Alltop

All the top Expatriate news.

To see the other 644 topics we cover, click here.

Watch the video

Share this

Go to

Expat Professional & Business Success
In Fortune Small Business Magazine & CNN: A Career Coach's World Without Borders

Megan Fitzgerald, Expat Personal Branding Coach

18 Jun 2009 | 2:41 pm

Recently an article was published about me (Megan Fitzgerald) in Fortune Small Business Magazine entitled, "A Career Coach's World Without Borders: An American entrepreneur runs a global career-coaching business from the Eternal City." The article was also published on the CNN Money website, as well as a short video about my journey to becoming a career coach in Rome. I'm sharing the video here in the hopes that it might inspire others to take the leap as I did to building a career abroad. Enjoy! Embedded video from CNNMoney.com Video
Report Shows Impact of Employers' Lack of Expatriate Career Management Support

Megan Fitzgerald, Expat Personal Branding Coach

14 Jun 2009 | 5:39 am

Writer, author and expat expert Robin Pascoe sent me an report a little while ago written by Yvonne McNulty, international human resources management expert and PhD candidate at Monash University in Australia. The report, "Measuring Expatriate Return on Investment in Global Firms", was written as part of Yvonne's doctoral research on management and measurement of international assignees. Yvonne is well known in the expatriate community for her 2005 report summarizing her research on accompanying spouse issues on international assignments entitled The Trailing Spouse Survey. Although I…
Paguro's New Shell: More Resources for Expat Professionals and Entrepreneurs

Megan Fitzgerald, Expat Personal Branding Coach

30 May 2009 | 1:51 am

Back in March of 2008 I wrote a blog post about Paguro, a free online resource for expatriates developed by Patrizia Figoli Turchetti. Being an expatriate in Nigeria, England, Norway, France, Mexico and the US, Patrizia has experienced the difficulties that expats face and hence understands what resources would be most useful to help them during periods of transition. I am happy to report that Paguro has just relaunched with a new interface and design. Patrizia has resdesigned the site to better showcase many of its new and interactive features. I wanted to share a few words from Patrizia…
Trailing Spouse Network: Resource for Expat Professionals and Expat Entrepreneurs

Megan Fitzgerald, Expat Personal Branding Coach

21 May 2009 | 1:37 am

It's been an incredibly busy week. I"ve been on travel a lot for work and I am catching up on many fronts, gearing up for my two week holiday to the north of Italy - Lombardy and the Northern Lakes Region. I can't wait! Family is in town and it's been so good to see them. It's a wonderful reminder that although skype video chats are a great way to stay connected, it's important to be proactive about creating opportunities to spend time in person with those we care about most when you are an expatriate. So on the subject of families and catching up....I recently caught up with Jeff Porter, the…
Women Who Tech Telesummit - Women Breaking New Ground in Technology and Changing the World

Megan Fitzgerald, Expat Personal Branding Coach

10 May 2009 | 10:32 am

I will be participating this week in a fantastic event - Women Who Tech Telesummit. This event brings together talented and renowned women breaking new ground in technology who use their tech savvy skills to transform the world and inspire change. I wanted to share the news with my readers and encourage you share this information with others. I'll be on the Innovation and Tech Career Reinvention panel, but there are many other panels that would be of great interest to women in technology and active in social media. Given the amount of work I do with technology professionals and professionals…

China Expat
Living in Shenzhen

Ernie

1 Jul 2009 | 6:37 pm

It's kind of like being the baddest boy on the block, but living next to Godzilla. A massive, bustling, international city, Shenzhen is smack dab next to the world's premiere metropolis, Hong Kong. If in similar proximity, Beijing and Shanghai would also lose much by comparison. Of course, there's more to a city than financial centers and property values. For those of us who like a little soul in our cities, we got Shenzhen. At least the Lonely Writers do, and to follow up Shopping in Shenzhen, a comprehensive guide to plumbing…
A Chinese Baby's First Birthday

Ernie

29 Jun 2009 | 8:43 pm

The Chinese understand gratitude. After eons of the masses grinding for a daily bowl of rice, they know counting clouds is a waste of time, and counting blessings the only way to keep going. In the West, baby's first birthday is a cause for kitsch and consternation. Shots of junior staring confusedly at his cake are endearing, but soon he'll be mobile enough to stand in front of the TV, and pull things off tables. In China, parents hold their breath for their child's first year of life. After all, precious gifts are so…
The Chinese

Ernie

27 Jun 2009 | 2:22 am

In Five Minds for the Future, Howard Gardner, who coined the term ‘multiple intelligences', tells us what qualities will define successful people of the near future. Only those with Respectful Minds, the ability to transcend identifying only with our immediate kind, will be able to establish the trust and common cause necessary for success in the global village. A person with a Respectful Mind "offers the benefit of the doubt to all human beings. As much as possible, she avoids thinking in group terms." A great exercise in…
The Hidden Village of Guoliang

Ernie

24 Jun 2009 | 12:19 am

In the heart of Henan's Taihang Mountains lies forgotten Guoliang Cun. Not entirely forgotten, of course, in China a "forgotten" destination can officially mean fewer than ten thousand visitors per day. But far fewer than that disturb this marvelous relic of rough-hewn splendor, and the place truly was forgotten long enough that the term applies more to Guoliang Cun than to most any other Chinese habitation. read more
Getting to “I do”: The 6 Steps of Ancient Chinese Engagement

Ernie

21 Jun 2009 | 8:31 pm

Wedding season is in full swing here in China, and how lucky the brides and grooms. The degree of freedom they've enjoyed leading up to the nuptials would astound their forebearers. The biggest task they face is choosing the right Audi motorcade, and which "videographer" will hang drunkenly out of a van at the front. If you can believe it, not so long ago in China the process leading up to the big day was fraught with a thousand potential landmines of propriety, abstraction, and inscrutable traditional processes, lumped into six general categories. read…

Google News: Expat
Iranian Expat TV Stays On the Air in Iran - New York Observer

2 Jul 2009 | 1:11 pm

Iranian Expat TV Stays On the Air in IranNew York ObserverIn recent weeks, Iranian officials have been involved in a high-profile struggle to crack down on televised images leaving their country. and more »
Telegraph Media Group relaunches weekly expat newspaper - Marketing

2 Jul 2009 | 2:33 am

Telegraph Media Group relaunches weekly expat newspaperMarketing 09:50am LONDON - Telegraph Media Group (TMG) has relaunched The Weekly Telegraph, its publication for British expats, rebranding it The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group (TMG) is to relaunch its recruitment websiteRecruiterall 3 news articles »
Expats qualify for a longer stay - EastDay.com

1 Jul 2009 | 5:48 pm

China DailyExpats qualify for a longer stayEastDay.comFive foreigners working in Shanghai's Pudong New Area yesterday became the first beneficiaries to enjoy longer-term residency under a pilot program designed Shanghai hunts for overseas talentChina Dailyall 7 news articles »
An Expat Makes A Living By Metal Work - OfficialWire (press release)

1 Jul 2009 | 3:44 pm

An Expat Makes A Living By Metal WorkOfficialWire (press release)Adam has been plying his trade for four years now, and he is known by word of mouth for producing security bars for windows, ornate doors and more »
Expat to take up new senior role at Contact - TVNZ

1 Jul 2009 | 11:16 am

Expat to take up new senior role at ContactTVNZGraham Cockroft has returned to New Zealand from an international business career to take up the newly created position of chief operating officer at and more »

Topix: Expatriate
Group Says Accident 'Predictable'

30 Jun 2009 | 2:20 pm

EXPATRIATE Comorans, mourning yesterday's crash of an Airbus plane off their Indian Ocean archipelago, said they had complained to French authorities last week about the Yemeni operator's "rubbish" aircraft.
Album reviews: Zoe Rahman Trio | Eric Bogle | Kal | Lura | Jack Liebeck | British Sea Power

17 May 2009 | 4:00 pm

I'M NOT sure why it has taken a full two years for this live set from London's Pizza Express in 2007 to appear, but if it can't really be regarded as a snapshot of where this talented pianist is now, it is worth the retrospective release.
Dubai Police Arrest Expatriate With Forged Credit Cards

29 Apr 2009 | 12:12 am

Date : Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:03:28 +0500 DUBAI POLICE ARREST EXPATRIATE WITH FORGED CREDIT CARDS Gulf News April 28 2009 UAE Dubai: Dubai police arrested an Armenian for forging credit cards and using them to buy jewellery worth around Dh300,000. The suspected Armenian was arrested on ...
Research and Markets: International Management, 4th Edition is a...

28 Apr 2009 | 5:13 am

As in previous editions of this popular text on cross-cultural management, students will find here an invaluable guide to key management theories, linked to practical examples from all round the world.
Expat Scots should be given vote in Holyrood elections, says think tank

16 Mar 2009 | 5:06 pm

EXPATRIATE Scots should be given the right to vote in Holyrood elections to rebuild their links and commitment to the nation of their birth, a conference will be told next week.

Yahoo! News: Expatriate
Missing NZ charity rowers spotted (Otago Daily Times)

2 Jul 2009 | 5:08 pm

A New Zealand team of rowers competing in a charity race across the Indian Ocean has been located after failing to make contact since the weekend. read more
NZ rowing team safe in Indian Ocean (Sydney Morning Herald)

2 Jul 2009 | 4:58 pm

A New Zealand team of rowers competing in a charity race across the Indian Ocean has been located after failing to make contact since the weekend.
NEW FAMILY VISA RULES FOR EXPATS IN UAE (Bernama via Yahoo! Malaysia News)

2 Jul 2009 | 1:24 am

DUBAI, July 2 (Bernama) -- A minimum monthly salary of 10,000 dirhams (about RM9,600) will be required for expatriate residents wishing to bring their families to the United Arab Emirates.
Salary norm for family visas to be revised (Zawya)

2 Jul 2009 | 12:21 am

Abu Dhabi: Expatriate residents who want to bring their families into the country should now earn a minimum monthly salary of Dh10,000 and provide their family with independent accommodation, a senior official has said.
'The kidnapping gang had laid an ambush' (Independent Online)

1 Jul 2009 | 7:40 am

Gunmen in Nigeria allegedly attacked a convoy of police and expatriate workers in a botched kidnap attempt, killing five officers, according to police.

BBC News: Expatriate
Sri Lanka navy confirms aid cargo

7 Jun 2009 | 8:23 am

Sri Lanka says it has found only food, medical items and similar goods on board a ship sent by Tamil expatriate groups in Europe.
Welsh views from abroad of the EU

30 May 2009 | 4:36 am

Amid a fair amount of UK scepticism of the European Union, what do Welsh expatriates think of the "European project?"
Russians 'escape' Delta captors

19 Feb 2009 | 12:45 pm

Nigeria's military say they have found two Russian expatriates abducted in the Niger Delta, who managed to break free.
Man admits NZ flats double murder

17 Feb 2009 | 10:12 am

A man pleads guilty to killing a 43-year-old Welsh expatriate and his friend at an apartment block in New Zealand.
Witnesses tell of Greek police 'brutality'

14 Dec 2008 | 5:24 pm

A British expatriate businessman living in Athens has told the BBC about what he says was unjustified brutality and aggression by police on Sunday.

Expat Focus
Preparing to move abroad: Finances

2 Jul 2009 | 12:07 am

Living abroad is not just for the rich and retired anymore. More and more students and families are living the expat life. Average American families who you might find living in a small house in an older neighborhood; recent graduates of graduate school, children, and living on little more than a teacher's salary while student loans loom over their heads are taking jobs wherever they can get them... More (examiner.com)
Expats in Asia best paid, but U.S. and UK-based suffer

1 Jul 2009 | 1:09 am

Want the good life despite the dire economy? Head east, according to a survey showing some of the world's highest-paid expatriates live in Asia and the Middle East. A third of all expats in Russia -- the highest proportion in the world -- earn more than $250,000 a year, followed closely by expats in Japan and Qatar... More (Reuters)
Govt to tax Australian expat wages

29 Jun 2009 | 1:21 am

The Australian Government is facing another fight over tax changes in its Budget - this time over rules affecting expatriate workers. Expats on contracts of two years or less are exempt from paying Australian tax while overseas. But the Treasury says that means that thousands of highly paid workers pay little or no tax, and it wants to tighten up the rules. Employers say the changes will make it more expensive to send local workers offshore. A Senate committee has called for changes to the new rules... More (Radio Australia)
Running away from loans

26 Jun 2009 | 1:01 am

From the Personal Finance forum: "Have just read the thread UK debt when living abroad amongst others and I am absolutely disgusted and appalled that people do this and get away with it. They go on a spending spree, accumulate debts they cant afford to pay back and then buggar off abroad hiding from their creditors. This has got to be on a par with the benefit fraudsters or worse. Dont these people have any shame? It is effectively stealing..." More (Expat Focus Personal Finance forum)
Britain’s Got No Talent: Half of U.K. Expats May Exit

25 Jun 2009 | 10:46 pm

Almost half of U.K.-based foreign professionals are considering leaving as they endure rising living expenses and the recession, more than in any other country, a survey by HSBC Holdings Plc showed... More (Bloomberg)

Expat Women
Expat Women July Home Page

1 Jul 2009 | 2:10 pm

Hi Everyone, We hope you are really well! We invite you now to check out the new features on our Expat Women Home Page for July:Success StorySuzanne GarberInternational SOS AssistanceSuzanne Garber is a global nomad success story. She grew up in Spain, Mexico, Algeria, Egypt, the Dominican Republic and various US states, lived in Brazil when working as the Managing Director for FedEx in South America, and now looks after expats via her role with International SOS...Read more…Business Idea/EntrepreneurLa Tavola Marche - Agriturismo in ItalyAshley BartnerAfter years of travel and eating their…
Moving To, Or Leaving, The UAE?

29 Jun 2009 | 5:50 am

Hi Everyone, If you are moving to the UAE, check out the brand new book published by our friends at Explorer Publishing: Dubai Red-Tape."Like no other book in Dubai, the Red-Tape Explorer will help you navigate the inevitable administrative maze that comes hand-in-hand with living in the UAE. With this trusty guide by your side you will quickly cut through Dubai’s bureaucratic red-tape, meaning you can get on with living life to the full in this exciting city."If you are leaving the UAE for another expat destination, grab a copy of an Explorer Residents' Guide for your next location at 50%…
Returning A Child To The UK's School System: Obstacles To Repatriation

29 Jun 2009 | 5:25 am

Hi Everyone, Here is another good article by an expat woman, published in The Telegraph UK last week: Returning A Child To The UK's School System, by Kate McCann.An excerpt:"The problem that the Carters had run into was that although they were returning to their own home, the admissions system treated them as "out of area applicants". This meant they were given a lower priority than other residents, simply because the system had to take account of the "current address" listed on the application as well as the future home address given. This meant their four-year-old daughter was refused a…
Women's International Networking (WIN) Conference Reminder

29 Jun 2009 | 4:47 am

Hi Everyone, Just a friendly reminder that the Women's International Networking (WIN) conference is coming up soon...Location: Prague, Czech RepublicDate: 8-10 (11) October 2009Theme: Wisdom in Action: Transforming people, organizations and societyDiscount: Early bird savings on registration fees until July 17Extra Discount: An additional 100 Euro discount for mentioning ExpatWomen.com!I attended in 2007 (in Norway) and really loved the workshops, speakers and sense of community amongst all of the attendees. I highly recommend it. Andrea.
Military Child Education Conference: Philadelphia, July 15-17, 2009

29 Jun 2009 | 4:31 am

Hi Everyone, If you work with or belong to an American military family, you might like to check out the details for the upcoming Military Child Education Conference, being held next month in Philadelphia, United States.After (finally) watching the brilliant documentary Brats: Our Journey Home and interviewing the woman behind the film, Donna Musil (for our upcoming July home page and newsletter), I have become more aware of the need to pay particular attention to the needs and experiences of children in highly-mobile, military families - many of whom are Third Culture Kids (TCKs). This…

IHT: At Home Abroad
Green Power Takes Root in the Chinese Desert

By KEITH BRADSHER

2 Jul 2009 | 5:04 pm

Using carrots and sticks, Beijing is steering an immense push toward wind and solar power, while the U.S. is just starting.
U.S. Job Losses Rise and Unemployment Reaches 9.5%

By PETER S. GOODMAN and JACK HEALY

2 Jul 2009 | 4:51 pm

The pace of job losses quickened last month with the American economy shedding 467,000 jobs, as unemployment rose to its highest level in 26 years.
Biden Visits Iraq, Underscoring Fragile Sovereignty

By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG and TIMOTHY WILLIAMS

2 Jul 2009 | 4:12 pm

Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. began a two-day mission that he said was intended to “reestablish contact” with Iraqi leaders.
U.S. Marines Try to Retake Afghan Valley

By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr.

2 Jul 2009 | 3:39 pm

Almost 4,000 Marines moved to clear Taliban fighters from the hotly contested Helmand River valley.
European Central Bank Leaves Rate Unchanged

By MATTHEW SALTMARSH

2 Jul 2009 | 2:59 pm

Having lowered its main refinancing rate to 1 percent, the bank appears to have adopted a wait-and-see approach to additional stimulus.

BritishExpats.com
An Interview with ... Soapy

25 Jun 2009 | 9:09 am

Hi I’m soapy, married to Pauline and we have three kids. We moved to Australia when our kids were teenagers. The...
Mortgage Arrears – Is “handing back the keys” a solution?

9 Jun 2009 | 9:27 pm

In the recession of the early 1990’s it became a cliché that certain banks were the UK’s largest private house holders...
Divorce in Dubai

21 May 2009 | 12:31 am

As an expatriate living in the Dubai it is hard enough to know where to turn for a decent plumber, let...
Spain: The New Tax Haven?

7 May 2009 | 11:16 pm

After listening to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistar Darling's, latest budget speech, you may understand why Mark FR Wilkins...
Being A Global Grandparent

4 May 2009 | 2:50 am

Eventually the day came when our daughter announced that she was going to get married. Naturally we were thrilled and excited,...

A Maine Man Abroad
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CHECK OUT MY WISH LIST AND SEND ME WHATEVER TRIPS YOUR TRIGGER

10 Jun 2009 | 11:39 am
THE MARINE

4 Jun 2009 | 7:26 am

THE MARINE We all came together, Both young and old To fight for our freedom, To stand and be bold. In the midst of all evil, We stand our ground, And we protect our country From all terror around. Peace and not war, Is what some people say. But I'll give my life, So you can live the American way I give you the right To talk of your peace. To stand in your groups, and protest in our streets. But still I fight on, I don't fuss, I don't whine. I'm just one of the people! Who is doing your time. I'm harder than nails, Stronger than any machine. I'm the immortal soldier, I'm a U.S. MARINE! So…
IN MY HUMBLE OPINION

2 Jun 2009 | 11:03 am

There were two causalities in the War on Terrorism on Monday. Pvt. William Long was killed and Pvt. Quinton Ezeagwula was wounded in a attack on a military outpost by a Muslim extremist.The facts are clear. Abdulhakim Bledsoe, aka Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, armed with at least three firearms and, according to his own statements to police, acted on his religious beliefs as a practicing Muslim by driving by a military recruiting outpost in Little Rock, Arkansas and firing as many as sixteen shoots at the young, unarmed soldiers standing outside the office.Pvt. Long was killed and Pvt.
These people were there for me! Be there for todays servicemen and women

1 Jun 2009 | 8:47 am
22 Apr 2009 | 9:05 am

22 Apr 2009 | 9:05 am

Vietnam Vet giving back by helping wounded soldiers.Dr. Donald Hall a veteran of the Vietnam war has published a novel. The book sells online at most of the major bookstores, Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles, Books a Million, Indie Books, Authorhouse.com bookstore. Disney is looking into a possible movie from the book series. The title to the book is "The Cross-Over Chronicles" by D.L.Hall. With every book that is sold he is donating a large percentage of the profit to The National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington DC to help the soldiers who have been severely wounded in the war overseas to…

Memoirs of An Aussie Living in the USA
Weekend in Chicago, Illinois...

19 Jun 2009 | 10:32 am

We spent last weekend in Chicago. Leslie & Kylie, (our Bendigo neighbours) went there for a medical conference, after visiting us in Dallas. I was so impressed with Kylie's photos on facebook, we decided to ram in a last weekend away before leaving for OZ.We looked at doing a last minute road trip within Texas to Amarillo, but decided against spending several hours in the car during a Texas summer...with kids! Flights to Chicago are reasonably priced, due to both cities being airport hubs. We flew out early Saturday morning, and arrived at 9:30am, so we had a full day on the first day. We…
'See ya later mate'...my Dallas/Fort Worth Aussie expat mates...

12 Jun 2009 | 11:30 am

The other Saturday night we had a Dallas/Fort Worth Aussie Expats get-together at Camille's, where we were able to say 'see ya later mate' to some of our local Aussie expat mates. Over the past five years of living in the USA, we've come used to saying 'see ya later' to friends here, whether it was due to us moving, or them. It's never easy, but part of life. The one thing I have found though, is that 'see ya later' is not 'goodbye' necessarily for good...and that's how I'm treating this move. We had a great day...and into the night...as Aussie social 'functions' often eventuate. I've said it…
School's out for summer...school's out forever...

7 Jun 2009 | 11:06 am

The kids finished school on June 4th, and it took us no time to get into chill out school holiday mode. All kids went well at school, we're very proud of them. Over the past few weeks we have made a decision to re-enrol the kids back in Bendigo schools, back in Australia. The kids and I were originally going back for ten weeks over summer, but with Dale's project due to finish in Dallas within the next couple of months, we've made a family decision to relocate the family's base back to our Bendigo home. The kids will now have a shorter 'summer' break, and will begin Term 3 in Australia. The…
My Texas style beef ribs...yummo!...

5 Jun 2009 | 1:53 pm

Yesterday I cooked beef ribs for the first time. Texas BBQ has really rubbed (no pun intended) off on us...we love ribs in particular. I had done pork ribs before, but not beef. Dale & I love beef ribs more...and you don't always get the choice of them on the menu at restaurants here...they're usually pork ones. They were delicious!!! Sooooo proud of myself! :) More photos here.
Homemade Aussie meat pies...bl#@dy beautiful!!!

5 Jun 2009 | 1:33 pm

After our recent disappointing trip to Boomerang's pie shop in Austin...and then fellow Dallas/Fort Worth Aussie expat mate, Camille spurring me on by cooking her own meat pies...I made some again for the family. They were delicious!Years ago I bought off eBay USA a Sunbeam Pie Maker, but I re-sold it back on eBay when I moved back to Australia in 2006. When we came back to the USA this time, I bought pie tins to make them, which are successful too.Recently an Aussie expat mate, who knew I had sold mine, had one they didn't need any more, so they kindly sent me theirs. Now that's Aussie…

Life with our Lads
Anyone for Rounders?

