Meet Me!

Before starting off with all my travel blogs, I thought I'd introduce myself for those of you following my posts. My name is Gertrude Palis, and as my profile states I am a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am studying International Studies and Geography and to gain a broader understanding of a different world region, I will be spending time traversing Australia and Oceania.

I first became interested in this region after taking a class on World Literature and reading various novels and poems from this region. Not a world region that typically filled my history classes, I became intrigued by the unique history and geography of this part of the globe. While almost everyone is aware of Australia and its dominance of the region, many remain unacquainted with the the numerous islands and vibrant indigenous heritage of this sprawling Pacific region.

"My Travels Down Under" is an ongoing journal of my adventures as I travel around Australia and Oceania, and I hope that through my experience you are able to learn a lot about this amazing area.

And if you're interested in reading more from authors of this region, I'd suggest the short stories of both Epeli Hau'ofa and Konai Helu Thaman, or the play/novella "The Last Virgin in Paradise" by Vilsoni Hereniko and Teresia Teaiwa.

And, with that said, enjoy the blog!