Chris Brockie

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Biographical Info:

My interests (I say ?interests? because they are diverse) in Asia go back to my days growing up in New Zealand. Back when multiculturalism was not even a consideration, I grew up with Chinese, Indians, Pakistani's and others from across all regions of Asia; we went to school together, we played together. My two best friends were of Chinese and Indian (Urdu) origin. While at University in Toronto (Canada), I made numerous friends from across the whole of Asia, including many from Sri Lanka; escapees of the then brutal civil war in their homeland. Over the years my interests in Asia have grown more and more. I now live and work in Korea; have visited Japan & Malaysia and am soon off to Thailand. I compete in Kumdo (Kendo) competitions in Korea and have an abiding interest in the sources and structures of Korean national identity. My interest in horses has me dreaming of a trekking Mongolia. While I will always be a Westerner I am convinced, nevertheless, that there is much to be learned from the numerous Asian cultures about how to order our own (often materialistic) world.