https://christinechanty.com/home daily 1.0 2025-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/30c76436-81a7-4b86-81fa-62526601a73e/1S9A1511.JPG Home - Naarm-based writer | she/her Christine Chanty is a 30-year-old daughter of Lao refugees, born and raised Melbournian. A lifelong love of stories led her to study a Bachelor of Creative Writing at RMIT University. She loves connecting with people through creative pieces that explore the nitty-gritty of being a woman of the Asian diaspora. Professionally, she has covered a gamut: from reviewing local venues, events and exhibitions, to an investigation into the Japanese professional beatboxing scene, to personal essays that weave together narrative and research. When not hunched over a desk, you'll find her singing karaoke, hitting up RecipeTin for her next baking project, or sifting through a thrift shop. https://christinechanty.com/portfolio daily 0.75 2025-10-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/aa89b12f-0678-49e7-8a18-1905414067d8/20251007_152248%7E2.jpg Creative Nonfiction - Laos Diaries 14-page memoir comic recounting a trip to my parents’ home country of Laos, bringing my partner along for the first time - and the funny scenes and reflections that came along with it. Printed by Glom Press in a limited run, stocked for sale at Chibi & Esme and Sticky Institute. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/3585098a-cab5-4ea1-8bef-2997a4d63141/Screenshot+%28351%29.png Creative Nonfiction - Poetic Portraits (Monash Council x RMIT) Two poems resulting from community workshops where local council participants responded to given prompts. The workshops were facilitated by Lia Hills and Anders Villani. The poems were published in a physical anthology by RMIT’s Bown Street Press and exhibited around Monash Council alongside professional portraits taken by Jorge de Araujo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/458b137d-72e4-4b71-8314-03d686bae0de/FB_IMG_1662283663707%7E3.jpg Creative Nonfiction - Language to an Immigrant (feature) “To know who I am, I have to know who Setsutaro Hasegawa is.” It is sentiments like this that drive home the significance of passing one’s culture on to future generations, especially in light of identity-altering events like immigration. I feel it deeply as a second-generation Asian immigrant in Australia, a daughter of Lao refugees. It is a mission that I am slowly achieving through writing: to know who I am, I have to know who my ancestors are. The words are spoken by Australian man, Andrew Hasegawa, about his great-grandfather, a Japanese man who immigrated to Australia with simple aspirations that grew into idyllic dreams. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/277d6e2a-5974-4ce4-93a0-8851a6c52bd6/IMG_20180211_183709.jpg Creative Nonfiction - Oceans of Memory She sits hunched on the edge of a garden bed on Cavill Avenue, carry-on suitcase beside her, head in her hands. The scenery is picturesque: perfectly preened garden, spotless blue sky, sun blazing, the sound of seabirds constant but soothing – at least to any other listener. Inside her head, a storm rages. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. The Gold Coast. Schoolies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/1632465655653-8QBIVQ086K71QEFG5831/IMG_20170317_180324.jpg Creative Nonfiction - How a young Japanese beatboxer showed me the power of a humble hobby “No beatbox, no life.” It’s a simple statement and I can’t help but laugh at the hyperbole, yet something about it rings poignant and true. The more I learn about Japan’s competitive beatbox scene, the more I realise the sense of purpose that a simple hobby can provide in a pandemic-stricken world where many of us are struggling to hold onto our ikigai (reasons to live). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/1630926585240-R15NKTO6GDO5BN6Y25SP/Screenshot+%28259%29.png Creative Nonfiction - How to Turn Vulnerability into a Superpower Psych2Go reached out wanting to produce a YouTube video based on one of my blog posts. Working with their inhouse editor, I adapted the post into a voiceover script. https://christinechanty.com/fiction daily 0.75 2023-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/6989bd48-0992-41b8-8bc7-c1cdfbf3b2b4/image_123986672.jpg Fiction - My Kind of Hero “Scroll, scroll, scroll – stop, stop! Oooh, she looks cool.” I inspected my daughter’s choice, comparing it to a mental checklist: blue denim shorts, hot pink singlet, lemon-yellow trench coat… “Do we have all of this stuff?” I asked. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/9f81f79b-c0ad-4f20-aa81-a0e2ccc99f56/20220412_005225.jpg Fiction - A Christmas Gift “Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!” Father John came bumbling out of the trees that border the old brick church house. The children were already stirring, his arrival pre-emptively announced by the sturdy golden handbell in his right hand – a sound all too familiar. “SANTAAAAAAAAAA!” Screamed a younger one. We scrambled to our places – parents, aunties and uncles to children’s sides to coax them up to the big man, children to the front of the circle prime for receiving. Aunty Say – leader of Church Activities and thus default spokesperson for Santa each year, took up her seat at his throne’s right hand. https://christinechanty.com/journalismmarketing daily 0.75 2026-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/574ac564-43c3-4e4f-a2d4-890390b0f4dd/henrys-cronulla-restaurant-sydney-drinking-dining-duos-best-top-good-friday-night-out-dinner-drinks-weekend-date.jpg Marketing/Journalism - Two-Stop Itineraries For Drinking And Dining Sometimes you just need a big Friday night, but it can be stressful jumping from place to place! We’ve done you a solid and paired up Sydney’s best dinner spots with some proper good bars – all with amazing vibes, and all just a stone’s throw away from each other. