About

Welcome to my little travel corner!  Hi, I’m Helen Todd and this is my travel blog encouraging travelers at heart and at large to take the road less traveled.

“Life is a daring adventure, or nothing.”  -Helen Keller

This blog site has it origins in the need to keep family and friends filled in on my travels, of which my acceptance into a program sending me to the Beijing Olympics got my rear-end into gear!

The Snapshot

Currently I reside in Boston and just received a Masters degree for Integrated Marketing Communication at Emerson College.  I received a BSBA in Marketing from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH, prior to relocating to Boston. I grew up at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN area and am always proud of my Southern roots.

Sustainable tourism, destination marketing, voluntourism, and social and emerging media in marketing interest me.

To date, my big trips have all been schemed through the school system.  From studying in London, researching in Thailand to volunteering at the Beijing Olympics.  Travel is what I live for and I hope to share some of my passion, tidbits and random stories on this blog.  More so, I hope to plant a seed of encouragement to take the road less traveled.

Summer of 2008 – The Beijing Olympics

This summer I was in China for three months months supporting Press Operations for the Beijing Olympics and the Paralympic News Service (PNS) for the Paralympics. Through Emerson College and in partnership with the Communication University of China, I was selected to participate in this amazing opportunity.  Over the course of the summer, I worked alongside Chinese volunteers, rubbed elbows with the international press, partied with Olympians, interviewed Paralympians, breeched Olympic security and bungee jumped off a cliff in Longqing Gorge.

Summer of 2007 – Voluntourism and Thailand

From June 12-August 22, 2007, an independent study brought me to SE Asia to write a paper on Thailand and voluntourism. As part of my research I interviewed the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s brand manager of “Amazing Thailand,” Mrs. Varnapruk. I also volunteered for a week at the Elephant Nature Park outside of Chang Mai, Thailand. Additionally I volunteered for Shane Beary’s Voluntourists-without-Borders (VWB) initiative which is leading the way in sustainable and voluntourism business models. From abroad, I still contribute to VWB as a virtual volunteer aiding with business development and marketing goals.

For the last 3 weeks of my trip in SE Asia, I joined The World by Road Expedition (TWBR) and now am a virtual volunteer for the expedition. Starting in Ho Chi Mihn City, Vietnam, we made our way through Cambodia and I ended in Laos as a crew member on this extraordinary expedition. The core crew, the two Steve’s, are still circumnavigating the world…follow all the adventures on the TWBR website!

Work and Play

When it comes to working hard, my work consists of consulting on marketing and seo.

When it comes to playing hard, I enjoy all the excitement Boston has to offer and sharing good food with friends. In my downtime, I figure out ways to travel again.  You can also find me playing scrabble, meeting travelers, pretending to be a wine connoisseur and enjoying chocolate!

My Travel Timeline:

2008 – July 2- Sept. 28:

China > Shanghai, Beijing for the Olympics and Paralympics

2007 – June 12 – Aug. 22:

SE Asia > Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos

2005 – Sept. 12 – Dec. 26:

London, England > studied abroad at Middlesex University

2005 – July 30 – Sept. 12:

Backpacked through Europe and also volunteered at World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany

2003 – 10 days in July:

Japan > Tokyo, Hakone, Mt. Fuji, Kyoto, Hiroshima for vacation

2002 – summer:

Toronto, Canada > Participated in World Youth Day