Jennifer in Luxembourg

I wonder if you will all tire of the mundane, but I realize the ordinary is what sets us up for the extraordinary. So everyday, I dash to find a bus for work, walk down the hill to the office, check the elevator mirror to see I’m presentable, and step off and into my desk. The morning is dedicated to Europe. We got a new lunch table at work, and have been working to socialize the office more around it. A wide mix of countries and personalities, the diversity of food is almost as varied as the people who made it. The afternoon is when the Americans are alive, and the meetings are stacked until late for them. The workday here has been an adjustment for me. No longer leaving my house by 7AM, and rolling into work at 7:10, I’m now arriving closer to 9, and staying until 6pm. The weather lately has been incredible. Sunshine has almost made me forget the cold rainy days. There are anomalies to the everyday: I took the wrong bus and then walked in the pouring rain, sans umbrella or ...

So it's been a bit of radio silence, since I was in the USA. I was back in Boston for a week to help in my old capacity as Learning Experience Facilitator. I made it in Saturday afternoon and picked up a rental car. I was uncertain if I'd remember how to drive, much less in Boston traffic, but 10 minutes out of Logan we remembered just fine and kept up with the Massholes. As I pulled into the hotel, I was spotted by three of my students from Europe, who kindly assisted me with my bags and invited me to join for all the festivities with them. The week included multiple meals shared with wonderful people from work and church and gave me a chance to properly say goodbye to some and update others. It was a heavy week of training. I remembered that it would be an intense week of work, but forgot how much jetlag would play a part. Plus the hotel ventilation (that always affects all my European students) completely did me in. Tuesday morning I felt like death, and my coworker kindly c...

I'm on the train home from meeting one of my students. He lives on the other side of Paris, but he graciously met and toured me around our Paris office and helped me print a few things. I wrote messages on the desks of several of my former students, and chatted with a few colleagues in the office as well. I'm feeling very reflective on this 1.5 hr ride back to the hotel. Grateful, for the people like him who are in my life. And grateful for his gang of buddies who also support and cheer me on, and to whom a selfie was sent 😊 Today has been interesting. I'm in Paris for an event that I'm hosting the next two days. I'm terrified. I want it to succeed. I want it to be valuable. I've poured countless hours of worry into this event, for better or worse. I want to utilize all the resources given me to the fullest extent.  I've poured over my guide, printed papers, trying for success tomorrow. And matters seem complicated as my botched crown replacement from Bosto...

 It's 11:24P.M. My stomach is full, but my heart is fuller. Tonight was incredible.  A few weeks ago at church, I attended the membership class and met a woman who invited me to "Friday night dinner" that she and her husband host. The church has a shared space with a large room and kitchen, and every Friday they invite anyone and everyone to share in a home cooked meal, potluck style. There are no expectations to bring anything, as they always prepare enough food.  I joined two weeks ago for the first time. There were over 30 people in the room, a wide array of dishes and desserts and a full house.  Not all were from the church, and as the hostess explained to someone - "so many people are not from Luxembourg, we wanted to make sure everyone felt like they had family and a home". As is always the case in these giant event spaces, the dishwasher didn't work. I met several people drying dishes, and then ended up making a new Greek friend as she offered that we...

On the flight to Boston... I told someone I was going home Aril 1st.  Then I realized. I referred to Luxembourg as home. It's hard to know where home is at present.  I went through the motions getting on this flight. I was uncertain how I felt. People ask me if I'm excited about a trip back. Yes? They asked if I will be homesick visiting. Yes?   I know things will be different. I'm stepping into a role and sessions I've done many times before, but now as a substitute. I've relinquished my beloved class to another. I still made sure their dietary and religious needs were cared for as I knew no one else would think about it.  But here we are. Somewhere over the Atlantic. Only an hr. out from Boston. And I'm feeling giddy. Nervous and happy.  For the first time, I'm entering the United States and can't tell the customs officer I'm going home. I'm only visiting. I will return in 8 short days.  Yes, I proudly hold my US passport. But it'...

From March 18th Today’s my eleven year bone marrow transplant birthday. I asked three different people to meet me for drinks/dinner tonight, and none could make it. I know celebration doesn’t have to be with others, but at this moment it seems very heavy and isolated. I bought two small strawberry tarts to eat tonight. I looked at an entire cake to bring to the office, but I didn’t get my life together enough in time. I bought a new dress in Cologne that I’m wearing today, along with the new sneakers I bought there too. I like how I look today. The office buzzes on. My hair is flat from the headset on for hours now. I smell people’s lunches being heated up. Life goes on. Eleven years ago I wasn’t sure if I’d be alive today. It’s so weird to think about that, and wonder if anyone around me realizes the brevity of life. They know me here and now, the American girl. I don’t know how to feel. Sad on all the ones we’ve lost. Happy I’m still here? I went home. Still a swirling storm in...