Presentation:

My name is Chris McColl, I am English by birth and I have been living in Catalonia for 12 years. I am a writer, translator, researcher and photographer. I have lived in England - London, Bath, York, Southampton and Doncaster (The worst place I have lived); Hong Kong, Girona and Barcelona. I write in English and Spanish.

If you want to contact me,

The subjects that interest me are:

1. Travel in general - I have visited the following countries:

a) China.
b) Most Western European countries.
c) All of the Scandinavian countries except Iceland and Greenland.
d) Countries of Eastern Europe before and after the transition from communism to democracy.
e) Hong Kong and Macau.

2. The ethnic minorities of China. I have a small collection of my own photos and books and have carried out some research of my own.

3. Nature in general and specifically trees and birds.

4. Catalonia.

a) The Provinces of Girona and Barcelona.
b) Abandoned villages and empty houses.
c) The Costa Brava.
d) The city of Barcelona.
e) Ceramics.
f) Traditional crafts.

5. Games for adults and children, and the game of Go (Weiqi or Baduk) in particular.

6. Philosophies: Ecology, anti-consumerism, cooperatives, “contrarianism”, recycling at home etc.

7. The bookstores and libraries of Barcelona.

8. Languages in general and the teaching of Mandarin Chinese in particular.

9. Music – My favourite song is “Always look on the bright side of life” by the Monty Python Team. I like jazz in general and have a dream to compose my own music online.

10. Maps – I have a small collection of some maps of China but would like to add more. I currently have good Chinese maps of Yunnan, Guangxi, Hunan and Sichuan dating from around 1992.

Favourite Charities:

1. Greenpeace
2. Friends of the Earth
3. Worldwide Fund for Nature
4. RSPB
5. Oxfam
6. The National Trust

Favourite Writers and other Idols:

1. Michael Palin.
2. Nick Hornby.
3. David Attenborough.
4. Jonathan Porritt.
5. Prince Charles.

The best guidebooks:

1. Rough Guides.
2. Lonely Planet.
3. Routard.
4. Michelin green guides.
5. Footprint guides.
6. Time Out City Guides.
7. Berlitz
8. Trotamundos

Some of my favourite places that I have visited are:

A. In the world:

1. The Lofoten Islands in Norway.
2. The villages of Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi and Guizhou in China. e.g. Dazu, Sichuan; Jinping, Yunnan; Wenshan, Yunnan; Xishuangbanna; Lijiang and surrounding area; Dong minority villages in Guangxi and Guizhou; etc.
3. Carcassonne.
4. Macau

B. In Catalunya:

1. The region of Castellterçol.
2. The Montseny p.ej. Arbucies
3. The Garrotxa.
4. Castellfollit de la Roca.
5. Besalú.

Completed projects:

1. Exhibition of Photos of China for Xinalona
2. Contributor to the Barcelona Institute of Chinese Culture Project.
3. Articles and photos for Barcelona’s Metropolitan magazine on Castellterçol and Barcelona’s Chinese community.
4. Virtual tour of Argelès-sur-Mer for virtourist.com.

Current projects and Ideas:

1. An English version of a good Spanish or Catalan magazine e.g. Descubrir or Altaïr.
2. A book of fairy tales about trees for children and adults.
3. Sant Cugat.
4. Turó Parc.
5. The district of Sant Gervasio in Barcelona.
6. Unofficial unpaid tour guide.
7. Clown.
8. Spanish - English translator. I have passed two out of the three parts of the Institute of Linguists examination. I have also done Catalan - English translation work.
9. Teaching English while walking around the streets of Barcelona.

Languages:

• English – mother tongue.
• Spanish - Level 5 of the Official School of Languages with excellent marks.
• Chinese - Between intermediate and advanced written and oral.
• Catalan - I understand it but I do not write it.
  French - Basic to communicate verbally.
  

Dream:

To publish more of my photographs and articles.