Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Check out Beth Greshwalk's blog: Coffee with a Koala: My Realities of Relocating from Minneapolis to Melbourne

Name of your blog: Coffee with a Koala: My Realities of Relocating from Minneapolis to Melbourne

Link to your blog: http://www.bethinoz.wordpress.com/

What your blog is about: In narrative essay form, this blog explores the journey of a 30-something American woman who packed up three suitcases, two cats, and a fist full of hope and ventured to Melbourne, Australia, to live. I was driven by the one thing women’s magazines and girlfriends have warned us about for years: a long distance relationship. My Aussie boyfriend (a travel writer) and I met at an Indonesian writer’s festival, fell in love over email and phone calls, and spent seventeen months of correspondence, visits and travel before I moved to Australia to see this adventure through. The purpose of this blog isn’t to (a) tell overly sentimental stories or (b) focus on love relationships. It’s about exploring the flip-sides to the fantasy of moving abroad.

Your name (if you're not blogging anonymously): Beth Greshwalk

Years you were at Hamline: 2001-2008 (M.F.A.)

When you started blogging: June 22, 2010 (still new; several entries and growing)

Why you blog: It allows me to write in the way I enjoy most (memoir) and be published, in a sense. This cathartic outlet also gives me confidence and keeps me writing on a regular basis. Great practice!

Who your intended audience is: It's possible that women may relate most, but I think it may work for anyone who tends to take chances and "follow their heart," over their head. Travelers or anyone else who is currently or has lived abroad may also be interested.

What blogs you like to read: I'm still pretty new to the blogging scene - would love some suggestions.

Advice to or question for bloggers: Just do it. It's a great platform for writers who want to get their voices out there. I think you'll be surprised by its hidden benefits. I'm still a newbie, and am sure to have questions for other bloggers soon!

Anything else you'd like to add: I was actually in the MFA program from 2001-2008, so a smattering of people may remember me, though I was only in one evening class per semester. Also, I did spend 2005-2006 living in Athens, Greece, where I completed my final MFA capstone project, a memoir about immersion in a foreign country (I did a long distance, independent study/correspondence with Barrie Jean Borich). And THAT was actually inspired by a MALS/MFA arts course in 2001, where we'd spent 11 days in Athens! So I can honestly thank the GLS program for changing my life in this way - inspiring me to live abroad and to write about it! :) Sorry for the gushing, but I seriously do owe this to GLS! :)

No comments: