Teaching to Tell: Natasha Yates’s Bali-Inspired Writing Career
Natasha Yates’s journey weaves between teaching and storytelling: after finishing as the first Year 10 at BIS, she trained in journalism and primary education in the UK, spent 17 years teaching in London, Herefordshire and Bali, and has since transitioned to freelance writing and copywriting inspired by Bali’s people and landscape. The community spirit she learned at Bali Island School—and teachers like Mr McBurney, whose “Never accept second best!” mantra stayed with her—continues to shape her work, which often promotes Indonesia and draws on lived experience rather than theory.
Tell me the story of your journey from graduating from BIS and teaching primary school to becoming a freelance writer and copywriter—what prompted each shift?
After graduating as the first Year 10 at BIS, I returned to the UK to continue my education and head to university, where I gained a BA(Hons) in Journalism and a PGCE in Primary Education.
I then enjoyed a 10-year career as a primary school teacher in London and Herefordshire. Through the years, I had always maintained a close tie to Bali, as that is where my dad continued to live. I also remained in contact with many of my old school friends from BIS.
After a decade of teaching in the UK, I felt an overwhelming yearning to teach overseas and successfully gained a position as a primary school teacher at the Australian Independent School (AIS) in Bali, where I taught for 7 years.
With now 17 wonderful years as a teacher under my belt, and countless happy memories, I decided to take a break and pursue my passion for writing.
What drew you back to Bali, and how has living here shaped your work and daily life as a writer?
Bali has a strange way of getting under your skin and penetrating your soul. Although I had moved back to the UK at 16, I could never shake the hankering to come back to the island. Until I returned, it felt as though a part of me was incomplete.
Bali inspires me daily—despite changes since 1998, its true spirit lives in the people, nature and traditions.
Who are your clients and what kinds of projects excite you most? Are there themes or subjects you find yourself returning to?
In the past, I have worked a lot with the Australian media to promote Indonesia as a tourism destination. There are so many unique parts of the archipelago that many people are still unaware of. My passion for Bali and Indonesia will always inspire me.
How did your time at BIS influence your approach to writing and your career choices—any lessons or surprises that still guide you?
Being a student at BIS opened me up to the feeling of community, something I definitely took forward with me as a primary school teacher. Creating a sense of community and mirroring the support I had at BIS to always try my best certainly inspired me in my role as an educator.
I remember one of my BIS teachers, Mr McBurney, had the mantra “Never accept second best!” and that remained with me throughout the years. You never forget a good teacher, and I can only hope I left a similar positive lasting impression on some of my students.
If you could study again now, what would you learn or focus on differently to enhance your work as a writer—and why?
I would do everything the same, because for me, being a good writer comes from the experiences we have had that have shaped us. I wouldn’t want to change anything.
What’s a favorite memory from BIS, and how has it left a mark on your personal or professional life?
Without a doubt, what spurred my passion for teaching was all down to two teachers I had at BIS, Mr McBurney and Ms Hunter. Their way of teaching and love for their students and craft really resonated with me as a teenager. I can safely say that without them as my teachers at BIS, I wouldn’t have felt inspired to get into the profession – and the sense of purpose I have had in that role has been unmatched. Teaching for 17 years has left me with so many happy memories, and I have Mr McBurney & Ms Hunter to thank for that.
