Sally Langford, Author at The Localist

Myanmar – Haymon Soe

12 February 2014

Haymon Soe is originally from a small town in Myanmar, and now studies business information systems and marketing at the University of Sydney, Australia.

I was born in……a small town in Myanmar called Pyay, I grew up in….Yangon, the commercial capital of Myanmar, and now I live in…Sydney. I came to Sydney in 2009 and have been living here since. My favourite film(s) from my country are…..I’m a quality TV show and film fanatic, and quite honestly, I think films from my country are so bad that I can only stand watching them for about 30 minutes. A lot of dramatic overacting and obvious effects make them unbearable for me to watch. When I need a reminder of home, I……go and stalk my friends from home on Facebook. Clicking through their pictures gives me an update of the places and things happening when I’m not there. My favourite time of the year is…..winter, which is around November and December. Since the weather is Yangon is hot and humid almost all year round, winter is the precious time when we get to take out our snuggly sweaters and enjoy the school break. It helps that there are a lot of festivals around that time too, meaning more holidays! My all time local heroes are…..my parents. They rock! My favourite local phrase is…..“ya tal”, which means that it’s alright, normally as in it’s alright to do something. People usually say it to assure the person asking permission that they can do it. The word itself does not hold that much meaning but people generally say it with a sweet tone so that whoever is asking feels at ease. My favourite words to live by are…. “how you see the world says more about you than the world”. It’s all about your perspective and reminds me to look inward and reflect upon myself whenever I’m feeling a bit negative towards things. What I love most about my home country is….the food and the people. I guess I should have spent more time in the kitchen helping mom. Honestly, I miss Burmese food as much as I miss my family. Even though Australia is friendly and people are generally nice. I have to say it is nothing compared to how friendly and genuine Burmese are. And now I’m singing, ‘♫♪♪Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. And they’re always glad you came♫♫’. . .

Chile – Sara Joiko

7 February 2014

Sara Joiko is a sociologist dedicated to education issues in Chile and the world.

I was born in…..Santiago, the capital city of Chile, I have spent most of my life in….Santiago, and now I live in…..Singapore. My favourite local films are…..Machuca (2004) and El Chacotero Sentimental (The Sentimental Teaser, 1999). The first film is the story of two boys from different social backgrounds during the last period of Salvador Allende’s socialist government and before General Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship on the early 70s. The second is a comedy about a real Chilean radio DJ who has a programme where anonymous listeners reveal their love stories, complete with mix-ups, disputes and passion. When I need a reminder of home, I listen to…..Radio Zero, where I can listen to the new groups and discussions about trending topics in Chile, covering different areas such as art festivals, politics, entertainment, gossip, etc. My favourite time of the year is…..Spring, from September until December. Perfect weather. It also matches with the celebration of our national day, one of the biggest festivities of Chile. We call it September 18. If you are in Chile at this time, wherever you are, north, central, south, you will have a good time. Food, dance, music, and meeting up with family and friends – it’s the perfect formula for this festivity. My all time local hero is…..Gabriela Mistral, the Chilean poet, educator, diplomat, and feminist who was the first Latin American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1945. My favourite local phrase is…..“Oh! lo pase la raja” meaning “What a great time”. My favourite words to live by are…..seize every minute to the fullest. What I love most about my home country is….EVERYTHING.

Australia – Afiyat Mustaq

20 January 2014

Afiyat Mustaq was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. Her parents are from Bangladesh, and she therefore also has strong cultural ties with Bangladesh and makes frequent visits.

My favourite time of the year is…..Spring going on Summer. Australia is known for its great weather and relaxing beaches, so there’s no better time to see Australia at its finest than Spring and Summer. My favourite local phrase is……’G’Day Maaaaate’.. Although I don’t personally use this phrase, it’s one that always reminds me of the laid back Aussie culture. My favourite words to live by are……“whatever you do, hold onto hope. The tiniest thread will twist into an unbreakable cord. Let hope anchor you in the possibility that this is NOT the end of your story; that change will bring you to peaceful shores.” What I love most about my home (country) is…..the people. I have had the opportunity to travel around quite a bit and this has made me realise that the Australian people, the locals in my home country, truly have the kindest hearts. We have a diverse multicultural culture that allows individuals to live side by side in harmony, which is priceless.

Indonesia – Meissy Sabardiah

15 January 2014

Meissy Sabardiah is currently working with a development project in Jakarta on anti-corruption. Her mother came from West Sumatera, the last matriarchal culture in the country, which is fascinating because Indonesia is such a patriarchal society. She grew up in the company of strong women where the word “feminist” is unrecognised, but women excel in every aspect of life and lead the way. Her interests include books, movies, music, politic, law and travelling.

