Author Archives: Jessica

Brussels: A City Break

Posted on by under Brussels, Europe

Grand Palace

A day in Brussels, began as any ideal day might, with croissants and cappuccinos. After a leisurely breakfast the late morning found us meandering about the cobble stone streets of the historic center, sampling the plethora of chocolates available at any given street corner. Early afternoon, as the cold mixed with a creeping hunger we sought out sustenance and came across a simple outdoor restaurant, Noordzee Mer du Nord,  serving up some of the most delicious seafood we’ve had the pleasure to eat in our combined culinary history. We sipped sauvignon blanc under heat lamps at standing-only tables as we ate mussels, croquettes, fried haddock  and scallops. Well dressed couples with children out for a walk, girlfriends meeting for lunch, and tourists happily snapping photos would stop by and languidly make their way through their meals and glasses of wine. The whole scene played out as if plucked directly from my romanticized version of what all of Europe ought to be.  Continue reading →

What I’ve Learned in Ireland.

Posted on by under Dublin, Food, Ireland

It’s been a whole month (plus some) since I’ve moved to Ireland. Much has happened, though admittedly nothing of exceptional note. Which would likely explain my absence from this blog. Things like getting my visa so I’m not residing in Ireland illegally, or finally tracking down a swiffer equivalent (and paying hefty price for such a luxury) don’t really merit posts. Classes are in full swing, but thus far have taken up very little time. This, we are assured, will change, lest we think our vibrant social lives will continue. I’ve made friends, ironically, mostly with other Americans and have been reminded that little things from home bond people in ways you wouldn’t anticipate. Plus, none of us already have lives and friends here, so naturally we all banded together. So what have I learned in my first month as an expat in Europe? Here’s ten, in no particular order. Continue reading →

The Beginning: Week One-Grad School.

Posted on by under Dublin, Thoughts and Musings

I’m watching the red tilted plastic clock that’s been haphazardly placed on the whiteboard tray, the minutes tick by at an excruciatingly slow pace. This feels, strangely familiar. At the end of our orientation week, an event that involved the highs of meeting new friends and the lows of what I consider academic bullying, we were given a writing test. Three questions, worded in such a way that you spent most of the time decoding the grammar, two hours, and a 600 word essay to read. All to determine what sort of “academic support” we would need throughout the year. I wonder if they’ll give us color coded stickers that indicate our academic ability like in grade school. I was done thirty minutes into it. This is probably not a good thing. But it was convient, as that’s when my hand began cramping up from having not handwritten anything substantial in the past few years. It felt like a dirty trick. I felt defeated. I didn’t trust our course director after having us schlep around Dublin for nearly ten miles the previous day on a evil scavenger hunt that would not end. And then having the audacity to quiz  us on trivial things the next day. It’s been an interesting first week. Continue reading →

Notes on Moving Abroad Part 2

Posted on by under Dublin, Ireland, Thoughts and Musings

D4-Our New Home.

It would be inaccurate to only include the good, the highs, the achievements without also including their opposites. And for the sake of completeness in retrospect-as this blog is meant as a form of time capsule of events in my life- it’s important to note those times in which things were less than ideal. That being said, there is much more good than bad. Dublin is a fabulous city teeming with a great energy, if only you let yourself be absorbed.  Continue reading →