Thank You — Stories

I Am Australian

I loved that 'the girls part' of the song meant we got to climb over the lyrics and sing a higher harmony while the boys peeled the words apart down low…

The Hale Boys

Your purpose in life isn’t just found in big cities, away from supposed intellectual backwaters. It’s found wherever you feel the most alive and the most genuine and such a place isn't often tacked to a specific postcode.

Sawwah By The Sea

Your eyes watched me faithfully, fingers carefully following the dips and turns of my imperfect singing, matching the patchwork of words to the rhythm of music.

The Guts of Being Cross-Cultural

With the whole of my heart (and my guts), I believe that your accent is fine just the way it is. There isn't really a right way to say 'tomato'. While you can't expect others to agree with your cultural identity, you can expect people to respect it...

Micronesian Chinese Money in Alaska

My family lived abroad. The arts embraced in Micronesia were very different from those in British Hong Kong. There was little chance to delve into interpretive or classical art. When you weren’t taking the aspects you liked, discarding what you didn't and establishing your own local spin on painting, dance and music, you had to go microcosmic...

Bank Australia

Dinesh rubbed Mark’s arm with his thumb to help his partner feel comfortable as the crew gathered around behind the camera for the last round of shots for the day. “Is this too close?” Mark asked. Out of habit, I wondered if I would be reproached for the intimacy of the pose...

The Thermostats Of Strangers

Perhaps my sorry state tugged on this woman's strings of motherhood and allowed her to look upon me as just another uncomfortable human. There was a call to nurture and I allowed her to play mum for just the briefest of instances - so fast, if you weren't looking, you'd miss it.

Speed Date A Muslim

Growing up in Pakistan and Malaysia, navigating the fine line between culture and religion caused me a fair amount of grief and I found it difficult to watch respected members of society engage in archaic and detrimental cultural practices in the name of Islam.