About

Hello, my name is Molly O’Connor.

I am a writer and filmmaker. I am also a creative evaluator for my firm Coco Canary Consulting. I have a background in biology (ecology, specifically), which is why I have a deep appreciation for nature. I also love the people I meet from day-to-day life; baristas, housemates, travelers, community organizers, you name it. It’s the people I meet who help me grow and the nature I seek which keeps me grounded.

Born and raised in Minnesota (the unceded lands of the Dakota and Anishinaabe people), I have a fondness for the frigid winters and muggy summers. I now live in St. Paul, MN with my partner (unceded lands of the Wapekute Band of Dakota) and work as a consultant.

When I first started this blog, I was traveling around the world. From February 2013 to August 2013, I wrote about my travels in China, Japan, Mongolia, Siberia, and Europe. All I had with me was my 60L backpack, 18L REI flash bag, and a video camera.

I backpacked in the Himalayas, lived among a Chinese minority called the Mosuo, WWOOFed in Japan, studied in a Japanese Zen temple, went to the Gobi, backpacked in the Mongolian wilderness, spent a month living in a yurt (ger) in the Mongolian countryside, took the Trans-Siberian Railway to Moscow, and then hopped from city to city in Europe. Those are only the highlights, a lot happened in between as well.

I also made a few films documenting different parts of my travels.

Though I may not be traveling abroad as often, there is still so much to see. In this blog, I’ll continue to write about my local adventures, as well as the trips I take all over the world. I don’t post here as often, so if you’re interested in keeping up with what I am up to, check out my monthly Coco Canary newsletter.

Much love,

-Molly

Photo from My First Chinese New Year post in 2013