About Barbara
I was raised on the Canadian prairies in a culturally-vibrant family. I am of Filipina, Scottish and Irish heritage, and this unique experience has shaped my passion for journalism and storytelling. My highly international career includes in-depth work experience in Canada, Thailand and Germany as well as storytelling from various countries across Europe and Asia.
Working as a freelance journalist for the past decade, I have covered a wide range of topics, including culture, food, travel, tech and politics, for various agencies and publications including the BBC, Reuters, CBC, The Guardian, as well as guidebook titles for Lonely Planet, Fodor's and Michelin Green Guides. Some highlights also include moderating panels and events (like the 2018 Digital Science Match, a gathering of over 1,000 science and tech specialists, put on by the German daily newspaper Tagesspiegel) and in 2020, I worked as the social media manager for Germany's EU Council Presidency under the German Foreign Office.
In 2021, I'm completing the master's program in Global Studies at Humboldt University of Berlin's Institute of Asian and African studies, looking at globalization from an interdisciplinary view. I hope to apply these studies, including research on topics such as political governance, postcolonial thought and Eurocentrist social theory, to my travel writing. Two semesters in 2022 take place at partner universities in Pretoria and Bangkok.
