The pictures you've all been waiting for...

A few days ago Joel and I took a day trip down to Philip Island. It took a little over an hour to get there I believe (I was so stuck in reading my Kindle, I love long car trips now!). First things first, Joel needed to get in the water with his new surf board. So we found a beach that had decent waves, and he headed into the water:

I stayed on the beach reading. It was really windy down there (as you can see from the way my hair is blowing in the following picture). It was also pretty cloudy now and then, so I lay on my towel, zippy-hoodie zipped up and legs wrapped up in my skirt. I got a good sunglasses sunburn on half my face from laying like this. :) There were other people on the beach- girls laying there in their bikinis as well- but honestly, I don't know how they did that! Joel's reply, "They're Victorians." (meaning they live in the state of Victoria, Australia) Brrr.

Cute pic on the beach. :)

After we went to the beach we had a walk around main street and had a late lunch. Then we set out to find some animals. We didn't find the place we meant to find (a koala sanctuary) but we found a wildlife park instead- and we think we lucked out. The Koala sanctuary would surely have had, well, koalas, but this place had it all! Check out the pics!

Aggressive emus wanted to be fed. I didn't like them that much. I'm pretty sure they have a big ole middle toe that can gut you in like two seconds flat.

Joel was all, "Stand there, look at me." And I stood and looked, but didn't know what the emus were doing, or how close they were getting. Then he was all, 'The one is coming around your other side, really close." And I was like, "Eek!" And inched away...

Then we got to feed the kangaroos! Witness the first kangaroo I saw in Australia!

Then that dang emu kept following me, and trying to eat all the food- notice my scowl meant for the bird.

Then the nice kangaroos ate out of my hand!

I'm amused!

There were lots of em!

This one had a joey in it's pouch that we could see moving through the skin, but it didn't stick its head out.

Here's another mamma- but you can see her joey! :)

Joey head again!

(I tried to get close to her, but she growled at me- Joel used the zoom to get this pick.)

Here was another group of them. They were more aggressive than the other group.

Down the end of this post should be a video of me feeding these guys. You can see that the one is actually holding my hands as I feed him. He was hungry!

Koalas!

This one was sleeping. SO CUTE!

After this great fun, we headed to a place called The Nobbies where there were meant to be seals. We didn't see any. It was a nice walk along a boardwalk that overlooks some pretty mean looking water. Beautiful though.

The night ended with the whole reason we went to Philip Island- watching the penguins come in. Unfortunately, it is not allowed to take any pictures of the penguins, as they are actually wild birds- we get the opportunity to watch their natural comings and goings, but we have to do our best not to disturb them. So, we watched em come in from the water, waddle up the beach, and head to their burrows in the bushes that line the beach. Walking back up to the carpark, we also got to see all the babies that were standing outside their nests squawking for their mum or dad to hurry up and come feed em! :) The penguins were really, really cute. They are the smallest penguin species, once known as fairy penguins, now referred to as small penguins. Anyway, super cute. :)

So, there you go- I have seen Australian wildlife, although not completely wild, I'm satisfied. :)

Cricket

On Boxing Day (the 26th) there is always a cricket match on. Friends of ours from Latvia (he's an Aussie, she's a Latvian) are also visiting in Oz these holidays and had decided that they would go to the cricket that day. We decided to join them, if only for the pleasure of their company.

Turns out, the most exciting thing that happened that day, was indeed their company. Not only was it great to see them, but it was wonderful to hear them announce their intent to marry. :) Congrats to the beautiful couple!

As for the cricket itself... well, at first I tried to watch. But I couldn't see the ball. I could see the guy run and wind up for the pitch, I saw the other guy move the bat a bit, but, I never saw the ball. Then, maybe I saw people running, and I tried desperately to place the ball. All in all, it was way too much effort with very little payoff. Instead of watching I then chatted more and more with D&D. When they left, I drank more beer in an attempt to keep myself amused. Then I ate in the same effort. And finally I pulled out my new K.indle and started reading. After three beers and the sun though, adding in the reading only made me sleepy, and I started drifting off. Finally, only 2/3s of the way through the day I convinced everyone we should go. There wasn't going to be a winner that day anyway- the darn match lasts 5 days. Ah well.

At least we got to see some old friends and catch up for a little while. And now, I can cross cricket off my list of things to experience in life. Been there, done that, not doing it again. :)

Anyway, here we are, taken at what appears to be the worst possible angle for all.

Christmas....

We celebrated Christmas on the evening of the 25th. All the Smedes who were in town gathered together to open presents and have a wonderful meal. Here are a few pictures... sorry...we didn't take too many!

Oma and Luka look on (and maybe help out a little) as Oma Oma opens a present

Jon and Courtney open a present

Luka figures out what the chocolate "M" I got might stand for...

Luka opens the present we got him- hope he liked it! :)

Luka plays with one of his new toys while his parents, Julie and Jamin, look on

Funny how most of these pictures (all but one?) have Luka in em... kids are more fun to photograph than adults! :)

My verdict on the Australian Christmas? Well... it was a lovely event, but, I do have to admit that I had a hard time feeling Christmassy at any point. The lack of snow and cold and desire to cuddle and bundle did contribute. I'm not saying that I want snow...I'm just saying it didn't feel the same. So who knows...next year Christmas might just be in Michigan again. Maybe.

Hope it was a happy day or two for all whether you celebrated Christmas, the solstice, or something else. :)

This is HARD work!

Tell ya what, finding a wedding gown is hard work! I've only spent two days, one and a half really, doing it, and I'm exhausted!

On the first day we went, I started out quite uncomfortable. All these big, pouffy, white dresses... it's not something I wear! But the first store we were in was a small, not very nice one- the carpets were old and dirty, the dresses were not very high quality, and the staff had too much going on at once.

The next store we went into was much nicer by comparison. It was clean, well organized, had nice large dressing areas, and had a nice darkish grey carpet. I have decided, in my completely irrational and unreasonable head, that the dark grey carpet makes for a good shop. :) In that shop I found two dresses that I really felt like a princess in. I even tried the one on twice, because I liked it so much. And when the lady put the veil on my head, "just to see" I nearly started crying. There is something about the veil that just makes you a bride!

After that one afternoon, I was quite excited for today's second excursion. My future mother-in-law (and seamstress) as well as one of my future sisters-in-law were coming with. And, we were going to shops where you need appointments. I was excited.

Somehow on the way to the first shop though, I freaked myself out. It was going to be too fancy for me, too posh (I like dressing up, but let's face it, I'm not posh!), and the worst fear, nothing was going to fit. Not to mention, today started off hormonally imbalanced, so everything I was feeling I was feeling twice as big as I usually would. The fact that my mom wasn't there had me in tears, as did the fact that I was not a size 0.

Also, at the first shop, somehow the first dress I tried on was one that the sales lady picked. I didn't even like it, would never have chosen it, and felt like a sausage in it- it did not set the stage well. So that shop was pretty much a wash. Thankfully, we had a bit of a ride to the next shop, the sun came out, and luckily, for some reason, my mood brightened.

