Lina Bögli

Lina Bögli (1858-1941) was a Swiss travel writer and educator. She was born in the canton of Bern to a poor family, and at twelve years old was sent to work as a nursemaid in the Jura. For three years from age 17 on she worked for a Swiss family in Naples, and she stated later that she learned German during that time. After her work in Naples she taught for a noble Polish family. Still later she studied for a teaching diploma, and finished her training in England.

She subsequently went on a trip around the world from 1892 to 1902, first going by boat from Brindisi to Sydney, where she taught at private schools. She stayed for years in Australia, subsequently traveling to New Zealand in 1896. She then went to Samoa, Hawaii, and San Francisco. For four years she stayed in California, subsequently traveling across the United States to its East Coast. After that she went to Canada, before returning to Europe on July 12, 1902, exactly ten years after her departure.

In 1904 she published the book Forward!, which was about her trip around the world; it originally appeared in English and then later in German and Polish. It was very successful. A new edition of it appeared in 1990 titled Talofa, a Samoan greeting.

In 1910 she embarked with the Trans-Siberian Railway on a trip via Vladivostok to Japan and China. In 1915 she published Always forward about this trip.

She also went on lecture tours.

Her travel books showed a strong interest in the living conditions of women and girls in foreign countries, which was unusual for the time.