Two years ago, while I was sitting at a cubicle late at night, I thought of a perfect name for my website – Runaway Juno.
I bought a domain and studied how to start the blog every night after 14 hours of working days, and sometimes at the cubicle. Two years later, here I am, blogging at a guesthouse in Dali, Yunnan, China. As a self-employed traveler.
Who knew I’d ditch the dull place and be out in the wild world.
So,
Runaway Juno just turned 2 years old!
Wow, two years. It felt so much longer than two years. Since March 2010, when I first opened Runaway Juno, I knew nothing about blogging. I was actively around in twitter by the time when I decided opened up a blog, but never knew about technical stuff that blogger should know and I was even new to Facebook.
First time using WordPress, didn’t even know the meaning of hosting service and domain, how to make readable blog post and not even how to use decent English in writing.
But here I am, two years later. WordPress and I are having fairly good relationship, and finally I can tell what hosting and domain are, and became social media expert and addict, and still using not-decent English in writing. But I’m getting there.
What happened during the time…
Personally
It was one hell of a year. One of the wildest years in 20something years of my life. Career change from mechanical engineer who was working in the cubic farm for hateful 14 hours a day to a traveler who are designing her own life with a joy.
It was a big change. Probably one of the biggest and the most important ones in my life. I had conflicts, and still do. But it’s just what I have to go through. Because it was time, stop making bucket list and spill the bucket.
Certainly, it was not easy and it is still not easy in many levels. But I don’t regret it, any bits.
Right before I left for my Asia trip, I was on the radio and talked about my life and travel. It was a good feeling, to be heard.
Travels
I traveled to Thailand and Malaysia Borneo in April and May, and a grand road trip to east coast of USA and Quebec, Canada. Then I left longer trip to different part of Asia: Hong Kong, Macau, Southern China, Laos, and Vietnam in the future. And I don’t think I’ll stop traveling.
Blog and Networking
- For two years, I published 373 blog posts on Runaway Juno and numerous guestposts on fellow bloggers’ websites. I think, you may not agree, but I think my posts got better in the second year. I’m still very much enjoying blogging and not planning to stop anytime soon.
- It went through major design change due to accidental opportunity. But after all, it was a great change.
- I started to film and edit travel videos. Check out the new Runaway Video category to watch my fine arts! It’s a great fun. And I think I’m getting better at this; probably I enjoy it so much.
- I hosted Travel Photo Roulette Round 37 as a winner of 36th round. I nominated as one of the best blog posts by female blogger and one of 10 inspiring female bloggers and so on. So I must have been doing something right. And I thank you all for your support!
- Last November, I opened a new photography blog: Mastering the Art of Travel Photography. It is for presenting my photos and sharing photography tips with fellow amateur photographers.
- Recently, my little Kiwi Brothers opened a travel blog for kids: Traveling Kiwis. It’s great fun to share the adventures with two little kiwi birds and read their part of stories. They are preparing bigger projects now. Can’t wait to hear more about it.
What’s Next for Runaway Juno?
Keep having fun and explore the world – and share the stories with all of you. That’s what’s left and I’m very looking forward to it. The wide-open possibilities, that inspires me. Literally, I can do whatever I want and go wherever I want. Gladly I haven’t made any stupid decisions yet and hopefully I won’t.
It has been a great run for two years. I sincerely thankful for everyone who visited my website and continue reading my stories. Everyone wants to be heard. And I’m being heard through Runaway Juno and I’m very grateful for that.
My sincere thank you for your support and love you gave to Runaway Juno for last two years. And I’m looking forward to have longer and better times with you in the future.
Thank you all, and happy blogversary to Runaway Juno!
Cheers to you all, with the local beer here in Dali: Dali beer.
Congrats Juno…Looking forward to tagging along here for many more!
Congrats Juno! Aren’t blogiveraries great? Just had my second one last month! Sounds like it’s been a wonderful two years for you! Keep up the good work!!
Congrats! I love your blog and I think your English has gotten much better (that’s what happens when you use it alot). I think your English is at least as good as my Korean English Teacher that I work with at my school here in Korea, and she studied for her master’s degree in English teaching.
Congrats and happy blogversary!! You’ve come a long way in two years 🙂
Thanks Kim! Yes, it has been a long but exciting journey. I was keep thinking ‘is this three years? no.. two years.’ Felt longer than 2 years certainly!
congratulations Juno! wishing you more blogging years and more adventures to come 🙂
Thanks Flip!! I wish the same thing! 🙂
Great job Juno! I’m looking forward to the videos you are starting to produce on all your travel adventures – going to be fun!
Thanks Mark. I have so much to learn from your video posts! Your videos and the successes are inspiring!
Happy Blogversary!
Thanks Tash!
Congratulations on two years! You rock 🙂
Thanks Lauren! Are you having fun in Bali? 🙂
Congrats sis! I am so happy for you and it’s great that you can see how your life improved in terms of satisfaction, happiness and freedom! 🙂 Happy for you, and honored to be on your side during the process 🙂
Big hug!
Thanks sis. It was a great ride, and I”m so happy to have you on my side too! So many good things happened because of Runaway Juno, and hopefully more will come. And it’s about time for us to meet!!!
It’s really about time! Why didn’t we meet yet???
um, because you were in Cairo and I was in Seoul perhaps? 😀 hehe!!
Congrats and happy Bloganiversary!
I hope celebrate my bloganiversay one day the same as you 🙂
Thanks Fernanda!
It sounds like quite the ride, Juno! Congratulations. Looking forward to reading about your ongoing adventures! –kim
Thanks Kim! It was a good two years, really. And I’m really looking forward to having more great years!
Congrats Juno! It’s been fun watching you grow your skills and travel the world over the past two years. What an adventure! Here’s to many, many more 🙂
Thanks Leslie! Also glad to get to know you via blogging. Hopefully we can continue working many more years!
Congrats Juno – 2 years is quite the milestone!
Any tips for for new travel bloggers? (I’m only five weeks old!)
Hi Nate! Welcome to travel bloggers’ world! 🙂 It’s a great place to be. Well, I started with no-knowledge what so ever, but I had great fellow bloggers to help me. So, I’m happy to help you if I can! 🙂
Thanks so much Juno, I will be sure to fire a question or two at you! I’ve already had some great help from well-established bloggers, it’s a great community!
Congrats Juno! You really have acomplished a lot over the past two years on your blog–but more importantly you’ve been designing your own life.
You really are an inspiration. Love your posts–lots of originality and creativity.
Thanks. Here’s to many more years!
You’ll always have a home with my family. Good luck on your travels sister!
Happy blogiversary, Juno! You’ve done great things with this blog (and branching out beyond this blog) in two years. It’s quite an achievement. It’s been a pleasure reading about your adventures on the road. And I’m so very glad I had the chance to meet you in person! Here’s looking forward to your successes over the coming year!
Thanks Gray. It was really a good ride, last two years. It was really the most important phase of my life for sure. To meet you last summer was one of the highlights for me too. Vermont was great, and in fact, America was great. Hopefully we’ll meet sometime soon. 🙂