Traveler Interview: Marion and Michael Engelke
Michael and Marion were born and raised near Hannover, Germany, and grew up only 30 miles apart.
Before moving to the U.S. in 2004, the Engelkes lived in England for two years, in a village called Westgate-on-Sea, close to Canterbury in Southeast Kent.
Today Michael and Marion – along with their Jack Russell terrier Lily — live in Kansas City, Missouri. They enjoy discovering the US and making frequent visits to Europe.
Marion is the Director of Development at The Learning Group, a nonprofit organization that administers Lifelong Learning Accounts through www.LearningFunds.com. This innovative program revolutionizes tuition assistance. It was created from an initiative by the U.S. Department of Labor, Missouri Workforce Division and Kansas Department of Commerce.
Michael is a Marketing and Operations Executive for FUJIFILM in the US. He has an extensive international B2B background, having managed multiple industrial segments throughout Europe and North America.
As our friends, we envy Michael and Marion’s experience of living in different countries. Marion says that the experience has made her aware of cultural differences that are not easily detectable from the “outside”. In general though, she feels that people are all more similar than different.
“Traveling definitely broadens someone’s horizon and opens the mind to be more receptive, accepting, and respecting of differences,” she says.
We were curious to learn more about Marion’s & Michael’s insights on travel.
The Jones: What inspires you to travel?
Michael: There are different reasons for traveling. Traveling for business, booking a vacation or going back home to reunite with family and friends, they all have their perks and motivate me in different kind of ways. When it comes to going on vacation, I always struggle to find a balance between going back to places I had great experience and exploring new spots. In general I’d say that traveling enriches my personal philosophy – and what can be more inspiring than that?
Marion: For me, traveling is about experiencing diverse cultures, people, environments, landscapes, foods, drinks, everything: To discover what I love about a place. I could always travel to different locations – I almost find it a “waste” to go to the same place twice. It’s like trying to see what’s behind the next hill or mountain. There is always more to see, and so much of it, too!
What’s something you’ve learned from traveling?
Michael: Bring a suitcase full of patience! Sometimes it’s best to just go with the flow and it doesn’t help to be upset. I always try to learn from past travels and incorporate the things I learn in my next bookings. That means I typically start booking trips earlier these days in order to find better routes, deals or arrangements. I try to keep in mind that “cheap deals” often carry hidden cost, and that’s the one of having your entire vacation ruined by being “nickeled and dimed” to death for essentials such as food and drink or leg and luggage room. Sometimes it’s cheaper to pay a little extra ;)
Marion: There is something to love about every place. And Michael is right, how to get there can be half the fun! For example, I detest changing planes often. So, when we go to Europe, we try to have as little stopovers as possible. The more stopovers we have, the longer the trip, the more exhausting for me, and the less I enjoy it. Finding out your own “travel preferences” is worth your time!
Have you always enjoyed travel? What contributed to your love of travel?
Michael: Yes, I always enjoyed traveling, exploring new countries, cultures, meeting people and sampling the local cuisine. I spent much of my early traveling years in Europe where I learned to love the close proximity of so many different cultures, landscapes, and an abundance of history. Everything is within easy reach and especially after border controls stopped in much of Europe, we could be in a different world within hours, not even bringing a passport and more recently no longer having to exchange currencies.
When it comes to business travel – that’s another story. My friends always envied me for going to “all these nice places” and yes, you sometimes can have a real nice experience, but bottom line is: airport, taxi, hotel, meeting, taxi, and then you hop back on the plane again. Business travel was less stressful a decade ago. Today I’d rather opt for video conferencing or similar substitutes wherever I can”;
Marion: I always enjoyed traveling. My parents took me on trips within since I was very young. They were convinced that traveling not only builds character but an open mind and lots of learning opportunities.
When I was young, we mainly traveled within Europe. My first plane ride was to Bulgaria when I was four. We always went places, and I always had a good time, wonderful food, met great people, and marveled at the sights and land.
Also, I love being by the sea, and I think it’s because growing up I never got to live by the sea — that is one place I never could get enough of — even today. So, traveling to a destination by the sea always is a no-brainer for me!
A pub by the sea in Broadstairs, Kent. Marion & Michael lived in this town on England's coast.
What have been your favorite travel destinations? Why?
Michael: Norway, Sweden, Southern France, Scotland, Florida Keys, and the US West Coast. Mostly because of the breath taking sceneries, wildlife, and then of course the culinary experiences”;
Marion: Oh boy”; Different places for different reasons. Thus far, I can’t remember a place that I would not recommend to others. It always depends on what someone’s looking for – and what they expect. One of the destinations I loved was the Pacific Northwest. Michael and I took a trip to Portland, Oregon, drove to the ocean and then up the coast to Seattle. The volcanoes and the coastline are just beautiful.
However, it is not a place to go for sunshine and high temperatures.
For that, I would recommend the Florida Keys or Sanibel Island at Florida’s Gulf coast. I just love the pace of life there, the beautiful sunsets, the luscious vegetation, and the beautiful sea and sea life. Nothing is better than to relax on the beach with a cool drink in your hand!
What destination has surprised you the most, either good or bad?
Michael: Manhattan Island took my breath away. I’ve seen pictures before but none of them do it justice. It’s a surreal place and yes, whatever they say about it”; it’s true!
Marion: Turkey was more beautiful and the people more friendly than I had imagined. A wonderful place with a tremendously rich history, food with flavors I had not known of before, and beaches so white and long”; Truly a beautiful place. We also took a trip to the mountains, and this is where poor people live. A stark contrast to what you see in the more “touristy” places. Not unexpected, but the level of poverty was surprising to me.
A Christmas market near Michael and Marion's hometowns in Germany.
Having lived in Europe, what must-sees do you recommend for a first-time visitor?
Michael: That depends on your preferences and interest. Being a “local” that’s hard to tell because you really take things for granted growing up in a place. We have left Europe 6 years ago and Germany 8 years ago. When I go back these days I find that have a different appreciation for things.
For first time visitors I would suggest you avoid trying to explore Europe in a week or two. There is simply too much to take in. You won’t do it justice nor will you enjoy it. I suggest you do your homework, and then pick an area you would like to explore in more detail.
Use public transport wherever you can. Most of Europe has an extensive and affordable network of trains and busses which gets you to most places without the stress of having to drive yourself.
Don’t be shy and try to get to know the locals. Depending on the age group, English will be, although everybody will appreciate (and enjoy) you trying it in the local language first. This is when it gets memorable!
Marion: Okay, where should I start? There is so much to see! I would recommend London, Paris, Madrid and Barcelona, Rome, Switzerland, the Eastern countries, Prague, and, of course, Berlin. If there is time, visit Greece and Turkey.
I’d recommend planning your trip to allow time to go see places and meet people. Traveling is not just about going places, but experiencing them. And that usually takes some time; don’t just rush from A to B, take it in. And find out what’s special about each place, what you’ll remember. That is what you truly “get” from traveling.
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This city is the major port for this island, known for wine, flowers and toboggan rides. 