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/c7c42c50-8248-4bb3-a07d-7fda8b6a586e/image-asset.jpeg Marketing/Journalism - 10 After 10: Restaurants Open For Late Night Dining It’s 9pm. You’ve just come out of a movie, post-work karaoke, or a networking event that did not provide enough canapés. Your stomach screams for a feed… but every restaurant on Google Maps says ‘closing soon’. Close that search bar – we’ve got you! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/e8bb068f-1a59-4bec-958b-bd71695aafbf/image-asset.jpeg Marketing/Journalism - Find Fun, Food and Friends At Fortress, Melbourne’s Best Gaming Hub “The experience every gamer deserves.” …is their tagline, but we’d argue it’s more than that. Fortress Melbourne, Australia’s biggest video games venue, is open to all – and they’ve certainly got the goods to please anyone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/cad8bf46-75cb-4433-9b75-4fead62a3466/20220930_143631.jpg Marketing/Journalism - Rain, Hail Or Shine, This Hidden Riverside Bar Is Your Oasis Have you seen what’s hidden beneath Federation Square? If your answer is no, then let us show you… Established in 2006, Riverland Bar has become a mainstay on the Yarra waterfront and sometimes it’s easy to forget that it’s there. Let’s not make that mistake again! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/1630924620408-HE6AFI8F0FM5UONJWJ0O/Screenshot+%28256%29.png Marketing/Journalism - ‘Am I mental?’ Daisy Berry, Melbourne International Comedy Festival (review) “Guys, I just walked here eating a hot dog – and didn’t spill any on myself.” With that, Daisy Berry opens her Tuesday night show in the most relatable – and least intimidating – way possible. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/d8814323-7ac3-41d0-8bc0-d63f98b89fbf/Screen-Shot-2016-06-24-at-4.44.16-pm.png Marketing/Journalism - Degas: A New Vision, NGV Winter Masterpieces review We’re sure you’ve noticed the latest set of banners to pop up beside the National Gallery of Victoria’s water wall. He’s cited as one of the most celebrated and influential artists associated with French Impressionism – but just who is Edgar Degas? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/1af4d377-1592-409b-9f2a-2066efc3f73b/Screen-Shot-2016-10-25-at-1.20.55-pm.png Marketing/Journalism - Venues On The List for the Spring Racing Carnival With all the festivities being held in honour of the Melbourne Cup, it’s hard to know where to begin. Rest assured, if you’re looking for things to do in Melbourne this Cup Carnival week, we’ve got you covered. https://christinechanty.com/a-christmas-gift daily 0.75 2023-04-28 https://christinechanty.com/laos-diaries daily 0.75 2025-10-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/5ccf739c-4708-4825-b5a7-e31b2a0ce20c/20251007_152248%7E2.jpg Laos Diaries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/2f2d0edc-3388-4319-9581-2a0dc3d22e30/Page+1-min.jpg Laos Diaries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/652e7e8f-bf9e-4a3f-8c7c-a9fca6eba4fd/Page+2-min.jpg Laos Diaries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/230bbc38-22f4-4adb-a42a-2e229844d9c3/Page+3-min.jpg Laos Diaries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/9eacaccd-297d-4a91-99d4-02fd30022ee3/Page+4-min.jpg Laos Diaries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/a4679a0b-86ee-40e8-9901-33abc3638960/Page+5-min.jpg Laos Diaries - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/5796193c-3e1c-4add-b002-3b87d00d8937/Page+6-min.jpg Laos Diaries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/38a4ed8d-64ea-40db-833a-62e6a46eea75/Page+7-min.jpg Laos Diaries - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/6610cea0-d024-465a-88a2-ad7ae9d09b37/Page+8-min.jpg Laos Diaries - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/fed95d52-3f52-46f1-b6ec-b73e3d068448/Page+9-min.jpg Laos Diaries - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/bd2f8dae-d41b-442e-aa6c-98b17b6fc954/Page+10-min.jpg Laos Diaries - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/ac36f606-2edb-4d39-ad5e-346b4caf5978/Page+11-min.jpg Laos Diaries - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/aff6d97d-b94f-48a6-8d3b-5a63195a8467/Page+12-min.jpg Laos Diaries - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/8d021aac-a92d-480b-b5c9-f72139f0a897/Page+13-min.jpg Laos Diaries - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/700797e1-6a03-4f69-bc8d-9767ce5cc6e3/Page+14-min.jpg Laos Diaries - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://christinechanty.com/melbourne-and-me daily 0.75 2025-10-13 https://christinechanty.com/language-to-an-immigrant daily 0.75 2025-10-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6135d7a741b0ee0739f456cc/d0814cd0-c9b9-4983-b137-909d6d0f281a/FB_IMG_1662283663707%7E3.jpg Language to an Immigrant - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.