fairytrail

Travel The World Or Stay In Bed

dating, relationships

My parents met in the university through a mutual friend. My dad had just graduated from the Navy Academy and had started working as a merchant marine. My mom was becoming a medical doctor and doing her residency at the hospital. Both were living in Dalian, China at the time.

After a mutual friend introduced them, they dated for 2 years mostly on the weekends because they were very busy. After meeting each other’s parents and they decided to get married. 

My mom had many men chasing after her but chose my dad because he didn’t have any bad habits like smoking, gambling, and drinking. He was well-educated with a master’s degree (which was rare in China at the time and why Chinese people obsess over education now because they saw how education could lift people out of poverty). And lastly, he wasn’t wasteful with his money, which was a value that appealed to my mom. 

Their relationship was mostly long-distance even after they got married and had me. He was on the ocean for 6 months at a time and my mom would be busy working and teaching at the hospital. When I was three, my mom left to study in Manchester and Cambridge which made seeing each other even harder. Every few months, she would call home by spending a fistful of her hard-earned golden coins (8x£1) to make a one-minute long-distance phone from the UK to China just to hear our voices. This separation lasted for 3 years. 

We were united around the time the Berlin Wall fell. 

It was only then when we all truly started living together and seeing each other on a regular basis. Growing up with them, I came to understand how vastly different two people can view travel. 

My mom views travel as a positive. To her, it’s exciting. It makes her feel alive. It is what makes living beautiful– to see the world, to explore new places, people, and cultures.

Just take a look at her. I think this picture says it all.

 explore the world 
A Photo Of My Mom

My dad, on the other hand, has absolutely no desire to travel. He would always say “pay money to endure hardships.” To him, happiness is to sleep. It’s to lie in bed all day.

There is no right and wrong, just two different perspectives. They both worked really, really hard. My mom had 3 jobs at one time: scientist (9-5), hotel maid (weekends), and overnight caregiver (nights).  My dad would collect coals that fell off trains along the railroad tracks after work. So I don’t think it’s a matter of being too tired to travel.

travel the world

Courtesy: Sarah Anderson

I was thinking about this recently because sometimes people would tell me Fairytrail is stupid. Why should I date someone farther away when there’s people to date near me? To me, that sounds like my dad. Why should I leave this bed of mine when I can be so comfortable AND save money?

Then there’s people like my mom. She sees the world as a gift and something to be experienced and appreciated. I am largely in this camp. When I meet incredible people and have amazing experiences, it makes me feel alive and in love with life. Sure, it’s more effort and cost more money, but isn’t that what makes life beautiful?

We are only on this planet for a while, so for me, I’m going to be kind to people around me and enjoy myself while I’m here. I’m going to appreciate those who love me and cherish all the fragile, beautiful moments that life brings me.



Written by Taige Zhang
Founder of Fairytrail

mountains

About Fairytrail

Fairytrail is a travel adventure dating app that connects single travelers on group journeys and activities. Its mission is to help people explore the world’s cultures and places with someone they like.

Book Adventures With Someone You Like

 

Get Started

beauty-beast

Personality Types of Female Fairytale Characters

personality

On Fairytrail, we use fairytale characters to help people quickly understand your identity and personality. But which character to choose? 

Read about the personalities below or look up your MBTI or Enneagram to find the character that most closely represents you. If you don’t know your MBTI or Enneagram, you can take a free test  here.  

We have 8 female Fairytrail characters.

Little Mermaid (aka Ariel)

ariel

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen // Denmark

ENFP (Extroverted. Intuitive. Feeling. Perceiving)
Enneagram Type 7 (Busy, Fun-Loving Type: Spontaneous, Versatile, Distractible, and Scattered)

Curious, energetic, fun-loving, creative, visionary, free-spirited.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou 

People with the ENFP personality type value independence and freedom above all else. When presented with a life of routine, stability, security, they are quick to move past it. More than security, they value adventure and freedom. They also place great value in their social relationships. 

Free-spirited and inquisitive, she cannot help but question her upbringing; the plans and traditions which her family has set out for her. She has a boundless curiosity for the unknown world. Her collection of ‘thingamabobs’ is a perfect showcase of this.

She yearns to explore; to see the world unseen. At every step of her story, she follows her heart, even in the face of risk and adversity. She throws caution to the wind and pushes past doubting voices; always moving forward in pursuit of her dreams.

Famous people that are ENFP’s: Jennifer Aniston, Cher, Amy Schumer, Ellen Degeneres

 

Belle

Belle

Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont // France

INFP (Introverted. Intuitive. Feeling. Perceiving)
Enneagram Type 4 (Sensitive, Withdrawn Type: Expressive, Dramatic, Self-Absorbed, and Temperamental)

Thoughtful, imaginative, compassionate, idealistic, caring, intellectual.

