For three years, I’ve written about my search for a life less ordinary on this blog.
I’ve shared my passion and pursuit for a different way – and hopefully proved that it can be done with a few tweaks here and an adjustment or two there.
When it comes to embracing unique travel opportunities, living as an expatriate in Canada and the land down under, and encouraging healthier, happier work choices, I’ve tried to show how it’s possible to experience a fuller lifestyle. I’ve covered various aspects of my adventures at living abroad and, in an attempt to leave no stone unturned, I’ve explored both the good and the bad that comes with relocating and travelling.
Three years on and it’s time to open up the floor to other writers with similar views. I’m looking for contributors to In Search of a Life Less Ordinary.
If you’re a great writer, if you’ve got a following and a readership who want to learn more about the less travelled path of others like you, and if you have a unique, inspiring story to share, I want to open up this platform to you.
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| Looking for less ordinary. Photo credit: Flickr Creative Commons (Mark’s Mermories) |
The writers I’m looking for
You baulked at the monotony and routine of your former life and decided to do something about it. You started afresh and made major changes to your life, either internationally or at home.
You radically changed your working world in pursuit of a long-held dream, however far-fetched and unrealistic to others it may have seemed at the time. You’ve found success and have shown the naysayers that it was possible to realise your particular passion or goal.
You decided to sell up and travel with your family, and you want to show others that it can be done. You married someone from another culture and it’s hard, it’s not always smooth sailing, but following your heart beat staying behind at home.
You simply wanted something different – in your career, your home country, your daily life – and you stuck with your plans and now the good times have come.
Or maybe none of these things have yet come to pass, but you still want to talk about it.
A call to action
If you’re an expat, a traveller, a career-changer, or just someone who seeks something different from the norm and, when the road splits, you want to take the path less travelled, then I want to feature you on this site.
You’ll join a group of writers, bloggers, photographers and vloggers with a similar outlook on life. And you’ll discover a new platform for your writing and a globally-spread audience of like-minded souls either out there living it, on the verge of trying it, or simply curious about how it’s done.
I’m looking for inspirational and talented writers who can contribute to In Search of a Life Less Ordinary as little or as much as you can.
I’ll make sure your voice is heard and, in return, I hope you can help spread the Life Less Ordinary word.
If you’re interested in contributing to In Search of a Life Less Ordinary, either indicate your interest in the comments below or, alternatively, send an email to [email protected].
Launching ‘Capture the Cover’
As an aside, the Yellow Pages Capture the Cover photographic competition launched yesterday across Australia following a successful first year in 2012. The competition will be judged by leading photographers Steve Parish, Steve Fraser, Mark Lobo, Mark Kimber and Penelope Beveridge and once again gives locals in Australia’s major capital cities the chance to have a say in the images that represent their community on the cover of their local phone book and showcase their work to thousands if chosen
Residents in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth will have a chance to upload original photographs showcasing a hidden gem in their community for the chance to win a share in more than $60,000 prizes and a total of eight images will appear on each of the 36 covers across the cities reflecting the theme Only Locals Know. To enter, go to www.CaptureTheCover.com and upload your snaps to be considered for one of eight spots on each cover.
Having entered myself last year, I’d recommend joining in as it’s a great way to show off your local spot and the chances of getting on one of the covers are pretty good. Yellow Pages are sponsoring this post and I’ll be sharing some of my own images over the coming weeks on Instagram by tagging my photo #CaptureTheCover and @Yellow_Au. You can also follow the competition on Yellow Pages’ Pinterest, Google+ and Facebook accounts.
I would be very interested to share not just my story but my husband’s story as well. Together we both took a huge risk to leave the US and looking back now we would not have done it any differently to be living the life we do now. bonnie[at]bonnie-rose[dot]co[dot]uk
Hi Russell, I’d be interested in contributing. Jo Castro
Hi Russell, I just found your site via twitter. I’d definitely be interested in contributing. I’m a UK expat in Bali – came here while travelling around the world and ended up marrying a Balinese man and I now live in the midst of culture and religion in a traditional village 🙂 please contact me deletia at gmail dot com. thanks!
