In two days I am off on an adventure. Maybe the biggest adventure of my life.

I’ll be packing my bags, hugging my family goodbye and jumping on a plane, bound for Vietnam, where I will be living in Hanoi for twelve weeks. Yes, you read that correctly TWELVE WEEKS.

This will be my first time ever living alone, and I am going to be doing it for 12 weeks. The longest (by a long shot) I have been away from my wonderful children and husband. And certainly the longest I have been without seeing anyone I know – though I am hoping I will know lots of new people very soon.

So why am I doing his? I keep telling people I’m running away, but really what I am doing is running to. To new experiences, new understandings, new challenges and, ultimately, new words. Because what I am planning to do in the midst of experiencing life in Hanoi, is to write a new book, and hopefully also new poems and maybe even some new articles. And, of course, there will be blog posts here on my website.

And I’m NOT running away – I am walking away, quite nervously, from my comfortable, happy life in Australia, and my wonderful family – kids, grandkids, my beloved and more – because this wonderful opportunity is too good to pass up. I am going to miss them terribly – heck, I’m already homesick just thinking about being away – but they will be just a phone call or email away, and 12 weeks will probably fly by and I will be back with them again.

This amazing opportunity has come about through the amazing Asialink Arts Program, and with the funding support of the the Western Australian Government through the  Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. The Aisalink Arts program allows creative artists to spend extended periods of time in a range of Asian countries, working on new projects and building creative partnerships. In my case, I am lucky enough to be spending my time in Vietnam, and to be supported during my time there by a Vietnamese publisher, The Gioi.

I have a book project planned for my time there, but I won’t give too much away just yet – I have to write it first!   But I will say that it will be set in Hanoi, and involve an Australian main character. It won’t be an autobiography, but of course will be informed by my experiences there.

If you want to follow my travels, I plan to blog and share photos here, as well as on Instagram.

Now, back to my packing!