“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

INFPs are both blessed and cursed with an extraordinary imagination. Their imagination allows them to see the world in creative and unique ways, but can also alienate them from those who don’t share the same perspective as they misunderstand.

They are able to effortlessly see the true potential in people and situations. They can see the best in others and help them realize their potential. At their core, they believe that people are good, or at least have the ability to be. 

Belle embodies these traits naturally. She’s constantly reading books, expanding her mind and point of view. Her creative thinking and big ideas do lead to her isolation from the surrounding villagers, but she is not dissuaded by being different. In addition to being intelligent and creative, she is very open-minded.

While many would run away from the Beast in fear and disgust, she is able to see deeper. She sees past appearances, past judgments, and assumptions. Looking straight into his soul, she sees his potential for good. INFPs, more than anyone else, know how to bring the best out of people.

 

Famous people that are INFP’s: Sarah MacLachlan, Emily Blunt, Jude Law, Mia Farrow

 

Cinderella

cinderella

Cinderella by Charles Perrault // France

ISFJ (Introverted. Sensing. Feeling. Judging) & INTP (Introverted. Intuitive. Thinking. Perceiving)
Enneagram Type 9 (Easygoing, Self-Effacing Type: Receptive, Reassuring, Agreeable, and Complacent)

Kind, reserved, loyal, considerate, resourceful, responsible, realistic.

“When you love someone, when you care for someone, you have to do it through the good and the bad. Not just when you’re happy and it’s easy.” – Lauren Olivier 

Have you ever known someone who was admirably humble and kind? Perhaps to a fault? It’s possible they could be ISFJ or INTP. These folks are often responsible, reliable, and dependable. What’s more, is that they are extremely humble in regards to their knack for dependability. 

They see it as their duty to keep their promises and maintain their responsibilities. They fulfil their promises with the utmost kindness towards those in their lives. ISFJs and INTPs are intrinsically motivated to care for and help others. Anyone who is friends with an ISFJ or INTP will recognize this sense of selflessness that these people exude, and should count themselves lucky to have someone like that in their lives. ISFJs and INTPs are also full of enthusiasm and loyalty but seldom talk of these traits.

Cinderella had every reason to look at her situation with negativity; to relinquish any sense of hope, and to give in to the defeating feeling of despair. Despite how terribly she is treated by those in her family, she is always able to act in compassion and kindness. No matter what misfortune happens, she is ready to bounce back with positivity and joy. 

 

Famous people that are ISFJ’s: Anne Hathaway, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Middleton, Beyoncé

Famous people that are INTP’s: Tina Fey, Ellen Page, Kate Moss, Harper Lee

 

Jasmine

Jasmine

Aladdin from the Arabian Nights // Middle East

ESFP (Extroverted. Sensing. Feeling. Perceiving) & ESTP (Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving)
Enneagram Type 2 (Caring, Interpersonal Type: Demonstrative, Generous, People-Pleasing, and Possessive)

Enthusiastic, spontaneous, encouraging, refined, perceptive, social.

“We were made to enjoy music, to enjoy beautiful sunsets, to enjoy looking at the billows of the sea and be thrilled with a rose that is bedecked with dew…Human beings are actually created for the transcendent, for the sublime, for the beautiful, for the truthful…and all of us are given the task of trying to make this world a little more hospitable to these beautiful things.” – Desmond Tutu 

ESFPs and ESTPs are easy to spot. They like to make their presence known. And once you do notice them, you’ll often find yourself drawn in by their magnetic personality. They love to be the life of the party, the center of attention and want to share that energy with everyone around them. You’ll always find them speaking directly and bluntly; they have no time or energy to be passive-aggressive. 

They have a strong appreciation for aesthetics and beauty. This leads to an impeccable fashion sense. They love to experiment with different styles and designs in their quest to express themselves fully. 

ESTPs and ESFPs love a challenge and will meet that challenge head-on. Jasmine is a strong ESFP/ESTP, both by nature and circumstance. Her lifestyle as a princess led to plenty of extravagant parties. She exudes glamour in everything she does; her clothes, friends-she even has a pet tiger!

Jasmine has a strong desire to be herself. She’ll always speak her mind, even if it means disagreement and conflict. Jasmine longs for adventure, fun, and to be herself. With her quick wit and bravery, she’s able to pursue her goals with ease.

 

Famous ESFP’s: Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, Cameron Diaz, Judy Garland

Famous ESTP’s: Meryl Streep, Amy Winehouse, Milla Jovovich, Judi Dench

 

Mulan

mulan

Traditional Chinese story of Hua Mulan // China

ISTP (Introverted. Sensing. Thinking. Perceiving)
ISTJ (Introverted. Sensing. Thinking. Judgement)
Enneagram Type 1 (Rational, Idealistic Type: Principled, Purposeful, Self-Controlled, and Perfectionistic)
Enneagram Type 5 (The Intense, Cerebral Type: Perceptive, Innovative, Secretive, and Isolated)

Bold, practical experimenters, practical, fact-minded.