When we got to the second shop of the day, the grey carpet made me happy as soon as I walked in. As did the fact that right away we saw several dresses that looked worth trying on.

The sales lady at that shop was a bit funky herself (in a good way, not a stinky way), younger, chattier, and a very good judge of style/appropriateness of dresses. I don't remember how many dresses I actually chose to try on there, but she ended up choosing a couple for me to try on which rocked my world.

The one was not something I would have ever chosen on my own. It was strapless, and had a mermaid style skirt- we called it the pouf dress, because it was also too long (as were, let me see, oh yeah, ALL of the dresses!), and therefore pouffed at the bottom way more than it would have at the right length. Anyway, the lady zipped me into that dress (I sucked in and held my breath), then tied a satin sash around my waist, pulled a couple other parts of the dress tighter where it was too loose (in the bum I think) and used those big clamps to secure the extra fabric, and suddenly, I felt like a bodaciously curvy movie star out of some long(ish) ago decade. It was not a dress I would ever have given a second glance, and it was just stunning. It was highly inappropriate for a beach wedding- but I couldn't stop staring at it. I also tried several times to breathe deeply, and kept being reminded that to keep this shape, I would have to give up something, and breathing was it. :) It was just so gorgeous though- I was kind of willing to give up breathing.

They finally got me out of that dress- actually, the lady "released" me :), I took a deep, luscious breath and then I tried on another dress that she had chosen. I can't tell you too much about this one, because, well, it's the top runner right now, and needs to be a surprise for at least one person if not most of you (because what better surprise do you have a wedding than what the bride is wearing?)...but, I can say that this was a style I liked, but never thought would look good on me. But this dress has secrets that you can't see that work really well. And it was gorgeous. And it is the softest silk, and light and airy and flowy and perfect for the beach. And gorgeous. And glamorous. And gorgeous. :)

Eventually, I took that one off too, and soon we were done at that store. We had some much needed lunch (and glass of wine), and headed off to another shop. Right away I saw 4 dresses that I really wanted to try on. This store was also nice and clean and had grey carpet in the trying on area, so I felt ok... but, none of these dresses were stunning like the last two. None of them were jaw dropping. And the lady kept asking me what I didn't like, but it was really just the overall effect- it just wasn't there. And what I really wanted to say to her was, "I just don't like it as much as the one down the road," but well, to get good service, you kind of have to pretend that you really want one of their dresses, so you can't tell em that you like someone else's dress better. So then I was stressing myself out trying to come up with little things I didn't like about each dress. The lady probably thought I was annoyingly picky. I did try on two dresses that were fairly nice, and pretended to like them more than I did to reach a sort of acceptable end to that particular session.

The thing is as well though- by the time you've tried on 20 white dresses in one day, they all start looking somewhat the same. This one has beading, that one has lace. This one is an a-line, that one is drop-waist. This one is egg-shell, that one is snowflake, and the third ivory. They start to blend together, unless they REALLY stand out. Also, everyone is looking for my reaction first- but I want everyone else's reaction- so we find ourselves in a push and pull, "What do you think?", "No, what do you think?"

Lastly, the thing that makes it hard to really feel good about any dress is when it doesn't fit. Of course, the stores cannot stock every dress in every size. Some of them come in several sizes, and some of 'em don't. The ones that lace up the back can sort of be made to fit even if they are smaller because you can lace them looser- the thing is, you end up with flesh squeezed out between satin ribbons criss-crossing your back, and when you turn around and see that as the back of your dress, even though you *know* it won't look like that in your size, it's just really hard to say, "Yeah, I love this!" Worse yet, is when it's a zip up dress, and it's too small to zip, so they manage to fasten it in the back with a piece of elastic or something, so you can get the idea- but again, you turn to see the back, and what you get is a nasty piece of elastic, pins, a flash of your underwear that isn't quite bridal, and your love-handle, and you just don't feel the sexy. It just makes it hard to like the dress. Alas, the dress that I am mostly in love with was one that the lady just stood behind me and held tight, because it was so small, she could neither bind it, nor clamp it, nor elasticize it. The result is that we're not actually fully aware of what the back looks like- and therefore we're already planning a trip back to that shop. :)

After that shop, it was near/past 4:00- and we'd left the house that morning at 9- so we were all beat. Driving home we talked very little- as far as I'm concerned, just because we were exhausted. And as soon as we got home, I crawled into bed under the pretense of reading, but really to take a nap. :) Said nap is probably the reason I'm feeling wide awake at nearly 1am just now...but what can you do? I needed it!

So, that's it; my wedding gown shopping experiences. It stinks a bit to have to hurry through these trying-on sessions and choosing, but that is what I get for living in Africa. Ah well, I suppose the sooner the decision is made, the less time I have to stress about it.

Now, if we can only figure out what Joel is going to wear... :)

Is it much different to America?

The other day in the shop, the young shop assistant asked me if I found Australia much different to America. The truth is, no, I don't think I really do. She looked a bit surprised and said, "Really? Don't you like get sued for sneezing on someone over there?" "Uh, I haven't lived there for a few years," was the only reply I could offer.

Of course, they drive on the left side of the road here, and french fries are chips, and chips are crisps, and it's summer at Christmas, and winter in July... but some other basic things, are pretty much the same.

We've been to several different shopping centers and they could easily be middle-America. There are just as many McDonalds and unhealthy-looking people queueing up to eat at them. The fashions in the shops seem to be just as trendy as would be in the American shops, and just as many young girls are wearing whatever the latest fad dictates instead of what actually suits. Ah, and the young shop assistant, well, I think she's pretty representative of your average young shop assistant- dropping phrases like, "Those sunglasses (er, she would have called 'em sunnies) look sick!" (To which I responded, "That's good, right?" :) Suburbia looks like suburbia- not quite as green grass (they have water restrictions here), but otherwise, just as nicely groomed gardens, driveways with two cars, etc. Banks and churches abound. Grocery stores, oh, grocery stores. I have yet to have a good wander around, but it did take me a good 5 minutes to pick out a box of soy milk the other day faced with all the choices. But it would be the same way in America. People in shops are nice though- asking you how you are, if they can help you, etc. Yeah, it really just isn't that different.

Ah, but there are some differences I guess... yesterday we drove up into the hills where our post-engagement/pre-wedding party will be held, and along the way, instead of the yellow "watch for deer" signs (you know, the yellow diamond with a leaping deer on it), we saw the same signs with kangaroos on 'em. We didn't actually see any kangaroos though- I either have to go to the zoo or way out bush to do that, I've been told.

Oh, and the other night we went to China town for dinner with Joel's friends, and on the menu they had both kangaroo and crocodile meat. That made me laugh- but even more so when one of Joel's friends commented that it's really just cat meat that they call kangaroo or crocodile for the tourists. Hee hee.

