Let's play a game?

How many things do we have in common?

Olá! I’m Jessica, and this is Bubbles of Languages, where I share my journey as a self-employed, multilingual homeschooling mom & expat in Portugal.

After taking a new direction here on Bubbles of Languages and gaining quite a few new subscribers and followers, I believe that a proper reintroduction is in order!

I just read this post from Heather Afar (writer of New Ground), and I thought: “What a brilliant way to connect with your readers!”

So here I am, copying her format, and turning it into a game:

How many things do we have in common?

If you’re a writer on Substack and you like the idea, I warmly encourage you to do the same! Who knows, we might start a trend ;)

The idea is to (re)-introduce yourself to your readers in a deeply human way, and make a list of:

- some things that are true about me and that I did not choose;

- some things that I changed or chose for myself;

- some things that I am actively trying to change about myself;

- some things that I loathe;

- some things that I love.

And then challenge your readers to find the common points you have! Feel free to tag me in that post, I’d love to give it a try!

If you’re not writing on Substack but you are learning a language, another way to play is to use these questions are prompts to practice writing or speaking about yourself in that language.

If that’s you, let me know what language you’re learning in the comments ;)

Some things that are true and that I did not choose

• I was adopted at birth — it’s not a blessing nor a curse, but it comes with its set of challenges, namely around identity, attachment, and self-esteem. I’ve been working on that for a long time, and only recently did I come to the conclusion that I need to grieve “who I would have been” to love and embrace who I am and how that’s shaped me.

• I grew up bilingual in French and Italian. I was born and raised in Brussels, Belgium, in an immigrant family from Southern Italy. I still remember my nonno (grandfather) teaching me how to count in Italian when I was around 4. By age 8, I was completely fluent.

• I did a DNA test and found out that my genes are 35% from around Belgium, and 65% from both England and Ireland. Which makes total sense when you see my ginger hair. I find it fascinating that at 4 years old, I started saying I wanted to speak English, considering nobody in my family spoke it.

• My dad was gay and left my mum when I was 2 years old. In the 80s, that was quite a big deal. I was raised essentially by my mum and my grandparents. Comparingly, I’m boringly white, cisgender, and heterosexual. My pronouns are she/her.

• I’m highly sensitive. Not just sensitive, which I believe we all are. A HSP, meaning that I feel things deeply, both on an emotional level and on a sensory level. I don’t do well in crowded rooms. Too much noise, movement, light, or touch makes me feel highly uncomfortable, to the point where I need to take a breather and isolate in a room. I live with two little humans I made, so the isolation part happens on a daily basis.

• I may also have ADHD. I’m multi-passionate, can be obsessed with one thing forever, until I’m no longer interested. I had banana and peanut butter wraps for breakfast every single day for 3 years, until I recently switched it up for eggs, kale & feta. Every. Single. Morning. I also need systems to get through the day, or I’ll freeze in the face of simple tasks, consumed by anxiety over chaos in my house.

• My dad was “the” parental figure that I trusted the most. He died of cancer in 2024, and I’m still in the process of grieving. Not sure if that ever ends, to be honest.

Some of the places I've lived

Some things that I changed or chose for myself

• I speak six languages at different levels: French, English, Italian, Portuguese, Italian and Flemish Dutch. I will probably learn other languages in the future, but I’m currently focusing on Portuguese only.

• I moved from Brussels in 2017, and I’ve since lived in Vietnam, France, and now Portugal. This feels like home now, and I don’t really want to move again.

• I have two children whom I’ve been homeschooling since 2017. I’ve spoken to them in English from birth and later introduced French. My teenage daughter is perfectly bilingual. She’s now learning Portuguese too. My son is 5 years old and speaks primarily English. He’s casually learning French.

• I’ve been on a journey of self-development and mindfulness since 2015. It’s helped me make better choices for myself, including around my relationships to food, love, and work.

• I’ve been self-employed for 9 years now. My first business was teaching French online. Then I started coaching teachers on how to build their online language teaching business. Currently, I’m a soulful copywriter and Squarespace web designer. I deeply enjoy it.

Some things that I am trying to change about myself

• I want to reach a proficient level in Portuguese so I can integrate better and be a part of the community. And not be in panic mode when I need to go see a doctor.

• I’m 42, and I don’t drive. I’d like to change that for sure, so one of my short-term goals is passing my driving license and buying my first car.

• I’m prioritizing my well-being over my goals and ambitions. I’ve changed my diet, started taking supplements, reduced working hours, and made more space for contemplation, play, and my life-long passion: writing.

Some things that I loathe

• A.I. generated blog posts and emails. I use AI to help me make sense of my thoughts and to facilitate homeschooling, but I also cannot bring myself to read articles or emails produced by a machine. I want connection, not noise.

• Entitlement in all its shapes. People who don’t put in the work and expect results. People who enter your home and act as if it were theirs and expect you to live by their rules. People who consider your time, energy, and capacity as their resources. People who claim territories that don’t belong to them.

• Bacalhau and football. I don’t dare say it out loud in this country; they would probably burn me at the stake.

Some things that I love

• Journaling from local coffee shops with a pastel de nata and Portuguese coffee (cafè cheio).

• An early night, reading a good novel in my bed, with a hot water bottle and a nice fruity cup of tea.

• Lying down on my balcony and soaking up the sun. But it has to be not too windy and not too hot.

• Learning Portuguese using things I enjoy: at the moment, it’s Menta magazines, yoga classes, and the Terapia de Casal podcast.

• Being creative: I love to write, draw, paint, and bake. I used to knit and sew and I’m actually thinking of bringing knitting back into my life. More on that soon.

Some of the things I love

There are many more things I could share, but I’m sure it’s plenty enough to find some common ground.

So tell me, what do we have in common?

Leave a comment to let me know!

Jessica