My life as a traveller around the world

People sometimes ask me where I am from, and I always smile, because the honest answer takes a while. I was born in Sweden. I am a Canadian citizen, and Canada is where I studied, where I began my professional life in 1981 and where I spent many years in corporate finance. Later, after earning my TEFL certification, I followed a long-held dream: to teach English and live in other cultures. That dream took me to Egypt, to Malaysia, to Uruguay and, most recently, to Colombia, where I spent the past year in Manizales, in the heart of the Coffee Region. Since 2017, I have worked fully online, teaching students in many countries from wherever I live.

This article is not a list of destinations. It is a reflection on what living as a traveller has given me, what it has asked of me, and why I believe travel and language learning are two expressions of the same curiosity. If you want practical guides to each country, you will find them linked throughout.

Sweden: where it all began

I was born in Sweden, a country of long summer evenings, dark winters, forests, lakes and a deep respect for nature and for other people. Even though my life soon moved to Canada, Sweden left something in me: a love of simplicity, of quiet, of order and of being outdoors in every season. When I return, I feel a strange mixture of familiarity and discovery, the same feeling many of my students describe when they visit the country of their grandparents. Read my Sweden travel guide.

Canada: home, studies and my first career

Canada gave me my education, my citizenship and my first profession. After university, I began working in 1981 in corporate finance and credit management. Later I earned a Diploma in Finance and Credit Administration from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. Those years taught me discipline, precision, teamwork and the language of business, all of which I use today when I teach Business English to professionals.

Canada also taught me about diversity. In Canadian cities you hear dozens of languages on the same street. People arrive from every continent and build a life together. I believe that experience planted the seed of my later decision: if so many people had crossed the world to start again in Canada, why couldn't I cross the world in the other direction to learn from them? Read my Canada travel guide and Quebec travel guide.

The decision to change

Changing careers is never easy, and changing countries even less. After many years in finance, I felt a strong desire to work more directly with people and to use my love of language and culture. I completed my TEFL certification and began teaching English. The first months were humbling. Standing in front of a class is very different from sitting in front of a spreadsheet. But I discovered that I loved it: the moment when a student finally understands, the laughter when a role-play goes wrong, the pride when someone uses a new phrase correctly. I knew I had found my vocation.

Egypt: patience, hospitality and the Red Sea

Egypt was my first great immersion. Everything was new: the language, the rhythm of daily life, the call to prayer, the markets, the desert light. I learned quickly that things often take longer than planned and that patience is not a weakness but a form of respect. I also discovered extraordinary hospitality. Students and neighbours invited me to their homes, shared meals and taught me words in Arabic with great patience and humour.

Dahab, on the Red Sea, became one of my favourite places in the world: a small town where the mountains meet the sea, where travellers and locals mix easily, and where life slows down. Read my Egypt travel guide and Dahab and the Red Sea guide.

Malaysia: diversity and harmony

Malaysia showed me how different cultures can live together. Malay, Chinese, Indian and Indigenous communities share cities, festivals and, above all, food. In a single street you can eat dishes from several culinary traditions. As a teacher, I met students who moved between three or four languages every day, and they taught me a lot about how flexible the human brain is with languages.

I also explored the rainforests of Borneo, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. Walking under those enormous trees and hearing the sounds of the forest reminded me how small we are and how precious nature is. Read my Malaysia and Borneo guide.

Uruguay: calm, friendship and mate

Uruguay was my introduction to living in Latin America and in Spanish. Montevideo is a calm city, with a long waterfront promenade called the Rambla, where people walk, run, fish and drink mate at sunset. Uruguayans taught me the value of unhurried conversation and friendship. Learning Spanish there, with the River Plate accent, was a wonderful challenge, and it made me a better teacher, because I became a language learner again. Read my Montevideo and Uruguay guide.

Colombia: the country that stole my heart

And then came Colombia. I had heard many stories, but nothing prepared me for the warmth of the people, the beauty of the landscapes and the joy of daily life. I spent the past year in Manizales, a city of steep streets, mountain views and coffee farms, surrounded by the volcanoes of Los Nevados. I teach my online classes from there, walk its hills, drink its excellent coffee and enjoy its cultural life.

A Colombian friend told me a phrase that I repeat often: the only risk in Colombia is wanting to stay. For me, it is true. Read why Colombia is such a beautiful country, my Coffee Region guide and the best advantages of living in Colombia.

