About
Disease-prevention detective by day, travel writer by night, I aim to share my passion for exploring cultures, cultural differences, and cultural similarities with you through my travel chronicles.
I am…a writer, editor, poet, artist, musician, dancer, choreographer, sportswoman, scientist, health advocate, humanitarian, traveller, entrepreneur…and your virtual guide to a more educational and enriching travel experience.
My nomadic interests include travelling to all four corners of the globe, hiking and road trips, nature and the great outdoors, international cuisine, live music, herbal tea, dark chocolate, coffee, good books, sunny weather, snowflakes too, and the sea.
People fascinate me. My first degree was in sociology, but I like to think that even if I hadn’t majored in it, sociology would always have been part of my personality. I am very curious about what makes people tick and why people make certain choices over others. So when I travel, I do so as a cultural anthropologist and sociologist: seeking out locals to engage with on their perspectives and worldviews; exploring local culture and cuisine; visiting historic sites and landmarks to understand what the local population has been through, and where they are headed; and in general, seeking to broaden my mental horizons. I cannot quite afford to travel and explore the world full-time (those hefty U.S. student loans will not pay themselves), but I do hit the road whenever I get a break from my full-time work of helping people stay healthy. My second degree was in public health, specializing in epidemiology.
I grew up on 4 continents and have lived in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America. I am Ghanaian by blood, Italian by marriage, and French Canadian by nationality. I also studied and lived in India, the Philippines, Ghana, France, and the United States. And I am originally from (whatever that is supposed to mean) Arabia (born and raised). Multiculturality is my norm, and I never thought twice about it until I lived in a small town (population 9,000) in the middle of the American Midwest, where I discovered that my background was, in fact, considered exotic. But I have since learned to move past being the exotic one (which by far beats being stereotyped and labelled, usually in subtly condescending ways, but that’s another comic-stip-worthy story!), and I look forward to exploring all the continents I have lived on in much greater depth, as well as to discovering East Asia, Australia, South America, and Antarctica!
I hope that in browsing this website, you will be inspired to travel to all the places I have been to, and rather than sticking to five-star-resort bubbles or standard tourist attractions, to really go off the beaten path and immerse yourself in the local culture and environment. Get to know the history, the economy, the language, and the traditions of the people in all the places you visit. Don’t just visit––live it. Life is a journey. Make it count.
Want to know more? Click here to read my travel-writing-award post and here for my interview, to gain more insights into the voice behind The Travelling Sociologist.