© 2015 The Texas Lawbook.
By Patricia Baldwin
Stephanie Gause knew her Peruvian hosts were being polite and respectful by showing her the cuy that was about to be barbecued on a spit for her dinner. Outwardly, she smiled. Inwardly, she remembers she translated the name of the popular, staple meat of the Andes: guinea pig.
“I’m not saying it was good,” says the member of Frost Brown Todd’s Dallas office and president of the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers. “But it was fun to try.”
A sense of adventure – and a big smile – has helped Gause navigate her passion for international travel. At 35, she has visited 41 countries. But admittedly, she got an early start.
Because of her father’s work with Shell Oil Co., she moved with her family of five from New Orleans to London at age 11. Instead of a class trip to the zoo, Gause’s sixth grade class at the American School studied ancient civilizations and traveled to Greece.
On school breaks, the family took advantage of their proximity to the European continent. In high school, Gause lived for a time with a family in Prague. And, the graduate of the University of Texas School of Law rewarded herself for passing the Texas Bar Exam with a two-month trip to Asia.
“I like getting far away,” Gause says, noting that she has taken many red-eye flights to arrive at the office Monday morning.
She adds that she appreciates the advice credited to the Dalai Lama: Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
Recent life events, however, might slow Gause’s travels for a while – an eventuality she embraces.
In late 2015, she joined Frost Brown Todd and assumed the DAYL presidency.
“I moved from a local firm with 50 lawyers to a firm with 500 lawyers in 12 offices in eight states,” she says. “It was a great move.”
And she calls the presidency of the DAYL a “great honor.” The organization of lawyers under age 36 has about 30 working committees and sponsors some 150 events a year.
Gause’s presidential priorities include a mental health awareness campaign, a women’s mentoring group and a small business symposium for women-owned and minority-owned businesses scheduled for May.
She also plans to write a President’s column for The Dicta newsletter about the importance of travel. She notes that she uses her “escape time” to reflect on life and to re-charge.
“You can learn much from other people,” she says. And, her clients, she adds, enjoy her stories about dining adventures, wine discoveries and unique souvenirs.
Currently topping her bucket list of travel destinations is Japan.
“Japan is one of those countries that has a great combination of what I like: countryside, night life, history, art, culture, dance, food.”
Final travel advice? Smile. Don’t ask why the menu isn’t in English. And, remember, life is a trip.
Do you have a special avocation, hobby or other lifestyle interest to share? Please email patricia.baldwin@texaslawbook.net.
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