Why I’m No Longer Labelling my Diet

VegFest 2015

I’ve wanted to write this for a long time, but it’s such a contentious subject and I haven’t necessarily felt in a position to talk about it. But Veganism is obviously something that is rising in popularity in the UK and it’s always a topic of discussion that gets people going. People usually have decided what side they’re on, and it always makes for a lively conversation. I’m no scientist, and I won’t pretend to be. What I want to say mainly draws on my own experiences, conversations I have had and media I have consumed, and how these have influenced me to distance myself from Veganism.

Around 6 years ago, I read ‘Eating Animals’ by Jonathan Safron Foer, which was the first time I remember becoming aware of the realities of modern animal agriculture and the forms it takes. Factory farming, overfishing, hormones, animal cruelty, and the ramifications of these processes on the environment, and human and animal health. I came to the conclusion that I would stop consuming meat, and so I did. Very slowly, over the period of probably a year. I stopped red meat, then poultry, and finally fish (and later eggs and dairy). To me, it seemed that Veganism was going the ‘whole way’, and vegetarianism didn’t quite cut it.

It was only a short amount of time, though, that I was a fully-fledged Vegan, probably less than a year. My experience of it was mostly positive, but outside of the 'community', it was fairly difficult to navigate. None of my family are even vegetarian, some of my friends are, but Veganism is a different thing altogether. I can’t speak for anyone else but it impacted my social and personal life in a big way. It becomes you. It’s more than a diet, it’s a form of activism.

Social media had a huge part to play in influencing my decision to cut out meat. I can safely say that this is probably the case for many millennials who have decided to ditch meat. It became trendy, and a huge part of the Wellness community. It was sold by influencers as the answer to curing your health and ensuring a long and disease-free life, and as a solution to saving the planet. As a teenager, I was understandably extremely impressionable, and I didn’t question any of this information, really. There was dietary advice, ‘what I eat in a day’, before and after photos, and an abundance of images of perfectly curated bowls of food, green smoothies and pretty, smiley faces.

Then there were the hugely influential documentaries on Netflix, ‘Cowspiracy’ and ‘What the Health’. I remember thinking at the time: ‘why doesn’t everyone see that the answer is so simple, given the extent of the problems that animal exploitation is causing us and the planet?’. I was consuming videos on YouTube, blogs, and going to Vegan events. All of this content made Veganism desirable, aesthetic, and most importantly, ethically superior.

After a while, I started seeking evidence-based information, seeking the work of Vegan Dieticians, and reading Medical Journals. I wanted to be as informed as I could for my own health, but also because as a vegan, there are constant demands to explain yourself when you undertake this lifestyle. When reading evidence-based studies, though, there was always a consideration that the truth about the effects of consuming animals on human health, were being hidden. A significant part of the argument is that as consumers in the West (probably mostly applicable to America), we are being lied to when it comes to the promotion of a healthy diet. This is due to the understanding that huge meat and dairy corporations control the government, and so have the power to dictate what information the public receive. Because of this, I became sceptical of all mainstream advice. Whilst most doctors would endorse including more fruit and vegetables, and perhaps less processed meat in a diet, I think it’s fair to say that most wouldn’t recommend going vegan. I believed that they, too, were misinformed when it comes to this lifestyle. Especially considering the fact that doctors are barely taught about nutrition throughout their medical degrees.

However, as I began to read more, I noticed some things that made me less and less comfortable with identifying as vegan. I want to reinforce that I am not qualified in anyway to talk about Nutrition or the like. I also want to mention again that this is purely anecdotal. Veganism obviously works well for some, and it can be a step in the right direction.

1. Pseudoscience: The Vegan documentaries are full of it, cherry-picked, biased information from studies. They are reduced to the most black and white of conclusions, demonising meat. ‘What the Health’ is the worst culprit, reducing and distorting evidence, and creating fear-mongering. There have been various arguments against the reductionist and conflated statements that eating meat causes cancer, and various other diseases.

