Language, literature, identity, culture and spirituality are my main interests in life. I have been living in India for the past two years, working first as a teacher in an education NGO for slums in Maharashtra, and then as an editor in a publishing company.

It’s been a very revealing experience for me living in India, reconnecting with my roots and adopting a different cultural approach to life, particularly in terms of culture and spirituality. The things that have given me the most pleasure here (and perhaps as much pain!) are the types of cuisine, people I’ve got to know, climate and laid-back lifestyle. If and when I go back to the UK, I will keep these memories with me as part of a huge life-changing experience.

The greatest journey is the inner road I feel I’m travelling in order to connect with all that is divine in this world. I don’t subscribe to any particular religious beliefs, but the philosophy of karma, reincarnation and spiritual consciousness are important to me in my everyday life – i.e. what Buddhists describe as a ‘mindful’ existence.