Adventures of a Puertorican Girl in Brussels

Adventures in True Love

2012-02-10T00:09:00.000-08:00

Even in Belgium it is impossible to escape Valentine's Day. This country has also succumbed to it with every chocolate shop lined up with little heart boxes and restaurants advertising their Valentine's Day menu. I am a believer in Love but as I have said in my previous two Valentine's Day posts, I believe that we should show our love to those who makes us happy every day. It doesn't need to be a grand gesture. Maybe a home cooked meal or a simple favor. Sometimes we obsess about being single when we receive so many different forms of love in our life.

A little Valentine's Day treat from Jessica's True Love Cupcakes

Recovering from a broken heart brought me to Belgium the first time. Love brought me back a second time around. That love did not survive but I will never regret returning for it. I left Brussels for Miami last summer and there I lived a short yet amazing romance. Although my heart was broken shortly upon my return, I am happy that my heart still has the ability to feel this way. In the beginning it was difficult to accept the end, but recently I have come to cherish those brief moments we had and welcomed happiness into my life. Happiness in the form of cherishing all the blessings I have in my life.
I believe love is infinite. We chose how much we want to give. When things don't end up the way you want them to be, it is easy to swear off that feeling. When I feel this way, I remind myself that success is achieved rarely without risks. Those are the moments when we first meet someone who completely takes our breath away and then we get a wave of uncertainty because of the pain we have been through in the past. We start thinking of the future instead of living in that moment. I recently had that brief moment of bliss when meeting someone for the first time. Everything in me brightened up when we were introduced. I savored the present by listening to his voice and looking into his eyes. Since then we have met a few times. His kindness, eyes, and laughter give me a perpetual smile. I just want to stay in this present moment. That feeling for me is all worth the risk. Wishing you an amazing Valentines Day. Call a friend, parent, or significant other and tell them how much you love them.

Another Puertorriqueño in Brussels..... review of the Gabriel Rios concert

2012-02-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

While meeting Flemish people in Belgium, I am always asked where I am from. When I say I grew up in Puerto Rico, the answer I always get is: "so do you know Gabriel Rios?". I had no idea who this guy was until I arrived in Belgium but I could not be happier to have discovered this great performer. My curiosity was sparked as I found out he had moved to Belgium from Puerto Rico when he was only eighteen years old. Since then, he has been making music in Belgium and gathering a huge following in Flanders and Holland. When I went to You Tube to see what the fuss was all about, I was very impressed on how he managed the Latin, Belgian, and American elements into his music. The more time I spend here in Belgium, the more I can relate.
When I saw he was performing at the Ancienne Belgique (AB), I had to recruit my friends, to include a fellow Boricua who is living in Holland to check him out. I had been listening to his first two albums, Angelhead and Ghostboy frequently on my way to work. I must admit that I love his songs in Spanish more than the ones in English, especially "Tu no me quieres" and "Las Calaveras".

Gabriel Rios at the Ancienne Belgique, February 3rd, 2012

One of the things that I enjoy about the AB is the intimate setting and superb acoustics. Due to the snowstorm that hit just a few hours before the concert, it was not as packed although it was sold out. Even my compatriot from Holland was not able to make it due to the foul weather. Even with the challenges of the snow, there was a great crowd. Gabriel arrived on time and delivered a spectacular extended set of songs. I also loved the style of the concert, he even brought a cello player to accompany him in a few songs.
He focused mostly on his new record, The Dangerous Return and other songs he was working on. His voice is spectacular and has this amazing presence on stage. What I admired most was the chemistry between the musicians in his band. I was impressed with the eye contact they had almost each other while they played and how it looked like they were having the time of their lives playing. I was a saddened by the fact that he did not play that many songs in Spanish but he did a few I was not familiar with and his range is even more moving in Spanish.
Compared to other nationalities, there are not that many Puertoricans in Belgium so it was refreshing to see that uno de nosotros is making us proud here in Belgium. I am happy that I had the opportunity to witness such a lively and moving concert from one of my compatriots and his amazing band. Looking forward to seeing him in the future.

Adventures in London Running

2012-02-01T05:30:00.000-08:00

One of the best ways to discover a city is by running. I try the best I can to go for runs while traveling. During a long weekend trip to London, I had the opportunity to go for two runs in two beautiful parks. The first run was on a Saturday morning at Hampstead Heath park. The park has great trails with some challenging hills. We ran four quality miles around the park. For a Saturday morning there were a lot of people, many walking their beautiful dogs. As I ran, I imagined how beautiful this place must be in the summer. I was also told by my friend that there is a pond open for swimming in the summer, which can be great for those who are training for Triathlons.
The following day, I joined my friend Lida for a long run (15k) at Regent's Park. I met Lida when we ran the Amsterdam marathon in 2010. She currently lives in London and has managed to run almost 50 marathons since 2006! She is set to run her 50th marathon in her hometown of Prague (we ran Prague together last year) this spring. Given her passion for running, I knew that she would be the source for great running places in London.

I truly enjoyed our long run at Regent's Park starting with The Hub, an area in the middle of the park with changing rooms, lockers, and showers. I wish more parks had facilities like this as it makes runners more flexible with their schedules and valuables. The park is lively on a Sunday afternoon: the grounds are covered with guys (some very good looking) playing rugby, soccer, and to my amazement American football! We ran through the gardens, some of which still had flowers. As we went through the trails, we were also able to catch glimpses of the London Zoo. I envied the water fountains along the road as I only wish that Brussels had the same.

After our run we rewarded ourselves with lunch at Carnaby street and talked about the upcoming Madrid marathon which she will run as well. It was great to get feedback and pointers from someone who has ran so many marathons. I believe her best quality is her love for running which proves that running is not a chore or something you have to do, but something we can all truly enjoy.

Adventures in London

2012-02-01T02:52:00.000-08:00

Usually my adventures in other lands involve friends who I have met in Brussels and move on to other (and sometimes more glamorous) lands. This past weekend, I headed to London to visit my friend Marissa who I met while we were graduate students in Brussels. Being my third time in London, I have already seen London Bridge, Piccadilly Circus, and Wicked on West End. This time, I craved to discover local neighborhoods. There were many highlights of the trip but there is only so much space to talk about my favorite ones.

Tasting at market

My friend lives in the Hampstead neighborhood in the north London. The area is surrounded by beautiful homes, interesting shops, and restaurants. One thing I always do on my trips to London is an Indian meal. On Friday night, we went to Paradise Hampstead for an Indian dinner. The restaurant was very cozy, food was delicious, great service, ending dinner with amaretto and limoncello on the house.

Market Indulgence

The following day, Marissa took me to their neighborhood park, Hampstead Heath , for a run. The park is beautiful and we managed to do a nice four mile run around the park. I loved running through the ponds and I could only imagine how much more beautiful it is in the summertime. As an animal lover, I loved running by all the beautiful dogs on their morning walks. The hills were challenging but it was a great way to get the day started as our next stop was the Broadway Market. This market, located between East End street between the Regent’s Canal and London Fields was the perfect stop after a run because the food possibilities were endless. We finally settled for falafel wraps and shared a slice of organic carrot cake and mini cupcakes for dessert. I loved the local feel of the market. Despite the cold weather, the atmosphere was very lively with live music from street performers and a diverse set of people shopping, eating and drinking.

My piece of local Islington art

We continued on to the Islington, a neighborhood in central London. We walked around the stands along the alleys filled with antique art and jewelry. I was taken by the lovely vintage shops (I wish I could have won my scratch off lottery ticket I bought at Tesco so I could afford some of the dresses!). After walking all day through the markets and window shopping, we met up with a friend to do another culinary must experience in London: the Gastropub. We went to the Horseshoe Pub Hampstead for dinner and drinks and the bartender gave me stouts to sample before I made my choice. Although my fish and chips was good, the toasts with anchovies and Parmesan custard stole the show. Great service: when the waiter couldn't find amaretto for my apres dinner drink, he went downstairs to the cellar to find it for me.

No trip to London complete without fish and chips

On my final day in London, I did a little shopping. Again, if I could have only won the lottery! I went to Liberty to pick up some products for my friend and I was overwhelmed with all the beautiful things it had to offer. My favorite was the stationery section, filled with intricately designed handcrafted cards and journals. But the highlight of my shopping trip was buying perfume at Jo Malone. When I could not decide which fragrance to get, the shop assistant gave me a hand massage with both of the fragrances I was debating on. I did not want it to end! Altogether, the service in London is very good.

Although I enjoyed my first two times in London, it still had not achieved "favorite"status for me. Third time is a charm! Now I feel there is no excuse not to go to London from Brussels. Two hours and 88 EUR Eurostar train ride later, you can be in a totally different atmosphere. This weekend escape offered everything: food, atmosphere, shopping, and great running.

2012, year of trying new things in Brussels: La Britannique

2012-01-23T02:32:00.000-08:00

One of my goals is to try new things this year. After five years of living in Belgium, I have grown accustomed to the places I have grown to love, missing out on great things to see and do in this country. I am determined to get out beyond my southern Ixelles neighborhood I love so much. When I saw the brunch concept of La Britannique, a popular catering company in Brussels, I knew I had to take part of this. Every weekend there is a different theme and spaces a very limited as there is one table which serves around 15 people. I asked my friend Jane, of Best of Brussels to join me as the theme of the brunch was "American Classics".

Pumpkin Bread

When we arrived to La Britannique, I automatically loved the atmosphere. The brunch takes place in a small dining room next to the kitchen of the catering company. We were surrounded by hundreds of cooking books, glasses, and bottles of wine. We were the first to arrive and were greeted by Alex, the owner of La Britannique who walked us through the menu of homemade pumpkin bread, cheese plate, blueberry pancakes, maple tarts, sausages, and my favorite, eggs Benedict. As we sipped on Alex's take of the mimosa: freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and cava, we were excited to taste all the yummy things that were being offered.

Cheese Plate

As more guests began to arrive, I was impressed with the diverse group and was great to meet interesting people in a relaxed environment. Alex and his staff brought the dishes fresh from the stove/oven to us, so everything had a very fresh flavor. Refills of juice, coffee, and water were always at hand, which is a luxury here in Brussels.

Eggs Benedict

We began our feast with pumpkin bread, warm from the oven. The bread had a great texture, topped with caramelized pumpkin seeds, delicious and probably my favorite part of the menu. My second favorite were the eggs Benedict, poached eggs over homemade English muffins with candied bacon and homemade hollandaise sauce. Everything on the menu was delicious but I had to play favorites with these two.
We agreed our favorite part of the experience is having such a personal experience with the chef. In addition to meeting nice and interesting people it was great to be in a welcoming environment with delicious and fresh food. I look forward to returning to taste what La Britannique cooks next.

Adventures in Cupcake Baking

2012-01-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

We all begin the new year with different goals. Some we stick to and some we're done with after the second week. Two of my goals are quite contradictory but they seem to be working so far: expand my cupcakery and run a sub 4:30 marathon. Although I am not much into sweets, I love to bake. There is something about the process, experimentation, and finally, the happiness of people who love my baked goods. This made me create a little home based cupcakery called Jessica’s True Love. My intent is not to become rich from this endeavor but it is a great way to channel my creative side given my technical day jobs. There are also some perks: during the quality control process, I get to taste my little creations. This is when I realize my running goal comes in handy in order not to expand my waistline.

Savory Experiment: Mini Cornbread with Roasted Red Peppers topped with Fromage Frais

Chocolate Filled with Passion Fruit Curd (some sans buttercream.... to fufill those with resolutions)

During the winter break at my hometown in Upstate, NY, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen where my cooking skills developed as a teenager. My mom and my cousin gave me a hand with the baking and plenty of relatives were able to be my taste test my cupcakes and give feedback. Another highlight of being home is the variety at supermarkets (specifically my favorite place, Wegmans) with ingredients and products at great prices which allowed me to experiment with tropical fruit such as guava and passion fruit and gluten-free flour.

During this experimentation process, I decided to share all of my new findings with my friends by having a "start the new year with a cupcake apero" upon my return to Brussels. What better taste testers than your friends? I must admit was not ready for the overwhelming response of people who RSVP’d but as the Marine I am, I rose to the challenge. I decided to put all my experimentation on the table and have my friends decide. The experiments ranged from savory zucchini with Gruyere and bacon to mini cheesecakes with speculoos frosting. As I baked, random waves of inspiration such as guava cream cheese filling I added to my vanilla cupcakes or a chocolate orange ganache. The ganache reminded me to one of my favorite Belgian chocolate treats: the orangettes. I actually ended up making home-made truffles with the leftover ganache.

Vanilla Buttercream Cupcakes and Mini Cheesecakes with Speculoos Crust

Two days of baking and over two hundred cupcakes later, I was ready to share my ideas with my very diverse set of friends. I was overwhelmed and humbled by all the compliments and feedback. It gave me the confidence to continue to promote my little endeavor of love. I think there is something about the creative process when nothing is expected in return which makes me take more creative risks. I am happy to have a group of friends who support True Love and I look forward to making more people happy with my treats in 2012.

Retour a Bruxelles: back to running

2012-01-12T08:12:00.000-08:00

Although I come from a tropical island, I am not a big fan of very hot climates. It was difficult to run in Miami with extremely hot and humid weather in the summer months. A new year has started and I need to get in shape for the Madrid marathon in April. Unfortunately, Brussels is not a city for runners. First of all, people don't like to pick up their dog poop which makes it difficult to navigate through the sidewalks without worrying about "surface land mines". Second problem is the lack of obeyance of traffic rules. I have had a few near death experiences with individuals who don't care about the pedestrian crossing. Third, I find it hard to motivate my friends to run, they rather be drinking.
Despite all this, I try to run as much as I can. With all the delicious food in Brussels there is no choice. What I do is sign up for races in order to be obliged to train. The advantage of Europe is there are plenty of races throughout and the travel is reasonably priced. I have also noticed that the entry fee, considering currency exchange and all are cheaper than in the US. This spring I have two races so far: the Madrid marathon and Berlin Half Marathon. I like the idea of running a half before the actual marathon, it mentally prepares me for the crowds and excitement. My friend Khalilah (and fellow lady Marine) and I have always had a friendly running competition. Her PR is 4:28, mine is 4:30. She will be crossing an ocean from Washington, DC to defend her title and I will be ready for the challenge (or at least try to).

Abbaye de La Cambre, next to the Lakes of Ixelles

For this showdown, where will I train? There are some nice places to run in Brussels. As winter approaches and it gets darker in the evenings, I like to run by the lakes of Ixelles. It is a little over a mile to run around the lakes but if you have no other choice than to run in the evenings, the area is always filled with people due to all the restaurants and bars around Place Flagey. It also has great views of the Abbaye de la Cambre and the beautiful art nouveau homes which surround it. For hill training, it is perfect to run the roads leading up to Ave Louise, for example Rue Lebroussart or Vleurgat. Another place for shorter runs is Parc du Cinquantenaire. It is always filled with runners, although I do not advise to run by yourself late in the evening. For those like me who work in the Zaventem/Diegem area, there are some decent trails along the farmland behind the 3M, Toyota, and IBM buildings. This is where I do my weekday lunch time runs.
For long runs, I usually go to Bois de la Cambre. It is a very large park in Brussels where you can run your 30km runs without seeing the same place twice. There are many trails to choose from and also a paved bike trail if you rather be more visible. It is one of my favorite places to run as it is close to my home but the forest are is very large and there are always enough people to make you feel safe if running alone, however, I do not recommend running there at night. Also, I have been consulting the website http://www.running.be/ , it's a website with Belgian running news and information. It also has a calendar with all the local races. I've done a few such as the 10 miles of Antwerp and a 10k in Mechelen and the races are affordable and very well organized. I look forward to running more local races this year.
After taking a small break from running this fall, I am looking forward to running this winter and spring. For a change of scenery during my long runs, I plan to go to the Foret de Soignes (if you go for a long run at Bois de la Cambre you will run into it), Tervuren park and also the canals in Flanders. Ninove (small town in Flanders) offers a great bike path which is rather flat and can be used for long runs. Now if I could only convince my friends to join me....

Happy 2nd Birthday, Adventures of a Puertorican Girl in Brussels

2012-01-01T11:08:00.001-08:00

It has been two years since I started this blog. Something which began as a hobby has become a big part of my life. It brings me great happiness when those who stumble upon my blog enjoy my stories. The posts can be as mundane as Brussels Burger Wars or as emotional as my Adventures in International dating series, but my goal is to share how I choose to live my life as a Puertorican girl in Brussels. 2011 was an amazing year filled with personal accomplishments and also heartbreak. Life gave me some unexpected surprises such as my three month work assignment in Miami. Most of them great, some bad, but I've learned from all experiences I encountered this year. You have been with me through my promotion to Major, the Prague Marathon, my adventures in four continents, finding love, and losing love. I do not regret a single event as I do not believe in coincidences. I also believe life is about taking risks, I cannot dislike something I have not tried. Love is the biggest risk of all. One of the things I discovered this year through my positive and negative experiences is finding the fearless person I used to be five years ago when I embarked on my journey to Brussels. As we get older, we set expectations for ourselves about what we should be doing instead of what we want to do. I make a commitment in this new year to do the latter.

At the conclusion of 2011, I spent ten days in Rochester, NY where I spent my high school years. In this simple industrial town I began to materialize the dreams I had as a child by not choosing to be a statistic and pursuing my university studies. At the age of 17, my parents dropped me off at the State University of New York at Albany and I have not lived home since. Although I was scared and alone the minute my parents pulled away from the parking lot, I found the courage to follow my dreams.

This new year has many exciting experiences lined up, starting as soon as next weekend when I get to celebrate Three Kings Day with my Puerto Rican compatriots in Amsterdam. Another highlight this spring is my road trip through Spain which will culminate with running the Madrid marathon. I will to continue with my studies in French, start my Danish lessons, expand my cupcake business, figure out what I want to be when I grow up, among other goals I will share with you throughout the year.

As this year begins, I promise to continue sharing my stories of food, running, traveling, and love. I thank everyone who has taken the time to read my blog and I am extremely flattered I have had 14,000 hits in the last two years. I wish you a wonderful year filled with new experiences and I hope you continue in this journey with me. I look forward to receiving feedback from you in regards to my posts and any topic you would like me to touch upon. Wishing you the best, Puertorriqueña in Brussels- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Love lost, gained pounds....

2011-12-28T07:15:00.000-08:00

I debated on posting about this topic as it is quite personal, but I have a feeling that some can relate with it. While I was in Miami this summer, I fell in love and shortly after I landed back in Brussels, I was quickly disillusioned. That's my fancy way to say I was dumped. As many people who go through breakups, I went though overwhelming sadness, confusion, and anger. Sad because I will never see him again, confused because I thought he was the real deal, and angry because I felt duped.
The Belgian fall came upon me after a sun filled summer in Miami. Darkness took over the Brussels sky and took away any desire to run. I started indulging in all the yummy things Brussels had to offer. With the pizzas of Mama Roma and my almost daily pain au chocolat at Gaudron I quickly started gaining weight. I tried to ignore the fact my clothes were tighter and I felt a little bulge when I sat down. While most people who suffer through breakup lose their appetite, I belonged in the minority of those who found solace in food. Eight weeks of mourning equals ten pounds of weight gained.

My Solace

I returned to Miami earlier this month, to face memories no longer sweet to me. At first every corner reminded me of the love story lost. The scent of the ocean, of cigars, and never ending summer nights reminded me of him. The days felt like weeks, but towards the end of my trip, I woke up no longer feeling sad. I decided to go for a run in the early Miami morning for the first time in weeks. During the run, I realize I was focusing so much in what I had lost instead of focusing on all the amazing things that had happened to me this year. I was promoted to Major, saw four continents, saw all of my siblings, enjoyed my family, started a business, among dozens of other great things this year. This love lost had taken over the positive person I have always been. I found solace in food and my desire to run or how we say in the Marines "to hit the pavement", slipped away. At times, I forced myself to run but it was too painful emotionally and physically. My body and my mind felt heavy.
It was not until I arrived in Miami again and faced what will never be that I decided to do something about the damage I have done to my body. Slowly I started to run again, through Miami, San Francisco, and now Rochester, NY where I am spending my holidays. Running a four mile run by Crissy Field in San Francisco reminded me of the beauty of running. I started taking spinning classes in Rochester as well to offset the cold weather. I wish I would have been one of those who stopped eating when dumped, but we can't lament the things in the past. I am responsible for my future. I have ran three marathons and I just signed up for my fourth in Madrid. My parents gifted me the plane ticket to Madrid and I cannot be more excited. Training begins next week. With a heart now mended, I am ready to run my best personal time at the Madrid Marathon in 2012.

Adventures in California Wine Country

2011-12-26T09:44:00.000-08:00

As I wrote in one of my previous post, one sad thing about Brussels is meeting wonderful people to later see them leave, but the positive thing about it is that you get to see them in other exciting places. This is the case with Adeo, a friend I met in Brussels while we were both graduate students at Boston University. He invited me to join him on a day trip to Napa Valley with his niece Kirsten who is visiting from the Philippines. Just as Brussels, the weather in San Francisco can be quite unpredictable. We were overwhelmed with the gorgeous sunny day San Francisco offered us. On our way to Napa, we stopped by the Golden Gate Bridge as is was one of those rare days when you can see the whole bridge without the fog taking away from its splendor. There are many sights of my country I love, but this one is one of my favorites. There is a majestic quality of the red gate cutting through the mountains which makes you stop and just stare at it. The clear skies was an indicator the day was going to be a fun one!

Golden Gate on a Sunny Day

We arrived in Yountville, CA and stopped by for an organic lunch at Pacific Blue Cafe. The lunch was simple: wraps, burgers, and sandwiches, but they were delicious and the service was good. Afterwards, we shared dessert at Bouchon, the cute French style patisserie across the street. Then our tasting began at the Opus One winery. Although it was winter, the scenery was spectacular: a sunny day, clear blue skies, and green mountains.

The Road to Opus One

The winery had a gorgeous modern design on the outside and an eclectic interior, to include a Miro painting and Renaissance-era furniture from the Rotshchild family, who partly owns the winery. We embarked on a very detailed and impressive winery tour. I was amazed on how immaculate the winery is and how it's the perfect blend of modern and classic. We went through the state of the art process in how the grapes are picked (to include Nikon cameras to ensure the right grapes are separated) to the gorgeous French oak barrels in which the wine ages. We were rewarded at the end with a glass of their wonderful 2008 vintage.

An oenophile heaven!

After we finished the tour, we headed to Sonoma for a little stroll around the town of Healdsburg where we checked out the eclectic combination of shops, from cute clothing boutiques to antiques. We finished our day at the Spoon bar at the Hotel h2. The bar was simple yet modern and the cocktails were as delicious as the tapas plate of fried olives, lamb meatballs, shrimp, and other goodies we ordered. Our mixologist concocted a delicious drink made with apple liqueur and rum which captured the winter spirit the best way I know.

Delish Cocktails at Spoon Bar...

