Keeping curious

Previously, I led a peripatetic life. Since leaving my rural childhood home at age 11, I have had a constant thirst for exploring and discovering new people, ideas, cultures and places. Apart from my childhood, I am now in the most stable, un-gypsy-like period of my life – home-owner, mother of 2 spirited boys (with a third on the way), wife to an equally spirited husband, and settled in suburban Sydney.

While this lends itself to a great feeling of grounding for me, I’ve lately been feeling the tug of discovery beyond these Australian shores. As my nomadic ways lie dormant, my inner wanderer still needs to get out there and explore, and bring the world to her home.

Varanasi, Ganges River, India. Travelling to this eye-opening place is the ultimate assault on the senses. Photo - Emily Brewer

Passionate about a lot of things – skiing, travel and adventure, physical and mental wellbeing, the environment, humanitarian causes and gender equality - I want to live life out loud.

This blog is my place - where I can explore from my laptop while my babies sleep and share my discoveries and perspective on things outside of the daily grind. To keep me connected with the mighty and fragile world we live in, to keep my mind curious and inspired, and in turn, hopefully do the same for you. Perhaps our curiosity in the world outside will be re-ignited.

In my pre-kid days I have been a Middle Eastern politics scholar, a lawyer working across the globe, an au pair, a ski technician and briefly, a public relations consultant. Over the past few years as a stay at home Mum, and wife to a husband with an all-consuming job, I have come to miss the intelligent interactions and stimulation that my life gave me. At times I resent my lack of knowledge about global affairs and politics. Discussing the Syrian refugee crisis didn’t seem to be a priority when trying to befriend fellow Mums at the local playground and simultaneously managing my boys careering along a flying fox.

Sydney Harbour Bridge - my home town. Photo - Jessica Podzebenko

How do you satisfy a yearning to discover when you are no longer free of responsibilities and free of ties to one place? You bring the world and all it offers to you. Perhaps not ‘armchair travel’, but I want to re-discover what makes me tick, what I value and see if I can satisfy the curious explorer in me while being a darn good stay at home Mum.

Exploring the magical Loire, France. Photo - Jessica Podzebenko

So, with more time on my hands now my boys are at pre-school, I immerse myself in meaningful journalism and I step back, albeit often virtually, into the world I once was fascinated by and engaged with.

This blog is going to discover and explore new ideas, issues, places and people – new to my domestic bubble, but old to many others. I’m keeping curious and writing for myself primarily, but if you care to join me for the ride, please do.