A Day In the Life

A note to all those viewing this video.  No, we do not change clothes that many times in a day.  This video was recorded over several days, but in total it gives a good portrayal of what an average day for us looks like.

Thanks for viewing!

Times You Wish You Had a Camera

Occasionally you run across an incident where you take a very vivid mental picture, but unfortunately do not get an actual photo.  One such occasion happened to me the other day while Andrew and I were out in town.

To preface this mental picture there are a few things you need to know.  First, here in our city, there are lots of little pharmacies.  You cannot walk very far without crossing one.  Secondly, generally speaking, you do not need a prescription to get medication at such said pharmacies.

The other day Andrew and I were walking downtown.  It was in the evening, so things were fairly busy.  As we were walking, I happened to look over through an open door and window of a pharmacy.  What I saw was priceless.  I saw a man who had picked up his boy (around 6 years old) and stood him on the counter.  The little boy's pants were down and the father was pointing at something on his leg showing the pharmacist.  I find this hilarious for several reasons.  I think it is funny that pharmacists are just like doctors here.  They can diagnose and prescribe right on the spot.  The other hilarious thing is that this occurred in the middle of downtown.  Other people were in the store and many people were on the streets walking by the store.

Oh the joys of living in another culture.

Bob's Red Mill

A couple of weeks ago, Andrew and I went downtown to this local food store that has lots of things that expatriates like.  They have a lot of gluten free pastas and even my favorite cereal.  Unfortunately, he did not have any gluten free flour.  We thought the man seemed very nice and if he knew he was going to sell something he might order it.  So we asked him if he could get gluten free flour.  Yesterday we went by to check things out and we found three of these in the flour section:

Even though we just returned from the big city where we stocked up on gluten free flour, we went ahead and bought one.  I am pretty sure we will be the ones to buy the other two as well.

Thankful for helpful people around the world.

Thanksgiving Day

For Thanksgiving, we went over to some American friend's house.  Since I'm gluten free now and Thanksgiving is what I like to call Gluten Paradise, I fixed my own Turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie.  Here is what I have to show for myself.

I am fairly proud of myself.  It was the first time I have made anything Thanksgiving and I was cooking under completely different circumstances that I am accustomed to and Gluten Free.  Granted I think I will do better next year, but for my first time I think everything turned out pretty well.

After dinner at our friend's house, we came home to drink Egg Nog and put up our Christmas Tree.

Again, this is not the best tree in the world, but I am guessing for the tree, ornaments and lights we probably spent about $10.  I think that is pretty good, especially considering we now live in a place that does not even celebrate Christmas.

Thankful

This is our first Thanksgiving overseas.  Our first holiday of any sort for that matter.  It is definitely challenging us being half-way around the world today when we want so badly to be together with our family and friends.  In spite of the distance between us, we are still thankful.

Today I am thankful for my husband, Andrew, who is always so loving and supportive.  I am so grateful that we are in this together and I always have him to lean on.  

I am thankful that, for the most part, we were able to find most of the traditional Thanksgiving foods here and have been able to prepare them (even gluten free!).  

I am thankful that we are even overseas.  We went through a lot of challenges to get here, and I am so thankful that we finally made it!

I am thankful for our family and friends (including our small group) back home.  Our family is always there for us, loving and supporting us.  Our friends are more like family in their support and concern for us.  I am so thankful to have such an amazing family and incredible friends.

I am thankful that my Dad is out of the hospital now.  He fell 12 ft. a few days ago and broke his pelvis in six different places.  I am thankful that he is okay, that he did not need surgery and that now he is out of the hospital.

There are so many more things to be Thankful for.  I am so overwhelmed with gratitude, especially on this day.  I am so thankful for the things here that He has blessed me with.  I am even more thankful for the sacrifice of His Son that He made for us, for me, that we might live forever with Him.  Sometimes it is so hard to fathom how great our Father's love for us is.  Thank you Father, thank you family, thank you friends.

The Place Where It All Began

The video posted below is from our quick trip this weekend.  We travelled to a city that I have not been to for ten years.  When I was 16 years old, I took my first trip overseas.  It was to this city!  It was here that He gave me a heart and a passion for the people in this part of the world.  It was so exciting for me to get to go back.  I have travelled all over the world, but I have never been to any place twice.  It has been ten years, many things have changed, but I still recognized the place and believe it or not, it had the same smell.

The Place Where It All Began

Crazy Day

Andrew and I went on a mini vacation this weekend.  I have been eager to post about all that we did and saw while we were away, but too much has happened today that needs to be blogged about.

