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Have you ever felt stuck as a student or as a young adult in a world that is constantly evolving? I did. To solve this notion of constantly feeling as if I am not progressing as an individual the way that I would like to, I decided to study abroad. I decided to study abroad for the Fall 2022 semester and I am currently in my third month of the program. I am in the south of Germany and I am preparing to come back home as my study abroad program is coming near an end. However, before I leave my study abroad program, I decided to create this outlet to elaborate the experiences I have gained while being abroad. I came to the south of Germany early September and although three months have passed, it feels as if I have just began my study abroad journey. When you are constant evolving, growing, and flourishing, the time goes and flies past you. Everyday was a new day to learn and understand what I, as an individual, like to engage in (Activities, school programs, interest, etc.). Studying abroad is genuinely an adventure that can allow an individual to gain completely new perspectives on life. Besides making new friends, learning new cultures, gaining better and bigger insights on the world, study abroad provides a temporary outlet for students to understand what they would like in this world.

Studying abroad provides you the means to expand your network in a non superficial manner. This network can provide meaningful connections that an individual would like to keep for the rest of their lives. Also, when studying abroad in a particular program, you are not stuck to that location. Due to accessibility and ease of transportation outside of the United States, traveling to different locations is easy and cheap. This has influenced me to travel to several different cities in the Germany in addition to exploring new countries that I have not been to. 

Moreover, studying abroad has given me “travel buddies” or friends that I consider to be life long pals even though I have had shared short amounts of time with them. These friendships I have created in a short time frame are not shallow friendships but instead very meaningful. 

Speaking of Gloss goal letter O, openness to friendships...

I went to Paris last weekend with girl from Tandem (where we language exchange for an hour). I thought I would be comfortable, but I just wasn't. And I felt a bit rushed even after saying that I was in no hurry. I will be in France for a lot of my life! There's more too, but mainly, it's just always the same story with most girls I meet.

Anyway, I was shocked to see the height of the Eiffel Tower for the first time. I didn't think I would tear up, but I've been avoiding seeing her for so long... So I decided not to go see any more until I was ready. I think it will be toward my birthday, and the end of my first séjour en France. I enjoyed Paris, but the boulangeries want to take me over! I ate too much sugar there without a doubt!

There is one girl I've gotten on with really well. She sort of affirms the trend I've noticed with my friends. I'm learning to accept that just because I may not have a certain type of friend, doesn't mean I don't have friends at all! I accept that I get along well with certain people, but I think I should start looking into the why behind that.

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I'm an American expat living in Portugal. The country's focus on work-life balance is very different than in the US. Kaitlin Wichmann is an American expat living and working in Portugal. She moved to Lisbon from Kansas City in 2022. https://www.businessinsider.com/american-living-in-lisbon-work-life-balance-expat-2023-8

Breakfast and good coffee has been a tough find 😬. BUT a found the cutest little mall area

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Come check out my study abroad blog!

The cost of health

In a local Monoprix, I found these framboises at €4.99. These raspberries are an important fruit that helps with my inflammation. For that reason, I rely on them to stave off the diabetes symptoms to which I'm predisposed. I've been on the Mediterranean diet for a few weeks now, but the costs of maintaining it is nearly unaffordable.

In attempt to rid of my binge eating habits, I sometimes eat a lot of, say, raspberries to feel full or satisfied (if at all). That could be with breakfast or for snack. To help my sugar cravings, I try to eat the most fruits and vegetables as possible; more than usual. But a container of 20 raspberries is literally only a handful of fruit, of which I could eat five in one day.

Now first off, my small budget is not even prepared for that amount of perishable foods, despite need for them. Second off, raspberries at €4.99/container multiplied by the 3-5 handfuls I'd eat a day is like €15-25 PER DAY. That's at least €60 per month just on raspberries.

Obviously I buy other fruits like oranges, blueberries and the like, but their costs can be calculated the same as that of raspberries. I mean thank God grapes are only like €1 per pound, but that's still like €15 per month.

