My first international journey was in 1961 when my family migrated from Germany to Australia, stopping along the way in places like Cairo, Karachi and Singapore. That trip spawned the belief that the exotic – other languages and cultures – lay waiting each time the plane touched down, and so a lifelong desire to explore was born. Contact with societies far from home continues to shape who I am by letting me grow ‘outside the square’ in my search for concepts of identity and belonging that have real meaning for me. My desire to become a writer has much to do with my travel experiences; the absorbed observations and stories of people met, their lifestyles, beliefs, social mores, relationships and the histories and architecture of their societies. Going solo allows me to be more ‘present’ in any location to better explore the essence of travel. Beyond its day-to-day realities, it can be a stage for self-development by inviting a re-evaluation of entrenched beliefs about oneself and the world.
I’ve hung my hat in over 200 cities in 35 countries and have lived and worked as an expat 10 times, mostly teaching Academic English, based on an MA in Applied Linguistics, Dip. Ed., and CELTA certification. I’ve also been a sub-editor, proof-reader, part-time artist, occasional writer and ethnographic research assistant. Outside Australia, I’ve taught several times in Shanghai and in Beijing, Bangkok and in Tokyo as well as in Hanoi, and briefly examined for IELTS in Paris. Chicago was home in the early 80s, but in recent years my destination has mainly been Asia: Malaysia, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. My home is in Sydney.