I love this Kristi….I am with you all the way, your writing reminded me of the girl I used to be, always taking the opportunities, going with my intuition and my heart. That girl had been lost in a different life for many years….good news is lately I have found her again and today your words have made my heart beat a little faster in anticipation of the next adventure!!
Penelope, you literally just wrote out the reason I started this publication. That was exactly me as well. I was someone else for a good while after the pandemic and now I'm finding my way back to ME!
What a brilliant story, Kristi! Negotiating the best one-off deal for you at the expense of long term collaboration is a mistake many people make. Glad you seized the opportunity you were given and reaped such a wonderful reward!
Thanks Paul. This story will go down in history as the best hospitality I've ever experienced. I'm so glad you tagged me today so I could remember I wrote it.
Thanks, Kristi. The story I linked to was such a great reminder that hospitality is a career. It’s so much more than just a job to do while you’re going to school…
In my younger years, I took a less-paying, more demanding job in a travel agency specializing in travel to Fiji, Tahiti, Australia and New Zealand…but got a fabulous trip to Fiji out of it…for only $200 for airfare/accommodation and food, I spent a week at Beachcomber Island where I felt like I was on Gilligan’s Island for the size of the island. The water was a clear blue colour, meals were announced by bongo drums, sleeping quarters were in a dorm with a thatched roof and everyone was friendly and relaxed.
“I’ll never be ashamed to tell anyone I was only paid a hundred dollars to be treated like a million bucks.” Your writing is transcendent, Kristi. What a story. Wow!!! 😍🤩🥹
"Jamaica-holic." That's rich. Reminds me of the Ellen Degeneres joke where she balked at being called a workaholic. "I've never touched a drop of workahol in my life!"
I love every bit of this post, Kristi. I'm a believer too. That $100 gig always comes around full circle with priceless opportunities. Thanks for sharing the tingles of possibility.
Yeah it was a genuine addiction for a long time.I said YES to pretty much everything on that island and I had zero regrets. Even terrible experiences somehow turned to gold in weird ways.
That is wild! What an adventure. I love reading your stories from my armchair in the boonies, knowing I'll never go to those places but I can travel along with you, anyway.
Fortune favors the bold . . . (I'm resisting making a lame joke about Forbes doing the same). Kristi, after reading your work for a couple of years now, I believe your optimistic sense of adventure and possibility is your superpower. I deem you Leap of Faith Woman.
This was such a wonderful story, I really enjoyed reading it. I agree with you, money is not everything. We could consider experience and potential. And at times do things just because. Many adventures start the way.
1) your way of writing is very relatable, compelling and hooks you in. The bit at the beginning was brilliant, because it evoked an emotional response from me immediately! I was like, no way would I take that! And then you said you did. I was like WOAH
Truly a great way to hook a ready in. I shall be taking notes for my blogs.
In answer to your question, I have done something for ‘less’ - getting a promotion by proactively creating a plan on how I’d improve the business. I didn’t need to, but I’m pretty sure it tipped the scales.
Now I’m doing it again, starting a podcast, 2 substacks and some other stuff for free, cos I love sharing my creativity and to spread awareness - those rewards are way above monetary value - even though that is a second option way down the line
Jordan, thank you so much for the compliments on my writing. That means more to me than you know, I LOVE knowing that something I wrote change someone's reading experience.
And good for you for everything you're embarking on. I just know it's going to be a rewarding journey for you!
This is just fabulous! So glad you took the $100.00 deal and ran with it. If not, think of the marvelous story I would've missed. Have you thought of offering your service as a travel writer? To some of those Caribbean Islands that need traffic and tourists? Just stay away from Hurricane Season.
Aside from my blog, I wrote for some tourism magazines as well. They pay really well for articles and let you actually add some personality into it.
To be honest, I stayed away from tourist boards though, because they generally promoted the uber-touristy stuff that did nothing to promote sustainability or better quality of life for the local people. It was a real love/hate thing for me. On my personal blog I loved promoting the little guy businesses that tourist boards would never touch. And local accommodations that you couldn't just Google and easily find them.
The one incredible thing I learned about Half Moon through this Forbes experience is that it is Jamaican-owned and contributes a lot to the local economy. They pay fair wages and offer great employment to locals. I really respected what I learned about the resort.
I love this Kristi….I am with you all the way, your writing reminded me of the girl I used to be, always taking the opportunities, going with my intuition and my heart. That girl had been lost in a different life for many years….good news is lately I have found her again and today your words have made my heart beat a little faster in anticipation of the next adventure!!
Penelope, you literally just wrote out the reason I started this publication. That was exactly me as well. I was someone else for a good while after the pandemic and now I'm finding my way back to ME!
It’s exciting isn’t it!!!
Sure is! And liberating.