29 Jun 2009 | 3:30 pm

My dad & step-mum arrived last Thursday from England, during a horrendous storm I might add. Driving back from the airport was very scary and when we got to the house I made everyone sit in the car until the worst had passed over. Getting struck by lightning is not on my "to do" list at the moment. Talking of which, life has been bonkers lately and isn't going to slow down anytime soon. Here's a little update on what we've been up to:Danny is rolling over! Put him on a blanket on the ground and he's like an alligator, which is fun to watch but not so fun when he does it at 4am in his crib…
My Quest for Cress

23 Jun 2009 | 3:23 pm

For Jack's 3rd birthday party next week I want to make triangular egg and cress sandwiches. Turns out I'm going to have a bugger of a time finding cress.In my 10-years of inhabiting this country, nothing has stumped me so far. I can find black pudding, bluebells, Turkish Delight and Birds custard. I can find quaint English tea towels and hot water bottles. But not cress.I was complaining to Craig about it this morning and he told me that in the USA cress is called "sprouts", not to be confused with Brussel sprouts which is what we call sprouts. Confused yet?But "sprouts" in the USA are made…
Fathers Day Tribute

22 Jun 2009 | 7:31 pm

Craig's a great dad. Our Jack adores him and Danny's always grinning at him. Watching him play with them yesterday at the water park was just great and makes me a bit teary. He's not perfect I might add. In my absence he dresses them like refugees and never feeds them veggies. He is the reason Jack finds farts funny and blames the dog. And the reason Jack is such a daredevil that I'll have a heart attack in the next 12 months. If he wants to skydive like his dad I'll have to lock him in a cupboard.So anyway, he's a fabulous dad, not short on kisses & cuddles and praise for his boys and…
Cornish Pasty Shenanigans

19 Jun 2009 | 8:33 pm

My British Group are having a bake sale and so I thought "ha! I'll make Cornish pasties!" Every English person I know, without question, loves Cornish pasties.Because I am in tune with my absolute crapness at cooking I did not want to cook the night before the bake sale so started early this week:Monday: too dry & bland. Damn I am bad at cooking. add more butter and onion powder and carrotsTuesday: More pepper, still too dry. Thursday: Kids were a nightmare, friends over, remembered I should have been cooking pasties about 2am when the storm woke me up.Tonight: I am the pasty queen!
Playing Out no More

16 Jun 2009 | 7:24 pm

I had a fabulous childhood in the village of Scarisbrick in England. I have memories of camping and fishing and riding my bike and doing all the usual kids stuff. Holidays by the sea were spent hunkered over in rock pools looking for star fish and crabs. School holidays were spent having adventures with friends, making dens in the wood opposite my house and getting up to mischief, like painting our garden shed with the expensive car undercoat I found in the garage.It's very important to me that Jack and Danny do all those things and have a childhood full of fun. It seems very sad though that…

Livin' la Vida Floja
All noteworthy

29 Jun 2009 | 7:37 am

We were ready to test ourselves in the first tropical depression to pass. So then Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, died. He was the crossover artist of my childhood, that little imp five years younger than me who wowed the world with his musical prowess.Because of news of the British Final Tour, there had been some discussion about Jacko with my friend, handyman, and beading consultant. Even in a country where paleness of color is fostered with umbrellas, covering babies until they look smothered, Michael Jackson's obsession with cirurgia plastico was seen as leading to his doom.My purchases…
Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett RIP

26 Jun 2009 | 6:01 am

May they rest in peace. May I not have supernatural powers! Two days before David Carridine died, I was talking about him. Three days ago, in the same continuing conversation, I used Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson in an elaborate sociological example, explaining to a Mexican fan what they meant north of the border. Now both are dead and the Mexican is stunned. "We have to not let you talk about people any more," he said. Perhaps. Or I should talk about a few more people! Like the ladron who took my bicycle, from the patio, around 4am or so. When I got up, it was missing. Since Mexican…
Did anyone mention it's hot?

25 Jun 2009 | 8:43 am

It's hot hot hot. I was back inside the house four hours after I left for Cancun. Saw Dr. Yupit is in Hospital Americano office. Reflexes normalized and my left eye is back to it's normal strength. I am to continue to the synthetic cortizone for two more weeks and come back to see him in a month.Went to Costo and got depressed. There is big inflation here and it really shows up at Costco.So I just got cheeses, tuna and office folders.I did incredibly well at Walmart and Chedraui the previous day, even though yesterday was Chedraui's sale day. Walmart on Tuesday- Chedraui on Wednesday.At any…
Making a list

23 Jun 2009 | 9:57 pm

One of the conference tables on the new Ultramar gave me a chance to think in ink.I had a list of items needed from here and there. Three Big Box stores.In the end, I only made Walmart and Chedraui and stopped for a couple tacos before coming home at 2pm. The joy is I am going to a two-weeks- after-discharge appointment with my neurologist, Dr. Jose Adres Yupit at Hospital Americano. And then, after it's over, maybe a trip to Costco to pick up the rest of the list. Then I sun , splash in the pool and sleep! And Lora doggie dog will be getting a shampoo!
Creating fun

22 Jun 2009 | 8:25 pm

I had Monday breakfast at Casa Sirena with Steve and his family and everyone later wound up a Zama Beach Club.Honeymooner Nina wanted to go on the zip line at Garrafon Park. After she heard the pricing, she decided to pretend Casa Sirena has a zip line!This school principal can have fun anywhere! And it was nice seeing everyone at Zama Beach Club

Random Thougths Of Me
Iran... I stand by you ...

29 Jun 2009 | 2:09 pm

Im so sad of what is happening in Iran , no democracy at all .. no respect, no dignity , no sorrow, no nothing!On June 24, Iranian Superstar Andy Madadian went into an LA recording studio with Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and American record producers Don Was and John Shanks to record a musical message of worldwide solidarity with the people of Iran.here is the link and pass it to any Iranian you know!http://www.mydamnchannel.com/Don_Was/Stand_By_Me/StandByMewithIntro_2168.aspxJon Bon Jovi and Tehran- born singer-songwriter Andy Madadian have recorded a music video of Ben E. King’s “Stand…
Ihad being busy ...

24 Jun 2009 | 9:52 pm

Hi all ...I move from the old house to a new house last march , you must know that half of my house still in the garage , and one day I told hubby today Im going to start looking for a house to buy , and I did , I found it and we got it .. nice one and new one! we will be moving again in October Inshallah, so doing the papers and so on it takes time wile trying to get the house fix , summer is here and Sara is in summer school and some activities .. im tired ! .. we are planing to get a new baby after the big move ! so it will be the lats time we move in the next 10 years Inshallah! ...Sara…
Egyptian tycoon guilty of murder

22 May 2009 | 6:32 pm

An Egyptian businessman has been sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of Suzanne Tamim, a Lebanese singer. Hisham Talaat Moustafa, a politician and former chairman of the Talaat Moustafa Group, was found guilty on Thursday of paying a security guard $2m to kill Tamim at her apartment in the emirate of Dubai in July. Muhsen el-Sukkari, the security guard, was also convicted of murder and sentenced to death by hanging. The judge ordered the men's sentences to be referred to Egypt's grand mufti for confirmation. The men have the right to appeal. Planned killing The indictment alleged…
Virus killed 103 people in Mexico

27 Apr 2009 | 10:00 am

Governments around the world rushed to reduce the impact of a possible flu pandemic on Monday, as a virus that has killed 103 people in Mexico and spread to the United States and Canada also reached Europe. While the virus has so far killed no one outside Mexico, it has proved it can spread quickly between humans, raising fears that the world may be facing the flu pandemic that scientists say is long overdue. The World Health Organisation said its emergency committee could decide to raise its pandemic alert level, currently at 3 on a scale of 1 to 6, to phase 4 or 5. The move would show the…
Spring Break and my cold

4 Apr 2009 | 6:08 pm

We left for 4 days with a friends ( sara and me) to spend some of the days off the kids had in the kinder , and to be honest I spend a good time and Sara was so busy with the kids that she never ask for snack .. LOL by Wednesday night i start felling sick sick sick , so i run to the pharmacy to get something for the allergy.. wasent that i had fever and very bad pain in all my body , next day i was at the Dr and he was giving me antibiotic again .. next day sara was same same .. so now we spend all the weekend at bed and watching the sweet life and Hana Montana ... fun ha?

Costa Rica Blog - 365 Reasons I Love Costa Rica
Reason #156: By the Skin of the Teeth

admin

1 Jul 2009 | 7:21 am

2009, what a year so far. As Franklin Roosevelt said, it is a year that will “live in infamy” (of course, he was referring to the “date” of December 7, 1941, when Pearl Harbor was bombed). We are half-way through this year, which anyone could have predicted was going to be a tough one. And it has been. Tough times tend to do either one of two things (or maybe a little bit of both). That is, they tend to either cloud or cleanse. This morning I feel a little “clouded.” As if everything I am doing just seems to be in vain. This year, more than in the past,…
Reason #155: Madoff & Money

admin

30 Jun 2009 | 7:41 am

Bernie Madoff, age 71, sentenced to 150 years in prison for financial fraud. So he won’t be out until he is, let’s see, 71 + 150 = 221 years old! Obviously the man deserved it. He ruined lives. He committed the equivalent of economic homicide. He deserves to “rot in prison,” right? That is the sense of vindication that was meant to be achieved by this bizarre sentence. But I gotta tell you, the whole thing is just a bit unsettling to me. I have written in the past about materialism and greed being at the root of the problems the U.S. is facing right now. Actually, what…
Reason #154: Jaco Juxtaposed

admin

29 Jun 2009 | 7:37 am

The title is not really a valid alliteration. That is, not if you actually pronounce the name of Costa Rica’s most thriving beach community properly. It is not pronounced “Jack-o,” but “hawk-O” (with emphasis on the “o”). But when you juxtapose Jaco with the rest of Costa Rica, there is definitely something “wrong with this picture.” The place has become littered with “Mexican Riviera type” condo towers, each standing as a half-finished relic of some developer’s idea that Jaco could be turned into a Cancun or Cozumel…
Reason #153: Man in the Mirror

admin

26 Jun 2009 | 6:44 am

We’re losing our legends. Two of the greatest icons of my childhood were lost in one day, Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett…..what is going on? Should I feel old, or what? Michael Jackson, what can I say? I remember my first experience with this incredible artist when I was, I guess, age 12. It was 1972 and the song was “Rockin Robin.” One of my very first albums was of the Jackson 5. The music is timeless. Despite all this his problems, he was one of the greatest musical performers that every walked the planet and a great humanitarian to boot. It is just…
Reason #152: Don’t Cry For Me Argentina

admin

25 Jun 2009 | 6:47 am

Does being in public office exempt one from being human? I have to say that the eruption of the scandal concerning South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford’s infidelity saddened me. I really liked that guy….still do. He seemed to me to be the real deal. I remember when he was first elected to Congress he vowed to sleep in his Washington office to demonstrate fiscal responsibility, which he did. When he spoke it just seemed like you were listening to a real human being and not a talking robot programed to spin the latest party line. Well I guess what has now occurred with respect to…

Rincon, Puerto Rico
Oceanfront Vacation Rental

1 Jul 2009 | 7:00 am

Villa Orleans has a new design. I started the first website with Frontpage Express. Then I rewrote the design with Frontpage 2003 at least a two dozen times. I needed a new web design program since I switched over to Mac. I tried a bunch, but the one most similar to Frontpage is DreamWeaver. I never understood why Mac folks were so fanatical about the Mac, but I do now. I like my Mac. My design is now more consistent, and in CSS. It's fun learning DreamWeaver. At Villa Orleans we do the gardening, minor and major renovations, publicity, marketing and our websites. I did our Youtube Videos,…
Beachfront Villa Review

28 Jun 2009 | 4:40 am

"We are a three generation family from age 65 to 9 months. The house, the setting were perfect for our family. We loved the beach, all the patios and the gardens! What a view! We had a wonderful time!!!"The Bendy's from TexasRincon PR
Sahara Dust

27 Jun 2009 | 3:33 pm

These days look cloudy. Well, not cloudy, but dusty. Dust from the Sahara has made its way across the Atlantic and is falling over the island. Dust from the hot desert rises up and catches a ride on air layers moving across the Atlantic. This dusk makes for gloomy days and it has some negative and positive effects on the island. -This dust helps bleach coral and affects people with respiratory problems. - But, in the layer in which it travels blocks heat from the sun, and thus keeps the Atlantic waters a tad cooler inhibiting hurricanes from forming. Six hurricanes are forecast this year even…
Restaurant Review Island Ice

25 Jun 2009 | 7:09 pm

Island Ice CaféThere is a small restaurant, I mean café, in the middle of town, on the corner of the plaza called Island Ice. They serve breakfast, sandwiches and plenty of dessert goodies. The interior is spacious, cold and very clean. This was once a bank, and their storage room is the old bank vault. This is a great place to bring your family and not crush your budget.Their food is good and reasonable. Today we hiked the Rincon beaches, and we walked in really hungry. I can't think when I'm hungry. I ordered a Philly Cheesesteak @$4.50. Fries and a bottle of water/soft drink were an…
Noche de San Juan

23 Jun 2009 | 5:48 am

Or Saint John's Eve according to tradition, at midnight on June 23 the ocean waters are blessed and have special powers. La Noche de San Juan is celebrated throughout the world, with each country and region having its own traditions and rituals. In Puerto Rico, tradition holds that walking backward toward the beach and doing back flips in the water at midnight brings good luck and keeps evil away throughout the year. Some sources say 12 flips, while other sources say seven. One thing is for sure, La Noche de San Juan is just another opportunity to enjoy night time swimming and a mid week…

stephanieclayton/artist
COOL BLUE PARADISE

2 Jul 2009 | 11:39 am

Photo source I'm dreaming of a vacation in Iceland. Photo source Aurora Borealis..... Photo source The wintry wonderland is mesmerizing. Photo source Iceland's rugged landscape has a raw... Visit my website at http://www.stephanieclayton.com/ to view my complete portfolio and more.
HOT BLUE

30 Jun 2009 | 2:46 pm

Caribbean crystal clear sea.....in shallow waters. Can blue be a hot color? It seems so here, where the colors are intense, vibrant, electric. Visit my website at http://www.stephanieclayton.com/ to view my complete portfolio and more.
DAWN PATROL

28 Jun 2009 | 9:54 am

Another panel from The Monochromes group, recently completed: Dawn Patrol 2009, 16 x 16 x 2 inches, acrylic on panel I posted about the progress on this painting here and here. Now the sides have... Visit my website at http://www.stephanieclayton.com/ to view my complete portfolio and more.
REPETITION IN GRAYS

26 Jun 2009 | 5:37 am

My husband took these photos at Palmas Del Mar, Puerto Rico while he was there for a regatta. Those of us living in the Caribbean enjoy the odd overcast day, which provides a respite from our... Visit my website at http://www.stephanieclayton.com/ to view my complete portfolio and more.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: ROBERT MOTHERWELL

25 Jun 2009 | 2:18 pm

Photo source The Sienna Wall "If a painting does not make human contact, it is nothing." - Robert Motherwell Photo source The Little Spanish Prison Visit my website at http://www.stephanieclayton.com/ to view my complete portfolio and more.

traversbelize.com
Belize... Name That Plant!

29 Jun 2009 | 3:41 pm

Ok folks... this is a "Yucca" type plant with very sharp spikes that seems to blossom every several months. It has grown to a height of 3-4 feet. Any ideas what this is?
Name that Toad...

18 Jun 2009 | 7:59 am

This little guy has decided to make my desk and work space his home territory. So let's name that toad...Maybe if I start having conversations with him he'll stay out of my printer!Any ideas?
Maya Island Air... Belize - Cancun Connection?

3 Jun 2009 | 6:20 am

Is this the plane that will be flying the rumored Maya Island Air Belize City - Cancun route? Don't know for sure, but I do know that this photo was taken June 2nd, 2009 at an unknown location. The ATR 72 is a twin-turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. It seats up to 74 passengers in a single-class configuration and is operated by a two-pilot crew. See Wikipedia for more detailed information. For those of us in the tourism industry, the prospect of travelers getting to Belize via Cancun is an exciting development... opening up the…
Belize Collage

13 May 2009 | 3:23 am

Collage of the 5 minute walk!
A Five Minute Walk In Belize...

9 May 2009 | 10:38 am

A 5 minute walk in our back yard this morning yielded this splash of colors!

An Expat Life in Nicaragua
The difference one month can make…

sefahey

28 Jun 2009 | 12:24 pm

May 28, 2009 June 25, 2009
Fiestas Patronales – San Juan del Sur

sefahey

26 Jun 2009 | 12:04 pm

Each town in Nicaragua has its own Patron Saint. Nicaraguans of all ages honor the saint’s birthday annually with celebrations called fiestas patronales. While the purpose is religious, the focus is on music, dance, games, rodeos, and more – including the occasional cervesa or Nica Libre. Along with San Juan de Oriente and San Juan de Jinotega, the community of San Juan del Sur celebrated its patron saint, Saint John, with pride this past week. Saturday, June 20th, marked the beginning of San Juan’s 2009 fiesta patronal with a hípica (horse parade) and the coronation of Miss San…
Nicaraguan Baseball

sefahey

15 Jun 2009 | 1:20 pm

This past Sunday, we treated ourselves to a baseball game in Rivas, where the team played a double header against Boer. We caught a few innings of the second game and watched Rivas shut out Boer with a final score of 6-0. Watermelon instead of Fenway Franks? "Rivense de Corazon" Ads for Jesus instead of Giant Glass Rivas stadium with Volcan Concepción in the background The baseball park in Rivas No Ortiz or Youk, but there were some Red Sox...
Another Granada Hípica

sefahey

15 Jun 2009 | 12:19 pm
Casa de la Mujer Soccer Team!

sefahey

15 Jun 2009 | 12:13 pm

Casa de la Mujer: Mayra Calderon is a collective voice for those who share a commitment to issues concerning women in the greater San Juan del Sur area. Our mission is to facilitate the empowerment of women by providing support, education and alternatives. Most recently, the Casa de la Mujer received a generous donation from two non-profit organizations, allowing the women of the Casa to begin two soccer teams – one for youth, ages 10-12 and one for older women. Please visit the Casa’s blog for more information and consider a donation to support a teacher, a youth soccer team,…

Gutsy Writer
When your teenager shows initiative: even if it's paintballing

2 Jul 2009 | 3:15 pm

My son, Jordan, is on the left in the green shirt which he designed using photo shop.As with most families in the northern hemisphere, it's summertime, which means twelve weeks off. What to do? sports, summer camps, summer school, volunteering, or jobs? With a fifteen-year-old, it's different. They're a little too young to get a summer job, and often quite lazy. Well this year's different. Jordan, my youngest son, has shown some initiative, and I'm feeling quite proud of him. He wants to earn some money for his passion: Paintballing. Now, don't get me started on the pros and cons of…
The Heart of a Volunteer

26 Jun 2009 | 2:30 pm

"There is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer. With it beats the spirit of service, generosity and compassion...and the health and well-being of our community, our country and our world." KOBI YAMADAI have reached a point in my life, where I want to make a difference. Some reach that point at a young age, and others, like myself, are late bloomers. On January 9th, 2009, I met a nurse and soon realized this was not a coincidence. Barbara was my nurse during a scheduled procedure, and the moment she smiled, I felt the connection. She placed her warm hand on my arm and said, "I was in…
A Busy Week: Graduation and Father's Day.

21 Jun 2009 | 8:20 pm

We've had so many events this week. First an amazing Graduation Ceremony for our middle son who will soon be attending college at the end of July. Here's a photo of Austin, 18, my husband Duke, and me.I hope you shared a day filled with joy and family, on Father's Day.Our day started with a stop at our local bagel shop. Fresh toasted bagels with cream cheese, followed by a stop at Peet's coffee for our delicious large coffee and the kids' favorite caramel flavored, cream topped, beverages, then a ten mile drive to San Clemente beach. We drove down Del Mar street where Farmers Market street…
Volunteering: Is that mostly an American concept?

17 Jun 2009 | 9:50 am

After sitting in an uncomfortable plastic chair for three hours at my son's high school, Senior Awards Night, something clicked: I finally understood the need to volunteer, especially here in the U.S.I'll never forget the day my Father came over from Paris to visit his Grand kids. I told him about my volunteering in the classroom and he said, "That would never be allowed in France?" "Why not?" I asked."Because the teachers don't want parents interfering in the classroom. Besides, do you think a husband would like his wife to sit and watch him work? It's important for kids to realize this is…
Sometimes we're FORCED to slow down.

12 Jun 2009 | 10:00 am

Yesterday morning, I started nagging my husband about making a decision regarding our summer vacation. We were getting nowhere, so I finally said, "If it's too expensive for all of us to go, why don't you go alone," and then something happened; my back froze. I had just placed my right foot through my gym pants when a shooting pain caused me to grab the wall, so I wouldn't collapse. Angry at myself, I forced my left foot into my gym pants and hobbled to the kitchen.I turned on my coffeemaker, microwaved some milk and waited, fingers pressed hard against my lower back. There was no way my damn…

a day in my dominican life...
getting back to business.

1 Jul 2009 | 11:39 am

i know you're all waiting with bated breath for pictures of the newest addition to our family.alas.there are none.well, there are some, but i'm on my brother's computer and here there are none. our computer is dying a long and painful death. it's currently being operated on to see if we can fix the problem of it not turning on. we're waiting, really, to see if they can fix a hand-me-down computer for a fairly decent price so that we can just transfer our mess from the old dell to the new(er) one. until then, i'm grateful my brother is here visiting for the entire month of july - and has…
a letter to "mapat"

16 Jun 2009 | 6:46 am

Dear MaPat.thank you for taking me riding on my bike everyday. i love my bike.and thank you for buying me chips and juice and letting me pay like a big boy.and especially thanks for teaching me how to use the potty. i hated those stinky diapers and mommy has enough poopy butts to clean with my little sister around. i'm doing good with the potty still and haven't peed on the floor since you left.i hope you come to visit me again soon.lovesamil
just when i thought...

13 Jun 2009 | 6:46 pm

it was time to let our baby-secret out of the bag...tomorrow morning at 10am we get our baby back. what?i mentioned that amely was under oxygen for an hour after she was born. she had swallowed some fluid and as a preventive measure, they watched her for awhile with the air tent over her head. she was fine, though, and we took her home just 36 hours after she was born.and then she started to get yellow. we didn't think too much of it at first, because it was just her face, but then it started to descend and her eyes got pretty icky. amalio ran into the doctor in the supermarket and she…
new baby.

10 Jun 2009 | 5:37 pm

i didn't mention one word about a new baby on my blog, and even on facebook i was pretty careful - until the end when people started wondering where she was. is she here yet? i'm easily frustrated. and living in a country with people who think it is okay to say whatever pops into their minds. and on a daily basis i had to listen to people's comments about my belly, about how we raise our kids, about what we should do and what we shouldn't and every.single.thing. that i was doing wrong. and i don't even have a mother-in-law.so, opening up that can of worms on the internet just didn't seem…
welcome.

