Hello and welcome to Pearls and Passports!

I initially started writing on this blog to document my new found love of travel when I was 25. I came from a working class family and I didn’t even realise that extensive travel, let alone solo travel, was possible for me.

After discovering various travel blogs I decided that enough was enough. I saved up, planned my dream trip and managed to negotiate a 12 month sabbatical from work.

After returning from my sabbatical I tried to adapt to normal life. So I couldn’t. For my birthday that year I treated myself to a book called “how to work around the world”. I devoured it in a weekend and made the decision to move to Japan to teach English. Not an easy decision for an established podiatrist!

Teaching in Japan really opened my eyes. I experienced high points and low points and ;learnt so much about myself.

I discovered that I absolutely loved teaching English, and was pretty good at it! I knew I couldn’t stay in Japan and made the big decision to leave m job and boyfriend and try to make it in Moscow.

I worked as a Kindergarten teacher for two years, teaching private students on the side.

I now work as a governess and have time off to travel each month! I even get to travel with the family when they go on holiday. Experiencing the luxury of the Maldives, and getting paid for it was a great high point in my life.

Where does the future lead? I have no idea.

And you know what? I wouldn’t want it any other way.