My first big trip was moving, at age two and a half, from Eindhoven (NL) to Curaçao, a Dutch tropical island in the Caribbean. My travel in those early years included Jamaica and Mexico. When I was nine years old we immigrated to the U.S. where for the next years the Pacific Northwest provided annual family camping trips. In between there was a semester in Mexico City on a private exchange program (great for my Spanish!). And then finally, at age 19, a year in Europe, working and studying, and hitchhiking all over the continent. And from then on there was no stopping me!

One of the perks of conference interpreting is that conferences are often held in ‘destination’ spots at the right time weather-wise, so whenever I can, I take time off before or after work, or both, to go exploring.

Though my travels are not only work-related, they do almost always involve a language component. Learning and practicing a language in situ is so much fun – it’s like a puzzle, with almost immediate feedback.

 So, once I was launched on an interpreting career and had some discretionary income, I had a chance to practice my few years of college Russian in what was then the Soviet Union on a two-month five-city camping trip with a Russian-speaking friend. Very intense! Later, while still in Europe, there were bike trips, usually with friends but occasionally on my own, in destinations ranging from the Harz Mountains in Germany to the lovely flat surfaces of Zeeland (NL) and the maritime mountains of Southern France. And there were pure holiday trips – no strenuous exercise required - usually in warm and sunny places. Even including one – totally out of my comfort zone – Club Med Holiday for la dolce farniente. 

The ‘research’ for West Coast USA involved a three-month road trip, mostly on my own, occasionally meeting up with ‘research partners’ to test and sample the various activities promoted by the author. 

Later yet again I set out on a four-month solo backpacking (but not hitchhiking) trip in South America. In those days on that continent women traveling alone were still an oddity. I had had some practice in the matter, but still managed to get myself into trouble here and there. And had a fabulous time! And again, good for my ever-improving Spanish. 

My travel gene did go into a hiatus during our recent pandemic, but it’s coming back in full force as we speak. 

 

For a synopsis of my travels, here's a video recording of a presentation recently delivered on Zoom for the International Women's Community Center (IWCC):