About

Welcome to my blog of murky narcissism.

 Globe Drifting 

I grew up in England where I studied French and Chinese; my father is Bulgarian, my mother is German Jewish and I am caught somewhere in between. With my Jewish nose, Bulgarian skin and English accent, I at once belong to British, East German, Bulgarian, Jewish, French and Chinese cultures and yet to none of them at all; shifting between cultural identities, I am drifting across the globe in the hope of stumbling upon enlightenment- or at very least, a nice fat piece of double chocolate cake. The world is my oyster, my oyster through a lens…

Have an idle gander through my blog on global issues, cinema, cycling, travel, photography, fashion and the dolly mixture that is life.

 

I also love this song.

‘Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.’– Mark Twain

 

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297 thoughts on “About”

  8. Very French of Malraux to limit the addiction to women to the West. Thanks for following my blog. Hope you will find something good to read after reading my book reviews. Started to read a novel and a collection of short stories that have a more female perspective than Andre. Enjoy the world!

    Reply

  12. Hi Rachel, thanks for following our blog breadsilkmilkonbike.com. But i have to apologize as the blog won’t be primarily written in ENglish. It will be a translation from the French website. As you seem fluent in French, I would reocmmand you to follow painlaitvelos.com.

    BTW, your blog is very inspirative.
    Hope you will keep on posting

    Rémi and Réby

    Reply

  13. Rachel,
    Thanks for the like and follow. Read your post on prison and there is much to digest. Very much enjoyed your photos of Cambridge. Someday….once I;m off the no-fly list, lol.

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  15. I am honored that you are following my blog. It warms my heart to know that you will be visiting me. The song was awesome! I’m a big fan of “unplugged” music. It truly showcases talent. Separating the talented from the “digitalized”.

    Have a great day!
    Rita

    Be the VOICE heard amidst the deafening sound of sameness!

    Reply

  18. it’s so funny. I am born in the USA (to quote The Boss), as were my parents, as were 3/4 of their parents. On my mother’s side I must go back An Gort Mor, (The Great Hunger for those who don’t have the Irish on them) to find someone not born here. And all those born elsewhere were born in Ireland. I am a Brooklyn Irish Catholic. (Some say this is a disease in search of a 12 Step program of its own.) It wasn’t until I was thrown out of Catholic school in the 5th Grade that I came to understand that there were children in the world from other than Ireland (or maybe Italy, I guess). But then it was back to a surprisingly non-catholic (note the small c) environment in an all boys Catholic college prep high school. But I had seen the world! There were Jews and Black people and Greeks and others, even more exotic too. Please understand that when my brother married a girl whose family was from Sicily, my grandmother (the 1/4 who had come from Ireland so recently) called it a mixed marriage.

    So absolutely, celebrate your cultural identity dilemma. In many ways I am proud of my heritage – not that I am mono-cultural. I watched Riverdance, I read Angela’s Ashes. I was not confused by the distraction of some Czech uncle or Mauritanian great-aunt who had the wisdom of food of their culture to inure me with.

    But look at you guys, you are (in my narrow view) citizens of the world. It seems to me, that wherever you might go, to visit or live, there will be others who share your culture and history and linguistic turn of phrase. You have a wonderful menu of nationalities to choose from. What with all the Irish who moved ‘away’, I can find my own landsmen in places from Brazil to Benghazi. But they must be Irish – and owing to the politics of another century – Catholic. Not that I disparage the Presbyterians one bit, but I was never exposed to them (even in my worldly years in public school). I share next to nothing with them. Boy, just thinking about that makes me go hmmm. But it remains true.

    Celebrate, I say. In some ways even envious. Can you imagine what it would be like to create a single meal that was just composed of your ethnic, cultural and locational experiences? My mother, God rest her soul, was 5 generations removed from the ‘ould sod’ but on a good night growing up I got potatoes, cabbage and some sort of meat that had most definitely had the hell boiled out of it. Culinarily, be grateful you are not Irish.

