Having grown up in a bed and breakfast on Ireland’s wild western coast, my living room was always filled with travellers sharing stories from their home countries. Inspired by our guests’ tales of the world, I dreamed about a life in travel. And to help it come true, I decided to become a teacher. I lived in the US first, then China, South Korea and, finally, Spain, teaching children from all walks of life whilst also learning so much about each country, culture, and language. I found that even learning very basic greeting words will get you a long way, although nothing could prepare me for being interviewed on live TV in China – in Mandarin.

As a Travel Expert at Black Tomato, I’m lucky enough to be able to draw on my experiences to help craft remarkable memories and trips for our travelers. Whether that’s letting them in on my favourite tucked-away izakayas (Japan’s answer to the pub) between the neon lights and chochin lanterns of Osaka or the best places to spot bears in the wilds of Alaska. Really, it’s a conversation – a collaboration – between one traveler and another.