It seems with the drive from San Francisco to Napa to Sonoma back to San Francisco there was a lot to do in such little time, but the company and the atmosphere made it a memorable experience. The area is so beautiful, with so much to offer it gives me the same desire to return as I did on my first visit in 2009. A must do if you are in Northern California.

Cross-border Christmas Market Adventures

2011-12-07T04:26:00.001-08:00

The first two years I lived in Brussels, I departed for my winter holidays before I could actually embrace what an European Christmas is like. That all changed in 2008, when I lived in Stuttgart, Germany and spent Christmas season between Stuttgart and Belgium. My first Christmas market was in the city center of Stuttgart. I was amazed with the gorgeous decorations, beautifully set wooden shacks filled with nutcrackers, smell of the wurst cooking, and the warm, spicy taste of Glühwein (German mulled wine) on my lips. I realized how much I missed the first two years.

Stand at Stuttgart Christmas Market, 2008

At La Britannique stand at St. Catherine, Brussels

Although I missed my parents and family that year, I was happy to discover this winter wonderland. The winters of upstate New York are brutal, filled with snow and the cold sticks to the bone. There is no desire of drinking warm wine outside. Years later, I am still eager to discover Christmas in my adopted surroundings. Although I travel to the US every year, I manage to take in some Euro Christmas. I have been to the markets in Antwerpen and Leuven and maybe some remember my post about my market adventure in St. Catherine, Brussels, last year. As I write this, I am headed to the United States on an early Christmas trip, but I made sure to check out the markets before bundling up in upstate NY.This year, my friends visited from Holland the first weekend of the Christmas market at Place St Catherine. It is not the conventional Christmas market you may see in Germany, but it has its own charm. It truly reflects the diversity of Brussels from the variety of the food and gift stands. We indulged with oysters, champagne, and cauliflower-blue cheese soup. This market is for those who enjoy great food, so bring an empty stomach! For those with children, there is an ice skating rink and a ferris wheel to keep them entertained.

Puertorican invasion at St Catherine, Brussels

Monschau Christmas Market

This past weekend a few friends and I crossed the border into Monschau, Germany for their popular market. I love German villages. I may be partial to my old Baden Wüttemburg, but the village is quite charming. Although it is a small village, the market is quite popular in the area. The village has a quite organized park and ride system, which makes it easy to get into the market by bus without having to struggle for parking or deal with traffic.Once we reached the center of the market, it took me back to being a child, when I imagined what Santa's town looked like. I think the movies I watched as a child were inspired by this village. The market smelled spicy just as the Glühwein and Orangenpunsch it served. Monschau is the setting of a fairytale: a river running through the city, lined by beautiful cottages. The first thing we did was rush to a wurst (sausage) stand and indulge, then we walked around the different stands and admired the beauty of a village which seems was built just to perpetuate the Christmas spirit. The people at the stands were very friendly, just as I envisioned Santa's helpers to be. If you have a chance, make the drive to Monschau, it is an hour and a half drive from Brussels, it is a welcome breath of fresh air.

Prost... from Monschau!

I wish you all a very happy holiday season and I will keep you updated of my American adventures through "Adventures in the New World: The Holiday Edition". Bonne Fêtes!
Information:
Monschau Christmas Market: http://www.monschau.de/
Stuttgart Christmas Market: http://www.stuttgarter-weihnachtsmarkt.de/
Brussels Christmas Market: http://www.bruxelles.be/artdet.cfm?id=4843&agendaid=59

Thanksgiving in Brussels

2011-11-28T04:30:00.001-08:00

In the first part of my Thanksgiving in Brussels chronicles, I wrote about what I love about the holiday and why it inspires me. This entry is a review of my Thanksgiving celebration in Brussels. On Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, the real cooking began. I began chopping and cooking in the early afternoon. I had the dishwasher taking care of the wine glasses and my washer of my linens. Apparently that was too much for my electricity to handle grid because shortly around sunset, I had a power outage. After a challenging conversation with Electrabel (I did not learn electricity terms at my French class), I had to wait for the technician to arrive. With the challenge of feeding 35 people, I had to think fast. I lit every candle I could find in my home, placed them on the dining room table, and went back to work. With some moral support from my good friend and Best of Brussels blogger, Jane, I was able to knock out my stuffing, prepare my turkey and knock out a large order for True Love Cupcakes.

Stuffing in the dark

Three hours later, the technician arrived and there was light in my again. It was a big relief given I had so much food to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner. Close to 1am, my turkey was prepared, stuffing was made, vegetables chopped, and cupcakes made. The following day, the cooking began at 9am. Lots of chopping, cooking, and cleaning but the reward was an amazing turkey surrounded by my favorite side dishes. I am lucky that I have friends who showed up a little earlier to help me with some final touches.

Before going into the oven

Although I have access to American products via my military connection, I also like to use local products to give it the "Amerobelgarican" (American-Belgian-Puertorican) flair. One of the dishes I made solely with local products was macaroni and cheese. I know it is a very American dish but I chose to give it a local twist. I made a few experiments in my kitchen weeks beforehand and finally came up with this. Since many of my guests raved about it, I decided to share the recipe with you:

Truffle Macaroni and Cheese
1/2 baguette
2 to 3 tablespoons truffle oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
3 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
500g macaroni
500g shredded gruyere cheese
500g shredded pecorino cheese

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F (175
Place the bread in food processor to make crumbs
Cook the macaroni according to the package
In a separate sauce pan, melt butter, add flour and create a roux (1 minute, medium heat)
Whisk in cream, milk, and mustard until mixture thickens (around 5 minutes, medium-high heat), whisk continuously, remove from heat
Mix cooked macaroni, cheese, oil (reserve the last tablespoon for taste), and cream mixture. Place in pan and top with bread crumbs
Place in the oven for 30 minutes (or when cheese starts to bubble)
Enjoy!

The dinner was a success! It always feels great to see people having seconds of the food I prepare. I am thankful despite the small technical problem, I was able to pull off such a feast and share it with my friends in Brussels. For many of them, it was their first Thanksgiving and I am happy they got to experience at my home. We ate, we drank, and we even did a little dancing in the end. Although these are the dates which make me the most homesick, the fact I am surrounded by great people make the experience worthwhile. Good friends, good food, and a little electricity.... these are the things I am thankful for!

Thanksgiving in Brussels: Prep time

2011-11-18T04:31:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It is the day we can get together and reflect all the things we are thankful for. A few days ago I began my preparations for my third annual "thanksgiving extravaganza". My friends in Brussels truly enjoy the dinner and the opportunity to taste the "Amerobelgarican" menu. It's a challenge to cook for more than thirty, but I enjoy it. I love looking for new recipes and incorporating the classics such as the roasted turkey to my Belgian inspired recipes: cranberry sauce infused with kriek (Belgian cherry beer) and stoemp, a traditional Belgian potato dish. From going to the Chatelain market to pick up flowers to baking homemade cornbread muffins, preparing the thanksgiving buffet always makes me very happy.

Ready to start cooking!

My return to Brussels was bittersweet as I mourned a love lost. I spent many days lamenting how I opened myself to love to suddenly see my dreams being crushed. Many days of reflection and tears made me realize that life has so many beautiful things to offer. Life is too short to focus what we cannot have, and I choose to focus on the things I do have. I have a loving family, friends all over the world, a good job, and a comfortable life. Sometimes it takes difficult times to look around and see how fortunate we truly are.
I am thankful for so many things in my life. This year has been one filled with great surprises and memories. I surprised my mom for her birthday, two of my good friends gave birth to healthy baby girls, I was promoted to Major, I visited South America for the first time, and the list goes on. Then there are the simple things which make me happy in Brussels: my friends, discovering new restaurants, parties, markets, and one of my favorties, my pain au chocolat in the morning.
Tomorrow as I host my friends for dinner, there will be many hours spent in the kitchen. I find it a great reminder for all the things I am thankful for. I have friends coming from Germany, Holland, and the UK and I am looking forward to sharing this special day of thanks with old and new friends. I wish you all a lovely thanksgiving! Take a moment to reflect about the things you are thankful for and tell those in your life how much you love and appreciate them! Con mucho amor....

Brussels Burger Wars

2011-11-13T10:44:00.001-08:00

I have been away from Brussels for three months and it seems now everywhere I turn there is a burger joint. In my nostalgia for all things American, I decided to explore three burger places in Brussels. More than three would be entirely too indulgent. I have fond memories of having my Shake Shack on Lenox Ave and Lincoln Rd on South Beach this summer. Unfortunately none of the artisan burger places here can recreate something as memorable as my Shack Burger Thursday night ritual during my three month stay at South Beach. The memorable part comes from the 2 for 1 beers, warm weather, and great SoBe people watching!
Right before leaving to Brussels, I went to Burger Repulic, located near Place Flagey. I must warn you, when I am hungry, the worst comes out in me! We waited more than an hour for our burger, the waiter's excuse was that a cook called in sick. Given the small staff at restaurants in Brussels due to labor costs, I am somewhat able to tolerate the long wait, but an hour for a burger is ridiculous. The burger was ok, but waiting for an hour was not worth it. Upon my return to Brussels, I chose to give it another chance. Apparently the same cook was sick because we were not even asked for our order after 20 minutes of waiting. We got up and left. A few minutes later, we ended up at Cool Bun, near Place Stephanie.

The Apple Jack at Cool Bun, Brussels

I love the concept of a burger/wine bar. We went on a Saturday afternoon and the service was great. Our waitress took our orders immediately and the overall service was great. I ordered the Apple Jack burger, a delicious creation served with sky high homemade onion rings. Unfortunately, I was not able to sample their wine selection, but the selection was large and affordable, with single glasses starting at 2,50 EUR. I was very impressed with the decor, price, service, and most of all the delicious burger I treated myself to. The burgers were served with an organic salad which did not make me feel any better after eating a huge mountain of onion rings!
That same Saturday, my friend and I went for a stroll by Place St. Catherine on Saturday. As I have mentioned in my previous blogs, St. Catherine is my favorite place to hang out on Saturdays. Now I adore it even more as I discovered my hangout also has burger place , Ellis Burger . I gave up my once a week burger quota to check it out the day following Cool Bun. The menu is quite similar to the other places but the place was much bigger, decor was very retro and open, housed in a flemish style building which are popular in the area. From all three places, I enjoyed this one the best with good and timely service. Everything in the menu looked delish but to my luck, they have a mini burger trio on their menu: lamb, chicken, and beef. No need to make up my mind when I can try all of them!

The burger trio at Ellis Burger, Brussels

I find the love/hate relationship with all things American fascinating in the capital of Brussels. I suspect that there will be more blog posts about this subject. Burgers, cupcakes, and now an Abercrombie and Fitch downtown. It's seems like I don't have to go to far to have a piece of home.

J'adore la Belgique/Ik hou van België: Coffee Time

2011-11-03T06:41:00.000-07:00

When I used to live in Northern Virginia, there was a Starbucks near my house where you can get your coffee through the drive-thru. Throughout cities in the US, you can see people walking to the the subway with their cardboard cup of coffee to their jobs or schools. On the commuter highways, you can see the driver next to you stuck on the I-95 drinking from his travel mug. I have never been a huge coffee drinker, but I enjoy one from time to time. When I first arrived to Brussels and I settled into my apartment in the Chatelain area and wanted a coffee to go on my way to school. I went to a coffee shop in the corner of Rue De L'Amazone and Rue de Bailli (it is now a tea room) and I asked for a coffee "emporter" (take away). The woman looked at me in horror, like I was crazy and told me that was not possible. I have also discovered the phrase C'est ne pas possible is very common here. Five years later, the "café à emporter" has become more popular in Brussels, but the culture of sitting down for a coffee prevails.

Jimmy at De Markten

I have become more of a coffee drinker since I arrived in Brussels, maybe it is the social aspect of it that has made me like it more. It's a cheap way to meet with friends and do a little people watching. I have a few places where I have enjoyed having my espressos. I enjoy Gaudron, mainly because it is so near my place. During the summer it is great because they have a large outdoor seating area with a great view of Place Brugmann. I recently found a very quaint cafe near Place Chatelain that I enjoy: Cafe Eden (on Rue du Page 27). It has a wide variety of coffee and tea. They even have coffee from Puerto Rico! Not only can you enjoy your coffee but you can buy beans from Galapagos to Nepal. Although busy, Cafe Belga is a nice place to have a coffee on Sunday mornings and a favorite of my friend Jane as you can bring your dog.
I know that I tend to be partial to my southern Ixelles neighborhood, but I also enjoy meeting my downtown friends at a few places in the center. I enjoy meeting my friends in the Saint Catherine neighborhood on Saturdays where there are many coffee shops to choose from. My friend Jimmy and I enjoy a coffee shop almost in the corner of Rue de Flandre and Place Saint Catherine, De Markten. The space is full of light and you can enjoy a good view of the small area behind the church where people enjoy their seafood dishes from Nordsee.
After five years in and out of Bruxelles, I can say that I have learned to stop, sit down, and have my coffee. I've even invested in my own Saeco "high-speed" coffee machine with built-in grinder so I can have my cappucino on my terrace with friends. Luckily, I have my shipment of Puertorican coffee supplied by my dear friends Karenid and Rafa straight from the island.

Amsterdam with a touch of Lenny cures the blues

2011-11-02T02:12:00.000-07:00

It is no secret since my return to Brussels I have been feeling a little down. I have been walking this tight rope of the life I left in the US and my life here in Brussels. The life I had in the US may have been a product of my imagination and my real life is here. An agenda full of birthday parties, dinners, and even an Oktoberfest has attempted to cure a void I have felt since I left a rainy Miami afternoon almost a month ago. We have a choice to be angry or sad over things we cannot control or we can take charge and make the most of what life has to offer. I choose the later.
Hans (my trusty 3 series) and my friend Jimmy headed to Amsterdam this weekend as I was invited by a fellow Puertorican to a Halloween party at her home. We drove on a beautiful fall afternoon with the sun shining and the music playing. Amsterdam is beautiful in the fall. Orange and Yellow trees hug the canals. I do not tire of walking through the canals, carefully inspecting the boats which line it. Some are fancy, some old, some you wonder if they work or are simply decoration. I wonder the stories of these boats and what they have witnessed through the canals. They are a reflection of the city which combines so many different cultures and styles and manage to coexist.
Saturday was a mild fall day in which I went for a walk with a friend through the canals. My favourite one is Prinsengracht, maybe because my first memory of Amsterdam was staying at the Hotel Pulitzer. It was my first trip out of Brussels when I moved here five years ago. I have returned multiple times and I do not tire of walking through the canals. We had lunch (with Heineken of course) with a lovely view of the canal and people enjoying their last few attempts of outdoor dining. I am proud to say I managed to order correctly in Dutch to the amusement of the waitress probably wondering about my Flemish/English accent. Prima!

Canals in the Fall

That evening I slipped into my Pumpkin costume and my friend and I rode our bikes to my friends' Halloween party. Riding a bicycle is something that I have always found liberating. It takes me back to my childhood, when life had no worries. My friend decorated her home as if it was a haunted house. The attention to detail was impressive, from the hand on the guava cake to the floating ghost. From the decorated cupcakes, to the mandatory costumes it was one of the best Halloween parties that I have been to. It was also great to meet other Puertoricans in the BeNeLux area as we are a rare breed roaming throughout Europe.

On my way to trick or treat, Dutch style

The following day after taking a quick detour to Den Haag to drop off Arwa, I was on my way back to Brussels with a some new color to paint over my blues. The day concluded with a Lenny Kravitz concert in Antwerpen. The Sportpaleis is the largest concert venue in Belgium and it receives a wide spectrum of acts. In 2008 I saw Marc Anthony (and a small glimpse of J.Lo) in concert. Belgians are not as animated as Americans in concerts and we were surprised that many people just sat there even when the song "Stand" played. Thankfully his contagious energy took over the venue and close to the end when "Are you going to go my way" played people started to get out their seats. His finale consisted of a long version of "Let love rule" and when he walked all around the arena. It was amazing! He came to our area and we were in full awe having him ten feet away. One of my friends who is a frequent concertgoer said it was one of the best concerts she has experienced in Belgium.

I have to admit that there are still some blues in me but with all the lovely people and experiences surrounding me, it is easy to be happy and to trust what life is trying to teach me. I hope that your fall is an abundant one!

Adventures in Kiwi Rugby

2011-10-31T02:13:00.000-07:00

As I have mentioned in previous posts, one of the highlights of Bruxelles is the diverse people you meet along the way. To cure my back to Bruxelles blues, I have kept my social agenda quite full. My second Sunday back in Bruxelles was spent at the Embassy of New Zealand with an eclectic group of my fellow Boston University alums. Here we were a Puertorican, New Zealander, American (with dual French citizenship), two Tunisians, and a Scot bonding over the France vs New Zealand Rugby World Cup final. I found out about the event through an Italian/American friend from work.

I have always had a fantasy about going to New Zealand. This year I finally decided to act on it and open a savings account exclusively for my trip there. I do not know exactly when but I am certain that it will happen. I am guessing that being at the New Zealand Embassy in Bruxelles for the final I was technically in country but without the fjords, beaches, and vineyards I visualize when thinking about my trip. The one thing I am certain of is the hospitality of the Kiwis given my experience at the event.
Our Kiwi friend Steve came prepared with his flag draped across his back and his "All Blacks" rugby shirt. I decided that if I want to go there bad enough, I should be an All Blacks fan as well, thankfully he had an extra All Blacks hat for me to represent. The embassy was filled with great food and champagne which made the early morning event even more appealing. We were greeted by the staff who were wearing their best All Blacks shirts and a smile. The game was tense, as the All Blacks had a one point lead over the French the whole second half. The few French fans in the room watched the game with hopes of scoring and the Kiwis tense to see if their lead would hold. The last ten minutes most of the people at the embassy were watching with their eyes covered. As the winners were declared, most of the room roared in happiness. I celebrated as well. Another highlight of experiencing the diversity Bruxelles has to offer.

Retour a Bruxelles: Tips on how to survive your return

2011-10-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

I enter my apartment and it's cold and silent. The refrigerator is empty except some beers and wine bottles. Although I have tons of messages of friends wanting to meet up, I feel lonely. This is what I call the "I just returned from my home country low energy" syndrome. I am very happy being in Brussels, but there is something sad about returning to a dark and cold place after spending time with your loved ones in your home country. I've spoken to a few of my expat buddies about it and it seems like they all have a different way to cope with this. I have been doing the expat life for seven years of my ten adult life years. I have had great experiences but there is nothing as difficult as leaving those you love behind, the same ones who support your dream and lovingly let you go. It doesn't get easier as I get older. I see my parents age and children walking before I am able to hold them. Although it is tough, with years of experience, I have put a little plan in place to make it a little easier.

1. Give yourself 72 hours to be sad and to accept that you're far away from the ones you love. Shed a tear or two if necessary. Feel free to go to your fridge and have a beer or two. Call them (but don't drunk dial) and tell them how much you love and miss them.
2. Go back to your routine as fast as possible. It sucks to go to work jet-lagged but the faster you are back on purpose, the better. I return to work the same day I arrive to jump start the routine.
3. Populate the agenda. My favorite part of Brussels: the people. I started to make plans with my friends a week before I returned.
4. Discover something new: There are new exhibitions, restaurants, places that I want to see and I'm already making plans for those.
5. Organize a dinner at home: opening your doors to others will not only make you feel at home again but help others as well.
6. Gratitude: Be thankful of all the wonderful things you have. I am thankful for my family back in America and the one I chose in Belgium.
Being away is difficult at times but I am also happy with my life in Brussels. This life did not hop on my lap, I had to create it. There were times that I just wanted to stay at home and watch movies alone but I pushed myself to go out there and do things. Most importantly experience all the great things that Belgium and its surrounding countries have to offer. Be present.

Adventures above the coqui line at El Yunque Rainforest

2011-10-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

The coqui... a tiny frog who is a symbol of Puertorican pride. This tiny little creature is perpetually heard but rarely seen. I have never met one in person but once night falls in the island of enchantment, they create a sound which becomes a lullaby to more than four million locals and their visitors. Although they can be found in other islands, legend says they cannot live anywhere else (at least happily) other than Puerto Rico. As we climbed to the top of El Yunque, the rainforest in Puerto Rico, their sound kept us company until we could not hear them anymore. We realized that we were above the "coqui line", we were at the peak of El Yunque, one of the highest points in Puerto Rico and the home of the only rainforest in the United States Park Service.

View from El Yunque peak

I have seen thirty-five countries and even if some were not the most desirable places to be, I have taken the best with me. It is difficult to decide what my second favorite place on earth is, but I have never questioned my first: El Yunque. My first time there was in 1994 when I visited with my brother. I was amazed by the simple beauty of this place. Since then, I cannot count how many times I have been there, but one thing is constant: it's my happy place.
This last visit was of many firsts for me. I went to the new visitor center for the first time. Although there is a $4 fee per person, I was very impressed with the place. The movie at the theater gave me a new awareness of my favorite place on earth, the gift shop was one of the nicest ones I have been to in a park/museum, and the host at the visitor center took his time to talk us through the trails. This was the first time I was hiking to the peak of El Yunque, which was very exciting. I was also sharing this with someone who means a lot to me.
With our map on hand, we started our acsent to the top. Due to time contraints, we started at past the midpoint, the Mt. Britton trail. It was already 2pm and pretty hot despite the canopy of leaves giving us shade. The trails were a bit confusing but after an hour and a half we made it to our destination, El Yunque Peak. The trails were quite challenging but we had the sounds of the birds and of course, the coqui to accompany us along the way. We finally reached the top, it was more beautiful than I had imagined. The day was perfectly sunny which gaves us great visibility of the east coast and the islands off the coast. The breeze at the top made such a natural moment seem supernatural. As we were leaving the unimaginable happened: clouds started to coming our way, it was one of the most beautiful sights I have seen. I was literally on cloud nine!

Trying to hug the clouds

After we finished the hike we decided to do a mini hike to La Mina waterfall. I always go to La Mina, the cold water is refreshing and good for the muscles after a long hike. Thankfully we went on a Monday, which I recommend as the place is not as busy as the weekends. La Mina falls is a place that I do not tire of visiting. What always amazes me is how much power this water fall has, the energy that I felt close to it was overwhelming. Touching the water made me feel nature its beautiful fury.

La Mina Falls

It was a great to experience El Yunque in a new way and also to share the places such as La Mina which I have loved since I first experienced it many years ago. It was nice to experience the peace above the Coqui line, to actually touch clouds with a person that at times makes me feel like I am in the clouds: happy, light, and without worries.
If you plan to visit Puerto Rico, please make this part of your itinerary, it is a beautiful sight.

