.

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    My Travel Inspiration

    When I was a kid, I remember I used to hate moving to other cities or traveling because of my dad’s job. However, this changed when I started high school and I began to be interested in learning languages (English and French), and as a result of this, I used to spend a lot of time reading, watching series or films in other languages.


    I realized I wanted to travel to other places, practice the language, try different food, and basically, immerse myself in the culture.

    My first trip abroad was in Canada when I was 16, and it opened my eyes. Since then, I have been traveling to many European destinations, and I cannot wait to explore other continents.

    I love the feeling of waking up in a different city, eating the local food, watching the sunset, and connecting with the place.

    How Often I Travel And Activities I Enjoy

    My way of traveling has changed a lot in the last year and a half. Because of travel restrictions, I had to minimize my trips, and others were canceled.

    However, I often travel locally on weekends, and I travel home (Spain) for longer periods such as summer, Christmas, and other significant holidays, and I try to go abroad every two or three months.


    When I travel, I love visiting historical buildings as well as nature parks and beaches. For me, the perfect trip is a mixture of everything. Regardless of the place, I always love taking photos and finding less explored spots.


    Picking Travel Destinations

    As I live in the UK, I tend to look for warmer destinations, but apart from that, I look for flight and hotel prices as well as things to do. I like to spend at least a week in a destination; however, it isn’t always possible so I might stay less than that.


    Once I decide on the location, I like looking at things to do which I save on Google Maps. This saves you time and effort when traveling around the place.

    My Packing Manual

    Before I start packing, I think about the different outfits I am going to wear for each day. Although this may sound too much for others, I believe it does help you be organized and avoid over-packing.

    My must-haves are my camera and phone as I am passionate about taking photos and recording videos.

    Favorite Memory Of Meeting New People 

    Social media has helped me connect with other bloggers and content creators who I’ve met in person. Meeting with them has been amazing as I got on well with them as well as learned from them.


    One of my latest meetings was in Marbella, Spain. Despite being close to my hometown, I had never visited the Old Town of Marbella, but this Instagram friend showed me the town, took me to a popular tapas place known by the locals and we took many photos. I had a really good time, and I highly recommend meeting people you’ve connected with via Instagram or other social media platforms.


    My Blog And Its Mission

    Before starting my blog, I was using Instagram to share my travel tips and expat experience with my audience. However, one day I decided that I wanted to have something that really belonged to me, and I could give more useful tips.

    As I have always loved writing, I made up my mind and started my travel and expat blog, My Little World of Travelling. My blog’s mission is to empower and inspire female travelers to live abroad and have more authentic experiences abroad.

    My focus is European travel, but more specifically Spain and the UK as most of my time is spent between these two countries. I provide local tips for traveling and living in both countries, so my readers can have the best experiences.

    My Biggest Challenges To Adapting To New Life In the UK 

    The biggest challenge was to be completely independent. Before I moved to the UK, I was living with my parents, and I had never moved on my own. I was worried about making the wrong decision or struggling to meet people as an introvert, however, moving to the UK pushed me to improve my English, meet new people, study for a master's in a British university, and much more.


    I think the key to conquering your fear is to face them. Also, if you are moving abroad, be patient and understand that adapting to your new life will take time, but you will see positive results (such as improving the language, being more independent, growing as a person, etc.) in less time than you think.

    GAFFL As A Travel Buddy App

    Solo travel is amazing because it makes you get out of your comfort zone, but it can be challenging if it’s the first time you travel solo or if you’re an extrovert. I think that GAFFL is a great place to connect with other travelers from all around the world and plan your trips. It’s definitely a good app for solo travelers.


    Traveling On A Budget And Managing Costs

    I always like to set a budget for my trips to keep on track of my expenses. One of the main things that help me stick to the budget is researching the destination. I have a look at potential restaurants or bars I want to try, whether museums and historical buildings have an entry fee (although they may do, some of these places have days where you can go for free), etc.

    When I am tempted to buy something, I always ask myself whether I need it or not.

    Countries I Have Traveled To And My Bucket List

    I have mostly traveled around Europe (Spain, Portugal, the UK, Cyprus, France, and the list goes on), but I have also visited the US and Canada.


    One of my favorite trips was to Paphos in Cyprus. I didn’t have many expectations about Cyprus, but it really surprised me in a good way.

    I spent there a week, and I wish I stayed longer. During that week, I visited stunning places such as the Akamas Peninsula National Park. I went on a 4x4 trip, swam in the crystal blue sea, and went on a day cruise. It’s a destination that many people don’t think about but it’s truly worth visiting.


    Although I’ve visited these incredible places, there are still many places on my bucket list. The top destinations I would like to visit soon are Bali, Mexico, and Santorini.

    Challenges Of Traveling And Living Abroad 

    Some of the biggest challenges of traveling and living abroad are dealing with culture shocks, learning the language, and meeting new people. However, you will definitely learn and improve as time goes on.

    Advice For Readers Who Want To Travel As An Expat

    Being an expat is a life-changing experience and it really opens your eyes. My biggest advice is to be open-minded. As you are going to live in a different country, you are going to find things that are very different from your culture.


    You don’t need to agree with the way something is done in a particular country but respect it.

    Lessons Learned Through Traveling

    I wish I’d known that I would never feel like I belong to one place. Since I started traveling, I feel like I don’t belong to only one place and home is wherever I want it to be and it may change over time, or I can consider home several places at the same time.

    Also, I thought traveling was going to be something temporary, but it has become one of my priorities in my life!

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