What travelling taught me

1. Humility

When you live in a new country, you become a beginner again. You do not know how to pay for the bus, how to greet people, or what the words on the menu mean. That experience is humbling and healthy. It also helps me as a teacher, because I remember how my students feel when they start speaking English.

2. Patience

Bureaucracy, transport, internet connections and language barriers all require patience. Travel trained me to breathe, smile and try again.

3. Curiosity

Every place has its own stories, recipes, music and ways of seeing the world. Curiosity turns every inconvenience into a discovery.

4. Language is the key to the heart

Speaking even a few words of the local language changes everything. People smile, open up and treat you differently. This is why I believe so strongly in language learning: it opens doors not only to jobs, but to people. Read travel as a language classroom.

5. We are more similar than different

In every country, people want the same things: health, love, a good life for their children, respect and a reason to laugh. The differences are fascinating, but the similarities are what unite us.

Slow travel: my way of travelling

I do not collect countries. I prefer to stay in one place for months, to rent an apartment, shop at the local market, learn the names of my neighbours and become part of a community. Slow travel is cheaper, more sustainable and much deeper. It also makes remote work easier, because you have stability and routine. Read my slow travel guide and how to plan long-term travel.

Travelling alone as a woman

Much of my travelling has been solo. Travelling alone has given me freedom and confidence, and it has led to many friendships, because when you are alone, people approach you more easily. It also requires common sense: researching neighbourhoods, informing someone of your plans, trusting your instincts and respecting local customs. Read my solo travel guide and cultural etiquette around the world.

Moments I will never forget

When I think about my years of travel, I do not first remember monuments or famous sights. I remember moments with people. A grandmother in Egypt who insisted on teaching me how to prepare tea "the right way" and laughed every time I got it wrong. A group of students in Malaysia who organised a surprise farewell with dishes from three different cuisines. An elderly man on the Rambla in Montevideo who offered me mate and spent an hour correcting my Spanish with infinite kindness. A family near Manizales who invited me to their coffee farm and showed me every step from the plant to the cup, with the pride of people who love their land.

These moments taught me that the real treasure of travel is not what you see, but who you meet. And almost all of them happened because I tried to speak the local language, even badly. Every awkward sentence opened a door.

The difficult days

It would not be honest to describe only the beautiful side. There were days of loneliness, especially during holidays far from family. There were days of frustration with paperwork, illness in a foreign country, power cuts in the middle of a class, and moments when I wondered if I had made the right choice. What helped me was routine, friendship and gratitude: keeping my work schedule, building a small circle of friends in each place, staying in touch with my family, and writing down every evening three things I was thankful for. Difficult days pass; the lessons stay.

How travel shapes my teaching

Every country I lived in made me a better teacher. In Egypt I learned to be patient and flexible. In Malaysia I learned how multilingual minds work. In Uruguay I became a language student again. In Colombia I learned that joy and warmth are powerful teaching tools. Today, when I teach a student in Bogotá, Paris or Toronto, I bring all these experiences with me. I understand culture shock, the fear of speaking, the excitement of a first conversation in a new language. Read lessons from teaching on four continents.

Practical lessons for future travellers

• Learn basic phrases in the local language before you arrive.
• Stay longer in fewer places.
• Choose accommodation in neighbourhoods where local people live.
• Eat where locals eat; read restaurants and food abroad.
• Keep your documents organised and check visa rules on official websites.
• Carry a little patience in your luggage; it is the most useful item you will pack. Read what to pack for life abroad.

What comes next

People ask me if I will ever stop travelling. The truth is that I have already changed how I travel: fewer moves, longer stays, deeper roots. Colombia feels like home now, and I want to keep building my life and my teaching here, while continuing to explore its regions and, from time to time, visiting family and friends abroad. My curiosity has not diminished at all. There are always new words to learn, new recipes to try and new students with stories to share.

Frequently asked questions

Which countries have you lived in?

I was born in Sweden, I am a Canadian citizen, and I have lived and taught in Egypt, Malaysia and Uruguay. I spent the past year in Manizales, Colombia.

Which country is your favourite?

Each one gave me something special, but Colombia has a very special place in my heart because of its people, its nature and its joy.

How do you work while travelling?

I have taught English fully online since 2017. I keep a stable routine, a reliable connection and schedules adapted to my students' time zones.

Is it hard to adapt to a new culture?

The first weeks can be challenging, but curiosity, patience and learning the language make adaptation much easier.

How has travel influenced your teaching?

It helps me understand my students' challenges, use real cultural examples and teach English as a tool for human connection.