“I wanted to live life, a different life. I didn’t want to go to the same place every day and see the same people and do the same job. I wanted interesting challenges.” – Harrison Ford

A call to action and exploration is natural for the ISTP and ISTJ types. They would rather dive into a task immediately and learn through trial and error than spend time pondering and analyzing. Action in the physical world is more meaningful to them than thoughts and feelings.

The sentiment that it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission is likely to resonate with ISTPs and ISTJs. This can get them in trouble as it might mean breaking some rules, but the rules they break are often for worthy causes.

Mulan’s story of leaving her home to learn to be a soldier is also the story about her growth into her ISTP/ISTJ nature. She truly values her family and country, she would do basically anything for them — including dress up like a guy and joined the army in her father’s role.

She does struggle initially in training, but over time she learns quickly and turns out to be a competent soldier. Even before leaving for the war, she had a fear that she would live out her life as a housewife. For Mulan, the traditional gender roles of caregiver and nurturer didn’t fit her inborn ISTP/ISTJ nature of physical action and exploration.

 

Famous ISTP’s: Scarlett Johansson, Demi Moore, Venus Williams, Amelia Earhart, Kristen Stewart

Famous ISTJ’s: Julia Roberts, Condoleeza Rice, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Danica McKellar

 

Pocahontas

fairytrail female character pocahontas

Pocahontas by John Smith // America

INFJ (Introverted. Intuitive. Feeling. Judging)
Enneagram Type 4 (Sensitive, Withdrawn Type: Expressive, Dramatic, Self-Absorbed, and Temperamental)

Decisive, altruistic, determined, creative, sensitive.

“Some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all — in which case, you fail by default.” – J.K. Rowling

The INFJ type is the least common out of all MBTI personalities. When they do show up, they have the potential to cause great change. Their gift is that they not only have big dreams, they also have the fire and drive to realize those dreams. Often they find themselves pulled to help those who have fallen on misfortune or are otherwise suffering. They are happiest when they can see the positive change they are affecting in the world.

Pocahontas lived through an extremely challenging time for herself and her tribe. Europeans had arrived on their land, and the war was imminent. As the chief’s daughter, Pocahontas assumed a great moral responsibility of preventing the conflict. She had a dream and vision that everyone could be peaceful, and that war was not needed. She knew that the only solution was love and compassion, and worked tirelessly to make her vision of peace a reality.

 

Famous people with INFJ type personalities: Taylor Swift, Cate Blanchett, Jane Goodall, Simone de Beauvoir

 

Rapunzel

fairytrail female character rapunzel

Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm // Germany

ESFJ (Extroverted. Sensing. Feeling. Judging)
Enneagram Type 2 (Caring, Interpersonal Type: Demonstrative, Generous, People-Pleasing, and Possessive)

Loyal, sensitive, popular, practical, outgoing, sociable.

“I think love is the through-line and it’s universal and it doesn’t matter what period of time, time or place, or people, that’s something we all connect to. That’s the thin thread that I think keeps it all together.” – Rachel McAdams

Remember the lead cheerleader in high school? The star quarterback? The chances are, they were probably an ESFJ. People from this type are extremely sociable and outgoing. They love to organize social events and are often happiest when laughing and gossiping with their friends. They are naturally skilled at connecting with others, even strangers. Always ready with a warm smile, ESFJs will brighten your day whether you like it or not.

We can see her people skills in action when she is able to befriend a group of aggressive thugs by encouraging them to follow their dreams. We also see her pain as an ESFJ who doesn’t have people to talk with. She gets around this by having conversations with herself in the mirror. It may seem eccentric, but for an ESFJ, not having anyone to engage with is a true struggle.

 

 

Famous ESFJ’s: Jessica Biel, Sarah Jessica Parker, Nancy Kerrigan, Whitney Houston

 

Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)

fairytrail female character aurora

Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault // France

ISFP (Introverted. Sensing. Feeling. Perceiving)
Enneagram Type 9 (Easygoing, Self-Effacing Type: Receptive, Reassuring, Agreeable, and Complacent)

Artistic, introverted, sensitive, romantic, imaginative, passionate.

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.” – Henry David Thoreau

Adventure and exploration are important for ISFPs. They are naturally curious and able to view parts of the world which most others might deem ordinary as novel. They are able to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. ISFPs revel in aspects of life that many take for granted by uncovering the novelties hidden underneath.

Sensitive and kind, Aurora is used to spending time alone, and read books, but she actually doesn’t mind being alone. Aurora has this same love of life and taste for adventure. Unfortunately, her parents are quite protective and aren’t keen on her doing too much exploration. Even so, she makes the most of what he has. She loves to take walks out in nature and pick flowers. Though some might consider this boring, her ISFP tendencies allow her to see the beauty in seemingly simple things.

