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Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette

Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette is currently a resident of Paris, France, where she lives with her husband. Together the two of them operate their small translation company, giving Jacqueline the opportunity to observe the French and their culture up close. She is an avid reader, writer, and student of foreign languages.

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Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette

  • Bribery, Bias, and Bratwurst: Apartment Hunting in Germany

    I felt like waving a white flag as soon as I showed up to the apartment viewing in Cologne, Germany twenty minutes early just to be the latecomer in a group of over fifty potential tenants. There I was: standing in a crowd full of Germans all of whom (even those older than I am)…

  • Cologne: Paying a Heavy Price for Germany’s Open Door Refugee Policy

    The threat of danger is always tucked away in the corners of our minds, bringing forth our animalistic instincts in a supposedly civil society. Large-scale celebrations such as New Year’s Eve and Cologne’s Carnival have been a means of letting go of such worries as people attempt to recharge their brains in preparation for long…

  • Cologne’s Burger Boom

    The time eventually comes when an American expat is in absolute need of comfort food. When I lived in the States, I took most typical American comfort foods such as burgers, cheesecake, and Mac ‘n Cheese for granted. It was only once I lived in Europe, where these foods either didn’t exist, or were few and far between,…

  • First Impressions: Brussels

    Brussels, Belgium has a lot to offer tourists as well as to long-term inhabitants due to its political and historical status. Brussels is the capital of Belgium, the de facto capital of the European Union, and the headquarters of NATO, not to mention that it was founded as a 10th century fortress town by descendants…

  • The Colossal Cologne Carnival

    Cologne is truly a unique city in Germany – ​so unique that those who call Cologne home when asked where they’re from while traveling will respond, ‘’I’m from Cologne,’’ rather than saying that they are from Germany. In many ways, I understand because I realized recently that when people in Europe ask me what country I come from, my answer…

  • A Little Perspective from a Little Village

    There are various types of travelers: the adventure-seeker, the itinerary-constructing robot, the museum dilettante, the party person, and then there are people like me who care more about experiencing new cultures and environments through the daily lives of the locals. This means putting more trust in the goodness of people than is sometimes wise, letting…

  • Nazi Hooligans Riot in Cologne, Germany

    In recent years, October has become a month that means more than just disguised children and glowing Jack-o-lanterns to residents of Cologne, Germany. On Sunday October 25, 2015 the streets of this otherwise friendly and calm city witnessed an undesirable demonstration that turned violent. A mutant-alliance of soccer hooligans and neo-Nazis came together in intoxicated…

  • First Impressions: Romania

    When I made the decision to spend my summer holiday traversing the rural landscape of Romania instead of the tourist-dense museums of some of the more popular European countries, everyone seemed to have the same general opinion: watch out for Quasimodo’s damsel in distress, Esmeralda, with her band of Gypsy thieves and run in the…

  • Enjoying the Black Sea, Romanian-Style

    Sometimes diction plays a larger role in the way we interact with our surroundings. When I told people that I would be traveling to Romania during the summer, I emphasized that the majority of that time would be spent in Constanta just relaxing on the beach. One individual’s response was, ‘’Oh, so you’re going to the…

  • The Funny Side of France

    In Europe, every country is known for its particular attributes. France, for instance, is known for fashion, food, wine, Paris, and rubbing other countries the wrong way. Paris is often considered to be synonymous with undefeated elegance, culture, and intelligence. Naturally, tourists go to Paris expecting exactly that: pure untainted refinement. Every now and then,…

  • Good French Gone Bad

    Embarking on a new life in a foreign country can be a challenge all on its own, but the obstacles of such an endeavor multiply when you have to learn a new language in addition to a new city and culture. Misunderstandings simply become a part of daily routine. The causes range from not understanding…

  • Never a Dull Moment in Cologne

    Any time spent in Europe will indubitably result in unique firsthand experiences. With that said, I have to admit that while living in France I felt as if something was lacking: humor. In the short amount of time that I’ve been in Cologne though, I discovered that the Germans can be very serious, but equally,…