We are a mother and daughter. After Mari worked for 30 years in marketing and Val finished college, we decided to pack up our lives and travel the world.
Let us share a little bit about ourselves …
Marisol Rodríguez
Titles: Mom (the most important one), Professional career woman, Marketer in the Pharmaceutical Industry for more than 25 years, wife 2 times and single now.
Passion: Experiencing the world and inspiring others to try it!
Hobbies: Travel Writer – Had a weekly column for 3 years in the Travel Section of El Nuevo Día newspaper in my home country, Puerto Rico. Currently writing my blog Mari and Val Round the World.
Obsession: Planning my next adventure. LOVE the planning process, learning about my new destination and making sure I take care of every detail to make it a memorable experience.
Statistics: Have traveled to 67 countries and 148 cities in 6 continents. Current home base is Miami, Florida.
Latest Destination: Japan
Previous Dream: Leave the Corporate world and go travel the world! I want to share my experiences through my blog.
Current Dream: Continue my blog while transitioning to a new job in the Pharmaceutical or Travel & Leisure Industry. Would also love to write a book about our experience traveling the world. In the future, I would like to become a Travel Planning Speaker to be able to inspire and teach others how to make their traveling dreams come true.
Valerie Lara
Titles: Daughter, Recent College Graduate of Digital Media Studies Degree, Foodie, Traveler.
Passion: Japan. I’ve always had a passion for Asian culture and in 2014 I studied abroad in Osaka. Best 6 months of my life and I hope to go back one day.
Hobbies: Can eating be a hobby? But also writing, reading, and of course, traveling.
Obsession: FOOD. I love cooking with my mom, going to restaurants, tasting different flavors and learning about a new culture through food.
Statistics: Lucky enough to have traveled to more than 27 countries and 60 cities in 6 continents.
Latest Destination: Japan
Dream: To travel the world and someday move to Australia or Europe and simply be happy!
“Most people have dreams but many simply don’t know how to make them a reality. Many of my dreams have always been related to experiencing the world. It all started with that first trip to Europe that I got as a college graduation gift. It opened my mind, my world! In that moment I knew that traveling was going to be an integral part of my life.
If you, like me, have the need to explore, to feel and experience the unknown, to enjoy the differences and to understand the greatness of our world, welcome to Mari and Val Round the World”.
Marisol