Last month my little old blog celebrated her 4th birthday!
Who knew I could make such a commitment? I surprise myself sometimes.
In lieu of overbearing you all with several lengthy blog posts recently, I’ve decided to keep it short and simple – I just wanted to say thank you for putting up with me for all this time. You rock!
When I think back to four years ago, I could have never, ever imagined that this is where I’d be today. I was about to graduate university, terrified of the uncertainty of my future but excited to head back to Spain, this time as an English teacher.
My blog was (and still is) my diary, and it’s what’s stuck with me through thick and thin over the years, became my solace in low points and my inspiration to turn blogging into a career.
Who would have thought?
But before I start to ramble on and bore you all about the past, I wanted to share a little giveaway I’ve strummed up for you ladies – Tieks by Gavrieli, my favorite flats in the world!
Sorry gentlemen! Next time!
Last August when I moved to New Zealand, I decided to get a solid pair of ballet flats I could wear all the time, through thick and thin. No matter how hardy a traveler I’ve become, I’ve never been one to dress down or look like your average backpacker. I may travel out of a backpack, but I like to look nice.
I love to dress up and look my best when I can, a life lesson I learned after 3 years in Spain where it’s a crime for women to wear sweatpants in public and rocking running shoes outside the gym will get you deported. Immediately.
However, 7 years on the road also taught me that high heels are the biggest waste of backpack space, so I’ve always relied on cute flats to get my by when I’m traveling.
Tieks to the rescue!
From being able to fold them up and fit in a purse to coming in a million and half different colors and patterns, though I love Lovestruck the best of all, I knew I had to have a pair before moving over to New Zealand.
Nothing puts a smile on my face quite like wearing sparkling shoes whenever I want!
Since then, my Tieks have traveled around the world with me, to 3 continents and over 6 countries, and they are still in tip top shape. Over the years I’ve learned to value quality over quantity, and I was sick of having to throw out my flats every few months, knowing as soon as they got wet they were done. Not with Tieks! Finally a shoe to match my lifestyle!
Not to mention they’re made from Italian leather, and we all know how much I love Italy!
My Tieks have walked around the world with me for 9 months and now I want to give you the chance to try them out too. To say thank you for following along, I’m giving away a $100 Tieks giftcard to one of you fabulous ladies to help you get started on your own journey, in style of course.
Be sure to fill out the giveaway form below, following me on Facebook and tweeting and sharing about the contest for more entries. But most importantly, please leave me a comment on this post telling me where you would wear your very own Tieks around the world!
**Update, thank you all for entering, the giveaway is now closed and congratulations to Jaime for winning!
Thank you!
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Hmmmm… I can see myself wearing my new Tieks in Ireland!
You are so right in saying that heels are a total waste of space and sneakers are a no-no. I am about to embark on a eastern european journey and these will be great for saving space and looking good even when I probably haven’t showered in a couple days. Haha.
Good luck to all that entered.
Hello Young Adventuress,
My name is Jess and I’m constantly on the lookout for a comfy and fashionable pair of ballet flats.
For too many years now I’ve bought shoes that look good but leave my toes sore and covered in blisters. Yet, these Tieks you mention in your post look like a practical, sensible and stylish solution to my footwear crisis.
Also, as a fellow traveller, I too am always scouting shoe shops for a pair of ‘nice’ shoes that will fit into my backpack. More often than not I find myself wearing ‘thongs’ (flip-flops) out when I’m on the road. Owning a pair of Tieks would provide me with a fashionable alternative that won’t take up any more space in my bag.
Knowing me, I’d most likely wear my Tieks everywhere — on the road, at home and out to dinner, you name it!
I’m about to move to South Korea, so I’m looking to pare down my wardrobe a LOT while traveling around Southeast Asia– I’ve been dreaming of owning a pair of Tieks; I’d love to bring some with me! I also love that they have four gorgeous vegan options– it’s almost impossible to find cute vegan shoes in my size 12!