The most unlikely thing just happened. I was told I was a celebrity. By my dentist.
Now, you may be scratching your head, trust me I was too. Especially seeing as my dentist is Mexican and speaks Spanish, or with me, a gracious Spanglish that we seem to communicate in with a lot of laughter and hand gestures.
So, you can imagine my surprise when reclining in the dentist chair she said “¿qual es su trabajo?”—what is your job?
I answered proudly that I am a writer, “Estoy un escritora.”
Then her eyes crinkled behind her mask as she smiled broadly and stammered in broken English that she read a recent article I wrote on a newly opened local restaurant. In English.
Thank goodness I was lying down because you could have knocked me over with a feather.
The point is that being a travel writer, people will recognize your name. Communities will puff their chests out in pride when you help local businesses and attractions by writing about them.
Your words impact lives and make a difference. Most of us have forgotten or don’t realize how much that means. It’s not something at the forefront of our minds when writing an article.
Especially now, with local travel being our only option, it holds a greater impact.
Writing local, whether it be your home town, county, region, or state, really does help businesses and communities. It is something to be proud of.
I never thought anyone (except maybe a couple of expats) here on Cozumel would read anything I wrote. Because it is in English. But once one English-speaking Mexican read the article it spread.
And I know it had a positive impact because not only did she go and try the restaurant, she loved the dishes I ate and is becoming vegetarian after realizing there are tasty options out there. Wow. Our words really do hold the power to change lives.
Like most writers, previously I thought my articles sort of went out into the void and held little hope that anyone here would ever read them. So this meant a great deal. It goes to show that it matters. Our words matter.
Travel writing is more than just a paycheck. It means something to our hometowns and for the first time in the two years living here, I really felt like a part of the local community. I gave back. I supported those around me in a time of need.
It was a wonderful feeling and an aspect of travel writing that is often overlooked.
It also held benefits for me. It gave me a boost of inspiration, motivation, and great personal pride to know I am making a difference.
After all, travel writers do more than restaurant reviews, even though a lady once told me that’s all we do. Boy was she wrong. We are a positive supportive change in our communities and they appreciate it.
Now I don’t know about you, but knowing I am helping my community has re-motivated me to get out there and find things to write about locally.
It has made me fall more in love with my island home and inspired me to take my writing up a notch.
People do read what you write, so by getting out there and finding things to write about you too will become a local celebrity.
Now go, be free, explore and enjoy becoming a local celebrity.