2. Restrictive: In my experience, a lot of young people who are influenced to become Vegan don’t take into consideration the fact that you need to be very conscious of what you put into your body if you are not consuming animal products. The goal isn’t to just take food away, but to replace the nutrients you won’t be getting. Veganism doesn't simply equate to being 'healthy'. Most importantly, B12 and omega-3. You can also easily become deficient in iodine and calcium if you aren’t careful. A B12 deficiency can cause irreversible neurological damage. There’s also something to be said for the idea that banning a food that you desire, causing an unhealthy relationship with food. There’s a chance that this situation can cause bingeing, or simply an understanding that certain foods are ‘good’ or ‘bad’, which is damaging and untrue. I realised this when I discovered Dietician Laura Thomas PHD (Vegan herself), who advocates Intuitive Eating. She is a Qween, and I highly recommend her book ‘Just Eat It’. All due respect to people who don’t feel this way, but I’m sure a lot of people experience this conflict.

3. White Privilege: From what I’ve seen, the movement is (unsurprisingly) dominated by white, middle class people. This is something that really motivated my distancing from Veganism. I’m aware that I am privileged, and it’s important for me to acknowledge that, but I don’t want to be a part of something that can be seen to actively erase the histories and cultures of POC. Food is integral to the history of a culture, and mainstream Veganism can be seen as erasing that culture, similar to the acts occurred throughout colonisation. As well as this, the treatment of animals for consumption has been conflated with the history and suffering of black people. I’ve seen it myself, on a Vegan group on Facebook I once saw someone comparing factory farming to slavery. As Aliyah Hasinah states on Gal-dem's website, ‘there’s a long racist history of dehumanisation and comparison to animals at work to justify the genocide and systematic killing of black people up to this day’.

4. Demonisation: The Vegan community can be gloriously culty. In my view, it is completely pointless and detrimental to the vision of Veganism, to demonise meat-eaters. If you want to encourage someone to do anything, would you call them a murderer to incentivise them? Dietary choices are exactly that, a choice. They incorporate so many factors that do not deserve the judgement of anyone else. Sharing the message doesn’t need to involve militant and hateful accusations. Everyone’s preferences and means are different, and castigating people for that will do nothing. However I do acknowledge that within any movement, some people will adopt extreme views, and obviously not all Vegans take this approach. 

My understanding currently is that leading a conscious lifestyle whilst consuming small amounts of well-sourced animal products is not a contradictory way of living, because the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. None of this takes away from the clear fact that current methods of animal agriculture are a problem, or that animal exploitation at the scale it is currently at, is an issue that needs to be addressed. Today, more than ever, we need to live with intention, not only for our health or the treatment of animals, but for the planet.

I’m still learning how to navigate this, but what I have concluded for the moment, is that I am not labelling myself as Vegan. There are plenty of other, integral ways that you can be proactive in living a sustainable and empathetic life. The fact that I even get to choose what I eat is a privilege worth acknowledging. Personally, I don’t ever envisage myself eating meat again, but I’ve realised that the argument is a lot more complex and multifaceted than I first thought, and more grey than black or white. I want to remain open-minded, so I’ve decided putting a label on my diet/ lifestyle, and pigeon-holing myself, isn’t necessary anymore.

‘The Language of the Nation’: My First Week Teaching English in Vietnam

My first week teaching:

Throughout my travels around Southeast Asia, I’ve been (perhaps naively) stunned by the ease at which I can get away with communicating in English. I’ve written about it here if you want to read more. Last weekend, I left Hanoi to move to Lai Chau, a province in Northwest Vietnam, to teach extra-curricular English to children aged between 3 and 13. I don’t have any teaching qualifications, so I’ve spent this week adjusting to the methods of teaching here, as well as generally getting back into the swing of working life again after a 6 month break. This workplace is different to any other I’ve experienced before, so I think it’s fair to say I’ve been thrown in at the deep-end.

I don’t have to plan any lessons, only deliver them, which is why I felt comfortable giving it a go in the first place. But any teacher will know that teaching entails so much more than standing and delivering a lesson. You have to establish the kind of teacher you want to be, and perform that; balance the teaching side with charisma and a sprinkle of light-hearted humour. This is especially difficult with a language barrier, and no experience.

Because this is a rural part of Vietnam, I am being challenged when it comes to communicating, maybe even for the first time since I’ve started travelling. This means I really have to adapt the way I communicate, speaking slowly and using body language in order to get my message across. It’s challenging me in so many different ways, which is in all honesty, both exciting and stressful. I’m being forced out of my comfort zone everyday, which I’m learning to embrace, because I know that there’s so much to be gained from this, and what a special opportunity it is.