Adventures deep in the Puertorican earth

2011-10-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before in the first part of the series, it is difficult to choose what to do when in Puerto Rico. There are so many things to see and do that is is challenging to make an itinerary, especially when taking someone on their first trip to the island. My dear wanted an active vacation, he did not want to sit at the beach all day. He was in luck. Recently, there has been a big movement for eco-travel in Puerto Rico. Despite the small size, Puerto Rico hosts the only rainforest in the United States National Parks system, over 300 beaches, a dry forest, three bio-luminescent bays, among other attractions which lives up to its name of "Isla del Encanto" (the island of enchantment). For nature lovers, it is a great place to be.
While researching options, I found "Aventuras Tierra Adentro", a tour company which does canyoning and caving tours off the beaten path, deep in the mountains of the island. Hence the name "tierra adentro" which translates into deep into the earth. After a day of surfing lessons, we rose before the roosters in Rincon and began our trip from Rincon to Arecibo at 4:30 am where we met our tour bus with our energetic guide, Rossano. At this point the sun was slowly rising and we arrived to Lares, deep in the mountains of Puerto Rico to begin our journey into the Camuy cave system.

Tierra Adentro

Upon our arrival, the land was lush, with a scent of moisture in the air and the serenade of the creatures the inhabited this land. After a lengthy but necessary class about safety and how to handle the harnesses and equipment, we were ready to go. We began our decent into the caves by zip lines. As I flew through the canopies of lush leaves I was amazed of how beautiful the merging of the rivers looked from above. At that moment I felt overwhelmed that I am Puertorican, generations before me were born in this magical land. After four zip lines and a rappel down, we were at the caves. There are no words to describe the sounds of the water, leaves clapping, and birds singing as we landed on the bank of the river about to enter the caves.

Feeling good after ziplining!

As we entered the caves, all sixteen members of the tour composed of locals and tourists alike were amazed of the beauty we found. The course was challenging, as we were climbing, swimming through some areas of the river, and at times jumping to get through. At one point, we jumped into darknessm, diving into the river to get to another section. With the darkness, there was the sound of the bats whizzing in their own natural beauty. Deep into the caves, we lighted the area with candles to have our lunch, it felt as we were beyond planet earth, the guide jokingly called it Pandora, after the movie "Avatar".
The most challenging part was a charge of a hundred yards of mud that if you went too slow, it felt as if the earth would swallow you whole. Thankfully we were rewarded by crossing the river on our way out of the caves. As we returned to the staging area, we had to climb back the areas we rappelled and zip-lined. This time, the land was appreciated slowly and meticulously.
As the tour came to its close, despite being dirty and hungry, we all had this face of absolute amazement of the experience that we just had. From all my experiences in Puerto Rico, this is my favorite one so far. To be able to explore these lands, the energy of the tour guides, and the nice people who shared this tour with us made it unforgettable. A feeling of happiness overcame me at that moment. As we walked through the canopy of leaves on our way to the van, I thought to myself: "esta es mi tierra" (this is my land).
For more information about Aventuras Tierra Adentro click here: www.aventuraspr.com

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Adventures in Puertorican surfing

2011-10-11T02:00:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, I dabbled briefly into kite surfing in De Haan, located in the Belgian coast. It was still spring, but the day was unusually warm. The Belgian coastline is beautiful in its own right, but no matter how sunny the day is, the sea is cold and brown. Despite the multitude of people who enjoy the coast, the sea is quiet, it fails to speak. While taking a basic class on how to handle the kite, I was overwhelmed on how challenging and dangerous it can be as I pulled on the harness too tight and dragged myself ten feet through the air. I still have the desire to continue to learn, but I realized that there are other fears to be conquered before tackling that particular one.

My attempt to Kite Surf

Months later, I find myself planning a trip to Puerto Rico and considering the idea to learn how to surf. Surfing is something that I always wanted to do but honestly, I was a little intimidated by it. However, life is unpredictable and it's best ton take advantage of the moments available. I needed to learn how to surf in the place where my love for the sport had blossomed: Puerto Rico. I booked a class in the town of Rincon, PR a quaint little town in the western coast of the island.

Rincon, Puerto Rico

We embarked on our trip from San Juan to Rincón on our first day on the island. My guy was amazed of how lush and mountainous the island is. We stopped for crab alcapurrias (green banana fritters) on the side of route 2. Although a frequent traveler to Puerto Rico, I tend to stay on the east and southern coasts. I discovered the northwestern coast is definitely worthy of exploration as well. After two hours on the road, we arrived to the surf school/lodging, the Boarding House. The house was perched on a hill with a beautiful view of the western coastline. Below, I admired the banana trees in its backyard.
Carlos, my teacher gave me a very thorough class before I entered the water. We spent around 45 minutes on shore going over techniques before we hit the water. As I hopped on my soft longboard and hit the water, part of me was nervous but part of me was excited about learning something which was a dream to me.
After hours on the water, paddling, waiting, attempting to ride a wave, wiping out, I had the glorious experience of riding a wave. It all came together why people wake up at dawn to find the perfect wave. My moment of glory was short but it reminded me about how in life we need to wipe out at times to savor that moment of glory. I may not be an expert, but I look forward to getting back on the board and riding the waves a little longer.
A few waves later, I was not an expert but at least I conquered a fear and a childhood dream came to reality. As my days in Belgium become shorter and shorter, I am determined to ride the waves of the North Sea with a kite and make an adult dream come true. Whether it is the demure North Sea or the colorful Caribbean, they both need to be respected and appreciated.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Adventures of a Puertorican girl in...... Puerto Rico

2011-10-10T08:50:00.000-07:00

During the summer of 1992, my parents, our German Shepherd, and I said good bye to our lives in Puerto Rico as we returned to my birthplace, Rochester, NY. That summer was rainy and gloomy in Upstate, NY. My dog, Max morphed into a coqui (a small frog who can only live in Puerto Rico) as he left us shortly after his arrival to this new world. I spent that summer sad to leave a childhood filled with friends, games, and sun. In the middle of my empty white walls at my new home, I attempted to understand the move from palm trees to a gray city. At the age of thirteen, I vowed I would never forget where I came from.

The place that saw me grow

As the years went by, I returned to Puerto Rico frequently to visit friends and family. I also had the opportunity to spend a semester during my undergraduate studies, which was an amazing learning experience. As I grew older, my appreciation for my childhood in this lovely island grew as well. The bike rides to the beach with my friends and the cooking with my mother and aunts continued to be cherished memories.
The beauty of returning to Puerto Rico is that it never gets old. It continues to evolve and it is almost unbelievable that an island so small (110 miles by 35 miles) can host so many treasures. Through the years, I hiked through the rain forest, swam in a bioluminescent bay, and rappelled through caves. The challenge is a luxury problem: decide whether to see the old places I love so much or explore new, exciting ones.
After almost three years of not visiting, the nostalgia was consuming me. I was flattered when several friends in Brussels took my advice and experienced it firsthand. They all retuned enchanted by this tiny place. It was time for me to live the magic again and return to my dear Puerto Rico. These series will capture my most recent experience, one I shared with a very special man who has slowly been capturing my heart.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Adios, Miami: things I loved about Miami

2011-09-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

The last three months have been a memorable journey with unexpected surprises. Last June, in sunny Barcelona, I received a little surprise on my blackberry: "would you be interested in traveling to South America/Miami for a project this summer?". Without much thought, I agreed to it. Days later, an unexplainable fear crept about three months back in the US. After years of finally developing a stable life in Brussels, three months away seemed overwhelming. My last nights in Brussels were filled with anxiety and fear the life I built years ago was not going to be there upon my return.
In the beginning, I must admit that I was overwhelmed with the "gloss" on Miami. It can be interpreted with shameless promotion of plastic surgeries and multitude of platform heels at the neighborhood supermarket. The change in culture was overwhelming for me. One thing have I learned about living abroad is that you are the only person responsible to make the experience a positive one. That is what I decided to do with Miami. When the low energy crept in, I found ways to make it a wonderful experience.
I moved to a little apartment in South Beach from my hotel in Brickell three weeks into my trip. I moved to the "quiet" part of SoBe, not so close to the beach but good atmosphere. Between the shops, restaurants, and entertainment there was always something to do. Walking through Lincoln Rd never makes you feel alone. When I wanted to have my alone time, I went to the cinema on the corner of Alton and Lincoln. I enjoyed the variety of films in such a big theater: indie, foreign, and blockbusters.
I found great places throughout the area. I wish I had spent more time in the Design District and Midtown. I discovered that one of my favorite restaurants, Mercadito Midtown, had taco Tuesday with their delicious tacos for $5 sadly two week before my departure. I had a yummy dinner at Wynwood Walls, home of the Wynwood Art Walk.

Wynwood Walls, Miami, FL

My Sundays consisted of brunch at The Cafe at Books and Books followed by a trip to the beach using the Deco Bike, the new bicycle sharing program on Miami Beach. I love the fact there is a bike sharing program here in Miami like the one in Brussels, Villo. I loved riding the bike through all the fascinating streets of SoBe and enjoying the art deco . I enjoy going to the most southern point of South Beach to enjoy the sun. Given that there are not as many hotels in that area, it makes the beach experience more pleasant.
Miami gave me much more than what I expected. I spent some nice times at the beach, learned how to paddle board, and ate great food. I am glad I chose to give it a chance and made the most of my three months here. Now I look forward to more Miami memories in the future.

Run through the Capital

2011-09-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

Washington, DC and I started special relationship 10 years ago. My professional career began not to far from there, at Quantico, VA. In the woods of Northern Virginia, I became a Marine officer, opening doors for an interesting life which has taken me throughout the world. It has been a journey filled with every emotion possible.
Many years ago, somewhere near New York Avenue, I met one of the loves of my life. I fell in love as he twirled me around to the sounds of salsa on the dance floors of DC. Somewhere on 14th street I was asked if I wanted to be his wife. A few weeks later, we celebrated what we thought was eternal love in Dupont Circle. A few years later, the music stopped, we were no longer dancing. Somewhere between war and peace the rhythm between us died. Although short, this love story will never be forgotten.
When the music stopped, I mourned with beautiful memories made throughout this city. My heart sent me to Brussels to recover. In the European Capital, I learned how infinite love is. Also I realized that there is so much of it to give. The music may have stopped with one person, but life is a perpetual ball where you may have to dance with several partners throughout the night until finding one that you can twirl with forever.

One of the stops on the run...

This weekend, life brought me back to this special place. This place was my school in a professional and personal way. This morning, as I ran through the capital of my dear nation, I was reminded of what I love the most of the American spirit: our ability to bounce back. I have had to do that several times. Being away from my country for almost six years have made me appreciate it in extraordinary ways. This morning, as we ran by a variety of people, which reminded me that America is not a race, but a spirit.

I love the view....

As we ran by the Lincoln Memorial, I was reminded of things I envisioned of in my younger years and the evolution I've made since my days as a young Marine lieutenant. Some dreams never became, but I was allowed to have them. As we walked by the Arlington cemetery, I recognized that I am still on this earth for a reason, and there are many more dreams to be had. I am grateful we were not allowed to run through that area, it is a place which needs to be walked by in order to reflect about all the things we are still capable to give and do.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Washington, DC

Advertures around the world: Six habitable continents

2011-09-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I arrived to Miami from Santiago, Chile. As I went through customs, it felt good to realize I had just experienced all six habitable continents. I am a sociable person. I think what makes a place memorable is its people. That is why I have no desire to "check the box" with Antarctica. Although it feels good to be able to tell myself that I have accomplished to see six continents by the age of 32, I am left wanting to see more of the continents and know its people.
The jobs that I have had in my adult life have required me to learn. Whether it is a new satellite system or the political situation of Dominican Republic, I have had to buckle down and hit the books. My academic life in between required me to do the same. The thing that I have discovered is the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know. The same thing happens with my travels. When I feel that I have accomplished my childhood dream of going to Australia, a new dream embeds itself of experiencing New Zealand. Seeing the Andes from my hotel window made me want to return to South America and see what Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru have to offer. I have also developed some favorite countries such as Austria, Denmark, Thailand, and South Korea which I want to see over and over again. My thirst to discover has not been quenched and I am fortunate that the world is large enough to keep my dreams hydrated.

A moment of Bliss in Salzburg

These thoughts have also reminded me of how much I have enjoyed discovering the world, whether it is through work or my own accord. These are my thoughts on the continents:
North America: Home. It is much more than what the world gives it credit for. The beauty that I have seen from Montana to San Francisco has been close to my heart throughout the years. To run by the Golden Gate bridge or by the National Mall in Washington, DC always reminds me how fortunate I am to be an American. The diversity of NYC is like no other in the world. To see as many races and religions coexisting in a tiny island gives me hope the same can be achieved elsewhere. As much as I have traveled through this amazing continent, the most memorable memories are ones I have shared with the ones who gave me life in this amazing continent.

I heart NY

Asia: My first experience living abroad. It all began in Japan (although an island but technically part of the continent). I will always remember the coral beaches of Okinawa fondly as I snorkeled through clear waters dodging urchins and chasing rainbows of fish. Thailand will always have a special place in my heart, it all started when I stayed in a Royal Thai base 200km away from Bangkok. The food, the people, the scents of the streets made me fall in love. When others were afraid to return after the Tsunami, I made sure to go on holidays in 2006 to remind people that it is one of the most beautiful countries on Earth. Hiking through the Great Wall was a childhood dream coming to life.

Feeding the Gentle Giant, Thailand

Australia: Dream come true. As a child, I sat through National Geographic amazed by the Australian continent. As my plane was landing and I was able to catch a glimpse of the Great Barrier Reef, a dream became true. If I was not on a plane filled with Marines, I would have cried. My dream did not disappoint: the people are friendly, the steaks were tasty, and you can drink rum and coke from tap. Although I spent some nights in the field scared that my tent would be attacked by wallabies, it was a dream to be there. Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities that I have visited. Dancing salsa by the moonlight in the Darling Harbor is one of my fondest travel memories.

View as I sailed by the Sydney Opera House

Europe: Although I had visited Germany a few times before I took a leap of faith with Belgium, I have to say that the five years that I have lived in this continent has been an amazing school of life. Words cannot express the gratitude that I have towards Belgium. I never get bored of waking the streets of my neighborhood and admiring the architectural treasures. I learned to have an apero before my dinner, coffee after my dinner, and not to count the minutes in between. I arrived with a dead soul and I was revived. I cannot say enough of seeing the Danish sun new quite set in a Nordic summer, learning to wear a dirndl in Bavaria, and eat Spatzle in Stuttgart.

Prost! At Oktoberfest

Africa: Was a return to my roots. In Latin America many try to hide from our African heritage when this part of our culture contributes so heavily to our food, our music, and our attitudes towards family. My first experience was Senegal, where I had the opportunity to be in its countryside. The people were so polite and giving. I remains one of my best experiences so far. Traveling to Liberia was also a amazing experience, to see a country recover from civil war and start a new page taught me about second chances and how we should all be entitled to some. Morocco was beautiful as well, the one thing that I took from it was the generosity of its women. As I ran by the coast in Casablanca, I saw a woman get out of her car to give a ride to a disabled man who was struggling on the street. Along with that experience, I was welcomed every where with a big bright smile and great hospitality.

Meeting the Liberian President

South America: I just returned from Chile, my first South American experience. Most my inspiration to write comes from South American writers. To be in a country of two of my favorite authors, Neruda and Allende was to be able to see their inspiration through their eyes. Every morning I was carried away by the Andean mountains which saluted Santiago every morning. It was moving to see the students protesting for more rights. I wish people in my country were more passionate about demanding a decent and reasonably priced education.

The Chilean Andes

Through all these adventures one thing is certain, it does not quench my desire to learn more. The more I learn, the more certain it becomes that I know so little. There is still so much to see, learn, and experience.

My beautiful adopted city: Bruxelles

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Miami, FL

Missing my kitchen

2011-09-07T12:58:00.000-07:00

I am enjoying my time in Miami. I have had the opportunity to see my friends, family, and travel in the new world. I have even met a man who is slowly captivating my heart. As I mentioned in a previous post, I am also considering a return to the United States. It is difficult to make decisions when the two choices are ones which you love very differently. In this lonely Saturday night, I am reminded of one of the things that I love most about Bruxelles: my kitchen.
Not the kitchen itself but the lovely people I have hosted in my home for the last 27 months. There is nothing more enjoyable than to feed people who you care about. As I was departing Santiago, Chile, I picked up a few bottles of organic Carmenere in order to share during my first dinner back. I have already started to visualize menus. It has to be Latin due to all the inspiration that I have received here in Miami.

Lessons in Ceviche

There is something lovely about my dinners at home. From my Atrevida dinners (a group of friends who consider themselves "atrevidas", risky) to Kiss The Chef, our international cooking club, these events have made me appreciate how much food can bring comfort when away from home. My most memorable dinners at home were the Thanksgiving dinners I have hosted these past two years. To be able to share moments of gratitude with the family that you have chosen is priceless. It is now September and the menus for the upcoming thanksgiving are starting to fill my head. I'm very certain desert will be pumpkin cupcakes with ginger buttercream.
My kitchen has been a place where secrets have been shared, recipes learned, and lovers mourned. The five burners have cooked many meals and the oven gave birth to my most recent labor of love: True Love Cupcakes. In my modern Miami apartment, I have all the comforts of a functioning kitchen but many things are missing, especially people to feed.

Mussels season has begun in Brussels. It reminds me of my housewarming party theme: "mussels in Brussels" two years ago. I was in the kitchen drowning in 14 kilos of mussels because the typical Puerto Rican in me never thinks there is enough food. In Miami, I recently had a small dinner for a few of my colleagues. I couldn't think of a better menu than mussels. These mussels may not have been form Zeeland, but the scent of them intertwined with the wine and the celery reminded me of a very special place: Chez Moi.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Miami, FL

Chorincles of the new world: in the land of Neruda, Part II

2011-09-03T03:00:00.001-07:00

I spent seven days in Santiago, Chile and I cannot be more thankful of experiencing the South American continent for the first time in this beautiful country. As I mentioned in Part I of this Blog, Santiago is a captivating city. From its people, to the architecture, to its majestic Andean backdrop, Chile is a country that makes you want to return for more. As I have written about my experiences in Brussels, it is not only the beauty of a place, but the people who make worth the experience. The conversations with my driver, the lady at the shop, or my colleagues were small lessons on history, culture, and people.
Today I returned to the La Chascona, the home of Pablo Neruda in Santiago. My first time there was this past Saturday as I nursed my broken heart. That Saturday evening was cold, dark, and silent. Today it was bright, sunny, and lively. I took a picture of the house and light fell on it to create small multiple streamers. It was a second opportunity to see a wonderful thing in a different light. This light came to solidify my belief that I can experience love again.

This light made me think of second chances. As fascinated as I was with Santiago, I did not have the best experience with its food. The restaurants that we went to were either average or mediocre. I was in disbelief that a place so inspiring could be so bland. Sips of Carmenere with a delectable dinner at Astrid y Gaston changed my mind. When I thought that maybe this was a chance encounter, I returned to Bellavista and had lunch at Como Agua Para Chocolate, a restaurant aptly named after the Laura Esquivel novel. I had a beautifully delicious dish named 'vigor y pasion'. Vigor and passion are words which some people can quickly relate to sex. To me it's so much more. A life without passion is a life without color, without sazón.

It is interesting to see the parallels between food and life. Sometimes things are not what they appear to be. It can happen that we can go to the wrong restaurants before finding the right one for us. The same can happen with people. The definition of a place or a person should not be defined by one experience. Many things in life are meant to be given a second chance. Love should be given multiple chances: it's infinite.

As I stood in front of La Chascona, I though of my experience this week and how I chose to give love another chance, living in the moment, and allowing it to manifest on its own. A place I initially experienced dark and cold was now bright and warm. Chile became an inspiration for my love and passion. Neruda claimed that those were the last verses he wrote to his beloved in 'Poem XX' of 'Twenty Love Songs and a Song of Despair' but I hope these are not the last lines I write about Chile.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Santiago, Chile

Adventures in International Dating: Oh by the way....

2011-08-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

During a fun Bar Mardi session in Brussels this year, I met a charming Deutsch man. He came to me with a typical story of heartbreak: "my wife left me a few years ago, I don't know what happened... blah, blah". I was charmed by his cute Deutsch accent and how sweet and attentive he was that evening. As I drove home, I was thinking to myself: "there are nice guys out there still". The next day I received several emails from this charmer and decided to invite him to Place du Chatelain for an apero. My friends thought he was funny and sweet. I did so as well. As we walked home, he kissed me, I enjoyed it. The music in my head came to a stop with this line: "by the way, I am seeing someone in Germany". Really? Then the "I am not happy" line followed the "I don't know how to break up" line. It's a relationship, not a 30 year mortgage on a house that you can't sell, I'm not buying your excuses.
In the other side of the world, a sea and continent away from Belgium, my friend received a phone call from a lady asking her what kind of relationship she had with her boyfriend. My friend was as shocked as the scorned woman. The Basque man who had captured her heart was in a five year relationship with a a girl in Texas. My heart was as broken as hers when I heard her cry over the phone. His explanation: "it's complicated, it's been on and off, I've been trying to break up with her". Really? I think that being in two relationships at once is even more complicated. I know it is a simple logic but one that will save a lot of time and tears.
Months later, somewhere in the Finger Lakes, Upstate NY, I went for a stroll with another dear friend who experienced two months of flirtation with a man who finally told her that he was in a relationship and again, the fear to break things up overwhelmed him. The common theme here is fear. Fear of change, of hurting someone else, or being hurt. Just this weekend I was told good-bye by someone who was too afraid to be in a long distance relationship because he "knew he was going to get hurt" (apparently he's a psychic).
Sometimes people value comfort more than happiness. I said goodbye to two of the most significant relationships in my life when deeply in love. I did this because my desire for happiness overcame my fear.
There are so many people who allow themselves to be hurt or hurt others due to fear. I rather face failure for a brief moment of happiness than not to experience happiness at all. My willingness to love overcomes my fear of failure. I only wish others felt the same.

Chronicles of the New World: the land of Neruda, Part I

2011-08-29T17:25:00.001-07:00

Earlier this year, before I was aware that fate would bring me to Chile, I was reading an epic novel about the first Spanish woman who arrived to this country. Her name was Ines and Isabel Allende made her come alive in Ines del Alma Mia. Chile was not the easiest place to conquer. According to history, there were two failed attempts to reach Chile before the Spanish finally settled. It is a land that is surrounded by desert, mountains, volcanoes, and fjords. As I landed in Chile I fulfilled my goal of seeing all six habitable continents. The view was much more than what I bargained for.

My attraction to Chile began in high school when I started to studied the poems of Pablo Neruda and the weekend I spent holed up in my room reading "The house of spirts" by Isabel Allende. These two authors inspired me to study Spanish Literature at the State University of New York. I never had the opportunity to teach the subject as I had planned, but I still lose myself in these stories after all these years.
As we drove from the airport into Santiago, I was amazed by the beautiful mountains which surround the city. It is winter in the southern hemisphere and there is snow decorating the Andes that have protected this country since the beginning of time. As I witnessed the city, it seemed like all the books that I had read from Allende, Mistral, and Neruda came to life. I imagined the last scenes of "The house of spirits" when we toured outside La Moneda. I felt the love that Pablo Neruda had for his dear Matilde as I stood outside his home in Bellavista. This same day I lost someone who I was falling in love with. The cold Andean breeze caressing my tears reminded me of "es tan corto el amor, y es tan largo el olvido" (love is so short, yet forgetting takes so long).

