I haven’t shared a ton about myself, so I thought I would introduce you to the girl behind @adventureontario. My name is Julia, and I started my account at the very end of 2015, but it really took off in the last three years. I initially started my Instagram because I was looking for different and less crowded places to take my dogs on walks. It started to become a research project, where I would search Instagram and online and began to build out my list of places I wanted to visit. From there, I discovered the most unique properties and Canadian products which I started to focus on, as well. As much as I’d enjoy this as my full-time job, I kind of just love it being my passion project.
Here’s a little bit more about me…
‣ I was born in New York City and moved to Toronto after 9/11. My background is American, French and Dutch, but I have lived in Toronto for 17 years.
‣ My biggest passion is travel. Whether it be local (@adventureontario) or abroad. I love to discover new cultures and educate myself on what is happening first-hand in the rest of the world. I’ve been fortunate to travel to over 30 countries. Some of my favourites are Morocco, Portugal, France, Myanmar, Israel, the Philippines, Belize, and Taiwan. I still have a long list of places I am dying to go to.
‣ My go-to alcoholic beverages are grapefruit mimosas, sour beer, and spicy margaritas, but I do appreciate a beautiful fancy cocktail.
‣ I’ve always been into fashion, but now take a more sustainable approach since becoming aware of the serious consequences of fast fashion. I always opt for a pricier, well-made eco-friendly item, as opposed to something trendy or cheaper.
‣ My family has a dog named Asia (age: 11) who I have spent lots of time with. Dakota joined the family in October of 2020 (age: 1.5). They are both young in spirit and their favourite (besides their treats and being cozy) is going on hikes. They both have extremely different personalities. Asia is a sweetheart who loves to cuddle, while Dakota is a curious little one and quite mischievous. She’s also a HUGE sweetheart. I am a huge animal lover in general, but I am especially obsessed with dogs.
‣ At the beginning of my 20s, I lived in Suwon, Korea and taught English to kids aged 4 to 16 years old. I had a difficult time adjusting at the beginning, but overall it was a really good experience for me.
‣ I’m a pretty big foodie. I’m not a vegetarian but I’m definitely trying to limit my intake when it comes to meat. I love Italian, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean… basically food from all countries. If I have to choose, I would pick savoury over sweet any day.
‣ I love to read, it is one of my favourite pastimes. I am always looking to learn new things from non-fiction books and also love to immerse myself in a good novel.
‣ Taking photos is something that truly makes me happy. I love being able to capture a moment. I prefer to be behind the camera than in front of it, always looking for the right angle and the perfect lighting.
‣ I have a B.A. in Sociology & Anthropology and a post-grad in Corporate Communications, along with a certification in Digital Marketing. I’m currently working as a social media manager.
‣ My full-time career is in digital marketing and content creation. I’ve been working in this field for 6+ years now and work full-time ideating and creating content for large brands.
BONUS: I love plants, especially succulents. I have 10+ different kinds!
I hope you enjoyed some of these fun facts about me! Stay tuned for more adventures in the upcoming year. I love to receive your messages and comments.
Disclaimer: All information and prices are accurate as of the time of the posting. All opinions expressed are completely my own. This post is not sponsored.
*All images are copyrighted by Julia Melcher (@adventureontario) or credited to their owners. Please do not use or re-post without written consent and provide credit where applicable
Just found your site today. This is the first post I clicked on to read. It is nice to know there is a person behind the site. Why did you decide to come to Ontario?
My family actually decided to move to Toronto after 9/11 because we were living in NYC during that. It was actually kind of a spontaneous decision on their part as we barely knew anyone here! Luckily, it turned out to be a great move.