It’s Christmas time, and because the motion pictures would remind us: at Christmas, you inform the reality. I’m taking that to coronary heart in the present day and since I’m constantly striving for extra genuine (sorry for the buzzword!) running a blog, I determine it’s time to share some little-known info. This month additionally marks seven years of Travels of Adam – that’s longer than absolutely anything I’ve completed in my life, which once I take into consideration, is fairly terrifying. So, right here goes… (in no explicit order):
7 Issues You Didn’t Know About Me
(to have a good time 7 years of Travels of Adam)
I’ve a homosexual anon Twitter account.
Most likely not a shock, however I. fucking. love. Twitter. The truth is, this weblog was born out of my @travelsofadam Twitter account – which I began some seven and a half years in the past. TBH Twitter, has at all times been part of my story.
When residing in Boston, I might use it to fulfill different strangers going to see gigs—one time I requested on Twitter what I ought to put on. A random lady replied suggesting neon inexperienced and some hours later on the present, she noticed me within the Orpheum Theatre. It was random and enjoyable and foolish—and that’s simply how I’ve at all times acted on Twitter… my favourite social media!
So, a number of years in the past when it turned standard to have nameless Twitter accounts amongst homosexual males, I joined within the development with a brand new (secret) account. A spot to share a bit greater than normal and really NSFW commentary. As somebody who’s already very public on my @travelsofadam Twitter account, my secret homosexual anon Twitter account is a spot to let free just a little additional — with out any constraints or worries. Plus, it’s good to have an area the place I don’t discuss journey.
I’ve lived in 5 totally different international locations.
I don’t actually see myself as somebody who is simply too worldly or well-traveled. I do know, stunning. However for somebody in my trade (#travelblogging), I’ve been to shockingly few locations. Most of my journey has been targeted on North America, Western Europe and Southeast Asia.
Saying that, nevertheless, I’ve lived in a whole lot of totally different locations. For the needs of this weblog, I’m counting wherever I’ve lived for six months or longer (together with as a pupil). In America, my properties have been each within the Dallas-Fort Price suburbs and in Boston. Throughout faculty and prolonged summers, I studied overseas and lived in each London and Sydney. After which in 2010, whereas backpacking world wide, I discovered myself in love with a boy and a metropolis: Tel Aviv. Repeat: Berlin.
- USA
- Australia
- England
- Israel
- Germany
That leaves me having lived within the USA, England, Australia, Israel and Germany—a pleasant cornucopia of predictable and less-than-predictable locations. Dwelling in every nation has left me with an enormous number of experiences and opinions—an excessive amount of to get into right here.
However I’m sure that every place I’ve lived has formed my life ultimately. My Americanism is part of my core: a candy southern kindness from rising up in Texas and a sure stage of adultness from growing in Boston. Sydney taught me to be foolish, and to benefit from the climate.
London taught me to be sturdy, alone, whereas appreciating artwork, theatre and tradition. In Tel Aviv, I discovered loads about boys and events and have enjoyable, but in addition let politics be part of your life (or not part of it, so it goes).
And in Berlin: properly, I’m nonetheless studying loads—however the metropolis has made me harder, extra inventive and just a little extra darker (although not in my pores and skin tone; I might use extra solar in Germany).
Dwelling overseas has come to be a robust a part of my life and it has formed me in methods I can’t even think about.
I’m horrible at journey planning.
Yep, it’s true. I’m simply overwhelmed—one thing most of my mates would most likely level out in heartbeat—and reserving a vacation causes me a lot anxiousness, I discover the entire expertise difficult to the purpose that I typically freeze up.
There are such a lot of locations I haven’t been and so many locations I wish to go to, that I normally get caught at that very first section of journey planning: the place to go. I spend so a lot of my days studying and writing about journey, that once I go to e book my very own holidays, I merely get misplaced within the quantity of choices and concepts.
