For this edition of #SMWLagosExperiences we caught up with Roxanne L. Scott, journalist and travel goddess extraordinaire!
Roxanne is currently a graduate degree at Hunter College’s Graduate School of Journalism and has lived, traveled and worked in countries like China, Ghana and so many more. Roxanne writes on topics including education, politics, travel & culture. Her work has been seen in in City Limits, Chalkbeat and NPR. Currently, she is a graduate student at the City University of New York School of Journalism.
Here to see what Roxanne had to say:
In a conversation with Ngozi Odita around this time last year, she told me that Social Media Week Lagos would change my life. Those words sold me on going to SMW Lagos.
For the past eight years, travel has been the nexus of my life. I’ve seen rainforests in Costa Rica, pyramids in Mexico, temples in China and beaches in Ghana. When Ngozi asked me to combine my background in blogging and travel to serve as SMW Lagos’ Travel Liaison, I simply couldn’t refuse.
From the time I landed, the frenzied vibe of Lagos had me energized. From my first day of sitting in sessions with activists and social entrepreneurs to the many travel bloggers I encountered for Travel Africa Day, I was inundated by people who wanted nothing more than to elevate Nigeria.
Traveling to Nigeria made me question the complacency I often felt living in the United States. In Lagos, I couldn’t escape the spirit of techies, entrepreneurs and travelers. SMW Lagos reminded me why I started traveling; to meet changemakers across the globe and challenge myself daily.
SMW Lagos did change my life. But not in the way that I thought. The conference validated that any part of the world could spark innovation. From New York City to Beijing from Nairobi to Lagos. And you don’t need an abundance of resources to do it. What you have is enough. To the dynamic people I met last year who showed me this, I’m indebted.
And I’m ready to see them again for 2015.
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