International Immigrant

03/09/2026

I had a fabulous weekend celebrating Foyle (Derry) Pride and was even asked to join in carrying the flag for the last few blocks by some new friends. The Camp Vamps from Newcastle upon Tyne played the after-party, and they were amazing. I also had the opportunity to see Derry Airport while waiting for my new housemate to return her rental car and, OMG!, it is the cutest, tiniest little airport. I end this post with another of my new housemates, Nadia the cat. As a crazy cat lady, this makes me immensely pleased.

21/08/2026

Having a car again is fabulous! Although it was a drizzly and foggy day, I couldn’t resist continuing with my outings in my darling little car, Ashley McBryde. I headed across the border into the Republic of Ireland (which, in all fairness, is only 10 minutes from my house) to Buncrana Beach for a wee walk.

I have also discovered St. Columb’s Park across the Foyle River in Derry’s Waterside, and had a lovely time walking the trails through the trees and along the stream. I will definitely be back to investigate more of it.

16/08/2026

For the first time in over seven years, I have a car again. Meet Ashley McBryde, my new (used) car. I bought her a couple of weeks ago, but had to wait until the insurance kicked in to go for a joyride.

On our first outing, we motored about the town, running errands and getting a feel for each other. On the second, we scooted out of the city and onto some open roads, heading to Portstewart on the north coast of this tiny, beautiful country. The cloudy day didn’t diminish my happiness and joy at being able to drive around again. I wandered along the coastal cliff walk, got an ice cream, and took a leisurely drive back home.

Miss Ashley and I will be spending a lot more time together as we get out and about while discovering this lovely island together.

05/08/2026

Last weekend I had the opportunity to spend some time over the border in County Donegal. On Saturday, we headed through M**f to Kinnagoe Bay, where we sat on the beach and had some lunch before going on to Buncrana Beach and then back to Derry for a fabulous dinner at El Tapas Grá. On Sunday, we wandered back over the border to check out Fort Dunree, where we scrambled up the steep hills to get an incredible view over the North Atlantic Ocean. Oh, and we also passed some fabulous sheep along the way.

27/07/2026

While my job is very demanding, some moments are sublime, and taking a few clients to Oakfire Adventures to do the tree-top trekking was one of them. We had loads of fun, and I will definitely return. Some obstacles were more challenging, and some (like the ziplines and Tarzan swing) were oodles of fun.

16/07/2026

I was FINALLY able to have a day off in Derry without having to bus it back to Belfast to pick up more of my stuff. What does one do in Derry with time off, you ask? Walk the wall, of course. Derry is well-known as the “Walled City”, and walking the 17th-century loop gives you a great view of the city centre as well as the outlying areas. I also popped into St. Augustine's Church, often called the "Wee Church on the Walls". I also found arguably the two most famous murals in Derry. Let's have a look-see.

06/07/2026

Back in Belfast for my birthday weekend, the brief visit did not disappoint. Getting slightly tarted up, I hit the town with my friend Violet and took a few snaps as we wandered towards our destination, Union Street Bar. Non-alcoholic beer in hand, we headed over to watch some drag, Roxy Tumbledryer being my favourite, and then back out to the main area to dance up a storm with an excellent DJ cranking out all the good hits. At some point, my knees started screaming at me, which I totally ignored, but they reminded me again the next morning that I was no longer young!

Violet spoilt me rotten, indulging my soft spot for cats and giving me a gift that reminded me of my dad, a vintage motorbike crafted lovingly with bent metal. We followed the gift-giving with a pancake breakfast, featuring pure Canadian maple syrup. All in all, not a bad first Northern Irish birthday for Vanessa.

06/07/2026

Since moving to Derry for a six-month contract a couple of weeks ago, I haven’t had much opportunity to sightsee. Between the new job, a few students, and running back and forth to Belfast on my days off, I have only managed to walk the Peace Bridge and take a gander through the Derry Guildhall.

29/06/2026

June has been a lovely surprise. New friends, new places, a new job, and a new city, plus the opportunity to see one of my favourite artists of all time in concert.

From a coffee with a new friend in Linenhall Library Café, which I absolutely loved, to an overcast walk along Seapark Holywood with another. From knitted post box cosies to a wander through the rose gardens at Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, I have had some new experiences this month, including a last-minute David Gray concert at SSE Arena. I hadn’t heard his music in decades.

The highlight of my month, however, was seeing Ashley McBryde in concert. One of my favourite artists, I have loved her music and voice for a long time. Despite living in North America for almost a decade, this was the first opportunity I have had to see her live, and believe me, she did not disappoint!

All in all, a good month for Vanessa.

27/06/2026

https://vanessabrown.substack.com/p/does-single-equal-lonely-hollywood

Does it become even more difficult to bear as we get older, or does it get easier?