“But how?” I asked my friend Carl as we take a sip of sangria inside a pub in Katipunan. It was the summer of 2016 and smirking at me he replied, “just start tonight when you get home.” So I went home kinda drunk thinking what am I going to name my blog. I didn’t know exactly what the hell happened that night but I ended up with marronisgoing.
Why #marronisgoing?
I am fortunate to have traveled to some of the most beautiful places in the Philippines and honestly, the main reason for this blog is to share the travel guide, itineraries, personal reviews, and budget breakdown to my close friends and family.
Somehow, it was tiring to reply to each photo comment or personal message answering things like that. So this website basically started as a travel blog.
Fast forward to 2020, this blog is celebrating its 4th year anniversary.
BECOMING A BLOGGER
When I started blogging, I was 100% clueless about it. I wasn’t even good at writing if I’m being honest with myself, I didn’t know jack shit about themes and templates, and I don’t think I was that passionate in terms of telling my story. But you know what happens when you follow Nike’s slogan and just do it? You actually gain some unexpected love and skills from it.
You free yourself powerfully to the fundamentals of sharing your adventures. And it is liberating AF. Although writing personal stuff can be a bit scary at times but when you started owning it, no one in the world could actually take it away from you. That shit is liberating.
Through the years, my readers grew from ten people (who are my close friends) to thousands. I started engaging audiences from Asia and the Pacific, North America, Europe, and some few from South America and Africa. Which is a complete surprise for me and is leaving me joyful in high spirits!
Now I can say that writing, apart from my many interests, is something that I always wanted to do for the rest of my life. It is a passion that I didn’t know at first but eventually blossomed in silence and developed out of my focus.
FUTURE PLANS FOR MY BLOG
I am very much thankful for all the closed doors and unanswered prayers that lead me straight to discovering this path. I am even more grateful for being deported this year and from getting cut out of my job recently because of COVID-19. The whole lockdown and enhanced community quarantine have given me the time to learn all the skills relating to blogging.
Although there are still a lot to learn, I am hella decided to be more serious about growing this blog. For the past few weeks, I have been silently guiding myself on how to earn money from home with the power of the internet and it is so exciting for me because I am not a ‘tech savvy’ my whole life and I think I am finally learning now.
If I pulled this laptop-based lifestyle off, my plan is to travel long term and be a complete nomad just like my travel blogger idols. So this time I won’t be afraid to shoot for the moon, because as what they say even if I miss, I will definitely land among stars.
Aut viam inveniam aut faciam.
Comments
Congratulations! It’s great to follow your aspirations, I look forward to seeing your blog grow!! 🙂
Author
Thank you so much! I look forward for your upcoming blogs as well. I checked your profile and I all I know is that you are from Great Britain. One of my long time online best friends lives in London! Was about to come visit and see him next year but I guess it won’t happen yet. And hey! I don’t think you are irrelevant because you got some kick ass poetry!
Aw that’s a shame 🙁 Hopefully you’ll be able to see him when this is all over! And thank you!! 🙂
Author
Ready to beat the odds for it. You’re welcome! Take good care yourself x
Congratulations !!! 🎉
Author
Thanks a lot!
You are welcome dear!!
Congratulations! Well done for organically growing your audience. Travelling indeed have many touch points and hey you write about your experiences well too 🙂 looking forward to seeing you grow further (and maybe share some tips on how to grow your blog 😊)
Author
That’s totally sounds like a plan. It’s funny because I woke up today with a message from a friend asking me things on how to start a blog! Thank you so much, Anj! Hope you are staying physically and mentally safe wherever you are in the world!
Great, looking forward to it! And same to you 🙂 I’ve been longing to visit Philippines soon after this pandemic!
Author
Hopefully this will all end soon. You should! That’s great that you have something to look forward to 🙂
Congratulations. I am also thinking about taking my blog to the next level.
Let’s shoot for the stars!
Author
I say go for it, tito! You know I will always be such a fan of your blog!
Salamat kaibigan ko!
Congratulations 🎈
Author
Thank you very much!
Happy anniversary Marron! Good luck with taking your blog to a next step. X
Author
Thank you, Timothy! x
Congratulations on 4 years! You’ve done very well with your blog. Looking forward to reading more!
Author
Thanks a lot for all the support, Mark! Greatly appreciated ✌🏻
You’re welcome.
Congratulations Marron. This lockdown has definitely given us time to be more creative in terms of blogging and discovering other bloggers along the way! I’m glad I found your blog and wish that for the next 4 years and beyond you begin to position yourself in the place you hope to be in realising your travel blogging dreams! Blessings my bro! 😃🙏💛
Author
Darell, you’re too kind! I am so stoked I discovered your blog as well. I shall remember that blessings just in case I doubt myself in the future. Thank you so much, old sport! 💛
Thanks a million Marron! Blessings bro! 💛
Congratulations on your 4th anniversary
Author
Thank you so much, Sheree!
