Nice to meet you
Hey, there!
My name is Quincy.
Thanks for stopping by. I am an American marketing consultant and aspiring novelist currently living in COVID Europe. So far, I have traveled to 57 countries and 45 states. Feel free to subscribe to my little newsletter, Coffee & Toast, to read my blue moon musings and receive updates on new work. Thanks again!
The story
How it all started…
I’ve been dreaming of exploring the world since I was in grade school, constantly playing with an educational globe that asked me multiple-choice questions about countries around the world. I was obsessed with nature documentaries as a child as well as the history channel (yes, I was a nerd) and wanted to see certain monuments, animals, and landscapes with my own eyes. Two of my goals since elementary school have been to be in the middle of the ocean with no sight of land and be in the middle of the desert with only a guiding caravan.
In 2012, I studied abroad on the Semester at Sea spring voyage and fulfilled one of those childhood dreams! The experience was life-changing. When I arrived back in the U.S., I knew I wanted to graduate from university a year early, earn money, and explore the world on my own terms.
It took time to figure out what sort of work I wanted to do though I knew remote work and flexible schedules had to be part of it. I worked quite a few unfulfilling jobs and traveled with vacation time or in-between positions. In 2017, I pivoted my career in the direction of freelance marketing and while it hasn’t been always wildly profitable, it has given me the lifestyle I have ultimately wanted.
A quick note on my writing
I strive to keep the information about travel destinations as up to date as possible though, in a post-COVID world, I will have to further review my recommendations to see what has stayed open, what opportunities have been forever altered, and what has permanently closed. If you have any information or want to add suggestions of restaurants & activities you think I have missed, please feel free to either contact me or comment on the post.
In the case of my personal essays and travel musings, please note that some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals.
For the last five years, I have been renting spaces in New York and traveling abroad intermittently. Growing up in the New York area, I had always wanted to experience living in the city. While it was a ton of fun, it became quite stifling. I guess I enjoy nature far too much! In 2019, I decided to move out as soon as my lease ended, which happened to be in the middle of the COVID pandemic.
In June of 2020, the U.S. government put a stop to issuing all H1-B visas until the new year. My Icelandic boyfriend, who had returned to Iceland in late spring to renew his 5-year visa, was unable to return. After some time of figuring out our options, Iceland granted a visa allowing partners into the country. At the start of August, I flew to Reykjavik and have been in Europe ever since.
Since 2013, I have started and stopped multiple blogs (winning a small award for one back in the early days of WordPress yay!). I had a great fear of judgment and lack of interest that always deterred me from continuing on. But, due to the efforts of one extremely supportive friend, I’ve decided to start up this website and see where I am able to take it in the next three years.
Interested in Contributing?
If you are interested in guest writing, becoming a contributor, or collaborating on posts, please feel free to reach out. I welcome travel itineraries and personal travel stories that are funny, bittersweet, or offer a lesson well learned. I only accept original articles. Do not submit articles that you have published on another website.
You can pitch me the story or post the story directly into the contact form and I’ll get back to you within the week. My preferred word count is 500 & 1500 words, though I’ll happy to consider longer articles.