Answering 8 questions about transitioning from an English PhD into a non-academic role.
Who do you think I am?
A litle over two years ago I was writing about my struggle with people's assumptions about me in my adopted country. In that blog post, I was reflecting on the pitfalls of the not-so-innocent "where are you from?" question that many migrants like me face when they open their mouths to speak. The culprit? Doubtlessly …
Jam, pickles, and the ghost of domestic Gothic
This month I made jam for the first time in my life - my first ever preserve of any kind. My mum has made jam many, many times. When I asked her to give me a run-through of her jam-making technique she just said: "Oh, it's easy, it's very easy! There's nothing to it, you'll …
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Bringing flowers to a forgotten grave: Celia Holloway (1799-1831)
What is something not-so-secret and somewhat strange that you do that gives you purpose? For me, it's bringing flowers to old graves that no one seems to visit anymore. It's not as random as it might seem. Wherever I live, I seem to get attached to old cemeteries, and in particular churchyards. They bring a …
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What’s your ideal first date?
Yes, somebody actually put this on their bio. Does this count as copyright infringement, or fair use under the copyright law? After many, many, many - possibly way too many - years stuck in monogamous relationships that weren't good for me, I'm finally experiencing what some might call "freedom." For some months I did the …
“Your English is so good”
I am a migrant. I moved to the country I now call my second home when I was a young adult. When I moved away from my home country, that was my first time stepping outside my home country's borders. That was my first time on a plane. My first time living away from home …
The perfect fit
I grew up with a "perfect fit" approach to career and professional roles. Let me explain what I mean by that. Growing up as an adolescent and as a young adult, I imbibed this idea that each person has one profession, one all-consuming role that they are training for and that they will pursue for …
4 upcoming books by female authors to buy and read over the next 6 months
I've been sitting on this one for a while, mostly because I couldn't think of who would want to take reading suggestions - about upcomings books, no less - from me. But then again, why not? Maybe there's someone out there who didn't know they needed this particular list. You know, I'm one of those …
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Slow but steady: Snails win the race
My first encounter with snails must have been when I was but little, maybe 6 or so. I was in the countryside and snails came out in scores after the refreshing summer rain. I quickly became fascinated with their beautiful shells, their considered pace, and the sensation of their cold, moist flesh across the skin …
Variations on the Theme of Sadness
This is a short and (for me) experimental piece, mixing fiction and non-fiction. I haven't written much creatively in a long while, and this baby just wanted out, so here I am, unleashing it upon the world. Constructive feedback and thoughts are always appreciated. (Full piece after the cut!) ¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬ There are days when the …
Encyclopaedia Vanitatum 