About Me

About Me

Me

About Me

Hi! My name is Katie, and I have always had an insane case of wanderlust.  I dreamed of discovering new lands when I was a child, and so in lieu of new continents to “find”, I’ve created opportunities to discover as much of the world as I can for myself.

I began truly traveling when I studied abroad; I would travel over weekends and on school holidays with my friends.  I studied abroad first in 2011 in Aix-en-Provence, France, and it was easily one of the best four months of my life.  I’ve since completed my Master’s degree at Cardiff University in Cardiff, Wales where I lived for one year.  My degree is in European Studies with a focus in Culture and Ideology, and I found that I truly love learning about and exploring different cultures.  I currently live and work in Prague, Czech Republic where I work with (primarily) American study abroad students during their time abroad at a Czech university.

So far, I’ve traveled to more than 30 different countries, and I think that I’ll always have a new one on my list.  I have developed a somewhat insane passion for travel, in particular for finding off-the-beaten-path places to visit, and for immersing myself in local cultures as best I can.  I created this blog at first to share my journey and experiences with family and friends, but it has since morphed into a much larger and more engaging community than I could have imagined.  My goal for this blog is to use it to help travelers and study abroad students have the best experiences abroad that they possibly can.

Check out my Travel Guides page for my insights into the different places I’ve visited, and feel free to contact me if you have any further questions about places you plan to travel to.  If you’re interested in a more detailed itinerary, head over to the Shop to see the downloadable travel itineraries I have available.  And if you still need some more guidance, I’d be happy to work with you one-on-one to develop an itinerary, budget, and plan that will work well for you with a travel consultation!

As I have dedicated my life to promoting the importance of study abroad for undergraduate students, particularly those coming from the US, I am more than happy to work with any perspective study abroad or university student to find an opportunity that will work for them!  If you’re interested in study abroad advising or preparation for an upcoming study abroad experience, contact me, and I’ll be happy to work with you.

Sponsorship and Authenticity

All ideas and words written on this blog are my own unless otherwise stated.  I often review products, tours, restaurants, hotels, and other travel-related products and services, and always note if any of these reviews have been sponsored in any way.  I will always post my honest opinion on all posts and reviews, the authenticity of this blog is incredibly important to me.

You may find some affiliate links throughout this blog. These links are provided for companies that I regularly use myself, and help to financially support this blog and my mission here. Using these links adds absolutely no additional cost to you.

If you’re interested in my review of your product or service, please contact me or send me an e-mail at Katie.Ford@studyhardtravelsmart.com for a copy of my media kit.

If you would like me to write for your blog, feel free to send me a message!

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