In February 1969, 25 years ago, I arrived as a young, terrified PFC on this lonely little hill in Quang Ngai Province. Back then, the place seemed huge and imposing and permanent.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I grew up in Colombo but was lucky enough to spend a lot of time in the countryside as well. Although there was considerable turbulence, even in the 1950s, it did not throw a shadow on my consciousness.
I grew up in a small place and left it when I was quite young and entered the bigger world.
The first 13 years of my life, I lived in China. My parents were missionaries there, and I was an only child. Often I felt lonely and out of place. Writing for me became my private place, where no one could come.
I was born and brought up near a village in Nottinghamshire and in my childhood enjoyed the freedom of the rather isolated country life. After the First World War, my father had bought a small farm, which became a marvelous playground for his five children.
I grew up in the countryside, so I had quite a feral life up until the age of about fourteen.
I had a world of people raising me; it was like a little village.
I grew up in the countryside in the middle of nowhere in England and got out as soon as I could!
I grew up in a little funny town called Xuzhou, in the countryside, very poor. We didn't have hot water. We were four children: three girls and a boy.
I arrived in Bangkok in 1980: I was 23 years old, and it changed my life.
I grew up in a little village in the west of Ireland.