Jil Eileen: Her life traveling around the world

FIV: As can be seen in your Instagram feed, you have already seen and traveled to many countries. Which of these destinations have been your favorite so far?

Jil: Phew that’s a very difficult question, I’ve already traveled to 63 countries and each one had something special in its own way. I couldn’t decide where I liked it best, I would go to every country I’ve been to again.

FIV: On social media and on your website, you talk almost exclusively about travel. How did you develop this passion? What excites you most about traveling?

Jil: I’ve always been very adventurous and loved getting to know new places, cultures and people. In 2018, I quit my job and set off alone with a backpack to travel the world. Even before that, I had always planned my days off and vacations so that I could travel as much as possible, but once I had traveled full-time, I was hooked. What excites me most about traveling is discovering new places, feeling the freedom and being myself.

Happiness is the only thing that doubles when you share it, so why not share what makes me happy with you!

FIV: You are only 26 years old and still very young. How do you finance your many trips? How frugal are you and do you have any tips for our readers on how to travel the world cheaply?

Jil: I saved well in advance for my year solo trip around the world, I had 3-4 jobs at the same time and was really hard-working. So I was always able to put a lot of money aside. It’s very important to always keep in mind that ‘every little helps’. This applies to saving and spending. Before you save nothing, save at least something. Then it may take longer to reach your target amount, but you will still reach your goal. And when it comes to spending, it’s the other way around, if I think ‘oh, that’s only €5’ for every little thing, then that can be quite a lot at the end of a trip. I always write down every € I spend on my trips to get an idea of how much the trip has cost me so far. If I’ve budgeted well then I can treat myself to something, if I haven’t budgeted well then I can just eat oatmeal for 3 days I’m now self-employed and can live off my travel blog and online store, instead of working hard and saving up in advance I now travel and work in the meantime.

A day with Jil: adventure or relaxation? Mountains or pool?

FIV: What does a perfect day on vacation look like for you? Are you more of an active person or do you prefer to take it slower? Chilling by the pool or climbing in the mountains? What type of vacation are you?

Jil: I am the active traveler, I love hiking, climbing in the mountains, surfing at the sea & have so many ‘bumblebees in my butt’ that I always want to do something. Of course I also like to lie by the pool or the sea, but that tends to happen between activities.

FIV: What has been your most exciting experience on your travels so far? Was there ever a particularly exciting event or did you perhaps undertake an unusual activity? Paragliding, bungee jumping or something like that?

Jil: I have experienced a lot when traveling but the first activity that comes to my mind is a hike in Hawaii. The Olomana Trail, also called ‘Three Peaks’. A very dangerous hike that gave you an absolute adrenaline rush and was just so much fun, even though you were pushed to your limits.

Germany tour: route, tips & what the country has to offer

FIV: A few months ago, you and your boyfriend went on a tour through Germany. How did you come up with this idea and how did you plan the tour? Was there a fixed route or did you set off spontaneously?

Jil: We’ve already seen so much of the world but not yet our own country. We wanted to change that, so we did a lot of research and looked at everything Germany has to offer. We thought about a route in advance and then drove to the places we had picked out. I sometimes went with my boyfriend, but sometimes with friends too.

FIV: Tell us something about this tour. Which destinations did you head for and which sights did you want to visit? Would you have thought that Germany has such beautiful places to offer?

Jil: I have to admit, I underestimated Germany! I never thought I would see such amazing places in my own country. We went hiking on the Moselle, in the Black Forest and in the Palatinate Forest, we discovered stand-up paddle boarding on Lake Constance, we went swimming in the lake at Eibsee in Bavaria and we couldn’t stop being amazed in Saxon Switzerland. At the age of 25, I made it to the German seaside for the first time

FIV: As you can see in your Instagram feed, you went camping and slept together in the car. What was it like for you to live in such a small space? Would you do it again and recommend it to others?