The city, a large valley nestled in the mountains is modern and ancient at the same time. It reminds me of a cross of Paris and Madrid. It is very modern yet it still has remnants of 19th century French architecture. After all, the French revolution inspired its independence. Large streets remind me of La Gran Via de Madrid. In the middle of lost hopes of a blooming love, melancholy settled in for a great love of mine: Europe. I thought about how much I miss it, especially in my current disappointment.

Adventures in International Dating: The Houdini

2011-08-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

Houdini was a famous escapologist who rose to fame in the 60's. An escapologist is a person who can disappear at any moment with whereabouts unknown. Earlier this year I ran into a few Houdinis, and according to my friends these creatures have been sighted in Holland, Germany, San Francisco, and Morocco. The other night I was having a drink with a male friend on South Beach and he shared his Houdini story, indicative that men can also be victims of the Houdini. The Houdini, the person who you appear to be having a good time with and then disappears into thin air is a global problem. This is my third installment in my Adventures of International Dating series. My last post focused on several profiles but this one mertis an exclusive post.
Earlier this year, I had a encounter with an interesting Frenchman. I believe that sometimes when we become attached to our old habits, we can miss out on something special because we are not accustomed to the idea. That being said, I decided to use that theory for dating. I was pleasantly surprised. He actively pursued me and surprised me with nice dates. After a few pleasant weeks, he suddenly disappeared. After a few days I called to ensure he was not dead before I got angry. No answer. A few days later, I get a weird phone call telling me that "he's going through some stuff". "That information would have been useful a week ago" was my answer.
Thousands of miles away from Belgium, my best friend went through something similar. We will call this individual "Dr. Love". After a few dates which seemed positive, he disappeared. Weeks later followed an awkward "I've had a crazy week" text. I know that some of you may refer me to "He's just not that into you", which I have read and completely agree to. I just wonder what happens to common courtesy. I would be more appreciative of "I am not interested anymore" than disappearing from the face of the earth because you changed your mind.
These behaviors are acceptable in your early 20's. With age comes maturity and with maturity comes the ability to do things that although unpleasant are the right thing. I have sent the hard emails and gotten some passive aggressive responses, but at least all parties knew where they stood. Despite these encounters... I still believe in love....

Chronicles of the new world: Should I stay or should I go?

2011-08-10T16:15:00.000-07:00

Five years ago, I arrived in Belgium. Part of me excited and the other confused. Now, i'm in Miami at an interesting crossroad. I ask myself the question: "is it time to come home?" It's a diffuclt to decide as I both places occupy a special place in my heart. My time in Brussels has blessed me with amazing friends and experiences. I've drank steins of beer at Oktberfest, fallen in love in Copenhagen, ran a marathon on the streets of Prague, among other countless memories that have brought me immense happiness.
I've written several times on this blog how Brussels rescued me, brought me back to life. I challenged myself in ways foreign of my life as a Marine. As a Marine there is a brotherhood that accompanies you in the darkest hours. It was me, alone, August 15th in rainy Brussels. I had to build my fraternity from scratch when it had always been given to me. It placed me in situations where I had to find lost courage and it inspired me in unimaginable ways. I found myself, lost myself, and found myself again.

Maybe the end of an era...

As much as I still feel overwhelmed with the beauty of Avenue Moliere after all these years, a part of my heart lies at home. Now in Miami, my family and friends are on the opposite end of I-95. Although it is relatively far, it still much closer (and cheaper) than being in Belgium. It was a great feeling to hold my best friends' recently born children after a 2 hour, $200 flight. I enjoy being able to call my mom every morning on my way to work on the same time zone at no additional cost. It was comforting to be able lend a hand to a friend in need with just a 2 hour flight.
Brussels and I have had a beautiful love story. I have had the opportunity to meet people that have become an extension of my family. People who have chosen to love me with no prejudices. I have built a home that I can share with those I love. Even in the storms, beautiful flowers have bloomed afterward. All these experiences make it extremely difficult to close a very complex yet beautiful chapter of my life.
After years of living in places that have given me such beautiful experiences, am I ready to pack the memories in a suitcase and create a built-in closet of new ones? New, simple memories can be as beautiful as old and exotic ones. That is the choice I need to make in the future. Sometimes life can surprise you and present opportunities that may steer you to make the appropriate choice. To be continued......

Chronicles of the new world: plans can always change

2011-08-01T16:16:00.000-07:00

I have decided that I will no longer make concrete plans in my life. Instead, I have decided to have an intent. At the age of 17, I stepped into the University at Albany thinking that one day I was going to be a lawyer and I ended up with golden lieutenant bars a week after my undergraduate studies. I married once thinking it was forever, three years later I was a divorcee moving to Belgium to pursue graduate studies. This summer, I thought I would be drinking cava with my friends in Place Chatelain. Instead I am in Miami on a work assignment. I can write a whole book how the universe has changed my plans. Unexpected changes have been the main color of the tapestry of my life. With age, I have learned that every change has its purpose even if you don't know it right away.
Coming to Miami, I was under the impression that I had a specific assignment and again, the universe had a different plan for me. This week I embarked on a trip that reaffirmed the gratitude I feel for the freedoms that I enjoy in my life. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to go to Lanzarote with my friends. As I glanced at the view from our villa, I knew that I have everything I need and most of what I want.
This past week, I went to Haiti, the poorest country in the new world. My experiences in developing countries have included Liberia and Ethiopia, but this felt different. It felt very close to home. A two hour flight from the excesses of Miami brought me to a place that was a whole new world.
The purpose of my trip was business and was there for just a day but the impression will last a lifetime. The tent cities, streets lined in garbage, and rubble will linger in my memory. This, along with my other experiences in countries facing war and poverty provoke the thought of why is it that some of us have all the comforts in life and others, especially women and children have to suffer. It makes me question all the things that I have been conditioned to learn about existence.
In my country and my adopted one (Belgium) it is common to see people complain about the most trivial things. We drown in a glass of water. We tend to forget about the roof over our heads, our clean clothes, or the clean water that we get to drink. After all my experiences I too can fall into this trap. These experiences remind me of all the abundance that I have in my life. I am fully aware that I cannot change the world but these experiences remind me about how important random acts of kindness are. As inconvenient and emotionally exhausting these experiences can be, I am grateful to have them in my life to be reminded of the abundance that I possess and what I can share with others.
My life has taken detours that have made me smile and weep. It took years to understand the purpose of some of them. I feel extremely fortunate that this detour allowed me to experience La Hispanola. From the bright lights of Santo Domingo to the despair of Port au Prince, I am thankful that I was able have this experience.

Chronicles of a new world summer: real vs fake

2011-07-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

I, who possesses a healthy dose of self esteem was taken aback upon my arrival in Miami. The dress code can be overwhelming. What's the Miami dress code: four inch heels for every occasion, makeup to endure 90 degree weather, and lots cleavage. I recall experiencing a similar dress code growing up in Puerto Rico. However, Brussels being my most recent home, I became accustomed to the individuality of its fashion.
One of the things that I appreciate from my life in Brussels is its individuality. From the hippies at Place Flagey to the designer suits at Place du Luxembourg, there is something for everybody. I feel comfortable in my fleece and chucks as well as my DVF dresses and Ferragamo heels. There is something about Miami that subconsciously makes me put on makeup even to work where I have to wear my Marine camouflage uniform.
How is my subconscious sparked? That even the most mundane places in Miami are unofficial runways. There is pressure everywhere for women to look perfect. It's in the I-826 every morning as I see billboards for cosmetic surgery. It's on the radio: where every commercial break includes an advertisement for it, to include a service that will process your taxes in order to use the refund towards surgery. Gyms are packed with color coordinated spandex and makeup. A simple trip to the supermarket requires a nice outfit and of course, heels.
I was getting a manicure and I was intrigued by a conversation of nineteen year olds: it was about their breast augmentation. At their age, the questions amongst my friends and I were the classes we were going to take the following semester. I believe that people should be entitled to make their own decisions about their body, but it is sometimes overwhelming to see this pressure for women to look perfect from the highway to the supermarket.
Slowly I am getting accustomed to the Miami dress code without being overwhelmed. Maybe I have been seen in a Publix in my four-inch Ferragamo wedges.... This experience reaffirms what I have written about in previous blogs: how diverse America can be. In Miami I feel a world away from Upstate NY where I grew up.

Adventures of a Puertorican Girl in Miami: Arrival

2011-07-12T05:48:00.000-07:00

While in Barcelona a few weeks ago, a message came in from my reserve job in Miami for a three month assignment with travel to South America. Given that South America is the last habitable continent that I have left to visit, I was not able to resist the offer. As I accepted the offer and started to pack my bags, I became overwhelmed with the fact that I was leaving Brussels for the longest period in two years. Brussels has given me the type of stability that I have never had before and when reality settled in about my departure so did my fear.

View of my new home

I arrived in Miami less than two weeks ago to a thunderstorm which made me question my decision of whether I should have stayed in Brussels taking advantage of the Apero Urbain, Chatelain Wednesdays, and Gentse Feesten. With one of my best friends arriving the following day to rescue me from my loneliness, the fear began to disappear and the excitement of experiencing a new city kicked in.
Sadly our dinner at South Beachw as disappointing to say the least and the fake glitz and glamour was not the scene of my friend who arrived from San Francisco or for me coming from Brussels. Again, it made me question why I was missing a summer with my friends and the lovely Chez Moi for a city where everything seems so fake. Thankfully as the days passed and I went to work, I realized that I am here, there is no turning back and that I need to make the most out of what I have.
This past weekend I decided to make this city my own as I have done with the so many places I have previously lived at. I took a paddle boarding class which was amazing. With no oven, I had to find a new hobby! It was difficult at first to gain stability on the board but little by little I was able to stay up, paddling my way through Miami Beach. Afterwards, I went to the Wynwood Art Walk at the Design District in Miami. It was great to see a different scene from the glitz: artists, food trucks, awesome music, and beautiful murals. It felt nice to be around like minded people. It also reminded me that you can be in the most beautiful place in the world, but the people are the key ingredient for a memorable experience. After all, I met some of the most important people in my life, to include Saskia, the friend who came to my rescue the first weekend in Miami, in Baghdad.
So Miami and I are taking it slow. Maybe he's not the player that people make him out to be. We're starting our love affair slowly and let's see what happens. So far, it has been surprising me in a positive way. These life changes are like paddle boarding: you get knocked down a few times until you get the hang of it then it becomes so much fun that you don't want to stop. I look forward to getting back on the board literally and metaphorically.

Bruxelles: I will miss you....maybe not: Things I will NOT miss

2011-06-29T04:12:00.000-07:00

So today is my last summer day in Brussels. Yesterday I attempted to run my 5k for my Marine physical fitness test (PFT) and was almost a heat casualty due to the 95 degree weather. For the last 2 days it has been unseasonably warm for Brussels. In a way it is not surprising because one day it can be very warm and next very cold. Weather is one of the things that I will not miss in Brussels. It is amazing how every conversation, whether it is at work, a party, or on the tram, weather interjects itself somehow.

It's the real ones you have to watch out for!

Yesterday I shared with you the things that I will miss about Brussels. Writing it affirmed the fact that I am truly happy here with all of its idiosyncrasies, however, it is always nice to return to America. At the end of the day it is my home, it will always be although I have spent 7 out of my 10 post-university years abroad.
Here's the list of the things that I will NOT miss about the Belgium....

Road Rage: I have never seen so much road rage in my life. Note that I have lived in South Korea and Puerto Rico, known for its hideous driving. I will not miss seeing two middle aged women about to fight on General Jacques over traffic or a man getting out of his car to yell at me because I did not allow him to cut in front of me.
The early closing of stores: If you go into a supermarket in Brussels at 1930, you may think that there is going to be a nuclear attack: everyone is rushing to get food. That's because they close at 8 and Sundays supermarkets are closed! I can't wait to go to a supermarket on a Sunday morning just because I can.
Crappy parking spaces: I must admit that my shopping is often limited because I don't want to bother finding parking.
Belgian customer service: or lack thereof. Some Europeans criticize Americans for having "fake customer service". I don't want someone all over me like in the States, but I just want a little politeness, is that too much to ask?
Weather: Do I need to say more?
The price of stuff: It is hard for me to buy stuff sometimes here because I know that in the states it is 3 times cheaper: time to stock up!
Politics: Say what you want about the US but we have a functioning government (in the sense that at least they show up for work). As much as I would like for some southern states to leave the union, I don't have to worry about my country splitting up.
Dog poop: It will be nice to run on the sidewalk and not have to worry about stepping on dog poop

I recognize that the things that I will NOT miss are pretty petty but it will be nice to roll into my underground garage at my hotel without having to worry about my car being vandalized. Or shopping on a Sunday afternoon. Deep down I know that as I do my shopping on a Sunday I will miss my selection of frommage at the Cora....

Bruxelles: I will miss you...or maybe not: Things I will miss about Brussels

2011-06-28T05:17:00.000-07:00

It has been almost 5 years that I landed in Brussels. In those five years, my life has taken many twists and turns, to include a year in Germany. Overall, I cannot complain about the experience. Even the bad experiences have yielded something valuable in the end. Now I will embark on a three month work assignment to Miami and South America. As I pack, I start to reflect on how much I will miss Bruxelles even if it is for just a few months. Then again, I start reflecting on all the little things I miss from the New World and I start to look forward to my trip. Here's a little list that I came up with of the things that I will miss my from adopted home:

Will not miss: Having to take people to see the Manneken Pis

• Belgian Food: I will miss my Pain au Chocolat with my morning coffee, the beginning of mussel season, and the vast selection of cheese. Maybe I'll be one of the few people that actually loses weight in the US

• Ixelles: I'll be surrounded by high rises in Miami, I will miss the local Art Nouveau architecture in my neighbourhood, the Flagey weekend market, hanging out with my friends at the Abbaye de la Cambre

• Chatelain on Wednesdays: What better way to spend a warm Wednesday afternoon than sipping on Cava at Place du Chatelain with your friends?

• Apero Urbain: I am silently shedding a tear that I will not be able to go to one this year

• Mama Roma: Although I will sneak a weekend in NYC for some good pizza, I will miss my once a week treat to this local pizzeria!

• Lack of Open Container laws: reality kicked in when my fantasy of sipping champagne at the beach was destroyed by my friend reminding me that we will get fined in the US for that

• Chez Moi: I will be staying at a hotel the whole time, no place to bake my True Love Cupcakes, cook for my friends, or simply sit on my terrace. I will truly miss my apartment
• Eventful Social Life: It seems like every other day there is an interesting social event in Brussels. From Tuesday aperos in Schuman to open air concerts, I will miss that there is always something to do

• Belgian Beer: I will shed a tear when I am made to pay $13 for a Chimay
• Random international trips: No last minute trips to Koln or Amsterdam (only 2 hours away)

I will miss walking by beautiful buildings

The list can go on and on but what I will miss the most is the amazing people who I've met through the years in Bruxelles. I am very fortunate to have met an amazing group of friends who have become my family away from home. I look forward to make more memories with them upon my return.

Hills and heat: Review of the Prague Marathon

2011-05-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

Last year we had a lovely summer in Brussels. Long nights at Chatelain and Apero Urbain made it difficult to commit to a 16-week running plan. After running my goal time for the Amsterdam marathon (4:30), I decided to take on a spring marathon. One where I can train without being distracted by champagne and bordeaux. A friend who I met at the Amsterdam marathon suggested the Prague marathon. Prague has been on my list of places to go for quite a while so I decided to run my spring marathon there.
First of all, I was very impressed how the organizers used social networking to keep the runners informed. The staff answered every question that was posted on Facebook and sent frequent twitter updates. At the expo, the staff was friendly and it was easy to get the race packet. It was nice to see that the chip was attached to the bib. I love this new technology: you don't have to struggle taking the chip apart after the race. I was also very happy with the T-Shirt. It's a pink (because I signed up for the Prague International Marathon Women's Challenge) Adidas with a small yet tasteful PIM logo. The day before the race, I met with a few of the Amsterdam marathon vets who also introduced me to new friends who were also running Prague. It was great to meet a variety of people from different countries (France, UK, Czech, American) coming together for this event. It is always nice to see a familiar face throughout your run!

Representing!

I injured my hamstring a few weeks before therefore the hills and the cobblestones throughout the course made it very difficult for me to keep my desired pace. My goal was to run a 4:15 but by the time that I hit the 20km I felt like I had hit the wall. In addition to the hills, it was extremely hot. Although the marathon staff did a great job with the water points, it was still difficult to run under the sun. Thankfully, around the 30th km, God delivered a some clouds and wind, which felt really nice. As time went by and I realized that I would not even be able to beat my Amsterdam 2010 PR, my focus was to finish. Walking is not an option for me, so I just continued to shuffle through the many uphills and run the downhills or flat surfaces. Once I saw the finish line I got a second wind, I was determined to get it over with. During the last few kilometers, I sang to myself my favorite cadence song "Don't let the Green Grass Fool 'ya". It's a song that got me through the toughest parts of Marine Corps Boot Camp almost 14 years ago and it still has a way to help me cross the finish line during my races.

Enjoying a well earned beer post race!

I am happy that I always have a support system of friends. Whether it is an sms, a phone call, or waiting at the finish line, the emotional support makes the process much easier. I'm also grateful that I always have a friend at the finish line. This time I traveled with my friend Jimmy who went to Prague to participate in a volleyball tournament. After an intense athletic weekend for the both of us, we rewarded ourselves with a two hour Thai massage, a yummy Thai dinner from Noi , and a bottle of Bohemia (Czech sparkling wine). Overall, the race was a great experience.

My mom rocks, part II

2011-05-06T01:08:00.000-07:00

I know that I wrote last year how much my mom rocks, but since she rocks so much, I decided to write another homage to her in honor of Mother's Day. My friends and I have commented in many occasions that the older we get, the more we feel like our mothers. Some don't like the idea of being like their moms, but I couldn't have it any other way. Physically I am a carbon copy of my father to the point that when I used to live in upstate NY people would stop to ask me if I was his daughter. I love both of my parents very dearly in very different ways. Although I do not physically look like my mother, there is one physical trait that I inherited from her: her hands. They are not delicate, they are more the hands of a worker, the nails fail to grow, and we choose not to wear rings so we do not draw attention to them. The special thing about those hands is that they provide all the beautiful intangible things that I have inherited from my dear mom. The generosity, the tenderness, the love, and sometimes the toughness are come through my mother's hands of love. They manifest themselves in a delicious meal or her tucking me into bed.
As young as I can remember, those hands nurtured me in many ways. They made me breakfast in the morning, struggled to comb my curly hair, and fed me. Even when my mother worked a physically exhausting job, she still woke up at 5:30 am to make me a big breakfast so I can be ready for school. Those hands taught me generosity as she cooked for those who could not feed themselves. Those hands were always giving things away because she is always more concerned with others that with herself. She lends those hands to those in need. Although she gave birth to four of us, her hands have made her a virtual mother to many. Those hands taught me how to cook, to iron, to clean, but most importantly to comfort those in need.
As I look at current pictures, I see a lot of my mother in me by the way I place my hands. I see a lot of her in me the way I give a specific look. I feel like her when I bring my colleagues cupcakes for no specific reason. I owe many of the wonderful things I have in my life to my mother. Those hands waved goodbye to me when I needed to leave home and her arms always welcome me when I need return. Those hands also cultivated my older siblings who have also comforted me throughout the years. For all those things and many more, my mom still rocks. We do not know how much time we have on this earth, make sure to tell those you love how much they mean to you.

Adventures in International Dating: The update

2011-04-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

Writing is something that comes easily to me. Some people can sing, others can paint, for me is writing. The difficult part is to share. Since most of my dating stores of late have started with "no, I am not making this stuff up", I felt like it was my duty to not share the specific stories but talk about certain trends that I have seen in these last 2 years of single life. Although the men have been pretty polite, they have been quite peculiar to say the least. These are my current finds. My intent is not to offend anyone just share my opinions. Please feel free to comment if this is a trend only in Belgium or a global problem.

"Malheur" not only the name of a beer but a word to describe some of my dates.

Profile: Passive Aggressive
The Webster dictionary the defines it as:
PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE: being, marked by, or displaying behavior characterized by the expression of negative feelings, resentment, and aggression in an unassertive passive way (as through procrastination and stubbornness)
For some reason, I feel that this trait is very common in my interactions in Belgium. Blame it on the weather or the beer, but I seems like some people can't just say it like it is and they use very good vocabulary to basically tell you that you suck. A recent experience involved three different emails to basically tell me the same thing in very creative and educated language: "you're a bitch for not liking me". This individual may not have what I need in a boyfriend, but I bet he can go on a write a Pulitzer-prize winning book with his extensive vocabulary on how to say that I am a soulless bitch. Sometimes it is necessary to say things that are not the most pleasant, especially when you have to tell someone that you are no longer interested but you should treat others as one wants to be treated. It is natural to be disappointed but there is no need to burn bridges.
Profile: Job description: chômage
I am a firm believer that any job is a good job. I have a range of work experience that ranges from waitress to truck driver. Something about getting a warm paycheck since I was fifteen years old always makes me feel good about myself. Given that unemployment benefits are so generous in Europe, some people are content just collecting their unemployment "chômage" checks and hanging out at a cafe drinking beer. So it is hard to have a relationship with someone who doesn't understand that you cannot accompany him to go windsurfing in France because you have to WORK. You should not be in France windsurfing, you should be looking for a JOB. Just as this example, I have ran into many others. It's not about the money but it is about living a life of purpose that does not involve sucking on the hard working people who pay the 50% taxes in this country.
Profile: I know more about your country than you do
Europeans in general have a love/hate relationship with my good 'ol USA.I have spoken about this before on my blog. If you go to the US and say "I'm from Belgium" an average American may ask you about the beer, waffles, or chocolate but will not go into a judgmental discussion about you basically live in a country with no government where its own monarchs cannot speak the language of the 60% of the population. This is not limited to Belgians but other Europeans that feel the constant need to judge America. I know that my country is not perfect, but it is home to 300 million people with a diverse set of ideas. A piece of advice: don't go on your soapbox on how much America sucks with someone who has actually taken an official oath to protect it. Talking shit about my country will not get you a second date.
Aside from these three in-depth profiles there are others such as: "guy who has his relationship status on FB with a man as a joke"(not funny), "geographical bachelors", "I don't have the courage to express myself", "I have a foot fetish", "I haven't worked out in 10 years" among others. I am not perfect but is it too much to ask for a gainfully employed, non-passive aggressive, respects America kind of guy? I don't think so. With that said, I shall continue my life of a single lady in a foreign country: I like my job and my adoptive country so I can't give up quite yet. After all this, I still believe in love. Bisous!

