Winter Trip Home - Part 1

I was so excited to get home and visit with friends and family! It wasn't so much that I was missing home, but since I knew my trip was coming up, I starting getting anxious and considering all the things that I do not like about Abu Dhabi. From the dirty windows to the taxi drivers that sometimes speak limited English to the freezing temperatures of the malls, everything that's unlike home was bothering me. Now that I've made it home safe and sound, I realize my discomfort was exactly what I wanted and needed. I have to keep reminding myself that I went to Abu Dhabi for something different, and if I wanted everything to be the same as home, then that's where I should've stayed - at home. But, for now, Abu Dhabi is my home and I'll continue making the most of it once I get back.

Found the most random statue while visiting in NY. I feel a little sorry for this guy's wife...just sayin'.

My favorite thing to do...play on the swing sets!

Kelly got us great Christmas gifts! Heeeeeyyy!!!!!

Learned a few things about staying warm and covered since I've been in Abu Dhabi. Definitely came in handy for a Winter night in DC.

So glad Alicia made it to DC while I was there!

My sister, Shaundra, and I decorated the Christmas tree. Isn't it beautiful?!

No Christmas would be complete without Red Velvet Cake. This year Shaundra made it and I was the sous-chef.

The best thing about being home is all the time I'm spending with my nephew/God-son. But, after watching him one morning, I needed a break. I call this "Babysitting at Its Best."

Catching Up

Well, it's been about 6 weeks since my last post. I am sorry. While my camera was broken, I have not been too busy, nor have things been too boring to write anything. I just kept putting off writing a new post. And like most others things in life, when you put it off, it piles up and becomes an even greater task than originally there. It's like not paying a bill on time, then you have to pay that dang on (yes, I wrote "dang on") late fee...or waiting until you only have one more pair of undies and a lonely sock to do your laundry, then having to spend all Sunday evening at the laundry-mat. Whatever the situation, it's definitely best to "never put off for tomorrow what can be done today."
In any event, here's some of what I've left out for the past 6 weeks.

So, that week or so after I got back from Nepal life got pretty busy. In all honesty, this is what my room usually looks like by Wednesday night :-/

My co-teacher and I got tickets from a parent to the Formula 1 races. I stole this picture from a co-worker (thanks Louna!). The races were fun, but LOUD. It's literally like standing in a jet hanger.

The 40th UAE National Day was amazing! A lot of the teachers and students dressed up in national attire. We had an assembly and catered lunch. There were camels, falcons, and dogs. But my favorite part was the Arabic dancing the girls did. Here's a video of what it looked like...so "different'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDQ08mDbNvA

We took the kids to the Al Ain Zoo the day before the last day of school. So many different animals! Here are just a couple of pics.

I'm just proud I got this picture. She really was trying to have some alone time to enjoy her lunch. I did not comply.

Buffalo Momos

On my last day in Nepal, I decided to try some Tibetan food. When I stopped at the shabby restaurant, read the partially hand written menu, looked at the dirty cups, and drank the flat Orange Fanta, I knew that I should not eat the buffalo momos. My better half was not convincing enough this time though, and I went ahead and tried them. They weren't horrible, but anything sauteed with onion, battered, and fried is going to taste at least decent. Unfortuntely, after a week of no stomach pains or digestive problems, the momos turned me into "that girl" you see running down the aisle on the airplane with a paper bag in hand, trying to make it to the bathroom before loosing her lunch during take-off. I did make it to the bathroom (thank goodness) and I did loose my lunch. Thanks to my own poor choice, I had to suffer through a 5 hour plane ride with an upset stomach and couldn't even enjoy the yummy Etihad meal. Well, at least I tried something new and made a memory.

One bite and I knew I should stop. (Sigh) But I didn't. (Shakes head)

Nepal (Part 3) - Floating, Gliding, and Trekking through Pokhara

My friend, who is from Nepal, told me that he really dislikes Kathmandu and that Pokhara is better, so I planned my Nepalese trip so that my time in Kathmandu would be spent serving and working with kids. My goal for the summer is to travel, possibly by myself, through central and eastern Europe, so I figured a few days in Pokhara would be a good introduction to flying solo. I am glad I made that choice. My time in Pokhara was simply amazing! I even surprised myself, and I'm sure others, by not planning my entire time, only the paragliding and trekking. Everything else, I left up to chance. My itinerary turned out to be the following:

Day 1 - Arrive to clear skies and beautiful views, and a driver waiting to take me to the lovely Sacred Valley Inn, where the staff was fully accommodating and helpful in setting up all my tours around the city. Quickly change and go paragliding with Adam Hill, the man who set up the paragliding business in Pokhara 16 years ago. Enjoy delicious carrot cake with Adam at his home, then take a taxi the World Peace Pagoda to watch the sunset over Phewa Lake. Return home, shower and change, do a little shopping for friends and family, then go out for Indian food with a new friend. Call it a night around 10:30pm.

Day 2 - Up and dressed by 9am, breakfast at the hotel, then off to go trekking for the day. For lunch, enjoy fried, vegetarian momos (Nepalese dumplings) at the mountain-top restaurant while talking with a mother and her 13 year old son who are on their third stop of a 1 year world tour. Return home around 7:30pm, quickly grab a burger (that didn't come with a bun for some reason) for dinner. Talk with a couple at dinner who are also from Abu Dhabi and learn that I should not leave Pokhara without seeing the sunrise. Return home and head to bed.