What a brilliant story, Kristi! Negotiating the best one-off deal for you at the expense of long term collaboration is a mistake many people make. Glad you seized the opportunity you were given and reaped such a wonderful reward!
Thanks Paul. This story will go down in history as the best hospitality I've ever experienced. I'm so glad you tagged me today so I could remember I wrote it.
Thanks, Kristi. The story I linked to was such a great reminder that hospitality is a career. It’s so much more than just a job to do while you’re going to school…
In my younger years, I took a less-paying, more demanding job in a travel agency specializing in travel to Fiji, Tahiti, Australia and New Zealand…but got a fabulous trip to Fiji out of it…for only $200 for airfare/accommodation and food, I spent a week at Beachcomber Island where I felt like I was on Gilligan’s Island for the size of the island. The water was a clear blue colour, meals were announced by bongo drums, sleeping quarters were in a dorm with a thatched roof and everyone was friendly and relaxed.
That sounds like a dream!!! See, the low paying job isn't always the worst thing!
“I’ll never be ashamed to tell anyone I was only paid a hundred dollars to be treated like a million bucks.” Your writing is transcendent, Kristi. What a story. Wow!!! 😍🤩🥹
Thank you SO much Gwen! That's a powerful compliment ❤️❤️❤️
I love everything about this especially your point of the opportunity at the end. Great work ❤️🙏🏻
Thank you!
"Jamaica-holic." That's rich. Reminds me of the Ellen Degeneres joke where she balked at being called a workaholic. "I've never touched a drop of workahol in my life!"
I love every bit of this post, Kristi. I'm a believer too. That $100 gig always comes around full circle with priceless opportunities. Thanks for sharing the tingles of possibility.
Yeah it was a genuine addiction for a long time.I said YES to pretty much everything on that island and I had zero regrets. Even terrible experiences somehow turned to gold in weird ways.
What a great story! Love it!
Thanks Jeanine!!
That is wild! What an adventure. I love reading your stories from my armchair in the boonies, knowing I'll never go to those places but I can travel along with you, anyway.
Loads of fun!
Thanks Ramona! The real story was so much bigger but suffice to say, incredible 😊
😮 I can't even imagine...
I frigging love you AND this!!!!!!
I'm glad that you, the ultimate defender of getting paid what you're worth, enjoyed this! 😁😁
Great article!
I've never experienced something like this. But I love a good adventure dangled in front of my face!
I gotta tell ya....my life was one BIG adventure for a long time when I was a destination writer!
Fortune favors the bold . . . (I'm resisting making a lame joke about Forbes doing the same). Kristi, after reading your work for a couple of years now, I believe your optimistic sense of adventure and possibility is your superpower. I deem you Leap of Faith Woman.
HA! That sounds like a superhero name. Maybe I need to get a new cape and wear it to remind myself!
This was such a wonderful story, I really enjoyed reading it. I agree with you, money is not everything. We could consider experience and potential. And at times do things just because. Many adventures start the way.
Yup...my life would have been pretty boring if it was only about the money.
Hi Kristi, two things.
1) your way of writing is very relatable, compelling and hooks you in. The bit at the beginning was brilliant, because it evoked an emotional response from me immediately! I was like, no way would I take that! And then you said you did. I was like WOAH
Truly a great way to hook a ready in. I shall be taking notes for my blogs.
In answer to your question, I have done something for ‘less’ - getting a promotion by proactively creating a plan on how I’d improve the business. I didn’t need to, but I’m pretty sure it tipped the scales.
Now I’m doing it again, starting a podcast, 2 substacks and some other stuff for free, cos I love sharing my creativity and to spread awareness - those rewards are way above monetary value - even though that is a second option way down the line
Jordan, thank you so much for the compliments on my writing. That means more to me than you know, I LOVE knowing that something I wrote change someone's reading experience.
And good for you for everything you're embarking on. I just know it's going to be a rewarding journey for you!
This is just delightful! And good for you! For all of it! So many people world pass by that. I know it would be hard for me to accept.
Well played 😃
This is just fabulous! So glad you took the $100.00 deal and ran with it. If not, think of the marvelous story I would've missed. Have you thought of offering your service as a travel writer? To some of those Caribbean Islands that need traffic and tourists? Just stay away from Hurricane Season.
Aside from my blog, I wrote for some tourism magazines as well. They pay really well for articles and let you actually add some personality into it.
To be honest, I stayed away from tourist boards though, because they generally promoted the uber-touristy stuff that did nothing to promote sustainability or better quality of life for the local people. It was a real love/hate thing for me. On my personal blog I loved promoting the little guy businesses that tourist boards would never touch. And local accommodations that you couldn't just Google and easily find them.
The one incredible thing I learned about Half Moon through this Forbes experience is that it is Jamaican-owned and contributes a lot to the local economy. They pay fair wages and offer great employment to locals. I really respected what I learned about the resort.