Capturing Memories: Moments You Don’t Want to Miss

Although Australia was my first big adventure abroad, it wasn’t my first taste of life outside Brazil. My dad was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, and we visited often during my childhood. Most of my memories are from family photos and stories — except for one unforgettable breakfast my father never lets me forget.
🇺🇾 The Legendary Breakfast Incident
At our hotel in Uruguay, none of us kids wanted to speak Spanish. Finally, my sister bravely ordered a ham and cheese toast. The waiter repeated politely: “Una tostada de jamón y queso?” And then, in her best “I’ve got this” voice, she answered:
“Without prune.”
That’s it. Without prune. Totally random. To this day, my dad still laughs about it on every phone call.
It’s funny how small, awkward moments become the stories we carry with us forever.
Read Also: 📚 WHAT’S NEW IN MY NEXT BOOK: A MORE HONEST, STORY-LED TAKE ON PARENTING ABROAD
📸 Why Capture These Moments?
Preserve the memories: They fade faster than we think.
Create stories to share: Some of the best laughs come years later.
Inspire your future self: Looking back might be what nudges you to take your next leap.
✈️ Your turn: What’s the funniest or most unforgettable travel story you have? Share it with me — I’d love to read it.
Other Publications

Fifteen Minutes at a Time follows Emily and Daniel under the rain‑soaked arches of Waterloo Bridge, where routine turns into connection and glances say more than words.
This short story is free to read — a little escape into tenderness and possibility.

🌍 Parenting abroad isn’t just logistics — it’s identity, belonging, and the quiet work of building a home away from home. Parenting Unpacked is here to hold your hand through it.
✨ Coming soon — sign up to be the first to know.
In Parenting Unpacked, I move beyond the guidebook format to deliver a story-rich, emotionally grounded look at parenting abroad — now with even more expert voices. A must-read for any parent navigating identity, culture, and love across borders.
After a slight delay (thanks to an unexpected wave of colds and flu 🤧), Parenting Unpacked: The Honest Guide for Raising Kids Abroad is officially in development editing! This book has been a labor of love, and I’m incredibly proud of how it’s coming together. Can’t wait to share more updates soon!
Turns out, when your kid starts daycare, you get sick with a new virus every day! 🤧 After a month of non-stop colds, I’m finally back—with big news! Our book has a new name: Parenting Unpacked: The Honest Guide for Raising Kids in a Foreign Land. Stay tuned for more updates!
At an event about African traditions, I learned the meaning of “teranga” — a Senegalese word that’s less about hospitality and more about presence, care, and intention. Since then, it’s stayed with me and continues to shape the way I write and connect.
I finally figured out why social media started to feel so heavy: AI everywhere. I use it too, but lately it’s been drowning out my own voice. Here’s how I’m choosing less polish and more presence, because I don’t want to just post, I want to connect.
I hit a wall with social media. The constant pressure to post and scroll left me drained, so I’ve decided to step back. I’ll be here, on my blog — writing honestly, without the noise.
It took a while to get approved, but we made it! My official Amazon Author page is now up and running — with a multilingual bio and space to follow new releases, wherever you are in the world.
Your guide to navigating pregnancy abroad is here—Maternity Abroad is now available worldwide!
The official book cover of Maternity Abroad is finally here! With vibrant pink and purple hues, Canadian cover artist Ashley beautifully reflects femininity and positive energy, embodying the spirit of becoming a mother in a foreign land.
The Portuguese translation of Maternity Abroad is underway, with Karine Ribeiro, known for translating Viola Davis’s memoir and Tupac’s biography, bringing this essential guide to expat mothers in Brazil and Portugal.
Maternity Abroad is one step closer to release as it enters the formatting and cover design stage—get ready for an amazing journey into motherhood abroad!
Juggling diapers, deadlines, and daycare runs, life as an expat writer and mom is a chaotic yet rewarding adventure fueled by love and lots of coffee.
Brazilian readers, get ready! Danielle Sales and Ellen Maria Martins de Vasconcellos are bringing 'Maternity Abroad' to life in Portuguese. It's the crème de la crème of translations!
Exciting news! “Maternity Abroad” is heading to copy editing and will soon be available for all mothers around the world!
Maternity Abroad is coming this November — a heartfelt guide for moms-to-be living abroad, filled with real stories and practical support.
Becoming a mother abroad is both beautiful and daunting. In Maternity Abroad, I share real stories, expert insights, and the comfort every expat mom deserves.
Ever wondered what makes a book blurb irresistible? Discover how Jessie Cunniffe, a master blurb writer, is crafting the perfect teaser for "Maternity Abroad," ensuring it captures the essence of motherhood in a foreign land and draws readers in from the first glance!

Jessica Gabrielzyk is a Brazilian author living in Switzerland, passionate about culture, identity, and the hidden truths of expat life. She is the author of Maternity Abroad, a practical and emotional guide supporting mothers through the challenges of pregnancy and birth far from home, and the upcoming Parenting Unpacked: This Is Not a Relocation Manual, which explores identity, belonging, and resilience in raising children abroad.
A member of SIETAR, Jessica brings a global lens to her writing, blending personal experience with the stories of families worldwide. And sometimes, she steps into fiction, writing love and life stories that remind us we’re never as alone as we think.
Over an iced tea and a cookie, one more chapter came to life — this time, on how our identity reshapes itself in migration. Parenthood might be the lens, but the questions reach further.