Hello and welcome to Gluten-Free Globetrotter!
I know I have a bunch of new readers and subscribers, so I thought the new year would be a great time to (re)introduce myself to you all.
Baby Gluten-Free Globetrotter around my time of diagnosis
My name is Erin Smith and I am a lifelong celiac. I was diagnosed with celiac disease in the 1980s way before “gluten-free” was a trend so I have a unique perspective of growing up gluten-free. I was in the trenches searching for gluten-free food long before it was available on supermarket shelves, before the Internet was invented (yes, I was alive then!), and before many of the national celiac associations even existed. Next year is my 40th anniversary of my celiac diagnosis but until then I am 39 and holding! 🙂
In 2011, I started Gluten-Free Globetrotter after a wonderful solo trip to the Czech Republic. I had my first gluten-free beer on tap at a 100% gluten-free restaurant in Prague and I wanted to shout this news from the rooftops. I knew I wasn’t the only person with celiac disease that wanted to travel the world and so this blog was born.
Gluten-Free Globetrotter in the Berkshires 2019
Nine years later, this blog has brought me so much more than I could have ever imagined. I have met wonderful gluten-free travelers from across the globe. I’ve made gluten-free dumplings with the Singapore Celiac group, had gluten-free pastries with fellow celiac travel bloggers in Paris, planned gluten-free vacations for more than twenty families, and spoken at numerous events about how to be a Gluten-Free Globetrotter. The opportunity to connect with and inspire so many others living with celiac disease has been the most rewarding part of this journey.
Five Facts About Gluten-Free Globetrotter
- I have been to 3 continents, 23 countries, and 37 states all while being 100% gluten-free and living with celiac disease. You can see a list of my travels with links to posts here.
- I drove cross-country twice, once on a southern route and once on a northern route. I have so much sympathy for those with celiac living in the middle of nowhere! I realized on my trips how living in New York City I was spoiled with gluten-free options.
- I have shared my Gluten-Free Globetrotter travel tips with over 1,000 people at gluten-free expos and celiac disease national conferences in two countries.
- I am a lifelong New Yorker, except for a three year stint living in California. I keep the most updated list of dedicated gluten-free restaurants in NYC on my website.
- I am one of the original organizers of the NYC Celiac Meetup group (2005-2015) and hope to get some new events on the calendar soon. I am also the founder of the Santa Cruz (CA) Celiac group.
While 2019 was a slow year for travel but busy in other ways, 2020 promises to get me back into the travel groove. I have a bunch of upcoming blog posts planned for this year as well as some city guides and exciting events in New York City.
What do you want to see from Gluten-Free Globetrotter in 2020?
My motto for 2020 and always!