Famous people that have ISFP personality types: Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Rihanna, Jessica Alba

 

Conclusion

So who did you get for your character?

By the way, now that you’ve determined your character, you’re officially allowed to enter Fairytrail, a matchmaking app for travelers and remote workers where you can discover new people, cultures, and places.

mountains

About Fairytrail

Fairytrail is a travel adventure dating app that connects single travelers on group journeys and activities. Its mission is to help people explore the world’s cultures and places with someone they like.

Book Adventures With Someone You Like

 

Get Started

traveling-together-chemistry

Traveling Makes Us Much Happier Than Any Material Wealth

life, psychology, travel

When you are feeling a little down, there’s nothing like the instant hit of buying something on Amazon or going on a little shopping spree. Spending money can bring you happiness, but only temporarily. Traveling makes us happier than any material wealth.

Making new purchases may give you a quick rush but it isn’t able to help you maintain happiness.

The problem is we get used to new clothes, phones, cars, and shoes fairly quickly. As soon as we get used to our new purchase, our level of satisfaction decreases. Once the novelty and thrill are gone, we feel compelled to buy something again.

So what’s a better option?

According to research from Cornell University, doing makes us happier than owning. Dr. Gilovich found that people experience the same amount of happiness when making a purchase they want and when they travel.

However, while the happiness we get from a purchase quickly decreases over time, the memories of travel experiences produce happiness for a much longer time.

But why?

Experiences Create A Sense Of Identity

Dr. Gilovich explains our experience is a bigger part of ourselves than our material things. We may feel and like to think that we are a reflection of the stuff we buy; however, they are mostly separate from our identities. On the other hand, our life and travel experiences are strongly a part of who we are.

If you think about it, your most cherished memories probably aren’t from the material things you’ve bought. Rather, they’re experiences you’ve had.

Happiness Comes From Relationships 

An 80-year old research study from Harvard University found individuals who were most connected to their family, friends, community, and other people were the healthiest and happiest.

Interestingly, Dr. Waldinger explains that experiences connect you to others in a way that material things can’t. Some of the most important moments in his life are travel which has brought him closer to his family and loved ones.

The best way to deepen your relationships by doing new things together with the people in your life.

Travel Creates Heightened Awareness

Traveling brings us in touch with new people, cultures, and places.
In novel environments, our awareness, focus, and experiences are richer. When we experience normal environments that we’ve already adapted to, our experiences blur into one and things are often missed. Why should we bother remembering if we’ve had the 8 or 9th Starbucks from down the street?

When we travel, we experience wonder, joy, and lasting memories that are hard to forget. 

Conclusion

A new car gets old as soon as you drive it off the lot, but a travel story just gets better over time. When you travel, you gain richer experiences, create deeper relationships, and make memories that will be a source of happiness and stay with you forever. Traveling makes us happier than any material wealth.

Written by Taige Zhang
Founder of Fairytrail

mountains

About Fairytrail

Fairytrail is a travel adventure dating app that connects single travelers on group journeys and activities. Its mission is to help people explore the world’s cultures and places with someone they like.

Book Adventures With Someone You Like

 

Get Started

fairytrail-characters

Why We Have Characters From Folklore On Fairytrail

dating, fairytrailapp, personality

Why do we have characters from folklore on Fairytrail?

 

Fairytrail uses widely-recognized characters mapped to Myers Briggs and Enneagram types to help people get a sense of personality before meeting in person. This can help you find compatible travel partners, friends, and even romantic relationships.

 

1. To elevate personality.

It’s very hard to know what someone is like as a person from their online profile. Who someone chooses as their character on Fairytrail says a lot about their personality and identity. Each character is mapped to MBTI and Enneagram types.

 

2. To help you understand who you have chemistry with. 

Characters also help you understand which personality types you have chemistry with. Had a great interaction with someone? Check their character. Hmm… Robin Hood. Maybe you get along better with people who prioritize doing good. 

 

3. To help you search more effectively. 

Many apps let you search for people based on age, ethnicity, etc. but what about the thing that really matters in a relationship, your partner’s essence (identity + personality)? On Fairytrail, you get to search for that.

 

Who should you choose? Read about our the archetypes we use in our app.

 

Female Characters

– or – 

Male Characters

 

Lastly, we love culture and fairy tale stories are rich in culture.

They are seen across nations and cultures: Native American folklore, Chinese myths, Icelandic legends, African fables, and German fairy tales. At Fairytrail, we are intensely curious about people, places, and cultures. Fairytales, folklore, fables, parables, and stories are what make us human. 