It’s one thing I’m engaged on by attempting to be extra conscious in my every day life, permitting me to raised focus—so right here’s to hoping I’ll get higher at journey planning in 2017.
A professional tip, nevertheless: typically if you simply let free and let the journey plans come collectively on their very own, issues simply are likely to work out.
Associated: Tips on how to Plan a Journey: The Do’s and Don’ts of Journey Planning
I as soon as wrote for a homosexual porn web site.
Dwelling in Berlin, intercourse has seeped into my life in quite a few alternative ways. Final 12 months, I used to be provided the prospect to contribute to a brand new homosexual porn web site—as a author. It was an opportunity to put in writing below a pseudonym and share my homosexual journey suggestions to a brand new viewers, so naturally I did it.
I wrote about drag queens and blowjobs in Los Angeles, partying in Bangkok and sweaty summer time nights in Tel Aviv. I had a whole lot of enjoyable digging by my journey tales and sharing new and totally different tales for a brand new viewers. The gig didn’t final perpetually, however I’m fairly happy with what I produced.
Associated: The Greatest Homosexual Locations for Journey
I’m a sufferer of cyber-bullying.
Saying that out loud sounds nearly humorous, however for the previous two years I’ve endured numerous threats and harassment from a single particular person and it’s decidedly not humorous. A one-time colleague and good friend, he has made a degree to constantly harass me on-line by feedback, veiled threats and focused harassment.
I’ve spoken about it to solely my most trusted mates and whereas I’ve largely been capable of ignore and block him in every single place I can, he nonetheless persists. This particular person has attacked me in numerous methods: by going after my household, mates, my bodily look and my livelihood.
Whereas it has been tough and hurtful, what additionally hurts is the individuals who proceed to allow him by ignoring his hateful feedback and brushing it below the rug. I don’t assume many individuals know what it’s wish to obtain such focused harassment and so persistently, however let me let you know it’s not straightforward.
Fortunately, I’ve a robust help group of shut mates however I can not even start to think about these in comparable circumstances much less lucky than myself. I’ve gotten loads of hateful feedback on this weblog over the previous seven years and I suppose that’s made me harder—nevertheless it nonetheless hurts. I’m engaged on it in each manner potential.
Airports are my completely satisfied place.
There’s one place on this world that I’ll at all times love: the airport. It doesn’t even actually matter what airport. The chilly, cool glow in an airport and the limitless overhead bulletins calling out numerous international and faraway locations—it brings me a lot pleasure and happiness. The 6 a.m. McMuffin sandwiches or the cubicles at a soulless Chili’s Too; I adore it. Give me free wifi and an influence outlet, and I simply would possibly by no means depart!
A few of my favourite airports are, predictably, people who I cross by usually. I dwell for layovers—the prospect to see a brand new airport, to take a look at the retailers or to seize a fast chew.
Associated: Tegel Airport sucks
I used to work at a bookstore.
For over 5 years, I labored at a bookstore: Barnes & Noble. I’m undecided I’d go thus far to say it was my favourite job, nevertheless it actually was certainly one of my greatest. I used to like so many facets from my time as a bookseller—whether or not it was stocking books within the backroom, overseeing the occasions within the youngsters’s division, working as a cashier or simply manning the customer support desk.
I labored in a number of totally different Barnes & Noble bookstores in Boston and in Texas and I labored throughout a minimum of two Harry Potter e book releases (naturally I dressed up as Ron). Working in a bookstore taught me a complete lot of abilities and taught me issues not nearly publishing and commerce, but in addition about individuals and sociology. Interacting with prospects and monitoring down books was certainly one of my favourite elements of the job—plus the chance to make my very own e book suggestions felt unusually highly effective.
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So, there it’s. A few of my secrets and techniques! For all the great things in real-time, be sure you’re following me on Twitter, Threads, and Instagram. I’m brutally forthright on social media 😉
Associated: The Issues That Made Me, Me