Jil: It wasn’t a problem for me, you just get to know each other better and bond more. We furnished our car a bit with a topper on which we slept, hung curtains on the windows to darken it a bit and have privacy, and decorated it a bit comfortably. Apart from that, we of course had a gas stove and everything we needed for camping In the beginning or to get out spontaneously, the car is the perfect alternative. In the meantime, we have converted a van, moved in and are traveling through Europe.

Insider tips & goals for the future

FIV: Where was the best place? Do you have an absolute insider tip for us? A special place, a sight or perhaps even a secret route?

Jil: I liked Saxon Switzerland best, the landscape there is really breathtaking and you can go hiking for days and always see something new

FIV: What is your absolute dream destination for the future? You’ve already seen a lot of the world. Is there still a country or perhaps even a specific place that you dream of visiting at some point?

Jil: There’s a lot to be honest, but Namibia, the Philippines, Peru and Sweden are at the top of my list.

Alexandra’s role on AWZ

FIV: Hello Alexandra, how nice that it worked out with the interview today. You are successful as an actress and can be seen as Chiara in the daily soap “Alles was zählt” on RTL since 2019. What do you like best about your role and can you identify well with it?

Alexandra: Wow, soon it will be 3 years that I am allowed to embody the main role “Chiara Nadolny” on AWZ and what I like about the role is that it is very versatile. Whether totally in love, totally business-woman-straight, clumsy or sometimes a little too honest, it’s just fun! I often find myself in her, especially in her soft facets, in her discipline and self-confidence.

Photo: Fab4Media

Passion and profession in one

FIV: Ice skating has been a great passion of yours since childhood, and through AWZ you can combine your passion with your profession. Has your role on AWZ been a dream come true for you?

Alexandra: It is definitely a happy coincidence that I am both an actress and an ex-professional figure skater and that I am allowed to combine this! I am glad that I did not have to hang up this special and graceful sport for good. That’s why I always say: nothing in life is for free, everything has its reason. Maybe you don’t see it today or tomorrow, but one day it will come full circle. I never thought that I could combine my 2 passions and make it my profession and I am extremely grateful about that!

She never wanted to be an actress!

FIV: Has acting always been your dream job and what inspired you to become an actress?

Alexandra: To be honest, I never wanted to be an actress. I didn’t even know what acting was until I was 19. I applied to an acting school for fun, went to auditions for fun and only there, during my studies, did I get to know and love this profession! And here I am now!

Photo: Fab4Media

The next Wonderwoman, what’s next?

FIV: You have already had the opportunity to participate in some television productions, what would be a project in which you would like to participate, what kind of role would be particularly appealing to you?

Alexandra: I am an absolute fan of “Wonderwoman”. Just the fact that a woman is the superhero and has supernatural powers. I’m a very active guy and I imagine the shooting of such a movie to be especially action-packed, fun and special. I would definitely be very keen on that!

Your love for travel

FIV: Your job as an actress keeps you on the road a lot, but you also like to travel in your private life. You like to share insights from your travels, such as your trips to Rhodes and Barcelona, with your followers on Instagram. What has been your most beautiful trip so far and which experience do you still remember fondly?

Alexandra: Every trip is special for me. The main thing is to travel! Life is too short not to see the world. I can’t say which experience was the best for me, but I can say one thing with certainty: I come back after every trip with new energy, new inspiration and new perspectives. Therefore, all I can say is: Travel as much as you can!!! Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.

Photo: Fab4Media

Plans for the future

FIV: Finally, a short look into the future, we are curious what you have planned in the near future: Do you have big plans like a move or something similar or is there something special coming up? Give us a little teaser of what your fans and followers can look forward to in the near future!

Alexandra: There are of course some things planned for the new year, but I may not yet spoil anything, otherwise it is no longer a surprise! Maybe you’ll see me here and there on TV?! Stay tuned!

FIV: Thank you very much for your time and the great interview and good luck on your future path!