Spring country hopping campaign, Part 2: Barcelona

2011-04-06T01:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it takes a second look to fall in love. That is the way I feel about Barça. I went there four years ago with a former friend who has a history of being hard to travel with because she always wants things to be perfect (hence she's a former friend). Just as my dear friend Yolanda once said "nosotros somos la fiesta" (we are the party) I believe that it applies for travelling as well. You can go to the most amazing place in the world with bad company, the experience will not be as pleasant. This time around I was fortunate to visit my friends Lore and Italo, who have great positive energy and a true love for their new adopted city: Barcelona.

Photo courtesy of Italo Morales

I will begin by saying that a weekend is not enough to experience Barcelona. There is so much to see, eat, shop, and do that you need a whole week to truly experience it. This entry is a review of my weekend in Barça which involved walks on the beach, great cocktails and tasty food. The food was so great that I ended up with a food coma after our late dinners which completely impaired my ability to discover the nightlife. I am not the rock star I used to be….

My friends live a stone away from the beach in the Diagonal Mar neighborhood. It was nice to wake up every morning and have a clear view of the ocean. This neighborhood reminds me a little of Biscayne Blvd in Miami with its modern residential oceanfront buildings and countless people running, bike riding, or on their inline skates. Saturday, we went for a long walk along the beach and was entertained by my friends excitement as "Xiringuitos" (beach bars) were being built for the summer season. We continued our walk into the city but not before stopping to sip some cava by the beach and engage in some people watching which included a random naked middle-aged man. My friend was explaining to me these sightings are more common as the weather gets warmer.
We continued our walk into the city into the Born neighborhood. The neighborhood is very eclectic with a diverse variety of shops and restaurants. We stopped at an arepería called La Taguara, which serves arepas, a Venezuelan specialty which is a cornmeal patty filled with cheese, vegetables or meat. Given that Loredana prepared an amazing arepa brunch for me Saturday, we went straight for the tropical fruits, such as guava and passion fruit which tasted just as we were in Puerto Rico or Venezuela! We entered many shops and I was taken by the diversity in the style in Barcelona. Aside from the mainstream shops there are plenty of choices from the posh to the bohemian. Too bad that I am spending my disposable income in traveling versus a new wardrobe but I still managed to buy a beautiful suede cross body bag and some nice scarves.

Decoration at La Taguara

After a day of walking and window shopping, we decided to have dinner by the beach at a "Xiringuito" called "Escribá" where the menu was lovely. We had mini calamari, octopus, and paella that sent us straight to a food coma that destroyed our plans to go to the W Hotel for cocktails, which is on the list for my return in June. The next day we headed for a drive along the coast, first stopping by a town called Garraf, on our way to Sitges. The route was very beautiful, with endless views of the ocean. After our stop of cava and tapas, we headed to Sitges which had a very beautiful old world quality. It was not warm enough yet to swim yet, but there were many people on the boardwalk. It was a great melange of young and old which made it official that spring was in the air.
After a long walk in Sitges, we headed to have some tapas and drinks at Bar del Pla which we were lucky enough to get a table by the bar because the whole place was booked and rightfully so. The tapas were delicious. From white asparagus to tuna tartare with avocado, the food was delicious and the environment was just nice. We were lamenting that I had to wake up at 4:30am the next day to head back to Brussels because the energy at the restaurant made you want to stay there all night drinking and eating.
The verdict: I am very happy that I gave Barcelona a second chance. The city is a perfect balance between modern and classic. It felt like Miami and Paris had a baby and they named it Barcelona. The downside is that the service can be a little harsh, but I am already accustomed to that given that I live in Brussels. I am also convinced that great hosts make a huge difference no matter where you are. Thanks for my friends Lore and Italo for the hospitality.

To see more of the work of Italo Morales please go to www.italomorales.com

Spring country hopping campaign, Part 1: Lanzarote

2011-03-28T12:17:00.000-07:00

As I was doing an inventory of my spring, I realized that I have quite a few trips planned for this season: Lanzarote, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Casablanca, Prague, Stuttgart, and Copenhagen to be exact. I love to travel and due to short distances and cheap fares, Europe enables my passion for travel. As I wrote on the "Revolving Belgian Door", it is sad to see your friends go, but it is nice to visit them in cities such as Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Casablanca. I decided to document my trips via the "Spring Country Hopping Campaign" series. First trip of the season: Lanzarote.

Lanzarote Landscape

It all began with a group of friends in Brussels discussed a getaway from the gray Belgian skies to the Canary Islands. A simple discussion in a bar turned into a group of 14 friends (Polish, Nicaraguan, Spanish, American, Puertorican, Italian, Lithuanian, Serbian, Dutch/Bolivian, Belgian, Belgian/Venezuelan, and German) to get together in search of some sunshine and relaxation. A cheap ticket and a great deal on an off-season six-bedroom villa brought us to Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands.

I had an interest in the Canary Islands as it is said that many of our ancestors in Puerto Rico come from the Canary Islands. I was able to notice our heritage in the accent, the food, and the spirit of the people. As we flew in, we admired the mountainous landscape that comes from the volcanoes in the island. The landscape is very arid and cacti decorate the sparsely inhabited land. It surprised me how much open space is in the island compared to my densely populated Puerto Rico. As you drive through the island, you see small clusters of white houses lodged into the rolling hills of the island.

View of Playa Blanca, from a former Volcano

The island had a very relaxed vibe. From the owner of our villa to the waiters at our restaurants, people are very nice and willing to help and suggests things to see and do. In a group of 14 people sometimes it is hard to do everything together, but everyone managed to see what they wanted to see and share our adventures at the end of the day over dinner. The food was delicious and very cheap. We had plenty of papas arrugadas (potatoes cooked in salt water) with the local mojo sauce and delicious seafood.

Vineyards inside the volcanic earth

I enjoyed the drive around the island and taking in the sights of the northern coast. The island has many mountains, many former volcanoes, which means that there are plenty of high points with amazing views. We ended up in a beach called Playa Famara, which reminded me a little of La Pared in Puerto Rico with its surfers and great waves. It was refreshing to be able to swim in the ocean and feel the salt water in our faces. Afterward, we decided to go to the bodega Stratvs to sample to local wine. We were wondering how such arid land produces wine, but it was very interesting how vines can be grown in the volcanic earth. The vines are dug into holes and surrounded by barricades made by stone to protected by the wind. The result is a very earthy tasting wine. We were not fond of the reds, too earthy for our taste but the whites were very nice, especially the ones made by a grape named Diego. The staff was very nice and gave a detailed explanation about each of the wines that we tasted.

A grape named Diego

There were many highlights to a small but nice trip to Lanzarote. The fact that I can get on a plane and in four hours later I am in an archipelago of islands off the coast of Africa is truly amazing. It is also great that such a diverse group of friends can embark in such a lovely trip and be able to have a magnificent time. This is one of the things that keeps me in Europe: having different culture so close and so accessible. Next hop: Barcelona.

Welcome Spring!

2011-03-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

I have lived in many places but I have never seen such appreciation for sunny skies than in Brussels. For those who live here, we constantly complain about the sun deficit. I think of the other places that I have lived from sunny Puerto Rico to upstate New York, the sun always manages to make an apperance despite hurricane seasons and blizzards. Not really the case in a Belgian winter. Like anything in life, we tend to appreciate the things in life that do not come by often and for us residents of the Belgian Kingdom, having a sunny day is a huge deal.

Spring Day in Ixelles

These past few days the sun has been playing a reluctant game of hide and seek as spring approaches. As the days become longer, I notice that I wake up more willingly than before when I used to arrive at my job in darkness and leave in darkness. Lately I have been waking up automatically to the daylight and to the sound of the birds chirping outside my window. Such a small thing really does go a long way for morale.
As I look from my office window, I see an exodus of people trying to enjoy the nice day as sometimes think that it may be the last one in a while. I love a nice day in Brussels because the city automatically comes to life. Every terrace in the city explodes with people taking in the sun and sharing the nice weather with friends. Popular places such as Place Luxembourg, Place Chatelain, and Place Flagey are filled with people, young and old having a beer under the reluctant Belgian sun. As I run through Bois de la Cambre, I see parents with their children and people walking their dogs. Every conversation seems to be about the weather, about how nice it is, and about how long we will think it will last.

Bois de la Cambre as the sun sets.

For me, April is my favorite month in Brussels. The weather is usually in the 60's, the sun is out most of the time, but most importantly the energy of the people is contagious. I am looking forward to spring in Brussels and other cities that I have signed up to go to this spring. It is nice to see that even in our modern societies somethings are still not taken for granted. Thank you, mother nature, for giving us hope that spring is right around the corner. Always live your life as if it was your last on earth, rain or shine.

Oh crap! I have been robbed!

2011-03-17T03:21:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I have had to say this more than once during my stay in Brussels. As much as I love the city, there is a serious problem with petty crime. Most of us who have lived here for a while have been victims of some sort of robbery whether is having a purse stolen, car broken into, or home robbery. Given that I deal with all aspects of security in my current job, I decided to make a little guide for my staff members and figured it is good information to share with my fellow Brussels people, especially those who are new to the area:
In the past year there has been an increase in petty crime in Brussels. Unfortunately some of us have been victims of some form of theft during our time in Belgium. I gathered important information from the Belgian police about taking preventive measures against theft:

In case of home theft:
• In case of theft, inform the police as soon as possible. You can find your local police information on this website : http://www.lokalepolitie.be/portal/fr/zones-de-police-liste/brussel-hoofdstad-bruxelles-capitale.html (For Brussels-Capital)
Other regions: http://www.lokalepolitie.be/portal/fr/zones-de-police-liste/brussel-hoofdstad-bruxelles-capitale.html
• Take pictures of your valuable belongings, keep records of your receipts, and your credit card numbers. This is not only useful for insurance purposes, but the police will need it in order to find your property.
• In case of a robbery in your home, please do not touch anything as the police will need to investigate
• Ensure that your doors and windows are properly closed. You local police can come free of charge to inspect your doors and windows to ensure they have proper locks.
• Do not keep large sums of cash in your home and consider keeping your valuable jewellery stored at a safe at the bank.
• While on holiday, ensure that your doors and windows are properly closed, do not mention that you are on holiday on your answering machine.
• While on holiday, have a friend or neighbour collect your mail, let your neighbours know that you will be away.
• Use light timers to give an effect that people are home in the evening.

In case of personal theft:
• Be vigilant as pick pocketing is very common in Brussels
• Always keep an eye on your personal belongings. Ladies, always have personal control of your handbag. This includes restaurants and bars.
• Keep your handbags closed at all times. Men should carry their wallets inside their jackets or in the front pocket of your trousers

In case of Vehicle theft:
• Do not keep any valuable items inside your vehicle. Items such as jackets, bags, or luggage should not be visible
• Keep your vehicle documents locked in your glove compartment, keep your windows closed and doors locked at all times
• Do not leave your bag visible on the passenger seat while driving.
• Never leave your car keys unattended inside/outside your vehicle.

You can start your police report online: https://policeonweb.belgium.be/eloket/selectComplaintTypeAndAuthentication.action

Important phone numbers:
Ambulance/Fire station 100
Police 101
Emergencies 112
Red Cross 105
Gaz (Sibelga) – gas leaks 02/274.34.54
Electricity 02/274.32.54
Flooding 02/739.52.11
Poisoning 070/245.245
Card Stop (cancel credit cards) 070/344.344
Animal emergencies 0900/10.12

Stay safe! After 2 stolen GPS, a stolen wallet, and a broken car window, I wish I could have taken this advice more seriously!

My love triangle: Miami, my Latin lover...

2011-02-17T17:39:00.000-08:00

Sunny Florida Skies

Last year, I wrote a post about my love affair with two continents. This love affair continues as I have spent the winter holidays with my parents in northern New York State and now I am on a extended work trip to Miami. As I have discussed before on several posts, I often get into heated arguments with my European counterparts about America, who we are, and what we stand for. I always find the subject every complicated as many people try to lump all Americans into one category which is impossible due to our geographical, social, and racial diversity. Given these factors, sometimes it feels as if every state is its own separate world. This is clearly seen in South Florida where I am currently enjoying the warm 80 degree weather and clear skies, a world away not only from Brussels but from northern New York where I recently rang the new year.
Miami is an extension of Latin America in every sense of the world. I can close my eyes in a Latin restaurant as I am eating my arroz con habichuelas and truly believe that I am in Puerto Rico. The combination of the heat, the smell of the seasonings, and the Spanish language make me feel like home. I've made it a daily routine to go to Dunkin Donuts (which has adapted to its South Florida clientele) in the morning to have my café con leche and guava donut. I am truly enjoying the café con leche with its distinct Latin flavor and the guava paste that melts in your mouth as you eat the doughnut. The lady who works there quickly became familiar with my order and now asks me: "mami, un cafesito con leche, no?". That small gesture made me realize how much I miss the warmth of the Latin people.

South Florida Hazards

The weather has been a friend to me as it has been warm and have had the opportunity to swim in the ocean, enjoying the cool water. I went with my friend north to Hollywood beach, a quiet family beach near Ft. Lauderdale. The water was clear and delicious. Perfection was interrupted by the large jellyfish washed up on the shore. Given the gloomy Belgian weather, I took the risk of being stung and jumped in the clear blue South Florida water.

Delicacies at Don Pan

I was lucky enough to find a hotel on a golf course near my job and I enjoy going on runs throughout the golf course, amazed how one can get lost through one. I have been lucky to stick to my running schedule due to the beautiful weather and the golf just beside my room. Sticking to my schedule is absolutely necessary as I have indulged in all the delicious Latin delights here in Miami. From guaya pastries and cubano sandwiches at Don Pan , to Argentinian/Italian fare at Novecento, to delicious ceviche at Ceviche 105 I need to stick to my runs before my pastelillos de guayaba get to me.
Aside from the international population, Brussels and Miami cannot be more different. It seems that Miami is full of color everywhere: in the clothes, the homes, and the fashion. On that same note, things here have a layer of superficiality as you cannot escape billboards advertising cosmetic surgery in every corner and young twenty-somethings discussing the best method of breast augmentation at the nail salon. As I have mentioned before, I love the old architecture of Brussels but I cannot help to look in awe at the brand new condominiums in Biscayne Blvd. I have to admit, although I miss my pain au chocolat and my Chimay, I am very much in love with Miami.. ¡Qué rico!

How love (and lack thereof) brought me to Brussels.

2011-02-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

I came to Brussels the first time to recover from heartbreak and I returned to Brussels a second time to give love a chance, so there is a deep love connection between this city and I. I have always been in love with love. I have been in love several times in my life in many different ways. I have had uplifting and destructive loves. Since my teenage years, I have loved, been loved, been hurt, and I have also hurt people who loved me. In my belief, love is a rare quality that is truly infinite. This belief is what inspires me to continue to love despite the disillusions. It is our ultimate decision on how much we want to give. There have been occasions when I thought that I was not capable of loving again and later I have been surprised on how much love I was able to give after that.

There are people that believe that in life there is one true love. Maybe for some that is the case. I am a product of a love that came later in life for both of my parents. I look at them and I see how beautiful things can come when you least expect them. How some of us have to live, love, lose, and hurt before we truly know who and how we want to truly love. Sometimes to love means to take risks. Sometimes it means to say goodbye when you still feel this great love in your heart just as it happened to me when I decided to move to Belgium the first time.

Throughout my life, I have loved in many different ways. Every person that has come into my life is unique and in turn I have loved in unique ways. It is a waste to compare. Every love has taken me through a special journey whether it has been magical or treacherous. At the end of the journey, even if I am wounded, I have learned to have more capacity in my heart to love.

My last journey of love was a treacherous one and left me wounded for a long time. I decided to come back to Belgium to give love a chance and it nearly destroyed me. Deep down, I knew that I had the courage to love again, but I did not know if I had the capacity. Needless to say, one of my loves from the past reemerged into my life in a non romantic way to remind me how beautiful it is to give love and how the capacity is still there. My mother always warns me that sometimes I give too much and that may be the cause of my disappointment. This is one of the rare times I disagree with her: love is free, love is infinite, and I will give it infinitely again when my next great love crosses my path.

Happy Valentines Day! Don't wait until Valentines Day to tell the people that you love how much you love and care about them. I don't have a sweetheart this year but I feel immensely loved by the important people in my life. Sometimes it takes to be alone to acknowledge those people who will always love you unconditionally.

Prague... here I come!

2011-01-20T07:04:00.000-08:00

2010 Amsterdam Marathon

After I ran the Amsterdam Marathon I thought to myself, what next? Better yet, where next? One of the luxuries of living in Europe is that it is relatively cheap and fast to go to a different country and experiment completely different cultures. I had originally planned to run in Copenhagen but there were two things holding me back. To start, I would not be able to run the 20km of Bruxelles as Copenhagen is the week before and secondly, I would like to see new cities this year. After my lacklustre performance at the 2010 20km of Bruxelles, it is necessary for me to redeem myself.
During the holidays in upstate NY, I was following some Facebook traffic between two friends who I met at the Amsterdam marathon and noticed that they had signed up for the Prague marathon. Prague has always been a city on my list of places to visit and it sparked my interest. I decided that 2011 is the year to see it and what better way to see the city than to run through it. I have been warned about the cobblestones throughout the course but I deal with those in Brussels all the time.
After stuffing myself with bagels, doughnuts, hot wings, and Red Lobster on my holiday trip to Upstate NY, I started my regular routine here in Brussels and this marks week #1 of my Prague marathon training. I did some warm up runs last week as I took the whole month of December off. Boy did it hurt!! My first official run this week was nice and smooth but slow. It amazes me how the weather has been cooperating with me: it literally starts pouring after I finish my run! Thanks universe for facilitating my training!
I have some travel planned during the training period and I am asking the universe to give me the discipline to stick to my training plans, especially the long runs. I must admit that I stuck to 75% of my plan last year. I was still able to accomplish my 4:30 goal but now I am being ambitious: I want to run a 4:15. Which means that my relationship with pain au chocolat will be reduced to once a week. Bordeaux, frommage and I will have a more sporadic affair. I look forward to running through Miami, San Francisco, Barcelona, Lanzarote, among others and finally running through the streets of Prague.

Adventures in international dating

2011-01-18T07:03:00.000-08:00

In my adult life I have interviewed for several jobs and I am proud to say that I have received an offer from most firms which I have applied to. I truly believe that my interviewing skills have been honed by my 17 years of dating experience. Given the fact that a first date is similar to a job interview: you're checking to see if the other person has the potential to be hired for the position of "life partner". Dating in Brussels can be a complicated maze: different cultures, different languages, and life in a transient city. You may meet someone you like and they may be gone in six months. I was married to someone who I shared the same culture, upbringing, and languages, however, we failed terribly at communicating! How can one do this successfully in a different country with so many different cultures and languages?

After living in 6 different countries throughout my adult life and visiting many others, I had the opportunity to date and also to share stories with other single ladies. I have come to this conclusion (and my mantra): crazy does not discriminate. It comes in every race, nationality, religion, and social status. Stereotypes can be tricky. There are certain traits which bring a culture together but it doesn't mean that all the members of this culture think the same. When I moved to Brussels I was under the impression that people were more liberal and I ended up in a serious relationship with an overly conservative, possessive, and jealous man.

I also understand how things can be "lost in translation". In my experience, people in the US and in Latin America tend to sugar-coat things at times and at times in Europe (given my experience in Germany and Brussels) people can be painfully honest. Dating horror story: a date blatantly once told me that "he was smarter than me" and acted like it was completely normal to say such a thing. Maybe he is smarter than me, after all, he made it a point to rub in the fact that he had a near perfect SAT score. I knew for a fact that I can cook and run faster than him, but do I really need to rub that in someone's face? Sometimes we (my friends who I consulted for this blog) wonder if it is the fact that one party is not communicating in its mother tongue. Is the whole "lost in translation" argument is an excuse to withstand stupidity? Maybe I should start using it to get out of not so pleasant situations.

In my consultation of my other expat ladies, I discovered quite some horror stories which range from foot fetishes to “my girlfriend is living in Germany but we can still hang out when she’s not here” and I know that these anecdotes are not limited to Brussels. I fall into this minority that actually likes to have relationships with people who are different than me because I feel that I can learn from them, but in reality is that truly practical? We will see….

Happy Birthday Puertoriquena in Brussels!

2011-01-05T04:36:00.000-08:00

I am happy that Adventures of a Puertorican Girl is Brussels is one year old. As I mentioned on my previous entry, 2010 in review, it has been a great year and I envision the same for 2011. I'm happy that many friends have enjoyed the blog and have taken advantage of my travel advice! While home at Upstate New York, I had the time to relax, catch up with myself, and think about the things that I would like to accomplish in the new year. One of the first blog entries last year was about the new year goals. Certain things were accomplished, at least the ones that were most important to me, and some became an afterthought.

One of the main things that 2010 brought me was peace. It was an emotional and mental peace that I have not had since I was in high school. After many years of moving from point A to point B and the pressure of overachieving, I finally knew that I was going to be in one place for at least four years in a job that I enjoy. This peace ironically brought some restleness because there was a small voice that asked "what now?". After many miles ran and hours of silence I have finally embraced this peace.
Among my goals for the new year is to learn. To continue to learn French, to learn Dutch, to learn how to cook new things. I want to read, see, love, taste, and explore more. I will to continue to explore my adopted country and share more stories about my experiences in Belgium. After much consideration of how much I want to share on this blog (it is public after all) I have decided to entertain you a little with my adventures in dating. Last year was a year that I found myself again and in the search for love I went on good and bad dates, met nice guys and egocentrics, among others. Sometimes it can be challenging to find a relationship given the cultural and language challenges of living in a foreign country. I will also continue with my travel reviews. I already have a late winter/early spring filled with trips to Stuttgart, Miami, San Francisco, Barcelona, and Prague. I will also be sharing running adventures (just signed up for the Prague Marathon in May), my "I love Belgium" series, and I will contribute more to my Kiss the Chef in Brussels blog.
Again, I wish everyone a great 2011 filled with love, happiness and success. If anyone has any suggestions for the blog, do not hesitate to comment!

2010 in review

2010-12-25T05:32:00.000-08:00

With new and old friends in Madrid

A few days ago I landed in Dulles Airport, Northern Virginia on one of three three flights that I took in order to be home(upstate NY) for Christmas. As I flew over Northern Virginia, I flew over my past life as I lived in a cul-de-sac in Fairfax County before moving to Europe. I reflected upon my life five years ago and it is overwhelming to embrace how much my life has changed in the last five years. I have moved, seen, loved, lost, gained, and most importantly, grown. This year was an amazing year in so many different ways. Many events and feelings have been captured on this blog which has served as a documentary of my life in Brussels.

With Yolanda in Copenhagen

I have been very fortunate to experience many things in the last year. I began a new chapter in my life with my new assignment which will place me in Brussels for at least three more years. After ten years of constantly moving, it is comforting to have a permanent address. I made my little piece of heaven in southern Ixelles my home. In this home, I have been fortunate to host many great friends that have come from far, fed many in my kitchen, and hosted fun nights of Cava and Stella. I have found a peace in my life that I initially struggled with but eventually embraced.

