People of the World
A world traveller who loves going home
PocketCultures reader, Anne-Sophie Redisch (Sophie), is a bilingual freelance writer and translator based in Norway.
She has travelled to more than 100 countries on six continents, having lived in the USA and New Zealand. Sophie is the Oslo local expert for NileGuide and destination expert for Matador.
I asked Sophie a few questions about her blog, Sophie’s World, life in Norway and travelling with kids.
How did you end up in Norway?
Norway is home. I lived in the USA during my university years. Later, I took advantage of our beneficial parental leave arrangements and spent half a year living in New Zealand with my daughters. I enjoyed it heaps – we lived in a sweet, little village called Devonport near Auckland on the North Island. But I always seem to return to Norway. It’s a good place to raise children.
Expat second time around
Jeanelle Rabadam is originally from the USA and has recently relocated to The Netherlands. In between she spent one year studying in Barcelona. When Jeanelle wrote to us we asked if she would share some of her experiences here on People of the World. Here she talks to us about living far from home and the realities of getting to grips with a new culture.
I belong to the entire planet, not just one country
Esther grew up in a multicultural family in India and her interest in the world has taken her far from her home country. After she introduced herself on our Facebook page we spoke to Esther about living abroad, the importance of being open to different cultures, and finding her place in the world.
To start with, could you tell us something about yourself and your background?
I grew up In Cochin, India. It’s a very tropical place and extremely tourist friendly. Centuries ago, it was a port city that participated in the spice trade between Europe and India.
I live just outside London now. My parents are multicultural in origin. My father is an Indian brought up in a fishing village. My mother however had Spanish and Cuban origins. I have family in Brazil and Cuba. However as time passed, they changed their religious and cultural views to blend in. In India, arranged marriage is the norm even now (most of the time). And that’s how my parents met.
My father travelled a lot and brought me up with a wide knowledge of the world outside India. He instilled in me the value of thinking for myself and being open to different cultures and languages. I generally even now look at the world and the human race with child-like wonder and awe because of this. I would consider myself as very liberal and open-minded and generally encourage free spiritedness in others. And to not allow oneself to be ‘boxed’ by what’s seen as the societal norm.
Knowing When No Means No … in Italiano
After knowing someone six years, being in a long-distance relationship with them for four and uprooting everything-that-is-normal-and good in your life and moving halfway around the world to be with a person, you’d think you’d know them.
Mah!
Not sure what that means?
I know how you feel.
My now-husband and I met in the romantic City of Lights in the spring of 2000, when we were both working at nearby Disneyland Paris. Lingual limitations prohibited a real relationship, but we were friends and occasionally we’d get together to look through our dictionaries and exchange new words.
Romania to Tehran, via Cyprus
Diana Vladulescu writes about Iran, its tasty cuisine and lovely places as well as other topics on her blog Live Life Persian Style.
Originally from Romania, Diana now lives in Cyprus with her Iranian husband.
Diana contacted us through Blogs of the World and we asked if she would like to be featured on People of the World since she has experienced such a variety of cultures in her life.
Thanks Diana for agreeing to the interview!
Was traveling or living abroad something you dreamed of when you were growing up in Romania?
I grew up in Romania while it was a communist country. That meant nobody was able to go abroad except for sailors and pilots, sports people for international competitions. All the other people who wanted to visit other countries were not allowed. People who wanted to emigrate risked their lives swimming across the Danube or crossing the border illegally. Many of them died in the process.
Later on, when communism was overthrown, even if the borders were open, not everybody afforded to travel outside and neither did I. I remember seeing a travel show on TV and the reporter saying something like “never think you won’t travel abroad” and I replied to him in my mind “yeah right”.
The best and worst of both worlds
Rosemary A. Ajayi is the founder of The 419Positive Project, an interactive documentary project which seeks out positive attributes of Nigeria and Nigerians. After we connected on Twitter I met Rosemary in London earlier this year, and as we chatted it was clear that she is passionate about challenging negative stereotypes of Nigeria both at home and in the rest of the world.
In this interview she shares her own perspectives, the motivation behind the project and some resources for anyone who wants to know more about Nigeria. As the country prepares to celebrate 50 years of independence tomorrow, it’s a good time to learn more.
You’ve spent many years in both the UK and Nigeria. Do you identify more with one country or the other? Do you feel British or Nigerian, or both?
Like many Nigerian families, my parents came to England to study and ended up setting up home here for over twenty years. I spent my formative years in Nigeria and despite having lived in London for more than half of my life, my heart is in Nigeria. I feel drawn to Nigeria like there’s some unseen force drawing me to Nigeria, seducing me.
Recent Comments