I’m Glad You Stopped By
A Third Culture Life
Who Am I?
First and most importantly, I’m a husband and dad. However, that is where a clear answer stops…
My wife is from Nepal and my two daughters were born in Nairobi (Kenya) and Ottawa (Canada). I was born in Canada but from 4 years of age, I grew up in Asia and Africa. For most of my life I’ve been a Third Culture Kid (TCK), caught between cultures and worlds. By day, I run The Grants House, a private humanitarian agency helping organizations around the world turn ambitious ideas into funded projects. Somewhere along the way I also wrote a couple of books, started writing songs, discovered I enjoy performing and acting – far more than is probably healthy – and developed a mild obsession with visiting every country on Earth.
Truth be told, I almost became a musician.
After finishing my Master’s degree, in 1989, I was accepted into a major musical production in Toronto and was all set to chase a career on the stage. Then, in what can only be described as the universe having a sense of humour, I received an offer from the United Nations the very same week. My father took one look at the two opportunities and announced, “There’s no money in music.” To make sure I made the “right” decision, he personally escorted me onto the train to New York for my UN contract signing. I often joke that my international career began under armed parental supervision.
That little musical in 1989 turned out to be Phantom of the Opera, and I was going to be a 3rd under-study. However, that wasn’t the end of my music – just an intermission.
Songs, Stages & Shower Acoustics
I sang in choirs growing up, performed in coffee houses, sang in karaoke bars around the world, entered talent competitions, and rarely turned down an opportunity to sing. Over the years I’ve performed in choirs, fundraisers, embassy receptions, with local bands, and yes … in the shower, where the acoustics are excellent and the audience is exceptionally forgiving.
My competitive singing record, however, isn’t exactly Hall of Fame material. I’ve finished second twice: once to a fire-eater in Canada (honestly, who can compete with that?) and once to a Mariachi band in Nicaragua. In a Spanish-speaking town. I still think the judges were biased.
One of my favourite memories was teaching John Denver’s Country Roads to a music class in rural Paraguay through the Sounds of the Earth project. The students sang with such enthusiasm that it reinforced something I’ve believed ever since: music is one of the world’s universal languages. The other, of course, is food.
Still Chasing Stories
When I’m not writing proposals, writing books, writing songs, or wondering why I keep starting hobbies that involve more writing, I’m usually planning my next trip. My goal is to visit every country in the world – not because I’m collecting passport stamps, but because every place has another story waiting to be discovered.
These days, life has come full circle. After decades of working around the globe, I’m finally giving music the attention it almost had all those years ago. This website is where everything comes together: books, songs, travel, strange facts, international development, and the frequent story that begins with, “You won’t believe what happened…”
My Journey 