Whether I buy variety does not matter. I eat the fruit and vegetables very quickly, and in big servings with a serving of meat or noodles.

At this point, I don't know what to do. I go to different shops for fruits and vegetables, but availability is almost random each week!

And for me, buying a new fruit or vegetable when I see it isn't so simple. I must first see if it's actually okay to eat often by say, researching the sugar content, making sure to own space or tools to manage it, learning if I can even eat it fast enough, and again, accounting for its cost.

I'm going to have to deal with it, but I've never spent so much money and anxiety on food in my life. I tell myself that I'd better afford it now while I'm relatively healthy because of not, the medical bills would be MUCH higher if I stuck with easy, fast foods. Now I can't even imagine the cost of medical bills if food itself is about to cost my single person upward of €300 per month. I don't want to know... but I'm still afraid.

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Welcome to Black in Zürich: A Black Multiracial Family's First Year in Zürich

Introduction

Hello and welcome to Black in Zürich! I’m N, a proud Black mom of four beautiful souls aged 17, 14, 5, and 3, and the wife to my incredible partner, J, who is white. Originally from the United States, we’ve recently taken a leap of faith to move our family to Zürich, Switzerland, because of J's new job opportunity.

Why This Blog?

Starting this blog felt like a necessary step to document our family's journey—a transition not just of place but also of culture, social dynamics, and a multiracial family's experience in a predominantly white European country. My hope is that this space becomes a place of support, inspiration, and a resource for other families who are navigating similar life changes, particularly those who come from multicultural, multiracial backgrounds.

The Crew

Let's talk about our amazing kids. Our 17-year-old, A, is into digital art, drawing and has started looking into universities—both in the States and in Europe. The 14-year-old, N, is sports-obsessed and already scouting basketball clubs in Zürich. Then there's our spunky 5-year-old, G, who is enamored with all things nature and pink. And finally, we have our 3-year-old, I, who's just excited to be here (or anywhere, really). Each of them is processing this move in their unique ways, which I’ll delve into in future posts.

The Culture Shift

One of the reasons we took this plunge is the promise of a higher quality of life and excellent education for our kids. But we're not naive; we understand that Switzerland is very different from America, not just in language but also in terms of cultural nuances and racial dynamics. We know that our multicultural family might raise eyebrows or spark curiosity, but we are here to embrace the change while staying true to our roots.

What to Expect?

In this blog, I’ll share everything from our experiences in navigating the Swiss educational system for both teens and preschoolers, to the ways we're adjusting to Swiss culture while maintaining our African American heritage. I'll also discuss marriage and partnership across racial lines in a foreign land, budgeting for a family of six in one of the most expensive cities in the world, and all the joys and challenges that come with this expat life.

Thank you for joining us on this adventure. We're thrilled to share our ups, downs, and everything in-between as we navigate this new chapter of Our Swiss Life.

So sit back, grab a cup of tea (or wine, no judgments here!), and let’s take this journey together.

Cheers to new beginnings! 🇨🇭❤️🇺🇸

John Singer Sargent (American, 1856-1925) • Portrait of Louise Pomeroy Inches • 1887 • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Evening Dress • Unidentified Maker • American • Silk velvet with silk plain weave lining

How wonderful that such a well-preserved dress exists to enliven a famous portrait painting! This dress is one of my favorites for a couple of reasons – firstly, I love velvet and this silk velvet is the real deal – gorgeous. Secondly, I've seen the portrait many times at the MFA in Boston. The dress was in a glass case at the blockbuster Fashioned by Sargent exhibition also at the MFA.

I've read that Louise Inches was expecting her third child when she sat for this portrait and that the dress had been designed to accommodate extra panels as her figure expanded. She and Sargent got on well. Both were music lovers and accomplished musicians.

John Singer Sargent, Portrait of Mrs. Frederick Guest (Amy Phipps) • 1905 • The Norton Museum of Art, Pasadena, California