6 Jun 2009 | 6:20 am

i've been really busy lately. what with this going on:amely alcequiez f.june 4,2009 8:20am8lbs, 21inches

Clare Says...
Photo Wednesday: Solitude

Clare

1 Jul 2009 | 7:20 pm

Tree, originally uploaded by coming2cambodia. Taken: Renaca, Chile February 2008
Photo Wednesday: Dress up

Clare

24 Jun 2009 | 8:04 pm

Mer wedding 031, originally uploaded by coming2cambodia. Taken: April 2008 in AZ at Mary’s wedding
RIP Grammy

Clare

23 Jun 2009 | 4:45 am

Mothers Day 2009 002, originally uploaded by coming2cambodia. This morning my Grandmother left us and here is what I am happy for: She out lived the doctors expectations by 15 months. She was never in pain; if she had to take any pain meds, it was usually just Tylenol. She never felt alone; she had family who visited her daily and other kids who flew in often. I was gainfully unemployed for 9 months and got to spend much of that time with her.
Killing the Cleavers

Clare

21 Jun 2009 | 1:17 pm

I am a huge fan of the show Criminal Minds. My two favorite characters are Penelope Garcia and Dr. Spencer Reid. I love the insights, random facts, and questions that they give. For example, this passage really struck me: Prentiss: These guys are killing the Cleavers. Reid: Strange. Hotch: The pattern? Dr. Reid: No, the Cleavers. Of all the names for a 1950s idyllic TV family. I mean it’s rife with violent implication. Kind of makes you wonder how the writers really felt about suburbia, huh? See? I had never made the connection and now I want to go back and see if the writers were…
Music suggestions

Clare

20 Jun 2009 | 9:52 am

Say your wedding was coming up. Think– very low key, non-traditional, 70 people in a small Indian restaurant. Say you are thinking of making a mixed tape for music, dancing, hanging-out time post meal. What music would you play? We want specific song suggestions here people. Thank you very much.

Brendas Blog from Paraguay
Chemotherapy and Nausea

Brenda

1 Jul 2009 | 9:34 pm

Probably the biggest issue I struggle with in chemotherapy is the nausea. Just writing these words makes me feel nauseated and that's not a good thing, it means I suffer from anticipatory nausea, basically an emotional condition that induces a physical response each time I think of chemotherapy.Chemo drugs have 1-5 rating for potential to induce nausea and vomiting. The drugs I am taking now are a 3. But other factors figure in. These are some factors that can make chemo induced nausea worse:Age. Children are more likely to develop nausea and vomiting than adultsGender. The prevalence of…
College Grad for Wordful Wednesday

Brenda

30 Jun 2009 | 9:00 pm

Isn't he handsome?College grad looking for a job in a tough economy.Nights spent applying, days spent interviewing. . . . here's hoping his persistence pays off soon!More pics at Angies
Brined BBQ Chicken for TMTT

Brenda

29 Jun 2009 | 9:06 pm

I was looking for a way to make moist BBQ chicken for a family picnic the other day and I found several recipes for a brine that you soak the chicken in. This is the recipe that I used:1/2 gallon water1/4 cup kosher salt1/2 cup brown sugar2 bay leaves1/2 tsp hot pepper flakesI used 20 chicken legs and soaked them for about 36 hours. The BBQ'd chicken turned out tender and flavorful. Everyone kept commenting on how good the sauce was, but I think it was the brine ;)For more recipes go to Lisa's
June Reading

Brenda

28 Jun 2009 | 11:13 pm

I was going to title this "summer reading", but summer is just getting started and I've already done my fair share of reading. You can see what I am reading by clicking on the "Books I Read" tab on the top of my blog (I try to keep it current), but I thought I would do a short review of some of the better books I have read recently:Pursuit of Happyness by Chris GardnerMost of us have probably seen the movie, but I thought the book was a little different. I read the book while living just up the street from so many of the homeless shelters that he talks about in the book which made it all…
An Instrument for Noble Purposes

Brenda

27 Jun 2009 | 11:30 pm

Ah, to be your instrument, O God,like Paul to the Gentiles,like Philip to the eunuch,like Jesus to the world,. . . to be your instrument.To be like a scalpel in the gentle hands of a surgeon,healing and mending.To be like a plow in the weathered hands of a farmer,sowing and tending.To be like a scythe in the the sweeping hands of a reaper,gathering and using.To be. . . . an instrument for noble purposes.To be honed and tuned,in sync with your will,sensitive to your touch.This, my God, is my prayer.Draw me from your fire,form me on your anvilshape me with your hands,and let me be your…

An American in Lima
Archbishop of Cusco to Evict More Local Restaurants

Barb

21 Jun 2009 | 6:40 pm

Photo of Cusco’s classic Ayllu cafe by Julio Angulo Peruvian and expat bloggers have lately been decrying the demise of the Ayllu cafe on Cuco’s historic Plaza de Armas. The 37-year-old coffee shop was a fixture of intellectual and social life in Cusco, and served up excellent, reasonably priced pastries and sandwiches, along with first-rate hot beverages to ward off the Andean cold. The Ayllu also nurtured the indigenismo movement that affirmed the values of native Peruvian cultures. (Read here for reactions from En Peru and Peruanista blogs. Click here for a recent video by…
Happy Father’s Day, Peru-style

Barb

20 Jun 2009 | 5:49 pm

A tension has been building up all week in our house as Father’s Day approaches. This was a low-key holiday for us back in the States — El Hijo would make El Fotografo a card at the last minute, or I’d haul him off to the mall to buy an electric razor — but since moving to Peru in ‘07, Father’s Day has grown into an Event. This change is partially due to the hoopla that EH’s British-Peruvian school makes over Dia del Papá (and over Mother’s Day as well). From what I understand, this is common practice at schools in Lima. I’d always…
Photo of a Pilgrimage Leader

Barb

19 Jun 2009 | 3:37 pm

photo c. Jorge Vera 2009 Alejandro is from Santiago de Cusco, a province near the former Inca capital. He led a comparsa of 22 members on the pilgrimage last week. He was intelligent and well spoken, and he patiently explained the signficance of each part of his Capac Qolla outfit to me. I was intrigued as well by his explanation of why pilgrims travel in comparsas (village groups). The Lord of Qoyllur Rit’i wants us to live together on this earth peacefully, he explained. We travel to Qoyllur Rit’i in comparsas to learn to share, to stop being egotistical and hypocritical.
Peruvian ‘Viagra’ Soup: Does It Hoist Your Sail or Is It Just a Crock of Chupe?

Barb

18 Jun 2009 | 6:59 am

“I can attest it works,” Taste of Peru co-owner Julie Izquierdo says of the restaurant’s Sopa de Viagra. (Chris Sweda/Sun-Times) Yesterday’s post on the medicinal powers of chilcano de pescado led to my discovering a Peruvian restaurant in Chicago that’s serving up a traditional fish soup as a wonder aphrodesiac. Taste of Peru in Rogers Park is touting its seafood-crammed “Sopa de Viagra” as a “natural elixir to jump-start the love life,” reports the Chicago Sun Times. And at $25 a serving, the lovers’ soup competes with U.S. pharmacy…
Peru’s Answer to Jewish Penicillin: Chilcano de Pescado

Barb

17 Jun 2009 | 4:18 pm

I need my Jewish chicken-noodle soup in the wintertime. I grew up on the U.S. East Coast, where delis and diners and Jewish moms cook up barrels of this fragrant, healing soup all year long. Then I moved to Miami where at gourmet delis like Epicure, you can buy big jars of delicious matzoh-ball soup that will cure you overnight of colds, bronchitis, pneumonia. I’ve been restored from the Dead with homemade chicken soup glistening with beads of kosher chicken fat. Then, a year and a half ago, I moved to Peru where there are like, 3,000 Jews in the entire country and no great Jewish…

Expat Chronicles
3 Colombian Pueblos in 3 Weeks

Colin

29 Jun 2009 | 1:40 pm

SUMMARY: I've spontaneously, almost accidentally, visited three unique pueblos outside Bogota in three weeks. Sections include La Calera with Alcoholics and Addicts Guatavita with Gringos, and Fell Off the Wagon in Girardot. La Calera with Alcoholics and Addicts (today) I met Alejandro and Winston in AA. We hung out Friday night and they mentioned the possibility of going to La Calera. Alejandro and Winston grew up in Bogota – and got in all their trouble in Bogota – so their favorite recreational activity is leaving the city to visit small pueblos. I had heard of La Calera before but…
Formalities & Politeness in Bogota

Colin

22 Jun 2009 | 10:39 pm

SUMMARY: I describe the formal culture of Bogota, Colombia, as seen in its language, how the language is used between men, and the business dress code. Colombians say that Colombian Spanish is the best Spanish in the world. They say that the Spanish spoken in Colombia is more proper than that of Spain. Colombians take language seriously and make an effort to use it correctly. I once mentioned a mistake in common Peruvian Spanish to some Colombians, a mistake I didn't realize until I moved to Colombia. When I asked why Peruvians might use it that way, one of them answered "Son brutos." They're…
García Márquez and Love in Latin America

Colin

12 Jun 2009 | 4:02 pm

SUMMARY: I discuss Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez' classic novel, Love in the Time of Cholera, and relate it to what I perceive to be the much more romantic culture of Latin America. I use examples from the book and my experiences and finally ask the question if this passion for romance is a good thing. Latin culture is the most romantic in the world. Is this good or bad? Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez is set in an unnamed town assumed to be Cartagena, Colombia and spans from the late 19th century – early 20th century. As a teenager, Florentino Ariza…
Why I Hate Downtown Bogota

Colin

10 Jun 2009 | 12:08 pm

SUMMARY: One day's events that highlight why I hate / despise / loathe being in downtown Bogota and La Candelaria. Political Correctness Disclaimer: I would like to use the term 'panhandler', but it doesn't read well. I am sensitive to those truly in need, which there are many of in Bogota due to displacements from the war. But I'm going to use the word 'bum' because it reads better, it saves space, and it doesn't describe genuinely needy people so much as it describes professional panhandlers, stick-up kids, drug addicts, and hybrids of those three. Rosa visited me in Bogota for the weekend…
Buenos Aires, Argentina = Italy Meets South America

Colin

7 Jun 2009 | 11:47 pm

SUMMARY: I spend a 4-day weekend in Buenos Aires. Sections include BA European City, Argentine Women, BA's Nocturnal Culture, Food: BA for Carnivores, Language: Argentine Spanish, Tango!, and Conclusion: Buenos Aires Doesn't Suck. The Colombian government won't issue work visas inside Colombia. I had to pick the actual visa up at a Colombian consulate in a different country. So I scoured the internet for flights to anywhere. Surprisingly, Buenos Aires was the cheapest ticket. So I spent a 4-day weekend in BA to pick up my Colombian work visa. European City While I certainly planned to see BA…

Still Life in South America
Lima, Peru

Still Life in South America

28 Jun 2009 | 5:43 pm

The last two days of our trip were spent in Lima, Peru’s capital. I normally like to find the positive in every city’s character, but I found Lima to be gray and dodgy with a negative energy. There is a very lonely and dangerous element there. Still, there are some sweeter aspects of the city. The balconies [...]
Some Things I Miss

Still Life in South America

22 Jun 2009 | 8:01 pm

I have the homesick blues recently because of the cold weather and gloomy gray of Santiago. I thought it would be fun to describe the things I miss from my pre-expat lifestyle. Some things I miss most about the United States include: Powerbars and Lunabars. These are so great for on the go. Dependable customer service. Drip coffee. (Starbucks [...]
Cusco, Peru

Still Life in South America

21 Jun 2009 | 7:33 pm

Cusco is the doorway to see Peru’s Sacred Valley. It’s a lovely town that serves mostly as a tourist base for the pilgrimage to Machu Picchu. On the way to the Sacred Valley, we zipped through the town, intent on arriving at Ollantaytambo that day. It is suggested to travel to the Sacred Valley upon arrival in [...]
Machu Picchu

Still Life in South America

12 Jun 2009 | 3:14 pm

The trip to Machu Picchu was the focal point of our trip to Peru. It’s a difficult place to visit, as it requires traveling from Cusco to the Sacred Valley, taking a train from the Sacred Valley to the town of Aguas Calientes, and then a bus bright and early in the morning to the [...]
First Impressions of Chile

Still Life in South America

8 Jun 2009 | 4:49 pm

Margaret at Cachando Chile wrote a great piece on her first experiences in Chile. She’s been here for 18 years now. Since she invited others to share their impressions, I thought it would be a good opportunity to write a less structured post than I usually write. Perhaps a more open post since I’m typically [...]

I know what I'm doing
In the presence of greatness

28 Jun 2009 | 5:01 am

A gig I'd been looking forward to exceeded all my expectations!The name Dream Theater is a legend in the rock/metal world. I should probably say they are a legend of rock/metal underground, or at least it was so until 2001 when a dude named John Petrucci playing the guitar in DT, was asked by Joe Satriani himself to join him (Joe) and another dude you may have heard about, named Steve Vai in a
A quick update

15 Jun 2009 | 8:44 am

The Lakers have won it.[...] blah, blah, blah [...][...] insert your awes and oooohs here [...][...] blah, blah, blah [...]Like anybody ever seriously thought the Magic stood a chance. Pfft...
One more week

8 Jun 2009 | 10:30 am

I will be on holidays.I don't feel like I am on hols for most of the time, but at the moment I'm good. Feeling really good.It just stopped raining and I am sitting in this beach pub with free wifi internet access, enjoying my second, well, third to be honest, beer.I still have one more week off work. It doesn't get much better than this. The business is lazy, it's been raining for the last seven
Sunday

24 May 2009 | 4:10 am

The ONLY correct definition.Sunday is a holiday in Milkaland.People do not work and do not like to be disturbed.Source: an information flyer handed to all newcomers in Milkaland.Fail to respect the above and you will be shot. Possibly dead. Twice.Source: Jerry Adams' observations of everyday life in Milkaland.
Lost track of time

18 May 2009 | 12:08 pm

I write music again. Literally - I put lil' black dots on the stave. Hundreds if not thousands of them. One by one. I came back home at 5 pm. It's past 9 pm now. I've spent 4 hours doing: right click>insert>note>enterYes, I'm a geek and I use software to write my music - what else did you expect? And I do not even feel tired. Not at all. I could go on forever (or at least that is how I feel now).

Rantings from Afar
UCL Library Services Staff Conference: Support for International Students

annmucc

2 Jul 2009 | 2:28 pm

I posted this blogpost some days ago, but didn’t put the link here (as I had promised I would do)…so here it is: UCL Library Services Staff Conference: Support for International Students
I’m a Geeky Techy ;)

annmucc

2 Jul 2009 | 2:22 pm

Or so I feel right now Why? Well, last Thursday my old hard disk (R.I.P) decided to breathe its last breath and die sometime durng the night. This meant that I had to figure out a way of figuring out what to do. Step 1: Buy a new Hard disk. On Friday when I went in to uni Phil was there, and he suggested me a website (dabs.com) from where to buy my CD. I looked the options up, and send a selection to my brother. Unfortunately, my brother was travelling, so it was only on Sunday that I ordered the hard-disk, and it was shipped Monday night. It said it will take 1-3 days (and possibly more) to…
Chasing Pandora

annmucc

1 Jul 2009 | 1:34 pm

I left you with this post, saying I was going to go see Chasing Pandora. I went…but what did I think? This was the first time I heard Chasing Pandora live, though I had heard some of their songs on the radio. However, I am not too up-to-date with their music (or make that with any kind of music right now! Haven’t heard any radio or seen much TV for ages now, so the little knowledge I had has slid further down the knowledge scale!) I met up with some of my Maltese friends here in London. I hadn’t seen most of them in ages, so it was good fun to get out of the house, and speak…
More Music: Chasing Pandora!

annmucc

29 Jun 2009 | 10:39 am

Chasing Pandora, a duet from Gozo (that’s part of the Maltese Islands if you didn’t know, though I am sure you all did ) are in London for a series of concerts…starting today! A group of us have decided to go…tonight is the night! Will let you know how it goes
A Day of Beethoven

annmucc

28 Jun 2009 | 4:16 am

Yesterday was a day of Beethoven! In what way? Well, remember I told you about the seefilmfirst website where I got free tickets to see ‘Sunshine Cleaning’? (Don’t go stealing my ticekts now ) Well, it seems like, besides free tickets for films, we also get notices about free tickets for some concerts! That’s great! Last week I received an e-mail promoting a series of events linked with Beethoven over the weekend. I looked through them and two events caught my eye: A Film about Beethoven’s ninth symphony yesterday morning and a concert of Beethoven’s…

behind the lens
Empty Stairs

19 Jun 2009 | 6:55 am
Empty Chairs

18 Jun 2009 | 4:01 am
I heart Berlin

3 Jun 2009 | 6:17 am

I am so in love with the city lately. Maybe its all the sunshine mixed with thunderstorms, I don't know. But lately, I have been enjoying beautiful Berlin more than I have in months. In the past few weeks I have gone to Wannsee and taken a boat ride, explored an abandoned hospital, taken my dog on a picnic to the park, visited KaDaWe and discovered there is a place to get Diet Dr. Pepper in
My Favorite Day

26 May 2009 | 6:44 am

I love celebrating my life. I LOVE my life. I love being alive and I cherish it for the rare and fleeting thing that it is. I love thinking about all the crazy things I have experienced, all the amazing people I have met (and loved) along the way, all the mistakes I have made and the things I have accomplished. I love thinking about what surprises my life still has to offer.I love knowing
Currently Obsessed...

20 May 2009 | 4:10 pm

...with Strawberries.They are delicious, pretty, and I seem to never get sick of them even when I eat a half kilo in one day and then make (and eat) this cake:

NicoleB Photography
Shake it Baby

NicoleB

1 Jul 2009 | 12:45 am

(Clicking on the pic will get you to my online shop) Shake it Baby - Labrador at the beach by NicoleBBrowse other Labrador Postcards &
Gaehn

NicoleB

30 Jun 2009 | 3:43 pm

Mein Schlaf war oefter unterbrochen heute Nacht. Keine Ahnung warum. Vielleicht war Gartenarbeit nicht genug action fuer meinen Koerper? Ich muss mir den Wecker auch wieder auf 6 morgens stellen. Um 8 aufstehen verhaut mir den ganzen Tag und die Hunde kommen gar nicht mehr zum richtig spazieren gehen. Hier ist schon wieder bewoelkt und wahrscheinlich nachher Regen. Naja. Hier regnet’s schon wieder. Aber zumindest ist es nur ein Gewittergrummeln. Also kann ich den PC erst mal anlassen und weiter am shop arbeiten (und mich ablenken lassen, raeusper ). Laufen gehe ich nachher noch, denke…
Bullet holes

NicoleB

30 Jun 2009 | 12:27 am

Looks like bullet holes in that sign to me. All around in the walls were some too. I really wonder what on earth happened there. I can think of the wildest stories. This is another shot from the old abandoned country estate. Yet more to come.
Garten

NicoleB

29 Jun 2009 | 11:46 pm

Ich hab Garten. Naja, jedenfalls habe ich heute ein Loch in der anscheinend permanenten Wolken / Gewitter / Regendecke genutzt, meine Faulheit ueberwunden und den Rasen gemaeht. Anschliessend noch auf der hinteren Terrasse die Reben beschnitten, damit die Trauben mehr Sonne bekommen. Vorne lass ich so, da brauch ich Schatten Den Nachmittag gab’s dann wieder ein Gewitter nach dem anderen. Be happy - green smiling frog magnet by NicoleB
Laughter

NicoleB

29 Jun 2009 | 1:01 am

I chose this one for Kristi’s Photo hunt - “Laughter”. The girls sure had a lot of fun and laughed a lot on this run with their dogs. The dogs were all on a leash, so it wasn’t that easy to get through the hoops It’s another shot from that school festival and fair in Barcs, beginning of the month. The shot is also for the Mellow Yellow Photo Meme. Note the yellow hoop

ON THE MOVE AGAIN
Wimbledon 2009

26 Jun 2009 | 12:44 am

Jignesh holding our official queue cards The Wimbledon 2009 draw Where should we go? Maria Kirilenko with centre court in the background Some doubles actionSince we had such an amazing time at Roland Garros, we had to check out some more tennis this week at Wimbledon! Because we failed to get tickets through the official ballot, we had to join the queue early in the morning to secure tickets. Wimbledon is one of the only major sporting events that reserves a number of tickets for same day sale. For show court tickets, you have to camp out. Otherwise, you simply pay your 20 quid and get…
Happy Dad's Day

21 Jun 2009 | 8:59 am

Dad, Happy Father's Day! As I write this, I am sure you are either enjoying a float on your boat, a long bike ride, or a scenic hike through the Smokies (in just a few weeks I will get to do all these things with you!). Hopefully, you will also be rewarded with a delicious Mom cooked meal. You certaintly deserve all of the above and more! You have taught me so many things through the years that I cannot even begin to list them all. I often see a lot of myself in you and for that I am grateful. You are are truly someone that I respect, admire, and love more than words can say. Don't worry,…
Stowaway to Geneva

15 Jun 2009 | 12:42 pm

Last week, Jignesh had a two day business trip to Geneva, Switzerland. Well, I decided to stowaway in his luggage and forced him to turn his two day trip into five. I have to admit that I was not sure what to expect of Geneva. Admittedly, I had only really heard of Geneva in conversations involving the United Nations and other large international organizations and thought that it was purely a city that revolves around business. I was proven wrong. Geneva is set against the huge Lake Geneva (Lac Leman to the locals) that provides endless activities such as sailing and waterskiing. The path…
Geneva, Switzerland

15 Jun 2009 | 12:07 pm

What time is it? Lausanne's Cathedrale Notre Dame The view from our hotel room Did you know that the Swiss flag is square? Our last meal before leaving for the airport Jet d'Eau, Europe's tallest fountain The lake with the foothills of the Alps in the background An attempt at some creative photography
One Year Anniversary

2 Jun 2009 | 9:46 am

Today marks one year from our move to London! Well, it is not exactly one year as Jiggy would have been here for a few weeks already this time last year and I was still a few weeks from arriving. But this does mark Jiggy's one year anniversary of his start date at work so I figured this was good compromise!As I look back on this year, the first thing that comes to mind is how fast it has gone! Life really does fly by at the speed of a fighter plane. Another thing that comes to mind is how easily we have adjusted to life in a different country and how much we have come to love London. Of…

Northern Natterings
In the News This Week....

30 Jun 2009 | 10:58 am

This has been an eventful week, starting from last Friday, and it's only Tuesday! Sverre and I have been following all this Jackson stuff with mild interest (neither of us were major fans), but it's the troop withdrawal from Iraq that's captured my attention. Oh, man. The Norwegians say, "Se hva som skjer," See what happens. (It's actually the tagline of one of the major TV networks.)I never went to Iraq. I never volunteered (as I did with Afghanistan, still ended up not going there), though I would have gone if ordered. A lot of my friends went to Iraq, multiple times, and more than a few of…
Masochism and Tourism

23 Jun 2009 | 4:21 am

Have you guys read about this guy, Ryan? Who planned on running from Amsterdam to Athens? It's on the Blogger Buzz and in Blogs of Note, or whatever that tab is on your dashboard. For those not on Blogger, check this kid out.I fully admire anyone who can run further than down to the store with only a backpack, much less the length of the Continent (minus the Scandis, poor Weegies get left out of everything). Admiration, masochism, throw in awesome tourism opportunities and this guy has struck Feel Good Story gold.
You know...

20 Jun 2009 | 3:50 am

...you're having an interesting* hair day when your husband walks in the bathroom, mid-hairsprayspraying, and says, "Oh my God, you look like a crazy lady."Hmmm.*interesting is different than bad, because interesting hair days are fixable, while, as we all know, bad hair days are signs of impending apocolypse.
WooHoo!

