Friday, December 24, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Things you should know about my little corner of the world...part one?
1. When you hear about a gas shortage, we feel it. We were in line for 45 minutes trying to get gas for the car after visiting two stations that had none.
2. There are bugs in the pools. They live there and it's normal, see previous post.
3. Things happen at their own pace here. Don't expect to keep a tight schedule as the plumber may come today as he said or he may show up tomorrow or the day after...or never and you have to call again.
4. That smell coming from the bathroom is not someone who just went but the smell of sewage coming up from the shower (just the smell though....so far). Don't call anyone, it's normal when it rains a lot. Like during the rainy season.
4. The ants everywhere...DON'T kill them, they will send more. Just ignore that they are in the laundry bin eating bits of food off your son's clothes and know that when the clothes are clean they don't care. Oh and rinse the sink after mouthwash....they LOVE Listerine!
5. There are no big scary spiders here.
6. Cockroaches do come up from the drains but they are just little guys...unless you forget to put the drain plug back in...then the big guys come but never when the water is running.
7. Fresh fish is awesome!
8. Cover your thighs. See post on my first run here.
9. Bed nets are great...if the mosquitoes are stuck outside it
10. Full time help ROCKS! Especially if you are sick.
2. There are bugs in the pools. They live there and it's normal, see previous post.
3. Things happen at their own pace here. Don't expect to keep a tight schedule as the plumber may come today as he said or he may show up tomorrow or the day after...or never and you have to call again.
4. That smell coming from the bathroom is not someone who just went but the smell of sewage coming up from the shower (just the smell though....so far). Don't call anyone, it's normal when it rains a lot. Like during the rainy season.
4. The ants everywhere...DON'T kill them, they will send more. Just ignore that they are in the laundry bin eating bits of food off your son's clothes and know that when the clothes are clean they don't care. Oh and rinse the sink after mouthwash....they LOVE Listerine!
5. There are no big scary spiders here.
6. Cockroaches do come up from the drains but they are just little guys...unless you forget to put the drain plug back in...then the big guys come but never when the water is running.
7. Fresh fish is awesome!
8. Cover your thighs. See post on my first run here.
9. Bed nets are great...if the mosquitoes are stuck outside it
10. Full time help ROCKS! Especially if you are sick.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
The pool
So, I have been training 3-4 times a week at the pool. The big gorgeous outdoor olympic sized one in one of my previous posts. The one with the 25m "kids" pool. The one that is just seconds away from my house by foot. The one I can see from our rooftop terrace. The one with dragonflies and palm trees and wonderful staff. The one with the beetles swimming in it.
Wait, what?!
That's right, beetles of some sort like to swim and have babies in the pool. It scared the bejesus out of me! They are larger than any beetle I have ever seen. They like to stay in the shaded end of the pool and have their thousands of little ones; who also like it in the shaded area of the pool.
Like a moron I asked the lifeguard if it was normal that there were bugs swimming in the pool with us. He assured me that it was, in fact, normal. The bugs are in all the pools this time of year, they are harmless and come the "cold" season they will be gone.
So I summoned up my courage got back in the water and finished my training and I will go back. I must get over my fear of such things, especially when I'm told it's completely harmless.
http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/beetles/dytiscidae/
This is my beetle. He is ugly and big but harmless. So just so you know, there are beetles in the pools in my little part of the world.
Wait, what?!
That's right, beetles of some sort like to swim and have babies in the pool. It scared the bejesus out of me! They are larger than any beetle I have ever seen. They like to stay in the shaded end of the pool and have their thousands of little ones; who also like it in the shaded area of the pool.
Like a moron I asked the lifeguard if it was normal that there were bugs swimming in the pool with us. He assured me that it was, in fact, normal. The bugs are in all the pools this time of year, they are harmless and come the "cold" season they will be gone.
So I summoned up my courage got back in the water and finished my training and I will go back. I must get over my fear of such things, especially when I'm told it's completely harmless.
This is my beetle. He is ugly and big but harmless. So just so you know, there are beetles in the pools in my little part of the world.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Selena's swim meet and the pool she trains at...disregard the colour of the diving pool. It is not used!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Our things are here!
Well, We FINALLY got our things two weeks ago. We were told our things were to arrive on Wednesday so all day Wednesday we waited. Then at the end of the day we were told that on Thursday we would have our things and the same thing happened on Friday but finally on Saturday after 5pm the shipping container finally got here with a team of 8 guys to unload it.
The issue, it would seem, was that the fancy truck that was needed since the container had to be put at ground level to unload the car was unavailable on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and all day Saturday as they only have one at the port.
So we have spent the last two weeks unpacking our millions of boxes and wondering what could possibly be in all of them that we have lived so contentedly without for the past 2 1/2 months but as we unpacked box after box of dishes and linens it became clear that we actually didn't pack too much that was unneeded though we will be donating some things to one of the local orphanages soon.
Wish us luck with our completion of the unpacking and check back for pictures of the house all set up!
The issue, it would seem, was that the fancy truck that was needed since the container had to be put at ground level to unload the car was unavailable on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and all day Saturday as they only have one at the port.
