It’s here! Our Fall 2016 Independence Travel Writing Award Finalists!

 

Independence travel writingThe WSGT Winter 2017 Inspiration Travel Writing Award is open for entries. The theme is “How travel has changed your life. Are you willing to grow? Anything is possible.” There are $700USD in cash prizes to be won, so don’t wait to tell your own story of inspiration!

After reading all the entries from our 2016 Summer Independence Travel Writing Award, our judges have narrowed it down to the top nine finalists.Winners will be announced soon. The 2016 Gratitude Travel Writing Award entries are now being published.

AND THE FINALISTS ARE:

A ROAD TRIP THROUGH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA by Josh Cook

There’s a meditative hum to it, a drawn out Om that stretches down the highway. You forgot how much you loved the sound of tires spinning on pavement. You’re behind the wheel, headed wherever you want. But there is only one place now. That placed you’ve been longing for. You’re on a road trip again in the American West.

TRAVEL LIGHT AND LET GO IN PERU by Maggie Peikon

“I will not be the reason that they don’t go on this trip.” His words, just a memory to me now, still sting like alcohol on a wound. I was fortunate enough to see him in his last few days, but it did not—could not—take the pain out of losing him. My Grandpa died three days after his 95th birthday, and just three days before I boarded the plane for Peru. Rewind four weeks and you’d find me, sitting in the grass. Alone.

THE WONDER OF AN OPTIMISTIC CHILD IN PERU by Catherine Fancher

The smarty-pants Spanish majors were getting on my nerves. I dawdled in the back of a ramshackle classroom in a girls’ orphanage in Cusco, Peru. After two weeks as a volunteer, I was a complete flop.

AN INSPIRED ROAD TO TRANSFORMATION IN INDIA by Rachana Awatramani

A dialogue from the movie “Eat Pray Love” that said, “Ruin is good, ruin is the road to transformation” always made me wonder how? How can ruin be good and more so how can it be the road to transformation?

LIVING LIFE TO ITS FULLEST IN COLOMBIA by Julie Soares

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine posted a poem by Pablo Neruda entitled “You start dying slowly.” It resonated with me, and expressed the way that I was feeling 3 years ago, before my life took a detour from its original trajectory. There are not many things in this world that I am afraid of, but dying without fully experiencing life is one of my greatest fears.

EXCITED TO REACH THE RED LINE by Tiffany D Soukup

Noises whirled, gears cranked, voices both laughing and screaming surrounded me as I stood in queue, my eyes fixated on the red line. I was a young child impatiently awaiting my turn to get up to the red line. Most people around me were happy and excited. I was anxious and fearful as I chanted internally, “Please let me be tall enough, please let me be tall enough.”

HARD FOUGHT JOURNEYS TO A SATISFIED FREEDOM IN THE PHILIPPINES by Mary Anne Penaranda

When I saw the theme of this article writing contest, I remember a quote I have encountered before. The quote says “Learn the rules. Then break some”. It might sound rebellious to some but for me, I think of it as another way of saying you fight for your journeys freedom.

ADVENTURE HIKING IN THE MAJESTIC ROCKY MOUNTAINS by Thea Wingert

I can’t say for sure when the first time I laid eyes on them was, but the Rocky Mountains have always featured in my life. They grace the provincial flag, appear on the currency, were a frequent locale for family vacations and could be perceptible from a distance on a clear day from my prairie home.

INTENSE MARINE WEAPONS TRAINING IN HAWAII by Jonathan Richardson

I exhale as hard as I can, knowing it could mean serious injury or worse. My head is down but I have my arms up and my iPhone ready on a friend’s shoulder taking pictures and recording. Just another day in the Marines. Another day I’m asked to do record and document for friends who want photos for their families and loved ones to know they’re safe and doing well.

Share your story in the Winter 2017 Inspiration We Said Go Travel Writing Award: “How travel has changed your life.” Tell us about a place in your life or a place you visited where you took a risk and fought against fear and were willing to grow forward. You could be on the next finalist list!

Stay up-to-date with WSGT and find out who the Gratitude Contest winners are through our blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and youtube channel!

 

Caitlyn O'Brien

Caitlyn is a 26-year-old Canadian with a passion for travel, futbol, and more recently kayaking in her new Patagonian home: Futaleufú. She teaches English at a local school and loves turning her daily experiences into stories.

One response to “It’s here! Our Fall 2016 Independence Travel Writing Award Finalists!

  1. Oh wow! So honored to be in the finalist round! Thank you for all the effort to host these awards. Look forward to seeing the final results! 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

We Said Go Travel