19 Jun 2009 | 5:00 am

Celebration tonight! A few weeks ago Sverre applied for a job opening in another department at work. We knew the pay would probably be a little less, but he'd get out of working shifts--which is a plus! He's been working swings (mornings one week, evenings the next) for over six months now, and the effects were noticeable. "He looks so tired." I don't know how many times I heard that comment and had to just bite my lip and nod, because he did. But he's so damn proud of providing well for both of us that voicing my worries seemed like...well, background noise.But no more! Hurrah to Fabulous…
Photographer's photos are coming in!!!!

17 Jun 2009 | 12:40 am

I practically want to jump up and down, I'm so excited over these pictures. The teaser album is located at Third Element Studios...click Store, and then click on B---- Wedding...it will open the teaser album.Forrest, you're my freakin' hero.

Happy Adventures
107 DEGREES

28 Jun 2009 | 8:14 pm

....or 42 Celsius. :)That's how hot it was today. Actually the thermometer in the backyard said 108! Anything over 100 feels the same though. Hot. :) We don't go out much during the day, especially not to do anything outside. We took Papa's boat out yesterday morning... That was fun. Andrea HATED her life jacket. I am a wake boarding superstar and just as soon as my mom shows me how to connect my camera I'll prove my awesome-ness. :)
First Few Days

25 Jun 2009 | 2:30 pm

More details about our flight here... It was pretty good. Did I mention that SEVEN people told me how well behaved my children were. :) I was very proud of the kids. It could have been much worse but the kids were awesome. ...Even with the secondary inspection of our things in Seattle where they took our Ham and Cheese sandwiches. :)As we went through the passport check in Copenhagen it was like entering a different world... Once on the other side of the barrier, people were telling me how cute my kids were, making small talk with us, holding doors open, helping hold things.... It was then I…
We MADE IT!

22 Jun 2009 | 3:31 pm

We are here. We are tired. The flight went really good. The kids were SOOOOOO great. Everyone is happy to see us. :) We miss Daddy who was left alone at home to work for a couple more weeks. We are enjoying Target and the warm sun and all the food we forgot we loved. America is wonderful... seriously the best place ever. A few more days and I'll write more because Andrea wants the keyboard. ;)P.S. Andrea is NOT adjusting to the time change very well. But I do have lots of American reality shows that I can catch up on in the wee hours of the morning. :)
Scotty's Last Day of Bornehaven

18 Jun 2009 | 11:10 pm

I miss his bornehaven....and not because this was the place I could drop him off for five hours a day. :)I really liked it. I feel bad because I've been driving around looking at other bornehavens for when we return. The only problem I had with this one is that I just can't talk to the teachers because they don't speak English... just Arabic... and I need to know what Scotty is doing. :) -Now I will insert my random comment that Arabic and Middle Eastern cultures may be very different then what we view as normal; but every parent at this school, moms and dads, were all very kind to us. They…
28 more hours.

18 Jun 2009 | 11:01 pm

28 hours to go!! This means my shopping list is almost complete. It's not so long this time. Last time I had TONS of food and baby items to bring back. Now it's just things I can't get here.Here's my list from last year: I made the things that are on my list this year red.- cat tags/collars- hanging file folders- pancake mix- umbrellas- scotty pull ups- infant swim diapers- cat flea stuff- white sauce - graham crackers- dryer sheets- folding sandwich bags- rolling pin- peanut butter- parmesan cheese- kettle corn- frosting- pancake syrup- garbage bags- infant tylenol - kid vitamins - memory…

some guy in lebanon
“Why I’m here” and other Beirut stories

i@williamcurtisdonovan.com (Will Donovan)

1 Jul 2009 | 3:36 am

I’m tan – “How did you get so tan, Will?” You might ask – Well, dear reader, this is for three reasons: I live at the eastern end of the Mediterranean. One can get a tan just by walking around I spent Saturday at “Lazy B,” a wonderful little cabana-style resort south of Beirut. I spent most of Sunday sitting in no-man’s-land at the Syrian border in the sun. For five hours. Just to be in Syria for forty five minutes. I want to remark on this last point - “Why did you go to Syria, Will?” Well, dear reader, it’s because my visa…
Eight Months in Beirut

i@williamcurtisdonovan.com (Will Donovan)

21 Jun 2009 | 12:05 pm

Almost 8 months in Beirut now – Eight long months. As I sit back and think – go over my current situation, I can’t help but notice the totality, and the still insignificance, of what I’ve accomplished so far… and all the people who have trusted me, who have had faith in me, and who have stood by me. I will never be able to repay the debt I owe to those who’ve made this possible – even here, I see that truly it takes a village to raise Will Donovan. Perhaps more here than anywhere. Who has arrived in Lebanon without family, with limited finances, with…
Live Iran Coverage: Twitter

i@williamcurtisdonovan.com (Will Donovan)

16 Jun 2009 | 12:24 am

Please visit http://twitter.com/persiankiwi for live coverage of the developing situation in Iran – most recent updates: I must log off now – will log on when I have more info – need phone line – no mobile cover, no sms, no satellite, no radio #Iranelection anyone with camera or laptop is attacked in street #Iranelection Tehran hotels under high security to stop Iranians from contacting foreign press #Iranelection rumours that foreign embassys preparing to leave Iran #Iranelection confirmed – Tabriz – Baseej headqurters set fire – ‘many’…
Post election and Sky Bar Opening Night

i@williamcurtisdonovan.com (Will Donovan)

14 Jun 2009 | 11:38 am

The election went over well… all things considered – I will admit I know very little about it. However, I wanted to share an e-mail I sent to NY Times contributor Thomas Friedman after he published this story: Ballots over Bullets in which he roundly declared Lebanon’s elections clean, fair, honest, and part of a “wind of change” in the region. I wrote him (he has yet to reply) the following: (Solidaire is Downtown Beirut and “Bukhra, InshaAllah” means “Tomorrow it will happen, God Willing” and it is said when it will most certainly not…
Early Summer in Beirut: White, Chilli’s and Sporting

i@williamcurtisdonovan.com (Will Donovan)

6 Jun 2009 | 1:31 pm

Not much new to report – planning on bunking down tomorrow for the elections – have been to the store to pick up the staples: beer, chips, snacks, diet Pepsi, cheese and crackers. Hopefully it will be a high-uneventful day. I wanted to share these: The first is from the nightclub White, the second from Chilli’s Restaurant in Achrafiyeh, and the third are from the Sea Club Sporting (they call it a beach club but there’s no beach so I refuse to honor that title, even though it’s an awesome place. First, White – didn’t expect to be back so soon but I had…

Abu Dhabi Daily Photograph
Abu Dhabi in Cartoons

1 Jul 2009 | 4:08 am
Abu Dhabi in Cartoons

29 Jun 2009 | 2:08 am
Abu Dhabi in Cartoons

27 Jun 2009 | 2:22 am
Abu Dhabi in Cartoons

25 Jun 2009 | 1:22 am
Emirates Palace Cartoon

23 Jun 2009 | 1:25 am

OMAN .....Travels into Oman
Exploring Ubhar in Muscat

ynotoman

2 Jul 2009 | 2:06 am

a stand out on the food scene in Muscat - for lots of reasons
Muscat Hills Golf

ynotoman

1 Jul 2009 | 8:54 pm

The first of Oman’s grass Golf courses has had a soft opening. Between honey coloured mountains and the Gulf of Oman it will be a great alternative to Oman ‘Browns’, the rollered sand golf course we have had till now Posted in Culture, Desert, Mountain, Muscat, Oman, Sea Tagged: Golf, Muscat, Oman [...]
Etihad to Muscat

ynotoman

25 Jun 2009 | 11:06 pm

A flight to remember for a lifetime
New Ferry Terminal in Khasab Oman

ynotoman

25 Jun 2009 | 12:32 am

Good news for car drivers
Oman Air adds new routes

ynotoman

22 Jun 2009 | 3:25 pm

Oman Air adds some good new routes this autumn

PALORDINIA
Israel Condemned by Human Rights Watch

30 Jun 2009 | 3:42 pm

Israel has been condemned by Human Rights watch for using drones to kill civilians during Gaza War. According to the report, Israel used unmanned aircrafts during the war in Gaza, and has unlawfully killed 29 civilians in the process. You can read the full story here:http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Middle_East/10327469.htmlIt's nice to see that someone is actually paying attention!! However, this raises some serious questions, and only the reaction of the International Community in the coming few weeks can answer them. Would Israel be condemned by the UN, or the Security Council? Would the US…
Memories

30 Jun 2009 | 12:59 pm

You can hear people saying sometimes, I wish there is a pill to erase bad memories, but how did you know that what happened an hour or two ago is going to be a bad memory? maybe it's a bad experience, but you can't say it's a bad memory until you remember it after a long time, and you feel really bad when you do, then you can call it a bad memory. And I think that it's hard to have a bad memory.a couple of days ago I was looking at some old photos, some of these photos were taken in really bad times, but much to my surprise, it was the photos that I smiled the most when I looked at. I've…
Today's Dose of Wisedom: Knowledge

30 Jun 2009 | 11:06 am

Albert Einstein:Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.Benjamin Spock:Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.Goethe:Knowing is not enough; we must apply!Kahlil Gibran:A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle.Leonardo da Vinci:Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory.For more, please visit…
Michael Jackson, he was...

28 Jun 2009 | 12:13 pm

He was an icon.. He was an innovator.. He was unique.. he was an entertainer.. He was deep.. he was vain.. he was popular.. yet he was lonely.. he was loved, yet he was despised. He was a source of pride, and of shame.He was neither black nor white. People looked up to him, yet he was no role model. He was a man, yet he was a child.. and he loved children, maybe a little too much. He did a lot of good things, and equally bad ones. He is a manifestation of every flaw a human being has, and a live example of how one can make his own destiny. It was a great one, but it was ill-fated.Michael was…
Scraps about politics! Risk and Nothing Else!

19 Jun 2009 | 6:10 am

It's very hard to be blogging these days. At least for me! Being a person who has a keen interest in politics because of how it impacts our lives I find it very hard to write about it more and more everyday, because it feels like in 99% of times we are on the losing end. If you consider the exception of Hezbollah that percentage might actually go higher. It's funny and equally pathetic to know that the only victories we score are in some irrelevant quarrels amongst us, and even in that case we end up losing sometimes. A perfect example would be the brotherly relationship between Jordan and…

Black Chick in Saudi
5 Good Days In A Row

29 Jun 2009 | 4:32 am

Wow!! I can hardly believe it...I have had at least 5 good days in a row. I went to a birthday party a few days back...that was good. Oh Yea...then last week we purchased a dining room table...and it was actually delivered on the day and time they said if would be. That was definitely an "OHMIGOD I can't believe it" moment. And, BTW, I LOVE IT!! We found someone to frame our artwork...who has a shop in Khobar...but also works out of a house in Dhahran. We got 6 pieces framed, 2 with custom frame work, and we actually got that done in 3 days!! For 1000 Riyals!! And, he…
Michael Jackson - Rest In Peace

26 Jun 2009 | 12:44 am

Today we have lost an icon. My condolences go out to his children, his family, his fans. He will be greatly missed. There isn't one person on earth who doesn't know at least Michael Jackson song. May He Now Rest In Peace.
2 Dang Hot

22 Jun 2009 | 2:08 am

It's over 100 degrees Fahrenheit every single day. And, it's just getting started. So... Let me just say: IT IS TOO DANG HOT to be wearing an abaya.Enough Said!!
Taking One Box At a Time!!

12 Jun 2009 | 11:50 pm

Finally...I've started to unpack my boxes. And, the more I unpack...the more I want to unpack. I started in my kitchen, because (1) we're real foodies (healthy food) and (2) I like to have all my gadgets, various mixing bowls, special knives, etc. It is always cool to find for example my perfect 2 cup glass measuring cup, that has ways to measure ingredients using 6 different methods. In the states...it also doubles as a Martini shaker...gotta love that. =) Well...last night I unpacked a random box...and it had nik naks, framed family photos, and vacation art that I need to have…
House Help....Finally

5 Jun 2009 | 2:50 am

Today we hired what the Saudi's call a "houseboy"...I prefer to call him my house helper. Houseboy is so degrading. Reminds of back in the old south how whites would degrade black men by calling them "boy". The man could be 70 years old...worthy of respect...but they would still call him "boy". So...Anyway...he started working today. I'm going to have him come by once a week, for a few hours. So...for all my friends in the States... I do not have a maid. I will be cleaning my own house, most of the time. He will only doing the major stuff; washing windows, floors, etc. I'm…

Simply LeAnne
Egypt's Facebook Face Off - Egypt

30 Jun 2009 | 5:33 am

I came across this and while I haven't completed watching it in its entirety, I thought it would be good to post on the blog. Since I haven't properly watched it, I can't give my opinion at this time. However, Egypt was reportedly trying to crack down on Facebook users a few months ago. Of course, views and opinions are always welcome, but please be respectful.
Letters from Egypt: Use Caution

18 Jun 2009 | 1:32 am

Yes, I never got around to the second posting that I wanted to do discussing the dating game in Cairo (at least from my perspective). However, it is still on my mind. Keep a lookout. Instead, this week something happened that was a wake-up call, so to speak. Sometimes we get too lax in our surroundings and need that jolt to remind us of where we are. That jolt happened to me Monday night. I usually do not go out (or at least make every attempt possible to avoid it) on Mondays (‘school nights’ in general), but as one of my other friends just returned from her holiday in Spain and other…
Letters from Egypt: Ulterior Motives

30 May 2009 | 4:57 pm

I’m at a point right now that although I am surrounded by so many people, I feel alone. Recent events have led me to sit around while out with friends and quietly think, “Does this person genuinely want to be here or is there some ulterior motive?” Excuse me, table for one, name: Pity Party. However, this post isn’t going to be like that – exactly. If you’ve been following this blog, then you know I am almost at my one year mark (July 10 exactly) and I think of all the different emotions I’ve felt thus far, but what I’m feeling now is loneliness, albeit a different form than…
Letters from Egypt: Tourism Police

12 May 2009 | 4:23 am

When I first moved here, I didn’t know anyone. So what did I do? I was so nervous to venture out alone that I returned from work immediately, got on my laptop, spoke to all my friends in the US and watched a bit of Arabic TV. I became a fan of a popular Turkish soap Nour (yeah yeah yeah, but the acting is hilarious and somehow, I got pulled into the storyline – please contain your laughter) and some Arabic music. My favorite singer became Hossam Habib (please check the link for my favorite song Shoft B’einaya), so understand my excitement when I was in a cab on my way to a club and I…
Letters from Egypt: Avoid Seclusion

14 Apr 2009 | 7:15 am

Just me being silly and trying to sing...I'm not very good :( I’ve been saying lately that sometimes I feel like my independence has really taken a beating. I have to depend on people for simple things that well, I’m just used to doing myself. For instance, I went to Pub 55 recently to just hang out with some friends. I wanted to leave around 1 am, so I venture outside to hail a cab. No cab in sight. I think about just walking a little further to flag one down, but instead I had someone begging me for money and following me down the street. I turned around and went back inside and…

Sidewalk
Rwanda : Land of Banana trees, sorgum and Gorillas

16 Jun 2009 | 1:33 am

Struggling to fight against my sleepiness, I was struck in awe when the plane glided gracefully among the hills and landed on one of them. First thought that came to my mind was : Awesome...Rwanda is beautiful. Armed with the knowledge that Rwanda is known as the country of thousand hills still did not prepare me for the magnificent sight which I must admit is very different from the African cities which I have been too. It was nothing but hills in Rwanda..endless hills.The city of Kigali is extremely clean and the condition of the road is superb! Coming from a country where bumpy rides is…
Paradise at Lake Barigo

1 Jun 2009 | 12:23 pm

I have to admit that the perfect combination for a long weekend in Kenya is a great road trip plus great company. This time, one of my dear friend has selected Lake Baringo to be our destination for pure pleasure and relaxation. Apart from the heat, this place is fits exactly what we were looking for.The entire trip took us 4 hours to get to Kampi ya Samaki, the shore of Lake Baringo, from Nairobi. We were then transfered by a moderate speed boat to a "fanstasy island" where you will find absolute solitude from the outside world. However, if you do not want to be disturbed, you might want to…
Round and round around Mt Kenya

23 May 2009 | 1:52 pm

Climbing Mt Kenya, the second highest peak in Africa, is never in my "TO-DO" list but that doesn't mean I should miss the opportunity the view of this majestic mountain. Hence the road trip around Mt Kenya..literally around it.Bracing through the messy traffic in Thika, we finally left the city heading towards the town called Embu. There are couple of major towns around Mt Kenya which serves as the base for experienced hikers that have made the decision to conquer the mountain and Embu happened to be one of them. I must admit that there is nothing particularly interesting here.Before arriving…
Sunset in Bahrain

14 May 2009 | 9:55 pm

Sunset caught at Le Gnoush Conquiche ~ waterfront that overlooks the city of Maname from Muharraq's side (island where the Bahrain airport is)It was hazy due to the "sandstorm" and definitely not a perfect day to catch sunset.The sun just disappeared into the "haze"
Driving in Bahrain: A pleasant experience?

12 May 2009 | 6:16 am

Driving in Bahrain can be quite a challenge. Apart from the well maintained road, except for some disruption from the construction, knowing your way around is crucial here. Believe it or not, I actually spent almost 40 mins trying to get my way out of the city center to the main street..thank God that petrol here cost only 0.3 USD here.For one, the sign board in Bahrain is hopeless...and I thought Malaysia was bad. I tried searching for the famous Tree of Life but I ended up in Durrat Al-Bahrain (the furthest point in the south of Bahrain). Although I eventually did find it, it was with much…

Life in Luanda
Our “Year” is Over!

10 Jun 2009 | 1:47 pm

June 09Finally! Just 1 school day to go, 2 days to get stuff organised and we fly out of Luanda having completed our first “year” here. Of course, that’s a school year – it won’t be a calendar year until we return in August to do it all again!The last couple of weeks have been crazily hectic (like schools everywhere I guess). We have had a graduation ceremony for the year 13 students (the school’s third). The year 7 students have had their PYP exhibition. A couple of performances have taken place including a huge musical production of Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor…
“Postcards from Angola”

25 May 2009 | 12:19 pm

May 09These last few weeks have been very uneventful for us as the craziness of the last few weeks of school takes over. I am doing three online courses – one is due to finish soon, the other two have just started. But a much bigger drain on my time (to the extent that it is literally taking up all my spare time) is that I am putting the school’s yearbook together – virtually single headedly, although Bill has stepped in to help with some of the organisation that still needs to be done. We are making a digital yearbook & I have never made one of those or even a normal yearbook…
The Etosha Pan "Sea"

22 May 2009 | 1:55 pm

Another (non-edited) video from Namibia. You can see just how wet the Etosha pan was. This was taken in two different locations, with the second half shot out the moving car. In the first half you get a glimpse of the state of the car! It was so covered in mud that we had to get it washed twice (once to clear the plates and the lights & again at the end of the trip) before we could hand it back. Everyone who saw us after we left Etosha could tell that's where we'd been by looking at the car.
A slice of carnival

18 May 2009 | 1:22 pm

It's a bit late, but this gives you an idea of the craziness of Carnival. This was taken not long before we went home for the day.
Zebra video

17 May 2009 | 10:50 am

Here are some of the many zebras we saw in Etosha. The first part shows lots of them at a waterhole (where we stayed for the first two nights) and then the rest are the zebras we encounted on a drive in the afternoon. The zebras were standing around, with many of them leaning their heads on each other's backs. You can hear more camera clicking in the background!

Ruth's Place
Run off my feet

ruthsplace

16 Jun 2009 | 8:48 am

This last week has been insanely busy. At work we have had the American member of our team in Cape Town for the last two weeks which has been lovely. To take advantage of having the entire team on the same continent we have had meetings and that has meant that instead of working from home I’ve had to get dressed (in respectable clothes), put on make-up and go in to the office. Wow, that hour drive to and from Cape Town really eats into your day! I’m lucky that I can catch a ride in with my boss because driving in to Cape Town terrifies me. I may have cast on a new sock as take…
Some finds

ruthsplace

3 Jun 2009 | 3:32 am

On Monday I met with Christina for coffee and to pick up a scarf. During the course of the conversation she mentioned a local op-shop (thrift shop) that often had knitting supplies (she found a ball winder there!). So, since it was close by we decided to take a walk and have a look. I scored. Closer inspection shows that not all the needles in two of the sets are the same size but they will augment sets I already have. Look at the shiny pink ones, not sure what the cream ones are made from. There was also this: I bought the circular needle just for the old packaging, and the buttons cost me…
Scarves for Africa

ruthsplace

2 Jun 2009 | 5:39 am

I finally got the ends sewn in on my Scarf for Africa. I’m going to deliver all the ones that have arrived so far to Bronwyn tomorrow. This is what 48 scarves looks like. Gorgeous Girl loved helping pack up the scarves. I think I’m going to have to knit her one of her own… Most of these came from Karol Ann, Karol Ann’s mum and mother-in-law. Karol Ann tells me that her mother-in-law has already started knitting for next year, so I guess we are doing this again! Vikki also sent 6 scarves, there are several from Donia in there as well and one from Christina. Thank you so…
Doing my part to conserve water.

ruthsplace

31 May 2009 | 1:06 am

Gorgeous Man left on Friday afternoon to spend the weekend presenting at a seminar in Durban. Saturday morning I woke up and as I was washing my hands noticed that the water coming out of the tap was slowing to a trickle and then stopped altogether. We are without water again. I raced around the house and drained all of the hot taps. If you ever lose water, there will always be a bit left in the pipes of your hot taps, as it is stored in your water heater, or geyzer as they say here. That gave me additional drinking water. The campus maintenance team came around with a water trailer later in…
Lots to tell

ruthsplace

26 May 2009 | 7:03 am

For the last few weeks, I’ve been faxing and phoning and dealing with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to convince them to let some boxes of bears from Sonnja into the country without charging us import duty on them. Karol-Ann and I were going to deliver them on Sonnja’s behalf to some sick children. The boxes finally arrived mere days before Karol-Ann was to return home. Here we are with all the bears. It was a very humbling experience to go and deliver them to one of the local childrens hospitals. A true reminder of how lucky we are and how precious health is. In crafty…

Trailing Grouse
Dignity?