I have been very excited eating lots of green stuff- we've had Chinese a few times, and it's had beautiful bok choy, broccoli, snow peas, spinach as well as carrots, mushrooms and more. Yummy, yummy, yummy. :)

Tomorrow we're going to go into the city during the day to be tourists. We haven't really taken many pictures since we've been in Melbourne, so maybe we will tomorrow.

There you go- I'm enjoying being in Australia. The sun is finally shining in Melbourne, the rain has stopped and it looks like it might actually be a hot Christmas- which now that I'm here, I do find myself excited about. Several people have asked if I miss Latvia- and the answer is always the same, I miss people, but not Latvia- and certainly not the cold, wet, dark gray/white that it would be now.

And of course, Joel's family, which is finally a complete puzzle in my head (the J&J&L piece had been missing until now), is wonderful. It's great to see the house where Joel grew up- to see all the pictures on the wall, and to look through all the photo albums showcasing events over the years (Jem and Mook, happy to finally see all the pics from your wedding!:). Everything feels a little more complete now, and like, we can really knowingly join our lives in a way we couldn't before. If only our families could meet before the wedding... alas...

That's about it for now...

Jet-lagged...

Here, I am... it's totally the middle of the night, Joel and Mere are sound asleep...and I'm just wide awake. I've already been in bed awake for an hour or so, trying to will myself back to sleep- but it wasn't working, so I thought I would get up and post a few pictures and tell you the lovely story (not) of how we came to Australia.

So, let me begin by telling you about the airport in Luanda. Of course, we had only been there once, at our arrival, and only seen a small part of it. Well, turns out there wasn't much more to see. It's a small airport, but well, so badly managed, that one has to arrive hours and hours before a departure time to make it. We arrived at 8am, for a 2pm flight. The morning began with us standing in a line, for about two hours. Eventually I found out, we were waiting in line, to get in line. Blah. After the two hours there, we made it to the check in line, where we did come across one person who tried to tell us that he had been waiting for hours in the middle of that line (mind you, we were on big group of teachers from school that made up the whole beginning of that line, so we KNEW there was no one else there!). We told him to go wait for his friends, who would allegedly be back in a minute, elsewhere.

After check in, Joel and I followed the lead of most of the other teachers and headed for the VIP lounge. For USD$20 a person, you get to sit in an air-conditioned nice(r) lounge, and you get either two drinks or a drink and a toasty sandwich. We all went the drink and the toasty sandwich, because a lot of us had not had breakfast that morning. Of course, turns out, more drinks can be purchased for rather small prices- and so it came to be, that most of us had a few cocktails before we even boarded the plane. Now, mind you, I have not been drinking much at all for the last two months (I have only consumed alcohol twice in the last two months) so after having two gin and tonics in the lounge, I was ready for the plane and a good sleep. Ah yes, and the reason I felt I needed the two drinks was because as our departure time approached, we all started to realize that, there was no plane!!!

Our time between planes in Johannesburg was tight- we only had about an hour, so, the later it got, the more nervous I got. As I slowly drank my first cocktail, I tried to relax about it- but then, our departure time came and went and I got more and more nervous and self-medicated with a second drink. It didn't help anything other than keeping me in a pretty good mood- optimistic even, as we finally boarded the plane an hour and a half late. I kept saying that all would be ok, and that we would make up the time in the air.

Alas, we did not make up any time. We landed in Joburg exactly at the same time as our originally planned flight to Perth, Australia was taking off. Joel and I even made a dramatic exit off the plane- jumping up before others, and running up the aisle to be the first ones off and then running to the connection desk- but to no avail. It was too late.

So, our biggest concern then, was that we would definitely be on Sunday's flight, which happened to be a direct flight to Sydney. The guy at the connection desk wrote us a new ticket voucher as well as a voucher for a hotel, transportation and meals included. Fair enough, if we couldn't make it on our scheduled flight, at least we were getting free stuff in the meantime. :) The only bad thing was that we were also not able to get our bags that night in Joburg, because they were locked away in some transit cage. So we headed to the hotel in the stinky clothes we had been in all day, without a change of clothing, without toothbrushes, basically just with our books and neck pillows- important flight accessories.

That night we had our free dinner and went to bed.

The next morning we got up, had our free breakfast, checked out, and took the shuttle bus to the local shopping center. I was desperate for a clean shirt and clean underwear. So we walked around for a few hours, finally picked something out, and then caught the shuttle back to the hotel, to catch the shuttle to the airport again.

We made it to the airport, and found another line for the line- people were already lining up for check in- including many of our friends from school. We stood in that line for hours too. I think it took about an hour to reach the front. And then this is where the fun began.

First, of course we were nervous to be told that we were actually listed as flying stand-by or something. I was already prepared to pitch a fit, and make sure that not matter what, even if it meant being thrown up into first class, we would be on this flight! Well, when we got to the check in, the guy says to us, "Um, Joel, you're booked for this flight to Sydney, but Mara, this new ticket number here is actually a booking for a flight to Durban." Huh? So, there came the first heart attack. So the guy says, you have to go over to the other counter (where of course, there is another long and equally slow moving line) to have a new ticket number issued. Ok.

So we did it. We lined up over there, got the new number very easily once we actually got to the counter, and headed back to the check in line, where luckily, we were allowed to jump right back to the check in counter, instead of lining up again.

So the guy tries to check us in again. I also ask him to make sure that my meals are listed as vegetarian, which I am sure they will not be, because that is always the way it goes. At this point we got a mean lady into the mix who was all, "It's not my fault we don't have your meal, if you didn't pre-order it for THIS flight." Bullshit. I fought that one, and I won. I got my meal.

But the guy is trying to check us in, and even though the ticket number is good now, it's still not working. Grr. There happened to be a manager standing by talking to us at the same time, and our check in guy then turned to him and was like, "I don't understand why this isn't working..." Never a good sign... The guy knew I was American, because he had asked to look at my passport before, because it was the first new American passport he'd ever seen. So then he puts forth the question, "Do you have a visa?" My jaw dropped. Ummm....no. Heart attack number 2. He adds, "Everyone who is not an Australian citizen needs a visa to go to Australia!" Groan. Why hasn't anyone mentioned this? Not when we booked our flights, not when we checked in for the first leg of our flight- no one ever mentioned it. And honestly, we just figured, since Aussies don't need a visa to get into the States, surely we don't need a visa to get into Oz. Wrong. Well anyway, we were lucky, I was lucky- and it was possible, because I was American, to purchase a visa at the airport through the airline. But of course, it meant having to go back to that other counter, line up there again, pay, and come back. So we did it. And finally, finally, finally we got our boarding passes, assurance that our bags had been entered into the system, and would be on the flight, and that I would have my veg meal. We got through security quickly, and went straight to the first restaurant we saw, where we happened to find people from school again. It was about 4pm now, we'd spent just about three hours jumping back and forth between those two lines, and hadn't eaten since 9am. So we ate.

