Beyond the headlines: Catherine DeVrye’s new book reveals the kindness she found in more than 150 countries

What if the world was kinder than we think?

It’s the question bestselling Australian author Catherine DeVrye explores in her latest book, Beyond Timbuktu: Journeys of Hope & Humanity, a travel memoir that draws on decades of adventures across more than 150 countries to challenge the stereotypes many of us hold about the world.

Rather than focusing on bucket-list destinations or sightseeing, DeVrye takes readers beyond the headlines, sharing stories of ordinary people whose generosity, compassion and hospitality often stood in stark contrast to the news reports surrounding their countries.

Although the book has only just been released, the idea behind it has been with her for many years.

“It had been on the backburner for many years,” DeVrye said.

After speaking at international conferences following the September 11 attacks and the Bali bombings, she found herself travelling throughout the Middle East for work before extending many of those trips on her own.

Friends frequently questioned whether she was afraid to visit countries that dominated global headlines.

“Maybe a little wary at first, but not frightened,” she said.

“Time and again I was amazed by the kindness of total strangers in places where I’d expected hostility towards a Westerner.”

One encounter that stayed with her was meeting Syrian refugees in Serbia who had once been pharmacists, teachers, engineers and real estate agents before conflict forced them from their homes.

“They were people just like my middle-class friends at home, suddenly displaced through no fault of their own.”

Although DeVrye has kept a journal every day since she was 16 and had been collecting stories for more than a decade, it was during the COVID pandemic that she finally began writing the book in earnest.

“It seemed the perfect time for an armchair travel book.”

One country that profoundly shaped the book’s message was Iran.

Travelling there with a Jewish friend during Donald Trump’s first presidency, DeVrye admits they arrived feeling apprehensive, particularly after seeing a giant “Death to America” sign painted across the side of a building in Tehran.

Yet what followed surprised them both.

“Time and again strangers came up to us saying, ‘Thank you for not believing your government and your media. Please come to our home for dinner,’ or pressing cakes and sweets into our hands,” she recalled.

“We didn’t see another tourist in ten days and that trip convinced me I wanted to share what I’d experienced with more than just my friends back home.”

For DeVrye, those experiences reinforced one of the central themes running throughout Beyond Timbuktu — that governments and ordinary people are rarely the same thing.

“You don’t have to approve of a government to recognise the kindness of its people,” she said.

Her own life journey has also shaped the way she views the world.

Although she spent only her first few months in a Canadian orphanage before being adopted by loving parents, losing both of her adoptive parents shortly after graduating from university changed the course of her life.

With her best friend teaching in Australia, she arrived with little more than a backpack, $200 and a one-way ticket.

“I was directionless, lacking confidence and felt I belonged nowhere,” she said.

“Through the kindness of strangers, a lot of hard work and a little serendipity, the biggest problem in my life became the biggest opportunity.”

Today, she is proud to serve as an Australia Day Ambassador and credits Australia with giving her opportunities she never imagined possible.

Having travelled extensively, DeVrye understands many people can feel hesitant about venturing overseas, particularly later in life, but she encourages would-be travellers to start small.

“If it’s your first trip, take baby steps,” she said.

She recommends researching destinations carefully, considering small group tours, ensuring travel insurance is in place, carrying more than one money card and remembering that unexpected challenges can happen anywhere.

“Things won’t always go according to plan but remember you’re a guest in another country, and things can go wrong at home too.”

After a lifetime spent exploring the world, DeVrye believes the similarities between people far outweigh the differences.

“We all live under the same sky but don’t share the same horizon or view of life,” she said.

“Wherever we live, most of us share remarkably similar hopes and dreams for ourselves and our families.”

That philosophy extends beyond the pages of the book, with all author royalties being donated to Médecins Sans Frontières.

Having previously supported charities including the Salvation Army through royalties from earlier books, DeVrye said the humanitarian medical organisation was a natural choice because of its work in conflict zones around the world.

“I’m in awe of Médecins Sans Frontières because its people not only help others, they risk their own lives to save the lives of others.”

Ultimately, DeVrye hopes readers finish Beyond Timbuktu with a renewed sense of optimism.

“I hope they remember that behind the headlines, our world is kinder and more connected than the 24-hour news cycle often suggests,” she said.

“We’re all imperfect people living in an imperfect world but I’d rather focus on what unites us than what divides us.”

Beyond Timbuktu: Journeys of Hope & Humanity is available now. For more information, visit www.beyondtimbuktu.com Buy the book here