 

“Stories and sayings define cultures.”
– Ben Horowitz, What You Do Is Who You Are

 

Stories are how cultures, languages, and values are passed down. It is what makes us who we are. Learn more

 

mountains

About Fairytrail

Fairytrail is a travel adventure dating app that connects single travelers on group journeys and activities. Its mission is to help people explore the world’s cultures and places with someone they like.

Book Adventures With Someone You Like

 

Get Started

dating-traveling

Reinventing The Online Dating Business Model Together

fairytrailapp

We destroyed the iPod business with the iPhone. At Fairytrail, it’s no different. We believe we can only be successful when we put our users’ interests ahead of ours. Here’s how we are reinventing the online dating business.

Dear Brave, Early Explorers of Fairytrail, 

We are at 200+ strong monthly active users just a couple weeks after our soft launch. Not bad. We purposely haven’t issued a press release yet because we are still perfecting Fairytrail with your help.

Talking About A Revolution

We sincerely appreciate your input as we build towards a revolutionary online dating app with a business model that is closely aligned with user interests.

Most online dating apps want you to be addicted to their screens so that they can keep earning billions of dollars from subscriptions, power-ups, and ads. Even if you aren’t paying, they want you addicted to their platform for their paying members. There is a serious conflict of interest. 

We are different. We understand users want to find someone, so they get on with their lives– to have amazing life experiences with someone they like. We give our users exactly that and our main revenue stream is tied to that. Just like Uber and Lyft sell rides because customers want rides — we sell adventure dates because our users want breathtaking dating experiences.

We also have a travel product planned for couples that we successfully bring into a relationship, so we won’t lose 100% of our users. Unlike other dating apps, we aren’t afraid of being too successful. Our incentives are morally and financially aligned with our users’.

When I worked at Apple,
Steve Jobs preached cannibalizing our own business. We destroyed the iPod business with the iPhone. At Fairytrail, it’s no different. We believe we can only be successful when we put our users’ interests ahead of our own. 

Here are three of the many changes we implemented last week because of you. 

 

Thank You, Dana

Dana didn’t like how we limited her to only seeing about ten new people per day. On Bumble or Tinder, you can easily swipe through hundreds of people per day. 

We have a limit to prevent people from getting burned out on dating (just like Coffee Meets Bagel does). People should enjoy their lives and not be addicted to online dating apps. 

We want to be in the background, so people can focus on living in the moment. And every day, we’ll sprinkle their lives with like-minded, kind people and travel opportunities. 

We want to break screen addiction. We don’t think it’s healthy to be glued to apps. In fact, I use an app that locks up my screen when I spend too much time on it. We believe in being present with what’s around us, improving our real lives, and not missing the magic of the moment by focusing on what’s to come.

With that philosophy in mind, we designed our app to be non-invasive in terms of bringing you new people and opportunities

After we explained this, she was excited and in agreement, but pointed out our app doesn’t explain any of that. It just leaves users in the dark. 

So we’ve improved our messaging.

 

fairytrail-search

 

 

That said, we recognize that people want to start connecting with others as quickly as possible. This means we will increase the number of people per search once we have more users in the coming weeks.

 

 

Thank You, Steve

Steve felt our online dating app wasn’t lively enough. There wasn’t enough buzz. He wanted to connect with other digital nomads and loves the community that we are building. He’s curious about other people’s exciting lives and wants to engage with them non-romantically. 

So we introduced Fairytrail Campfire… 

 

fairytrail-campfire

 

Fairytrail Campfire is a place where like-minded world explorers can connect in a social, non-romantic setting. Where they can share stories, what they’re up to, opportunities, and connect outside of dating.

 

 

 

Thank You, Mark

Mark said that Fairytrail was his travel inspiration app. He loves the feeling that he could be off on an adventure at a moment’s notice. They say dreaming, planning, and talking about travel can be as exhilarating as the travel experience itself.

 

From PsychCentral:

The effects of travel aren’t felt only during and after your trip – in fact, even just the anticipation of going on vacation can boost your mood. People are at their happiest when they have a vacation planned, a study by the University of Surrey found, and are also more positive about their health, economic situation and general quality of life. 

A study by Cornell University also found that we get more happiness from anticipating a travel experience in comparison to anticipating buying a new possession. It turns out that money can buy you happiness, but just not in the way we expected!

So we’ve added a little travel fund to help you anticipate your next trip. Every time you search, there’s a chance that Oly, your little dating sidekick, can find travel credit on his path. Just add the travel credit to your profile, and you can use it when booking your adventure.

 

fairytrail

online-dating-fairytrail

 

We hope over time, you’ll contribute your own funds to this, so that you budget for amazing life experiences with people who’ve done things like, “Hiking through the hills in Myanmar” (F34), “Camping on the Great Wall of China”(F26), “Gorilla trekking in the DR of Congo” (F40), “Taking a dive into the Amazon” (F30), “Flying to India on a whim with two friends to sit in silence for 10 days to learn Vipassana meditation” (M25), “Bribing my way into a Bolivian prison” (M36), and “Escaping a charging rhino by climbing a tree in Nepal” (F29).