So we have spent the last two weeks unpacking our millions of boxes and wondering what could possibly be in all of them that we have lived so contentedly without for the past 2 1/2 months but as we unpacked box after box of dishes and linens it became clear that we actually didn't pack too much that was unneeded though we will be donating some things to one of the local orphanages soon.
Wish us luck with our completion of the unpacking and check back for pictures of the house all set up!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
My first run in Dakar...
So I knew better and should have looked more for my other shorts but I couldn't find them so I put on my running skirt and a tank top and decided that that was the best I could do and out the door I went.
I should have looked more for my other shorts...the longer ones that go all the way to my knees...
In this primarily Muslim country showing arms is ok, breastfeeding in public is not a problem, I can show my hair and ankles and calfs but thighs are considered VERY sexual.
I got as far as one or two blocks before I started to notice the dirty looks from women and the hooting, hollering and honking from men. Mortified (because I knew better) I turned back towards home only to discover that I could not remember which way I had turned to get onto this street. The street with the elementary school kids gawking at me, the street with more cars than ours, the street with the small store where the women bringing in her fresh bread to sell for the day had stopped mid step to stare.
You have to understand that there are very few street signs here and that all the houses look the same from the street, they are all behind a cement wall and a gate. There are no numbers on the houses and I could not for the life of me remember if I had gone one block or two before turning left...or was it right...crap!
Eventually I found my way home and have since been hiding here as I don't want to be recognized...I'll be going shopping for new running shorts once I have the guts to leave the safety of my cement wall with the guard at the gate.
Perhaps tormorrow I'll go for a walk, in a moo-moo, with a map.
I should have looked more for my other shorts...the longer ones that go all the way to my knees...
In this primarily Muslim country showing arms is ok, breastfeeding in public is not a problem, I can show my hair and ankles and calfs but thighs are considered VERY sexual.
I got as far as one or two blocks before I started to notice the dirty looks from women and the hooting, hollering and honking from men. Mortified (because I knew better) I turned back towards home only to discover that I could not remember which way I had turned to get onto this street. The street with the elementary school kids gawking at me, the street with more cars than ours, the street with the small store where the women bringing in her fresh bread to sell for the day had stopped mid step to stare.
You have to understand that there are very few street signs here and that all the houses look the same from the street, they are all behind a cement wall and a gate. There are no numbers on the houses and I could not for the life of me remember if I had gone one block or two before turning left...or was it right...crap!
Eventually I found my way home and have since been hiding here as I don't want to be recognized...I'll be going shopping for new running shorts once I have the guts to leave the safety of my cement wall with the guard at the gate.
Perhaps tormorrow I'll go for a walk, in a moo-moo, with a map.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Dakar, the arrival
Well we made it in one piece! Declan and I had a VERY long flight in but finally we made it "home". We were all very happy to be reunited but with the jet lag and Ross' overtime so he could take a few days when we got here we all spent the day sleeping.
Dakar is, well, different. Pretty much what I had expected. I have to keep reminding myself that I am not in Mexico, though the fact that no one looks Mexican helps ;) I have to say that I am glad that we ended up in a country where we speak the language (for the most part!).
On our second day I made Ross take us to the beach. I was feeling miserable and tired and wanted to see something that had attracted me to this place. So out for lunch on the beach we went. It really helped my mood and I have to say I think I'm really going to like it here!!!
I will write soon about the house and our housekeeper Juliette but for now this is it!
Take care!
S
Dakar is, well, different. Pretty much what I had expected. I have to keep reminding myself that I am not in Mexico, though the fact that no one looks Mexican helps ;) I have to say that I am glad that we ended up in a country where we speak the language (for the most part!).
On our second day I made Ross take us to the beach. I was feeling miserable and tired and wanted to see something that had attracted me to this place. So out for lunch on the beach we went. It really helped my mood and I have to say I think I'm really going to like it here!!!
I will write soon about the house and our housekeeper Juliette but for now this is it!
Take care!
S
Sunday, September 26, 2010
We made it to Mexico!
It was a LONG day but good preparation for the even longer day we have ahead of us on our way to Dakar.
Declan was such an angel throughout the day and we had a lucky day!
It started with our luggage being overweight (and not just a little) and the guy at the check in counter taking pity on me. Then we got to the gate and I inquired (as I always do) about our seats as I am after all traveling with an infant! The lady there bumped us to business class and then a few minutes later called us back to the counter to move us to a set of 2 empty seats! This was wonderful as this was the longer of the two flights and so Declan had a seat to himself to jump on (yes he jumps now).
Once in Houston I found WiFi and was able to connect with Ross which was fantastic. Once on the tiny plane taking us from Houston to Guadalajara the nice Mexican man sitting next to me inquired as to empty seats so that I could have the second one for the baby. Soooo thankful. Declan did sleep almost all the way but I was still grateful for the room to move around.
So we got here with no incident and Grams was VERY happy to meet Declan and I was very glad to be able to rest.
I do have to say though, for a 12 hour travel day Declan was an angel and I am a little less stressed about our 24 hour trip to Dakar.
Thank you little man for being so easy going!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
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