Fifty Cups of Coffee #34: Margarita Ibbott
Date: December 6, 2024
Location: Zoom
How we know each other
Margarita and I met at TBEX Europe 2024 in San Sebastian, Spain. We were on a post-conference food tour together and instantly connected. It was Alain’s first TBEX conference and right when we gathered with our first pre-conference tour group for a food and walking tour of San Sebastian, Margarita was there and introduced herself. making us both feel immediately welcome.
It was such a joy to hang out with Margarita and her husband Paul at TBEX! Paul and Alain even hung out together in Bilbao with another TBEX creator while Margarita and I were off on separate Post-Conference FAM trips. We look forward to the next time we can travel with them!
What Margarita is doing now
Margarita is a freelance travel writer and publisher of downshiftingpro.com. She lives in London, Ontario Canada with her husband Paul. They have three children together, ages 28, 25, and 23.
Three questions
During these Fifty Cups of Coffee chats, I ask each person the same three questions. The reasoning behind each is as follows:
Question 1 – Social media makes it easy for other people to think that they know us, when truthfully, we all only see a small sliver of someone’s life and who they really are. This is the interviewee’s chance to share something that is important to them that, for whatever reason, other people may not know.
Question 2 – We all have fears, no matter who we are or where we are in life. This helps connect us and prove how we are all more alike than we are different.
Question 3 – I believe the answer to this question helps show each person’s true values, passions, and their why in life. Also: it’s just a fun question. One of my life philosophies is that no matter what: always end on a fun note!
There are no right or wrong answers to any of these. I’m including each person’s answers in first person. Their answers have been edited from my notes for length and clarity, but these are their words.
What is one thing you wish more people knew about you?
“I think most people know that everything I do revolves around travel. It’s always on my mind—where my next trip will be, what meal I’ll have, or what museum I need to see. But something a lot of people don’t know about me is that I’m obsessed with thrifting.”
“It’s something my daughter introduced me to. She’s passionate about sustainability and creative fashion, and she got me hooked. I love thrifting because instead of spending $250 on a blazer, I can find one for $10. In my mind, that’s perfect ‘girl math.’ With the $240 I save, I could pay for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Madrid, buy a designer bag at the duty-free in Paris, or enjoy an extra night in Manhattan.”
“Thrifting has also become a unique way to explore a city. I make it a point to look up thrift or consignment shops wherever I travel. I’ve found incredible pieces in Madrid, Paris, and even San Antonio. For me, it’s like collecting souvenirs while experiencing parts of the city I might not otherwise see.”
“It’s a quirky passion of mine, and I doubt most people would guess it’s one of the things I love, but thrifting brings me so much joy.”
What is your deepest fear?
“I have decided that it’s one of those things that the more I say it out loud, the more ridiculous it will seem and therefore highly unlikely it will actually happen. In my twenties, I dated someone who took all these course on witches, warlocks, magic… he did a reading. I heard all these things, but the only thing I ever took away from that reading was that I would be divorced. Then, in the same year, I had another unrelated reading that said the same thing. Someone else told me my life would go in a certain direction, and again, the only thing I focused on was them saying I’d get divorced.”
“It’s ridiculous because I’ve been married for 31 years. My husband is the kindest, most loyal person. He knows me better than anyone. He’s the one who, when I’m stressed, says, “Do you have a press trip coming up? Let’s get you on a plane.” He knows travel is what really makes me happy.”
“That trip to San Sebastián, where I met you, was so important. He’s come with me on a few press trips, like when we went to Greece. I had a frozen shoulder and a bad back, and I told him, “You need to come. I can’t carry my luggage.” He ended up having a great time and meeting some amazing people.”
“Even though it’s irrational, that insecurity from the reading stuck with me. I’ve gone to therapy for it because I was letting that fear influence how I approached things. My husband always says, “This is so ridiculous,” and he’s right. He’s an incredible partner. And now that I’ve said it out loud to the world, it’s even more highly unlikely to happen.”
“And, I agree with Alain: I hate spiders! One of the reasons I never want to go to Australia.”
If you had unlimited funds, what would you do with your life?
“If I had unlimited funds, my life would be all about travel and philanthropy. I’d want to live in different places. For instance, I’d have a pied-à-terre in Paris—I can never visit Paris enough. I’d also have a chalet near Quebec City, a fantastic home in Vancouver, and a cool apartment in Medellín, Colombia. I fell in love with that city because it’s beautiful, modern, and central.”
“I’d also rent out an apartment in New York City. Hotels there are so expensive, and I’d love to have a home base in the city. These homes would let me experience slow travel, which I adore. Living in a place for an extended time feels more enriching than just passing through.”
“The other thing I would do is more philanthropy. I’m passionate about women’s issues, especially body autonomy. I’d dedicate funds to support women and girls who need help. Another dream of mine is to create scholarships for average students. I wasn’t a top student – I was a good student, but wasn’t a great student, but I loved university. I’d love to give others that chance, especially if they wanted to study abroad.”
“And if money were no object, I’d make sure all of our kids were well taken care of. They would still work, because work is valuable, but they would be taken care of.”
“I’d also go back to school myself—maybe take art history and writing courses.”
What I’ve Learned
I learned so much from my chat with Margarita! Here are some of the things I’ve learned and some takeaways from our coffee chat.
- People who love to travel are the best people. I know the popular saying is that people who love to eat are the best people, and that is also true. But I really find myself connecting more and more with people who are just as passionate about experiencing the world through a different lens.
- Average students deserve more college assistance. I love that Margarita wants to give scholarships to average students. In the US, especially, I think there’s too much emphasis on those who get straight As and high test scores, or kids who excel beyond the norm in sports and extracurriculars. Every student deserves access to solid eduction.
- Say your fears out loud. I appreciate Margarita – and all of my 50 Cups of Coffee guests – sharing her deepest fear here, and sharing how she recognizes it’s an unfounded fear, but a fear nonetheless. It’s ok to fear something you know in your heart and your head is unlikely to happen. But I think it does help to state those fears out loud instead of holding them all inside and allowing them to fester in silence.
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat, Margarita!
Learn more about Margarita
Check out Margarita’s website, http://downshiftingpro.com.
Follow her on Instagram @DownShiftingPro and @DProTravel.
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Visit my main website: Urban Bliss Life.
Learn more about me at MarlynnSchotland.com.