Hey there Russell! I’m an American (New Jersey/Brooklyn) expat living in the dark silent forests of southern Sweden with my Swedish husband and our 3 kids. Giving up the bustle of the NYC corporate grind was challenging and life is definitely David Lynch-y here sometimes, but I don’t regret our move one bit! I regularly write a column for an expat magazine in Stockholm and havea blog too. I’m not spam – check it out: http://www.expatmompreneur.com
I”m 59 and at 25 I left a lucrative career at IBM and everything else behind including the stockbroker boyfriend and tons of $$. There HAD to be more to life than climbing the corporate ladder – to what and for what? I was not happy nor content. So I traveled in Europe for a year and then stayed for 8 more years working there.
My line is “If I can be a farmer, then you can be anything you want to be as being a farmer was never in my wildest dreams”. .
I”ve been self-employed for 20+ years and helped start and run a multi-million $$ software company, and then started a garden centre and hobby farm. Not your typical MBA career path. I”m now back in the big city of Toronto, my home town after what I’m calling a 30 year detour. Never say never as you never know where life is going to take you.
Live life with NO regrets! There are no guarantees in life, Do not settle!!!
Great stuff, Bonnie. I’ll add you to my list, have a better read of your work, and get back to you once the dust has settled a bit. Appreciate you showing interest as I know your story is a special one.
Hi Jo, great that you’re interested. Cheers 🙂
Thanks, Rachel. Great that you found the site! You have a very unique story. Your interest in contributing is noted 🙂
Hey Amy, thanks for showing interest in contributing! Loving the David Lynch-y images coming to mind. Made a note of your blog and will check it out over the weekend. Many thanks 🙂
Thanks Russell, just realised I didn’t leave my website – http://www.howtoescape.co.uk – more of my story on there 🙂
Great. Will have a look asap. Thanks 🙂
Thanks, Patti. Enjoyed reading about your journey. We share the IBM entry into working life. I also left IBM (at the age of 27) to get off the career ladder and haven’t looked back. They looked after me but it wasn’t a great fit and I’m glad I moved on as it was the trigger for so much of my journey since. No regrets here 🙂
I would be interested in contributing as well!
I am a South African who has been living in Belgium for the last 5years – engaged to a Portuguese man… found a passion for writing about food and food experiences… and am now planning a wedding in another country (on another continent… and am strangely perturbed that I am not (yet) stressed about it.)
HIM and I laugh at our language misunderstandings… cultural differences … long distance wedding planning … but mostly we are loving sharing our adventures TOGETHER!
email maxcie30(at)gmail(dot)com – or find me on twitter @whyiamnotskinny
Thanks for showing your interest! I plan to review everyone’s work, get a feel for what would work best, and reply to people if I’m keen to have them write. Best of luck with the wedding by the way 😉
Oh this is going to be interesting – I followed a few links and there are some great stories out there. Having grown up in South Africa, settled in the US and then moved to Australia 7 years ago I am maybe not a good example as I bounce around too much! Fairly settled in Australia now though.
Sure will be, Africanaussie! Great to hear you feel settled in Oz for now. It’s a good feeling when you’re happy to be where you want to be. Have also been here 7 years now and it’s definitely a turning point although I never say never to just one more move 😉
I’d be interested to contribute and connect with more readers. I’m from the UK, just spent 2 years working and living in South Korea, and now starting a new adventure in Australia. You can read some of my work at swirleysays.wordpress.com
Thanks for your interest, Shirley. I’ll have a read of your work and will be in touch if I think it fits with the site. Hope you’re enjoying your new adventure here 🙂
Hi Russell,
I don’t know if you are still open to contributors but I would be very interested in this opportunity. I moved from one big city, London, to one small city, Nicosia in Cyprus about 3 years ago. I think you found my blog previously thanks to twitter. Look forward to hearing from you.
Hi Mimi, I’m always open to contributors and steadily working my way through those who have put their hands up. I’ll check out your work and see if it fits but thanks for showing an interest! I’m basically looking for writers who have a similar outlook on living life differently, not necessarily just abroad, be it in their daily life, work, travel, etc.