Photos by Lola Akinmade.

When Joshywashington’s face first popped up on the huge screen behind Pam Mandel and Mike Barish, I turned to fellow Matador team member Nancy Harder in excitement.

“Look! it’s Josh!.”

Mike would go on to read Josh’s piece, All Aboard which had been published as part of Travelers Notebook’s Notes From The Road series.

I would later squeal some more as Matador team members, Eileen Smith and Leigh Shulman’s faces also appeared on the screen.

Both Eileen’s piece, an abridged version of her Ecuadorian travel horror story, and Leigh’s article, Homecoming Is As A Bittersweet Chocolate Truffle, were edge-of-seat engrossing.

In addition to theirs, articles from Matador contributors Lauren Quinn and Conner Gorry were also read to an eager crowd of peers soaking up every word.

This past weekend, travel bloggers, writers, photographers, and PR companies gathered in New York from across the globe for the first “officially organized” TBEX conference.

While nothing truly “ground breaking” was discussed at the various panels which ranged from upping your travel writing game to monetizing blogs and travel ethics, the energy in the conference hall was undeniable…everyone was ecstatic to see everyone else; the faces behind avatar-driven Twitter accounts and favorite travel blogs.

Other Matador team members in attendance included Carlo Alcos, JoAnna Haugen, Nancy Harder, Candice Walsh, Abbie Mood, and Andy Hayes (the man behind @MatadorNetwork).

During the panel on travel ethics in which I filled in for Managing Editor Julie Schwietert, an excerpt from Tom Gates’ exemplary piece, Notes from the Grand Del Mar Hotel, San Diego, was read as a refreshingly creative way of writing reviews based on press trips.

Matadorians were representing and in the most important way: showcasing transparent writing and original voices which is the very essence of our MatadorU travel writing course…and community.

Managing Editor, Julie Schwietert Collazo in Tijuana, Mexico; Photos courtesy of Collazo Projects.

Managing Editor, prolific writer, published author, and new mother Julie does it all. She runs the bi-lingual blog, Collazo Projects which is dedicated to telling previously untold stories from Latin America. She recently contributed a chapter to the book, The Voluntary Traveler, and is currently working on a couple features for Fodor’s Puerto Rico, 6th Edition.

Name:

Julie Schwietert Collazo

Role at Matador:

Managing editor of the Matador Network; lead editor on Change and Pulse blogs.

How You Found Matador:

Through a posting on Craigslist in 2007.

How You Got Brought On Board as An Editor:

Julie in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Like Carlo, I was really engaged in the Matador Travel community, writing blogs, responding to others’ blogs, and becoming a destination expert on Havana.

I was also a regular contributor across the Network, so I suppose my passion for travel and my appreciation of Matador was evident.

What Projects Are You Working on For Matador Right Now?:

In addition to screening all incoming articles and directing them to appropriate section editors and writing articles for Change and Pulse, I’m writing a couple of continuing education courses for our travel writing school, Matador U.

I’m training three new interns.

I’m doing lots of behind-the-scenes work that keeps any organization moving forward. I’m dreaming of translating the U curriculum into Spanish.

That last one may take a while.

Where You Live:

I currently live in NYC and really miss Mexico City, where I lived until recently.

Your Next Trip:

I’m leaving for South Carolina later this week to spend Thanksgiving with my family. My husband and I will be traveling with our two month old daughter– it will be her first plane ride. Wish us (and the other passengers) luck.

What You Do When You’re Not Working on Matador Stuff:

Enjoying being a new mom! Finishing up two Fodor’s guidebook assignments. Working as an academic editor, researcher, and English/Spanish-Spanish/English translator. Building my own blog about the writing process. Finishing my applications for a PhD in Spanish.

Community Connection

Want to read more from Julie? Here are two of my favorites:

Sitting Beneath the Buddha with Barbara Bush

How to Bag Your 9 to 5 Job and Write / Travel Full Time

Photos by Lola Akinmade

Winning a National Geographic contest is a covetous title and once again, the Society has given budding travel photographers another opportunity to earn one. Its International Photography Contest 2009 aims to showcase the best pictures depicting people, places, and nature from around the globe.

Peruse its online galleries to view some stunning entries from past winners of the competition.

From National Geographic:

The international grand-prize winner in each category will receive a trip to National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., for himself or herself for five (5) days and four (4) nights, in early 2010, including round-trip coach-class air transportation to and from the major airport closest to winner’s home, hotel accommodations for four (4) nights, an awards ceremony, a U.S. $50 gift certificate to the National Geographic store, and U.S. $460 in spending money, and will have his or her photo published in all participating editions of National Geographic magazine.

In addition to competing for the grand prize, each first place winner in the three categories will receive a digital camera kit valued at $1,000.

Some more fine print:

* Entries should be submitted electronically to www.ngphotocontest.com.

* The contest began Wednesday, August 5, 2009 and ends Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time (ET).

* Photos can be black-and-white or color, shot with a digital camera or with conventional film, and must be submitted digitally.

* Each entry consists of an entry form, a single image and an entry fee.

* The entry fee is U.S. $12 per photo for entries received before 11:59 p.m. ET Oct. 15, 2009 and, $22 per photo for entries received between Oct. 16 and Oct. 31.

Head over to www.ngphotocontest.com for more details as well as official contest rules.

Good luck!

Photo: Finbarr O’Reilly/Reuters

The last seven days have seen an unprecedented power struggle in the northern states of Nigeria between Muslim fundamentalists and police forces. The fighting started in the northeastern town of Maiduguri (1.2 million residents) when militants attacked the Nigerian government and police squads with civilians caught in the cross-fire.

According to CNN, upwards of 700 people – a mix of militants, civilians, and policemen – have lost their lives with another 3,500 displaced in the latest clash to hit Africa’s most populous nation of 140 million inhabitants.

Known more for its money-laundering and Internet scams as well as its volatile oil-producing Delta region, Nigeria has seen its fair share of religious uprising.

In 2008, over 200 people died in the span of two days in Northern Nigeria due to post-election violence. In May 2004, over 600 Muslims died from sectarian violence between Muslims and Christians primarily resulting from an attack by Christian militia.

And each year spanning these two events has brought some sort of unrest with churches and mosques regularly razed during these battles in the north.

To Nigerians, the actual cause behind the fighting (opposition against perceived Western ideals and the push to make Sharia law the mandate) may not have come as a surprise but what makes last week’s revolt more disturbing was how quickly it escalated with hundreds of deaths in just a few days.

This has definitely gotten the international community on edge.

Religious clashes have been waging on for centuries now in various parts of the world – from the Middle East to Asia. Usually these battles tend to be one-sided with fundamentalists of the dominant religion wielding the most power.

What makes Nigeria unique is the ratio of its Christians to Muslims within the country. A near 50-50 split, each with a solid stronghold.

This division is also uniquely split by geography – along the rivers Niger and Benue – resulting in a predominantly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south.

While more of the revolts have been spurred by militants in the North, the potential for a never-ending battle remains ever-looming in the back of many minds if Christian fundamentalists decided to retaliate.

Another point of concern is the staggering numbers killed during each episode; usually in the hundreds and in some cases, thousands over short durations of time. These massive killings aren’t always limited to religious battles. In a 2007 crackdown by police on armed robbers, 785 suspects were killed in just 90 days.

These numbers are certainly high “enough” to make human-rights organizations scream “bloody murder”, but is the country’s population of 140 million people reducing these killings to insignificant percentages?

What are your thoughts on the recent religious violence in Nigeria? Please share below.