Top 5 Things to See in Portland, OR

I’ve been in what can only be described as the most miserable travel dry spell. I haven’t stepped foot in an airport since January, but even then I didn’t have a ticket in hand – it was for a bittersweet goodbye.

In less than a month, I will be touching down in a new place. Something that you can probably guess I’ve been eagerly awaiting since I booked the trip 12 (TWELVE) long weeks ago.

Frustrated that time isn’t passing to my liking; I looked through Facebook albums of pictures from trips past. One trip on my mind recently was one I took this time two years ago with my then-roommate Courtney. We were burnin’ up from West Coast Fever- as we like to call it- and we booked a trip to see what it was all about.

Two years a little too late (hey- I didn’t have a blog then), these are the my Portland top 5- the highlights of my West Coast adventure.

1. Sweedeedee

I won’t lie- a post from @Sweedeedee on Instagram fueled the fire for us to book our trip to Portland. Hands down the best brunch I have ever had in my life. And, brunch wasn’t even that big of a thing in 2015… At least not as talked about as it is today. If it’s still on the menu, get the Baker’s Breakfast- it won’t disappoint. I mean, we biked our way from the city center just to get a table. If that’s not a 5 star recommendation…..

2. The Record Store Across the Street

It’s actually called Mississippi Records. If you’re a vinyl lover, you’ve got to go to the West Coast. I’ve never seen such a wide spread collection of original pressed vinyl. Each record store we went in to had such an awesome retro vibe, too, which just added to the experience.

3. Cinema 21

Who goes to the cinema when they’re traveling in a new city? Me, apparently. Truth be told, Courtney and I were 20 at the time, so we couldn’t enjoy the brewery tours, or a night out at the bar. Instead, we found Cinema 21 online and made a point to get tickets to a show. Cinema 21 is the best of the best Indie film cinemas out there… Or so I made up just two seconds ago.

Portland is known for it’s hipster vibe, so I’m sure Cinema 21 isn’t the first, or only of it’s kind. This Indie cinema offers cheap tickets and snacks, to pair with some of the most obscure films out there.

We saw, What We Do in the Shadows– and I’m not in the film-reviewing business, but that’s a must-see as well.

4. St. Honore Bakery

On the topic of films- I’m sure you’ve never heard of this one: The Grand Budapest Hotel? No, can’t imagine that you have. Nothing famous about it. Even lesser known than the movie, a Portland bakery actually made the cakes featured in the film. You can even have them for yourself.

Two years later I’m not sure why I went to the famous bakery and didn’t order the famous cake… Regardless, the lemon tart I had there was great, if not better.

5. Lan Su Chinese Garden

Who knew that among the chaos of Portland’s quirky city life, rested a tranquil getaway quite like the Lan Su Chinese Garden? The website says that Lan Su is a window to over 2,000 years of Chinese traditions. While I’ve never been to China, I could see this ringing true. I highly recommend stopping by the Teahouse for a cup of oolong.

Honorable Mentions

Stay strong, Belgium

Everyone checks their phone in the morning. When you wake up, half asleep with a slew of Facebook notifications saying that Razvan Gruia.. or Matilda Forstadius.. or Christos Silo Bac were marked safe during the Brussels explosions.. I can’t tell you how quickly you get out of bed and dial phone numbers. I wanted answers.

I studied abroad in Brussels last Fall for the semester and as the world knows, the Paris attacks happened in November. Since then, the French and Belgian governments have been on a manhunt trying to find the surviving men responsible. As a result, Brussels was completely shut down; I was an American student caught in the middle of it all.

Even still, I never thought a bombing in Brussels was a reality because of the increased security; there were (and still are) military men on every corner of city center. When I was in contact with people at home after the Paris attacks, I wasn’t emotional… I was completely numb.

Now, it’s a different story. I don’t know if it’s because there is a sea and 5+ hours between me and the people I love and care for dearly, or if it’s the fact that little over a week ago I was standing at the same American Airlines baggage check that was obliterated this morning.

On March 4, I went back to Brussels. I love Belgium. It has become a second home to me. There were no doubts in my mind when I booked my flight and made my spring break plans. When I got there, I continued to feel at ease. I saw that, if anything, the situation in Belgium seemed to be improving; it was sunny, the streets were bustling and the government had everything under control. I was safe.

Today I sit with tears forming in my eyes because we were all completely blind-sided by this attack. I remember when Brussels was shut down because of threats last Fall… No one was on the streets, it was eerie. We were all struck with fear, but after awhile when nothing came to fruition, we had to continue with our lives.

But today, the real issue at hand is the people that live in Brussels. My heart goes out to them. Universities are being evacuated, people on planes are trapped on the runways and as time passes, the new information we are receiving about additional bombs and suicide belts, my heart sinks further. I can’t help but think that this attack was always on the horizon, especially since Salah Abdeslam was captured.

What is really killing me this morning is the fact that a city that I love has taken huge reputation hits, over and over again these past few months. It’s something, I fear, the country may never recover from, especially from a tourism standpoint.

It’s a curse and a blessing I’m all the way in Richmond, Va. this morning.

Thoughts on Reverse Culture Shock

So it’s been around three months since I’ve returned from Europe. With all the hype of studying abroad, I rarely thought about what it would be like coming home. Sure, I’d be sharing pictures and telling everyone the exciting stories, but what happens once school starts again?

Throughout my stay in Belgium my ISA abroad advisors warned us of culture shock. And I felt like I was pretty prepared for it whether it was the resources I was given, or even the lectures I sat in on the subject in my intercultural class.

And for the most part, there is the expectation that when you sign up to study in a completely different country, you’re agreeing to experience a new normal. It could be big, obvious stuff like the language barrier, or something you didn’t foresee, like the peanut butter in Europe tastes weird.

Reverse culture shock? It isn’t something you think to prepare for… Or at least, I didn’t. It’s also known as the re-entry phase, when students return to their home country, feeling mixed emotions of restlessness, alienation and even homesickness towards the connections you made abroad.

Studying abroad has changed me

Turns out the more I ate it, I came to really like the peanut butter. Coming home I found that my tastes, values, goals- all of it, has evolved into something bigger than I could’ve ever imagined before.

I know it’s okay to feel different. In fact, I’m thankful for every change. I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and before I left I pushed pause on normal life, but friends at home kept on going. It make sense that life’s going to be a little funky once I pressed play again.

No matter what it is that I am doing, I’m struck by a memory of being abroad. I want to start every sentence with, “When I was in Belgium…” My mind is on the laughter (and some tears shed) with my roommates and ISA group, as well as the locals that welcomed us with open arms. We became one big family by the very end.

Returning home doesn’t mean it’s over

Really, I think the biggest challenge of coming back is reflecting on my experiences, noticing I feel different and realizing it’s okay. I feel like I left a piece of myself in Belgium. And I know that one day when I return, I’ll rediscover that side of myself again. What I took away from my experience, however, has been so much more valuable than I could have predicted.

Studying abroad flips your understanding of the world upside down- there is so much more waiting beyond your city limits. It’s a time to immerse yourself in a new culture and become a more empathetic individual. It’s a time for personal development; traveling in small groups, or alone breeds independence. 

If you’re just now starting your journey abroad, I can speak for everyone when I say that I’m so envious of you. Your life is going to change in the most unpredictable ways; go out of your comfort zone and have a blast, you won’t regret it.

If you’ve been through it all and returned home, then you know exactly what I’m talking about.