trailing grouse

19 Jun 2009 | 8:15 am

I called the vet. “I’d like to make an appointment”. “Why?” came the response. Then I had to explain. I’d found some strange long sausage-shaped growth thing on my cat’s inside back leg. I tried to explain. I tried again. Then I said, “Like a tumour.” I was understood immediately and soon an appointment was made. I turned up with the furry ginger monster in my arms (having refused to go in his cat box), a green lead attached to his torso in case he decided to try to unhook his claws from my shoulders and make a run for it. I was asked what…
All hot and bothered

trailing grouse

16 Jun 2009 | 10:46 pm

I have to claim absence from real blogging over the past month on health matters. Nothing serious, but enough that in four weeks I’ve been on antibiotics (with due cause, not just because I’ve had a sniffle – if you’ve been to the average Egyptian doctor you’ll know what I mean) three times in the past four weeks…. A few days ago I arrived at the doctor’s with Mr S. It was about 30C outside (8pm) and everyone was wearing summer clothes. The doctor walked into the clinic, came over and said hello to us (we’re permanent fixtures there this month).
Snake oil…

trailing grouse

7 Jun 2009 | 8:30 am

I’ve had my eye on this product for a while now. Purely for research purposes, you understand. It seemed that in order to share it with you, I was going to have to reach into my pocket. Suffering from the age-old short-arm deep-pocket syndrome, I procrastinated. Fate came to lend a hand and a little brochure appeared. Free will..because I’m worth it!
Embarassed to be an expat

trailing grouse

24 May 2009 | 7:01 am

It was a seemingly innocuous event: we parked the car. We went to have dinner with some friends recently. The street was crammed full of cars, nothing unusual there, and we were happy to spot one parking space. Mr S carefully reversed into it. We left the car, went to our friends entrance. As we got there, a bowab* from across the street said, “Someone’s coming.” I asked what he meant, and he repeated it. Then we were buzzed in and went to enjoy our evening. About two hours later, the bowab from our friends’ building rang the doorbell and informed us that the man whose…
Foreign woman, Egyptian waiter..love..your views.

trailing grouse

19 May 2009 | 12:31 am

I recently received a comment on the Foreign women and orfi marriages in Egypt post. It was addressed as “Hi All” so I thought I’d post it here to maximise responses. To you all you lurkers, yes you, you know who you are (and I know you’re there!), this is a time to delurk and put in your 5 cents worth. You don’t even need to introduce yourselves! “..I have just returned from Sharm el Sheikh where I met this wonderful Egyptian man…A ll we did was talk about everyday things a few days before I left. He was being ulta nice to me and I do believe he is…

Taiwaneers
Air Raid Drill

Michael

30 Jun 2009 | 1:19 am

One second I was walking down the street on the way to the post office and the next second I was part of an air raid drill. Thats exactly what happened to me today. Emily and I were puttering around our house getting everything ready for our summer-break departure tomorrow. All of a sudden we heard an extremely loud and extremely long alarm from outside. It was the same kind of noise I remember hearing as a kid that signaled tornadoes. We opened the window to see if people were rushing away from buildings or anything giving us an indication of real danger from an earthquake or something but…
Limbo

Michael

21 Jun 2009 | 10:30 am

I have now entered the state in between school’s end and summer’s true beginning. On Wednesday I finished my last final in Statistics, cleaned out my desk, put my textbooks on the bookshelf and threw out a ton of papers. I was planning on taking a bicycle trip down the east coast of Taiwan but the other day riding my bike to the store I got a flat tire which totally deflated (get it) my motivation. On Thursday evening we had our 2nd annual End of Semester house party. Last year it was in Gueishan but this year we rocked out Taipei style. There must have been at least 40 people who…
Brain Bust

Michael

14 Jun 2009 | 10:02 am

This spring and last spring I have suffered from it. My brain just doesn’t want to follow the academic calendar here and shuts down about 3 weeks before school does. So far I’ve had my Web Programming, Environmental Issues, & International Trade Regulations finals and the only one I studied for was the last one but only for about 25 minutes. Tomorrow morning begins with a Marketing Management final followed by an International Economics final in the afternoon and again I cannot bring myself to study. I’ll bring my econ textbook with me and study in between…maybe.
Atop Elephant Mountain

Emily

9 Jun 2009 | 10:38 am

I wrote this in May, because that’s when I did these things. Somehow it got stuck in Drafts and never got published. whoops *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ The weekends tend to be quite busy for us, but yesterday was especially full for me. I woke up mid-morning, ate breakfast and gave the kitchen a thorough scrubbing, then set out with some trail mix and water to join a few classmates for hiking. We hiked Elephant Mountain (象山), the nearest one to Taipei’s (used to be the world’s) tallest building. It’s from this spot that all the astounding pictures of this valley city…
School. It’s almost done for the year!

Emily

7 Jun 2009 | 6:11 am

I can’t believe it. Three more weeks. I didn’t take very many pictures this year, partly because every day is so much alike it doesn’t feel necessary. However, I did take a few. These are the ones on flickr. To see the comments and/or full screen slideshow, click on the four arrows on the bottom right.

Wagle Street Journal
Kerala Express: Day Two (Music n Booz)

Dinesh Wagle

2 Jul 2009 | 10:05 am

The following are my Tweets that pretty much sum up the day: 1. Now charging the iPhone in a ‘Static Inverter For Mobile/Laptop Charging Point’ near the Latrine in the compartment. Good view frm da doors! NOTE: That was early in the morning and there was a queue of three folks who wanted to charge their [...]
Kerala Express. Midnight Thoughts

Dinesh Wagle

1 Jul 2009 | 12:54 pm

It’s 1:7 am, and as it happens with me most of the nights, I am awake. It’s not because of insomnia though. I am tapping this entry from the upper bearth of the train Kerala Express that must be running somewhere in Madhya Pradesh right now. After having dinner at around 8 pm, I had [...]
Inclusive Hindutva: BJP in India

Dinesh Wagle

27 Jun 2009 | 10:15 am

The Bharatiya Janata Party of India has realized that its hard-line brand of Hindutva politics doesn’t work anymore. And that’s a good news thanks to its defeat in the parliamentary polls By Dinesh Wagle as published in today’s Kathmandu Post “There’s a fire raging in BJP,” said a headline in India the previous week. After the humiliating loss [...]
A Trip to Taj Mahal (Part I- Indian Railways)

Dinesh Wagle

20 Jun 2009 | 7:45 am

What? A trip to Taj Mahal, Agra. When? Saturday, June 13 How? The plan of Taj Mahal trip was an impromptu one that was conceived when I was lying down on the ground of Lodhi Garden Friday evening and looking at the sky hoping to count a few dozens stars. [I don't have the photos of that [...]
From Delhi to Nepal (Kathmandu?) in a Bicycle

Dinesh Wagle

20 Jun 2009 | 3:03 am

The IIT graduate who set off on a bicycle tour to Nepal [Here is the TKP PDF Page. Here is Kantipur Koseli Nepali PDF page] By Dinesh Wagle On his chin, Anand sports a Lenin-cut beard and a compromise. He wanted to be a bearded man, perhaps like Marx, but his girlfriend hated that. Thus the compromise. Occasionally, [...]

THE SUPER SLEUTHS ARE ON THE MOVE!
Two more days until they arrive!

1 Jul 2009 | 11:04 pm

This morning, Juliana was very sleepy, so I let her stay in bed until she was ready to get up. While she was lying down and playing with Pooh, I set up my mom's bed on the floor in her room, so she was very curious. She knows something is up, because I keep talking about it and she has drawn some pictures that we hung up as welcome signs. It's very exciting now, because they will be here in less than two days now!! Here's the cutie pie after breakfast, dancing and taking care of her precious Pooh. Juliana admiring the pool at SAFRA ...and hiding in between the lockers.Lately, Juliana has been…
Thank God

1 Jul 2009 | 5:56 pm

I just read an e-mail from a friend about a recent interview with Rick Warren and it ended with the following saying:Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.Painful moments, TRUST GOD.Every moment, THANK GOD. Sometimes I need a wake up call to bring me back to the reality of the HERE and NOW. It's easy to get stuck in the difficult and painful moments that life presents and feel frustrated with God for testing us once again, but these are the times when we need him the most. Whenever God tests me, I try to ask myself, "What am I supposed to learn from…
My birthday

29 Jun 2009 | 10:10 pm

Another year has passed and I celebrated my birthday in Singapore this year. My gift to myself was to sleep in a little, but it didn't work out too well. I did relax in bed, but my internal clock wouldn't allow for much sleep after Jacob left for work. I guess Juliana needed the rest though, because she didn't get up until about 8:45, which is very late for her.I had a nice picture waiting for me created by Juliana and Jean and a wonderful card from Jean. It wasn't a very eventful day, but that's how I wanted it to be.Jacob surprised me with gorgeous flowers and a yummy cake when he came home…
A day with Dora!

28 Jun 2009 | 12:25 am

I have been looking forward to Dora's movie for a few weeks now, ever since I purchased the tickets to take Juliana. It was her first movie, "Dora Saves the Snow Princess" and we made such a big deal about it from the moment she woke up. She was pretty tired from her late night, but excited because once she came downstairs, we turned on Dora and she got to eat breakfast in front of the TV, which we never allow. I think she knew something was up and on our way to the theater, we kept asking her if she was excited to see Dora. It was adorable, because she kept saying "Dora" and "Boots."Once we…
Family fun

28 Jun 2009 | 12:24 am

Saturday was a busy day for the family. I had my first class of the new term, so I headed to the Community Centre with a plan to meet Jacob and Juliana at a birthday party afterwards. Class went well with the four children that will be with me for the next ten weeks.Next up was the birthday party at Go-Go Bambini for the nephew of one of Jacob's coworkers. Juliana had a blast running around!! She enjoyed a nice ball pit...Played the piano with her feet...Hung on the ropes while daddy helped push her along...And she enjoyed watching the other kids dance and play some games. We tried to get her…

Living in Saigon, Vietnam
Sign On A Truck Driving Around Saigon

24 Jun 2009 | 7:46 am

This sign was on the back of a truck driving slowly around town. Anybody care to translate? It's just sort of saying to live clean and healthy, isn't it?
Ho Chi Minh City Bird Seller

16 Jun 2009 | 7:23 am

This woman is selling some birds and also some little squirrel-like animals, on the street in Ho Chi Minh City.Zooming out:
One-Stop Shopping For The Saigon Driver

15 Jun 2009 | 7:16 am

Convenient stop for the motorbike driver in Ho Chi Minh City: tire repair and air, gas, raincoats, masks, gloves.
Saigon Family Out On The Town

13 Jun 2009 | 7:20 am

Typical young family in Ho Chi Minh City, "di choi."
Health In Vietnam - My Big Abscess - Part 4 of 5

8 Jun 2009 | 10:01 am

This is the fourth in a series of posts chronicling an episode I went through last year: I got a big ugly abcess on my side. I must warn you: THESE IMAGES ARE REALLY REALLY UGLY! DISGUSTING, EVEN! I suggest not opening them at all if you are squeamish, and if you do open them, don't do it while you are eating or it may spoil your lunch! That's why I made teeny, tiny thumbnails, so you don't have to see them if you don't want to. Click the thumbnails to view my lovely abcess in full-size splendor.-------------------- Day 12 - The Big DayAt this point I had been waiting nearly two weeks, and it…

Clark Nielsen for the Win
You Can’t Save Everyone

Clark

2 Jul 2009 | 8:24 am

It’s funny (and by funny, I mean sad and discouraging) to return to an old job and feel like nothing has changed. In 2004, I reluctantly dragged my sorry ass back to the restaurant I used to work at in high school, because there wasn’t a single business in my entire hometown that wanted to hire a computer-savvy college dropout. In 2009 (hey, that’s today!), I dragged my sorry ass back to the training school I worked at last summer. The move is only temporary, though, as I eagerly await the arrival of my family in August so we can go on a mega cross-country adventure through…
Wuxi Film and TV Studio

Clark

28 Jun 2009 | 8:42 am

Enjoy the pictures while they last, because I’m moving back into a hotel for July in order to work at a training school and might not be able to upload anything for a while. These are from a quick trip to Wuxi to see the Film and TV Studio, where ancient towns were lovingly recreated for filming purposes. I’m sure it would be a special experience for those who have seen the corresponding shows to marvel at the signs that say, “This is where the scene ‘Pang gets kneed in the groin and hauled off to jail’ was shot.” Think of it like going to Universal Studios…
Five Things I Like About China

Clark

27 Jun 2009 | 9:04 am

Since I’ve been here for a year now, I’ve had ample time to reflect on the things I’ve liked and haven’t liked about living in China. Yes, that means a negative list of five is on the way. Until then, let’s enjoy the more pleasant aspects of expat life: 1. The food I was just talking to a new expat today about how his greatest challenge is the food. Hey, it’s rough. Some people never get over it. I still have my days of nonstop stomach aches and bathroom dashes, but I actually love Chinese food. Once you get out of the god-awful cafeterias and know what…
One-Year Anniversary Revolution!

Clark

24 Jun 2009 | 7:04 am

I’m not sure how many of you have been following the blog since Day One and how many of you didn’t jump on board until things started getting edgier (not to mention those who left for the same reason), but today is a pretty big milestone. I have now been in China for one year. One whole year. One entire whole entire whole entire entire year. I’ve no doubt lost my mind somewhere during that time. Was it so wise of me, then, to sign another contract for the rest of 2009? It should come as no surprise that the last year has gone by pretty quickly. And the overall experience…
My Other Carry-On is Swine Flu

Clark

21 Jun 2009 | 11:52 pm

The scope of the swine flu in China is much smaller than it is in the US (500 cases compared to over 21,000), but the response has been drastically different. Even when there were just a few reported cases in faraway provinces, people here were pretty nervous about the virus and had resolved never to go to the Americas, where the flu was surely laying waste to major cities one right after another. The Chinese government is even quaranting random travelers coming into China, as though my family’s summer plans haven’t been riddled with enough problems already. Sometimes it feels…

Vietnam Extremes
Sudoku Ball Detective - Nintento DS

admin

23 Jun 2009 | 11:51 am

Today a non-Vietnam related story but still extreme……….it’s about the Sudoku Ball Detective game. This game is simply awesome and you can buy it for the Nintendo WII, Nintendo DS and the PC. To get you excited, view the trailer below: You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video (don’t forget to leave a comment and rate the game) Share This
Hubert van Es (6 Jul 1941 – 15 May 2009)

admin

17 May 2009 | 8:26 am

It has been a long time since my last blog update. I received emails from people wondering where I am. Well I am still alive. It has just been a very busy but positive time. From now on I will frequently update the blog, especially with news about upcoming sports events. But first a message about a fellow Dutchman who just passed away. Hubert van Es was a Dutch photographer who passed away on 15 May 2009 in Hong Kong. He became famous after he made a picture on 29 April 1975 in Vietnam showing South Vietnamese civilians scrambling to board an Air America helicopter during the evacuation of…
Join Vietnam Expats on LinkedIn

admin

16 Nov 2008 | 10:13 pm

The LinkedIn Vietnam expat group is for any expat living in Vietnam, lived in Vietnam or intend to move to Vietnam. Use its discussion board to find recruits, make friends and to share suggestion related to legal, economy, culture, investments, housing, places to go anything or anything else related to being in Vietnam. Accelerate careers/business through referrals from Vietnam Expats Group members Know more than a name – view rich professional profiles from fellow Vietnam Expats Group members Of course, don’t forget to use it to make party announcements! Here’s the link to join:…
Vietnam ladies to increase bra sizes

admin

29 Oct 2008 | 9:30 am

Let me start by saying that this story is not a joke! Today the much criticized plan to ban short, skinny and people without boobs from driving was banned. The new rule would imply that people weighing less than 40kg, being shorter than 1.5 meter or with a chest circumference of less than 72cm (28 inches) would no longer qualify for a new drivers licence. Many girls were worried about this proposal because the average chest size of a Vietnamese lady isn’t that big. The average Vietnamese lady is about 1.55meter tall and about 47kg. I would be able to tell lots of friends that they would no…
Fire at Tan Son Nhat Airport

admin

27 Oct 2008 | 4:55 am

My house is located 3 minutes walking from Tan Son Nhat airport in Vietnam. On Monday morning, 27 October 2008 at about 2:45AM the domestic terminal got fire. Many fire trucks could be heard rushing to the airport and it took several hours to get the fire under control. When I went to work the fire was already put out. The fire started around the cafeteria area and souvenirs, tables, clothes etcetera were destroyed. The building looks black from the outside now. No casualty have been reported reported and at the moment of this writing I have not yet heard about what caused the fire.

Why be normal when you can be yourself?
Un autre anniversaire

1 Jul 2009 | 2:33 pm

Si quelqu'un a envie d'ecrire des articles pour mon blog, faites-le moi savoir!! C'est vraiment pas faute de mauvaise volonte mais je suis un peu depassee par les evenements. Et en parlant d'evenement... Happy Birthday a ma momette!!! Comme elle s'en fiche de son age je peux vous le devoiler.. 59 ans aujourd'hui!!! Tout plein de bisous et de calins virtuels a momette que j'aime et sans qui je n'en serai pas la aujourd'hui!! Voici un tout petit cadeau: Monsieur Juillet: Shaun Tait, un p'tit gars d'Adelaide, specialiste du lancer de balle ultra-rapide mais dont la carriere a connu un…
Joyeux Australiversaire to me!

5 Jun 2009 | 6:58 pm

Desolee hein, tous les ans a la meme epoque vous avez droit au meme refrain!! Et cette annee n'echappera pas a la regle!! eh oui .. 3 ans deja. 6 juin 2006 c'etait mon debarquement! Snif, je verse ma petite larme d'emotion :) J'ai l'impression que c'etait hier!! Et un petit match de rugby ce soir (Australie - Barbarians), y'a rien de tel pour celebrer l'evenement!
On tourne la page

31 May 2009 | 2:35 pm

Hier soir, dans mon nid douillet, dernieres reflexions avant de sombrer dans un sommeil profond: ohlalalalala deja le 1er juin?? Diantre! C'est le jour du calendrier!! Je vous avoue, je n'ai jamais entendu parler de Monsieur Juin Scott Brant, et n'etant pas fan de crane rase, je ne pense pas pousser les recherches bien loin, et entre nous j'ai pas trop le temps!!Le 1er juin c'est aussi un jour particulier pour moi.. eh oui, c'etait il y a deux ans, un nouveau chapitre dans le livre de ma carriere s'ouvrait. Aaaaah. Que le temps passe viiiite, trop viiiite!!
Ne quittez pas, le blog que vous avez demande sera bientot mis a jour

26 May 2009 | 2:42 am

C'est promis!! Je travaille sur une bafouille relatant mes aventures litteraires mais ca me prend un petit peu de temps, alors patience, patience. En attendant, mon blog photos vous attend :)
French Sydneysider devient French Aucklander ..juste pour le weekend

14 May 2009 | 10:34 pm

J’ai un peu delaisse le blog ces derniers temps. Le moral pas au top, la motivation partie en vacances sans moi.. alors pas trop envie quoi. Tout est plus ou moins rentre dans l'ordre et je prepare une petite mise a jour, alors stay tuned!Comme le titre de cette bafouille l'indique, le programme du weekend: une vadrouille rugbyesque kiwie! Aaaaah ca faisait (trop) longtemps! Direction Auckland histoire de varier les plaisirs, apres tout y’a pas que Christchurch en NZ! C'est la derniere journee du Super 14 avant les play–offs et tout va se jouer ce wikend !! 7 equipes sont en course pour…

calledmadeleine: live the questions, now.
A word on our car.

29 Jun 2009 | 12:28 am

Feast your eyes up this, our mode of transportation: the Daewoo Matiz. (Pictured here in such heavenly light, parked in front of the Audrey Wilkinson winery in the Hunter Valley, with Kate. Picture by SteveO!)Also known as “The Beast”, “Massive Attack”, and “The Clown Car”.This car is a borrowed gift from Jon’s mum and her twin sister, Kate, whose Victorian farm we’ve visited a few times. Kate has used this car to drive about 70 miles to work and home every single day for years, down windy country roads. She filled it to the brim, and whizzed it right through deep, dirty…
Because it's Friday, and my plans to leave work early have been thwarted.

18 Jun 2009 | 11:34 pm

1. If you're reading this stateside and haven't discovered Triple J Radio, you need to. Commercial free, awesome public radio that supports great music.2. This is painful, and yet kind of good: Ellen Page + Harmar Superstar + Some other girl doing "Don't Stop Believin'." (This one's for you, Minnow!)3. Dooce had her baby. What do you think of the name Marlo?4. I'm ashamed I looked through most of this gallery. I've got a serious celebrity crush. Don't tell my husband.5. Speaking of hunks, this is great article about Rafa. He is, interestingly, highly ambidextrious.6. We spent the recent long…
When a little motivation is needed

15 Jun 2009 | 10:02 pm

The Running Superfans. I love these guys.
What it looks like from the other side

29 May 2009 | 12:22 am

I had the weirdest dream a couple days ago, involving some of my Interwebs BFFs. In my dream, and I was doing my regular blog roll, and I visited a very abandoned Pioneer Woman. In my dream, she hadn’t posted anything in months, and the effect was very much like clambering through the cobwebs of an abandoned house. Old, retro pictures and forgotten stories lay lifeless on the page, frozen in time. Dear readers, it hurt my feelings. I felt neglected, as if my friend had simply deserted me, and the only remnants of our friendship was a couple old casserole recipes and a bad picture of her…
Dear Unemployment,

4 May 2009 | 8:32 pm

I write to you with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I'm fairly glad to be rid of you and your bored, cash-strapped face. On the other, we had an okay ride. I'm finding it difficult to conclude, emotionally.There was the sunshine and the outdoor pool, and the wearing of my pajamas until whenever o'clock in the afternoon. But there was also the abject tedium of having my empty diary stretch out, for days upon weeks - and filling all that time with things that are free, fulfilling, and don't include Oprah.I realized a couple days ago that I have not been in an office setting, full-time, since…

ZigZagAustralia
Our little Chinatown

admin

12 Jun 2009 | 9:19 am

Hi there, first I would like to welcome all participants of the World Blog Surf Day! What a great idea to have a common topic “FOOD” about which every ‘expat-blogger’ writes a post today and you can surf from one blog to the other. This really is a journey around the world, thanks to the organizers. What [...]
Picture of the Day: Ups and Downs

admin

21 May 2009 | 7:08 am

In the last few months we made too many pictures but we have not updated our photo gallery so often. To solve this problem we had the idea: why not regularly post one of our pictures on the blog? Today we were very sad: Attila`s bike was stolen last night from the staircase. He went to [...]
Picture of the Day: The golden orb spider

admin

18 May 2009 | 5:18 am

In the last few months we made too many pictures but we have not updated our photo gallery so often. To solve this problem we had the idea: why not regularly post one of our pictures on the blog? So here is the first ‘picture of the day’ in the series: this golden orb-weaving spider. It [...]
Have you ever seen blowholes?

admin

14 May 2009 | 5:21 am

We made a trip on Saturday again by car: this time to the south of Sydney to Kiama, where we were very lucky and could see the blowhole working very hard)) Kiama is about 120 km to the south from Sydney, located at the coast. ‘The name Kiama is from the aboriginal word Kiaram-a, to which [...]
Railway constructing is always challenging

admin

7 May 2009 | 2:02 am

A few weeks ago we got a little brochure called Epping Community News. Fortunately Attila had a look and showed it to me -otherwise it would have been thrown away almost immediately. There was one thing which was already interesting and made a little smile on our face. There was a box with some facts [...]

