I've lived under absolute monarchies, constitutional monarchies, a number of "Presidents-for-Life," civil wars, foreign military occupations and outright terrorist dictatorships. Along the way, I've played Duck, Duck, Goose with Japanese elementary school students; become a bit of a media celebrity for no earthly reason other than the accident of my birthplace; witnessed the aftermath of a crucifixion in Yemen; seriously thought I was about to be kidnapped for ransom; had three colleagues shot dead a football field away from where I was standing; was within spitting distance of where modern drone warfare was born, and commuted to work in an armoured convoy of Toyota Land Cruisers, wearing full body armour and accompanied by up to a half dozen armed private security members.
So it began playing Duck, Duck, Goose and progressed to trying to avoid the terrorism, revolutions and uprisings.
"I have lived more places than Sinbad the Sailor."
International spy? Much more prosaic than that. Working as a trainer for Oil and Gas operations in the Middle East (including around Sinbad’s home port of Basra), North Africa and Asia, alternated with instructing at a variety of North American universities, has necessitated it. Along the way, I have picked up sensibilities from numerous cultures and have taken the opportunity to write about them.