I was born in…..the rainy city of Bogor, West Java…..I have spent most of my life in…..Bogor and now I live in….Jakarta. My favourite local films (films from my country) are….Tjoet Nya’ Dhien, Pintu Terlarang, Sakola Rimba, Tenggelamnya Kapal Van Der Wijk. My favourite book / novel by a writer from my country is ……Aku by Sumandjaja. When I need a reminder of home, I listen to …..my guilty pleasure, PeterPan. My favourite time of the year is..…March-May (medium cool temperature but warm enough you still feel you’re in a tropical country). My all time local hero is…..Mohammad Hatta (one of Indonesia’s founding fathers). He’s a brilliant man who helped established the foundations of this country. My favourite local phrase is …..Dimana bumi dipijak, disitu langit dijunjung (wherever the ground is stood on, the sky is held high). My favourite words to live by are….carpe diem (seize the day). What I love most about my home (country) is….the breathtaking scenery, warm weather, multiculturalism and friendly people. I haven’t yet explored every corner of Indonesia, but I will spend the rest of my life doing so.

Mexico – Katie Bielamowicz

8 January 2014

Katie Bielamowicz is a Texan at heart, but a Mexican at soul. As soon as she graduated, she packed her bags, headed to Mexico and hasn’t looked back since. She doesn’t become enamored easily, but when she does, she falls hard. Such is the case with this country.

I was born in…..Dallas, Texas and I have spent most of my life in Texas, back and forth between Austin and Dallas and exploring everything in between. Now, the adventure has hopped across the border, to Mexico City. My favourite local film is……Hecho en México—a beautiful documentary celebrating this rich culture. They don’t just state it, they intertwine music and film in a way I have never seen before, narrating the documentary almost more through musical performances and visuals than actual interviews, providing not only an accurate portrayal, but also on-par criticisms. My favourite novel/book from Mexico is….El laberinto de la soledad (The Labyrinth of Solitude) by Octavio Paz. When I need a reminder of home, I listen to….Neil Young. My favourite time of the year is….December in Mexico City. It’s a lovely temperature, with lots of sunshine, and it reminds me of my first visit. My all time local hero is….Jorge, the street vendor at Metro Chapultepec. Maybe Jorge isn’t a hero by normal standards, but I am constantly in awe of this man. I see him everyday, outside of the pesero (bus) I take to work, selling candies, crackers, and cigarettes, with the biggest smile you could imagine, missing teeth brightly gaping, so content with life. I couldn’t imagine that lifestyle for myself, torn clothes, working on the streets, but I want his happiness. It’s a reminder to me that happiness isn’t the job you have, your possessions, or even where you are; it’s what you are. My favourite local phrase is….no pasa nada, literally meaning nothing happens—it’s a panacea for whatever life might throw your way, encouraging you to just let it go and not worry. My favourite words of wisdom are…..así es la vida—such is life. Once again, just let it go. Life works in a funny way and always has a way of figuring itself out. What I love most about my home (country) is…..it values the things you can’t buy: love, family, and good times. Forget the rest.

Sri Lanka – Ishara Naotunna

6 January 2014

Ishara Naotunna (or Ishi) is eccentric, talkative and a slow thinker. Her best comebacks arrive 5 minutes after the conversation has ended.

I was born in…Colombo, Sri Lanka….I have spent most of your life in….Colombo, and now I live in.…Colombo. My favourite film from my country is….this Sinhalese movie called “machan”, quite controversial but hilarious. My favourite books / novels about my country are….Chinamen by Shehan Karunatilake and Colombo by Carl Muller. When I need a reminder of home, I listen to….I don’t technically need a reminder, as I live here. I eat a lot of kottu (Sri Lankan dish made from a Sri Lankan roti called Godhamba roti and vegetables, egg, and/or meat, and spices), does that count? My favourite time of the year is....December – more slacking off time compared to the rest of the year ( this country has a LOT of public holidays). My all time local hero is….no one person in particular, but I admire strong women who rise up in quite a patriarchal society. My favourite local phrase is…..”maara fellow”. My favourite words of wisdom/words to live by are….every second counts. It really does. I often think yikes I’m 24, 25, 26, what do I have to show for it? So seize the moment and all that jazz. What I love most about my home (country) is….Kottu. And also the friendly/helpful people. So friendly and helpful that you wonder whether they just might be a little too inquisitive.

Mexico – Manuel Tenedor

20 December 2013

(English + Español)

Manuel Tenedor is an industrial designer and illustrator. He enjoys reading science fiction and is interested in politics and behaviour in society.

I was born in…….Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and I have spent most of my life in…..Guadalajara. Today I live in….Mexico City. My favourite local films are…..Gentlemen Broncos, Blade Runner and Jurassic Park. My favourite novel from my country is …The Labyrinth of Solitude (El laberinto de la soledad) by Octavio Paz. When I need a reminder of home, I listen to…El Huapango de Moncayo. My favourite time of year is….Autumn. My all time local hero is.…the artist and muralist Jose Clemente Orozco. My favourite local saying is…”contra la base por bolas, no hay defensa”, or “against a base for ball there is no defence” ( a baseball phrase in Spanish). My favourite words of wisdom/words to live by are….”History is ours and it is made by the people”. Salvador Allende. What I like the most about my country is….the folklore.

Manuel Tenedor es un diseñador industrial, hago ilustracion y comics, le gusta leer libros de ciencia ficcion, le interesa la politica y el actuar de la sociedad.

