Jennifer Burge

Jennifer I. Burge (born November 29, 1970) is an American travel memoirist and speaker on global living. Her books detail her life on four continents. Burge's 2014 debut memoir, The Devil Wears Clogs, chronicles her move from Cleveland, Ohio to Heidelberg, Germany and The Netherlands. The 2015 sequel, Singapore Salvation, illustrates the reality of life as an American expatriate in Asia.

Early life

Burge was born in Vermilion, Ohio. In 1994, Burge graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities from Ohio State University and moved to Scottsdale, Arizona post graduation.

Career

Technology

Burge's early career was spent working for American multinational technology firms. In 2000, she accepted an offer from an international consulting firm. Initially, this work involved travel in the United States, but eventually led to international travel in Canada. In September 2001, Burge returned to Cleveland and was offered a twelve-month assignment in Germany. The attacks of September 11th and the transition from North American office politics to European changed Burge's worldview. Intent to continue the professional and life lessons of work abroad, Burge accepted her next assignment in The Netherlands and moved to Amsterdam in late 2002. Burge continued working in technology as a project manager and consultant for several years, earning her PMP certification in 2007. That same year, she relocated to Singapore where she lived until 2011.

Writing

In 2009, Burge began writing her first memoir, The Devil Wears Clogs. Finding travel and writing a more satisfying vocation, Burge began contributing destination pieces to The Guide magazine in 2010. In 2011, Burge moved to Australia and became a full-time writer in late 2012. She achieved full membership of the Australian Society of Authors in 2013 and her first memoir was published in 2014. The Asian sequel, Singapore Salvation, was published in 2015.

Books

The Devil Wears Clogs

In 2014, Burge published her debut memoir, The Devil Wears Clogs, about relocating her life and career from the United States to Germany and The Netherlands in 2001. Never having worked abroad or had much exposure to the European way of life, her mistakes were many. During her initial year overseas, Burge met the man who would become her husband and moved to The Netherlands in 2002 where she stayed for a total of five years. The book's intention is to provide an accurate portrayal or life abroad for an insular American who also happens to be a young, professional, single female.

Singapore Salvation

In 2015, Burge published her second memoir on life abroad, Singapore Salvation. The book begins in 2007 when Burge and her husband moved from Rotterdam to Singapore. Living in Asia during the onset of the Global Financial Crisis was challenging for Burge on many levels. Losing her career identity leads Burge to seek an authentic one by traveling across Asia Pacific.

Bibliography

• “Descending Into the Bay,” The Guide Magazine, August 2010
• “Street Life,” The Guide Magazine, August 2010
• "Mekong River Run," The Guide Magazine, August 2010
• "In The Emperor’s Footsteps," The Guide Magazine, October 2010
• “Ba Na Bliss,” The Guide Magazine, January 2011
• The Devil Wears Clogs, Travel Memoir,Worldwise Publications, January 2015 (2nd edition)
• Singapore Salvation, Travel Memoir, Worldwise Publications, December 2015