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Gringa TravelingMom (gringa)

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Antigua
Guatemala
I’m Marina K. Villatoro and I am so excited to chat with you about all the odd things that happen to my multicultural/trilingual family and all our traveling escapades. Plus, life as an expat and most importantly of all, how I pay for all my travels working location independently while raising a family.

I'll start by filling you in a bit on who I am so you’re not totally like: What in the world is SHE talking about!

I was born in communist Russia. When I was six years old, Russia was extremely happy to wash her hands of most Jews, so my parents did all they could and we migrated to New York. I led a pretty normal, predictable, almost boring suburban life. I talked on the phone for hours on end with my girlfriends, fit the mall rat stereotype to a tee, indulged in occasional five finger discount adventures, hobbled home from one too many keg parties, and discovered marijuana and other substances at an age most people call ‘under-age’ or illegal!

My college years were mainly a blur, since I chose to transfer in total to 5 universities all for the ultimate ‘college experience’. Yet I still managed to graduate on time with a BA in something useless. And I've got a diploma to prove it!

However, one miraculous thing did happen during my undergrad years. I studied abroad in London and have been permanently bit by the travel bug. Right after graduation I hit the road running and haven’t stopped yet. I’ve lived in over 10 US states, 6 countries and have visited 35 countries and counting!

When I was 28 years old, tired of living the 'Sex in the City' (but no where near as glamorous or fun) single life in Manhattan and envisioning a slow and painful future of spinsterhood, I took my backpack and hopped on a bus going south. My original plan was to see the world, but I kind of got stuck in Latin America.

On a so-called normal traveling day I crossed the border from Belize to Guatemala and camped on the grounds of Tikal, the ancient Mayan ruins, next to a young Latino boy who spoke perfect English and made it his mission to follow me until I caved in and fell in love with him. Since then, I’ve happily become an Expat first in Costa Rica and now in Antigua, Guatemala. I have two boys that are raised in a multicultural, trilingual household. Needless to say, it’s never boring!

Since my travel addiction needs its constant fix, I drag my family with me ALL THE TIME!

Head over to my site for more fun adventures:
http://internationalwoman.info
http://travelexperta.com

Happy Travels!
travelexperta.com

My Articles

DateTitle
04/04/2012 00:34:40Disney Fantasy Cruise Brings Us to Castaway Cay
04/02/2012 10:18:51What Makes Disney Fantasy Cruise Different?
01/29/2012 00:14:54Family Fun in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
01/27/2012 00:20:29Cowboys, Horses and Traditions of El Salvador
01/25/2012 00:27:17Playing with Macaws - The Ultimate Kids Fun
01/23/2012 00:23:53Monkeys, Islands and Boats in Granada, Nicaragua
01/21/2012 00:31:53Fly Through the Skies on a Canopy Tour
01/19/2012 00:35:30The Only Fresh Water Island with 2 Volcanoes
01/17/2012 00:38:44Teach Your Kids To Surf
01/15/2012 22:43:26Semana Santa: the Most Unique Celebration for the Family
01/12/2012 00:03:53Kid-friendly Travel in Central America
12/19/2011 22:32:18Top Hotels to Stay while Visiting the Bay Islands of Honduras
11/29/2011 01:16:215 Off the Beaten Road Spots of Guatemala
11/07/2011 15:04:484 Cool Family Things to Do in Copan, Honduras
10/10/2011 22:42:58How to Help A Baby Relax and Sleep Better - Review
09/28/2011 22:07:17Traveling with Girlfriends - A Great Getaway
09/22/2011 11:34:29Traveling with the Grandparents to Foreign Lands
09/14/2011 14:02:09Street Vendors and Food of Guatemala
09/09/2011 12:19:07Costa Rica Budget Vacation
08/18/2011 17:38:59How to Save When Traveling to Nicaragua
07/28/2011 09:00:01Hiking the Maya Trail
07/14/2011 14:35:437 Great National Parks to Visit with Kids
07/07/2011 12:46:425 Educational Experiences for Kids in Costa Rica
06/29/2011 15:46:135 Learning Adventures with Kids in Nicaragua
06/21/2011 11:53:225 Reasons to Take Your Kids Caving
06/08/2011 11:30:28Salsa Dance – A Family Adventure in Antigua Guatemala
05/31/2011 10:23:403 Great Family Friendly Hotels in Nicaragua
05/25/2011 12:38:3015 (Almost) Guaranteed Wildlife Sightings
05/20/2011 13:44:48Packing Essentials for Traveling with Kids
05/13/2011 12:53:01El Salvador - Photo Highlights of a Family Vacation
05/03/2011 14:03:23Family Travel to El Salvador - An Unexpected Surprise!
04/29/2011 14:23:40Where is the World is Traveling Gringa Mom?
03/30/2011 14:27:337 Free Things to Do in Antigua, Guatemala
03/11/2011 15:48:125 Cheap Things To Do at Lake Atitlan With Kids
03/09/2011 22:54:40A Spa Day With Great Childcare
03/05/2011 10:10:208 Cheap Kid Adventures in Guatemala
03/01/2011 18:36:47Secrets to a Cheap Holiday in Disney
03/01/2011 12:45:50Breaking Blogging Rules is Fun - Especially for Disney!
02/11/2011 10:59:235 Must See National Parks of Costa Rica
01/20/2011 17:31:1110 Destinations you Can't Miss in Central America
12/02/2010 16:58:004 Things to see in Tikal
11/05/2010 12:23:54A Family Day Out in Guatemala City
10/29/2010 21:04:04ARCAS Animal Rescue Center of Guatemala
10/20/2010 18:35:13Zoos, Safaris and Animal Centers of Guatemala
10/14/2010 09:02:105 Places to Travel with Kids In and Around Antigua
10/09/2010 09:38:475 Kid Friendly Restaurants in Antigua, Guatemala
08/13/2010 08:51:45I Love Being An Expat, Part 3: Having a Baby
07/20/2010 16:41:20I Love Being An Expat - Domestic Help
07/15/2010 08:18:28I Love Being an Expat in Latin America - Schooling
07/08/2010 08:56:44Skating in Costa Rica - What A View!
06/29/2010 10:45:275 Restaurants in Antigua Guatemala
04/08/2010 17:52:05Guatemala's Amusement Park

My Latest tweets

From Twitter.com/Marina K. Villatoro Marina K. Villatoro : MarinaVillatoro: All About the Hiking Trails in #CostaRica http://t.co/4huTF5pd #Travel 16 May 2012, 1:31 pm
From Twitter.com/Marina K. Villatoro Marina K. Villatoro : MarinaVillatoro: Take a look around "Miniland USA" at @legolandflorida w/ Spa #TMOM, @verasweeney! http://t.co/Qd0N84zC #VisitOrlando 16 May 2012, 1:02 pm
From Twitter.com/Marina K. Villatoro Marina K. Villatoro : MarinaVillatoro: Spa #TMOM, @verasweeney shares her 6 tips & tricks to get most out of your #DisneyWorld experience: http://t.co/rk8CrotJ #VisitOrlando 16 May 2012, 12:31 pm
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