NDNs in Europe- 2021 Edition

We took a risk and flew our family to Europe during the most American holiday- Thanksgiving. And we did it during a pandemic. We wore masks the entire time and we're all fully vaccinated, in case anyone cares (doubt it).

Back in August, my spouse and I were watching 28 Days Later and were lamenting how great it would be to see London. Yes, during a pandemic (in the movie) (but also in real life). We have the money in the bank so why not?

I bought the flight and scheduled us to take our passport fotos. Then I scheduled all the Airbnbs. I always wanted to see Paris. So why not take the "chunnel" into Paris?

This was one of the most expensive and memorable processes I've ever engaged in. And I am so happy I did.

We were set to leave Albuquerque on November 20 and land in London on November 23 (November 22 back home). Eight hours on a plane with two small children is not ideal but it did make me grateful they weren't babies. When we landed at Gatwick, Justin's luggage with his jacket and Red Wings were lost in Tampa. So on the other side of the planet in November sans jacket is not the start we wanted.

Getting the tube to King's Cross was such a culture shock (mostly because the Brits like to walk the way they drive). Arriving in King's Cross with two small kids was putting the prep we had given them into practice: STAY IN LINE. FOLLOW THE PARENT IN FRONT OF YOU. Unsurprisingly, they did great.

Our arrival to our hotel across the street, The Standard, was a relief however, to be frank, it was not worth the $1700 I spent. The room was so small, and when you have humans in an enclosed space, well, you know. Then we made the 45 minute trek to SoHo to accomplish *my* dream of finally owning a Burberry coat. I know. Selfish. Whatever. Click HERE to see the coat I bought.

Here is the one pretty picture I got in SoHo. Mind you, it's not too different than what I've seen before but the luxury stores are always inspiring awe in me. I will say, taking Ubers in Mercedes SUVs is one of my favorite memories. I'm easy to entertain.

The next day, we went to the Harry Potter set (fuck JK Rowling, that fucking TERF) (I just had to say it) and it was incredible. Short story about my love for Harry Potter (TW: mention of sexual abuse): I was a chubby little Native/Chicana kid and different than my white classmates in Kingman and different than my cousins in Laguna. As a ten year old experiencing bullying, molestation, and puberty, Harry Potter was a safe haven. Those were my friends. The heartache I felt after finishing The Sorcerer's Stone is STILL so tangible. And I got the trio tattooed on my left thigh in 2016. It wasn't until my late 20s I finally understood the harmful tropes the author weaved into her stories about the goblins in Gringotts, for example. I knew my gut was right when I remembered how uncomfortable it was that a description of Dumbledore's mom included the Native trope that we all have high cheekbones.

That being said, here are a few fun pictures of our time on the actual set of HP. It was a [very complicated] dream come true.

Not too much happened in London after HP. We packed up and left for Paris on the 24th. I rented us this super home-y apartment that is a 30 minute walk to the Eiffel Tower. Okay- another story so you can see why Paris means so much to me.

TW: physical abuse, homophobia, & intimate partner coercion

When I was a freshman in high school, I started dating this gross white dude who pressured me into PDA that made me so uncomfortable and figured this is as good a boyfriend as I will get. Besides, too many people I knew and made "friends" with (plus family members; my dad used to call the Backstreet Boys, my favorite boy band since I was 7 or 8, "the backdoor boys" in reference to all of them being gay) were very homophobic so I couldn't totally come out as I wanted. My grades started slipping and I was always getting into trouble with my parents for the way I dressed, using tampons when I wasn't allowed to (different story I will tell another time), wanting to go skating with my friends, etc. This meant not just getting grounded but being slapped in the face or upside my head, or being denied lunch money. The one class where I put in the effort was French. My teacher, Nancy, is still one of the most kind and compassionate humans I will ever meet- she used to check on me and was someone I could confide in. In this class, I was inspired to dream about other places I could escape to, to be myself without judgement, and learn about a different culture. After learning more about fashion and getting a subscription to Teen Vogue, I knew a Burberry coat had to be mine- this timeless piece that could be paired with my band shirts or my dress shirts. Heels or Vans. Fashion and Paris, the things I could escape to. Leaving Paris last month was seriously one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. It was like leaving safety.

