Cindy is a farmer’s wife with three grown children, two grandchildren. She loves to write about off the beaten track items and agricultural preservation.
What got you into travel journalism?
I got into travel journalism because when I find a place that I love, I want to share it with others. Especially after retiring from the State of Illinois, I had been writing for years, but had more time to devote to going more places that had been on my list. The more I travel, the more I want to see and share!
What’s the most challenging part of being a travel journalist?
I love the opportunities that being a travel journalist offers, but think the most challenging aspect is time, having enough time to see, do and really explore. There is not enough hours in a day!
What is the most rewarding aspect of travel journalism?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of travel journalism is sharing the story of a place, person or event that may not have been given the attention deserved. This brings me great pleasure.
What is something you wish people knew about travel journalism?
That taking a trip to write about a place, while a great joy, is not a joyride. We are working hard trying to meet with the proper people, see the right places, and take photos, place social media posts and long after others have went to bed, and long after we return from a trip, the writer is working hard to properly share the wonder of what the just saw.
How have your cross-cultural experiences shaped your point of view of the world?
That taking a trip to write about a place, while a great joy, is not a joyride. We are working hard trying to meet with the proper people, see the right places, and take photos, place social media posts and long after others have went to bed, and long after we return from a trip, the writer is working hard to properly share the wonder of what the just saw.
What have you enjoyed most about being a NATJA member?
Meeting the wonderful people of NATJA, and the networking it offers.