Finally our flight was called to board, and we went and did that. We got on board, and proceeded to sit there for quite a long time as well, as the flight was again more than an hour late, maybe two, departing. The good news is that the flight itself was not exciting. We got seats right behind all the babies, who were well behaved, and when they weren't had parents who were at least actively doing something about it. But, mostly, everyone, babies included, slept.

We finally arrived to Sydney around 4pm on Monday (instead of 10:30pm Sunday). We caught a cab, and came to Mere's house. After a warm welcome, hot showers, finally a totally clean change of clothes and being able to brush our teeth, we headed out for dinner. We had Thai, which was fabulous. :) Then we bar hopped, met celebrities :), and finally came home again. Joel, who had slept much less on the plane, was exhausted, and went to bed. Mere and I, girls with lots to talk about, stayed up until 2, drinking wine and chatting. :)

Then came yesterday- first things first, we were off to the hair salon. I have been desperate for a cut and color for a while now. Final product came out ok- as long as I wear my hair down, and not pulled back, when it looks stripey, because of the poor way the lady did the highlights. Oh well. Then, we shopped a bit. Joel had bought some Phantom comics while we were getting our hair done, and just trailed us, reading his comics. Finally, after I made a few purchases, we headed into the city, to Sydney Harbour. We walked around, had lunch, and then headed for the classic tourist pics. And, cue pictures.

Me, new hair, and famous Opera

Mara and Joel, Sydney skyline

Mara and Mere, Harbour Bridge, Opera

And me again.

And us again.

After walking around Sydney for a while, we got ice creams, and then got a ferry, to to see everything from a different perspective. Nice ride. We ended up coming home, and crashing on the couches (not just us jet-lagged ones, but Mere as well- we'd had a long day of lots of walking!). Eventually we walked up the road to get take-away for dinner- Joel got a pizza, I got Thai again. Oh it's lovely to have restaurants to choose from. :)

Today, we leave Sydney, and head for Melbourne. It's just a short domestic flight, but believe you me, we're getting to the airport with time to spare, just in case. In any case, we should be in Melbourne with Joel's parents by late afternoon. :)

Finally in Oz...

After quite a trip... delayed, missed flights, turned away, let known at the last minute that I needed a visa... my goodness, it felt like we would never get here...but finally, here we are.

No time to post too much now...but a few piccies....

Here I am with beautiful, beautiful Mere!!! She's putting us up for two days (instead of three because we missed our dang flight!) here in Sydney, before we fly off to Melbourne....

(Isn't she cute>?!?!?!?)

And now....how lucky am I to meet one of Australia's premiere actors on my first night here?!?!? One of the stars of the new movie, "Australia"!!!!! Who are you thinking of? Nicole...yeah, she's a Sydney girl... not her... Hugh Jackman? No, no, it wasn't either of them...

Bill Hunter!!!!

(In case you don't recognize him...he was in Muriel's Wedding, Strictly Ballroom and many more... and yes, we met him at the bar tonight. )

So, here we are... safe and sound in AUSTRALIA!!!! Whooohoooo!!!!!

I did it again.

Another 5k today. :)

And, it's less than 24 hours until we leave for the airport (I should start packing, hey?) and just under 30 until we take off!

Wahoo!!!!!

Another accomplishment

I have not kept up a regular yoga practice in quite some time- years in fact. Long gone are the days, in China, when my regular routine was leave work at 5:15, catch a cab (and a nap) to the bumper to bumper car packed corner of Fuxing Xi Lu and Huashan Lu, where I would jump out of the cab, run inside, and make a 6:00 Flow class every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (I went on Saturdays or Sundays too, but that was a different routine). I have not since experienced the commitment, the zen, the flexibility or the yoga butt that I had at that time. Lord do I miss all four. In Latvia I went to several different classes and studios, but never found a place where I really felt at home, and therefore, never found a regular practice.

Since being in Angola, I have pulled out a yoga dvd (and done it!) a handful of times- not a lot. But, since I started going to the gym more regularly, I also added in one of my very favorite asanas (poses). The good ole headstand, as pictured above (and yes, I do my headstands close to a wall, in case I need the support, but, the whole time I am up in the headstand, I am unsupported by the wall- I am freely standing on my head/arms). It's good for lots of things- including but not limited to (according to yogajournal.com):

• Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
• Stimulates the pituitary and pineal glands
• Strengthens the arms, legs, and spine
• Strengthens the lungs
• Tones the abdominal organs
• Improves digestion
• Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
• Therapeutic for asthma, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis

When I read the list of benefits, it's crystal clear to me right away, why I like the pose so much. Relieves my depression, aids my weak guts, and helps me have babies? I'm in love!

I read recently in one of the daily (or weekly?) yoga emails I receive that in order to receive the benefits of headstand, you must stay in it for 3 minutes. Since I go to the gym alone, I don't have a watch with a timer, nor a clock that I can see when I stand on my head, I don't know how long I stay up there.

Luckily, recently, I have been in the gym at the same time as the colleague of mine who's been supportive of my running. So I've asked her to time me. She lets me know each minute that passes, and then I come out of headstand at 3 minutes.

Today though, I felt strong, and after my 5k on Sunday (and 4k yesterday), I was ready to push for more. So, when my colleague told me three minutes had passed, I told her I was just going to see how much longer I could go. I actually muttered some incomplete phrase at her, using some of the words I wanted- because when you're as focused as you need to be to be safely in a headstand, talking is not a thing you want to do. Anyway, next I knew she was telling me it was 4 minutes, and then it was 5. My legs were starting to sway at that point (a sign of fatigue, when you can no longer hold yourself steady), so I decided to lower myself down.

I'm doing good with 5's these days.... 5k run on the treadmill, 5 minutes in headstand...hmm...5 um, ok, well, that's all. But I think both are cool.

10 minute headstands, here I come!

For the record...

I got up this morning, ON A SUNDAY MORNING, at 6am, to go for a run! And I ran....wait for it, wait for it....

5k!

We're going to the beach today, and I knew that if I didn't go run before, it wouldn't happen today...but I already didn't run Friday and Saturday, so I really wanted to go today. So I did it.

Now I have to get Joel out of bed and get us ready for the beach, because the boy ain't getting up!