‘The Language of Our Nation’

One afternoon this week, one of the Vietnamese teaching assistants asked me to proof-read a short speech about the importance of learning English, which he was planning to submit in a competition. I was struck by the first line of the speech:

‘There are many important reasons why you should learn English: The language of our Nation.’

Whilst anecdotal, I find this interesting as a contribution to the conversation around the pervasiveness of English around the world. He writes about how learning English can improve job prospects, and help you attain a lifestyle that will allow you to ‘settle down’. He even points out how understanding English can help you avoid dangerous situations, because for example, you will be able to read the labels of dangerous chemical products.

This perception makes sense considering the history of the language, it was spread by conquest, trade and colonialisation. But as Jacob Mikanowski writes in his article for the Guardian, the language became even more prevalent ‘at some point between the Second World War and the start of the new millennium’, when it ‘made a jump in primacy that no amount of “langua Franca” or “global language” truly captures’.

Of course, English is not officially ‘the language of [the] Nation’ here in Vietnam and some don’t see English as a threat to the Vietnamese language. But because of the way the language has been forced upon countries globally, it is interesting that it is viewed with such reverence. Actually, I find it to be quite a saddening prospect. If this is widely perceived to be the case, then what about the importance of Vietnamese? English may not take precedent here, but noteably it is glorified, and associated with knowledge and power, which I find intriguing.

The speech also stated that learning English makes it possible to travel around the world, discovering and learning about new cultures. This is echoed by Dutch sociologist Abram de Swann, who divides language into 4 categories, and who states that English is the one and only ‘hyper central language that holds the language system together’. But isn’t that idea ironic? How much culture and diversity can we experience when we are all speaking the same language? With language comes so much more than communication, so aren’t we missing out on the vastness of human experience if we are only speaking English?

I have felt this paradox whilst I’ve been away, and I know that in many ways I am a massive hypocrite. I am teaching English, and I can’t speak any other languages. But I guess I am exploring something that is much bigger than myself.


Recently, there have been discussions of making English the second official language in Vietnam, with a view to it providing ‘knowledge and power’ and it creating international business opportunities (VnExpress.net). Maybe there is a difference between Vietnam and many other countries that adopt English as a second language, because there is ‘an absence of [a] long-standing association with the language’ (VnExpress.net). I.e. many countries that have English as a second language have been colonised, but there is not necessarily a direct link between Vietnam and the British Coloniser.

The difference here is that the English language may not be associated with violence and erasure in Vietnam, in the same way that these associations are made in countries that were colonised by the British Empire. But arguably, the reason why English is a desired language in Vietnam in the first place, is because of the place that the language holds in history, which is intrinsically linked to colonialisation. So perhaps the two cannot be separated in examining attitudes towards the English language in Vietnam.

The view that English is ‘the language of the Nation’ is the opinion of one person, but considering everything discussed here, it can be seen as representative of an understanding that is held almost globally, that learning English is a necessary endevour.

Travelling Solo with Painful Periods: My Experience & Tips

So, in the light of a period emoji coming into existence (yaass), I thought I would write about something that has effected me for most of my teenage and adult life, and that is, (sometimes extremely) painful periods, or as doctors like to call it: dysmenorrhea. Obviously this hasn’t stopped whilst I’ve been travelling, so I thought it may be helpful to share my experiences of it, and what may help others who suffer too.

I have struggled to find any blogs offering advice specifically addressing bad pain, and when do you suffer, the discussion is different, because you are away from home and I can even imagine for some, that it may be a factor in deciding whether going away alone is a good idea or not. In fact when I was planning my trip, my mum worried about this exact problem. Because when I suffer, I really suffer, and when it happens, it tends to be very helpful to have a friend/family member there to help; to help me get to somewhere more private, to comfort me and to give me the things I need to soothe the pain. Just to give some context, although I’ve probably made it clear enough, it usually involves me vomiting, becoming physically faint, and needing to be curled up in a ball on the floor, pretty much no matter where I am.

