Up, up and away | Book Club Reviews Michelle Law’s ‘Asian Girls Are Going Places’
While contemporary depictions of travel often focus on roughing it in the outdoors (think Bear Grylls in ‘Man Vs Wild’) or going on a three-tiered quest of self discovery (think Reese Witherspoon in ‘Wild’) it’s also a mainstay of South Asian diaspora culture. Sure, the trail mix and energy drinks get swapped out for tiffins full of sabji and chapati with a side of chai and the adventure sports are replaced by a leisurely after dinner walk or an ankle-level dip in the beach. But India alone is responsible for producing 2.5 million migrants a year and this figure is only increasing. While migration comes about for whole host of reasons, some of which leave people with few alternative options, travel at large is becoming a growing passtime of choice, whether with friends, family, or solo.
Michelle Law’s ‘Asian Girls Are Going Places’ is a self described as the perfect travel companion and it definitely delivers. Packed with tips and tricks for finding the best places, food, and experiences as well as anecdotes from the author herself, it’s a great conversation starter whether you’ve got travel on the horizon or not.
Michelle herself is an Asian Australian writer and is known for work on SBS comedy drama series “Homecoming Queens’. ‘Asian Girls are Going Places’ is part of a line of creative projects and it’s filled with trademark wit and humour that runs through her work.
Ever wondered what to pack on a 2,000km+ roadtrip from Perth to Uluru? How about how to keep kids entertained on Singapore’s Sentosa Island? What about what happens when your travel plans are upended by a geopolitical conflict? Our Book Club members brought their best and worst travel stories, and the things they learned along the way.
One member talked about a recent visit to Uluru and how getting there took more logistical manoeuvring than they first planned for. Seeing the living cultural landscape of Uluru and its neighbour Kata Tjuta can be a profound experience.
It’s one of the things that connected Book Club members; whether learning about practices that date back millennia or trying dishes that have fed people for generations, travel opens you up to new but tried and tested ways of doing things. Michelle herself fills her book with lessons learned from travels across the globe. So whether you’re visiting somewhere new or heading home for a while, ‘Asian Girls are Going Places’ is good company for the trip.
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Meet Priya Ravindra Kalyanimath, whose journey to help women rise started at a young age when she saw how the world around her conflicted so fundamentally with the way she was raised.
Her loving, nurturing and inclusive upbringing has been the foundation for Priya’s advocacy work in gender diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity for women, as well as the inception of her impact driven company, Punar, that creates sustainable, ethically handcrafted corporate gifts. The name Punar, which means ‘Again’ in Sanskrit, seeks to honour the female artisans of Punar, many of whom are taking bold, brave steps to making a new, independent start in life, in spite of personal hardships and their socioeconomic background.
Priya is an accredited Company Director, GAICD – Graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors, and runs a project management consultancy, which delivers projects for a Victorian based NFP client group.
Read on and be uplifted by Priya’s focus, commitment and passion for helping women rise.
Manisha Massey is a PhD Clinical Psychology Candidate from New Delhi, currently residing in Adelaide. Her professional focus is mainly to understand how childhood trauma presents in the bodies and relationships of adult South Asian Women, with the aim of decolonising trauma therapy.
Meet Rupa Parthasarathy, a social entrepreneur and founder of wellness studio Mindkshetra, who is breaking down barriers to holistic well-being and uplifting communities.
With grace and determination, Rupa navigates the intersection of both cultural barriers and traditions, mental health and creativity.
