Jetset Linguist

Saturday, January 21, 2017 I believe will be written about for years to come. Whether it be in op-ed pieces or academic research, the Women's March on Washington and its subsequent global movement was too vast to ignore. Looking at all of the posts on social media and several news articles, I can't help but be moved by the incredible outcome, and support for the cause. I have gone through several different versions of this post, but none quite capture everything that is in my head. I've come to accept that no matter how I write this, I won't be able to perfectly represent all my thoughts, feelings, and opinions on this movement - please, bear with me as I try to do my best. -------------------- Why I Marched I marched, not because I was against our current president, the man, but because I am against the divisive rhetoric of his campaign. build bridges, not walls I marched, because decisions about my body should not be made by people who do not know me or my...

Not even a week into 2017, and I was already off on my next adventure. Granted, I had already been to New York before, but this time I had an inside guide - my sister! On our first day, by the time Marijke and I got to her apartment, it was almost dark, and museums were about to close. We decided it would be best to go grocery shopping and rest up for the next day, which started with me realizing I would be unable to use my camera all day. I had forgotten to put the battery in... How did I forget that?? Well, I've usually just kept the battery in the camera, like most people probably do, but the instruction manual for my new one says not to do that. So, because I want to take good care of this camera, I put the battery somewhere else, and since I'm not used to having to grab it, I forgot it. I still managed to used my phone for a few shots though. Children's Statue Garden outside of St. John's I spent the morning at Marijke's favorite coffee/study spot, The ...

Another Christmas/holiday/winter break come and (nearly) gone. This year, my break started with the metro, a train, a plane, a bus, another plane, a car, and nearly 22 hours to get from door to door. The three days I had before Christmas were filled with baking, decorating, and wrapping presents. I also managed to see friends from high school over those few days as well. The real celebrations kicked off on the 23rd with one side of the family; continued into Christmas Eve with the traditional lunch with my mom, and going to see the children's pageant; and concluded on Christmas day, which was filled with maple-glazed cinnamon rolls, a new camera, and dinner with the other side of the family. Not too shabby I'd say. The family also went up north for a few days. My original intention was to enjoy the snow, and my only chance for what I consider to be a "real" winter this year, except Northern Michigan was hit with a thaw a couple of days before we arrived, and the...

Yup! Unlike my previous, short-lived blogs devoted to specific study abroad experiences, this one will be a bit more all-encompassing. A way for me to keep friends, family, and anyone who may stumble across this updated, because seeing people once or twice a year means something's bound to be left out! You can expect some random musings, lots of pictures from my new, fancy camera, and, of course, details on all upcoming (and occasionally, some past) travel adventures. Please, bear with me as I get this new site up and running. But I promise it will be worth it! Until then, here's a picture of an adorable hedgehog ornament from our Christmas tree.