I got my start in international travel in 1997 at the age of 21 when I studied abroad in Costa Rica. I was from a fairly modest middle class background, and this trip was the first time I flew on a plane. Ten years later, when my original passport expired, it was obese with extra pages and stamps from 14 countries on three continents. I guess I made up for lost time! I continue to be in contact with my host family from Costa Rica and thank them profusely for getting me started on the rest of my life.

In 2000-2001, I lived in Kyrgyzstan and taught English at a village high school that had no electricity, heat or running water (and to my dismay, no restroom facilities). Homesick, I returned to the US to complete a masters degree in counseling, and was immediately homesick for Kyrgyzstan. With graduation approaching, I applied for counseling jobs in Europe and wound up with a job in Shanghai (long story), where I spent 2004-2006. This has since morphed into a counseling job in Jakarta, Indonesia, where I currently reside.

The more I live in these fascinating places, the more I'm convinced that I myself am a crashing bore. Writing has really helped me to tease some significance in my travels and daily experiences, and I find that I will type until my hands throb once I get a story idea in my head.