1. Your name.
Kristi Keller
2. Tell us a little about yourself.
My first and most important role in life is being a mother but once my son grew up and went out on his own the responsibility factor dissipated and the longing for freedom picked up momentum. I'm a cubicle escapee and freedom junkie now. I left a long corporate career for the pursuit of happiness. That might sound a little cliche so really I'm just pursuing what I want, not what I should want.
After leaving the corporate world I relocated to Jamaica for a short while and just concentrated on exploring and writing, and rejuvenating myself. This new lifestyle was completely in line with my vision of freedom and I don't see it ending anytime soon, even though I'm not in Jamaica anymore.
3. What cause or causes do you support and why?
I feel like there are a lot of causes I "should" support but in spite of those I keep being drawn back into supporting animal causes. They tug at my heartstrings the most because animals don't have a voice of their own and they often suffer at the hands of humans. I can't even fathom that when I look at my own dog living out her golden years in comfort and surrounded by love.
4. Can you provide some information about the cause or causes?
In the last few years I was made aware of several animal shelters while traveling. The one (so far) that has made the most impact on me is The Animal House Jamaica (insert this link http://www.
What is unique about island animal shelters is that travelers can adopt the animals and have them sent abroad to live with them in their homes. I think this is a fantastic way to bring a little piece of the island home with you to cherish for years to come, knowing that you've changed a little life in the process.
5. Does your work reflect anything about these cause or causes you support?
Everything I do while traveling gets its own promotion in the form of a blog post, and shared among my large social media following. The animal causes are no different. Twice I have been to The Animal House and both times I wrote about it, encouraging others to donate money or supplies, join their social media pages, and even visit and adopt!
My first visit to The Animal House was enlightening and very touching. It is documented here: http://www.jamaicamyway.com/
My second visit was a lot more fun because I brought down 46 lbs of dog treats from Canada to Jamaica to distribute to the shelter. What a fabulous and fun day that was. http://www.jamaicamyway.com/
Future Plans
For ten years I have specialized in Jamaica as a destination and have covered every single thing I can think of on that island. Recently I made a decision that it was time to break free and expand my horizons. The Caribbean is my sweet spot on the planet. Although I haven't yet visited a next island because it involves some planning on my part, I AM taking part in a fantastic competition to spend 2 months on the island of Tobago. This trip is actually a job through Tobago's tourism board, writing about the island in an effort to bring more tourism there.
Naturally one of the first things I Googled about Tobago is whether there are animal shelters there. Sure enough there is the TTSPCA (link: http://www.ttspca.com/) and I've already reached out to them in the event that I win this competition. I can't wait to be able to spend a few days volunteering with them and share my stories with the world. Every little bit helps.
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**If people want to help me win you can put a link to the voting website which is http://vote.60daysinparadise.
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