Today we’d like to introduce you to Carla Afonso Izquierdo.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Carla. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When I was only ten years old, I got to be the luckiest girl in the world because my parents would take me to any summer trip with them. I know a lot of people whose parents go on vacation and prefer to leave the kids behind to fully enjoy their holidays. I was one fortunate kid and I quickly got to visit many countries such as: Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, United Kingdom, Scotland, etc. Only by the age of 16, everyone in school would start asking me about my trips and how they went.
Now, that I see the power that social media has gained and how much people like to know about my trips, it’s when I decided to share them. I would love to keep growing doing what I like the most, traveling but I’d also love to encourage everyone who feels like me to do it. It’s a hard path and you have to be able to accept criticism and be willing to find out who your real friends are.
I’ve only started but I think that everyone can achieve their goals if they’re willing to. It only takes time and effort.
Has it been a smooth road?
As I already mentioned, I am only at the beginning but I have already experienced some difficult aspects of social media. As well as you’re sharing your travel experiences, itineraries and tips and everyone click on your web/video/Instagram account, there are also those who click to criticize. I love a good tip, I love to hear from friends and their opinions. You can learn a lot from constructive criticism. But the only thing you can learn about people who put you off behind your back is just to let them go.
I think the main challenge is being able to focus on your goals and admit the obstacles you’re going to face on the way. Someone once told me, people are always going to talk behind your back, let them have a proper excuse to do it. I don’t matter if you’re doing something wrong or right, there’s always those who spend their lives talking.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I studied a Double Degree in Translation and Interpreting. That’s all I wanted to focus on. I finished my degree last year and decided to move to Miami with my boyfriend. He encouraged me to start my blog and take it seriously. The one thing I’m most proud about is to not care. I thought this aspect was going to be the hardest but I actually did pretty well.
I don’t want to put aside my degree but now, I’m doing what I really feel like. I am traveling, sharing my experiences and collaborating with brands.
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
I definitely think my best mentor was my mother. I am where I am now because of her. Otherwise, everything I am doing right now wouldn’t be possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://catchmetravelling.com/
- Email: caafonsoiz@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlaafonsoiz/
Image Credit:
Carla Afonso @Carlaafonsoiz
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