About Me

My name is Nico Valdés and I’m currently a graduate student at Florida International University studying hospitality management through the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. Nearly nine years ago, I created my blog Edge of Travel to document my experiences through food and culture while traveling the globe. Edge of Travel at its core is my personal philosophy to live life to the fullest and on the edge of your comfort zone every day. This mantra is one I remind myself of daily, whether on the other side of the planet or just walking down the street. The content of this website covers everything from travel tips to culinary adventures & social events to politics.   

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Born & raised in Miami, Florida, I was fortunate enough in my youth to have visited several countries through school trips and while on holiday with my family. Having two parents who caught the travel bug themselves during the 1980s, it's not far-fetched to say that I was born into a worldly lifestyle with a thirst for adventure. My profound passion for travel and learning about different cultures began on a trip to Bodrum, Turkey in 2007. Ever since I began documenting every destination I visited through photographs and short essays.

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A graduate of Loyola University Chicago, I earned a B.A. in Marketing, with minors in Italian and International Studies in 2018. During my five years at Loyola, I spent 3 semesters, including my entire freshman year studying abroad at their overseas campus in Rome, Italy. Upon graduating from LUC, I worked for the university at their John Felice Rome Center as a Student Life Assistant (SLA) from 2018-2019. Outside of my graduate studies and travel writing, some of my greatest passions include learning new languages, cooking, running, and raising awareness for different philanthropic efforts.  

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-Nico Valdés