Marilyn R Gardner

Writer & Public Health Nurse

Marilyn is a public health nurse and writer who grew up in the country of Pakistan and has lived and worked in Pakistan, Egypt, the Kurdish Region of Iraq, and five different states in the United States. Her work and writing come from a place of deep understanding and compassion of what it is like to live and work in countries where the language and culture can emerge as barriers to care. Marilyn has written two books – Between Worlds: Essays on Culture and Belonging and Worlds Apart – A Third Culture Kid’s Journey. Her writing also appears in Plough Magazine, Fathom Magazine, Among Worlds Magazine, A Life Overseas Community Blog, and her own blog – Communicating Across Boundaries.

Marilyn is a Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science degree in health care administration. In her day job, she works trains community health workers, preparing them for jobs in the health care industry in the United States. As her students are 90% immigrants, her cross-cultural background and third culture kid world are woven into the courses through stories and her understanding of what it is to live as an invisible immigrant in Boston.

Marilyn loves her passport, family, and faith in reverse order. She loves communicating and connecting across continents and cultures, making room for all those who struggle with belonging.