By Jae-Ha Kim
Tribune Content Agency
May 26, 2015
Betty Ann Boeving says that one of her proudest accomplishments has been founding the Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition (BAATC), which fights against human trafficking. Boeving, 39, has visited all seven continents, traveled to more than 85 countries and even climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise money for her cause.
‘Understanding the cultural dynamics that lead to this outsourcing and exploitation of so many young women is essential to reducing the number of trafficking victims worldwide,’ says Boeving, who resides in Redwood City, Calif., with her husband and three stepsons. ‘Eastern Europe is (one) source region for girls being trafficked throughout Europe and even into the United States.’
You may read more about Boeving’s work on Facebook and Twitter.
Q. Have you traveled to a place that stood out so much that you felt compelled to incorporate it into your work?
A. I traveled to Tanzania, Africa, to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise awareness and funds to help combat child trafficking in Africa. My friends in the States contributed $45,000 in this effort. I worked with a local nonprofit to help provide rescue and care for young girls in a particular Kenyan community. (They) were vulnerable to being trafficked by predators visiting their village claiming they had work in the city for such girls.
Q. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?
A. Traveling is an opportunity to discover something new about yourself — how you handle being outside your comfort zone and immersed in someone else’s culture. I don’t try to be ‘American’ when I travel. I try and live the daily life of wherever it is I may be visiting. I try and listen and learn as much as possible, accommodating certain cultural traditions and, also, because of my work in combating human trafficking, occasionally discussing with locals how certain practices are potentially causing harm or exploitation to other fellow human beings.
Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?
A. My first long-distance trip was to Orlando, Florida, to experience Disney World and Epcot Center. It was over New Year’s Eve and because my dad’s college roommate managed the Orlando Hilton, we got a backstage tour and entrance to see the fireworks and wonders of the parks without waiting in lines!
Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?
A. I continue to come back to the Hawaiian Islands, especially Kauai, as my go-to favorite vacation spot because of the weather, number of things to do, travel time from California, ease of travel. … There’s so much to do. Don’t try to do Kauai without renting a car. Travel from the northern Na Pali Coast hiking area and Hanalei Bay, to kayaking up the Wailua River to the Fern Grotto, to exploring the beaches of Poipu. Driving up the Waimea Canyon and seeing Spouting Horn at sunset are some of my favorites.
Q. What untapped destination should people know about?
A. Puerto Rico. This is an island paradise best explored in the winter. The charm of Old San Juan, the adventure of hiking El Yunque rainforest and swimming in the crystal clear blue waters off Flamingo Beach are memories I will always have. December was an ideal time of year to go, the beaches were empty, because the locals thought 85 degree weather was cold.
Q. What is your worst vacation memory?
A. When I showed up for a conference in Honolulu, Hawaii, I was greeted with the daily newspaper there featuring a story about sex trafficking and its prevalence on Oahu. I soon learned that Hawaii is one of the states with the weakest human-trafficking laws and that police were fighting to be exempt from prosecution, if they participated in illicit activity during an investigation. Hawaii is at the crossroads where American girls are often taken by pseudo-boyfriends on ‘vacation’ where they are then forced into exploitative work.
Q. What are your five favorite cities?
A. New York City, Florence (Italy), Barcelona (Spain), Budapest (Hungary) and Santorini (Greece).
Q. Where have you traveled to that most reminded you of home?
A. Israel. The climate and topography look much like the Bay Area. There is also the blending of cultures there, many immigrant populations, and many different belief systems all living together there. It’s an intense and wonderful place.
Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A. When I travel, I’m a big fan of earplugs, a blow-up travel pillow, and my own water bottle to refill on flights and for car rides. Arriving rested is a challenge for me being over 6-foot-tall in airplane seats, so I wear and do all that I can to be comfortable for any length of travel.
Q. What kind of research do you do before you go away on a trip?
A. Overseas, Trip Advisor has been my best friend in securing unique B & B’s with the most privacy, spectacular views, and unbeatable hospitality. I research beforehand for what activities to do, what parts of town to see (or avoid), and yet I’m also known to wait until the day before and lock in a last minute B & B deal. With my work, I research who is doing good work on the ground with combating human trafficking, and I arrange meetings to meet with leaders face-to-face. There is always something we can learn about our local efforts from what is working elsewhere.
Q. What are your favorite restaurants?
A. I love everything from higher end Pan-Asian gastro destinations to hole-in-the-wall Mexican and sushi restaurants. I often ask for the off-menu or chef’s special selections to really sample the dishes that excite the staff.
Q. Where is the most romantic destination?
A. I think the most romantic destination is Fiji. This archipelago invites you away from everything you’re used to – Wi-Fi included — and drops you in an island paradise where privacy and beauty rule the day. There are secluded beaches with no one on them for miles and some of the most amazing snorkeling and scuba in the world!
Q. What would be your fantasy trip?
A. To tour all over New Zealand. I would love to take off for a month and explore all of the beauty of the South Island. To see the land of the “Lord of the Rings,” soar above Queenstown while paragliding and hike along the famed Milford Track finishing in the breathtaking Milford Sound. This actually isn’t fantasy. This is what we did for our honeymoon—best trip yet!
Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A. Carmel, Sonoma and Lake Tahoe. I like going anywhere slightly coastal with the possibility of hiking with great views and quaint window-shopping, followed by live music and delicious local eats.
Q. What is your guilty pleasure when you’re on the road?
A. I always bring my own supply of chocolate when I’m on the road. Especially for international destinations, there’s nothing like a good piece of familiar dark chocolate to keep my stomach feeling ok with all of the varieties of food I try throughout the day.
© 2015 JAE-HA KIM
DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
