Daman, Nepal
I grew up in Melbourne’s safest suburb of Park Orchards, where I rode horses, hung out with my dad in his vegetable patch and played basketball and field hockey. I studied Arts/Law at Monash University and then after saving enough (thanks to a skateboard shop, a church and a publishing company), I spent exactly 365 days ‘chasing the sun’ through Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, China, Nepal, India and Pakistan, before spending two very enriching years in London. I arrived there when I was 26 – the same age my father was when he left it for Australia via New Zealand…
Many blog posts are based on my travel experiences, which also include Iran, Turkey, Israel and the Palestinian Territories, though the majority are about Bangladesh, where I lived for nearly three years. For the majority of this time, I’ve worked as a special correspondent for The Independent in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Playing dress-ups with my sister-in-law and cousin in Bangladesh…
How did I end up in Bangladesh? I loved journalism night school so much that I left my job in London at a government agency to spend six months learning shorthand and other skills essential to becoming accredited as a newspaper journalist by the UK’s National Council for the Training of Journalists.
However finding paid work as a journalist in London was really tough – sort of impossible. Then an email I sent out of the blue resulted in being lucky enough to do a six month internship at Bangladesh’s highest circulating English language newspaper, The Daily Star. It’s a fantastic place that I still miss.
Ending my last shift at The Daily Star
My internship began back in November 2009 – and I only recently left Dhaka. In August 2010 ago I married my Bangla translator after a seven month courtship (short, though twice longer than my mum and dad’s). Sherpa’s also a journalist.
I also freelanced for IRIN, the UN’s news service and some of my other stories and photos have been published in Himal, The Guardian and The Scotland Herald. I’m available for commissions, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch at jess.mudditt@gmail.com
My long-term goal is to write a nonfiction book about my experiences as a correspondent in Bangladesh.
UPDATE: Sherpa and I left Bangladesh for Burma and I’m now working at The Myanmar Times. Yangon is an incredible city. I think I know how lucky I am.
dakota85
/ February 10, 2013Ach, almost forgot: you can see the whole post at http://toomutchforwords.com/2013/02/10/a-wise-person-is-one-who-says-thank-you/
dakota85
/ February 10, 2013You’ve been nominated for an Illuminating Blogger Award! “Jessica’s articles have appeared in major newspapers in Burma, Scotland, and Bangladesh; her eye for detail and journalistic voice draw attention to issues the average traveler doesn’t often read.” Visit http://www.foodstoriesblog.com to get your award badge and nominate your own favorites.
dakota85
/ September 26, 2012Sorry, Jessica, that it’s taken me so long to say this- but thanks for being a follower of my blog. Your support means so much! P.S. Keep up the brilliant stories here, again, I love your style!
The Restless Rani
/ August 11, 2012Love your blog! I’m a freelancer too, doing an internship now as a start to my second career. Can’t wait to read about your experiences in Bangladesh! Look forward to reading more of your posts too:)
Jessica Mudditt
/ August 18, 2012Thanks a lot – you’ve motivated me to write more
Good luck with your internship, hope it goes really well.
peachy
/ June 25, 2012hi jessica,
i’m so glad to see your blog while bloghopping. Keep on writing inspiring articles regarding bangladesh, i will need all insights especially that i’m marrying a bangladeshi soon.
riajul
/ April 21, 2012great journey and equally smart blog. my point of interest was community and heritage base, i got that here. write more , i’m eager to read something more.
Jessica Mudditt
/ April 21, 2012Thanks so much! I’m eager to write more, so I hope you’ll return to my blog
Jewel
/ March 2, 2012Halo Jassica how are you? I am so much glad to read about you. Also thanks to you for shearing your mind. How you feel about Bangladesh by being here? Do you have any plan to stay here forever? Thanks Jassica, If your possible pleas reply.
Ehsan
/ June 23, 2009thanks