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Celebrity Travel: Go Away With Betty Ann Boeving

By Jae-Ha Kim, Tribune Content Agency on

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 (http://www.facebook.com/baatc.org) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/baatcdotorg).

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?

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