Emma Gallais-Pradal, Intrepid Kid Traveler

I remember initiating my daughter Emma to the rights of travel as an infant, she was no bigger than the baby carrier pouch that carried her, with her head tucked away, oblivious to our final destination.  Our first Mommy and me voyage had been to London, England for a weeklong getaway from New York’s cold winter. Straddled like a baby kangaroo, we enjoyed the warmest February of London’s history, visiting the shops of Portobello Road, the museums and even the pubs of London.  Twelve years later, same time of year, when the cold dismal weather urges my inner instinct to search for a warmer spot under the sun, Emma now a seasoned traveler, holds her own passport and boarding pass in her hand. Our destination this time is Rio de Janeiro,  Brazil,  the country where I spent  my childhood,  a completely unknown place for my daughter and great source for her curiosity.

Perhaps it’s relevant to say that travel is in our blood.  My family comes from an ethnic group of Chinese people known as the ‘Hakka” or the ‘guest people’, aptly named for their history of following a migrant way of life. Even to this day, the modern Hakka groups are known to be intrepid immigrants known to wonder far  from their homes in Mainland China and Taiwan. They congregate yearly in great numbers for international conventions like birds flocking home.

Emma has the double genetic code for wanderlust, half-French from her father’s side and half Hakka Chinese from mine.  Since boarding the airplane at the age of two months, she has traveled to more countries than most average adult and already speaks three languages: English, French and German.

Although travel has always been our way of life, I am curious about the effects of my ‘kid in tow’ traveling lifestyle and how it has affected Emma’s perspective of the world.  I decided to find out more after our most recent trip to Brazil, which was decidedly the most exotic place she has been to so far.

What was your favorite trip ever?
Venice, Italy. I had read about it in a book I read for school, the ‘Thief Lord’ about some kids that run away to Venice but I had no idea it would be so mysterious and awesome.  There is water around most of the city and there were some many little alleyways and streets with no names.  I liked being there like a local person, buying our food at the supermarket and eating at the local restaurants.  I didn’t understand a world of Italian and I felt very insecure and anxious to know what people were saying but it’s definitely a city that I want to go back to.

What is your favorite city?
Amsterdam.  I love the fact that people are friendly there and the city was not polluted. Also I loved seeing people on bicycle with flowers in their baskets.  The weather also seems to be pretty good and because I know German, I can even understand Dutch a little. Also, I am a big fan of Anne Frank and I visited her house --that was really special.

Where was the most ‘foreign’ place that you have visited?
I think Rio was the most different place I have ever seen. I was surprised that I saw some people with no shoes and that not everyone had cellular phones.  I saw a lot of favelas, poor peoples houses and felt really sad that people had to live that way.
But I loved the beach and specially drinking out of a coconut ! At the end of the trip I enjoyed it so much, I didn’t want to leave.

Where do you dream to travel?
I would like to go to Hawaii because it’s so far away and isolated from everywhere else.
Also, I don’t know much about it even though it’s part of the United States.

How do you think your traveling  experience have changed you?
Well, I’ve tried a lot of different foods. I am an adventurous eater; I eat frog legs, shark soup, snails, chicken hearts, caviar and lots of other varieties of food.

What do you bring home from your travels?
I have a magnet collection from everywhere that I have been. I know you don’t like them Mom because you like your fridge to be modern and minimal, but they make me happy because they remind me of all the places that we have been!