P.S. Mere, I know that they say that the intervals are more effective for calorie burn- here is my problem. When I run on a treadmill, it doesn't count my real calories, it counts only according to its own gadgets. So, when I run, I don't see as big a number at the end of the interval run as I do at the end of the straight runs. Also, I will say that the interval runs feel easier than the straight runs. So, right now, everything is conspiring against me to make me think that straight running is more work, and therefore more calories. Clearly, what I need is a good heart-rate monitor, so I can actually know what I am doing calorie wise. Maybe a certain someone who told me last night that he doesn't know what to get me for Christmas, *coughJoelcough*, might read this, and surprise me with one. :)

Christmas Party Round-up

Our staff Christmas party was last night. I won't say too much about it, but it started off a little weird, because the whole thing took place in the cafeteria. The full fluorescent overhead lights were on, and everyone was sitting at tables all around the edge of the place eating and staring at each other. Bit weird. We went in, got some drinks, some food, and sat down with some friends. It didn't take too long for the music to get so loud that our silverware was actually vibrating to the beat against the plate on the table. Thankfully, the lights got turned off eventually, and I think some colored spots were turned on to provide "mood lighting". Anyway, the locals were impressing and intimidating with their dance moves, and it was too loud to have a conversation in the room, so, a lot of people started grabbing drinks and moving outside the caf. A bunch of the girls did eventually get up and dance, and I got dragged out there as well. After a couple songs I snuck outside though. And look what I got then:

Yay! There was a baby. The baby belongs to one of the computer tech guys. Just 4 months old, and teething like it's going out of style. He was styling a little Bozo style 'do, and was about as placid as a little kid could be, being passed from one set of strange arms to another. We all (girls) took turns holding him- I got him at an especially wet time- his drool slimed all the way down my arm and dripped on my foot. Not that I minded, but his dad did try to clean me up, because he could see what was going on. So anyway, all of us girls were standing one circle passing and cooing over the baby, and all the guys were standing in another circle trying to pretend they couldn't see us. Between all the newlyweds and couples getting married next summer, there are more than a few women on campus getting clucky, and more than a few men who, like it or not (although I know that most of them secretly really do like it) know what's in their future.

Of course, since I'm such a baby freak, and not hiding it at all, I made Joel take pictures.
Cute!

So, that was basically the highlight of the Christmas party. We did go back in and dance a bit more after the baby-holding. And then we had had enough of the music and went off to a porch for more quiet drinks. It was a Friday night though, and usually, on a Friday night I'm asleep at around 9pm, passed out on the couch, so, by the time 12:30 rolled around I was beyond tired, and headed home to sleep.

Can't say it felt like a Christmas or holiday party. There were no holiday decorations, no Secret Santa or anything, no, well, nothing. And between the heat and wearing the dress I wore in the summer to DB's wedding, and the swimming that some girls did around 11pm, well, it's confusing for me to try to get into the holiday spirit. I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again- I'm just not sure how this whole Christmas in the heat thing is going to go over for me- but I'm willing to see. :)

Learning to run...

I've gotten back on the exercise wagon- my sticker chart is up to 35 stickers now- 20 of which have yet to be redeemed. I think I'll be getting a mani/pedi in Oz; maybe just before our party. :)

Anyway- last week, when I decided to head back to the gym, something got me on the treadmill, running, not walking. Don't know what it was, and I don't know why- but I found myself running, and enjoying it!

I started that first day setting the timer for 20 minutes- and I warmed up for 5 of those and cooled down for 2. I used a "run 2 minutes/walk 1" pattern to get started. That first day, those first 20 minutes seemed ok. It wasn't too hard, but felt like exercise that was actually accomplishing something.

I went back the next day and tried again. I ran a little faster, but kept to the 2/1 intervals.

On the weekend, I went back to gym again, and decided to push myself. I upped my time to 25 minutes. I did it again the next day.

I had heard of a program called "Couch to 5K"- a running guide to get basically anyone off the couch, and eventually, running a 5km distance. Sounded good. After enjoying the few previous runs, I started thinking about doing a program like the C25K one. I also mentioned my interest to a fellow teacher, who is a real runner (one marathon in her past, she's training for the next). I also started to, for the first time, watch the distance counter on the treadmill (instead of the time, or the calories burned).

My previously mentioned colleague stopped by on Monday and handed me some papers- a beginners running program that she had printed for me. I glanced at the first week, and saw that in the first week a couple 3K runs and at least one 5k run were included! I thanked her, but also said that I thought I might need a beginner beginners program if this one included 3 and 5ks in the first week!

But then I went to the gym. I decided to push myself some more. Still using the 2/1 intervals, I selected 25 minutes again, and upped my speeds. I surprised the crap out of myself that day by running 3.3km. Who knew I could do that?!?

All of a sudden, that 5k didn't seem that far off!

Over the last two days, I upped my time to 30 minutes on the treadmill, and upped my speeds. Yesterday I ran 3.9km, and today, 4.1km. Oh, and, today, I didn't run/walk in intervals. I just kept running, telling myself that if I felt pain, got a cramp, felt too out of breath, I would walk. I ran for 25 minutes only taking one 1-minute walking interval in that time.

I'll do a 5k next week.

I'm not really sure what I'm doing when it comes to this running thing. I'm not following a program, and maybe I should. Maybe I should do some reading on the Internet and just take note of some pointers.

The thing I am doing is listening to my body. I'm not pushing myself further or faster than I can go. But, at the same time, I am pushing myself when it feels easy, when it feels like I can do more- and look, turns out I can do more!

What surprises me is that before, any time I tried to run, it was always the breathing that got me. I would have to stop because I would get a cramp in my side, because I couldn't breathe. My legs never felt that tired, they always felt like I could keep going, but I couldn't breathe. This time, I'm not having this problem. I mean, the 25 minutes today blew me away, because that was a long time running, without any problem breathing! I found myself wondering if possibly, I'm not just that much further from the abuse I used to inflict on my lungs (it's been nearly a year and a half since I quit smoking now).

So, I'm learning to run. I'm enjoying it. I'm still aware that I am running measly distances compared to most real "runners". I remember my brother heading out for a run in high school- I think he'd head out and do 10 miles in an afternoon. Yeah, I'm still a ways off that! And, I am running 1-2 kph slower than my running colleague. But she even said that for a beginner, I'm moving at a good pace.

I've started tracking my runs- because I think it'll be fun to watch my progress. So far, the progress is pretty impressive. I'm excited to keep going, and see what I can achieve.

Love/hate relationship

Quick rant.

I love technology. I don't know where I would be without my computer, without the internet, without tv, without my mobile phone, etc, etc. I love technology.

But I hate technology when it doesn't work. And when it has to be so freaking complicated as to why it's not working.

For instance- what idiot made the clock gadget I have on this blog? It shows the wrong time for basically every place I have on there. I just had to readjust the Luanda time and the Michigan time- even though, I'm sure that at one point, they were right.

So, will someone tell me- is the time right for Latvia, the mountains, Medan and Melbourne?

Grrr... technology- I love you, but I hate you!

And for the record- I do remember a time before all this technology- even though I was born in the year that makes me a "digital native" according to some sources. But, I do remember knowing a whole lot of phone numbers- in fact, I still know a lot of phone numbers of people who live in the States (right, Ang?) that I dial only once or twice a year. But, yeah, it is easier to just have it in your cell phone isn't it?

Camping on the beach...

Once a month we have "early close Friday" at school. Schools ends at 13:20 instead of 15:00, so everyone gets a nice slightly extended weekend. Many of us at school take advantage of the situation to head to the beach on a Friday instead of Saturday and spend the night. By the time we get there it's about 16:00/16:30- which gives us enough time to set up the tents in the light, and have a swim or a surf. So that is what we did. Then we all dried off, had some drinks, some snacks. Eventually (in the dark- its getting dark these days around 18:30/19:00), we made a fire, cooked dinner on the grill (Joel and I warmed up alfoil wrapped packets of Thanksgiving dinner) and ate in the way you do when you can't really see your plate. :) It was just a little cloudy, so we saw some amazing stars.