From America to Australia
What’s in a name; My current favorite place

dsduffy

29 Jun 2009 | 1:08 am

Our house is attached on one side to our neighbor’s house, I guess you could call it a duplex. Thankfully, the owners only use it as a summer house so they are rarely there. I say thankfully because I fear they would have to wear earplugs from all the noise in our house. What with the kids yelling, me yelling (uh – only sometimes?), and just the noise of living, I am pretty sure we are a loud house. I was pleased to see my neighbor Ian outside today (pronounced EYE-in) and meet his puppy, Archie (say: AHHchie). I had forgotten his name and asked, then replied by saying my name.
Language

dsduffy

24 Jun 2009 | 11:32 pm

I had a meeting with Cameron’s teacher yesterday, they called it a “parent interview” which is the same as a parent/teacher conference. We had a nice talk about Cameron’s progress, etc. I asked her if there is any issue with Cameron’s accent, or if any of the kids notice he is different, she said not in any way. She then went on to tell me that the other day he said something so Australian, and not just the words, but the way he said it (of course she could not remember what it was at the time) so apparently he is fitting right in. I wonder how it will be for…
Strange stuff, Jersey Girl

dsduffy

20 Jun 2009 | 3:23 pm

Reports of Aliens in Australia I don’t know if there are aliens or not, but I certainly don’t want to find out. Father’s Day is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday in June in the US. For me, it always was celebrated with a family barbeque, running around with the kids, my dad would thank us for the obligatory shirts, and it would be nice to just be together. This year? Australia celebrates Father’s Day on the first Sunday in September. I scoured the internet and could not find a reason for this, just another strange thing that leaves me shaking my head. So Happy Father’s Day to my…
A reminder to myself

dsduffy

12 Jun 2009 | 11:24 pm

When looking out the window, really look out the window. See what is out there, and remember that the blue water, the sand, and the palm fronds blowing in the wind will not always be in your view. Every morning you look outside and see people running by, cycling past, walking towards the water in speedos, and it doesn’t phase you anymore. It is just part of your day – before putting the coffee on you look outside to see what’s going on. But I don’t think you even see how amazing it all is anymore. Yes, we are on the opposite side of the world, away from everything…
Some things mean so much

dsduffy

8 Jun 2009 | 5:18 am

Cameron saying “Mommy, I have a secret to tell you.” With a look in his eye, and a little smirk on his face, then he bends down to my ear, pushes my hair aside and whispers “you are pretty.” Webcamming with my sister & nephews today for the first time on our own, without it being a holiday or a birthday, her and I singing “Open, Shut them” along with Jake as he giggled in between the lyrics. Having a house full of friends last night for dinner. Knowing enough people to fill our house, holding a new baby, being sad to see some of them leaving. The…

An Aussie in Auckland
Family fun and facepainting

29 Jun 2009 | 11:05 pm

It was a wet and foggy weekend recently, and the kids woke to find the Skytower had disappeared!“Mumma, where did the Skytower go?” Harmonie said in despair. “Maybe someone chopped it down!”Luckily, we scored invitations to a family fun day at Auckland’s Ed Hardy store.Ed Hardy is an incredibly trendy global brand of clothing, bags, sunglasses, hats, shoes and more, often spotted on celebrities.The Newmarket store was decked out with x-boxes and playstations, and there was Sushi, and bacon and egg sangers to munch on. C. had two!The kids were lucky enough to have their faces painted…
Look out Auckland...more Aussies are coming!

23 Jun 2009 | 4:46 pm

The number of Aussies in Auckland is set to rise next month, when some very dear friends come to stay.They’re our first visitors so far this year. (Let’s face it: We’re obviously not very popular).Anyway, I am sure they can’t wait to push a few trundlers, eat their own weight in in Pinkys and Perky Nanas, and help us sample a few more wines and beers.In other news, my hand is mending very nicely, according to the specialist, but it’s still in a clunky cast. I’ve become very adept at one-handed typing, even managing to meet my work deadlines and (occasionally) update the…
He's back...

16 Jun 2009 | 4:01 pm

The Aussies in Auckland were reunited on the weekend, when Husband arrived home after a couple of weeks back in Australia for work.We always miss him like crazy when he’s away, but this time was even worse, because I managed to mangle my hand when falling up our infamous stairs.Luckily, I was clever enough to break my left hand instead of the right, so I’m still able to type one-handed (and of course, I had a story deadline to meet that week too!)The worst thing was that the doctor had to cut off my wedding and engagement rings, because my fingers were so swollen they were cutting off the…
Our night at the museum

11 Jun 2009 | 5:42 pm

Why go to a movie when you can experience the real thing? That’s our verdict, after spending a Night At Auckland Museum recently.Billed as a chance to see the museum come alive after dark – just as the Smithsonian does in the movies of the same name - our Night At Auckland Museum did not disappoint.Eagerly clutching their torches, Mr 8 and Miss 6 almost wet themselves with excitement as we charged through the doors at 5.30 pm. Literally. Thank goodness there was a handy restroom on the way in … I looked longingly at the coffee-cart, but the queue was already lengthy and the kids were on…
A conference with the kuds

27 May 2009 | 5:16 pm

Well kids actually. It's just with a New Zealand accent, kids comes out like "kuds"!Anyway, their school held a student-led conference this week. The idea is that parents come in and the kids themselves take them around the classroom, showing off all the work they've been doing, what they're particularly good at, and what they need more help with at home.The teachers are there, but it's the children themselves who do the talking.It was really sweet, and must have taken a lot of time and effort for the teachers to organise.Both H. and C. love school, and they were so proud showing off their…

Aussie Erin the American
Fun Foto Friday

26 Jun 2009 | 12:07 am

I am the proud owner of a new digital negative scanner courtesy of my wonderful husband Gregg.My father was a talented artist and photographer. He did an amazing job of chronicling our family life and particularly my childhood. Whilst I have hundreds of wonderful photos to remind me of the good ole days, I also have hundreds and hundreds of slides. Yes, remember slides?Dad seemed to photograph in all slide film for many years. When he passed away I inherited the collection. Whist that is wonderful, I don't have a slide projector to view them. Yes, I could buy one, assuming they still make…
Michael Jackson - How He Should Be Remembered

25 Jun 2009 | 4:28 pm

I don't claim to have ever been a big Michael Jackson fan. Yes, I still have my dad's original Thriller album and yes, I do have quite a few Jackson Five, The Jacksons and Michael Jackson songs in my music database. But I wouldn't consider myself a huge fan. With that said though, there is no way I could deny the impact his music (and dance) have had on the industry and popular music we know today. He is a legend in his field.I am sad today, not as a distraught fan who has lost a favourite artist. But I am sad today because someone's life has been cut short prematurely. My dad died at 50. Far…
Rub-a-dub-dub... Thank You Mr Fisher, I love you Mr Paykel!

22 Jun 2009 | 6:04 am

Autumn is gone. Winter in Australia is well and truly here. It has been rainy and cold for the last 3-4 weeks, and I'm tired of it already. I like rain, don't get me wrong. But I don't like being out in the rain, commuting around the city. Rain is best enjoyed from the comfort of my own couch, burrowed under a wool blanket!With all this rain it means that I can't hang my laundry out on the clothesline. I hate having to use clotheslines to begin with. But when it is raining and I can't put my clothes outside I get even more annoyed. I end up with hangers with wet clothes hung from doorways all…
1923 : A look back

20 Jun 2009 | 5:50 am

It was the year that Time Magazine was first published.Vegemite first hit Australian supermarket shelves.The Irish Civil War came to an end.Yankee Stadium is first opened.Warren G Harding was the president of the United States, and died in office.The Walt Disney Company was founded.Norman Mailer, Hank Williams, Bob Barker, Ed McMahon, Aaron Spelling, Henry Kissinger and Estelle Getty were all born.1923 was also the year my grandmother, Nanny, was born. Last week my beloved grandmother celebrated her 86th birthday. That means she's seen 16 US Presidents take office and eight Popes in the…
Photoshop : Cedar Key, Florida

9 Jun 2009 | 6:44 am

I'm old school.I don't do Photoshop. But I'm trying to learn, trying to teach myself to use CS2. I started tonight.On our trip to the US back in December I took the advice of fellow blogger and former Floridian Chris. Gregg & I took my grandmother on a day trip to the small gulf-coast town of Cedar Key, Florida. It was a wonderful day, complete with clam chowder, key-lime pie, iced tea and some Christmas shopping. But the highlight of the day was and watching as the sun slowly sunk down into the Gulf of Mexico.Below is the original, un-edited version.And here is a little bit of Photoshop…

BRAMPA
Botanical Garden

A

24 Jun 2009 | 5:28 pm

A few weeks ago P and went to the botanical garden. Here is the proof.P took this photo.Fuzzy fern fronds unfurling.Less fuzzy fern fronds.And a cactus to remind us of home.
Flatmates

A

13 Jun 2009 | 6:23 pm

When I was six our family moved into the house next door. The old couple that lived there died and the family sold the house and since we needed a house and liked the neighborhood my parents bought it. I remember that the entire congregation came to help us move and we did the whole job in 23 minutes flat. Actually, I don't really remember that part.What I do remember, and quite vividly at that, is my mother cleaning behind the kitchen appliances and screaming at the top of her lungs. Next came a flurry of activity and more screaming as the appliances all got dragged outside because they were…
Joose and Steph

BRAMPA

11 Jun 2009 | 2:32 pm

I (B) was recently in the New Hampshire for work reasons, while there I was able to visit friends from my university days who live on the coast. This is their fantastic home:They are quite all-American it would seem:Then Joose proudly shows off his basement torture room: (or was it the living room? it's a renovation project...) Did I mention that they are "little people?":They took me on a driving tour of the coast, and I was able to see the long rumored "Pirate's Cove" (Pirates' Cove?):Unlike the famous song claims, it doesn't suck.Seeing Joose and Steph was a highlight of my trip (just look…
Zebra Kisses

A

30 May 2009 | 6:48 pm

Last weekend P was able to check off one more thing from her life time goal list: Pet a Zebra.I have a feeling it will be slightly harder to scratch off Pet a King Cheetah
Mini Egg Showdown!

A

18 May 2009 | 5:25 am

Helen, an ex-pat from the UK, and I shared some local mini eggs at work and were astounded and horrified to find that Cadbury's Kiwi mini eggs (properly pronounced "eeegs" here) are not the same as the mini eggs we got back home. They were inferior! How can this be? Cadbury is the chocolate of choice for most New Zealanders. How could they change the recipe on us?! Is nothing sacred?Fortunately, we were saved by our loved ones who sent mini eggs from home in care packages! Hooray for care packages! This meant we were able to have a mini egg showdownwith eggs (and eeegs) from the US, the UK…

wasapnin jordan?
Jordanian currency is the Dinar

wasapninjordan

22 Jun 2009 | 10:45 pm

When ever I visit to a new place, whether it’s for a holiday or work, it takes me a while to get used to the currency. I thought it might be helpful for some to know the currency in Jordan. The Jordanian currency is the Dinar, JD or JOD. It is subdivided into 1000 fils, or 100 qirsh or piasters. It appears in paper notes of 20, 10, 5, 1, and 0.5 JD denominations. Coins come in denominations of 1 JD, 500 fils, 250 fils, 100 fils, 50 fils, 25 fils, 10 and 5 fils. I use www.xe.com/ucc for daily up-to-date conversion rates. Here are the pics of the Jordanian Dinar note pics. However I…
(Poll) Which Mansaf do you prefer?

wasapninjordan

23 Mar 2009 | 1:18 pm

This is my first poll and I think what a way to start. The question is simple and hopefully, the answer should be also, as it was for me. Q:Which Mansaf do you prefer? A: You choose. View This Pollanswers wasapninjordan
Mansaf, the Jordanian way.

wasapninjordan

23 Mar 2009 | 12:46 pm

The great Mansaf from Al-Quds Restaurant I was reading a great blog entry from ‘summer‘ on www.mimicooks.com. She was talking about Mansaf and it got me thinking. I remember eating Mansaf for the first time. The food was so heavy, all I wanted to do was sleep afterwards. I felt so heavy and I said to myself, I am not eating that again. But of course when you go and visit your friends on a Friday afternoon at their house, you’re most likely to be offered a Mansaf, well it was the case for me:-0. I know Mansaf is very hard to make, so I have been told. I don’t know what…
I know

wasapninjordan

19 Mar 2009 | 9:23 am

I know, I know, I know it’s been a while since I posted anything. I have really missed the blogging world. What can I say, our move to Egypt has not suited us at all. It is such a shame as I still have lots to share about my experiences in Jordan. I was driving in Cairo the other day and heard the new track from Fadel Shakir and Elissa. I do not understand Arabic but you know how certain songs and certain artists take you back in time. Well that’s what happened to me when I listened to the duet from Fadel Shakir and Elissa, called ‘Juwa el rou7′. I went home and logged…
My Child

wasapninjordan

16 Jan 2009 | 11:41 pm

By Yasmeen Ahmed I see images of you everyday, images that are, and will remain imprinted on my heart forever. I cannot escape them, even if I were to try. I see you, stood firm with a mere stone in your hand, bravely confronting the oncoming tanks. Your oppressors laugh and see it as a foolish act. but my son, your stength comes from your unwaivering Emaan. It is they who are the fools. I see images of you everyday, images that are, and will remain imprinted on my heart forever. I cannot escape them, even if I were to try. I see you stood motionless, with a blank look on your face,…

Adventures with Yo and Mo
One more reason not to sleep on the ground....

27 Jun 2009 | 5:07 am

In mid-June, Mo arrived in Amman from her fieldwork in Turkey; Yo, cleaned up after 11 days living in a tent at Wisad Pools without bathing, met her at the airport. The next day, after a quick visit to ACOR to re-fill water cans and shopping to replenish supplies, we headed out to Wisad to rejoin the other two team members. We will blog more on that in the near future, and hopefully Mo will upload some images from Turkey and talk about the survey there. But while you wait, we thought we'd post this short video clip of an unexpected visitor in our camp at Wisad. If you can identify the…
Me and my monkey

1 Jun 2009 | 10:46 pm

Over a week ago, Yo and Mo worked on lodgings for the upcoming dig season. After a nice visit to Shorashim, we then drove towards the Sheikh Hussein bridge at Bet Shan, where Mo would be crossing for her flight from Amman to Istanbul. On the way, we stopped to visit Nazareth, a place neither of us had been before. We didn't really know where to go, but finding some of the major churches wasn't that difficult. We visited the Basilica of the Annunciation, a modern Catholic church built on the remains of Crusader and Byzantine churches. The interior is unusual, but its coolness was welcome. The…
Prehistory in Jordan, the Paleolithic, and the Biggly Wiggly

30 May 2009 | 1:44 pm

A recent conference organized by the Department of Antiquities of Jordan, the Council for British Research in the Levant, the American Schools of Oriental Research and the German Protestant Institute recently ended. The conference included one day of site visits, and two days of research presentations, many presented by the leading specialists of Jordanian prehistory, and their students. A contingent of prehistoric archaeologists who work in the environs of Azraq had thought that with all of these archaeologists in one place at the same time, site visits would be a good idea so that different…
On the road again

21 May 2009 | 2:27 pm

We'll apologize now to our fair readers -- near and far, devoted and not-so-very-ardent -- because we have started our field seasons, which will turn our occassional blogs into rare items. We hope to keep posting where Internet access allows, but that will be intermittent and, especially during much of June, probably non-existent. Hopefully, the new pictures and tales will compensate for the lack of frequency; at any rate they will certainly be more interesting than Yo's occassional whining about the winter weather and difficulty of finding good Thai food in Hyde Park. Oh, we didn't blog on…
20 years ago in a subterranean chamber.....

11 May 2009 | 11:25 am

While working on the publication of Shiqmim, a Chalcolithic site in the northern Negev desert, Yo is virtually rifling through old photographs. Here is one of Mo working in an underground chamber at the site 20 years ago when Yo met Mo, wearing her signature blue bandana*. *later transferred to the hallmark Tilley hat.

Woman On A JouRney
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

MsRay

2 Jul 2009 | 7:09 am

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence which proclaimed the independence of the 13 British colonies in America. It marked the start of a political process that had begun as a protest against oppressive restrictions imposed by Britain on colonial trade, manufacturing, and political liberty and had developed into a revolutionary struggle which resulted in the establishment of a new nation.The political philosophy advanced in the Declaration of Independence became a source of authority for the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution. It has…
ArtsPark at Young Circle

MsRay

1 Jul 2009 | 6:22 pm

Located in the 10-acre traffic circle in Downtown Hollywood is ArtsPark. From our condo I can always see children running around the Children's Play Area which has an interactive fountain that spurts water from a concrete plaza with an irregular rhythm at varying heights. Prominent in that area are a colored butterfly sculpture and a mother and child sculpture. When banabear and I went walking around the park yesterday afternoon, we saw people relaxing, jogging, walking their dogs and a couple doing some exercise routines in the grassy area.A few meters from the Children's Play Area is the is…
Young Circle

MsRay

1 Jul 2009 | 9:25 am

Across the street from our condo is a Hollywood landmark called Young Circle. The park, which is round in shape, is a popular venue for such events as the Mardi Gras Fiesta Tropicale in February, St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival in March, the Hispanic Fest and Kuumba Festival in April, LoveFest and the 4th of July patriotic kickoff in July, the Holiday lights displays in December, among others. Surrounding the park are fine-dining restaurants, open air cafes, bars, art galleries, shops and stores.The City of Hollywood dates back to a visit in 1920 by its founder, John Wesley Young. He…
The Heart of Hollywood

MsRay

1 Jul 2009 | 6:08 am

One of the perks of living in the heart of Hollywood is being near where the action is. The famous Hollywood Beach and Broadwalk is about a 5-minute drive from our place. Fine-dining restaurants, cafes, bars, art galleries and shops are a walking distance and the Young Circle Park (and ArtsPark) is just across the street from our condo. We don't even have to leave the condo to be able to hear (and watch) the music performance at the ArtsPark because we have a good view from our balcony.
In Appreciation

MsRay

30 Jun 2009 | 8:03 am

It's time again to thank all of you who've been visiting my blog. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share with you my thoughts.Thank you, too, to June's top EC droppers:sound of a soft breathBMWF1blog1 Blog and 2 SidesSymphony of LoveInternation MusingsFree Stuff in Las Vegas BabyCzech Off the Beaten PathThe Main IngredientA lil EnchantedLeomar's DenAnd to my regular visitor from Marlboro, NJ, Caroline D.

cheeseweb
Passionflower Explosion!

Alison

1 Jul 2009 | 4:21 am

I woke up this morning to a fabulous surprise on my terrace. The passionflower vine that I bought a few months ago has exploded into bloom. I wasn't expecting any flowers on it this year but it seems to love my terrace and has been growing like crazy. There are a few other things in bloom on the terrace as well. I have a great crop of pansies:My Hens and Chickens are also flowering:and another ice plant is in bloom:I love my container garden!
Canada Please!

Alison

30 Jun 2009 | 11:31 pm

Happy Canada Day Everyone! Thanks to fellow Canuck Brenda for this one :)
A Trip Down Memory Lane

Alison

26 Jun 2009 | 1:52 am

I'm writing this post from a cosy corner of my terrace. It's 10:30 in the morning and I wanted to enjoy being outdoors before it got too hot (you heard me right, I did say TOO hot). It's been an absolutely gorgeous week in Brussels with non-stop sun and downright hot afternoon temperatures. Andrew and I have spent most of our evening meals lingering outside until sundown well after 10 pm. I haven't spent all my time basking in our tropical temperatures though. In fact, I've been busier than ever. I spent Tuesday morning doing portraits of a very lovely expat here in Belgium and I was very…
Help for Trailing Spouses - Louise Fly Caione

Alison

17 Jun 2009 | 6:58 am

As trailing spouses, most of us have experienced periods of sadness, frustration, and even anger while coming to terms with life in our new countries. Danish expat, Louise Fly Caione shared many of these challenges when she arrived in Belgium but now she's helping other expat wives overcome them. Louise says she struggled with all of the typical expat emotions when she first arrived in Waterloo. She was sad, lonely, angry self-pitying and even jealous. "I was jealous of my husband who had a job and a social environment that I didn't," she says. "I found I was jealous of my fellow Danes…
Help in Understanding Cultural Differences

Alison

16 Jun 2009 | 4:37 am

I just stumbled upon another interesting and useful tool for expats thanks to Expatify (a great blog resource for expatriates). The tool is the Geert Hofstede™ Cultural Dimensions study. It looks at the cultural differences that influence international business in an attempt to facilitate cross-cultural communication. However, it can also be a useful guide for expats to compare cultural differences between their homeland and their adopted country. Read How The 5 Cultural Dimensions Can Help Expatriates on Expatify. Interestingly for me, of course, was the difference between Canada and…

Wandering the World
142 Years and Counting

30 Jun 2009 | 7:58 pm

O Canada! Our home and native land! True patriot love in all thy sons command.With glowing hearts we see thee rise,The True North strong and free!From far and wide, O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.God keep our land glorious and free!O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.O Canada! Terre de nos aïeux, Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,Il sait porter la croix!Ton histoire est une épopée Des plus brillants exploits.Et ta valeur, de foi trempée, Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.Protégera nos…
Beloved Sister

29 Jun 2009 | 7:44 pm

Twenty-nine years ago today, the amazing woman whom I call my neighbor was born. This fantastic person has made my time in Cairo so much better simply by being her fabulous self.She has been my shoulder to cry on, my drinking buddy, my partner in (shopping) crime, and my confidante during good times and bad. This beautiful woman has loaned me clothes, turned me onto Twilight, let me beat her at Scrabble, and cheated on diets with me. What more could you ask for in a friend?Happy Birthday, Adelpha!
And They’re Off!

22 Jun 2009 | 2:32 am

We departed Egypt from Cairo’s new terminal three on Thursday morning and were left with no doubts as we boarded the plane that we both desperately needed a vacation. Although the first week of our European adventure was scheduled for work-related purposes (i.e., a conference), the rest won’t be.Even from the air, we knew Austria would be different from our usual sand coloured existence. The windmill-spotted landscape was a sea of green beneath us. In some more forested areas, the ground looked like giant blocks of broccoli florets surrounded by rectangles of emerald fields. Sure, it…
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

18 Jun 2009 | 1:05 am

I am a very lucky woman who married a very wonderful, good looking, sweet, kind, and cheap man. I appreciate all of those positive qualities, but even he would admit that he brings the term cheap to a whole new level. (Hubby edit: No, I don’t!!!!!!) Doctor Cheapo, as I once dubbed him, enjoys looking generous while secretly being cheap.You see, with a few notable exceptions, most of our wanderings are on someone else’s dollar. Generally speaking, if he can sneak me along on a business trip, Hubby will “kindly” let me tag along. This means that his flight, our hotel, and usually most…
Stuck on Blank

16 Jun 2009 | 7:26 pm

As I was struggling to come up with something to write about today, I found myself Googling the words “writing prompts.” I don’t often find myself in desperate need of something outside my own craziness to write about, but suddenly with everything else going on in my life, I was truly stuck.The first site I found, the Imagination Prompt Generator, allowed its users to keep clicking until they found that prompt that prompted them back to their blog. Here are first couple of ideas it came up with for me:Activities I enjoy are: This one wasn’t going to work since, in addition to…

Blogitse
I still remember...celebrating my healing Muistan vielä...juhlimme parantumistani

2 Jul 2009 | 2:15 am

While in Helsinki my mother cooked excellent dinner 4 us!First we had pink sparkling with a strawberry, nam! We ate yammy salad and two different kind of fish and white wine...Helsingissä ollessani äitini kokkasi tapansa mukaan erinomaisen illallisen!Ensin otettiin pinkkiä kuplivaa mansikalla, kippis!Söimme kahta eri tavoin tehtyä maukasta kalaa ja joimme valkkaria...a sparkling pink with a
back in Cairo! Kairossa taas!