Obviously there is contraception available to help the pain or stop the periods, but on the first stint of my trip I wasn’t taking anything because honestly, I was kind of sick of pumping hormones into myself. The pains were bad then. On this stint of my trip though, I’m taking the pill again, a pill I’ve been on before and know my body is ok with (and taking a break every 3 months) to try and aid those pains, but it hasn’t (yet). I know I could try the coil, and that has worked for some of my friends, but I haven’t been in a position to allow my body to familiarise itself with it and definitely didn’t want to be going through that process whilst I was away (plus there is always a risk it just won’t work for you).

Over the last 5 months I’ve actually only had two really bad periods, (usually the bad ones are about 1 in every 3-4). The first time I was sick into a bin outside of the dorm room because someone was in the bathroom, and spent the next few hours in a ball on the floor clutching a pillow. Fortunately, I did have a close enough friend with me at this point. She bought me a cheese toastie and banana bread so that I was able to take my painkillers (I can’t take them on an empty stomach), and then she sat with me and encouraged me to eat it because I wasn’t hungry, the angel that she is. This experience would’ve been made a whole lot worse if I didn’t have someone with me, but I learnt from this and now prepare myself so as to avoid another situation like it (fingers crossed).

The second particularly painful time I wasn’t sick, thankfully, but found myself weaving through a crowd of drunk people to the bar of the hostel to request some hot water to fill my small, pink, Winnie the Pooh hot water bottle. I’ve also come on my period on a (5-hour-long) bus in Sri Lanka, wearing a baby blue dress, yes.

So, there are some things that can just be unhelpful when travelling being on your period, including:



1. When the shower cubicle isn’t near a bin, and you need to dispose of sanitary products

2. You worry more about getting blood on hostel’s towel/ bedsheets/ anywhere.

3. You aren’t able to snuggle up in the comfort of your own home, with that privacy, loading up on snacks and Netflix.

4. Unless you’re super prepared, everything you need when you are in pain and bleeding, is not readily available and at arms-length. Your medication, food, sanitary products, water to drink, may not be accessible when you need them. Which is the same anywhere, but when you’re somewhere unfamiliar it can be more of a problem.

In going forward, here are some tips for you that have helped me (not including contraception):



1. Work out when you’re next due on your period, so that you can be even vaguely aware of when you’ll be coming on (consider that travelling can change your cycle, because of the time changes).

2. Carry a substantial snack with you at all times, something like crackers, so that you can take painkillers if you need to. Super important.

3. Stack up on painkillers (I use a cocktail of Naproxen and paracetamol, and it is literally the only thing that works for me), as well as sanitary products.

4. I highly recommend a mini hot water bottle, a small one means it easily fits into your backpack, and it’s a game changer when you’re in pain. If you’re on the move, get some heat pads, they help too.

5. Do not feel bad if you need to take a night for yourself, resting or going to sleep early, and watching some Netflix. No, you aren’t in the comfort of your own space but you can still rest! Also FaceTiming home helps if you’re in need of some comfort.

6. Do not feel bad if you need to comfort eat, I’m pretty sure on every day of my period so far I’ve had one or more of the following: doughnuts, chocolate, sweets, danishes. Apparently sugar can make the pain worse but sometimes you just need that comfort food amirite?

7. Do not feel bad if you need to take a day or 3 to just chill, travelling can be super fast-paced, and that can be exhausting when you’re on your period, and in pain.

Periods can be really shit. This will only really apply to people that suffer bad cramps, and other side effects. However shit they are, though, it’s important to acknowledge that I am fortunate enough to have access to, and can afford to pay for, what I need when I get my period. This, unfortunately, is a privilege. There will be so many people who experience the same pain, who won’t have access to the resources that will help them.

I hope this clarifies that it is possible to travel alone with painful cycles... Do comment below if you have any other tips/ experiences to share!

One Month Backpacking in Sri Lanka: My Route & Recommendations

I left Sri Lanka yesterday with a heavy heart. Throughout my travels, backpackers are having the same conversations over and over about how friendly and how hospitable locals are. How beautiful everywhere is. How yummy the food is. Of course you’ll get the odd uneasy situation, as with anywhere, but generally my experience of SL was extremely positive. My highlights include completing the most challenging (and rewarding) hike of my life, visiting a safari for the first time, learning to surf, and experiencing my first ever yoga retreat.




