
Sucheta Rawal
Food & Travel Writer
“Maybe your family members will say, 'You're wasting your time finding yourself. When are you going to get serious?' Ignore them. Fun can also be work; you can tie in the two.”
“Maybe your family members will say, 'You're wasting your time finding yourself. When are you going to get serious?' Ignore them. Fun can also be work; you can tie in the two.”
Food & Travel Writer
I explore new places, try different foods, and share about my experiences with the world.
I have two vastly different schedules. When I am out on a press trip, I have a packed schedule from 8am-midnight which includes meeting PR folks, interviewing people, tasting 7-course meals, touring the attractions & in between all that, finding time to make notes, take pictures & post on social media. When I am home between trips, I generally work from my couch, responding to emails, editing photos, writing blogs & articles, as well as coordinating my next trips.
You need to have a curious nature to do my work. You need to be able to relate to people, capture their emotions & articulate them. It would really help to have some skills in journalism & nonprofit management. Also, if you are well traveled & speak multiple languages, it is a big plus.
Here's the first step for high school students
Go intern in the industry that you think you want to work in when you grow up. If you feel you fit in the work culture & enjoy your work, then pursue a degree in that field. You may have different skills & aptitude (in my case it was math) from where your heart is (in my case travel)!
"When are you going back to your real job? Traveling isn't work."
I think there is a misconception that traveling can't be work or that work can't be fun. You can join the two together. I still struggle with explaining what I do to my family, who just see it as a pastime.
When I came to the US, I was 17 years old & encountered a different way of life here. Back in India, you live with your parents till you get married & they support you financially & emotionally. Here, I had to learn to take care of myself.
I remember I needed a computer to do my college homework, so I would use my manager's computer. One day, he offered me an interest-free loan to buy my very first PC & deducted the payments from my paycheck every other week.