AUS_KellyAnneSmith

Kelly-Anne Smith is an explorer of ideas and places. Based in Orange, NSW, Australia, she seeks out and soaks up experiences.

I was born in…..Armidale, New South Wales, Australia, I grew up in…..Orange, New South Wales, and I have spent most of my working life in…..Sydney, London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I’ve now returned to Australia (hopefully permanently!) and have gone back to my roots, to the vineyards and rolling hills of Orange NSW. My favourite film from my country is….Romulus, My Father. A biographical memoir by Australian philosopher Raimond Gaita, detailing the life and struggles and heartbreak of his Romanian immigrant father in the outback of Australia in the 1950s. The film stars Eric Bana, it’s just gorgeous and it makes me cry every single time I watch it. Both the novel and film explore the concepts of place and belonging. My favourite novel by a writer from my country is……Dead Europe by Christos Tsiolkas. He’s knocked Tim Winton off the top spot of ‘favourite Australian author’ for me. Tsiolkas writes about the real Australia, now. He has an incredible insight into the national psyche, and about what people are really thinking and feeling in the suburbs even if it still bubbles just under the surface. His phenomenal perspective is informed by his immigrant background, which gives him a unique 360 degree view. As someone who has lived mainly overseas for the last two decades, I’m always astounded at how culturally insular Australians can be, and this guy gives me enormous hope that it’s possible to stir up the collective consciousness and move forwards into the 21st century. When I need a reminder of home, I listen to…..Under the Milkyway, by The Church. Still my quintessential Australian song, and kind of a life theme. “Wish I knew what you were looking for, might have known what you would find.” My favourite time of the year is……Spring or Autumn. I love it when the seasons start turning. My all time local hero is…..At the moment, I’m cheering for Kon Karapanagiotidis, Founder & CEO of The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) in Melbourne. Tireless and inspiring and a human being doing the right thing in a world full of shadows (@Kon_K @ASRC1). I’m also a big fan of Father Bob Maguire (@FatherBob). He takes the religion out of religion and puts back in the soul. My favourite local phrase is…..’Far out’. Only 12 year olds usually say this, but I started using it again when working in the UAE as a substitute swearword. And now it’s stuck. My favourite words of wisdom/words to live by are….Nothing is impossible. What I love most about my home (country) is….It’s big-sky land. The possibilities of the large, open space to bring in new paradigms of thinking and being in the 21st century. That’s my hope and dream.