Slideshow: Summer Mountains in Switzerland

Marguerite Richards is a freelance travel writer who can’t seem to control her curiosity. She sometimes misses out on the physical details of a place because she’s so captivated by the people. She travels to understand cultural differences and the nuances that separate us, with the resolve to render it all palpable through her writing. She has lived for a combined six years in Holland, Chile and France, where total cultural immersion instilled a permanent desire to travel. New York was her longest cultural adventure, where she ran the magazines for the French Government Tourist Office for five years. Now, back in her native California, she’s free to write again full time. But, because she can’t shake her love for business, she also collaborates with travel companies on marketing and social media projects as often as possible. Marguerite holds an MA in French Translation, a BA in English Literature, a Certificate for English teaching, and an honorary business degree from the School of Hard Knocks. margueriterichards.com