My route was probably slightly different to ones you may find on other blogs, and that’s because a friend joined me for the first two weeks of my trip to SL, so we wanted to fit in as much as possible while he was there! Everyone is doing slightly different routes though, according to their time restrictions.




I visited the country 7th January- 6th February, and the weather was hot and sunny most of the time, it only rained when I was in Kandy, but it was never cold. 



Days 1- 2: Negombo




Negombo is a common way to avoid Colombo when you get into the country or just before you leave, it’s a lot more chilled than the capital. It’s around 750lkr (£3.30) for a tuktuk to or from Negombo. Has a nice beach too. We stayed at Negombo Backpackers Hostel, which is clean, comfortable and the owner is super friendly. 




Days 2- 3: Hatton/ Adam’s Peak 


Leaving Negombo, we headed to Hatton on the bus, to get there you have to go via Colombo so it took a while. We stayed in the Railway Lodge Hostel which is an old colonial building, feels quite like you’re stepping back in time. We only went to Hatton to get to Adam’s Peak. Woke that morning at 1am to head there (to be at the top for sunrise). Took a tuktuk there which was around 1 hour, it’s cheaper to get a bus though (not sure of exact prices). Completed Adam’s Peak around 9am, and headed back to Hatton, half broken. It may have been easier to stay in one of the hostels next to the mountain. Adam’s Peak was extremely challenging (for me anyway), I had done 24,000 steps by 8am HA, but it was absolutely beautiful and worth it, I would highly recommend it if you’re up for the challenge, but if not there are many other, more accessible hikes in SL.



Days 2- 5: Hatton to Ella 




From Hatton, we got the train to Ella. It’s part of the famous route from Kandy- Ella but shorter, and it was beautiful. Train was around 4 hours. Stayed in Escapade Nomadic Ella Hostel, which was nice but we found it difficult to get to in the night, so recommend going in the day, just because we had to walk along the railway track to get there (which isn’t the only way, but where the tuktuk dropped us). Friendly vibe, beautiful view. Food is average. It’s a bit out of the way, and you need to get a shuttle to Ella town but that’s quite nice. Stayed there 2 nights, and spent one more night in Ella town, in City Reach Hostel which is nice: friendly staff and clean rooms. In terms of things to do, there’s Ella’s Rock and Little Adam’s Peak which are accessible hikes, people usually do Ella’s Rock at sunrise. There is also the Nine Arches bridge which is cool to see if you’re into architecture or want the insta pic, which most people are there for! There’s also an amazing cooking class at Matey’s Hut, which is also a restaurant that apparently does amazing food (we didn’t go because we were too hungry to queue, so maybe leave some time for that one), to book the cooking class, go a day in advance. Another place to eat is Cafe C Ella, which does an AMAZING curry & rice. 




Days 5- 6: Ella to Udawalawe National Park 




From Ella, we buddied up with someone and got a private taxi to Udawalawe, which cost 7000lkr between us (£10 each). I know this is extra, but the travel situation in SL can be slightly long. It’s extremely cheap to get public transport, but expect it to take hours, and that’s totally fine if you have the time, but obviously we were slightly restricted so did choose to get some taxis to save time. In Udawalawe, we stayed at Eagle Safari Hostel, which was super homely and we had 3 double beds in the same room which was luxury! No bunks! It’s run by a sweet family, who cook wonderful food for you, too. We went on the Safari the next day at 10am, to save queuing (many people go at 5am) but 10am was fine, and we saw loads of animals. The Safari is 5000lkr (£20).




Days 6- 9: Udawalawe to Mirissa




We also got a taxi to Mirissa (oops). Between the three of us, it was 7000lkr again, to get public transport it’s three buses. In Mirissa we stayed at JJ’s Hostel which had super comfy beds but lacked atmosphere. We went Blue Whale watching here which was incredible! Highly recommend going with Raja and the Whales to do this, family-run business that are super eco-conscious and you can see they really care about marine life, they also provide an amazing breakfast on the boat! Other activities in Mirissa include secret beach and turtle bay. In terms of food, Shady Lane is yummy if you’re wanting a Western breakfast or lunch, and Curry Pot is amazing for dinner, all-you-can-eat buffet style Sri Lankan food, for 400lkr (£1.75). 