I have never slept on a beach before- and I have to say that 1) sand can be really hard and really uncomfortable and 2) the sound of the waves all night is really, really soothing. I told Joel that next time we go we have to spend some time actually making sure that we level out the sand below our tent, because the amount of lumps and bumps digging into me was just not cool. Otherwise though, it was a nice sleep for me.

The best part of spending the night at the beach is, of course, already being at the beach come morning. :) Joel had set his alarm for dawn to see if there were any waves that early. He got up, but there weren't, so we went back to sleep. We ended up getting up around 7 and enjoying the sunshine. Joel eventually got to surfing, although there were very few waves today. I laid around in the sun reading and went for the odd dip in the water. It was lovely. Finally, around 11:30 we set off to home. It's great because now, it's still Saturday afternoon- but we feel like we've already had a full weekend in a way. It really is lovely. :)

Here's some photo evidence...

Early morning chillin on the beach- after our first swim

Can you see the crab? This beach is littered with crabs- when you walk they literally scatter in all directions with every step. You have to make sure you zip your tent at night, cause I've heard stories that they get in otherwise. Also they don't disappear at night- as you walk you can *just* see them- and you just hope that they can see you better than you can see them...

not cute

cute

super cute

contemplative (actually, he's probably thinking- "Can I surf that wave? Are they getting bigger? Maybe they are...I should get out there....")

Crab friend

Mon and Don hanging on the beach- do you like that custom beach chair?

Our camping business on the beach...

In other exciting, but totally unrelated news- there is a new blog! 4 windows is a collaborative project fueled by my soon to be sister in law Mook- but 4 windows isn't just about her- it's about all of us- "us" being Joel and his 3 brothers and the women and children who make up their families. You can find the link to the blog at the top of my "Blogs I like to read" list on the left. We've posted our first post- "the families"- this is who's participating. We'll post pictures once a week- just one picture from each family, from each corner of the world- pictures will fit a theme- and we're guessing that eventually we'll all see that even though we in 4 different corners of the world, our lives don't look that different. Or maybe they do. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

The table looks a little sparse- both food and people wise, but, alas, it was a "best-we-could-do" type Thanksgiving- whatever I could come up with food wise, and just the two of us. That however, in and of itself, is a lot to be thankful for.

(If you're wondering, Joel had a piece of marinated, baked chicken, and I had a veggie meat thing. We also had mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, roast pumpkin, corn and stuffing. The stuffing turned out fantastic. The rest was good. We'll both have leftovers tomorrow.)

((Oh, and also- yes, Joel is sporting a mustache. He has been since November 1st, in honor of Movember. A bunch of the men on campus took part this year actually. He started off with a porno style handlebar thing again, but I guess last week he shaved the sides off, and has been sporting the regular old creepy mustache ever since. I'm REALLY happy December 1st is Monday, and that will be the end of Movember.))

(((And as a third side-note, I made this dinner on a school night, when I had also exercised. It was only when I got to the table at 8pm that I realized I hadn't made broccoli or salad- so there was nothing green. I was horrified, and then I got over it and ate. It was too late as it was.)))

One of those days....

Yesterday was one of those days. One of those days when you end up hating living abroad.

I have to admit, I don't have these days very often- but, when they hit, they are bad, usually especially because you don't really realize what's going on- you just know you're in a bad mood.

So, what happened for me happened in stages.

First, after a fairly good school day, I came home and tried to Skype with my mom and little brother. My little brother is home for Thanksgiving (tomorrow). Now for those of you that don't know- if I haven't mentioned it since LAST Thanksgiving; Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love it because you always get together with family (for me it was usually family that I don't see that often), you eat fabulous food (goodness I love the autumnal harvest feast!) and there are no presents. Don't get me wrong, I love giving (and certainly receiving) presents, but I find things like Christmas very stressful. I get VERY happy when I find presents that I know someone will really like, and that I am happy to give- but I'm really not into obligatory gift giving. Anyway, that is another tangent...

So I tried to Skype with my mom and brother. It was funny because they could hear me really well, but on my end it was all crackly, in and out and hard to hear. So they kept laughing when I couldn't hear them, or when I mis-heard what they were saying. Anyway, it was nice, but didn't last long because Joel and I had to go grocery shopping (when you have a bus booked, you have to go!).

When I got off the phone though- it hit me, they are there together, I'm here, not with them, or with anyone who is going to celebrate Thanksgiving and that all sucked just a bit.

So then we were in the store and I walked around the produce section for a long time, hoping to see something, well, fresh. I picked up some potatoes and some apples. I looked at the zucchini, cucumbers, squash, and really lots of other things- but honestly, it's not just that it's not the pretty, pretty produce we're used to in the States, its that it looks (and is!) old, and wrinkly and just well, not good. Hmph. So then I went to the frozen food aisle, and was thankfully able to pick up some broccoli and some of the good brand of spinach (one of em just tastes fishy, bleh!).

Then we walked up and down all the other aisles picking up this and that, but when we got to the end, I realized that, of the shopping list of ingredients for Thanksgiving foods I had, I hadn't been able to buy all of the ingredients for a single thing that I would have wanted to make on Thursday for dinner. I made Joel walk up and down the aisles one more time, just in case I missed something- but, I had done well the first time, and there was nothing to add to our cart. I got in line and just teared up. Suddenly, not being with family, and not being able to buy the food I wanted was all just too much. I swallowed my tears, but, just felt pooey.

I came home, in a bad mood, made and ate dinner (the frozen broccoli was nice) and was generally miserable for the rest of the night. This is what happens- when you're having a day like this, it sets you off, and then every next thing just makes you more cranky- suddenly the couch isn't big enough, there aren't enough tvs, it's too hot and then too cold- you get the idea.

The thing is when you choose to live like we do, a vital part of the arrangement is that you see, experience and enjoy where you are- but you also make sure you get out and spend some time in "normalcy" (normalcy of course being defined as what you are used to- which makes it a very subjective concept) as well. Usually you would do this during vacations. If you're really lucky, you might even get sent on some professional development trip to some place "normal".

In Latvia a trip to the UK or just across the Baltic sea to Sweden or Finland would count for this bit of normalcy. Of course summer breaks are the ultimate chance to get out and have your normal. How often you get out can really depend on where you are- and how far from "normal" the place where you are is - in Latvia it was enough to leave once a year, in China I left more often. Here in Angola, I have a feeling we might need a dose of normal more often than we did in Latvia. A hefty dose of fresh produce, nice shopping, and normal driving would all do me well.

When your "normal" reserves are full, you can really enjoy all that is wonderful about a place- but it gets harder the more depleted your normal reserves get- and obviously, the full 4+ months that we will have spent in Angola before we leave, is just a little too long without refueling the normal.