On a side note, I’d like to include screenshots of the users mentioned above, but I haven’t asked for their written approval. If you’d like to volunteer yours, just let me know!

 

One Last Note About Who You Are Recommended

My friend Mike recently asked, “Why don’t I see more users?”

I told him, did you know we reject about 30% of people who sign up? You’ll never see those people because they’re hidden from search. Disapproved people are those who we don’t think are suitable for our platform due to bad photos, poor culture fit, safety or risk factors, and lack of sincerity in their profile.

We also don’t show you all the users.

We only show you people who are looking for the same type of relationship. If you are looking for a casual fling, we’re 100% not showing you someone who’s looking for a serious relationship.

We don’t show you users who’ve already passed on you. What’s the point of impressing you with the profile of a beautiful person if there’s no chance you’ll match?

We do put people who liked you in your search results first, so we don’t keep them waiting.

Everything we do is designed to create the most value for our users. That means we optimize for matches, interactions, and magical travel experiences.

If you have any feedback for us so we can serve you better, please contact us or leave a comment below.

Thank you for joining us on this journey,

Taige & Fairytrail Team

mountains

About Fairytrail

Fairytrail is a travel adventure dating app that connects single travelers on group journeys and activities. Its mission is to help people explore the world’s cultures and places with someone they like.

Book Adventures With Someone You Like

 

Get Started

magical-corridor

The Magical Corridor Story

fairytrailapp

We sent this email to all our users today announcing our product update. Here’s the story of the magical corridor and why it was created. 
— 
Dear Peter, 

We’re constantly working to improve your experience and instigate your next adventure with someone you like. 

Here’s what we changed about your app and why.

A Magical Corridor

Last week, we had 4 adventure matches. We learned that people value each other way more than the adventure itself. It’s who you’re with, not where you go.

With that insight, over the weekend we added a chat room which we call a magical corridor. It allows a total of 6 messages to be exchanged. This allows the matched couple to figure out if they like each other before they exchange contact information and video chat. 

Check it out an example: https://cl.ly/1c54d244adcb

We removed the deposit requirement.

 

Why did we have a deposit in the first place?

Many dating apps do free intros. Our concern is that we don’t value free. A tour guide in Yellowstone once told me he gave water away on his tours and people wasted it. He started to charge $1 for 4 bottles (basically free) and people started treating it with respect and value. It could be the same in our case.

We want to create sincere interactions amongst users. A 100% refundable trip deposit was a way for us to determine who was sincere, so we could protect them from those who aren’t.

Unfortunately, this caused too much friction for our users and for us, so we took it out. We still want people to value and treat each other with respect, so we decided to limit active matches to only 6. We hope this creates a kinder experience where we can be intentional with our conversations. We hope it prevents ghosting which is when one person stops responding for no reason. Since users can only see 6 matches at once, they are incentivized to unmatch which sends a clear signal to the other person that there’s no chemistry and no desire to continue.

 

What to do now?

To get this functionality, update your app.

>> Update your app here <<

 

How you can help?

Thank you for joining us on this journey to build the world’s safest remote dating app. We’re still trying to figure out who our early adopters are but many of you seem to have heard about us through the Remote Year community. We appreciate you spreading the word.

Check it out an example: https://cl.ly/1c54d244adcb

 

Join us on Fairytrail Campfire to share stories with other like-minded souls who want to explore all the world’s cultures, people, and places.

Sincerely,

Taige & Fairytrail Team

mountains

About Fairytrail

Fairytrail is a travel adventure dating app that connects single travelers on group journeys and activities. Its mission is to help people explore the world’s cultures and places with someone they like.

Book Adventures With Someone You Like

 

Get Started

fairytrail-castle

Why I Made A Dating App For Remote Workers and Travelers

dating, fairytrailapp, life, travel

Maybe it’s best if I start with my principles first, then I will talk about why I made a dating app for remote workers and travelers. After all, why anyone does anything in life starts off with their beliefs and world views.

I don’t believe the goal of life is to be happy.

It doesn’t really make sense to optimize for happiness, money, fun, etc. No matter how high you get, you can always get higher. No matter how rich you get, there’s someone richer. The only thing that truly matters at the end of the day is, are you doing what you find meaningful?

Happiness is just a shadow that follows us when we are grateful and have great relationships – I don’t really think about it. Instead, I focus on my values and what gives my life meaning. Because that is what gives me consistent satisfaction and self-fulfillment– there’s nothing better than when your life is consistent with your beliefs.

Chasing meaningfulness is something that may be hard or even painful. But to me, it is much more important than pursuing money or happiness. Fairytrail is meaningful to me.