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner at Chez Moi

I discovered that my heart is still open and that I can welcome love into my life. I was able to embrace an old love that changed my life forever and let it go with the gift of knowing that I am able to love again. I had the opportunity to travel to the US three times and spend time with my loving family and friends. My family had a reunion which reminded me of the true meaning of family: loving people just the way they are. I traveled to Atlanta and San Francisco to share laughter and love with the family that I chose: my friends. I was fortunate to travel around Europe with one of my dearest friends and enjoy my favorite European cities: Vienna and Copenhagen. I was humbled by my morning runs through Accra, Ghana realizing how abundant my life truly is.

In our West Africa best in Ghana

I crossed the finish line of the Amsterdam marathon on the time that I proposed to myself, after spending many lunch hours, Sunday mornings, and hot days in preparation for my race. I saw the true meaning of friendship in many ways, how friends can become your family when you are away from home. I learned that even with disappointments, like we say in Puerto Rico "no hay mal que por bien no venga", there is a something to be learned and great things follow. With that being said, I truly wish that everyone had a great 2010 and I wish you a wonderful 2011 filled with love, success, health, and many new adventures!

In Salzburg with Saskia

Plaisirs D'Hiver: How I got into the Holiday spirit this year

2010-12-14T10:09:00.000-08:00

Plaisirs D'Hiver, Pleasures of Winter is the name of the holiday celebrations in the Brussels city center. I must admit, I love the name and the posters roaming around the city with the cute polar bears. After a fall of traveling, marathon training, and a little heartbreak, I wanted to find some peace and happiness during the holiday season. My friend Alejandro, who is from Argentina and I decided to do the trek from our neighborhood in Place Brugmann to Place St. Katherine where the main Christmas market is located. We decided to do this on a very snowy and cold day, not the best conditions, but it gave it the perfect Holiday ambiance.

We walked through the shops of Ave Louise and admired the Christmas decorations of the high end shops in Blvd de Waterloo, admiring what we can buy on the January sales. As we walked down to the Sablon, we admired how beautiful the Petit Sablon looked with the snow and the Eglise de Notre Dame was magical with its touch of snow. As we moved though the Sablon and its weekend antique markets we continued to enjoy the lights, the decorations, and the many people on the streets taking in the winter beauty.

We continued to the Grand Place which has large Christmas tree in the center, perfectly lighted and a nativity scene to compliment it. After four years in Brussels, I do not get tired of admiring the Grand Place. I love how these little alleys lead to this majestic place with its beautifully detailed structures. As we moved towards St Catherine, we saw the city very alive with its locals, tourists, and expats embracing the holiday spirit.

We finally arrived to St Catherine and it was beautifully decorated with details to entertain all ages. I have a special place in my heart for the German Christmas markets as I lived in Germany for a year, but there is no need to compare as they are different and both equally enjoyable. It was difficult to pick something to eat as all the stands looked delicious. From oysters and champagne to bratwurst and beer, it truly reflected that Brussels is somewhere in the middle. We ate crepes, bratwurst, and an Argentinian empanada washed down by Glühwein. Our meal was Brussels, in a nutshell!

J'adore la Belgique/Ik hou van België: Faces of Bruxelles

2010-12-04T04:23:00.000-08:00

After spending the summer and early fall traveling through 3 continents, it feels great to be back in Brussels. That being said, I want to continue to pay homage to my adopted city through the J'adore la Belgique/Ik hou van België series. As I had mentioned before, one of the things that I love about Bruxelles is the diversity of people. I truly enjoy sitting in a cafe or walking down the street and listening to the different languages.The capital of Europe, it is home to the European Commission, NATO, multi-national corporations, lobbyists, embassies, and other institutions. For these series, I decided to interview my friends who are of many different nationalities and professions. They are responsible for making my Brussels experience a wonderful one. Thankfully, they have agreed to share their experiences and allow to see Brussels through their eyes.
I met my friend Jane at graduate school here in Brussels. We bonded over our similar political ideologies and our American nostalgia. This is her story:

An American 31 year old, she works in communications for a large multinational, recently married to an Irishman,and has no children (but 1 dog). How did she end up in Brussels? Studied abroad in Brussels as a college student, and came back after graduation nine years ago to find a job and has been here ever since
What she likes most about of Brussels: good friends, great restaurants, coffee always served with a chocolate/cookie,
Least: taxes, crazy drivers, bureaucracy
Jane's Recommendations:
Restaurant – "my favorite is Chez Marie, located near Place Flagey, wonderful Belgian/French cuisine, 1 Michelin star rating, very cozy, unpretentious, great service"
Museum – the Musical Instrument Museum and the Coudenberg-Former Palace of Brussels (Belvue museum) are great places to bring guests from out of town – both very original and unique to Belgium

I met Javier through a friend last year, we instantly became very close. He recently accompanied me to Amsterdam for my marathon and I can always count on him to make me smile. This is his story:
He's a 29 year old Spaniard, working at the European Commission (EC) as a project manager in transport, and currently in a relationship. How did he end up in Brussels? While working in the EC Delegation in Beijing, he found an EU-China cooperation vacancy in Brussels.
What he likes most about of Brussels: how easy his life can be (I completely agree)
Least: how disorganized it can be, how bad people dress in the streets
Javier's Recommendations:
Favorite restaurant: A la follie, Rue des Eperonniers 54

I met Jimmy at a party of my former boss two years ago. Jimmy is from Peru. I have been very fortunate to meet other Latinos here in Brussels, which makes me feel even more at home. Jimmy was the first contributor to the Kiss the Chef project that we began this fall where he made an amazing ceviche dinner. This is his story:
He's 32 and currently works at a systems engineer in support of the European Commission. He arrived to Brussels in search of job opportunities as the employment situation at Peru was not very favorable. He says that he took a risk: left home, packed his belongings with 100 Euros in his pocket, he experienced some difficulties in the beginning but slowly found his niche. Additionally, he felt as an open gay man that he could live his life more openly in Brussels than in Peru, where some are still very conservative.
What he likes the most about Brussels: He feels that it is very cosmopolitan, that you can meet people from many different cultures and learn something new everyday.
Least: the social system. He feels that it is unfair that many people live on indefinite unemployment benefits when they are young and capable to work while others pay high taxes to support them.

This is just a small snapshot of a few of the many wonderful people that I have met in Brussels. I will continue to feature more faces of Bruxelles sharing their Belgian experience.

I AMsterdam! Review of the Amsterdam Marathon

2010-10-18T02:55:00.000-07:00

I ran my first marathon in 2008. It was the Brussels marathon and I must say it was not the most pleasant experience. That bad experience was mostly self-inflicted. I actually thought that the simple fact that I was a Marine would allow me to run 26.2 miles with minimal training. Five hours and nine minutes later, it was a sad crossing of the finish line. The next day, with my knees the size of grapefruits, I actually needed assistance to get out of bed. Last year, I wanted to redeem myself and run the Amsterdam marathon but I was not able to train for it. This year I told myself: "no excuses, you will run the Amsterdam Marathon".

Samba Band at the Finish Area

Sixteen weeks ago I embarked in my marathon training. I followed a plan that I found in Runner's World Magazine and attempted to follow it to the best of my ability. During this time I managed to travel to 3 different continents, get a mild concussion by hitting my head in the cobblestones of Leuven, and injure my knee. During all of this I was determined: I was going to run this marathon no matter what and with a time of 4:30 or below.

There are people who running comes natural. That is not me. It was always difficult for me when I was on active duty and my colleagues were running 6 minute miles and my 8 minute miles (awesome anywhere else) were not good enough. Just because you are not the best at something doesn't mean that you cannot enjoy it. Despite those experiences, I truly love to run. It is my form of meditation. I love to run for hours and be alone with my thoughts. Running a marathon requires a lot of training and a change of lifestyle. The thrill of crossing the finish line after forty-two kilometers is incomparable and I am happy to give up my Chimay Bleus for that.
The marathon in Amsterdam was a wonderful experience. Ten times better that Brussels for many reasons. It was very well organized, the volunteers were amazing, always with a smile on their face. The one thing that I liked the most was the hospitality of the Dutch people. We ran through a residential area by the canals. It was between km 19 to km 31. There were many families outside their homes with tables set up with water and cookies. I had kids handing me water cups and yelling "Go Jessica" (name is on the bib) and high-fiving me. I am a sucker for random acts of kindness. I wish we would have ran more inside of the city but the sites around the canals were equally as beautiful. Many boats cruised by with music and encouraging the runners.

Nice Detail: Start/Finish at the Olympic Stadium

Overall, I had an amazing experience. My friends Javier and Arwa were there at the finish to give me much needed support. The Brazilian samba band at the finish area assured me that I can still dance after running 42km. As I have said before, these experiences always make me think and the conclusion is always the same: I am one lucky lady!
Amsterdam Marathon info: http://www.amsterdammarathon.nl

Rants of an Appalled American Woman...

2010-10-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

As I get a fix of my American news, there is one word that sums up how I feel: Appalled. Today, I read an New York Times article about school bullying. The article mostly discussed how girls bully other girls and the long term effects that this can have on a woman. What appalls me the most is that this behavior is not magically learned, unfortunately it is everywhere. The saddest part is that this behavior is acquired from grown women.

I get my American news from many sources on the web: many legit (NY Times) some not too legit (perezhilton.com). Regardless if it is Pulitzer-prize winning writing or zealous gossip, there is a common theme: women are being portrayed as idiots. The sad part is that this is no conspiracy that conservative men have plotted. Women have done this to themselves, we keep on building our own glass ceiling. What makes it even worse, we are the ones that tune in to “Real Housewives of Whatever”, the Kardashians (who get treated like crap by their boyfriends and are famous for what again?), or the appropriately titled “bad girls club”. If these people were not getting ratings, these shows would not exist. What is even more depressing is that some of this behavior is not even coming from one of the housewives from Jersey, but politicians criticizing their opponents hairstyle over her policies. Hello, Carly Fiorina.

The New York Times published a series about Women Marines in Afghanistan. These series demonstrate how women are directly involved in combat operations, engaging with the local population, and directing civil affairs projects. What it is sad is that in the big picture, people do not want to see this as news. One of my fondest memories was spending my summer in between my graduate studies performing a humanitarian mission in Senegal. That experience among others that I have had in developing and war torn countries have made me grateful to have all the opportunities that have been presented to me. My experiences are just a blur compared to other women that risk their lives every day to make a difference. Whether is working with Medicine Without Borders, Peace Corps, or other NGO’s there are women throughout doing great things to make this world a better place. They just get minimal recognition on a corner of a website while a woman who cannot properly articulate herself and is mean to others gets her own TV show.

Treating Animals in Senegal

It deeply worries me what we are teaching young women today. It is not OK to be mean and catty to other women. The nice things in life come from education, hard work, and being kind to others. I got through the toughest parts of my life due to the encouragement and love that I have from the women in my life. Whether it was other women Marines, my friends, or the women in my family, it was nice to hear another woman say “I believe in you”.Talk to your daughters, sisters, friends, nieces and let them know that is not right to be mean to others. Random acts of kindness, especially towards our own gender, go a long way.

Being pinned on to Captain by my fellow Women Marines

Que viva Colonia! Review of the Cologne, Germany half marathon

2010-10-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of Cologne (Köln), Germany. I love to take a stroll beside the river Rhine, check out the Dom Cathedral, and indulge in the fabulous nightlife. To make it even nicer is that only 200km from Brussels you discover a whole different language, culture, and way of living. As a way to get myself emotionally ready for the Amsterdam marathon, I decided to run the Köln half-marathon a few weeks before my big race.

Start!

My friend Jane joined me on the road trip to Köln. We arrived in the afternoon to a nice fall day in the city. We checked into the Art'otel Koln, a cute boutique hotel that sits by the river Rhine. We picked up a pretzel by the river and headed to the Marathon Expo at the Köln Messe. I was a little disappointed with the lack of freebies, but the check-in process to get the bib was pretty fast. We continued our expedition to downtown Köln where we walked by the Dom, did a little window shopping, and had a fabulous Geman dinner with the local Kolsch Beer at a local Brauhaus. As a matter of fact, I received my own personal Kölsch beer glass with my registration packet!
Although I mourned the fact that I did not indulge in the Köln nightlife as I usually do, I was very excited about the race. After all, the people of Köln are known to be the friendliest in Germany. On race day, we woke up to great weather and fairly clear skies. The atmosphere was wonderful. We saw runners of all different ages and skill level. There were over 26,000 participants between the 10k, the half-marathon, and the full marathon. As I waited for the start gun, we heard all the classic Deutsche Carnival/Fest songs, to include to Köln's own: "Que viva Colonia". I swear that they even play that at the nightclubs! There were many spectators throughout the course (the local newspaper reported 200,000 total) and our bibs had our names one them. It was nice to hear strangers call my name and root for me. I did not run my sub 2:00 as I had planned (I ran a 2:05) but it was a great experience. It was nice to finish to a rooting crowd and free Kölsch bier!

Finish!

As I ran, I thought of many things, two of them are very important to me. One: I am grateful everyday that I am a woman that can run freely in my country (and in Europe where I live), that I am safe, that I can wear what I choose to wear, that I can freely participate in sporting events, and that my family supports me in everything that I do. My second thought is that I am blessed with great friends that take the time to support me just as Jane took time off her busy schedule to drive me to my race and cheer for me.
Köln Marathon Information: http://www.koeln-marathon.de/1-1-home.html

Two weeks, four countries, many runs

2010-09-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

This summer I have traveled quite a bit. My summer journeys have crossed three continents and many cities. It has taken a lot of discipline (for example, not going out in Madrid on a Saturday night) but the improvement that I have seen has been worth it. Before heading to Denmark on our first leg of the glitz and glamour tour, I went for a six mile run around Bois de la Cambre, a beautiful park in the middle of Brussels. La Cambre, like I fondly call it, has been my main running place for my current marathon training. There is a sense of safety as there are many people there, the routes are diverse, and it is a slice of peace in a rather busy city.
As you know, I truly love Copenhagen and I had an opportunity to go for a run there during our weekend trip. I ran by the Nyhavn area, along the harbor, where I went past where the little mermaid is supposed to be. For those who don't know, she is currently in China for the world expo. However, there was a screen with a picture of her to compensate. It was an amazing experience to run by the royal palace, to see the beautiful sailboats at the harbor, and stretch as I admired the Danish sunset. I would love to do a race there in the future.
Our travels also brought us to Stuttgart, Germany, where we made a pit stop on our way to Austria. We stayed with friends in Ditzingen, a suburb of Stuttgart. I ran through Ditzingen and I truly felt the fall upon me. I ran through apple and pear trees and there was a crisp air that made the run enjoyable despite the many hills of the course that I used. Maybe it is a memory from my high school cross country days, but fall is my favorite season for running, especially in my native Upstate New York.
After Stuttgart, we headed to Vienna, my second favorite city. As much as Ich liebe Wien (I love Vienna), the run was not pleasant. There are no parks in the city center and I had to stop for traffic quite a bit. I heard that there is a good trail by the Danube, but I just did not have the time. Austria treated me a little better when I arrived in Salzburg. Running by the Salzbach river, nestled between the Alps is one of my fondest running memories. The 10.75 miles that I ran that day felt light as the beauty was overwhelming.

My running course in Salzburg

I wish I had a running story from Munich but Oktoberfest got the best of me and I did not run my two days there. I paid for it later as I made up for mileage the following week. My next running adventure: the Köln half marathon in Germany. Das is prima! Que viva Colonia!

Glitz and Glamour part II: Prost! Wiesn time!

2010-09-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned on my previous post, Ich liebe fests, I love Deutsch fests. This year, as the final leg of the Glitz and Glamour tour, we decided to end with "broche de oro" like we say in Puerto Rico at the Oktoberfest in Munchen. We drove into Bavaria from Salzburg and we picked a random exit to have dinner before going into Munchen. We ended up at Gasthof Reiter near Teisendorf. We struggled in Deutsch to order, and we were very proud of us. Come to find out the waitress spoke excellent English, and even her father, who I assume was the owner of the inn, came to ask us how our dinning experience was. It was a nice experience to eat in true Bavaria.

In Bavaria

We arrived on the first weekend of the Oktoberfest. We were aware that it was going to be busy. We woke up Saturday at 9am to get ready for the Wiesn (the Bavarian word for the Oktoberfest). I woke up like a kid in Christmas morning. This is my fourth Oktoberfest and I must say that the last two have been more enjoyable since we have been in dirndls. Being in the traditional dress made us feel as we fit into the whole theme. Saskia and I bought our first dirndls last year and since they are oh so flattering, I could not resist buying a second one during my trip to Oberramergau.

In Dirndls

The first day was extremely busy. We were able to catch the glimpse of the parade on our way to the Wiesn. Once we got to the Wiesn, we started our party at the HB tent (Hofbräu Bier), which is one of the largest tents. The atmosphere was fun, light, and friendly. Another highlight of 2010 Oktoberfest was the new non-smoking law that is now in place. It is nice to go in and out of the tents without the cigarette smell. As the day went by and it was more manageable to wander into other tents, such as the Schutzen Festzelt, which was a lot of fun. At the end of the day, we really wanted to go to the after Wiesn party but our bodies said no!

Sekt and our Songbook

Next morning, we headed to the Hacker-Pschorr tent where we had a reservation through a friend. The Sunday atmosphere was much laid back. Across from our table there were 3 generations having lunch and spending family time together. Many people think that Oktoberfest is a big mess full of drunks (which can be) but you also see a lot of families there as there is also a carnival behind the tents.
We ended our evening in the Weinzelt where we shared a bottle of Sekt (German Champagne) and making new friends. From all the tents, I must say that the Weinzelt is my favorite. Inside the tent there is a nice winebar. The atmosphere is still fun with good music (the band even played Juanes!!!) but the crowd is a little more laid back.

Salzburg: Glitz and Glamour

2010-09-24T15:39:00.000-07:00

Saskia, one of my closest friends and I embarked on a trip a few weeks ago that we decided to call "Glitz and Glamour". If I remember correctly, the name came from Saskia as she told me "if I am flying all the way from San Francisco, I want glitz and glamour! That being said, I planned three days in Copenhagen, where we explored the adventurous Danish nightlife and other cultural treasures such as the Louisiana Musueum of Modern Art. We returned to Brussels, where we picked up, Hans, my 2008 3 BMW series and embarked on the autobahn on our way to Austria. Our first stop was Wien (Vienna) where we took in the art of Schiele and Klimt. My love affair with Egon Schiele art began with my first trip to the Belvedere earlier this year and I do not tire from seeing this work. We lunched and drank sturm in the wonderful atmosphere of the Naschmarkt, where we ate a variety of food and socialized with the market stand owners. As I have I have written about Copenhagen and Vienna on earlier posts, I want to share the details of my 24 hours in Salzburg.

With friends outside the Louisiana in Denmark

As we drove through the Alps from Vienna, we were mesmerized with the beauty of the mountains. As we drove into Salzburg, it was already night time. The city was quiet as we arrived. Aside from being the town of Mozart, I did not know much about it. When we arrived at our hotel, we were told that the kitchens of most restaurants closed around 2130 and that we had to hurry. We ended up in a quaint Italian restaurant that I cannot remember the name with great service and food. To walk off the pizza, we ended up taking a stroll by the Salzach river. As we crossed the bridge, we were overwhelmed with the beauty of the city. In Bavaria I said I walked into a Brother's Grimm story, but in Salzburg I walked into a fairytale.

View from the bridge of Salzburg

The next morning I ran ten miles by the Salzbach river and the beauty of the land was enough to forget that it was raining. To run and see castles, beautiful architecture, and the Alps is enough to keep the energy going. After the run, we strolled through the city among the elegant people of Salzburg, wearing their hunter jackets and ascots. After walking the streets, having a hearty Austrian lunch (with Sturm of course!), we took the lift to the Hohensalzburg Castle.

The Hohensalzburg Castle

The castle is the focal point of the city as it sits on one of its highest points.The whole city made you feel like a little girl walking into a fairytale, but with no prince to take us to Munich! (our next stop and the subject of my next post)
To be able to go through four countries with a friend that I consider family has been an amazing experience. This year I have been extremely lucky to have wonderful people visit me and share unique traveling experiences. I am also grateful that every place I have visited this year has been wonderful in a very unique way and that I have grown with each new place that I encounter.

Ik hou van Belgisch bier (I love Belgian beer)

2010-09-13T00:58:00.000-07:00

Duvel, a tornado of taste

I must admit that I was never a big beer drinker when I lived in the US. I guess that sharing that keg of Milwaukee's Best (aka the Beast) made me rethink my choices in spirits as I became an adult. That changed when I arrived in Brussels. One of the first places that I visited for a good Belgian beer was Delirium. After 4 years, I just can't quit that place. It never lets you down. Yes, it is always full of tourists, but it is a eclectic mix of people and I always end up having a fantastic time when I go there. There I had my first taste of Duvel and Chimay... my favorite Belgian beers,. There I also became enamored with the Delirium passion fruit beer. It is too sweet for certain tastes, but it makes for a good nightcap drink.

Sampling at the Brussels Beer Festival

Last weekend, a dear friend of mine, Saskia came from San Francisco and we headed to the Belgian beer fest at one of my favorite places that I must admit I do not visit enough: The Grand Place. I admire the architecture of the city centre of Brussels, however, I wish they made it much cleaner and revamped its choice of vendors. Some of the shops seem almost too third world for the capital of Europe. If I was the mayor of Brussels, I would tackle that for sure!

Make the beer look like Champagne

We sampled a few beers from the different tents, Vedette (Duvel's little sister), Lindermans for the Kriek, and finished with Malheur (I love the name) and chatted with the connoisseurs. One of the many things that I enjoy from my life in Belgium is the abundance of street fairs and fests. During the summer months, the city opens up with events such as this one that are cheap and enjoyable.

Four years in Europe

2010-08-31T09:18:00.000-07:00

Our first night in Brussels

A few weeks ago was my four year anniversary of moving to Brussels. I arrived in Brussels on August 15, not getting the memo that it was a public holiday and that everything was closed. I also did not get the memo about the erratic weather. Before moving to Brussels, I was on a six month assignment in Seoul and on my way to Brussels, I made a pit stop in New York. Seoul and New York: hot and sunny; Brussels: cold and rainy. I shipped all of my jackets and boots via post not knowing that I would need them in August. I remember how doubtful I felt my first day in Brussels. It was dark, rainy, and cold. I was alone, waiting for my friend Louisa to arrive the next day to help me with the moving process.

There was no turning back: I sold my home, left active duty, and gave away most of my belongings to move to Europe for grad school. I did not know what to expect at all. I had lived overseas previously but in completely different conditions. After a week looking through places with Louisa, I found the perfect place in a street conveniently called "Rue de l'Amazone". As Lou left and I settled into Rue de L'Amazone and I couldn't help feeling completely lonely. As I unpacked, I realized that I was settling in to a new chapter in my life and as lonely as I felt, I knew that that only good can come from the move. There was nothing to lose.

