Renate Rigters just finished the bachelor course International Tourism Management and, fond of travelling as she is, immediately went to Argentina.
1. What was your first (part time) job?
When I was 16 I worked as a bartender at a nightclub for a year before I started at Tio. A hard job because every weekend my daily rhythm was quite disturbed. The extra money came in handy for the trips that I liked to make back then.
2. What has been your biggest blooper so far?
I said something very wrong at a shoarma restaurant in Spain. I spoke only a little Spanish then and wanted to order a chicken durum. Chicken in Spanish is ‘pollo‘, but if you replace the final o for an a you order a crotch instead of chicken. Guess what I ordered. That man laughed his head off!
3. Who, would you say, is the best in the field of expertise in regard to the subject matter you study?
My father. He is not in the travel industry, but he works for an IT company. He travels a lot and I am impressed with the way he has been able to combine this travelling with his family and his hobbies.
4. And who is the worst?
I met a receptionist in Malta who was extremely unfriendly! He sent everyone out of the hotel during an inspection tour, while he knew that this would cause bad publicity. This man really didn’t understand his job.
5. Whose job is the least appealing to you?
King Willem Alexander’s job seems immensely boring. I‘m only slightly interested in politics, so his job is not for me. You represent your country and must therefore comply with many rules. I love the fact that I do not have to pretend as a travel blogger. If the food in restaurant X is delicious or if I find the local guide annoying, I can just write that down.
6. And whose job would you like to have?
Has Floortje Dessing retired? I would like to have her job!
7. If you were a brand, which brand would you like to be and why?
I have my own brand, ”That Wanderlust”. That is my online name for the articles I write, and more and more people begin to recognize it. It’s very nice if a brand is so attached to you that people say “Hey, that’s Renate, isn’t it?“
8. What can we always expect to find in your refrigerator?
Very boring: margarine. I‘m away so much that I can always throw everything away and margarine is apparently long lasting. But yeah, that’s part of the deal. Although the delicious meals on tour compensate for the empty fridge!
9. Who would you like to sit next to in an airplane?
Sebastiaan Labrie! What a pleasant BNNer! I met him at the “Reiswerk” conference in Turkey last summer. He has a passion for travelling which he can put into words very well, and he is also a good listener. He can give useful advice because of all his experience.
10. Which movie is a must-see?
Into the wild! What a hit! Many people dream of leaving western society, but are not aware of the challenges.
11. What do you always take when you go on a trip?
A very good friend of mine gave me a trip Buddha as a present. A figurine with a grain of rice in it. I always put that in my backpack in one of the side pockets. For good luck and protection.
12. Tell us something that practically nobody knows about you?
I have seen little of the Netherlands in recent years. During the Tio semesters I was at home, but almost every weekend I flew to my former boyfriend in Barcelona. In the summer period I was always abroad.
This was my first summer in six years in the Netherlands. In January I left for Latin America for six months and I do not know if I ever want to live in the Netherlands again.”
Follow Renate on LinkedIn.