Getting off the EuroStar at Gare du Nord was one of the most breathtaking moments of my whole life. It was an experience that was just mine. Separate from parenting, separate from being someone's spouse, or being a homeowner. It was freezing, overcast, and busy. Here are some views on my way to our appartement.

When we dropped off our things, we headed out to the Louvre and lemme just say- I cannot wait to go back. We did not scratch the surface- that place is MASSIVE and to see the art I studied in college was absolutely surreal. Check out the ONE picture I took (I was too busy picking up my jaw all over the place).

Judging You For Not Supporting Abortion LOL

I bought Justin a Lacoste trench (it looks so hot, oh my god) inside the Carousel, adjacent to the Louvre because this poor man was wearing only a cardigan since we landed in England. We visited the Eiffel Tower, went on the Ferris Wheel, and I drank warm cherry wine (which is absolutely DIVINE) (bars). Then I pissed off a Karen by drinking this wine. My kids' first meal in Paris was... a hotdog, fries, and a Coke. Very American lol.

Okay, the rest of the time is a blissful blur. I only got to have sex once but it was very much worth it. We had delicious coffee, fish soup, duck breast, veal liver, pizza, and ended up all over Paris via boat taxi. Also- €65 for macarons was worth it (~$74). The Notre Dame didn't finish burning :( But it is beautiful work of architecture. Truly.

The end of our trip was so stressful- getting from Gatwick back to the States was as stressful for me as being sexually assaulted, honestly. I didn't know how long the situation would last, I felt trapped, I was coming up with hurried backup plans, and trying to remember people I can call. We thought we could arrive 3 hours early and finish our holiday shopping at the luxury stores in the airport- NO. The day we were due to leave Europe, the 28th, was the day governments were making decisions about travel restrictions due to fuckin' OMICRON. And Jude was sick (tested negative, we had to take tests) so we were absolutely terrified and got to our gate with 4 minutes before takeoff. Every ancestor we have and prayed to got us on that flight and we made it back.

London was not my favorite save seeing one of my best friends, Alanna (who owns Seaside Books in Ireland, please go support her), and her family for dinner. Oh and of course, my coat (the store has white carpet and a maître d').

When Justin and I got married in 2016, we were too poor for a honeymoon so next year, I really want to spend two weeks out there with him. SANS kids, obviously. I didn't get to read or drink coffee outside everyday, or carry a baguette in my Gucci bag (I don't have a Gucci bag but maybe one day). I am determined to do that in Paris with my husband.

All in all, it was a beautiful trip. I am so grateful to have been able to afford to take my whole family and buy nearly anything we wanted. I am so incredibly grateful. I will say, it's baffling to me that the English have all these complicated ways of getting into the country but 1) no one wears a mask inside or outside and 2) no proof of vaccination or negative test is required. In France, we all felt safer because 1) proof of vaccine was required EVERYWHERE including private businesses/restaurants and 2) wearing a mask is required. I kept thinking, while in England, "No wonder your ancestors kept dying from the plague over the last 700 or 800 years..."

I had so many complicated feelings as a queer Indigenous person on a different continent- the continent of colonizers, full of countries that have a disgusting history of investing in the enslavement of Africans and Indigenous people, who have treated us as zoo animals for centuries. Being in the Louvre brought up complicated feelings because the awe on one hand but also the sadness that this is an institution that has exploited the cultures of Indigenous, African, and Greek people, which encompass Egyptian artifacts, and Islamic holy items. I empathize with relatives in these cultures because my culture, my history, my ancestors were exploited and sold off like we are play things, because of our skin color, our language, where we are geographically, etc. The word exotic comes to mind. It was a difficult headspace to be in, to exist centuries after ancestors were forced by the English Crown and the Catholic Church to assimilate, to give up land and our nature relations to be exploited to make these institutions rich. Our cultures are not replaceable. Period.

Okay, I hope you enjoyed this long, ridiculous blog. More blogs on other things later.

-rae