So...one of those days... thankfully it's over now... and I am aware, that I don't actually hate Angola or living abroad, I just need some normal. 17 days til Australia! :) (But, how normal will THAT be?)





(Oh, I'm just kidding all you Aussies!)

Spazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzm

My thumb - involuntarily jerks back and forth - randomly. I have developed a spasm. I don't know if it's stress related, or due to over-use or mis-use. Either way, whether I'm sitting doing nothing, working at school, on the computer or whatever, my thumb just keeps moving on its own. Right now it's not painful, and I hope it remains that way.

And God forbid that my spasm is use-related. It would be connected to the computer use if anything, and if someone said I had to use it less, well, I don't know what I would do.

More importantly, I am having fun planning wedding stuff, and I would like to concentrate on that rather than work. (No, I'm not at work now, I'm just saying, in general, I'd rather be thinking about my wedding than work...) It's report time right now, and although the reports I have to write this year are the shortest, easiest of my career, I still find myself moving slowly through them, choosing to check and re-check my RSVP mailbox. Ah well, I have 8 paragraphs left to write for my reports to be complete, and I have until Friday. I think I'll make it.

Also, on a very happy note- I found out today that I have lost 4kg/9lbs in about a month! I've been getting comments from lots of people around here and there that I'm looking good/better- or as one mother of a student said, "You are getting the skinny!" It's nice to hear, but I didn't have a way to measure my success- now I do. It's inspiring and motivating! Makes me want to get back to my exercising, which is so easy to not do, and see more results!

Finally, it's just before 11pm and I am sitting on the couch kind of sweaty. Oh, and it's the end of November. Yeah. OK, our air con unit in the living room is busted, and if it wasn't, I wouldn't be sweaty, but still. A lot of my friends who live in colder climes have been blogging/writing/posting pictures of the snow and cold they are experiencing in their lives right now. I've never not been where it's snowing. Did I already say, that it's not really real to me that finally, FINALLY I get to have a winter without snow? I know, technically, where I am it's summer, but, for 28 years winter has been November-February (or Sept/October to March/April while I lived in Latvia) so, it's hard to think of this any other way, than winter without snow. Goodness I love it. Although, I am somewhat anxiously anticipating experiencing Christmas without snow, because that will be different. Not sure what it will be like- but, like I told a friend I wrote an email to- I'm willing to learn to get used to it. :)

Bed time...me and my spazzoid thumb need to sleep.

An unexpected and truly wonderful surprise

The following email just popped up in my inbox a second ago... unexpected, and truly wonderful... (details have been changed to preserve anonymity)

Dear Mara,
Mitch is in Advanced Language Arts this year. As an assignment they needed to write a letter to a person who has influenced them. Naturally, YOU were selected!!! ...I have to admit, I am a tad bit JEALOUS!!! (hee hee).

I will type you what Mitchell wrote...

"Dear Mrs. Putelis, (yes, MRS....)

You will be a teacher that I will remember for a long time. You are important to me because you were my first teacher. I was nervous on the first day of school but when you said my name, I felt better. After that day I wasn't nervous at all.

I'll never forget when we danced in the class to the Numa Numa song. You would play the song from the internet and we would dance all around the classroom. I told the other class and they danced, too. It was a fun time.

I especially liked when you let us have inside recess. The room that we got to play in was fun because it had a ball pit. We also played in the tubes that you can climb in. I had a fun time and I'm glad you took us there.

I'm in the fourth grade in Small Town, Ohio. I still remember my kindergarten class in China.

I just want to thank you for being a great kindergarten teacher.

Sincerely,
Mitchell"


...They had to write this letter in cursive. I must admit he has great penmanship!! He wanted to mail it to you, but then thought that this would be the best way for you to get it!

I KNOW he would LOVE to hear from you, if you have time to drop him an email!!! We think of you every time we see your name on MSN pop up. Mitch is too scared to type to you on it... Hope you are well and will enjoy the letter and upcoming Holidays!!!

Fondly,
Mitch's Mom and Mitch


One of the kids in the following picture may be Mitchell as I remember him- but I won't tell you which one. ;)


Some school years are tougher than others. I have to admit, I've had a run of pretty trying ones since I left Shanghai. The two classes I had there were really spectacular, and while I loved every single one of my students as individuals, as far as classes go, the ones I had in Latvia really made me work for my money. This year is tough for all sorts of reasons- but of course, there are still plenty of kids I'd like to stuff in my pocket and take home with me.

It's nice to know, sometimes even long after the fact, that you've touched a life; that you're remembered. My time in Shanghai was all kinds of things- but generally speaking, at school it was good. I'll remember Mitch and his classmates for a long time too. :)

Oh, and if you're wondering what the Numa Numa song is... have a listen and a watch here.

Planning, planning, planning...

We've been doing a lot of planning lately... it's kind of exciting! We've booked all our flights for the next 9 months. It's pretty crazy- but it has to be done that way, because for one thing all the flights in and out of Luanda can get booked very quickly- as in, when we were looking at the flights for August (when we will come back to Luanda after the summer) there were several flights right around when we want to come back that were already sold out! What I'm most excited to know is that on June 21st we'll fly into Kalamazoo (after spending a week in NYC-which should certainly be exciting!). It's just fun to know when I'll be home again.

We've also booked the flights for Mexico. :) Yay!

We also planned, and ordered, our wedding bands. Wheeeee!!!! I'm very excited about them- they will be beautiful, and just exactly what we want.

Invitations are picked out, but, not ordered just yet. Party favors (personalized matchbooks! So cheesy, but so cute! And we might still get something else too...) and personalized napkins have been ordered and delivered. My mom is the lucky person who gets to open, look at, and then store all of these packages for now. I envy her. :)

Oh, and yeah, we've booked our flights for our honeymoon as well. Even when I put the poll up, we had mostly already decided- we're going to Mauritius. It should have the perfect blend of beaches, surfing, wonderful weather, culture and nature to suit both of us. :) The other destinations were all possibilities at one point or another- and will remain on our list of places to visit.

Other than all this planning, I haven't been doing much. My job is getting the best of me, er, all of me, right now. It's kind of a long story, and things aren't that good for me right now, so I am just REALLY looking forward to the holidays coming up soon- as you can see from the ticker on the left- only 23 days to go! :) But, of course, being stressed out would be helped by exercising again- it's a matter of just doing it, isn't it? Maybe tomorrow... :)

Happy to see the participation on the polls... new ones coming up soon!

Look, new stuff!

Hey! I added cool stuff to my blog! See my new poll? You have to answer it (even if you want to pick the third answer- you have to answer it!).

And see my new clocks? I hate always having to think about what time it is everywhere- when my computer is on, I always have my blog up- so now, when I want to know if it's too early to call the States- boom, there is the time! Now the only problem, right now, is that it is actually showing the wrong time for Angola. We're an hour behind what it says there. Apparently, the rest of the world thinks we had a time change- but we didn't.

I'm excited about my new blog stuff.

