I was born in a little town in Western Canada, and educated in Canada, the UK, and the US. Among other things I’ve done to make a living, I’ve pumped gas, made furniture, sold bicycles, mowed lawns, and shoveled a whole lot of gravel. After realizing I was allergic to the practice of Law, I ended up receiving a PhD in History from Berkeley in 2006. From 2000 to 2011, I lived and worked in Vietnam, where I divided my time among research, writing, and directing a study abroad program for the University of California. Since 2012 I’ve been an Assistant Professor in the Department of Southeast Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore. In my work, I try to bring together my training as an historian with my fascination for everyday life and my commitment to getting students out of the classroom and into the real world. And when I’m not working, I like to spend time swimming and snorkeling, walking in high mountains, searching for Singapore’s best Vietnamese food, and talking with the people I meet along the way.