    Thank you all for sharing your ‘different-ness’ (different from me, I mean). I am shown a path of growth and awareness that I would never even know existed, were it not that you all chose to blog and comment and share. Namas te.

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  23. Beautiful blog! Thanks for dropping by at my place in this blogosphere and deciding to keep tabs on my ‘experiments’ ..checking out your interesting posts and pics…stay blessed & keep blogging!

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  24. What an interesting blog! I’m looking forward to read your posts. Thank you for following my blog. I’m glad to have find you that way.

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  26. Hi Rachel–I wanted to introduce myself as well as thank you for stopping by and for now wishing to follow along on my life’s little adventures via the blog cookiecrumbstoliveby. I love your photographs and delightful take on life–thank you for sharing–I look forward to seeing more of your adventures as well—blessings—Julie

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  32. Thank you so much for the follow on my wee blog, it is really appreciated. Welcome aboard. If you have any requests or suggestions just let me know. Surely such a cultural mix is way more interesting than being pigeon holed into a standard box? May your journeys be filled with fun and happiness, MM 🍀

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  34. Whenever you feel a little ‘lost’ because of the many heritage you have a claim to, consider that you are also very rich for the same reason. On a more personal note, I think my children will experience the same feelings as you considering that they are also a product of mixed cultures.

    Thanks fro dropping by my blog and following. 🙂

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  38. Cheers for the follow! Having lived in England for a few years, I never did get round to visiting Cambridge. The fotos you have posted are terrific. Thanks for sharing them 🙂

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  40. How fortunate that you have such an exciting life. Your heritage is your fortune, and home is where the heart is.
    I myself am German, Italian, Russian and Hungarian. I was born in the U.S. and now that I am 70 years old I realize that life is what you make it. People are not all the same on the outside but we are all the same on the inside. We are connected by humanity and love. If you have peace in your soul you will have peace in your life. It really will not matter when you reach my age, so enjoy your life now while you are young. Thank you for the follow, I will be back. :o)

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  41. Thank you for visiting my website Rachel. I was stunned to see how much you resembled my daughter! I lost her to cancer, when she was only 16. Her name was Rachael. What a surprise it was, to visit your wonderful website, and reminisce about what life might have been, had she still been sharing this world with me. Enjoy each incredible day, on your wonderful journey!

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  43. I’m a 4th generation American – with a family name that came from the Alsace and lots of German Catholics on my father’s side. My mother was adopted and, as was typical at the time, her birth family was kept a secret; but I always thought she looked Italian. After so long in the US, the only thing left from “the old country” is I say “gesundheit” instead of “bless-you” when someone sneezes. Now I live in the American Southwest, so I am surrounded by Spanish and Mexican influences, and more Native American that in other places I’ve lived. I hope you find a happy cultural mix, and the big piece of cake.

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  44. Rachel, you have an absolutely beautiful, thought-provoking blog here. What a wonderful journey you have embarked upon. It will fill your soul. The song you shared is wonderful and I hope that you get your answers also in ‘the dead of night’. Listen for them, they are there. And thank you for following Tovarysh.

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  46. Hi Rachel, thanks for following my aussie blog Daytripper Sippers as it brought me here to your amazing eclectic world! I’ve always been fascinated by other walks of life and studied a few languages (French, Indonesian, Walpiri – an Australian Aboriginal language, and Croatian) then became a teacher of English to migrants. Sadly I gave up Chinese early as being a ‘south paw’ (left-handed) it was too much work for me! So I’m so glad to connect and will have a great wander around your blog.
    Love the a cappella from Bastille, just brilliant!

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  47. Hi Rachel, Just thought I’d let you know that you are so cool! Also, we have a couple things in common: both my parents are Bulgarian, I’m currently living in England, and I speak French! How funny! Also, the Bastille song was super cool! I can’t wait to explore your blog more.

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  50. Hi, thanks for the like and following my blog! I haven’t sifted through yours yet but I love the graphics and the 15 films for travel inspiration screamed ‘follow now!’ Best of luck with your adventures!! xxx

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