1 Jul 2009 | 6:49 am

Hi everybody!We came home yesterday afternoon - it was + 41 C, 105,8 F! it felt like in a sauna! The water in the pool is +28 C, 82.4 F!Today I've been busy with laundry etc.I promise to visit your blogs sooooon! - sorry I haven't been very active but I've been busy...with myself! "See you"! :)Moi kaikki!Tulimme eilen iltapäivällä himaan ja päin pläsiä iski 41 asteen lämpö! Tuli saunamainen olo!
bye, bye Helsinki! hello Cairo, Egypt! Näkemiin Helsinki ja päivää Kairo, Egypti! täältä tullaan taas...

29 Jun 2009 | 3:58 am

busy, busy...shopping Finnish bread etc. to take with us...We're leaving early on Tuesday (tomorrow) - I'll be with you again on Wednesday! :)Have a great beginning of the week!kiire, kiire on ollut ostaa mukaan mm. suomalaisia herkkuja mukaan Kairoon...Lähdemme huomenna, tiistaina, aikaisin aamulla - olen kanssanne jälleen keskiviikkona! :)Mukavaa alkanutta viikkoa kaikille!Helsinki Cathedral (
EDITED version of your WOrds & my IMAges = WO*IMA, nro 23

28 Jun 2009 | 10:26 am

your WOrds about this IMAge…Elegia "GET YOUR MOTOR RUNNINGHEAD OUT ON THE HIGHWAYLOOKING FOR ADVENTUREAND WHAT EVER COMES OUR WAY" mythopolis Hold on tight, baby! Yaelian I want to get those wheels going..... Ballerina Girl Hop on sweetie, we're going for a ride! Arjaanneli Beauty and the power at the same pakage! utukka Roaring into the highways and byways of life!Thank you all!
you give me WOrds and I give you an IMAge(s) = WO*IMA

26 Jun 2009 | 11:18 pm

your WOrds & my IMAge nro 23:my friend's HD...cool!? kaverini HD, aika cool?!as usual you have time till Sunday 6 pm Cairo timeDon’t know what WO*IMA is? Look at the posts 20. & 21.6.2009 Et tiedä mistä WO*IMAsta on kysymys? Katso edellinen postaus 20.& 21.6.2009

Vie Au Maroc
Moroccan Mayhem

Jacqueline Powers

11 Jun 2009 | 10:39 am

We arrived home from Jordan to the start of Mawazine, a week long music festival in Rabat dedicated to "festival rhythms of the world". Though I didn't have the energy to make it to all of the concerts, which I am proud to say Elena practically did (another test of her stamina!), I did get to see Sergio Mendes, Alicia Keys (AH!) and Stevie Wonder.Elena, Gabi and I at Sergio MendesSergio
Blissful Jordan

Jacqueline Powers

11 Jun 2009 | 3:54 am

Yet again, it's been over a month since my last post. I am apparently doing a poor job of keeping this blog up-to-date, duly noted by Andrew this morning who told me he had one teeny favor to ask of me today. "Post on your blog", he urged, "you've got so much to write about. Jordan. Mawazine. ADFM." I wallowed in self-pity for a few hours this morning before realizing the Andrew was right. While
Alhamdulilah for Amazing Friends

Jacqueline Powers

7 May 2009 | 5:32 am

I recently discovered these photos, buried away in a folder from February... thought I would show off two of the best gals in Morocco!Elena and I celebrating her birthday at the Goethe Institute in Rabat...where delicious pizza keeps Katie happy :)
Life's a Beach

Jacqueline Powers

2 May 2009 | 12:10 pm

A few highlights from today's trip to Plage Val d'Or... only an 8km bus ride, but oh so far away
48 hours in Fes

Jacqueline Powers

28 Apr 2009 | 4:08 am

So after two solid months in our new apartment, Andrew and I decided to forego Rabat in favor of a weekend visit back to Fes. We arrived on Friday night via the "fast" train, and taxied over to the new town to meet up with Fulbrighter friends for some sorely-missed Fassi fruit salad.Later on that evening, we met up with our friends Jon and Jen for some wine at Mezzanine, followed by more drinks

Gweipo
bdpq

23 Jun 2009 | 11:50 pm

I may have mentioned earlier that R is seeing a behavioural opthamologist to help with his tracking and reading. Thanks to the anonymous commenter, he's very happy going to Polyvision and eagerly works with his therapist who seems to have a good affinity with him - even in his most exasperating moments. The good doctor is also obviously very experienced and makes extremely insightful comments during the sessions. Like on Tuesday when he said to me, that the problem with kids like him was not that they didn't try hard, it was that they were unable to relax, because if they were not in…
one more night ... and day

23 Jun 2009 | 3:27 am

I leave tomorrow night. So I've been doing the dreaded packing for myself and the kids. Instead of doing it in a quick burst of activity like any sane normal person I've managed to prolong the agony over 2 days. Inbetween kids playdates, football, making meals, picking up suncream, downloading music, blogging, writing minutes and enrolling for ...yup, I've decided to enrol for the HKU putonghua course. Been mulling about doing it for the last 3 years, but now's the first time both kids will be full time at school. So in a snatched conversation with H this afternoon inbetween making dinner and…
Pergolesi - Stabat mater - 1st movement - Anderson - Bartoli

22 Jun 2009 | 8:09 am

THanks to Cecile for getting me onto this. And this is a very cool version in You tube where you can follow the music as it unfolds! Enjoy
online ...

22 Jun 2009 | 12:40 am

Well, I'm online thanks to PCCW, so I've been able to follow some of your suggestions, and install Openoffice. Next up was to see how I was going to get chinese functionality onto this baby - increases the chances that H thinks its worthwhile to take on vacation with us...I found this video clip, and I've managed to do all they've said， And it's working! Even with open office. The only drawback so far has been that the kids have had one of those stormy indoor days, and since I'm messing about with computers, they think they should be doing the same - so they've hauled out the DK PC-CD-Roms.
Verdi - Messa da Requiem - Lacrymosa Dies Illa.avi

21 Jun 2009 | 7:56 am

Just home from this ...

Bleeding Espresso
Love Thursday: William’s Orgasmic View Lives On

michelle

2 Jul 2009 | 6:50 am

William the Englishman (or l’Inglese as he was called in the village) had a house in Badolato with an “orgasmic view” of the Ionian Sea, as he called it. He came to stay here every year from April to October. During the early years (we both arrived in the village around 2003), we were the only two English speakers, so we’d meet for cappuccino in the piazza before William took the bus down to the beach. Along the way he’d stop to chat with just about everyone, trying out his ever-improving Italian, helped by the years he had spent as a bar owner in Spain. William…
Book Review: Passeggiata by G.G. Husak

michelle

28 Jun 2009 | 11:11 pm

Remember back when G.G. Husak, author of Passeggiata: Strolling Through Italy, guest posted here? Well today we’re talking more about the book; here is my review: Passeggiata by G.G. Husak is a memoir about the author and her husband’s travels through Italy, to which they return every year. The book covers their visits to Florence, the Italian Riviera, Siena, Assisi, Orvieto, Naples, and more; from big cities to small hill towns, they’ve done it, and you can read about it. Husak’s love for the Bel Paese and all it offers really shines through her tales—and especially in the fact…
Stella: Colin Galbraith’s New Paranormal Mystery

michelle

25 Jun 2009 | 11:07 pm

Loyal readers may have seen “Stella” in the post title and thought of my adorable pooch: But today we’re back to talking books, in particular, up and coming Scottish author Colin Galbraith’s new paranormal mystery, Stella, available as both an e-book and paperback as of June 7th: And, since it’s been a while since we’ve had a contest, how’d you like to win your own copy? Comment on this post by next Friday, July 3, 2009 by 11:59 p.m. (Italy time) to be eligible to win a copy of Stella. If you win, you can choose either the paperback or e-book version.
Adjusting to Expat Life in Italy

michelle

22 Jun 2009 | 11:01 pm

I’m finally getting around to answering more of your questions from way back when. After today’s answers, the only questions that remain, I believe, are blogging-related, and I’ve answered those in my FAQ page. Have you seen my new FAQ page by the way? Go ahead, click it! And let me know what you think! OK, back to today’s post, which answers some questions about adjusting to life as an expat in Italy. 1. Janie (whose blog seems to have disappeared! Aiuto!) asked how I was received by the residents. Actually *really* well. Sure, many wondered why I would choose to move here…
Shout Out to the Daddies of the World

michelle

20 Jun 2009 | 12:15 am

Just wanted to wish a Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, especially mine! And to my grandfather, Pap Pap, wherever he may be: To my mom’s father, also wherever he may be (sadly no photo here with me). And to all the rest of my grandfathers back into family history–especially to: (1) My great-grandfather Aniello D’Isabella, who I never got to meet but whose lack of desire to get American citizenship after leaving his southern Italian village allowed me to reclaim his Italian citizenship many years later and live here happily ever after without bureaucratic hassle; and…

QBParis
Say ahhhhh.....

15 Jun 2009 | 12:34 pm

In so many ways, saying ahhhhh right now is so precisely right. The opening of the yap and the sigh of relief for the outcome.I was a smoker, on and off, for many years. It has been a little over 12 years since I quit smoking for good. I watched my mother die of lung cancer. I held her hand as she passed. Very recently, I have been worried about what was going on with my body, convinced that cigarettes have finally caught up with me. That funny looking spot on my lip that wasn't going away. But, that's not the cause... this is from too much sun exposure.I am lily white. I never tanned, I…
There are places I remember...

6 Jun 2009 | 11:31 am

I was there in 2002, the era of Bush, Chirac and Colin Powell. It was the first Memorial Day following September 11. We had invitations from the US Embassy to attend and a group of us drove up for the day. Our driver (a friend with the biggest van) picked us up bright and early and we hit the autoroute... we had a great time enjoying the camaraderie and rare moment of being together for something that wasn't office related. As we approached Colleville, the streets were lined with French and American flags and military "checkpoints". We had to show our invitations and passports several times…
Toits de Paris...

19 May 2009 | 2:08 pm

A lot to be said about the light in Paris... in all seasons. This was taken about an hour ago, 10pm... still light enough for that fabulous twilight blue to come through. These past few weeks have been an exercise in patience... waiting for too many outcomes, just glad they have all turned out well. Now it is time to turn the page and move on. Spring is very much here; and even though it is still chilly, the days are really getting longer, Rolland Garros is just around the corner and I will soon be heading to my favorite respite. Then, before you know it, summer will be here with la fête de…
The way you do the things you do...

6 May 2009 | 10:16 am

Gotta love Facebook. I know, I know, enough already, but... dig this! Just in today's posts I learned about restitution, retaliation and resurrection! Might I add [sic] for all?... Enjoy!Restitution Q:OK fellow FB'ers....anyone have an Ipod Guro who can rehab a rain-soaked Ipod?Restitution A: "Turn it off immediately. Put it in a bag of dry rice. Put the bag in a warm spot. Voilà!" "ouch! then to reboot - hold down the menu button & center button at the same time for 10 seconds." "DO NOT turn it on until dry (1-2 days in the rice). Water and circuit boards don't mix."Retaliation Q: ?? "is…
Death and taxes....

28 Apr 2009 | 11:45 am

Come what may.I'm knee-deep in French taxes. Another word for it is Ciel Hell. Ugh. I am not an accountant. I remember a long ago 25 question college course pop quiz. I got all 10 math problems right and all 15 true or false theory questions wrong. Need I say more? Now, take all that, put it into French, and then, apply French tax laws. You can SEE how much FUN I am having, non?? As they say in Skype... (puke). Due date? May 1st. Death is more inviting. So much so, that I am thinking of my submission for a project called "A Book About Death".A friend here in Paris, Matthew Rose (an…

The Expat Expert Blog
Turning off the noise in my life

Robin Pascoe

15 Jun 2009 | 2:24 pm

I'm shutting down my computer until July 3rd. Since I don't own a cell phone, I don't have one to one off! I'm going to travel with my husband on the first business trip of his I have ever gone on in 28 years of marriage (which as someone pointed out to me, makes her feel optimistic that something new can still happen after all those years of marriage!:-)I've decided to plot a new revolution. Going to call it a "Return to Common Sense Revolution" which has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with trying to turn an upside down, unsustainable world, right side up.Stay tuned.
Global assignments on the decline says survey

Robin Pascoe

14 Jun 2009 | 10:52 am

A new survey reports that the number of international assignments will drop in 2009. Sixty-seven per cent of 180 companies surveyed by Brookfield Global Relocation Services say they will be decreasing the number of employees they relocate internationally or allow the numbers of their expatriates to remain the same. Highlights of the survey can be read on line here but let me offer up a few so I can throw in my own two cents worth of opinion:• 92% of the companies surveyed report that family concerns remain the overwhelming reason for assignment refusal or failure. • The top three…
It's Home Leave Time Again!

Robin Pascoe

5 Jun 2009 | 7:18 am

It's that time of year again! Home Leave Time. Maybe because it is so hot right now in Vancouver where I live that I'm thinking it's summer already, but I do know this is the time of year when many expats start making their way 'home', wherever that may be in the world.To amuse and inform readers, I thought I would re-post two stories I have written to help you through the process, mostly by making you laugh! The first one (the more serious one if I can be serious!) is A Home Leave Diary in which you may recognize your own family. My other offering comes from my Irreverent Expat columns:…
Resources for children with special education needs

Robin Pascoe

29 May 2009 | 7:01 am

Kate Goggin, the writer and editor who handles content for the US State Department's site (and who is also a strong mobile family advocate) is alerting people to a new section on her government's website for a Special Overseas Education Guide. I know a lot of people need and want this information, especially now as they are preparing for postings for the next school year. Thanks, Kate, for passing along this incredibly valuable resource and anyone reading this, please pass it along to anyone you might know in need of it.
Great new book on cross-cultural mothering

Robin Pascoe

13 May 2009 | 1:22 pm

When I was in South East Asia in March, I was asked numerous times at my lectures if there were any books for parents in cross-cultural marriages raising kids....and I had totally forgot (brain freeze with age!) that I had written an advance review for a new anthology called "Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering" edited by writer Suzanne Kamata. Here's the testimonial I contributed, which works best to describe how I felt about the book:"The contributors to this lovely and almost lyrical anthology of mothering far from home, face all the regular roadblocks of raising healthy…

La Mom - an American mom in Paris
A Safe and Secure French Field Trip

La Mom

1 Jul 2009 | 9:52 pm

You know you live in France when....Your kid's school plans a field trip and informs you two days before the trip. Inform being the key word here, because the field trip flyer was short on information.Dear Parents,Madame Barnier's class will be going on an end-of-the-school-year boat trip on Thursday from 9:30 - 2:30. Please make sure your child brings a picnic lunch. For more information, please contact Madame Barnier at barnier@barnier.fr.Hmmm, a detail-poor note like that didn't make La Mom feel good about letting her Big Fry go on this trip. Then again, I couldn't keep him home and have…
Flash in the Pan

La Mom

29 Jun 2009 | 12:55 am

I’ve discovered there’s more than one way to be the most popular mom at the school fair. Some mamans slave over homemade madeleines, some donate bottles of Château Margaux wine to the raffle, and then there’s my tactic.Flash the dads.OK, so it wasn’t a part of the original plan. Last Friday was our first-ever school fair – and I was feeling the pressure. I knew I’d see Arabelle, the snooty Alpha-Maman who somehow managed four small children, ran the PTA with an iron fist, and baked the perfect quiche – all in peep-toe high heels. Her son Paul is pals with Big Fry, and I always…
Frenchy Friday

La Mom

25 Jun 2009 | 10:14 pm

I went to the Galeries Lafayette looking for a new maillot de bain and wasn't very motivated after spying this super-sized sexy Parisienne advertising her hard body, perky nénés, and teeny bikini. So I've decided to take my business elsewhere: to Le Bon Marché - where bathing suit advertising is discreet and doesn't make La Mom feel like Le Pig.
Ready, Set, SOLDES!

La Mom

23 Jun 2009 | 11:14 pm

Ladies and gentlemen, get your running shoes out and your boxing gloves on. C’est les soldes!Today marks the beginning of the fabled twice-annual deep-discount French sales.Fabled, you might ask? Let’s just say that even Cendrillion can find a dress or two to go with those glass stilettos as prices fall to rock-bottom over the 5-week sales period. And why the boxing gloves? If it’s anything like last year’s Zadig and Voltaire’s markdowns, you’ll need ‘em. Normally prim and proper 16th arondissement demoiselles morphed into banshees as they duked it out over cashmere sweaters –…
English Lessons

La Mom

22 Jun 2009 | 5:22 am

Big Fry’s got it pretty much figured out when it comes to language. He zips in and out of French and English conversations with the ease of a Parisian motorcyclist darting through traffic down the Champs-Elysées. The other day, though, he floored me. His maternelle teacher is going global – she’s teaching the kids greetings in several foreign languages. What I didn’t know is that I’d be getting an English lesson myself. Here’s last week’s after-school conversation:La Mom: How was school today, sweetie? Big Fry: Good. We learned how to say hello in English! Mommy, do you know…

Olympic Adventures
New Parenting Technique

Hanneke Nelson

2 Jul 2009 | 11:33 am

My daughter loves food but she is a grazer when it comes to eating. She eats little bits all day long. Every other sentence coming out of her mouth is: "I'm hungry." Even when she can't be because she just finished a meal. She'll proclaim she's hungry anyway.The other day I was trying to get her to empty her plate in one go. The incentive of becoming a member of the Clean Plate Club did not do much. She kept saying she was all done. So I resorted to a new technique: old fashioned bribery."Lola, would you like some ice cream?""Yes! Ice cream. I love ice cream.""You must finish your meal first.
Eagle Spotting

Hanneke Nelson

23 Jun 2009 | 12:28 pm

I know. I really need to update Olympic Adventures with my latest adventures in camp living and beading. And I will. When I am a little less busy. For now I give you the ultimate American symbol: the Bald Eagle. Our friend John has a view of an eagle nest from his front porch. The eagle toddlers are venturing out of the nest while papa eagle keeps an eye out...
New Boots

Hanneke Nelson

30 May 2009 | 6:00 am
Let There Be Light

Hanneke Nelson

29 May 2009 | 5:20 pm

We have all the windows we need for the downstairs but we cannot install them yet. First we need to frame in the walls and for that we need wood. And since we are focusing on no cost or low cost projects for now, the windows will have to wait a little bit longer.However. We do have HUGE barn doors. We have just been waiting for the right time to open them. With temperatures in the high seventies and low eighties, that time has come.
Bert & Ernie

Hanneke Nelson

29 May 2009 | 6:00 am

Most mornings when Lola wakes up, I take her into bed with us to snuggle for a little bit. I have this romantic notion in my mind of the two of us sleeping together in the big bed, spooning and cuddling. I love to look at her sleeping, with her rosy cheeks, snug in her bed surrounded by an increasing number of stuffed animals and dolls. She is such an angel when she sleeps. A little while ago, Ryan was out with a friend and he was going to spend the night away from home. I was very tired that day and when I put Lola to bed, I decided to turn in as well. And since I had all this extra room in…

Expatacular
On Acting, And China.

wordsmith

Dear J., this evening I found myself sitting in a Japanese restaurant with a Welshman in China, telling A. all about Checkov and projection and character work, spilling out my theater experience onto the hotplate, so to say, and holding on tightly to the memories with my chopsticks. So there we were, two people with actors inside them somewhere, munching on scallops and fisheggs, and wide-eyed like a child A. soaked up what I shared before he dipped it into the wasabi to give it his own flavor of thoughts. So I just wanted to say thank you...for the soul food you once gave and that I was able…
Automated Talking Machine

wordsmith

I was in a rush so when I dashed into the China Construction Bank branch at New World Garden, leaped at the ATM machine and slipped in the card, I did not notice the blank black screen. The card disappeared and jumped back out. I pushed it back into the slot just to see it reappear a second later. Frustrated, I pushed it back in. It came back out. “Arrrr” I announced. “Machine out of order!” a grumpy voice informed me from inside the machine. I instantly snapped out of my mad-dash-mode. “Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize”, I apologized. And grinned, inquiring jokingly, “Is this…
Lessons Of The Week (June 22-28)

wordsmith

You cannot: Use a year-old German newspaper to pad out a China Post box containing a gift for a friend in Germany…it’s considered ‘sensitive’ packaging material. You can: Pepperspray a robber until he’s crawling on the ground wailing thinking he’s forever blind, kick him in the stomach and alternately in the butt, whack him over the head with your smiley face umbrella numerous times, and take home the new carpet cutter he held against your throat; you needed one anyway.
An Ode to Freak Weather in Beijing

Tan Siok Siok

The sudden rainstorms in Beijing last Tues (16th June) cause a flutter of tweets, speculating that the Beijing Weather Modification Bureau aka 北京市人工影响气象办公室 has wreaked havoc and caused irreversible damage. I never thought we would talk about the weather in Beijing as much as the Londoners are wont to do. But we did. Bemused, I decide to write an ode to the apocalyptic weather that unexpectedly visited Beijing : Wind and The Rain/ 风雨 to call it a “storm” is to put it mildly. it is more like a rehearsal for the apocalypse only we are caught off guard unprepared…
You will like this, I promise...

Jesse

Here's an amazing performance by Perpetuum Jazzile, a choir performing an original take on Toto's song "Africa." Give it a listen if you can. It's a YouTube link, so my apologies for those who are unable to view it. Perpetuum Jazille is a Slovenian choir. If you're still wearing your socks after you watch and listen to it, then I'm either too old, or your too young. :-) Here is a link to their Web site: http://www.perpetuumjazzile.si/en

American Girl in Australia
Dear flu, we’ve had a fun run

Daisy

2 Jul 2009 | 5:28 pm

Dear flu, As much as I’ve enjoyed getting to know your many complexities, I think it’s time we had a talk. This whole on again off again thing is killing me. You come, you go, you passively aggressively come back to spite me, you leave again and then BAM - you’re baaaccckkk!!!! it’s great right? haha! You’re funny. But the joke is getting old. Look, we’ve had a fun run. We watched a million movies, we napped with my dogs all day long, we fell asleep outside under the beautiful canopy of my dad’s trees, we listened to some music, we…
Don’t write essays when you’re drugged up - just a little bit of advice

Daisy

30 Jun 2009 | 11:45 pm

When Miss Piggy came to visit last week I should have known that greedy hunk of bacon would overstay her welcome and leave me with the flu. Hmph! RUDE! They say you can’t get the swine flu from eating pigs - and so NEXT TIME maybe I’ll roast good old Piggy next to Kermit, toss in a couple eggs and have myself a regular old green eggs and ham breakfast. mmmm. I bet it’d give me LOTS of energy instead of leaving me BED RIDDEN FOR FIVE SOLID DAYS!!! Yeah so remember all of those parties and plans I had this past weekend? No? Oh wait that’s right - I never…
Want to know what it’s like to have Swine Flu??

