My name is Erika, and I am from Budapest, Hungary.
While I have a full-time job as a brand strategist, I am happiest when on the road, at the ready with camera in hand. But I never set out to be a traveler, photographer or blogger. They all came to me very naturally, a matter of me following my intuition.
Wanderlust has been proven to be encoded in our genes. I feel it in my bones and that’s why I have stopped trying to figure out why I can’t stay in one place for too long. Photography took a more circuitous route in finding me. Having studied art history and applied arts, it turned out neither painting nor teaching were my calling. I have always loved taking photos, but it was on my first trip to Iceland 2 years ago, when photography turned my life upside down – irreversibly. Since then, I have been developing the technical side of my photography. Photo editing, meanwhile, remains a great outlet for my artistic needs and fidgety fingers. And there’s the writing/blogging bit of the equation. This part is the last act in the show, but is sure gratifying when it’s completed. Previously, I never thought I would be any good at describing places or giving travel advice. There are so many great travel blogs already – at least that’s what I thought.
If you are wondering then what brings us here, it’s this: Despite the continuous growth of the travel industry and the countless travel blogs emerging in its wake, I have always felt there was still something missing for travellers out there like me: YOU!
Because taking all my travel experiences, all the places I have visited into account, the cherished trips that stick with me are the ones that involved locals, those who know those destinations intimately. Their recommendations, knowledge, and experience have always added an extra zest to my travels. That’s why I want you to Be My Guides and do your part in showing everyone that real, local experiences are truly the best. Read more about how you can do your part here.
Making all this happen is not a one man show. A full-blown, enthusiastic team works behind the scenes of Be My Guides.
Dorisz
My best friend and business partner in marketing, Dorisz is my practical significant other. I come up with the concepts and she makes them come true, as the number one project manager in the universe. It’s important that she believe in my concepts, so please don’t make her upset by not giving my site a thorough read; none of this would be happening without her.
Árpi
Creator of my dreams when it comes to graphic elements, Árpi is responsible for the overall look of this site and those beautiful Pinterest covers. We both have strong – sometimes clashing – concepts about how things should be done, but at the end of the day our mutual respect for the other’s talent makes for what I think is visual perfection.
Drew
He’s the one to blame if you think this site has an American accent. Drew was born in the US, but has an Irish passport and a Hungarian wife. He is my English language superego, specializing in “sentence massage,” so that you hopefully won’t cringe from my Central European English. He also reworks pieces for me in all categories of my site, and is a great help to me when I am “picture blind” and words don’t come easy.
This list would not be complete without mentioning the input of László, responsible for programing, Betti – graphic design, Klári – content research, and Kristóf – social media management.