Congrats on your fourth anniversary. Happy for you that you’re following your bliss.
Author
I figured out that life’s too short not to do what you truly love. Thank you very much!
Congratulations for making it through four years! 🙂
A lot of bloggers nowadays start their journey, but abandon their blog midway. I’ve seen a lot of that since I started in 2013: many becoming active, then suddenly hitting the breaks come 2016 or 2017. Some do make an effort to return (a lot did so during this extended quarantine period), which is equally commendable.
It’s a different field for those consistently churning out posts through the years. And good luck with your next steps! 🙂
Author
I think the only reason I kept up through those four years is that I just write all the thoughts in my head that I am too shy to say in person. Thank you so much, Monch! Appreciate it!
Happy Anniversary!! 🙂 More blogs to come 🙂
Author
Thank you, Jai!
Congrats on four years! Sorry to hear about your job. But you’re working hard for the future – and this could be the start of something amazing. Keep learning and growing, and all the best !
Author
It’s okay I know that it is part of the universe’s weird equation to redirect me to the right flow I am destined to be in. Thank you so much, Eris!
Felicidades por tus cuatro años. Te deseo mucho éxito.
Author
Muchas gracias! Espero que te mantengas a salvo.
Muchas gracias. Cuídate. Saludos.
Congratulations on 4 years!!!! I really love the story behind how your blog started and now here you are! ❤️ I’m wishing you all the best to come. Keep on writing and sharing your stories to us! 💕✨
Author
You too, Jirah! Thanks for sharing your self-hosting journey because I am totally planning to do it this year! Thanks again!
I’m so glad it could help you! 😊 If ever you choose Hostinger as well, I can help you with it! 😊
Author
I am considering Hostinger for its cheap price and saw that it’s 90% off right now?! Currently looking through it and re-reading your self-hosting blogs!!
Thank you so much, Marron! I would really appreciate it if you use the links too! I wish you all the best in your self-hosting process!
God bless to your future plans!
Author
Yay thank you!!
I just started my blog in early May so definitely a newb at it all but its so much fun. I hit 1,000 views last night and felt like having a party. I love to hear people say they started not knowing much and learned along the way. Gives me hope!
Author
That’s actually true! The only way to figure it all out is going out there and see it yourself. You will learn and it will be overwhelming at first but you’ll be good at it! You will enjoy blogging 🙂 Congratulations and good luck!
Congratulations, Marron! I admire your perseverance in pursuing this blogging career. I love it when you mentioned having your own piece – yeah – no one can take it away from you 🙂 I’m pretty new to the blogging world and I have chosen the travel niche. In the midst of this pandemic, we all know that the travel industry has been hardly hit but I am positive that we’ll bounce back 🙂
talk soon
Author
Hey Noriel! So stoked to hear it from you! Congratulations back on starting a travel blog! Travel is also the niche of this blog and I couldn’t be more passionate about it. So fired up for you and good luck bud!
Congratulations
Author
Thank you!
Good day! Managed to visit your blog because of your “like” in my recent blog entry. Thank you! You got an interesting blog! I think travel experiences are really worth blogging and I am glad to know that you got the chance to travel the Philippines a lot! You remind me of my old blogging days. Been in and out of the blogging world. (Should be celebrating 14th year this month :)) But due to this lock down, I got inspired to blog again and I am really happy to see fellow Filipinos who are still into it.
Congratulations on your 4th year and hope to read more of your travel stories soon!
P.S.: It’s nice that you are taking what happened to your job more on a positive way. I hope we’d be all okay and be able to bounce back soon! Keep safe! We will all travel again soon! 🙂
Author
Thanks, Rowell. And happy 14th year of blogging to you! It might be a rollercoaster ride for you, and it might not be consistent but I think it’s still 14 years for falling in and out of love to blogging!
And yes, we will travel again soon! Thanks a again, old sport!
Your story is very inspiring! You have great attitude towards what you want to do. Good luck on your future endeavors!
Author
Thank you so much! Trying to discover and open the right door for me one day at a time. Hope you’re doing great on what you do too!
Congratulation and thank you for like my post (Jatayu Sculpture A Myth Comes Alive).www.rajblog5.com.
Author
Thanks a lot!
It’s so refreshing to read posts like this when I’ve just started out my own travel blog 🙌
Author
Hey good luck!! 😀
Cheers!