I’ve always been a global wanderer whose life has unfolded like a roulette ball in motion—landing in unexpected places, each one a gamble that paid off in wild stories, lifelong lessons, and thrilling adventures. Work has pulled me across five continents and into encounters I couldn’t have planned: crossing paths with a contract killer in the Maldives, briefly sharing space with Aishwarya Rai in India, and teaching English to heads of LG and Samsung in South Korea. I’ve ridden horses, camels, and elephants; swum with sharks, manta rays, and eels; and sidestepped protests, currency collapses, and back-to-back hurricanes.

I started my career as a journalist and television anchor, reporting for newspapers, magazines, and TV in the Middle East and the U.S. I’ve covered everything from oil and gas to natural disasters, written social and cultural features, and even served as the press secretary for NGOs at a UN conference. I’ve moved often – nine U.S. states, twelve countries – and each move meant starting from scratch: new language, new system, new rhythm. Those experiences led me to start my own relocation company, helping others navigate the bureaucratic, cultural, and emotional hurdles of starting over in a new place. Whether it’s for one week, one month, a year or more, the excitement of entering the unknown heightens awareness. Senses sharpen, instincts kick in and every detail feels vivid because it’s all new.

The thrill lies in testing your mental, emotional and physical strengths, but it’s no different than navigating a foreign city, starting a new job, or learning a new language. Becoming multilingual wasn’t something I set out to do; it just happened. I’m the daughter of bicultural parents and grew up as a third-culture kid. As a child, I didn’t love languages; I mostly saw them as a hurdle to keep my grades from crashing. Although I was raised bilingual, English only entered the picture at age eleven, when I landed in an international school where fluency was mandatory. I picked up my fourth language at fifteen during a summer in France.

I couldn’t communicate with my host family, which led to some pretty awkward moments – like asking to take a walk downtown and ending up on a five-hour mountain hike. That trip left me too embarrassed to speak French for a while, but after I aced the classes at school, the damage seemed more manageable. Other languages followed; some by choice, others by necessity. I learnt Spanish while giving birth in a foreign country (nothing motivates fluency like labour), Portuguese because I fell in love with the country, and Korean when I realised I couldn’t write the book I wanted without understanding the language from the inside.

My passport to adventure has been teaching foreign languages to university students, business professionals and CEOs. It’s honed my creativity and cultural sensitivity. By teaching, I’ve gained an insider’s view into the daily life of locals, formed bonds with people who have vastly different worldviews, and shared hilarious moments through accidental miscommunications. Of all my experiences, however, raising my three sons has been the most intense. They’ve tested me in every way, stretched my limits, and filled my life with the loudest laughs, deepest tears, and the most unforgettable lessons.

They’ve been troopers as I moved them from state to state and country to country, learning that it’s just geography and everything else is basically the same. Now as a writer and researcher, I’m driven by learning and grounded in careful observation. I believe in connecting facts with human stories – translating complex topics into meaningful, accessible narratives. Through my work, I want to show people just how thrilling (and occasionally weird) the unfamiliar can be. Whether you're halfway across the world or just stuck in traffic wondering what you're doing with your life, there's always something surprising to discover. Even when things feel overwhelming—whether you're at home, abroad, or somewhere in between with spotty Wi-Fi—there's usually a silver lining… or at least a good story.

Now based in Lisbon (with Madrid on the horizon), I keep moving through the world with curiosity, humour, and a growing collection of stories—proof that some lives don’t settle; they just keep unfolding.