DONNA James set herself two conditions before making a decision about going to university. One was it had to be a long way from her home in Kent - the other that it had to be fun.

She finally settled on Leeds, and signed up for a BA honours degree in modern Chinese studies because it sounded a bit different and that meant it had to be fun: which just about sums up this 37-year-old woman's outlook on life.

Newly-appointed head of internal research at Guidance Enterprises educational and career services group in Thirsk, she claims life couldn't be better.

The route that brought this dynamic woman from the South-East to the North Yorkshire market town was varied and characteristically action-packed.

When she was 19, she spent her second university year in Shanghai where she learned to speak Mandarin Chinese fluently. During her third and fourth years, she earned extra cash as a Chinese interpreter and added modern Japanese language and culture to her expanding linguistic talents, which also include fluent Hindi.

Strangely, Ms James disputes she has a flair for languages, though by the time she was 18 she had amassed A-level French and German, and O-level Russian, all of which she speaks fluently, and O-level Latin.

"At school I passed them all with ordinary passes and didn't really take that much of an interest," she insisted. "Though I remember being on holiday in Italy when I was about 12 and realising how wonderful language was.

"It is a gateway into other cultures and gives you a deep understanding of other people's lives."

At the age of 22, she left Britain and headed off to Taiwan for two years where she worked as an English language tutor, investment company researcher and interpreter for an import/export firm.

"It was a fantastic experience," she said. "They speak Chinese in Taiwan so it made life a lot easier. I just rode about on a motorbike, spent a lot of time in the hills and had a lot of fun."

Her love of learning and a need to firm up her career prospects led her back to the classroom, but not in Britain. "I wanted to do a master's degree because I did not want to rely on languages for a career. I knew I didn't want to be an interpreter because all you did was interpret other people's ideas.

In the end she chose the university of Kentucky because it specialises in the East Asian political economy. "I learned a lot in Taiwan about the political strains on the economy. At that time the US was complaining about Taiwanese protectionism against goods, while the Taiwan government saw it the other way about.

"The university had ex-diplomats as teachers which brought alive all the subjects as we were dealing with real issues."

It was in Kentucky that she became hooked on road running.

With a MA (distinction) in international political economy in the bag, she diverted for a while into the fashion industry in New York before moving to Boston.

But living abroad for five years as a foreigner began to pall, and at the age of 26, she decided to return home. "I had spent only 2 weeks in England during 5 years, and I didn't want to be a foreigner all my life. But coming home was a culture shock in reverse. I had become a foreigner in my own country."

She moved to Durham and started a PhD at the university of Newcastle, but was unsure whether an academic career was what she wanted.

Half way through, she headed back to the university of Leeds to take up an appointment as research officer on a special project for skills and economic development in East Asia. There, she published a book and several articles on the subject.

An appointment with Wakefield training and enterprise council as research manager followed. She bought a house in Thirsk and commuted each day.

Early this year she took up the reins as head of internal research for Guidance Services which is based at Thirsk industrial estate.

Her intention is to expand the research department for both the private and public sector into the most-renowned consultancy in the country.

Her spare time is taken up fell running, ice climbing and mountaineering with her partner, Malcolm, a psychologist who works in Hartlepool.

She also loves to fly fish, play the clarinet and grow her own vegetables.

Last April, the pair hired a guide and crossed the Arctic, using a dog sledge and cross-country skis wherever they could.

"It was totally incredible," she added. "Great expanses of snow, ice and complete emptiness coupled with unspoilt scenery. The guide had a gun to fend off polar bears, but all we saw was an Arctic fox and some reindeer."

Twice Swaledale marathon champion, she is gearing up for the two-day Karimor mountain marathon due to take place in Scotland in October.

"I enjoy having a balanced life. I have a great relationship, a fantastic job and I love my hobbies. But I am definitely no wonderwoman.