About Me — LaShell Tinder
They call me Pata Caliente (hot foot) because of my wanderlust.
Where are you from?
I am a farm girl who never forgot her roots — post from Imogene’s Notebook.
I have called home so many places because brick and mortar do not define what is home.
During my first marriage, we moved around every 2–3 years, changing countries and uprooting our family. This was a life I actively sought and loved. Where many people avoid change, I run into it and feel most alive when I know something new is planned or coming. I was born in Colorado, grew up in Missouri, and have lived in New Jersey, Brussels, Caracas, Quito, Jacaranda, and Stockholm.
What do you do for a living?
I worked for 20 years as a global mobility professional. At the height of my career, I ran the Americas Region global mobility program for a company. Global mobility involves managing suppliers and compliance with tax and immigration while supporting the day-to-day needs of the employee and family who are relocating as well as tending to post-relocation challenges.
Having lived abroad for nearly 12 years, I employed personal experience to make families feel they were seen and heard when dealing with their relocation challenges.
What are your Medium goals?
My retirement was forced upon me when my job scope changed in 2022, then my contract work ended early in May 2023. At 60, full-time work that I had done for 10 years was somehow beyond my scope of abilities from an employer’s perspective (age discrimination would be illegal to say out loud).
I can’t say I am unhappy as I am enjoying my life greatly and love traveling! I have always loved writing and decided to share my life experiences via personal essays. After taking a travel and food writing course, a fellow classmate recommended I open a Medium account. I hope the stories I write resonate with others. I am enjoying reading a plethora of stories and poems.
Talk about your partner/kids/family!
Family. They are my everything! When I was three, I was heartbroken when I learned I couldn’t have puppies, as in delivering them personally. Once I realized I could have human babies, the world was OK.
I am a mother as well as a wife, but first a mother.
We have a blended family of five children — three from me and two from my husband. But, our blended family reaches beyond our five because my ex-husband’s wife’s daughter is also part of the sibling pack and there are cross-family gatherings. We are lucky because there is genuine interest among family members to spend time with one another.
My three children were born on many continents (North America, Europe, and South America).
Our children range in age from 45–22. The oldest is retired and enjoying life traveling while the youngest is preparing to graduate in May. Of the 9 including spouses: one retired, one high-level executive, three engineers (ME, EE, SWE), one project manager, one operations manager, and one Major in the armed forces.
My husband retired several years ago and helps people work through trauma by conducting autobiographical life reviews. He is a writer and collaborator with Health Story Collaborative and ICLIP through the University of Connecticut.
What makes you unique?
Unique is a big word. Not sure I feel unique.
I am a farm girl.
Assessment results: ENFP, Enneagram 2, and CliftonStrength Finders #1 is learning.
I get enormous energy from traveling and being in or near water. I am the Water Rabbit from the Chinese Zodiac. My birthday falls on Mother’s Day every six years.
I identify as Latina.
I tend to give a paragraph explanation when three words would have sufficed.
I love fiercely.
My nicknames are Madre, Pata Caliente, and Squirty Squirt.
Any cool experiences?
Where do I start? Cool as in a hell of a good story or an amazing experience.
When I was a kid and recklessly got on the back of a motorcycle with my cousin not realizing the risk we were taking.
When I became a mother the first time, then the second, and, oh shit — pregnant at 37 with the third.
When I was stuck in non-moving traffic next to the ghetto of Pitari in Caracas with an unbalanced (likely on drugs) angry naked black man who took notice of us and came rushing towards our car. My two-year-old was in a car seat. My mother-in-law and aunt were passengers in my brand-new Toyota Corolla. Hands clutched to the steering wheel, we slowly moved by as he dented the roof of my car with his fist.
When I jumped on the back of a “moto-taxi” (motorcycle delivery guy) in Caracas to catch up with the company driver and my children on their way to the airport for our permanent relocation back to the US. I had jumped out of the vehicle to run five blocks to collect something from a hotel so that the driver could move around the stopped traffic caused by a politically instigated march in January 2003. We had to make our flight and that was the solution I could come up with on the fly.
When I raced through the streets of Mont Saint Michel avoiding a potential assaulter and escaped after more than an hour of a cat and mouse chase.
My first diving experience, dropping down to see a turtle staring at me.
When I witnessed my son’s, then subsequently, my daughter’s weddings.
Which topics do you like to write about on Medium?
I write non-fiction because I have no talent to dream up fiction. Kudos to those of you who can!
I share my experiences and how they have shaped my journey. I think my writing will continue to evolve. For example, I began writing last night about my father-in-law. He died earlier in the day and writing was a way to celebrate his life. I am currently (at the time of this essay) geographically distanced from my husband for a previously planned trip to house and pet sit for my son. It has been surreal going through the dying process together. We’ve discussed back and forth if it made sense for me to travel home and agreed staying the course was best.
This is all to say, I write about life and what calls my attention.
What pets do you own?
Prior to 2020, we had a cat and a dog. While taking a walk with my youngest who was sent home from college, I mentioned that I really wanted a Golden-doodle. I had a Golden Retriever, Scruffy. We bought him when we lived in Quito, Ecuador. He was 13.5 when I found him lying under the tree unmoving. That was in 2010.
Reya came into our life as an eight-week-old puppy and imprinted on me immediately.
As an empty nester, my pets give me a great deal of comfort and cuddles.
Where have you traveled to in the world that resonated with you?
My first trip abroad was to Italy. I love Italy and have returned there several times. That trip set in motion a life-long love of travel and exploring other cultures.
My favorite family vacation was to Belize because it was completely unstructured. We met others who provided amazing suggestions.
My favorite trip with my youngest (most frequently travel buddy) was Greece. She is an avid reader and knows a ton about Greek mythology. At 15, she was an excellent tour guide and great companion.
As a solo traveler, I was a late bloomer and didn’t travel alone until I was 55. Croatia and Turkey were my favorites because I sat with the stillness of being alone and embraced it while I was in Croatia. This was a developmental step for me as I’ve never liked to be alone. I discovered a new layer of myself in the vibrant city of Istanbul. Geniuine openness in a very different culture.
