15 Minutes Of Fame

18 May 2009By Zhu 28 Comments

The Camera...

A few months ago, when I was backpacking in Brazil, I received an email from a woman who was interested in my travels. I replied and we started chatting.

The woman turned out to be Aga Magdolen, a global soul currently located in Toronto, who was doing a documentary about “Third Culture Kids” (kids who grew up in foreign countries). Although I’m just a traveler by choice, we talked and she was still interested in my story, and wanted to interview me for her documentary.

Aga arrived in Ottawa Friday evening with Max, the cameraman. We headed to Fatima, a North African restaurant in Quebec. We had a whole room for ourselves and shoot while eating (Gosh, the food is good!).

I’m more a behind the scenes kind of person: I love writing, drawing and taking pictures. I don’t mind being in a few pictures, but I don’t necessarily enjoy posing. And I’m used to ask questions to people, not being interviewed! But strangely enough, I didn’t hesitate to do the documentary.

Aga’s enthusiasm, for a start, is quite contagious. She is a global nomad herself so she knows what she is talking about. She has one idea a minute and follow up on them. She is creative, energetic and inspired… and God, she even speaks more languages than I do: we chatted in English, French, Spanish, and I had to stop here because I didn’t speak Polish, nor Italian, nor German… she beats me!

Max, the cameraman, was the sweetest guy. He obviously knows what he is doing (which I quite admired, considering how many wires they were everywhere!) and is well-traveled himself.

Basically, two people to make you feel comfortable.

So, we sat and chatted, and I forgot to be self-conscious, shy or even mute for a second. Aga asked me about traveling, looking for place to call home somewhere in this world, and how I decided to eventually move to Canada. We talked about living the global life, its ups and downs. Before we even realized it, it was close to midnight.

The next day, we met early nearby the Big Spider, one of my favorite place in Ottawa. Then, we moved to one of her friend’s place to shoot my blog, my drawings, passport and my business cards (each of them has a different picture of mine printed at the back). Finally, we shot in Chinatown and had lunch at a small Vietnamese place.

A very interesting experience, and it got me thinking a lot. I’m still not sure why I need to travel the world for a few months, once in a while, to feel alive. I still don’t know what pushed me to move abroad instead of making my life in France. I don’t even know why I like to be a chameleon in this world.

But apparently, I’m not the only one. It is strangely comforting.

Shooting At Fatima's

I Have Wires Everywhere!

Early Morning Shooting

Max, Always Focused...

The Big Spider

Arranging My Business Cards...

Here I Am!

My passport, business cards, cigarette box...

Fortune Cookies Reading At The Vietnamese Restaurant

Shooting In Chinatown

28 Comments »

Graham said:

I am in the presence of a celebrity! I bow to you my honourable Zhu The thing is, you are so interesting, you have had such a full life already and still have many many many years ahead of you. You have lived more than most people could ever dream of living. And the really magical thing about you, is that you appreciate everything around you, and you have the most wonderful and warm way of sharing your experiences with your readers. I am so pleased that your and Aga’s paths crossed and she included you in her documentary.

G xx

# 4 June 2009 at 6:53 pm

Celine said:

Oh wow, congratulations!

# 26 May 2009 at 6:23 am

Seb said:

Do you know the artist Shepard Fairey? He did the Obama poster, but he uses a lot of that propaganda imagery, specially from China. He is not very original sometimes, but some of his work is interesting.

# 24 May 2009 at 1:36 am