Days 9- 22: Mirissa to Weligama 




Can you tell I loved Weligama? This place is suuuuuuuper chilled and just fab. Surfing, yoga, good food. It’s only 20 min tuktuk from Mirissa, but much better in my opinion. We spent some of the time at Beatroot Hostel, which was okay, yummy breakfast included in the room rate. But The Spindrift Hostel is where you want to be, it’s probably the best hostel I’ve ever been to. It books up, so would book it maybe a week in advance if you can. It’s run by a lovely British couple, and they just know exactly what they’re doing! It’s set up for backpackers, super chilled and friendly. Would recommend the AC rooms because the non-AC ones get stuffy. Learned to surf in Weligama, with the company Lucky’s, which are great. It’s 2000lkr (£9) for a 1.5 hour lesson. Definitely worth taking a lesson, even if it’s just a refresher. 




Yoga is great at Hangtime, 1000lkr (£4.30) for a lesson or 5 lessons for the price of 4. The afternoon Yin yoga is so relaxing. In terms of food: Hangtime so yummy food as well, High Tide is good for pizza, Jonee’s is yum for local food, as is Meewitha. For fish, I hear that Fisherman’s Point is good. For amazing Western-style food, go to Nomad’s, which is probably the best Western food I had in SL, the Poké bowls are insane. Froggy is good if you’re feeling a fat bowl of pasta, bit of home comfort. Aloha is also food for pasta. For a night out and yummy food, people go to Doctor’s House, which is actually in Mirissa but there isn’t much to do in terms of nightlife in Weligama. 




There are lots of day excursions out of Weligama, mostly beaches to visit. I enjoyed Jungle beach the most, it’s serene, and you can see an incredible view of the sunset there. Also nice to have some shade, a lot of the beaches don’t have cover. Hirikiteya beach is lovely also, good to surf (probably not for beginners though). Midigama beach is cute too. We also got a bus to Galle for a day to visit the fort, which is definitely worth doing. 




Days 22- 27: Weligama- Kalutara (The Plantation Villa yoga retreat)




I caught a train from Matara to Kalutara for my yoga retreat, which was a lil treat to myself! Gorgeous experience, and significantly cheaper than other yoga retreats around SL. It is £371 for a standard room for 4 nights, including 2x yoga classes per day, meditation, all (Ayurvedic) meals, three spa treatments, and daily activities such as cookery demonstrations and yoga talks. The retreat is on a rubber farm, and has all sorts of wildlife, it’s majestic. There are rabbits, goats, monkeys, all kinds of exotic birds, snakes (yep), squirrels, etc, just roaming! There’s also a swimming pool there. Would highly recommend if you want to feel zen! 




Days 27- 29: Kalutara- Kandy 




I got a tuktuk to Kandy from Kalutara, which no sane human would ever do. It was an 8-hour ride. I had the intention of doing a 3-day tuktuk tour to end my trip, but couldn’t actually look at a tuktuk after this trip. Stayed in Hiranya Mountain View Hostel, which I highly recommend, run by a lovely family and brand new, they really make an effort to accommodate you. The next day I went on a day trip with some people in the Hostel, visiting Sri Muthumaria Temple, Aluvihare Rock, and Sigiriya (but walked up Pidurangala because it’s 500lkr compared to the $30 to walk up Lion’s Rock, and you get a good view of Lion’s Rock from there). We also went to Dambulla Golden Temple which is interesting. 




Day 29




Back to Negombo, to fly out of Colombo the next day! Goodbye SL, you will forever hold a place in my heart 💜

Navigating Socialising when Travelling Alone

Backpacking usually encompasses a lot of socialising. Socialising can be amazing, it mostly is, it allows you to feel that you aren’t alone and enables you to meet such a vast array of wonderful people. For the most part, the social aspect of travelling is what makes the experience. I realised along the way, fairly early on, that it’s usually the people you meet rather than where you are (although obviously that helps), that makes an  experience unforgettable.


With this, though, comes the inevitable goodbyes. I’m sure most would agree that this can be frankly, quite shit. You get to know each other so well, you’re spending a lot of time together - 24/7 sometimes in each other’s company and you’re experiencing the wonders of this beautiful planet, together.

Then, it’s goodbye.

