This piece was written with the intention of being published in a local paper back home. I wanted my friends and family to see my words in print so that maybe they would take their travel plans more seriously. The first paper I contacted was the Tampa Bay Times, where my article was reviewed and decidedly put on the front page of their tbt* free edition on April 30, 2013. At the time, I thought my article would be featured in a sidebar. I had no idea that the headshot I submitted was going to be used as a full-cover image, and I had no input for the captions and tag lines. My article received praise as well as criticism in later editions of the tbt* via letters to the editor.
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