cheesebikini?

My Irish passport arrived.

After more than a year of research, paperwork and waiting, I’m a citizen of Ireland and a citizen of the European Union. I’m still a U.S. citizen, but I can work anywhere within the U.S. or the E.U. without a visa. With so much depressing drama going on in the world, this is the perfect time for a bit of great news.

I scored the passport thanks to Ireland’s generous citizenship by descent policy, and if you can prove that one of your parents or grandparents is (or was) an Irish citizen, you can do the same. But finding and obtaining the necessary paperwork (including original birth and marriage certificates from parents and grandparents) requires much more work than you might think. But it’s definitely worth the trouble if you plan to ever work or live in the E.U.

Forgive the recent inactivity — I’ve been busy preparing grad school applications. I took the GRE exam last night. Work and a class project have kept me busy too. Expect more postings in late December, after my first round of applications.