Twenty-five things about me
1. My first overseas trip was to Ireland when I was three. My most vivid memory from the holiday is feeding a cat.
2. I was a very shy kid, and writing has always been a great refuge.
3. My favourite number is six.
4. I majored in English at university, and I love books. One of the best feelings for me is finding a book that stirs up so much emotion, you have to put it down and catch your breath. I've felt that way about Mrs. Dalloway, A Portrait of a Lady, Lolita, Frankenstein, and many others.
5. I ate bugs in Thailand and went back for seconds. They're tasty pan-fried with green onion and lemongrass. True.
6. I love crosswords, Sudoku, and pub quizzes.
7. I carry about 5 pens on me at all times.
8. My first solo trip was to England and Ireland, as a university student. It was a blur of dingy hostel dorms, Cadbury, and geeking out on literary history.
9. I love animals, and seeing any kind of animal exploitation (aka roadside zoos) makes me really upset.
10. I'm left-handed, and went through a phase of researching famous left-handed people. Hear that, Oprah? Prince William? Paul Simon?
11. I can speak English and French, and bits of Thai and Turkish. I'm currently studying Korean.
12. I can happily spend hours and hours in a new coffeeshop, drinking tea, people watching, and reading.
13. In the ESL classroom, my stick men drawings get a lot of praise.
14. I can bake a mean pie.
15. In a new country with a new language, I always learn how to say "I love you." It makes me smile when I overhear people saying it on the phone or to a partner.
16. I tend to ramble, in my writing and in person.
17. I grew up on British comedy and love Fawlty Towers, Absolutely Fabulous, The Office (UK) and Peep Show.
18. I have zero musical talent. None at all.
19. One of my favourite trips was backpacking alone in China. The Great Wall took my breath away.
20. I think gum is beyond gross. The smacking sound of someone talking while chewing gum drives me bananas.
21. My favourite movies are the Indiana Jones series.
22. I collect scarves from all my travels.
23. I'm fastidious about grammar and spelling. Say "for all-intensive purposes" to me, my jaw will clench.
24. I'm really good at packing light.
25. Travel has led me to believe that people are ultimately kind, compassionate and good.
