Stories about Asia Pacific
Sometimes it’s hard to figure out if you’re getting it right or not. This thought was going through Jack’s mind as he looked around the cabin in one of those moments of boredom one experiences on a 17 hour flight. He glanced at his daughter who’d been staring out the window for some time at clouds far below. It looked like boredom was mutually felt, … Continue reading Getting it Right
It was in the year 1986 I made my first trip to Japan. In preparation for the trip I’d read several books. I needed a cultural crash course hoping to avoid the kind of stupid mistakes expatriates customarily make when they discover a new country to visit and carry their own cultural mores with them as they travel. I’ve learned over the years no matter … Continue reading The Oriental Test
“You really need to visit the Indo-China region.” Rob made this casual remark getting up from his chair to leave my office. Indo-China was part of his administrative responsibilities, and it was my job to care for the financial needs of the whole Asia-Pacific area so we often had occasion to sit and talk business. It was … Continue reading Laos
In 1986 I made my first trip to the Indonesian territory Irian Jaya. This was a long and tortuous journey by air involving stopovers in Jakarta and Manado, or the alternate route through Manila, Davao and Manado. I decided to make my first entry through Jakarta as that was the closest entry point to Indonesia from Singapore. So I presented myself at the Indonesian Embassy … Continue reading Jayapura
I’d been looking forward to my trip to Seoul with a mixture of pleasure and apprehension. My pleasure was in anticipation of a pleasant meeting with the hospitable Korean people; my apprehension due to difficulties I anticipated working through a translator for two weeks of lectures for a distance learning graduate program. I was naturally concerned materials I’d taken so long to prepare would reach … Continue reading Seaweed for Breakfast
Benita was touring a Northern Asia country with her parents. News that morning hadn’t been positive, and should’ve given pause for thought as the family planned their day’s activities. Students at the university were expected to go on the rampage that day because they disagreed with some laws their government had implemented. The report was not a news item on TV, but word spreads and … Continue reading GOING WITH THE CROWD
In 1995 after completing ten happy years contract in Singapore we were on our way to the next assignment, a university appointment in the Philippines. I was delighted with the appointment as the new campus had been developed during my time as the Singapore based administrator sourcing funds for the project, and I’d additional good fortune to be on the search … Continue reading Only a Fool
Chapter 9 – Discovery Su-An Sim Perera glanced at the yellowing sheets with crumbling edges and now safely stored in plastic envelopes on her desk. They’d been filed in several folders carefully catalogued as to the year of writing and each journal page had been neatly signed off at the bottom with a signature that was becoming even more familiar with each passing day; Priya … Continue reading Priya
Chapter 1 Mike sat in his room deep in thought. He’d been working hard all day with a well drilling crew in a remote village ten kilometres from where he was billeted. This was his fifth month away from home. He’d taken a year off from his MA studies in response to a TV ad seeking volunteers to drill wells and provide clean water to … Continue reading Surapee – Mini Novel set in Thailand
After twenty-six years sometimes traveling remote and often dangerous places around the world it was difficult to believe I could be silently robbed in one of the safest cities. I’d delighted to tell of train trips in remote areas of Asia where one was advised to sleep on top of one’s shoes or luggage during an overnight train journey, wrap money and valuables in a … Continue reading Robbed in Paradise
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