Here’s why I decided to make it.

 

1. Our world is beautiful and magical.

Having lived in five countries and countless cities from Winnipeg to London to Shanghai to Berlin to Palo Alto, I am in awe of the world and its people.

Seemingly casual moments like longboarding next to an abandoned church past a crowd of Turkish people and several prostitutes in West Berlin to meet my Chinese-German friends for late-night Turkish tripe soup was truly extraordinary upon reflection.

The world is such a wondrous place. To live in one place all my life feels illogical. Like having a big house but only using one room.

Having walked the streets of Marrakech and lived in Agadir with a Moroccan college student with nothing but two mattresses and a chair in a room next to a goat pen, I learned so much about Muslim people and how their lives can be so vastly different from mine in a beautiful way.

A German girlfriend showed me that in her world, people don’t rinse the detergent off dishes. That also completely blew my mind…

My mission is to help people experience more of the world because it’s the most beautiful thing to me– to see all its wonders, to appreciate all its cultures, and to cherish its fragile moments.

I must say the first time I saw a flying fish from a boat in Greece, I thought it was the most remarkable thing in the world.

Dating App For Travelers and Remote Workers

Under the desert stars. Photo courtesy of @skipwithgrace

Or maybe it was the night stars in the Sahara Desert and how they seemed to shine brighter than any club I’ve been to in London.

Or the fireflies dancing outside the window of our cottage on the Amalfi coast. Life felt magical. That feeling of awe and wonder is a feeling that I constantly chase.

To explore the world and its people brings me so much joy. For a period of my life, I would only date people who spoke a language I didn’t speak. Maybe I’m greedy to want to experience all that life has to offer. To live life to the fullest. To appreciate our awe-inspiring world.

But chasing happiness, it’s a losing game. What is more meaningful is helping people discover the beauty of our world. To help them feel truly alive and connected.

At the end of the day, I don’t want to just suck out all life has to offer and take all the experiences I can get. I want to give back and contribute to it. 

The first movie I saw, Lion King, said that “there’s more to see than can ever be seen” and since that day, I have been lucky to see and experience so much. I want to share that feeling of wonder with the world.

Family Vacation To The Great Wall Of China

Family Vacation To The Great Wall Of China

Building towards a family and Fairytrail are what gives my life meaning. Exploring the world makes me who I am.

So why build a dating app for remote workers and travelers? Why not just build a travel buddy app, VR travel solution, write a book, or create some travel documentaries?

 

2. Online dating is a disliked solution to a real human need.

I’ve worked in consumer electronics, social gaming, FinTech, B2B SasS, ride-hailing, marketplaces, on-demand delivery, and health tech. So why something as dirty as dating?

Dating has had a bad reputation. Maybe because like gambling it’s too easy to prey on the needy. So you have all those horrible fake dating apps. Maybe because there’s still this idea you can’t find someone in real life, so you need to turn to the online world.

But that’s fading fast as we turn to online for everything from food to bus schedules to Thai massages, all at a tap or a click.

Online dating is now mainstream. In fact, online is the number one way couples in the USA meet as of 2017. Currently, 39% of new couples first meet online and experts predict that to increase to 70% by 2040.

how-heterosexual-couples-meet

But dating is still difficult. Ask anyone. Even people who get a bunch of matches need to sift through and find the right person. And the actual dating experience can be emotionally draining, often feeling like a chore.

A loving relationship is a huge human need. Finding the right person isn’t easy. Maybe we’re too picky now in a world with movies from Hollywood, furniture from Scandinavia, songs from Korea, and tomatoes from Spain. Whatever music, food, and goods that we want are available to us. So how can we suddenly be less picky about our partners when we can be so selective about everything else in our lives?

And it’s not a bad thing we have a choice and are pickier.

Because finding a partner is truly an important decision. That person will have more of an impact on your life than any other relationship going forward.

What dating apps do now is great because they expose you to people you otherwise would almost never meet in your city.

But it’s flawed in four painful ways.

1. Diversity: Every city has its own type of people. Do you expect to find the same types of people in Atlanta as Shanghai? They have different world views, beliefs, and values. For example, there are many ethnic groups in New York, yet the vibe of the people tend to be the same. Where can you meet your most compatible partner? Which city would you thrive in? Be the happiest? What if you’re living in the wrong city?

2. Numbers: Did you know that the median population size of the top 300 largest cities in America is only 165,000? The biggest city in Maine only has 66,882 people, which translates to 31 eligible singles (calculation).  And only 55% of the world’s population lives in cities. What’s someone who doesn’t even live in a city to do?

3. Experience: Dating apps currently don’t care about your dating experience. They care about getting you matched, not what happens after. They don’t care that guys get stressed about planning dates. Or girls feel like they don’t have a say in what those dates are. And both are frustrated with the laborious coffee date to vet attractiveness, creepiness, and chemistry.

