‘Unfortunately there is a lack of respect for this kind of art in Australia compared to other countries in the world. I’ve been doing this for 25 years now and if I’d been doing it overseas – somewhere like in Europe – I’d probably be famous by now.’
What advice would you give Australians about how to improve their lifestyle based on life in Ecuador?
‘Know your neighbour and look at people in the eyes. Give people real hugs. Feel them – don’t just do it because it’s a social courtesy to do it. And just relax a little bit. Stop thinking so much about money and travel as much as you can.’
Do you know your neighbours?
‘I try to but they won’t even look at me in the eyes so I can’t! They won’t even look at me so it’s really hard to even crack a smile.
‘If you just smile at one person they might be having a crappy day and might not smile back. You might feel a little bit sensitive about it but they feel the warmth and they’re probably more likely to smile at the next person they meet. It’s about making a difference in the world step by step. You don’t have to do huge amazing things.’
‘It’s a form of escape for me. I really love baking – it’s my passion. I work with ATMs during the week so it’s completely different.
“t started as a form of stress relief when I was at Uni. Whenever I would bring cupcakes in, my friends would ask if I was stressed again. When I’m stressed, I make cupcakes at 3am.
”I also bring them in to work and my colleagues know that I’ve been stressed. It’s the creative part of baking that de-stresses me.
When they smell nice that’s when I know that I’ve done well. When they’re all gone by the end of Saturday, I know that I’ve made it!”
Humans of Newtown 