It’s fleeting. We create these friendships and romances at home, but over extended periods of time. Like little snippets of some of the best connections you’ve made, here and then gone before you can blink. Obviously by ‘gone’, I don’t mean they disappear, the memories last, but the relationships cease to exist in that same way.

In a certain sense, there is beauty in this. With everyone in transit, everything has this feeling of immediacy, and spontaneity. Everything has an element of ‘now or never’ to it.

But I’ve come to realise that when I separate from people I really get along with, I find it difficult to immediately get into that same position again. I’ve found that it takes a lot of energy to invest myself fully into everyone all the time; I don’t do that at home, and I think the same applies when travelling.

More importantly though, I’m beginning to realise that this is acceptable, and that I don’t have to put pressure on myself every time I meet a new person.

This doesn’t mean I don’t speak to people, join in with social activities and spend time with them etc., but I guess it means that I don’t expend so much energy each time. Besides, I’ve learnt that in most cases, the best friendships come from the least effort.

When I started travelling, I think I sometimes found it hard to navigate what is expected of me when it comes to socialising. When you aren’t solo, that part isn’t so much of a problem.

But I decided to travel alone and so, I will embrace the solitary sometimes. I think it can be a good thing. Even if that means going out for dinner alone and being seated on a six-seat table, as I was recently (not ideal).

Thoughts in Transit: Three Months into Travelling and my Plans for 2019

It’s been three months exactly since I left London to begin my travels (!!). So now seems like an appropriate time to pause and reflect on how I’ve found it all so far. I’m also starting to put some plans together for 2019, which is an exciting yet daunting prospect.

It’s 9th December: everyone at home is getting prepared for Christmas festivities, and some friends I’ve met along the way have gone home to celebrate the holidays in the company of their loved ones. I wouldn’t say I’m homesick yet, but the idea of missing Christmas at home is bittersweet, as it’ll be the first one I’ve ever spent away from my family. But a Christmas and New Year spent in Bali awaits!

I’m already feeling a sense of nostalgia for the beginning of my trip, which I know sounds ridiculous but like a friend said: when travelling, three weeks feels like three months. So, being gone three months essentially feels like three years. Maybe a slight exaggeration, but emotions are heightened x100 out here. I’ve now parted ways with two of the people I have spent the most time with along the way, so right now feels like the end of a small chapter. 

I’ve enjoyed the beautiful places I’ve visited, as well as the hikes, the beautiful sunsets, the ocean, the food, the spontaneity, and the uncontrollable fits of laughter. I’ve adored getting to know all of the gorgeous humans I’ve come across; learning about them and their lives (when I truly connect with someone, I feel like it’s more than a random coincidence that we’ve entered each other’s lives, however cliché that is). I’ve loved challenging myself: learning and experiencing life in a way I never have before.

The end of a chapter of course means the beginning of a new one. I’m looking forward to what will come over the next few months. In the new year, there are pencilled in plans for a friend to visit, and for my Mum to come out and spend my birthday with me, which would be super special. 

I have also recently confirmed that from February, I will be taking a job in Northwest Vietnam, teaching extra-curricular English to young children! Although it wasn’t originally on the itinerary, I think it’s going to be the perfect opportunity to settle somewhere and make it home for a while. I am looking forward to meeting and creating relationships with the children, who I’ve heard are adorable.

(I’m aware of all the ways that teaching English can be problematic across non-native speaking countries, especially in South East Asia. But I feel reassured by the fact that classes are supplementary and lesson plans are according to a curriculum: it’ll be less formal and more fun.)

I intend to carry on seeking, learning, developing, exercising my curiosity for everything and everyone as I continue, I’m HUNGRY. 

Georgetown, Penang: My Experience So Far, and a review the exhibition ‘Why Is Your English So Good?’

In the first seminar of a module I took in my final year of uni, the tutor asked the class to introduce ourselves by stating our names and where we understand ourselves to come from. A place we identify with, and see ourselves as belonging to: having formed who we are. He said it didn’t have to be where we grew up, or where our family are from, but where we see as home. 




When we’d all done so, he explained how his husband was once asked this question, and when he responded with the answer, which is San Francisco, it wasn’t enough. The person repeated the question as if they didn’t believe him: ‘where are you really from?’. He wasn’t believed because he’s black, and an assumption was made at that moment, that he couldn’t just be from San Fransisco. 