Four years later, it all seems so blurry. I remember my first trip to the supermarket, where I was shocked that I had to pay for plastic bags and that the cashier did not bag them for me. "What do you mean, no free nights and weekends on my cell phone plan?" I wondered as I opened my mobile account. “Are you really closed on Sundays?”. “Is beer really cheaper than a coke at the corner pub?”Everything seemed so foreign and at times inaccessible.

Jaime and I at my 1st birthday in Brussels at Rue De L'Amazone

As time passed, I began to connect with amazing people who shaped my experience in Brussels. My homesickness was cured with the visit of great friends who wanted to share this experience with me. I began to meet people from all over the world. As I started hosting parties at my home, it was amazing to listen to the many languages which flowed through Rue de l'Amazone. I was learning as much from my new friends as I was learning in my graduate program. I began to travel and to experience Europe and I slowly became in love with it. My love affair was so deep that my initial 18 month sejour became an indefinite one.

Terrace at Rue De L'Amazone

Sometimes the route to happiness means taking risks. I've learned that from experiences such as choosing to attend a university that I never visited, joining the Marines when I was 18, or volunteering for a tour in Iraq. I feel that all of my risks have paid in large dividends. Some people thought it was crazy that I left my comfortable life in Virginia to be a student in Europe. They could have not been more mistaken. These past four years have had its challenges and life changing moments, but I would not change a single detail.
Follow my blog with bloglovin

Y tu abuela, dónde está? En África entre plátanos, tambores y pan sobao

2010-08-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

Mi blog usualmente es en inglés pero para expresar esta parte de mi experiencia africana, lo tengo que escribir en español. Como puertorriqueña tengo que reconocer todas las facetas que componen nuestra raza. Tanto como en mi isla como en el resto de Latinoamérica se olvida, o mejor dicho se niega una parte integral de nuestras raíces: nuestra historia negra. De España hemos heredado una plétora de cosas importantes a nuestra cultura, la más importante en mi opinión, nuestro lenguaje.

Maduritos....

En todo el revolú de lo que se llamó la conquista, nos volvimos un buen sancocho y nos convertimos en la raza que somos ahora. Utilizo la palabra “raza” metafóricamente ya que una familia típica boricua se puede ver desde rubios hasta negros. Para los que no saben de ahí viene la frase popular puertorriqueña “y tu abuela… dónde está?

On eating duty

En los últimos tres años, he viajado varias veces a África. Desde Liberia hasta Nairobi he visto rasgos de nuestras raíces africanas. Ese continente que nos regalo en mi opinión, mucho del color y de la esencia de lo que es nuestra cultura puertorriqueña. Acabo de llegar de Ghana, un país en el oeste de África. En mis dos semanas me dediqué no tan solo a trabajar con el ejercito gánense pero también correr por las calles de Accra y he observado muchas cosas que me hacen añorar a mi querido Puerto Rico y apreciar estas raíces tan lindas y coloridas.

En las mañanas me dedicaba a correr en las calles de Accra y veía las camionetas totalmente cargadas de racimos de plátanos y guineos. Me acordó mucho a mi infancia en Puerto Rico, en la que muchas veces mi padre le compraba al señor que pasaba por la casa con la guagüita de viandas. Había una señora vendiendo un pan que se parecía mucho al pan sobao que se vende en Puerto Rico. Se veía el señor con sus cocos al lado de la carretera y hasta en la misma base militar. Tuve que aprovechar y tomar agua de coco casi todos los días y para el toque final pedirle al señor que me la rompa con el machete como lo hacía papi para comer la fruta.

Con la aguita de Coco

A la hora de comer, me ha dado muchos recuerdos de la comida puertorriqueña: se sirve plátanos fritos con todo. Comí su versión del chillo frito, se como yuca hasta con un mojito. La facilidad de la gente, siempre con una sonrisa también me acordó del calor de mi gente boricua. Desde el arroz a los guineítos sancochados que preparaban el comedor de la base, no se puede negar las raíces africanas en nuestra gastronomía boricua.

El ejercito gánense se encargó en preparar una noche cultural para nosotros. Fue una fiesta de gala en uno de los salones del palacio presidencial. La cosa que me atrajo más fue la música. Me acuerdo de mi reciente viaje a Madrid, en donde vi un espectáculo de flamenco y me acuerdo que sentía la música atravesar mis venas. Lo mismo ocurrió en Ghana cuando al llegar al evento fuimos recibidos con un conjunto de música tradicional. El ritmo de los tambores me infectó totalmente y hasta bailaba sin querer!

Como había escrito en “ni de aquí, ni de allá” , creo que el hecho que comparto tantas culturas me da la curiosidad aprender más. Estoy sumamente agradecida de la oportunidad que tuve de conocer a África y al mismo tiempo conocer más de mi y de una gran parte de mis raíces. No se puede negar, al contrario se debe de aprender más de ella. “La bomba ay que rica es, me sube el ritmo por los pies… mulato: saca a tu trigueña… ‘pa que bailes bomba, bomba puertorriqueña”

Don't look at those who do not have shoes...

2010-08-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

...look at those who do not have feet, my father always said to me when I complained about trivial things. This time I have taken the time to look at those who do not have shoes. Most mornings during my stay in Ghana, I woke up at 5am to go on a run as part of my training for the Amsterdam Marathon in October. Every morning that we have ran, we always saw the same lady, carrying what I assume is her goods for the market on her head and two bags on each of her hands. I am assuming that were pretty heavy as she stopped every few steps to adjust her merchandise and keep on going. We see her walking through the red clay curb that we also ran in. She started her journey around 5:45 every morning. What struck me the most is that this woman was walking barefoot.

Our morning running route in Accra

Sadly the poverty was common through the neighborhoods that we ran though, there was something about this lady without shoes that captured my interest. She was more than likely someone's mother, daughter, or sister. We are both women, but our worlds are so different. How sometimes we live in so much comfort that we become too involved in shallow moments and do not realize how much abundance exists in our life.
I spoke to my running partners about how much the lady had touched me. I decided that on my last day bring some money on our last eight mile run in Accra in order to give it to the lady so she could buy shoes and a cart for her bags. We took off at the same time as always for our last run in Ghana, but we could not find the lady. When I was done, I could not stop thinking about her. Moreover, it made me think about the people that we see in need everyday and how we postpone to help. It could be our friends or just random person in the street. It does not have to be a large gesture. Lesson learned from this last run in Ghana: if you feel the impulse to help someone out, do not wait until the last minute.

Running in Ghana

2010-08-10T14:12:00.000-07:00

As I train for the Amsterdam marathon, I have had to endure my training through the New York summer heatwave, the winds by the Golden Gate Bridge, and a mild concussion that I received while having too much fun at a fest in Leuven. My new challenge is my current trip to Ghana. As I put on my Marine uniform to participate in Exercise Africa Endeavor, a multi-national information systems military exercise, I wondered: how am I going to keep up with my training? I have been very consistent the last 6 weeks. I have 10 more weeks remaining and things are looking good for a sub 4:30 finish.
My first day I woke up entirely too early as I made a mistake of not setting my phone to the proper time. The best thing about being around Marines is that you always find people to run with. I ran with an old colleague who worked with me in the past and it was a nice 6 mile run as we caught up. As we ran through the dirt curb in Ghana we took in quite a bit: the over crowded public transportation vans, the view of the ocean, ladies setting up their markets, and Ghanaian military guys doing their morning workout (and one of them telling us to run faster!). Just as its world famous textile prints, Ghana is a land full of color.

Halfway though our 6 miler

Our second run was much better. We recruited two other colleagues to run with us. We shaved off 3 minutes to our 6 mile time. Acclimatization is working. I am hoping that my malaria pills are working as well. We ran the same dirt curb as the first morning. Today it was much busier as it was a weekday. At 5:30 am there were women already preparing their markets and the beginning of the morning rush hour traffic. Sunday I have my 16 mile long run. I am trying to get a few colleagues to do a relay to accompany me as I cannot go by myself (house rules). Let's see how that goes...

Te dejo Madrid....

2010-07-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

As I discussed one my previous posts, "The Revolving Belgian door" it is sad to see friends that you have become attached to leave Belgium but it is always exciting to visit these friends in their home countries or new locations. This time, I visited a dear friend Yolanda in her hometown of Madrid. After a less than stellar visit to Barcelona in 2007 and great visits to the Spanish coast, I did not know what to expect from the capital of España. The best thing about not having expectations is that things can turn out to be wonderful. This was the case with Madrid.

I don't want my readers to feel that my travel posts are fluff since I always end up loving the places that I have visited this last year. I must say that I have been incredibly lucky that all my trips have been amazing so far, all in their own individual ways. There are three things about Madrid that I was most impressed with: one the food, two the urban planning, and three the value for your Euro.

As my closest friends know, eating is like a competitive sport for me, that's the reason why I participate in long distance runs. The food in Madrid was spectacular. I noticed that people eat very late in Spain: lunch usually after 2pm and dinner after 9pm. Lunches throughout Madrid are served fast and at a fixed price menu at most restaurants which worked well with my fixed priced budget. I sampled such delicacies as the Cochinillo (young pig), bizcocho de marzipan in Toledo, and continental dishes such as seafood stuffed crepe. The highlight of my gastronomic experience was when Yolanda took me to La Albufera to have a Paella for Sunday lunch and it was exquisite, the perfect thing to eat after running 12 miles at Parque del Retiro.

I was not in the market for shopping but I loved the style in Madrid. I admired the older women, las señoras so well dressed and accessorized. The city was filled with great shops. One that caught my eye was Bimba y Lola. Very unique shoes and accessories, too bad (or good) that I traveled with a small carry on! We went through the Salamanca and Chueca neighborhoods and saw very unique shops with great finds.
As I mentioned, I was very impressed with the urban planning. It is great to see a city with such beautiful 18th and 19th century architecture with easy and modern public transport. The metro system was the best I have seen in Europe. Plenty of stops, always on time, and best of all... 1 EURO!!! Take that, London!!! I loved how clean the city was (rivaling Frankfurt) and the organization. From what I heard, the new mayor has done amazing improvements in the last few years. I went running at Parque del Retiro and it was amazing. The area is heavily shaded, water fountains, and snack shops. Although the loop is close to 5km, I observed something new on each loop. Overall, the city makes it very welcoming to visit with such organization and value for your money. One tip we learned from the friendly gal at the tourist desk next to Museo Reina Sofía: after 6pm most museums in Madrid are free! We took a tour of the Museo Reina Sofía and enjoyed the early works of Picasso for free. Great for a pre-dinner activity.

My Puerto Rican roots have deep Spanish influences. It was nice to observe where many of our influences came from. Yolanda took me to Toledo, a city where the Christians, Muslims, and Jews converged many centuries ago. As I walked through the streets of Toledo, I almost felt like I was in Old San Juan as the heat, the food, and the architecture are very similar. As I observed the Flamenco version of the opera Carmen, I can see how it has also influenced our musical heritage as well. I truly felt the Spanish guitar en la sangre!
The verdict: Madrid is a vibrant city filled with culture and character. You can see plenty for free and eat very well. There is always something to do and the hospitality was wonderful. I have already booked a ticket for November in order to celebrate my birthday!

My love triangle...

2010-07-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

My relationship with America and Europe is like being in love with two men at the same time. I miss Europe when I am in the States and I miss the States when I am in Europe. After almost 5 years abroad, I become so overwhelmed with all the abundance that exists in America. One of the first things I do when I arrive to my home town of Rochester, NY is to go to Wegmans. Wegmans is the holy grail of supermarkets. I have seen 30 countries and nothing comes close to it. It's like a whole foods/Italian deli/farmers market packaged in one big building. It is the ultimate food shopping experience. To make it more memorable it is open 24 hours! I love the availability of the US: 24 hour shops and most importantly, open on Sundays! In both Brussels and Germany I had to do my shopping on Saturday as shops are closed Sunday. If you get into the store after 11am on a Saturday is pretty much every man for themselves! I also miss the perkiness of America. Of being able to strike a random conversation with anyone about anything. I know that some of my European friends do not enjoy the perkiness, but I love being able to chat up someone at the store or restaurant.
When I am in the States, I miss the attention to detail in Europe. Everything in Europe seems to be so unique, especially the fashion and the food. Everyone seems to have an individual style whereas in certain areas of the states people seem to almost wear a uniform. While in San Francisco, I spent a lot of time in the Marina neighborhood as my friend lives there. All the women had a basic uniform: black yoga pants, sneakers, slightly messed up hair, and a designer bag. The was not much deviation from that style. I enjoy the fashion in Brussels, especially the stylish 60+ women here. Whereas in America an older woman is confined to sweats, women over 60 here still wear heels, makeup, and accessories. What I like the best about Europe is that people have a sense of individuality despite the neighborhood or social class.

New World: San Francisco

There are some great places to eat in America as well (especially San Francisco) but I am in love with the food in Brussels. Even in the smallest restaurant in Brussels has grace to its food, in terms of preparation and presentation. There is always an aperitif, always a post dinner coffee. You're not rushed out of the restaurant, but allowed to enjoy your meal and wine. Speaking of wine, wow, wine is very expensive in the states! I thought that buying a California wine..hmm 30 miles from where it is being produced would be cheap but that is a big no! It seems like a decent Cali red can go for $20 whereas I can get a fabulous Bordeaux at Cora for 8 Euros.

The old world: Brussels

I can write a whole book about the contradictions of my Europe-America-Jessica love triangle. So it is official, I am in love with two continents. One is home for me. America is where I am the most comfortable. Where things are available at all times and comfort is default. Where things are new and there seems to be an upgrade every time I visit. My other love is Europe where everything is a piece of history, seems like everything is a small school where you are constantly learning new things. For now I shall continue my love affair with Europe while cheating with America every now and then....

My family rocks too (Review of the Aponte Family and Friends Reunion)

2010-07-08T10:23:00.000-07:00

After 3 flights and delayed luggage, I arrived to Rochester, NY, home of the Aponte Family Reunion. The Aponte family is my mother's side of the family and after many messages via Facebook, we decided to have a family reunion. Although the flights were very expensive, I could not miss such event as it was the first reunion of its kind. We had family come from Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas, and Virgina.. The reunion took place in Webster park, a beautiful park on the edge of Lake Ontario on the outskirts of Rochester.

The thing that I like the most about my family is how open we are. We are all very different. We all have different jobs, lifestyles, and personalities but we all get along very well. Family feuds do not last very long and grudges are very rare. I enjoy how my family accepts people regardless of who they are. Our reunion was not only friends, but also friends of our family who some I have known since I was a kid. Participation was pretty high, although there was not a concrete number, some say between 105-115 people were there. It was nice to see family that I have never met before and be able to spend time with them.

The second thing that I like the most about my family is the food. Although the nuclear family is from Puerto Rico, many of our relatives have married into different cultures which makes for a diverse buffet at our family gatherings. As good Puertoricans, in addition to the BBQ, we had a buffet full of calderos of rice, Italian meatball, potato salads, pasta salads, and many other yummy delights. Needless to say, I ran 8 miles the following day.

I am very grateful for my family. Living overseas, you do not take the moments with your family for granted. I have a large family that I can always count on. We are a big gang of characters but we all accept each other just the way we are. I believe that one of the most moving gestures of love is acceptance. I am grateful that my family loves me for who I am. I love them for always remembering me in my absence and supporting me. I love them for being them and for always making me laugh, dance, and eat. I am absolutely thankful for being able to make it to my family reunion and sharing such a special event with such special people.

J'adore le ápero urbain

2010-06-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in other posts, I love how much people enjoy the summer in Brussels. Sun is a rare commodity, and the Belgians capitalize on it as much as they can. One of my favorite summer events in Brussels is the Apero Urbain. First of all, I learned to appreciate the aperitif when I first moved to Belgium. Let's keep it real: the average American home does not serve the sparkly before a meal. Now it is default at chez Jessica. It may not be Champagne all the time, but a Kir Royale with Cava or Prosseco. Secondly, I love a cocktail. After all, my mother almost gave birth to me in our former liquor store.

The ápero at Parc du Cinquantenaire

The Apero Urbain is an event that takes place every Friday at different areas throughout Brussels. The ones of late, Ave Louise, Bois de la Cambre, and Parc du Cinquantenaire have been a great time. Every ápero has DJ's playing music, food, and most importantly, drinks. My favorite is the wine stand, you can order a bottle of rosé for 15 Euros and you get a tub of olives to go with it. I love the laid back atmosphere of the Apero. You see all acpects of Brussels: college kids, the Eurocrats in their suits, older couples, and couples with young children. The common thread is that everyone wants to celebrate the beginning of the weekend.

Bois de la Cambre

My dad rocks too

2010-06-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

Last month I wrote about how much my mom rocks. In honor of father's day, I decided to write about my dad and how much he rocks as well. According to legend, shortly after my birth, my dad came to see me. At the sound my my dad's voice welcoming me into this world, I smiled. Since that moment, my father and I have a very special bond. He's the love of my life. He comforts me when I am sad and he's there for me when I am happy. In my 30's I still cuddle into my dad's lap. When I am cuddling in my dad's recliner with him (we call it "el punto") all of my troubles seem to fade away.

My dad was 59 when I was born. Some people find it odd, but since I do not know any different, I think it is normal. I would say that he was very strict compared to my friend's parents. At the same time, he was very supportive of all my decisions. Although he came from the old school, he never set limits for me and supported my unconventional career choices. My dad was always there front row at my school assemblies or graduations. In high school, he shuttled me from classes to school trips in his 1978 Cougar (which my brother and I made fun of) . He always wanted me to learn more. At the age of 6 he tried to teach me to play the guitar, but I did not succeed at that. I inherited my lack of patience from my pops. Sometimes we drive each other crazy because we're so much alike. There are many things that I learned from my dad. He is always full of theories and beliefs. Some I do not agree with, but I am brave enough to challenge him.
My dad is amazing because he always instilled in me the desire of learning. He always tells me that another man can rob everything from you except what you have in your brain. He taught me independence, work ethic, and most importantly, how to season a turkey. I admire my father's warmth and his ability to connect with people. When we go to the supermarket, there is always someone stopping to say hello to him. I also inherited the love of animals from him. I remember when my dad took me to the Humane Society of Rochester (Lollypop Farm) and he started to cry. He was crying because he was so sad for the abandoned animals and he knew he could not take them home. Yes, I got my softie side from my pops, we cried together watching the Cristian the Lion documentary.
I am blessed with great parents. I acknowledge that I have dedicated quite some pages to them of late on my blog. I do it because life is short and you should let your loved ones how much they mean to you. The older I get, the more thankful I am to my parents. I want to wish a Happy Father's Day to the main men in my life: My father and my three amazing brothers, David, Sabad, and Tito. I love you in your own individual ways. Thanks for being my protectors and my teachers.

A year at Place Brugman

2010-06-17T12:37:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is hard to believe that it has been almost a year at my slice of heaven at Place Brugman. Time goes by so fast but the journey seems quite long. I returned to Brussels from Stuttgart with an impression of what my life was going to be and now it is completely different to what I had imagined. One thing I have learned from my adult life is that everything is about timing. That sometimes the bad things in your life are just detours to lead you to a magnificent place. My last detour brought me back to Brussels. My apartment, manifesting itself the way that it did, gave me a sign that there were many good things awaiting me in Brussels.
I wanted harmonious relationships in my life, they appeared. I wanted my dream job, I received it. I wanted time with my friends, they came to visit. After a year of living in confrontation, it was refreshing to have amazing people coming into my life. I made new friends who I feel I have known for ages and reconnected with friends that I had forgotten. As more positive people came into my life, the negative feelings slowly disappeared and great things began to happen. As the months went by, my apartment became a home. A home where I cook and entertain. A home in which I celebrated thanksgiving, my birthday, and my new job with great friends. My home now welcomes my friends from close and from afar.

Cooking for my people on my birthday

After a year of being stagnant in Germany, I began to travel. This last year, I've been to places such as San Francisco, Munich, Vienna, Stockholm, Bavaria, Copenhagen, and New York. By traveling I met amazing people and reconnected with people who are very special in my life. It was hard for me to imagine staying in Europe after graduate school. Four years and I am still here, it has become my home. This country has been a graduate school, not only academically, but it has given me many lessons in life.
I have lived abroad previously in Asia while serving with the military but living away from the blanket of the US government was a new experience. The Marine Corps was always there to register my car, find me an apartment, and pay my utilities. Being in Brussels, without that support scared me at first, but it made me more independent. It forced me to learn another language and to truly assimilate to a new culture.
As my friends and family back at home look at my pictures they ask me why I am so happy. They ask if I have a boyfriend and some are shocked that I say no. I spent a year and a half denying who I was due to another person's interpretation of me. It took me a year to date me again, buy me nice things, and take me on vacation. Happiness comes from being in a loving relationship with yourself. A year later, my relationship with Jessica is going fabulously. Anything extra that may come is just the cherry on top.

Belgium, Puerto Rico and the Status Quo

2010-06-11T01:38:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought that Belgium and Puerto Rico had something in common? A European country and a tropical island? Actually, they have a lot in common. They are both places in which two unrelated cultures collide and the main political discussion is always the same: the "status quo". Both have political parties that use the status quo as its main agenda item. As long as I can remember, Puerto Rico has always had the status quo debate. Being a territory of the United States, around half of the population wants for it to remain a free and associated state of the United States and the other half wants it to become the 51st state of the Union. There is a small minority that wants it to become an independent nation.

Belgium is a little more complicated but a similar story. It has a French speaking south, Wallonia, a Flemish (a variation of Dutch) in the north, and a very small German minority in the East. Brussels is in between Flanders and Wallonia (geographically it is still Flanders) but it is considered the center of Belgium. Brussels has become in a way the battleground for the cultural and economic war between both regions. Many Flemish people feel that they bear the economic burden of the south and would like Flanders to become its own nation. Some people from Wallonia would like to become part of France. In a survey conducted by the main Francophone Belgian newspaper, Le Soir 66% of French citizens would approve an annexation of Wallonia. With all of these options, it is worrying to see what will happen to the Kingdom of Belgium. Many expats, to include myself are worried. Many wonder what will happen to their job, their property, and their livelihood. Will my employer find a more stable place to set up operations? These are all subjects that are being discussed by the international community here in Brussels. The expat community is a big economic vein to Brussels and its surrounding areas.

Politics have always fascinated me. I guess when you have political fanatics as parents, it is part of your DNA. With all my studies and general interest, I am not able to grasp Belgian politics. They are just too complicated, especially coming from a bi-partisan country. Sometimes I become frustrated with the monopoly of two parties in the US and in Puerto Rico but when you live in a place that cannot form a government in 8 months (this happened in 2007), you start to wonder which model is best. Iraq was able to form a coalition faster than Belgium after their first elections in 2005, in the height of sectarian violence!

I work and socialize with many Belgians. Bruxellois, Flemish, and Walloons. It is hard to form an opinion because everyone has a different take on what they want for Belgium and its future. All groups have valid points. In Puerto Rico, it is the same . I was raised in Puerto Rico and I still have a difficult time deciding what I want for my dear island. I see the benefits of it becoming the 51st state but I fear for our cultural identity. I can sympathize with the Belgians because I know what it means to live in between two cultures and wonder about the future of your homeland. Elections are tomorrow, I am am anxious to see the outcome.