This morning we woke up late, had plans in mind for a slow relaxing day, recuperating from the exhaustion of traveling this weekend.  The day brought other events instead.  Last week we went to the police station to get our visa extended.  We thought we had everything we needed to get our extension, but when we arrived we discovered that we needed our landlord to sign a paper.  Last week was the Aid, so our landlord was out of the city and we would need to wait till he returned before we could get our extension.  This morning we got in touch with our landlord, he came to pick us up and together we made our way to the police station.  Upon arrival at the station and speaking with the proper authorities, we discovered there were many more things that we needed to do before we could get our extension.  Without knowing what we were doing or where we were going, we loaded up in our landlord's van.  First we went and made some photocopies (figured that out as we stood in front of a copy machine), then we went to another police station.  Got something stamped and paid some money.  Went to anther police station, but turns out it wasn't there anymore so we found the new location all the way across town.  This station was so new nobody knew where anyone was or who needed to help us with what we needed help with (I'm not even sure what we needed help with!).  After talking to several people and waiting in several different locations, we finally found someone who gave our landlord a phone number.  I am not quite sure what happened, but he took us back home and said he would pick us up again at 2:00.

At 2:00 we headed back to the same station, this time with a new paper in tow.  Waited around some more then finally got a stamp on something.  There was something else that we needed at this station but could not get until tomorrow.  Our landlord then took us back to his house where we met his family and enjoyed tea and snacks.  We finally arrived back at our apartment around 4:30 with strict orders that he would pick us up again at 8:30 the next morning.  We had not been back long before a little boy knocked on our door.  He had a piece of paper and on it was written:

Hello.  are you busy I want to visit you if its okay with you at 5.15

                                            your neighbour

This was from the lady who lives underneath us.  A couple of weeks ago I took her some cookies to meet her.  I was excited she was coming!  Andrew and I ran around straightening and I threw some cookies in the oven.  We had planned to go to town and check our mail and do a couple of other errands.  Andrew went ahead and went to town while I was to stay and visit with my neighbor.  She arrived with her three children.  Two boys and one girl.  Thankfully she is very good at English.  She talked just about the entire time, which was good for me because I was nervous about running out of conversation.  The unfortunate part about this was that I really did not get to say much at all.  But I am very excited to have had my neighbor in my house and build that relationship even more.  Hopefully we will get together even more in the coming year.

After my neighbor left, Andrew and I fixed dinner and settled in to watch a TV show.  About halfway through our show, thankfully after we had finished eating, there was a knock on our door.  It was the man of the family I got to visit with during the Aid.  Andrew invited him in and I went to prepare some tea and cookies.  As I am writing this, they are visiting together and Andrew is getting what sounds like an Arabic lesson.

It has been an exciting day.  Quite unexpected but very welcomed.  It's 7:30 here and for locals the night is still young.  I wonder if we will have any more visits today!

Day of Firsts

This morning, Andrew and I woke up to chanting.  Here and all over the world, Muslims are celebrating Aid Al Fatha.  As best as I can gather, this is a celebration of God providing a lamb in the place of Abraham's son.  After the morning prayer, there is an extended time of chanting.  I am not sure what they chant, I just know I heard it.  After chanting, about 8:00 a.m. everyone goes home to butcher their sheep (or goats or camels).  They are to give a third to the needy, a third to family and friends and they keep a third for themselves.  At 8:00 this morning, Andrew went out with some other guys to take pictures.  As I sat out on the balcony of our apartment, I could hear the goats crying all around our area of town.  Thinking I had seen all that I would get to see from my balcony, I went back inside to enjoy some coffee.  As I settled in by the window, I heard baaing louder than I had heard yet!  I grabbed my phone and told Andrew I was going outside.  Our neighbors who live below us in the apartment complex obviously had goats.  I ran down the stairs and crossed the street to watch from a safe distance.  Of course they did not miss the lone white girl across the street, so they invited me over to look closer.   Then they invited me to come inside the gate and watch.  It probably should have been more gruesome to me than it was, but I was just amazed at the skill of the butchers!

After they had finished "processing" the goats, I attempted to take my leave, but they insisted I stay for tea.  What was I to do, I mean, I do love some tea.  While sitting out on their patio enjoying tea, we observed one sheep that escaped and was trying to flee as well as a little boy chasing around all the girls in the street with a goat leg.  It was a priceless experience, I got to meet more of my neighbors (and get the scoop on everyone in the building) and I left with my own little bag full of fresh meat.  The question now is how do I go about cooking whatever it is that is sitting in my fridge?

Later that morning after Andrew returned from taking pictures, we went on a walk around the neighborhood.  Most people had finished, but blood still stained the streets where there had been a butchering.  The city where we are living now rarely if ever gets rain.  Today it rained; mind you not sheets of rain, but more than a sprinkle.  As I was watching the rain I could not help but be reminded, on this day of all days, of the sacrifice that my Father made for us.  Where God provided a ram in the place of Abraham's son, He provided His Son in our place.  Just like the rain today washed away the blood stains in the streets, the Son's blood washes away all of our sin stains and makes us as white as snow!

Another first for the day was my first time making eggnog!  Andrew loves eggnog.  He is used to drinking it when they first start selling it in the stores in November until they quit selling it in January.  Here is my first attempt.  It was not bad at all, but I'll definitely tinker around with it before I settle on a final recipe for it.

Today was an incredible day of firsts and a little bit of sensory overload.  I am so thankful for new experiences and new cultures, and I am even more thankful He is with me and reminds me of Himself no matter where in the world I am.