Daisy

27 Jun 2009 | 4:51 pm

It comes from nowhere. Your throat hurts a bit - but you write it off as something else. It’s SUMMER!! Like you’re going to get sick in summer. 8 hours later you are coughing. It starts as a bit of a dry cough and then before you know it your throat is ON FIRE and your cough is productive. It feels like you are coughing up razor blades. A night of rest does nothing to mend your ailments. You have 4 winter blankets covering you - IN SUMMER - but you are still cold. SHIVERING. You’re running a 103+ degree fever. The next morning you wake up coughing more than…
First 4 days home in Pictures

Daisy

26 Jun 2009 | 2:31 am

Day one Mmmm… I love my American Theater Popcorn! It’s disgustingly terrific and the buckets are SO HUMONGOUS!!! But when you share with friends it’s JUST THE RIGHT amount. Matty Matt (my bestest friend) and I went and saw “Year One.” Not a big fan of the movie - but being able to see him on my first day back was priceless. Day Two Another great day with my BFF. We went to a barbecue and then out to eat (because I couldn’t eat the burgers.) and THEN we went and saw Transformers 2 at Midnight - fun fun night!!! Love these boys. We are such…
I’m missing these things about Sydney

Daisy

24 Jun 2009 | 3:16 am

The time has come. It’s been long in coming and you may all breathe more easily now that the time has finally arrived. I heart Australia and I want to tell you why. like “omgosh!” right? A year ago I could give you line upon line, post upon post and page upon page about how inconvenient Australia was *cringe at self.* I was - well - kind of - umm - yeah - so about that - well - OK FINE - I was a complainer. *gasp!* It’s just that EVERYTHING about Australia from the spiders and cockroaches which are the size of ANTARCTICA to the grocery stores and clothing lines…

An American in Delhi
Riots in Delhi Caused by Lack of Electricity

Jeanne Heydecker

26 Jun 2009 | 8:13 pm

This past week, there have been riots in parts of Delhi for two reasons - lack of electricity and lack of water. This is becoming serious. The worst power cuts were in Dwarka averaging 10-12 hour outages at a time, Krishna Nagar at 10 hours, Vasant Kunj at 8 hours and Greater Kailash, averaging 5-6 hours. No part of the city has been spared. On Thursday, the 400 KV Mandola Power station tripped
CommunicAsia 2009

Jeanne Heydecker

20 Jun 2009 | 6:20 pm

Revisiting Singapore after a 30+ year wait, it was like the other Singapore I remembered never existed. We did get to the Raffles' Long Bar for Singapore Slings one evening, but even that place had been upgraded. The Raffles Hotel was a dump back in the 70's. It's been refurbished and expanded a hundredfold since then. The city is impeccably clean and its residents are very friendly. The Ibis
Suntrica’s Solar Mobile Phone Chargers Save You Money and Save the Planet at the Same Time

Jeanne Heydecker

12 Jun 2009 | 4:22 am

I'm just off to CommunicAsia in Singapore, a telecom conference focused on Asia. They will have a whole stream devoted to solar and other alternatively powered technologies. I am super excited to see everything that is available out there...Suntrica gave me 50 samples of their SolarStrapTM solar mobile phone chargers because VNL is exhibiting at CommunicAsia in Singapore in mid-June. We’re
Our New Place in Gurgaon

Jeanne Heydecker

4 Jun 2009 | 8:16 am

I live in Gurgaon, just outside of Delhi. We now rent the ground floor of a three family house. It features two bedrooms, two baths (one with a bathtub!) a large living and dining area, kitchen, enclosed patio space in the front and back, plus a storeroom, which we may convert to an office. We’re having a lot of issues straightening out the electricity.As Americans, we use a lot more electricity
Sunday Morning in Gurgaon

Jeanne Heydecker

3 Jun 2009 | 8:00 am

We have a very annoying peacock living nearby. Actually, more like three or four. I know. How can you complain about something as exotic as wild peacocks, but they are very big, very noisy, and very territorial. They are absolutely gorgeous, with brilliant blue heads and necks, tapering down into teal and green chests... long flowing tails – they are the perfect bird for the overly decorated and

Letters from Grenada
why yes, you can call me delilah

maria

6 Jun 2009 | 9:04 am

I did it. I cut his hair. I suppose it had to be done. He’s three. He specifically requested it. And he really did look like a girl with that mane. Right afterwards, I picked him up so he could see himself in the mirror. He smiled at his reflection with a glee that he normally reserves for chocolate, backhoes and puppies. “Mommy. I look like a man now.” (pause) “Can I drive?” (Originally posted here.)Similar Posts: top caribbean twitterers: UPDATED vera’s eulogy turning three swine flu, plague, cats, rats & urban legends back in the states: top ten
because sometimes words are meaningless

maria

14 May 2009 | 10:28 am

Don’t get me wrong. There are times when a well-timed and sincere apology mends what ails. But too frequently “I’m sorry” is just a bullshit way of excusing yourself for having done something you knew you shouldn’t have done in the first place. Other times the phrase becomes meaningless because it has just plain been repeated too many times. When a complete stranger clocks your achilles tendon with the wheels of her shopping cart, “I’m sorry” is (relatively) easy to digest. When a member of an opposing basketball team mutters it under her breath after elbowing you in the face…
swine flu, plague, cats, rats & urban legends

maria

1 May 2009 | 10:33 am

Global Voices Online quotes my swine flu post in a great round-up article. Bloggers from all over the Caribbean - Grenada, Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica, Belize and Cuba - are quoted. Read it here: Global Voices Online » Caribbean: Keeping Track of Swine Flu I’m always thrilled when Global Voices Online picks up one of my blog posts. I just wish this one didn’t include my unwitting perpetuation of an urban legend. When Jared, who is a good RL friend and fellow graduate of Cornell’s History Department, posted his comment questioning my anecdote, I looked all over the internet…
have you noticed?

maria

30 Apr 2009 | 10:11 am

Fewer than 200 people have contracted swine flu, and everyone gets mask-happy. Meanwhile, MILLIONS have died of AIDS, yet some people still don’t use condoms. I’m not saying swine flu isn’t real. But it is a fact that masks do not prevent transmission. I also believe that mass hysteria never ever helps. Example: Once upon a time, people believed in witches. So they hung/burned/drowned these alleged witches. Also, their cats. Then the rat and flea populations exploded. Hello, bubonic plague.Similar Posts: swine flu, plague, cats, rats & urban legends swine flu &…
swine flu & grenadian students studying in mexico

maria

29 Apr 2009 | 7:16 am

The Grenadian government has issued a rather sensible statement regarding swine flu and Grenadian students studying abroad in Mexico. Outlined are precautions to be taken in order to avoid exposure, a communication network that has been developed, and the declaration that “allowing the students to travel will place them at risk of being infected and to avoid quarantine en route as there is no direct flight to Grenada”. In other words, no plans exist to recall students from Mexico. You can read the entire statement by clicking on the link below: STATEMENT TO THE GRENADIAN STUDENTS…

Brits in Bosnia
We can watch the cricket? Really? Promise?

2 Jul 2009 | 2:03 am

(very nearly entitled A Post especially for Anonymous of Sarajevo)Given our total overexcitement of being able to watch most of the 20 20 Cricket series last month, you can imagine the excitement in the Brits In Bosnia household when it was discovered that not only can we watch the Ashes (the England vs. Australia cricket for the non-Brits amongst you), we can even watch it live.No, Eurosport has not suddenly decided to broadcast it (for some bizarre reason 5 x 5 days of cricket was not top of their list to show in Bosnia). It turns out that you can watch the games live, online, for a small…
Geographical conundrum

30 Jun 2009 | 12:21 am

Putting Adam to bed last night:A - Mummy, I love you all the way to the bus stationMe - well, I love you all the way to the nurseryA - I love you all the way to ZvornikMe - I love you all the way to Sarajevo (this went on for a while with any number of Bosnian towns being mentioned, Mostar, Travnik, Zenica and Doboj all making an appearance)A - I love you all the way to LondonMe - I love you all the way to the Isle of WightA - I love you all the way to AmericaMe - I love you all the way to New YorkA - I love you all the way to Oogy Doogy (think this might be an attempt to say Ougadougo, the…
A right old chocolatey stodge

29 Jun 2009 | 12:51 am

Another birthday, another cake disaster. This time it was Dave's birthday and armed with a new recipe that I have baked successfully before in the UK, I set about measuring, mixing, beating and greasing with the boys. I was confident of this cake. Really, I was. I mean, I'd already baked it once and it rose a treat, tasted great and was generally a cake worth eating. Also, it used plain flour (still haven't resolved the self-raising flour issue despite many attempts and associated flops) and all the other ingredients were readily available here. This was a cake that was going to work. I was…
Of recycling and plastic bags

25 Jun 2009 | 12:58 am

An update on how my recycling pledge is going. My mission (which I have chosen to accept) is to not use plastic bags for a week. Results so far.... not good.Day one - wrote the post about the pledge, was all on a high and feeling good about what I was about to accomplish. Realised that I was 10 minutes late in picking the boys up from nursery. Ran out of the house. Without plastic bags. Totally forgot until in the bakers and no way to balance the number of bread items with 2 toddlers, scooters and greedy dog. I think we could safely say, in the terms of that splendid game Battleships:…
Recycling

22 Jun 2009 | 1:45 am

June 22 - 28th is National Recycling week in the UK, and I've been tagged by the amazing Mummy Do That (how much do I wish I could knit as well as she does - sigh) to participate by pledging to do something that reduces my waste or increases my recycling. Recycle Now has suggested a number of pledges (more of which later) with penalties for those not managing to make it, which is linked in together with a blogging meme started by Almost Mrs. Average at the Rubbish Diet.This kind of neatly teams together with a post that I had been thinking of writing about recycling in Bosnia, so I couldn't…

My Thai Friend
Made in Thailand

1 Jul 2009 | 1:37 am

Made in Thailand were the first words I ever heard and read that included the name of the country were I now live. There were also plenty of jokes flying around about goods "Made in Thailand," being of poor quality and unlikely to last very long. However as a boy in the UK I first heard the name Siam when I was given a huge collection of stamps from around the world. Later I associated Siam with Siamese twins. Which I assumed were first seen in Siam. At that time I did not realise Siam and Thailand were the same place.I have however always been interested in geography and history so during my…
Bangkok Bus Replacement-The Debate Simmers On.

29 Jun 2009 | 11:21 pm

Image CreditAnyone who has travelled on a Bangkok bus will testify that the experience is usually far from pleasant. Erratic timekeeping and stifling conditions on board are just two of the challenges facing commuters if they choose to take a Bangkok bus.But why take a Bangkok bus in the first place, well the main reason apart from cost is that they go to areas otherwise inaccessible to public transport away from the Skytrain and MRT routes .You might therefore be forgiven for thinking that any improvement to the service would be welcome by the travelling public. Well I guess the proposed…
Thailand Post

29 Jun 2009 | 7:00 pm

Thailand Post or Thai Post as it is sometimes called is the state owned postal service run by Thailand Post Company Ltd. Generally speaking Thailand Post offers an excellent service at very competitive rates.The internal parcel post service is very good and for a few baht you can get a sturdy cardboard box from the service counter complete with glue, labels and string to pack your goods in. Most folk actually pack their parcel in the Thailand Post office.I also use the Express Mail Service (EMS) from time to time, EMS for letters and small packets is cheap and is like a recorded delivery in…
Thailand Tourist Attractions-Wha Kor

28 Jun 2009 | 8:11 pm

Thailand tourist attractions come in many shapes and forms. Yesterday afternoon we loaded the bikes into the truck and headed to a local Thai tourist attraction, King Mongkhut Memorial Park of Science and Technology at Wha Kor (Wagor). This was not our first visit since the attraction is only about 3 km from my home here in Thailand.However yesterday apart from getting a bit of exercise we visited a couple of locations within the park that we had not viewed before.The history of the park is quite interesting particularly for those who enjoy science and technology or information on the Thai…
Volunteer Thailand

27 Jun 2009 | 9:02 pm

So you want to be a volunteer in Thailand? Perhaps you visited the country on holiday and like many of us fell in love with the Thai people and their country. You want to give something back. Well I certainly commend your sentiment but I hope you read this post before you click on an advert promising you work as a volunteer in Thailand. So why do I want to pour cold water on your idea, after all there are many area's of Thailand particularly some of the poorer rural communities that would benefit from your help? Well I will tell you why, its simple really, many of the organisations offering…

Life In Australia
World Blog Surf Day #2 - Sample Food from all over the World in Sydney

rozandrews

12 Jun 2009 | 5:34 am

Today, I am participating in the second World Blog Surf Day, a virtual world tour of expat blogs on the wonderful theme of food. World Blog Surf Day has been organised by Czech Off the Beaten Track as a cool way of traveling the world at no cost and seeing it through the eyes of the expats who live in each country. Thanks also go to Anastasia Ashman, “Thandelike,” on Twitter for her work on Twittering about World Blog Surf Day. She will be “tweeting” about each participating blog, and will include each blog URL. Anastasia Ashman is an American cultural producer…
Calling all Expat Bloggers: Join World Blog Surf Day #2!

rozandrews

26 May 2009 | 7:41 pm

If you are an expat blogger, writing about your experiences of living in a country outside your home country, why not join in the second World Blog Surf Day, to be held on 13th June 2009? The theme of the second World Blog Surf Day is food. That’s a subject that we can all relate to! You could write about the foods you miss from your home country, the food you like or don’t like in your current country of residence, interesting restaurants or eateries, recipes, grocery shopping or anything else related to food. It’s such a broad subject that it should be easy to find…
National Walk Safely to School Day

rozandrews

19 May 2009 | 7:56 pm

Source: National Walk Safely to School Day Website Friday, 15th May 2009 was National Walk Safely to School Day in Australia. Some of its main aims were: To help develop vital road crossing skills (the children who normally go to school by car do not have much opportunity to develop these skills) To promote the benefits of walking and help create good walking habits at an early age (children nowadays get much less exercise than previous generations) To ensure that younger children hold an adult’s hand when crossing the road To reduce road congestion and air pollution To reduce…
IKEA in Australia

rozandrews

10 May 2009 | 9:19 pm

I guess you either love or hate the Swedish mass furniture and homewares retailer, IKEA, and I love IKEA! When we first moved to Australia, I was happy to find out that there are IKEA stores in Australia and we bought a lot of our current furniture from IKEA. Yesterday, we went to our local IKEA store in the Sydney suburb of Rhodes. It is laid out in a very similar way to IKEA stores in other countries, with a children’s play area downstairs. You can leave your children there for one hour while you shop, as long as they are over three years old and toilet trained. Yesterday, however,…
A Place to Buy Pampers in Australia?

rozandrews

30 Apr 2009 | 7:55 pm

If you read my blog regularly, you will know about my continuing quest for good quality nappies (diapers) like Pampers on sale in Australia. The other day, while surfing the Internet, I came across a way to buy Pampers nappies or diapers in Australia. You can buy Pampers nappies online from the British Online Supermarket. Pampers nappies are on sale there in different nappy sizes and packet sizes. They cost about the same as in a UK supermarket. The expensive part will be the postage and packing. The amount charged is based on the total weight of the package (in half-kilogram increments), so…

Baroque Babies
La Chateau

1 Jul 2009 | 10:00 pm

According to my girls, 'empty boxes are the best!' We've managed to build just about everything- castles, dog houses, torture chambers (for L's little sister) and a makeshift stage for the girls to practice their moves on. With a little engineering, creativity and lots of imagination, Slowtoys original KartonHuus allows families to dream up the impossible...a fantasy world of make believe and play. Their pieces are ecologically friendly and consistent with the European standards for toy safety. Most importantly, the KartonHuus provides kids their own little 'Chateau' (as we call it in our…
Overbeck and friends placemats

1 Jul 2009 | 1:00 am

Kim’s recent food posts have been making my mouth water! As soon as we get settled in our new place (they are almost finished with our patio), we’re going to break out the grill and try her grilled feta recipe. In the meantime, I’m dreaming of complementing Kim’s feasts with beautiful place settings. I recently found the modern, classy city placemaps and have now discovered very cute new kids’ placemats from Overbeck and Friends. Available at Takatomo in dog, sheep, bunny and duck for about seven Euro each! (website in english and worldwide shipping)
Audio Sushi

29 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pm

Either my friends have too much money, too much time on their hands or they are way too clever. After discovering, through an artist friend of mine, a company called Audio Sushi, I wasn't sure what to expect. What kind of sashimi style audio platter could 'sushi chefs' and creators, Wallace and Reed serve up? This was an appealing idea worth sinking my teeth into....Audio Sushi is a small London based musical consultant company. Yes, that's right, musical consultants. They will come to your house (or help you online) organize your music, update your catalogue and design tailor made music to…
4th of July abroad

29 Jun 2009 | 2:29 am

I've spent a number of American Independence Days abroad, including the past four years here in Germany. We usually invite friends over for an all-American barbeque and the past two years I have made red, white, and blue cupcakes for dessert using fresh berries from our farmers' market. This year that may not happen as we will have a very full day with big brother's kindergarten having their summer festival during the day, and for the first time, the Ludwigsburg Palace's summer fireworks show happening exactly on July 4th! I'm excited as I quite miss a 4th of July fireworks show. The music…
Music in the morning: Wir Sind Helden

28 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pm

Good morning! Hope everyone had a good weekend! Here is my music pick this week, Nur ein word (only a word) from Wir Sind Helden (we are heros), a german alternative band from Berlin. Your german is not perfect? No worries, as this video is almost as good as sub-titles!

Seashells and Sunflowers | Necochea, Argentina
Vintage Photos of Argentina

Katie

29 Jun 2009 | 7:29 pm

Some time ago I confessed my love of vintage photographs here in this post. In my quest to uncover more vintage goodness, I decided to delve into The Commons on Flickr, a collection of publicly-held images submitted by museums and other cultural organizations. Friends, I can happily report that I have struck the mother lode. I found a fascinating series of images from Argentina that date to the 1920s, an overwhelming number of which come from the photo archives of Chicago's Field Museum Library. I was also excited to note that many of the photographs were taken in and around…
Lighthouses of Argentina & Uruguay

Katie

26 Jun 2009 | 4:13 pm

A few years ago I began developing an interest in lighthouses. They have a certain charm and nostalgia about them that I find very appealing, and they make great subjects for photography (as if I needed another excuse to take pictures!). So far I have logged visits to nine lighthouses, four of which are located in Argentina and Uruguay. There are lots of opportunities to visit lighthouses here in Argentina, as the country's extensive coastline is dotted with nearly 60 of them. In fact, there's even one just a few minutes from my home – the Faro Quequén. …
Witches, Bonfires & Dancing at the Festividad de San Juan

Katie

22 Jun 2009 | 7:58 pm

With roots in the pagan celebration of the summer solstice, the Festividad de San Juan (Feast of St. John) celebrates the birth of St. John the Baptist while retaining a number of pre-Christian rituals. The Feast of St. John falls on June 24th, but it's not unusual for the festivities to take place on an alternate date sometime around the solstice. [1] Midsummer festivals and celebrations in honor of St. John are not unique to one particular corner of the world; however, we'll focus on the traditions of Spain's Basque region (País Vasco), since those are the customs that have influenced…
Recipe File: Argentine Locro

Katie

15 Jun 2009 | 8:30 pm

Locro is one of those dishes that inspires rivalries and stirs intense family pride. It seems there are countless versions of this hearty Argentine stew from the northwestern provinces, and of course, any recipe handed down from the venerable abuela is considered a culinary masterpiece. Period. Discussions about family recipes often go something like this: "My grandmother's recipe for locro is the absolute best. I've never tasted anything that even comes close." "Bah! Your grandmother's recipe isn't fit to grace the trashcan in my…
The Parks of Palermo: El Rosedal

Katie

11 Jun 2009 | 2:15 pm

During my recent jaunt to Buenos Aires, I had a chance to spend a delightful Sunday afternoon at El Rosedal (the Rose Garden), one of the beautiful parks in the barrio of Palermo. El Rosedal forms part of the 62-acre Parque Tres de Febrero, an oasis of green and relative calm amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. Though winter is nearly upon us here in the southern hemisphere, there were still many lovely roses in bloom as well as a few butterflies flitting about. The holiday weekend preceding El Día de la Patria combined with unseasonably warm temperatures brought many families out to…

a malaysian abroad
Taking a break!

*lynne*

24 Jun 2009 | 5:19 pm

a malaysian abroad will be on a short break for slightly over a week, until early July: the Naranek household will be moving (within Chicago, no worries), and will be needing a lot of non-internet time to pack, move, unpack and settle in the new place. Moving Woman by jynmeyer Afraid of missing out when things start back up again? Please consider subscribing to this blog via email or in a reader — then you won’t have to miss a thing! Cheers!
Johnny Depp: not such a ‘Public Enemy’

*lynne*

24 Jun 2009 | 4:08 pm

Oh to have been in waiter Mohammaed A. Sekhani’s shoes last week! Johnny Depp (source) It seems that Johnny Depp and a few other people involved in ‘Public Enemies‘ were here in Chicago last week for the opening of the movie. They then headed to Gibson’s Steakhouse — a Chicago institution on Rush Street in the Near North side — to party down, arriving a little before midnight, and staying on till past 2:30am. To reward “Mo” for his excellent service and patience into the wee hours of the morning, it seems that Johnny Depp gave him a $4000 tip…
Chicago’s Farmers Markets: Federal Plaza (Tuesdays)

*lynne*

16 Jun 2009 | 12:40 pm

As promised in my recent World Blog Surf Day entry, today I made my way to another Farmers Market in the heart of downtown Chicago: Federal Plaza @ Adams & Dearborn Located at the corner of Adams and Dearborn, Federal Plaza hosts a farmers market every Tuesday. The weather today was so much better than last Saturday’s! Sure, it had rained a little in the early morning, and more rain is forecast for the afternoon and the next few days; but at 10:30 am today, it was dry, cool and cloudy, just right for a little gallivanting. “Flamingo” stabile by Alexander Calder It was…
World Blog Surf Day: Chicago’s Farmers Markets (2)

*lynne*

13 Jun 2009 | 5:10 pm

Welcome to Part Two of my World Blog Surf Day entry: where I report back on my trip to the Printers Row Farmers Market, one of the over thirty Farmers Markets held weekly in over twenty Chicago neighbourhoods. When I woke up this morning, I wondered if I was going to be able to make any report at all - it was raining, it was cold, and if I didn’t have my Saturday meditative yoga session, I might have just curled back up in bed and refused to face the weather! … but crawl out of bed I did, had Kosh drive me downtown, and after a fantastic round of meditation I headed for the…
World Blog Surf Day: Chicago’s Farmers Markets (1)

*lynne*

12 Jun 2009 | 10:05 pm

Welcome to Part One (of Two) of a malaysian abroad’s participation in this iteration of World Blog Surf Day! If you’re following the chain, you probably got here from Emmanuelle, who wrote about 5 Ways Food Can Boost Your Expat Social Life. Hi!! From NASA, Public Domain [A tip of the hat to Hospitalera who started it all, to Sher who is organising it this time around, and to Anastasia Ashman (Thandelike) who is our Twitter reporter for this edition of World Blog Surf Day. Anastasia is an American cultural producer based in Istanbul, and is a creator of Expat Harem, the anthology…

All the top Expatriate news.

To see the other 644 topics we cover, click here.

Your MyAlltop account awaits.