Day 3 - Get up at 4am to hop in a taxi to Sarangot for sunrise. Enjoy tea masala (like Chai tea) in a woman traditional Nepalese home (mud/straw/tin roof and mud/wooden walls) before hiking about 45 minutes up to get the best view of the sunrise. Enjoy the views, take lots of pictures, and make arrangements with the taxi driver to take me to Devi's Fall and Begnas Lake. Return home to check out of the hotel, pay $300 for paragliding, breakfast for two days, two nights stay, 1 day trekking, and taxi service, and thank the staff of Sacred Valley Inn for their attentiveness and help during my trip. Quickly do a little more shopping and picture taking, grab lunch, and head to the airport for my return flights home.

With everything I enjoyed in Pokhara, I could've stayed another week to just soak in the cool mountain air and laugh with the very friendly and welcoming people. But, vacations must end...if only so we can go on another one.

Nepal (Part 2) - Beautiful Kathmandu

Kathmandu is a, for lack of a better word, interesting place. In my opinion, it is quite dirty, loud, busy, and overcrowded with poor infrastructure. But it's beautiful! I could not live there, but I appreciated the time I spent with the Kathmandu community. What brought me to love Nepal's capital city was my ride through a nearby town and the city center. I had a few errands to run, so Kabi (the father at the home where I was serving) offered to take me on his motorbike. Amazingly, I was NOT scared! Yes, traffic is, to my western mind, chaotic and dangerous, but I hopped right on and we got going. I saw great views of the surrounding mountains, women hauling loads of hay and rice that must have weighed at least 40 pounds on their backs, cows and buffalo crossing the street through on-coming traffic, and raw chicken and fish on tables in front of stores waiting to be purchased. I loved every minute of it.

One morning, my friends and I also visited the Monkey Temple. No, it's not a temple for monkeys, but a shared Buddhist-Hindu temple where a lot of monkeys just happen to live. And when I say a lot, I mean A LOT. I saw at least 150 monkeys swinging on tree branches, cleaning each other, and crawling around the temple; and I'm sure there were many more just hanging out in the trees (get it, hanging out-monkeys :-)

What little touring I did in Kathmandu was amazing, but honestly had nothing on Pokhara...

Nepal (Part 1) - A Better Chance

What comes to mind when you hear the word "orphan?" Do you think of sad children who miss their mothers and fathers? Do you envision a hungry child begging for food and money? Maybe you picture barren walls and rows of beds in an over-crowded house.
During the first half of my time in Nepal, a group of friends from my church and I went on a missions trip to an "orphanage" in Kathmandu. In preparing to visit the children and their parents, I anticipated the above. When we arrived at the home, we were welcomed by 14 children saying "Jaymashe" ("Praise Jesus"). I learned that several of the children had watched their parents die. I saw pictures of their previous home, where they were wearing only a rag as a shirt. I realized the reason the four year olds are the size of two year olds is because they had been so malnurished during the first years of their life. I heard stories of how the mother of the home first adopted two children as a single woman, later married, and she and her husband have now adopted 9 more, and are making plans to bring in at least 5 more children.
Where do the children come from you, like I, ask? Some of the children were found digging through the trash-flooded river banks looking for food; others were adopted from near-by villages. When traveling through Nepal to offer free medical and dental care, Anila and Kabi simply ask children if they want to go to school, and if so, the child is given the opportunity.
The children now have a better chance in life, and it's because they did not have one before. We think "orphan" means having so much less, not having a home or parents or a real place in the world. But, because these children had less, they now have so much more. Soundai and Ramesh have daily meals, clean water, and even vitamin supplements to ensure they are healthy. Jeevan and Sapana have a clean home, beds, even a t.v. to share so they can argue with their bothers and sisters about which cartoon to watch. Bikram and Anush have a mom and dad who care about their education and their future, and ensure they go to school 6 days a week so they can make Nepal and the world a better place. Most importantly though, they all have someone to pray for and with them, to take them to church, and to teach them about God's love.
All of the children are blessed to live not in an orphanage, but in a home with a family.

Pink Polo!

To raise awareness for Breast Cancer Month, the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank hosted a Pink Polo match. Luckily, one of my student's parent gave my partner-teacher and I tickets, so we were able to attend...in VIP. I just felt so classy!

Don't we look pretty in pink.

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The upstairs patio.

Look, I stomped a divot! I felt like Pretty Woman (without the whole prostitute part of course) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PqpfNbSFBs

Such lush green grass in the desert.

The VVIP section.

The view from up top.

Halloween, Abu Dhabi Style

This is about the extent of costume choices in Abu Dhabi, unless you decide to get creative (see below).

Of course there was enough candy to go around.

My floor-mates and I hosted a Halloween party. Here are some of the costume prizes...my favorite was "slut your stuff."

I guess she was a statue?

At the party, I was an Etihad stewardess. Compare pictures here http://airlineworld.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/etihad_large.jpg

At school, I was an aquarium. This was a last minute option, but I'm satisfied with how creative I can be!

The day before Halloween my student said, "Miss, my costume is soooo disgusting!" She was right.