This struck me, and I’ve often thought about it since. It made me rethink assumptions that I make about identity, as well as general assumptions that are made within western society just from appearances. As a white British woman, I’ve been afforded the privilege of never feeling different in this sense; I’ve never been second-guessed when it comes to the assessment of my origins, or of where I belong.




Since arriving in Georgetown, the capital of Penang in Malaysia, this is something that has been on my mind a lot. Generally, my experience of being English whilst travelling South East Asia has been straight forward, and in a lot of ways, too straight forward. I can get by easily without even having to attempt to speak another language, with the locals or other tourists. This incites in me a sense of shame, from the fact I don’t know how to speak another language, and also that there’s no pressure on me to even try to.




Obviously this sounds ridiculous in a way, because I made the decision to visit countries that are English-speaking, and I know there are places in the world where I wouldn’t get by so easily, but it still strikes me that I can visit such a vast array of places that don’t require me to adjust in this way. 



Georgetown is bursting with cultural diversity, and as the capital city of Penang this is perhaps expected, but it has a completely different feel to any other place I’ve experienced on this trip. From street art and vibey indoor and outdoor exhibitions, to small boutique shops full of arty handicrafts, Georgetown is a dream for creatives. There’s also the amazing food, which is unbelievably tasty for the price you pay (I paid £3.95 for a massive Indian meal including naan, mains, rice and two drinks last night). 

For a bit of history, Penang became part of a trading route of the Straits of Malacca during the 16th and 17th centuries, which attracted people of all descents to live with Malays, including Chinese, Indians, Europeans, Persians, Arabs, Siamese, Burmese and others. It became a lucrative trading post and continued to draw many more Chinese and Indians during the second half of the 19th century because of thriving rubber and tin industries. 




The melting-pot of culture created in these years has carried through to today. There are merely streets between China Town and Little India: in both places you feel as if you’re walking through the respective countries. It’s a sensory overload, full of bright colours, amazing smells, and traditional music. The dominant religions in Penang are Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. There are beautiful mosques and temples within metres of each other, and all religious groups here are generally tolerant. 



In a place like this, the question of where someone really comes from becomes all the more loaded. Ethnicity, race, and religion, exist here together to make up a melting-pot of varying and exciting multiculturalism, where people aren’t one or the other. 




This concept is expressed perfectly in a photography exhibition I visited in Georgetown by Daniel Adams, titled ‘Why is your English So Good?’ Which explores the ‘widespread problem of racism and ignorance in Britain and Ireland’. Adams was a student at Falmouth university who was subjected to ‘stereotyping’ and ‘aggressive slurs’ as a half-Chinese and half-English person. 


Each photo is captioned with a personal experience of a Malay who has either studied or lived in Britain or Ireland, and has been victimised in this way. An image that illustrates this problem, which has the same title as the exhibition, is of Jason Vincent. He is sat on a bed with English words written across the walls above him, and with a pad in his hand with the word ‘English’ scribbled on it: 

He recalls: 



‘An English guy came up to us for a filter. He ended up sitting and speaking to us. We were having a conversation but he seemed a bit pretentious. We then told him that a few of us were from Malaysia: Shaz, Shaun and I. He then proceeded to say, “how come your English is so good though?”’




The question echoes the Mean Girls scene which occurs when the character Cady states she’s from Africa, and Karen responds with the question: ‘so if you’re from Africa, why are you white?’ Which explores perfectly the ways race and identity are understood from appearance in Western society. 




The person who questioned Vincent assumes that just because he is Malaysian, he should be unable to speak such good English, in the same way that the person asking my tutor’s husband where he is from, didn’t believe he is truly American because he is black. Neither assumption is necessarily made with malice, but it does demonstrate ignorance that is perhaps fuelled from a history of racism, and in some cases will directly demonstrate racism. 




I’ve only been in Penang for three days and already it’s been my favourite place on this trip so far. I’ve met the most friendly, open and interesting people who’ve welcomed me by sharing stories about their lives and who’ve invited me to join them to eat. I’ve been shown the beautiful streets and buildings of Georgetown by a tour guide, and I’ve walked through them myself, following a map to find all of the street art. I could stay here for a lot longer, and I intend to follow the tour guide’s advice, to explore Penang slowly and make sure to not rush through it.