When I’m with someone (particularly if I don’t know that person well) I often prefer to let them talk about themselves rather than have them listen to me talking about myself. Sometimes I hate talking about myself (blogging is different, it’s not talking, it’s writing 😛 ). I actually love asking people questions and finding out what makes them tick. It was an idea of mine quite a long time ago to do some interviews on my blog so I’ll get the ball rolling with this first interview, the first of hopefully many more! 🙂
The other day, out of the blue, my friend and fellow travel blogger, Amy Mcpherson, asked to interview me for her blog. Amy and I have known each other for a long time. In fact, we met a really long time ago on a summer camp and at the end of this camp we produced a yearbook. It was not compulsory but we could contribute to this yearbook if we wanted to and even back then Amy wrote articles and I was taking photos and helping with the page layout. The funny thing is, all these years have passed, both of us have had several different careers (and lived in different countries) and yet neither of us ever forgot our passion and favourite form(s) of creative expression. 🙂
I was surprised yet flattered when Amy asked me. I agreed to do it and it was kinda fun! Then I reciprocated and here is the result:
Expat Travel Blogger Interview
Name: Amy McPherson
Age: 36
Current Location: London, UK
Home Location: Sydney, Australia
Travel Blog: Footprints and Memories
1. Why did you decide to become a blogger? What do you love most about blogging?
When I studied in Germany for a year as part of my degree in 2003, I had a ‘website’. I don’t think the idea of ‘blogging’ was popular yet and I was coding everything myself in simple HTML, but the intention was the same: to share stories of my travels. I suppose that was when I started to blog, although I didn’t start calling myself a blogger until much later, because I didn’t even know I was called a blogger!
What I love most about blogging is that I can write about whatever I like. I chose to write about travel because I centre my life around travel, and I want to inspire people to travel so that they can learn more about the world and open their hearts to different traditions, cultures and ideas outside their comfort zone. Being a blogger allows me to do that, to tell the stories that main stream media doesn’t want to tell (for various social and political reasons) and I believe there are so much good about this world that needs to be told!
2. What is your ‘day job’? How do you combine that with travel blogging?
3. When was the moment that you realised you really love travelling and want to do it for the rest of your life?
To be honest, I am not sure. I’ve always been a curious person, and in high school I had friends whose families were from all over the world. A good friend of mine was South African by nationality, but her father was Hungarian, and the family lived in Germany when she was younger so they spoke German at home. Her parents used to tell me about all these wonderful places they’ve travelled to when they were younger and how beautiful Germany/South Africa/Hungary are. They were the ones that inspired me to learn German at uni so that I’d have a chance to live abroad for a year, and travel to all these wonderful places too!
And I am sure you understand this too, that once you get bitten by the bug, you’ve got the wanderlust forever 🙂
4. Why did you move to London? How long do you plan to stay there?
Ah it’s a love story! Since having lived in Germany I knew I wanted to go ‘back’. Every decision I made about my career and life after that was based on that plan. I made sure I had a career with skills I can easily transfer (and I thought business analysis/writing/journalism was a pretty good combination), had German boyfriends… 😉
Although, now that the United Kingdom has voted themselves out of the EU (Brexit), I need to assess my strategies!
5. What do you like most about living in London?
London is exciting!
People say every city has a personality, but London appears to suffer from multiple personality disorder. It has its fashionable snobby side (Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Canary Wharf), with areas that are funky, multi-cultural, filled with vibrant Caribbean vibe (Notting Hill, Camden), the West End has that mix of dodginess and artistic flair that I love, and lots and lots of parks to escape to when I am tired of all the city buzz!
Oh and the fact that it’s just a stone’s throw away from all the exciting European destinations by train and by plane… let’s just say I am hardly home on weekends!
All sorts of decorated Paddington Bears made their appearance all over London during the release of the feature length film
6. What do you like least about living in London?
Londoners. Ok, it’s probably unfair to say that I like them least, but they are a curious bunch. Londoners are impatient and patient, polite and rude, passionate and indifferent all at the same time! The one thing they are consistent in, is being extremely pessimistic about the weather. But who can blame them…?
Beautiful Huaran, Peru, where Amy met Will
7. Which is the favourite place you’ve travelled to and why?
Malaysia. I first visited Kuala Lumpur on a stop over and have returned at least 5 times to various places around the country. It is so diverse, rich in culture and colourful. The blending of the different Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures makes it an interesting place to visit, not to mention, a place with the most flavoursome, and different styles of food!
8. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Wow. Do I have to pick one place to live in forever? I like the idea of moving around every few years but if I must choose…. The Urubamba Valley in Peru. A beautiful area with a special place in my heart. It is where Will and I ‘hooked up’, where I learned about myself and my relationship with others, and to let go of my first world problems.
9. What things (things, not people) do you miss most from home (Australia)?
I miss those bloody birds! I miss the Kookaburras’ laughs, the screeches of the Cockatoos and the Galahs, I even miss the Magpies’ songs in the mornings.
10. What things do you NOT miss from home (Australia)?
What I don’t miss are the super hot summers and the flies, as well as having to fly more than 3 hours to get out of the country. It’s all about travel opportunities for me!
All photos © Amy and Will.
You can follow Amy here:
Blog: Footprints and memories or Forking the world
Twitter: @amymcp_writer
Read Amy’s interview with me, talking about about life in France and more!
Amy is a panelist for the AWE Connect conference. She invited me to speak this year, so I will be speaking at the virtual conference, to be held 28-31 July 2016. The topic is “New Beginnings” and my talk is called “How to move to Europe with no European ties.” You can also hear from a variety of people about how they made huge changes to their lives for the better. Despite what I said at the beginning of this article I’m going to talk about myself! Yep, life is all about breaking out of your comfort zone. 🙂
Use my discount code AWELIVIA for $10 off! Since it’s a virtual conference you can watch it from anywhere and the talks will be accessible for a year 🙂
Like this interview? Read my other blogger interviews!