4. Conflict of Interest: Dating apps don’t have your interest in mind. When you want to reply to your potential partner’s messages, you’re shown more matches. An endless queue of beautiful people is waiting to meet you. They want to keep you dating. They want to keep you swiping. Their $6 billion dollars is tied to you being single and using their app. Their interest is keeping you glued to their screens when your interest is to find someone so you can get on with your life and have amazing adventures together.

I want to build a product that addresses these points. Wouldn’t it be better if the dates were more fun and safe? What if you could be exposed to more and different types of people who could show you the world in ways you never knew? What if the dating app’s interest was aligned with yours?

 

3. People are becoming hyper mobile.

I’ve had long-distance relationships before and many of my friends are currently in healthy long-distance relationships. It always struck me as strange that people do it even though it sucks.

It even seems more common than before. Why is that?

I. Remote and freelance work are on the rise.

“More than one-third (36 percent) of U.S. workers are in the gig economy.”

Think about your Lyft or Uber driver. The designer you hired on Upwork. How easy is it for them to move somewhere else?

freelancers

Source: Upwork

If freelancing continues to grow at its current rate, the majority of U.S. workers will be freelancing by 2027.

Then there’s aspirations to be truly remote. MBO Partners found 38% of Americans with traditional jobs have an interest in becoming a digital nomad in the next 3 years. Already more than 4.8 million American workers describe themselves as digital nomads.

68% of millennials are more interested in a job that can be worked remotely. Google Trends tells a similar story of growing interest in the digital nomad (DN) movement.

digital-nomad-interest

Source: Google Trends

Some have estimated there will be 1 billion digital nomads by 2035.

II. Lower costs. Flights are cheaper than ever and faster than ever. Long-distance calls were $3.60 per minute. Now video calls are free. VR is coming.

III. Political mobility. Immigration is at record levels. In 2017, the USA has an immigration rate 3 times that of the 1970s. Germany more than doubled its immigration rate since the 1990s.

IV. Peace! The world is actually more interconnected and peaceful than ever. See the nice steep decline? That’s where we are!

peace-index

Source: Our World in Data

There’s a strong need for a dating app for remote workers.

 

4. People are choosing to date online more. And just more.

A Stanford study shows it’s the number one way couples meet now.

ways-couples-meet

People are getting married later and there’s more singles than ever.

You can see it in the revenue: Match Group is having all-time record high profits. Facebook is getting into dating. Bumble valued at 3 billion.

So this is a huge opportunity as society engages in more online dating and dating in general.

 

5. People are choosing travel experiences.

As you probably know, people are increasingly opting for travel and adventures. If not, just read this headline from Forbes:

Booming Global Travel And Tourism Is Driving Economies And Job Growth – The travel and tourism sector grew more in 2018 than all other economic sectors but one, adding a record $8.8 trillion to the world’s combined Gross Domestic Product – up from $8.3 trillion in 2017 – as well as 319 million new jobs.

What’s also exciting is Airbnb recently launched Adventures after the immense success of Airbnb Experiences.

That’s why the world needs a dating app for travelers and remote workers.

 

Conclusion

What does that mean for dating?

We will have more choice in who we date. Just like in almost every industry, we’ve got more choices over the years. Dating won’t be limited to local anymore.

We will have more fun dating. We’ll actually get to explore the world, try new foods, and see new places and cultures– with people who intrigue us.

We will be more interconnected. The world is vastly different but as we meet and date more types of people, people from other cultures, we’ll build bridges to form a more empathetic and unified world.

So that’s why we’re building Fairytrail. We are building an app to help single people meet their partners. We are building an app for people who want to embrace what the world has to offer. We also have a product for couples coming out soon.

dating app for remote workers and travelers

Fairytrail Castle. Photo courtesy of @skipwithgrace on Instagram

Our simple mission is to help people explore the world with someone they like.

Life is short, so we don’t think it should be wasted doing the ordinary. Nothing is better than being on a journey with someone you love. Make life and dating special and memorable.

Choose experiences that make you feel alive.

Life holds amazing possibilities. We’re here to help you discover those through new people and world exploration.

Fairytrail is the future of dating. And if we can unite the world along the way by creating caring relationships across countries, creeds, cultures, races, and classes that is something to truly be excited about.

 

UPDATE: The Fairytrail app is available for free download here 

UPDATE: Stay in touch via our newsletter .

 

Written by Taige Zhang
Founder of Fairytrail

 

Tweet this article

dating-app-for-remote-workers-and-travelers

About Fairytrail

Fairytrail is a travel adventure dating app that connects single travelers on group journeys and activities. Its mission is to help people explore the world’s cultures and places with someone they like.

Book Adventures With Someone You Like

 

Get Started