Nordic Lights, the Danish Edition

2010-06-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

My love affair with Denmark began in 2005, when I fell in love with a very special Dane and visited the Copenhagen. One thing that amazes me about the city is its calmness as it is surrounded by water. Five years later, my friend Yolanda and I embarked on a weekend adventure to Copenhagen. Fortunately, the city was as beautiful as I remember it. It's a beautiful contrast of the modern and old world. From the chaos of Brussels it was refreshing to see the calmness of Copenhagen.

View from Nyhavn

After reading many great reviews, we stayed at the Nyhavn 71 hotel. The room was pretty small but service was wonderful and the location of Nyhavn was perfect. The area of Nyhavn is a beautiful harbor area surrounded by stunning sailboats. The houses surrounding it are colorful and give the scenery a fairytale charm. The 75 degree weather made the experience much better as it seems that everybody was out on the street basking in the sun. My friend invited us to a restaurant called Zeleste near Nyhavn which possessed an old world charm. The former blacksmith oven served as a fireplace in its courtyard. The atmosphere was great thanks to our Danish/Spanish/Puertorican/Mexican group (and our cava and elderflower aperitif). Afterward, we rubbed elbows with the stylish Danes at 1105 where they made delicious cocktails. I miss a bartending culture. Cocktails are just not as popular in wine/beer focused Brussels.

The scenery in Copenhagen makes you want to be on a boat. That being said, we took a boat to Hven island. The boat ride gave us an amazing view of the harbor. Hven Island was very simple, yet nice and relaxing. Later that day we found out through our friend what we were actually in Sweden! How international...we went to a different country for lunch!

View of the Harbor on our way to Hven

As much as I like to see new things, I love to come back the old things that I am fond of. Five years ago, I remember going to a great Argentinian restaurant called Fuego. I could not pass the opportunity of returning. The service was great as all the waiters spoke Spanish and the Parrillada was delicious. After the Dulce de Leche creme brulee we wanted to sleep but we couldn't justify that as we were on a mini holiday, therefore we headed to Porta where we had glass of champagne and shared some thoughts on life.
Sunday we woke up to another wonderfully warm day. We decided to walk through the city, eventually making it to Vesterbro, which is their version of Williamsburg but with an occasional hooker. The one of the things that I enjoyed the most was walking through the canals and seeing how alive people are here after a dark winter. I truly enjoyed seeing how old and new converged.

A friendly moment with Yolanda

The verdict: Vienna had robbed Copenhagen of my favorite city in Europe title but after this trip, it has reclaimed its crown. The city is stylish, the people are warm, and my heart is still somewhere in Charlottenlund...

20km of Bruxelles

2010-05-31T06:05:00.000-07:00

Running is one of those things that does not come natural to me. I started running in high school as part of our mediocre cross country team but it did not become a steady part of my life until I joined the Marine Corps after my freshman year of college. I have never been the fastest among my 6 minute mile buddies, but it is something that I enjoy to do. When life has given me questions, all it takes is for me to go on a run and figure things out. It is my natural antidepressant, my motivator, and I way to keep my figure after 30.
24 hours before my race:
From what I read on the Belgian press, there will be 30k runners for the 20km of Bruxelles race. I ran the Brussels marathon in 2008 and I was a little disappointed with the organization of the event. It seems like the 20km of Bruxelles is better organized and I am looking forward to running it. I must admit that I could have trained more, but I am ready for my race. The goal is to finish under 2 hours. Tonight I will do some yoga, pilates, and my ice/ben-gay routine. I also baked vanilla cupcakes for the apres race party at my friend Yolanda's home. Just downloaded good 'ol Marine Corps Cadence on my iPod. Hoping that hearing "what's the sound of the devil dog.." will make me run faster but not park in public! Looking forward to tomorrow!
8 hours before the race:
Why am I up an hour before my alarm? Secondly, why is it cloudy and rainy out there? I can deal with cloudy, I actually wanted it to be cloudy. However, wet sneakers are not fun. This morning my friend Javier is having us over for brunch. I can't wait to load on the carbs. The race is at 15h. I wonder who came up with that idea?
The race:

"Team Jess" saw me off. My American-Nicaraguan-Spanish-Norwegian team made sure that I was off to a good start! I ran a respectable 2:16 although I wanted to run a 2:00 but I must admit that I slacked off with the training a bit. The race was a lot of run. I was not aware that Brussels has so many hills! My expectations were low because I ran the Brussels Marathon in 2008 and I was disappointed with the organization of that race. The 20km was different. It was very well organized given the number of participants. The atmosphere was also great, the runners were very energetic. The only two things that I had a problem with was the lack of distance markers and the water stops. Not knowing how far you have gone can mess with your head. And going a good 40 minutes without water in the humid weather also affected me a bit.
While running, I couldn't help to remember that it was the eve of Memorial Day. It made me think of how grateful I am for my life. How I came home alive and well to my family and friends, and most of all that I have my health. Sometimes we take our bodies for granted but being able to run this distance made me even more thankful for my health.
After the race:

My friends rock. They were waiting for me at the finish line and even better, I was welcomed with a dinner of burgers, arepas, Manchego cheese, jamon serrano, salad, and even the cupcakes that I made the night before. We had a nice afternoon, I think I replaced all the calories I lost and more.
Today, I woke up with all sorts of aches and pains and took advantage of the multitude of sick days at my job. I couldn't have my colleagues look at me like this! So today it will be more ice, more motrin, and more ben-gay. One thing that comes to mind when I run long distance is the miracle of the human body and how we can push it further than we can. Amsterdam Marathon 2010... here I come!
http://www.20km.be/

J'adore la Belgique/Ik hou van België part III: J'adore Place du Chatelain

2010-05-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

This is part III of the J'adore la Belgique/Ik hou van België series. Summer is approaching and there is no better place to have mid-week drink than Place du Châtelain. On Wednesdays, the square comes to life with an afternoon market. The market has the classic fruit and vegetable stands but additionally it has delicious treats such as cheeses, ready to eat quiches, warm empanadas, thai food, and everything in between. There is a nice grassy area in between where you can make your own picnic. Last Wednesday we had a picnic with feta stuffed peppers, olives, cinnamon and cumin goat cheese, and of course, wine. The atmosphere is very festive as many people converge in this area for a mid-week drink and some goodies from the market. Most stands stay open until 7pm so it is easy to pick up a few things after work.
The choices for dinner are endless. Place du Châtelain is the home of one of my favorite restaurants, La Piola, which I mentioned before. In a 500m radius you can have Italian, Belgian, Thai, Lebanese, and the list goes on. For drinks, you can go to Le Châtelain and rub elbows with all the pretty people in the city (or at least the wannabes). Later on we go to Le Bar so we can do a little people watching. If you are feeling a little 'hood, you can go to White Night (Belgian version of a bodega, but cleaner) and get a bottle of wine or beer. I love how there are no rules about open container in this country!!! One of the reasons why I am not moving to the states any time soon! Châtelain is lively well past midnight. I believe that I should be on flex time on Thursdays during the summer in order to recover from my Châtelain Wednesdays. I shall discuss with my boss....I'm kidding!
Growing up in Puerto Rico, I used to take the sun for granted. Even in upstate NY, where the winter is brutal, a hot summer is guaranteed. Not the case in Brussels. One of the things that I love about Brussels is how the sun is never taken for granted. It moves me how the city comes to life with the smallest glimmer of sun. When the weather is nice, Place du Châtelain is one of liveliest places in Brussels. It's a place to see and to be seen. After four years, I can't quit it!!

Outfitting a home in Brussels....

2010-05-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

Exactly a year ago, I found my little 75 square meter heaven in southern Ixelles. I took a risk by renting an unfurnished apartment because I did not how long I was going to stay. As expats, sometimes we fall victim of Ikea and we fail to see other places in Brussels that sell fabulous things sometimes at the same price. Yesterday, I spent my Saturday with my friend Javier as he was shopping for his new apartment in the lively St. Géry neighborhood. As a Brussels veteran, I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the places that I have found through my local contacts and friends.
If you live in Brussels, you don't want to be caught without a washer. Laundry rooms here are too expensive. A did a cost benefit analysis and my washing machine paid itself off in 6 months! From a suggestion of a friend, I went to IHPO. It's far cry from a Best Buy since it's just a warehouse full of appliances but the prices and service are good. The prices are great, especially in "fin de series" models (models from last season). Delivery and installation is only 40 EUR and they remove your old machine for you if you like
It seems like you can't escape Ikea, especially for plates, glasses, ect. Well I found two great places that you can have restaurant quality plates at almost Ikea prices. The first one is Vaisselle au Kilo. It is near the Sablon and the highlight of this place is that it is open on Sunday. That's a BIG deal here in Brussels. They have a great selection of plates, wine glasses, and other kitchen accessories. It can be a little crowded there, but the selection is wonderful. Also, it is located on Rue Haute where you can find antique shops and unique furniture shops.
The second place, is located at Place St. Catherine. The name is Dishes Factory. The selection is similar than Vaiselle au Kilo, but it is a little more organized and the customer service is pretty good. On a Saturday, make sure to have tapas and and a glass of wine at the Nordsee behind St. Catherine.
As for furniture, the downside is that if you go to a Belgian furniture shop, you will probably have to wait for 2-3 months for your item to arrive as they do not keep a large inventory. Sometimes you can get lucky, like I did with my bedroom set (3 weeks). I really like a shop called Reno, which is located in Diegem, 15 minutes outside of Brussels. The prices are slightly higher than Ikea but they offer delivery and mounting of furniture. Additionally, they also have a design section at higher prices.
Additionally, on the route A12, en route to Antwerp, there are many furniture shops and you can get great deals during the sales period in July and December. Conveniently, the Duvel brewery is located on the A12 as well :-)

A letter to my parents

2010-05-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

As I found out that I was selected to the rank of Major, there were two people that I thought about: my parents. There are many things that I am thankful for, but my parents top the list. They are the warmest, most caring people that I know. I do not have children of my own yet, but I hope that the lessons that I have learned from my parents carry on.
The one thing that I appreciate about them is their selflessness. Some parents want their kids close to home for their own selfish reasons. At the age of 17, my parents dropped me off at college. Although there were some tears, they allowed me to go away, conscious that I will never return to live with them again. They believed in me when I decided to become a Marine, never second guessing my choice. Boot camp was the first time that I was away from them for a long period of time (3 months). To be able to see them at Parris Island, beaming with pride made it much more special. I appreciate how supportive they were when I decided to become an officer. My mom once asked me why I did not choose a more "normal" profession. I told her that I loved being a Marine and I love to travel. After I said that, she said that she would support me no matter what and never questioned my career choices again.
I appreciate how they have allowed me to make mistakes. My mom is for tough love and my dad is for coddling. It's a great system. My dad coddles me and tells me that everything is going to be ok and my mom tells me to stop crying, fix myself, and figure out a solution. There is never a "I told you so". Instead there is a "what are you going to do now?" or "how are you going to move on?".
I value how they have set the example. My dad always says that there is no glory without sacrifice. Many years ago he arrived to the states from Puerto Rico. He sacrificed many things to have the American dream. When I was 15, I had my first job. My dad took me to work but he charged me gas money. It taught me responsibility and work ethic. I learned generosity from my mom. My mother is the most generous person that I know. When I was in high school, she worked at a nursing home. It moved me that she would bring the patients gifts and food. Sometimes she became the only family they knew and the last person to hold their hand. She opens her heart and her kitchen to anyone who needs a meal or someone to talk to.
More than anything, my parents never gave me limits. They always told me that anything was possible with hard work and dedication. My dad taught me never to have an inferiority complex and to accomplish as much as I can. They were there to discipline me and give me direction. When I was younger, I resented how hard they were on me at times, but they saw my potential when I was too young to regonize it.
For those who are parents, allow your children to dream. Allow them to grow, allow them to learn. Teach them the totality of possibilities as much as my parents did to me. The more age, the more I realize how special they are.

My mom rocks

2010-05-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

In honor of mother's day, I decided to write a little something about my mom. I know that everybody says "my mom is the best". Well, my mom is not only the best, but she rocks, and if someone ever messes with me she will go after them with a lead pipe. No, I'm not joking this really happened in 1996.
My earliest memories of my mom is at my parent's former liquor store in upstate New York. My mom was always there helping my dad with the store. Everybody knew and loved Dona Lydia. My mom has always been the ringleader, the one planning the parties, the family events, and our day to day lives. I guess that I get that from her. She has so much energy. She is up at 6am and she does not stop until 10pm as she falls asleep watching her novelas.

My parents are pretty much opposites, but they make it work in their own way. If I want to be coddled, I go to dad, if I want tough love I go to mom. Now that I am an adult, that is one of the things that I love the most about her. She has allowed me make mistakes, some bigger than others. When I call her crying she always tells me to calm down and figure out a solution. She may be tough, but she is my guide, my drill instructor of life. She guides me without words. Out of a simple question such as "what you are going to do now?" she gives me the answers without even saying the words.
What makes mami wonderful is how special she makes me feel everyday. Her pride in me makes me feel like I am on purpose. We went on a road trip to Albany for my freshman orientation with no idea what we were getting into since she did not have the opportunity to go to college. All she knew is that she wanted for me to be educated and she never set limits for me. She always believed that I could be anything that I set my mind to. She gave me wings to fly and allowed me to go as far as I've wanted, without judging me or making me feel guilty for leaving home. Most of all, she has always stood by me. In my triumphs and in my failures, she has been a silent guiding light.
More than anything, my mom has taught me about unconditional love. The love she has for my dad, my siblings, and I has no limits. She lives by her word and is a friend, a mother, a sister to many. She has taught me to love even those who have hurt me. She has taught me to give even when I do not have much to share. She not only has given my life but has allowed me to live it to the fullest. For all of these reasons and many more, I think that my mom rocks!
I love you mami and I miss you!!!

Observing my country through the European Window

2010-05-05T14:03:00.000-07:00

I have two jobs here in Brussels. One is my actually day job, the one that I pay my bills with. My other job is a little more informal. Almost 13 years ago, I took an oath to "defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies". My second job is to defend America from the criticism of my European counterparts. Unfortunately, just as Chris Rock states on one of his stand-ups "sometimes I can't defend hip hop", sometimes I can't defend America.
One of the things that I try to explain is that one can be patriotic with out being "Palinesque". I am proud of being an American but that doesn't mean that I have to agree with all of our policies and laws but I do respect the office of the president and elected officials. I have been to some f**ed up places in this world and I am lucky that I have had many opportunities that my parents were not able to have. If my dad would have joined the US Armed Forces, he would have been in a segregated force sixty years ago. Almost ten years ago, I was commissioned as an officer and have had the privilege to led men and women from all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Although there is much more work to be done, we have progressed immensely.
What makes me sad is the America that I am seeing now in the news. The America that I see from afar and the one that I am having a hard time recognizing today. Senators being called the F and the N word by opponents of the health-care legislation. Militias being formed in the "heartland" but authorities not recognizing them as terrorist organizations. The president being constantly mocked due to his race and questioned about his birth. I believe that people should be entitled to their opinions, but debate others on the issues, not on their personal appearance or sexuality.
Now this new immigration law in Arizona. I am aware that something needs to be done in regards to illegal immigration but to which extent? Racial profiling? I am an American, born in the US, and I serve my country proudly. It would be disheartening to be stopped and to be asked for my "papers" when I have given an oath to protect my country as thousands of other Latinos have had: through WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and now Iraq and Afghanistan. My dad has been an American citizen since his birth but has an accent. If he was pulled over, would he be sent to a holding cell until his citizenship is proven?
These days it is hard to defend my people, when there are so many recent reports of hatred surfacing in our country. We are supposed to be the land of progress and optimism (or at least that is what I preach to my friends). I always bragged to my European friends that America is one of the few countries that you can make something of yourself regardless of how/where you were born. That is what makes me the most proud of being American. I hope that soon we reengage with our values and move forward as a nation of White, Black, Latino, Asian, in-between, gay, straight, poor, and rich with a common objective. I hope that we can continue to be the nation where dreams come true instead of being plagued with xenophobia and racism.

The sisterhood of the travelling birthdays

2010-04-30T04:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I travelled to Atlanta to surprise my friend Ragi for her birthday. Her husband organized a trip for us to visit her. I met Ragi my freshman year of college. I remember the first time I saw her, she was riding her rollerblades down the hall in our dorm. Like Charlie Murphy said about Rick James on the Chappelle show "she had an aura, I saw like orange around her". She had a captivating personality which makes her even more gorgeous than she already is. I instantly knew I wanted to be friends with her. That was 14 years ago. We have shared many special moments together throughout the years.

Many years have passed since college and our group of friends from SUNY Albany (Sarah, Jaime, Ragi, Louisa and I) have always found a way to stay in touch. They have been very supportive of me even though I am not able to be with them at all times. Ragi always sent me magazines when I was in Iraq, Sarah sent me beauty products, Jaime always finds a way to make it to my birthdays, and Louisa came with me to Brussels to help me move. With all my life changes, I can always count on them to be there for me, either physically or virtually.

The title of this blog is very fitting of the last five years. Life has taken the five of us many places. The beauty of our friendship is that we do not have much in common. We all have completely different ethnic backgrounds (Chinese-Malaysian, Indian, Filipina-Hungarian, Puerto Rican, Salvadorian), different jobs (social worker, accountant, art director, Marine, and academia), and different interests. In college we majored different areas but what I believe holds us together is our desire to learn. I think that I have learned as much from these four ladies as I learned in college. They opened my mind to many different things and I am grateful to have them as my friends. I learned to eat chopsticks with Jaime, wear a sari from Ragi, and to make Hungarian pancakes from Sarah. One of the things that I admire most about my friends is that they are constantly evolving. Whether they are pursuing a new career or education, they are always open to new things.

As we travel around the globe, we have found ways to meet for our birthdays. I flew to NYC for Louisa's 30th birthday. It was nice to have all five of us together and to share that moment with Lou and her adorable girls. I decided to have my 30th birthday in Puerto Rico and Jaime, Ragi, and Sarah joined me. It was a very special to have my friends share my birthday in my homeland and show them where I grew up. For my 29th, Jaime, Sarah, and Louisa came to Brussels with me and ended up in Amsterdam celebrating my big day. This year, we surprised Ragi at her beautiful home in Atlanta. We hung out on her deck drinking margaritas, eating steak, and basking in the southern sun. It always feels like family when I am with my sisters, they are family that I have chosen.

As I boarded my plane home, I felt sad to leave my dear girls but at the same time extremely happy to be able to share special times with them. Throughout these 14 years we have grown together. We have progressed together. I am happy to have found a group of women that have always supported me. As much as friction between women has become normal in our society, I am grateful to have women in my life who love me just the way that I am. I am grateful to have a group of women who I can continue to learn from, even after 14 years.

Ich lieben fests

2010-04-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

I love fests. I don't know if it's the lederhosen, the schlager music, the liters of beer, or the half of chicken you get to eat with your fingers. I have been to three Oktoberfests in Munich and the Frühlingsfest and Weindorf in Stuttgart. There are many fun things to do here in Europe but sitting on a long table with a bunch of people sharing beer, wine, or some type of schnapps is on the top of my list.
Last weekend, we packed Caroline, my good friend Yolanda's brand new BMW 1series with four very international ladies (Spainish, Maltese, Indonesian, and Puerto Rican) and headed to Stuttgart to experience the Frühlingsfest for the first time. From what I heard, the Frühlingsfest is just a smaller version of the Oktoberfest in Stuttgart and way to welcome the spring in Baden-Württemberg.
My expectations were not as high since the Oktoberfest in Munich is the epitome of a fest. When we arrived in Stuttgart the weather was beautiful, the timing was perfect. We put on our dirndls and headed out to Hauptbahnhof (the main train station) where we met my friend Jared, who looked adorable in his lederhosen. At first we did not see people dressed up and were a little worried. Here we are, a bunch of foreigners in Bavarian attire hanging out in the train station. All we saw were guys with Stuttgart paraphernalia as there was a soccer game that day. Once we got out of the S-Bahn, we were relieved as we arrived at the fest and saw hundreds of people dressed for the occasion.

We shared a table with a dozen gentlemen that were celebrating a bachelor party. It was pretty funny. The guy was dressed in a ridiculous outfit and their job was to get him as drunk and ridiculous as possible. Of course we had to help by buying him shots of schnapps. It was a lot of fun to stand up on the tables with complete strangers. It's quite an experience to sing schlager versions of songs like "I had the time of my life" to songs in German that we managed to learn in our 8 hours inside the beer tent. Yes it is cheesy, but after 3 liters of beer and lots of schnapps all is good. Don't judge me!!!
There is something refreshing and fun about going to a place and bonding with people that you don't know and have nothing in common with over some beer and chicken. Maybe I am on to something. Is this the solution to world peace? Can we sit all the world leaders under a fest tent, play schlager music, serve 1 liter mugs of beer and have them discuss diplomacy?

I stepped into a Brothers Grimm story....

2010-04-16T02:13:00.000-07:00

As a security manager, I do not have the opportunity to travel frequently for my job since I have to make sure the "house" is safe. Fortunately, my work sent me to a course in Oberammergau, Germany. I spent a week in a beautiful and magical place in Southern Bavaria. I have not heard much about this village before and I must say that the expectations were not very high. As I drove through the valleys of the Alps into this magical place, I completely changed my mind. It is a place for those who love nature and love taking in all the beautiful things the earth has to offer.

For those who read my blog, you know that I have two passions: eating and travelling. I fall into that strange category of people who love German food. Spatzle, Sauerkraut, Schnitzel... oh my! What better place to have those dishes that in the small inns of southern Bavaria. I stayed at a small in called Hotel Turwort. The place was out of a fairy tale: it was a old house with accents painted on its exterior walls. On the inside it was lined with wood. I made the place feel warm, even with the cold, alpine weather. I had dinner at the hotel restaurant where the waitress, wearing her dirndl served me sauerkraut with wurst, yum!

We had a "cultural" trip and we went to castle Schloss Neuschwanstein. The castle was absolutely beautiful and the view was amazing. It was very old world. Walking to the top of the mountain where the castle is located was nice exercise and I rewarded myself with a pretzel at the top. There was also an option to go by horse carriage but then I would not been able to justify the pretzel....

There was one day of nice weather in Oberammergau. I took the opportunity to run alongside the river and the view was breathtaking. I was nice to smell the air, observe the mountains, and listen to the river. I must say that it is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen. Running through the valley gave me a great sense of peace. As I ran back into the village, I observed all the houses with their beautiful paintings on their exterior walls. Some have religious paintings and some have old Bavarian scenes. It was all very old world and charming.

The verdict: I am on a roll! This is my 3rd trip this year and I have been very happy with my choices. They have all been very special in different ways. My goal is to go back in the summer for a hiking trip, I heard that they have beer gardens at the top of the mountains. Prost!