Celebrity Travel: Go Away With Rati Gupta
When it comes to planning trips, actress Rati Gupta ("Future Man," "Unbelievable") says she gets real nerdy. "I read lists and guides, I email friends with experience for suggestions and I'm all over TripAdvisor," says Gupta, 35, who plays Anu, Raj's love interest on "The Big Bang Theory." "But it's less to build a perfect set-in-stone itinerary and more to build a wealth of knowledge about the destination. Because life happens, nothing ever goes exactly as planned and it's easier to bounce back in those moments if you know what your options are." Based out of Los Angeles, Gupta stays in touch with her fans on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ratigupta/).
Q. You grew up in the Midwest. What stood out for you about going to college in Chicago?
A. Most people correctly associate Chicago with intense cold winters, but one of the more notable things for me is the beach! The shores of Lake Michigan are beautiful and cozy, with great harbors and piers to enjoy the warmer months. Northwestern University even has its own private beach right on campus! My hometown in Indiana is directly across the lake from Chicago, so between those two places and now Los Angeles, I've lived by the beach my entire life.
Q. How do you react when people assume that you must speak Hindi?
A. I just don't give credence to any conversation about those kinds of assumptions. I make it clear that I don't speak Hindi, or that I was born in the United States, or that it's not weird that I don't have an accent, and I move on. Hopefully then the person recognizes the ignorance behind their assumption. I studied French for over eight years in school, but I've never really been able to speak it. I've also tried to learn Hindi, but can't quite pick that one up either. My brain always wants to translate back to English, which is the one thing you shouldn't do when learning a new language.
Q. What untapped destination should people know about?
A. Utah! The entire state is a gem. Over the years, I've traveled to different parts for different reasons -- to ski in Park City, to hike at Zion National Park and to assist the choreographer on an Indian movie filming at the Salt Flats. Every place is gorgeous and appealing in its own way and there are still parts of the state I have yet to explore that are on my to-go list.
Q. What's on your travel bucket list?
A. Oh, so many places. Just to name a few, Patagonia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, Brazil, Dubai, Tanzania, South Africa, Tokyo, Sri Lanka.
Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?
...continued
(c) 2019 DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