Nací en….Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, he pasado la mayor parte de mi vida en Guadalajara y ahora vivo en Ciudad de Mexico. Mis películas locales favoritas son….Gentlemen Broncos, Blade Runner y Jurrasic Park. Mi líbro favorita de mi pais es… El Laberinto de la Soledad de Octavio Paz. Cuando quiero recordar a casa, escucho …. El Huapango de Moncayo. Mi epoca favorita del año es……Otoño. Mi héroe local favorito es…..Jose Clemente Orozco. Mi frase local favorita es…..”contra la base por bolas, no hay defensa”. (Frase Beisbolera). Mis palabras sabias favoritas o mi lema favorito es….”La historia es nuestra y la hacen los Pueblos”. Salvador Allende. Lo que mas me gusta de mi país es.….El folklore.

USA / Sri Lanka – Stephanie Rubesh

3 December 2013

Stephanie Rubesh is a German-American who grew up on the island of Sri Lanka and consequently loves a good cup of tea as much as a good cup of coffee, travel, and new cultures. She is a writer and a photographer and a lover of people and their stories. And also of turtles.

I was born in…..Welwyn Garden City, England, I have spent most of my life in….Kandy, Sri Lanka, and now I live in….Seattle, Washington, USA. My favourite local films are…..the Lord of the Rings movies (I’m going to fall back on my US background here). When I need a reminder of home, I listen to…..the popping of mustard seeds as I attempt to make traditional Sri Lankan dhal…probably to a baila beat soundtrack. My favourite time of the year is…..Summer in the West, Christmas in the East. My all-time local hero is…..Kule. He helped bring me up, introduced me to curry cooked over the open fire, and taught me the art of story-telling. My favourite local phrase is…..“gihil, enang” – I’ll go and come. The best way to say goodbye is not really saying it. My favourite words of wisdom/words to live by are……

When it’s over, I want to say: all my life

I was a bride married to amazement.

I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it’s over, I don’t want to wonder

if I have made of my life something particular, and real.

I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened,

or full of argument.

I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.

– Mary Oliver

What I love most about my home country is……hot tea, rolling hills, crashing oceans, spicy curry, warm nights, warm days, warm people.

Thailand – Arun Pandey

26 November 2013

Arun Pandey, a Thai born and bred Indian, is a self-described ‘learner, sports lover and gentleman who moves with dignity’.

I was born in ……Bangkok, Thailand, I have spent most of my life in……India and Bangkok….. and now I live in………Bangkok. My favourite local films are….Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and My Name is Khan (Bollywood movies) and JanDara (Thai movie). My favourite novel from my country is……not a novel, but a book called “The Greatness Guide” by Robin Sharma. When I need a reminder of home, I listen to…..depends on my mood. My favourite times of the year are…April and December. My all time local hero is…..Shah Rukh Khan. My favourite local phrase is….. “don’t be sad that it’s over, be happy that it happened”. My favourite words to live by are….simple living and no thinking! What I love most about my home (country) is….kindness and culture.

Canada – Greg Polak

14 November 2013

I was born in…..Gunn, Alberta, Canada, I have spent most of my life living in…..Northern Alberta and now I live in…..Banff, Alberta (The Canadian Rockies). My favourite local films are…..Hard Core Logo, Hard Core Logo and Fubar. When I need a reminder of home, I listen to…..a lake. My favourite time of the year is…..fall. My all time local hero is…..P.D., Party Dog, Rest In Peace. My favourite local phrase is…..“should I do laundry or purchase fireworks?” My favourite words of wisdom/words to live by are…….“sink or swim”. What I love most about my home (country) is…..the range of geographic shapes.

Image. Photo by Meghan Krauss.

Nepal – Khyam Bishwokarma

11 November 2013

I was born in…..a rural part of Nepal called Parbat, I have spent most of my life in…..Parbat and now I live in…..Kathmandu, Nepal. My favourite local films are……Saino and Darpan Chhaya. When I need a reminder of home, I listen to…..Nepali folk music. My favourite time of the year is…..autumn. My all time local hero is……my primary school teacher. My favourite local phrase is…….Gara yaa mara (Do or Die!). My favourite words of wisdom/words to live by are…..life is a fascinating challenge. What I love most about my home (country) is……the hardship that people endure and enjoy with smile.

Pakistan – Muhammad Awab

31 October 2013

I was born in…..Pakistan, I have spent parts of my life in Iran and Australia, and now I live in……Lahore, Pakistan. My favourite local films are..…Khuda Kay Liye, and I am a fan of lollywood (the nickname for Pakistani cinema) producer Shoaib Mansoor. When I need a reminder of home, I listen to…….some nostalgic ghazalas (odes) sung by Jagjit Singh. My favourite time of the year is.…..February, when it is very pleasant here in Lahore. The cold of winter has subsided and the hot of summer still seems far away. My all-time local hero is…….Abdussattar Edhi. He is a philanthropist and has registered his name in the Guinness Book of World Records for running the largest network of ambulances. My favourite local phrase is.…..“chal khair ey”, which means “leave it, everything will be ok”. My favourite words of wisdom are.…..“They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” ― Tom Bodett. What I love most about my home country is…..its people who are easy to get along with and its northern areas whose beauty is still unexplored.