Year in Review: The 10 Best Read Articles of 20195 min read

We can hardly believe we’ve already made it to the end of another year, but time stops for no one: 2020 is here! We’ve reached the final day of the decade (wow) and since our early days in 2016, the Globonaut community has grown stronger with more crew members and more readers (our annual page views grew by 185%). But there’s so much more to Globonaut than just numbers. We’ve also grown closer together by sharing ideas and experiences, writing collaborative articles, and starting a monthly newsletter.

The crew is excited about starting a brand new year full of interesting opportunities and unpredictable experiences, and we hope you are too. 2020 will be the year when Globonaut will expand into a new direction. Not just as an open storytelling platform, but also as a storytelling academy. We’ll tell you more about that very soon.

For now, it’s time to reflect. In 2019, we managed to publish 55 new articles in both English and Dutch. Let’s reveal which articles were your favourite stories this year!

10. The Maastricht Survival Guide for New Students and Day Trippers

Guest blogger Julie shared her insider tips for one of the most charming yet underrated cities in the Netherlands: “After living in Maastricht for 3 years as a student, I cannot tell you anything about its history, but I CAN tell you where to get the best pizza, burritos and ice cream, aka the important things in life.” Read her full story here.

9. How to Beat the Winter Blues: Lessons from Recovering Winterophobes

Many of the crew members (Lana, Marijke, Roselinde, Qiu Thing and Maryse) struggle with feeling a bit down and moody when winter arrives. Have you been going through a similar phase? It might be the long nights and cold weather: the winter blues. But don’t worry, there are simple, everyday methods that will help you start loving the winter season. Click here to find out how to beat the blues.

8. The Uncalculated Costs of Travel

Travel is eye-opening. You discover new places and expose yourself to other cultures. But there are disadvantages: the invisible, uncalculated costs of travel. Have you ever thought about those? Crew members Janine and Marijke uncovered them for you this year.

7. Now or Never: The Paradox of Flying to Iceland to See a Melting Glacier

Thousands of tourists fly to Iceland to see a melting glacier. But paradoxically, this aggravates global warming, which is causing the glaciers to melt in the first place. Crew member Maryse was one of those tourists. She asked herself the difficult question: was my trip worth the flight?

6. Moving to Maniitsoq: Life on the Edge of the Arctic Circle

The small town of Maniitsoq in Greenland was founded as a Danish colony around 1755. But recently, discussions about Greenlandic independence have grown stronger. And now, the likes of Trump are looking to buy the country. But what is living on the edge of the arctic circle actually like? Guest blogger Henrik shared his insights in a fascinating article.

5. Should We Stop Geotagging on Social Media?

Globonaut founder Roselinde found out that geotagging our social media posts isn’t as always as innocent as it seems. There are definitely places where we should consciously cut loose from the hashtag hoard mentality, but how do you recognise those moments? Read the full article here.

4. Tips for a Staycation: How to Feel Like You’re on Holiday at Home

Crew member Marijke knows a trip to a faraway destination isn’t always an option for everyone. But that’s no reason to be sad. She shared five staycation tips will make you feel like you’re on holiday at home (added bonus: it’s much better for the environment too). Read them here.

3. Reflections on Solo Female Travel

On International Women’s Day, crew member Katja shared her thoughts on being a solo traveler. Why exactly is the female experience so fundamentally different? If you haven’t already, read about her experiences and important realizations in the full article.

2. Ways to Feel Inspired and Find Moments of Awe in Everyday Life

It turns out feeling inspired lowers stress-levels and improves our mental health. That’s why why crew founder Roselinde decided to share seven ways to feel inspired in everyday life with the Globonaut community. And thankfully, you don’t always have to travel far to find inspiration. Read her tips here and apply them to your own everyday life in 2020.

1. Insensitive Things to Avoid When Writing a Travel Essay

In the age of backpackers, widespread internet access and the ever-increasing number of travel blogs, many of us have tried writing a travel essay. But they’re on the web for everyone to see, which means you have to be fully responsible for whatever you send into the world. And trust us, there are definitely things to avoid when writing a travel essay. Crew founder Roselinde wrote a helpful guide that the Globonaut community thankfully seemed to love this year! Read it here.