Yesterday, Wednesday, April 18, 2012, Lingua Franca reached the landmark of 800,000 page hits after four years and three months. Even as we speak, the number has increased to 800,310 and counting.
I started my blogging activities in a platform called LiveJournal and kept it for four years. Then on January 1, 2008, I moved to WordPress. Both platforms shaped my taste for blogging, writing and photography. Little did I know, that I would reach thousands of readers around the world. People are reading Lingua Franca in countries, which I can’t even find on the map.
This is what I wrote on LiveJournal when I moved to WordPress. The blog post was called, “The End of the Road”:
“LiveJournal was the first blogging platform I used when I was getting my feet wet with blogs. I had no idea what “blog” meant but I had an open mind and was willing to learn.
For more than four years I’ve been posting daily entries into Epiac’s Place trying to please my readers, and at the same time, learning the English language. As you probably know, my native language is Spanish. It has been a rewarding intellectual ride. As I gathered more experience, I realized that LiveJournal was not the best platform for my growing blogging needs. That took me to WordPress where I opened a blog dubbed Lingua Franca. This blog was started on January 1, 2008.
I decided to keep Epiac’s Place as a backup blog in case WordPress would crash or something like that. It happened to me once with a blogging site called WordCharm. So far, my experience with WordPress has been extra-ordinary. Everything I need is there at the tip of my fingers. In my humble opinion, it’s the best blogging platform available today on the Internet.
In view of the above, I have decided to mothball Epiac’s Place and keep on posting my daily entries at Lingua Franca. I take this opportunity to thank the staff of LiveJournal for all their guidance and support during the four years I used their software. It was an exciting blogging education. To my readers, I encourage you to switch to Lingua Franca by clicking here. You will find the same type of content you have been reading here.
Thank you very much once again, and I shall wait for you at Lingua Franca. Good Bye and Welcome!”
The top ten countries where Lingua Franca is read are:
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Panama
- Canada
- India
- Australia
- Philippines
- Germany
- Malaysia
- Netherlands
I’m very happy using WordPress and plan to stay here for a long time. The platform is like good wine, it gets better with time.
Today is a very special day for me since I’m getting closer to my goal of reaching one million page hits. I still have 200,000 page hits to go. As you probably know, Lao-tzu (Chinese philosopher) once said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins beneath one’s feet.” or something like that. I’m on my way, step by step; day by day.
I wish to thank Abe Lincoln (Abraham Lincoln Blog) and Don Ray (Chiriqui Chatter Blog), both veteran bloggers, for being my sources of inspiration and gently ushered me to splash into the exciting waters of blogging.
I hereby wish to thank each and everyone of our readers wherever you are, for taking the time to read our daily blog posts. Without your interest, Lingua Franca would be more barren and desolate than an Arabian desert. I can’t thank you enough. Good Day.

Keep up the outstanding work. 200K hits will be here soon.
Hi Don:
Thank you for your words of encouragement. You and Abe were instrumental in the success of this blog. We have all been involved in blogging for a long time. In my case over eight years.
The day Lingua Franca reaches the milestone of one million page hits will be magical. Never in my wildest dreams did I thought this would ever be possible. Now that goal is within reach thanks to thousands of readers around the globe. Perseverance is a good word to keep under the pillow.
Regards,
Omar.-
Wonderful, Omar. Isn’t it weird where our readers come from? Like you, most of my readers are from the States by a HUGE margin followed by Canada and then Panama in third place. But I wonder what draws readers from such places as the Seychelles, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Viet Nam and Albania? I’ve got a LONG way to go to match you, though but I’m closing in on 100,000.
Hi Richard:
Readers are from the most remote countries on the map. I have no idea why they would like to read about Panama. We are indeed a “global village”.
BTW, I liked your new cover for your book recently translated in Spanish by two students in Chiriqui.
Regards,
Omar.-