A Traveler Well Practiced at Being Stopped at Customs MY parents tell me my first real trip was on a Polish sea boat when I was about 2 years old. I must have enjoyed it a lot, because today traveling doesn't bother me at all. I've learned to just take things as they come. Belcampo Anya Fernald, chief of Belcampo, which owns sustainable farming projects, tries the local cider in San Sebastián, Spain. A. At least three times a month, mostly international to Belize or Uruguay. A. Belize. I'm stuck with everyone going on some hedonistic vacation, but I have to work. Plus there's really nothing to eat. A. Southeast Asia. The people are lovely and inspiring, and the food is amazing and not pretentious. A. I like to try new beverages that I would never try at home. I don't think about calories or nutritional value. I worked on sustainable food projects in more than 30 countries, as different culturally as Madagascar, Sweden, Ecuador and Bosnia. I even spent some time learning about traditional cheese-making in Sicily and Italy as a postgraduate. So making the best of any situation is really important to me. It helps a lot that I'm one of those lucky people who can fall asleep anywhere, any time. If I couldn't sleep anywhere at any time, maybe I would have a whole different attitude. I like flying because it's the only time I have to really reflect on things. Like everyone else I have a million things coming at me at once, especially since I oversee farming projects in California, Belize and Uruguay. We're busy all the time. But even if the flight is terrible, because of that time alone, I always come off it with a fresh perspective on a problem, and sometimes even a new idea. Since I try to use my flying time just to think, I don't talk to my seatmates all that much. But I have had a few great conversations about sustainable farming and other agricultural topics with seatmates. I will go out of my way to talk to older travelers, though. I have a real soft spot for the elderly. They always have great stories and seem so happy when someone starts a conversation with them. Most of my travel problems usually have something to do with my work. I love exploring other cultures through food, whether it's the food itself or the way it's prepared. I fall in love with foods and utensils, and that almost invariably leads to things I want to bring home with me. I've been known to leave clothes so I can pack my suitcase with stuff that I found. I've learned to deal with customs since I've been caught with 50 pounds of marble mortars from Uruguay, soapstone cookware from Brazil, coffee from Belize and so many other things that I can't even begin to count. More often than not, custom agents let me bring my finds into the United States. I never bring in anything that would cause problems. I know what I'm doing. But some of the conversations can be amazing. No one really understands why I want to lug around some three-inch-thick piece of cookware. The biggest issue I had was bringing 40 varieties of tomato seeds to Uruguay. I had no idea if it was legal or not, and I didn't want to ask. I was stopped at customs and when they searched my bag, I had to explain what these little seeds were and why I had them. I was prepared to have them taken away. But instead, I had a great discussion about how biodiversity was good for the ecosystem, and how it actually makes for a better flavor in produce like tomatoes. The agents were really interested in what I had to say and they understood the importance. I like having these conversations with people, but maybe not at customs when the line is growing behind me and I might lose my stuff. But there's usually a common ground when talking about food in cultures and how it relates to the ecosystem as a whole. It's a nice feeling to know that someone is Uruguay is enjoying one of those tomatoes right now. By Anya Fernald, as told to Joan Raymond. E-mail: joan.raymond@nytimes.com