Happy Birthday!

Today is my Dad's birthday.  I wish that I could be at home and celebrate with my family, but I am halfway across the globe instead :(  I remember when I was away at school in Texas, my mom threw a surprise birthday party for my Dad and made him do all the prep work for it (he thought my sister was having a party at the house with some of her friends).  I flew in from Texas for the big surprise.  I got there early that morning and had to hide upstairs all day so my Dad wouldn't see me.  All in all I think Dad was pleasantly surprised by his party, but we still remind Mom about how she made Dad do all the work for his own birthday party.

Miss you lots today, Dad!  Wish I could be there.  I am so grateful that I have a father like you who is such a great example for me.  Thank you for loving and supporting me through all the years and all my crazy endeavors.  I love you!

A Day at the Beach Day

SCUBA

Today I went SCUBA diving for the first time in quite a while. It was a blast. It was my first time to dive in salt water. The water was the most clear I have ever dove in. There were so many fish. I saw a Napoleon Wrasse. I saw Clown fish hiding in the sea anemone. I saw an eel swimming among the coral. We dove to the ship wreck which is massive as you are swimming beside, and under it. It sits on two reefs and there is a spot at 25m down where you can swim beneath it. It was incredible. My favorite was that I got to see an octopus which was a brilliant crimson color settle upon the coral, settle into itself and change color and textures, matching the coral around him. It was incredible. It was definitely a day of firsts for me. I cannot wait to get my wife certified and take her down there with me.

The Infantry and the Pedi

Yesterday afternoon we spent at the beach.  When we returned home, all seemed well and good.  We unloaded our stuff, skyped.  It was after the skype call that we noticed it...an army of ants were moving through our apartment!  I have never seen so many ants in my life.  They were coming out of the floor at the door of our bedroom, moving through the hall, into the kitchen, around the floor board, up the cabinet, across the counter and going down behind the counter right by the sink.  There were millions!  They were not getting into anything, not even looking at the food, just were just passing through.  Once they realized that we had discovered them, they rapidly began to decrease in numbers.  By the time we got our cameras, their line was not nearly as thick, but we were still able to snag this photo of their masses.

We quickly grabbed our highly toxic cleaner and sprayed them with it.  Hundreds died on contact.  We then ran to our local market and bought some bug killer (and some falafel while we were at it).  We returned, cleaned up the dead ants and sprayed their entrance and exit in case more decided to show up.

This morning Andrew went scuba diving.  He has been wanting to go since we arrived here.  He finally got the chance, but this left me all alone for the morning.  I slept in, cleaned up the house a bit and then decided to take my first outing by myself and go get my nails done.  My heart was racing as I walked up the street to hail a taxi.  When one arrived, I could barely slow my breathing enough to tell him where I wanted to go, "Burger King" (not really where I was going, but easy enough to say and close to my final location).  I made it there without a hitch, but the lights were off at the salon I wanted to go to.  I had made it this far, might as well try the door.  It was open!  See, here at the female salons, they black out the windows, either with tint or curtains or even newspapers, so people cannot see the women inside and I could not tell if they were open or not.  I got across that I wanted to get my nails done.  I guess usually people make reservations, so they were a little confused that I wanted it done now.  I got the lovely blue taken off my fingernails and got this pink put on my toenails.  

Unfortunately I did not meet any women in the salon like I had hoped.  It was such a big salon, they have different rooms for each thing.  Like a room for nails, a room for massage, a room for hair cuts, etc. There were other women there but no one else getting their nails done.  I was able to talk with the lady doing my nails which was fun, but she was from another country and basically works 24-7 while she is here.

It was a fun experience.  There is a salon very close to our apartment that I will probably go to next time.  I wanted the experience of taking a taxi by myself and going to a nicer salon for the first time.  

Language

To help us in learning the language, we use these things call lexicarrys.  Basically this is a book with lots of comic strips in it, but rather than have their words in the bubbles, it is blank so our language helper can fill in what local people would say in that situation.  In theory, this sounds like a great idea.  Unfortunately, I do not believe that our language helper has ever seen a comic strip so he really does not understand the concept.  This morning our lexicarry strip was of a person who said something that the other person could not understand.  To fill in the bubble, one would need to say..."I do not understand.  Please repeat."  or something of that nature.  This was a disaster!  We spent over thirty minutes trying to explain to our non-english speaking helper what we wanted.  Rather than telling us how to say "Please repeat that," he would simply just keep repeating himself!  He understood that we wanted the words repeated, but he just could not grasp that we wanted to know how to say "please repeat."  To add to this mess, script is read from right to left here unlike in the States where we read left to right.  These comic strips are drawn out left to right but our helper kept trying to look at them right to left.

A tiring day with a few tears of frustration shed, but in the end, I think we have the word for "repeat."

First Impressions

After three days of attempting to get this online, I finally present to you our first video.  Still haven't quite figured out how to get it on my video page, and I am not sure that there is any volume.  None the less, I hope you enjoy and get to see a few of our first impressions.