Oh, and also, did you see that today, it's exactly ONE MONTH until we go to Australia?!? I am so excited!!! I get to meet my friend M for the first time, I get to shop, I get to eat yummy food, I get to shop, I get to WEDDING DRESS SHOP!!!, I get to go to a party (for us!), I get to meet the rest of Joel's family! I am just so excited about this trip. Oh, and wait, also, I GET TO GO TO AUSTRALIA! :) That's exciting enough as it is! :)

Now I have to go back to class, because my lunch break is over (I do love being able to come home and eat lunch at my table, sit on my couch, watch my tv, read my book- all during my work day! It's great.).

Answer my poll!

Explanation necessary?

I pondered leaving this picture without any explanation.... but, you know I can't not write something! :) So, for those of you who may not know, that is Australia's flag on my arm.

Why do I have a tattooed Australian flag on my arm? Fear not, it's not real!

Yesterday (oh man, am I allowed to talk about this?) was International Day at our school. It's a big, big event ALL ORGANIZED BY PARENTS (that's the kind of events we like!). It started with a parade of nations- kids, parents, and guests all dressed in patriotic clothing, whether national costumes, football jerseys, or gaudy t-shirts and sunglasses, walked a loop for the rest of us to ooh and aah over. I love it when my kids (that is my students) see me out of our normal situation- their eyes get big, they get really shy and hide behind their mom's/dad's legs, and just smile really big.

After the parade there were performances on a stage set up in the middle of the outdoor basketball court. It was great until it got REALLY sunny, and hot. But, well, I actually still wasn't complaining. :) Mostly the performances were either fashion shows or dancing. It was pretty cool to see performances from countries that have never been represented in schools where I have worked previously. The Angolans did a tribal dance (amazing how similar it was to what I remember from high school dances- it's obvious where African Americans get their inspiration!), the Nigerians did a very impressive fashion show, the South Africans did a very cool gum-boot-footed miner's dance. The Colombians and Brazilians also danced- hmmm, who else? I don't remember, but, they were all great. :)

After the shows, the stalls opened. All the countries that were there (not all our school's countries were represented) had elaborate stalls including information about their countries, pictures, knick-knacks and FOOD. Oh yum, the food. :) I am trying to keep to a pre-wedding detox/weight loss diet (and doing REALLY well, if I don't say so myself!), but I had my first splurge in two weeks. I had a custard tart from Portugal, a deep fried milk ball from Bangladesh, one bite of a New Zealand cookie and some falafel and hummus from Israel. YUM! I had to down a bunch of water after that though, because, since my recent diet has been sugar and carb free, those four bits of food sent my blood sugar soaring- I had an amazing buzz on!

At the same time as the stalls were open there was a silent auction on. Each country put together baskets of goodies from their country- food, toys, wine, booze, books, sporting equipment and lots more. The bids on the baskets started at $50 or $100. They looked good, but, um, yeah, we passed. :)

All the proceeds from the international day go to charity- I think to an orphanage (and those baskets went for as much as $500 each!). So, I think the money raised is going to be a nice contribution to the kids who will get it. :)

So, the tattoo then- obviously gotten at the Australian stall- Joel applied them (I have a matching one on the other arm) himself. Apparently I expended all the patriotism I have on election day- because I showed up yesterday in jeans and a black top- and then ended up with Australian tattoos on my arms. :) Joel just kept saying, "You're marrying one, you'll practically be one!" I went with the flow. :)

So, yeah, this is me today, with the tattoos still on my arms, which I think Joel thought looked funny with my "wife-beater" tank top. And if you're wondering, well, you're right- I haven't showered today- I've spent the whole day on the couch, reading, surfing the net, watching tv and getting up only to do laundry. :) Good day. :)

Look what came in the mail today!

You can't say I didn't try. You can say I didn't try hard enough. But you can't say I didn't try.


Thanks goodness Obama won- because I already cried about not voting before the election, and the entire day of the election. If he had lost, I would have felt personally responsible.

Proud to be American

I don't think I've ever uttered these words before.

This morning, when my alarm rang, I'll admit, it was a little tough to pull myself out of bed. But, when I finally did, I remembered there was a good reason for me to get out in the living room, and turn the tv on. I was very excited to check the election results. My heart started pounding as I reached for the remote, pressed the button, and started flipping from the sports channel the tv was left on last night by Joel, to a news station. Any station. I think I arrived at BBC News first- who were running banners and announcing, "Obama has done it!"

I had taped all the election coverage on CNN, and before I went to work, I watched Obama's acceptance speech. I got chills, I was moved near to tears, I couldn't stop smiling. What a victory for our nation.

Did you read what I just wrote? Gosh! When was the last time that you heard me refer to the US as "our nation?" Now, I know this might make me a fair-weather American. But here's the thing...

Growing up in rather international circles- what with having lots of friends in Canada, studying abroad in France, and then, needless to say, working abroad for the last 5+ years (this is my sixth!)...I have as an American passport holder gotten endless flack for being American. And this is long before I got intimate with all the Australians, who make fun (of anything and anyone) for fun. And the thing is, when people laughed at Americans through me for over-reacting about Monica, or hated on Americans through me for re-electing Bush, I couldn't fight back. All I could say was, "I'm not one of THOSE Americans."

For a long, long time, I associated more with being Latvian than American. Then I moved to Latvia, and realized, "Hey, I'm not *REALLY* one of these people either." Yeah, it was around then that I started to have major, "Who am I?" issues. It coincided perfectly with my mid-twenties.

But today, this morning, I said to Joel, "I have the weirdest feeling Joel! Today, for the first time in my life, I'm proud to be an American!" I desperately wished that I had a patriotic shirt or pin to wear- alas, I've never once bought a piece of clothing that has an American flag on it, or "USA". Ah well. My extra bright smile today might be enough to show how I feel- but it is amazing- really, and truly, proud to be American.

And for the record- it's not just because Obama won- it's because I have never, never seen so many people out there, fighting for what they believe in. Never has our country seen such high voter registration and turn out. It's inspiring. It's wonderful that apparently all those people that thought to themselves, "My vote won't make a difference" in the last election, finally got it, and finally decided to make a difference.

I am truly, truly inspired. And on this day, I have to say, I am going to share my joy with anyone who asks- and I'll do it in front of anyone. I don't care. Today, I won't be silenced.


Now- we have to keep supporting Obama. He is going to need all the good energy and support he can get to tackle some of the issues he's going to be faced with. He can count on me. Even if I'm not there, on US soil, I'll be supporting him from wherever I am! :)

***Later that day....

It's always something though isn't it? I'm so excited about Obama's win. But then, I have to hear the news about proposition 8. The proposition set forth by people so afraid, that they think that letting other people be happy will take away from their own (probably meager) happiness. Prop 8 was about adding an amendment to the State constitution making same-sex marriages illegal, and specifically putting in the words along the lines of, "only a marriage between a man and a woman will be legal and recognized in (insert state name)." So sad. Alas, we have had a shining moment, but America still has so far to go, so, so far.