Move over 2013! - Hello and goodbye

2014, I welcome you! 2013 has been a bit of a roller coaster with highs and lows, but this year is going to be about balance.
To work smart and to use time wisely, leaving me more time to do the things that make me happy. To be more balanced when it comes to food and to do a range of exercise, i.e to bring back yoga into my life!
This past holiday reaffirmed that my friends and family are what make me most happy and this year I plan on remembering that every day. I also know that I need to exercise every day to stay positive and sane! What I don't need so much of is technology...

I started my blog as a way of  keeping in touch with those I love, but it hasn't really turned out that way; although my parents have constantly been my biggest fans  (thank you!).
I've enjoyed sharing here and getting to know people through blogs, but I feel I am spending too much time on my phone and not enough of my time in the moment. So, as part of a more balanced year, I've decided to dip out of the blogosphere for now.

Family and friends know I will email with news of adventures or running photos (!) and if you would still like to see snapshots of what I'm doing, I'm still going to Instagram @africaandbeyond (I really like it at the moment- it is quick and easy- it's all about balance).

Thank you for reading my blog over the years. I've grown a lot since my first entry whilst I was living in Uganda. I've learnt a lot about myself during my adventures these past three years and writing about them has been part of my journey; first in Uganda, then in Kenya and now here in Kuwait, and holidays; in Holland, Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, Canada, Bahrain, Dubai,  the Maldives, Thailand, Australia and back home in Scotland.

Thank you for commenting on posts and cheering me on in spirit with my running. My first 3 marathons in 2013 have probably been my biggest achievements to date (apart from surviving my first year of teaching!) and every running buddy and cheerleader helped me cross the finish line.

We don't know what the New Year will bring. Hopefully happiness and peace within us all.
Maybe I'll end up coming back here and writing, but for now the time feels right for change.

I hope 2014 is a great year for you! Xx

Misadventures

I like reading other people's blogs but I only have a handful of blogs I really love. People that type as if they are writing lyrics to a song. Only a few whose adventures I truly want to read about. Real sit up and pay attention stories-I'll read every single word. So, my blog. What shall I post about? I'm sure there is only so much you want to know about what I bake or only so many photos you want to see about my wonderful holiday. I started this blog in Uganda, when every day was an adventure, but now feel I have nothing more to share than my first world problems.

I've told you Kuwait is hot, running can be wonderfully special at 5am on the seafront or hell as you dodge rubbish, man holes and catcalling. It is unusual to have a date anywhere else apart from Starbucks. And driving in the expressway is mirrored to a rally car video game. So, I need to take a fresh look.  I am going to try and write again with a pen and paper...I have to practice my handwriting for class anyway (my mum knows I'm not joking!) and see what happens.

But, until then I will share with you how this weekend I took a day off to be sad. There are times when going to bed all afternoon is justified. Tears are tiring but goodbyes are exhausting.
I've had to say goodbye to a couple of dear people in my life recently and yesterday I said goodbye to my mum in Kuwait. She has been ill in hospital for over a month and now it's time for her to go to be with her family in Sri Lanka.

In the hospital room friends pretend there is hope, put on a brave face, but my eyes are covered with my sunglasses. Flying business class, we say. What an adventure a real treat, a lovely way to start retirement. Do you think she cares that she has a wine list or a glass of champagne at takeoff or a better magazine collection? She is just so tired she says. Sweet tea and goodies are passed around and memories are shared. But I'm not sure if the show is for her or us. I feel I'm part of the back stage crew, just popping in and out of the room, not getting involved in the script.

 This powerhouse of a lady that looks after me and everyone is tired and leaving us. She was the driving force behind collections for ladies who take refuge at embassies here in Kuwait. For ill-treated maids waiting for weeks and months on end in the safe house before legally escaping back to their home country, sometimes these ladies have nothing but these care packages lovingly gathered. My dear Pyaseli will be welcomed with two big arms.


I'll write again, hopefully with an adventure of sorts...one that doesn't involve gym changing rooms!
Bye 'til then...

White Noise in the Sandpit

Traveling makes writers of us all. We make memories and commit them to mind, if only to retell them on a postcard.

Even a short 45 minute flight to a neighbouring Gulf state is inspiring, making me a bit more wide eyed once more.

This was certainly the case when I popped over to Bahrain recently.

Apart from the usual pre-race nerves that makes my mind noisy with advice on everything from my morning routine to my self-doubt for the run, there was the welcome noise from outside; the sounds of night crickets flirting with one another.

I no longer felt like I was in the sandpit. Not my sandpit anyway.

I used to write about the African night, that brought the outdoors in (this is always a bit more intense on safari...like in Tsavo!). The screeching of the hyraxes, or Coco, 'my' guard dog, barking after a wild cat in the tree, or the chatter from the askari hut.

Now, the sounds that I fall to sleep to are of the local boys (who seem to be on a year-long holiday from school) playing football late into the night on a piece of dirt-sand that is used as a car-park. This, thankfully, is no longer punctuated by the fireworks or air-gun rifles that were available at Eid and lingered long after the holiday! Construction is always taking place. Through the night the sound of cranes, trucks and hammering...somewhere. Rubbish is being collected. Trucks are reversing. Horns beep. Bikes and cars race. Brakes screech. Oh, and then it is prayer time again. The mosque, that I can see through my window reminds my neighbours that it time to worship Allah (this is not a gentle reminder, more of a bucket of water poured on your head,with the drill sergeant shouting, "GET OUT OF BED!!!"), to me, it is a sign that a new day is here...but not just yet...5 more minutes or so.

It is not a peaceful place to drift off to sleep, but after a while, the noise that keeps you awake becomes familiar...like everything in the place that you live. My writing seems to reflect this recently, at a loss of how to report on the unusual, tending to recount the mundane.

I have such talented friends, who write about the region with more of a flair. If you are interested, check out these blogs.

Life in a Dust Storm - a great story teller (I actually want to retell some from dinner the other night), everything from being a POW to good old rants about low-cost airlines.

Sand in my Teacup - if we all gang-up on her, we may get her to write more!

Yalla Bo - an athletic idol of mine writes too!



Happy reading.

Pay it forward-passing on a little love

I arrived home from my Ethiopian adventure to find that a quiet but faithful reader of mine awarded my blog a sweet award. 

Comments on posts are like little gifts in the mail.  Awards are even better! 

Barbara (who gave me the little award) writes at Tanzania 5.0 about her life in Tanzania and travels in other parts of Africa. She is now back in the States, but Africa is obviously still in her heart. 

As I am not really ready to write about the holidays or recap on the year, but want to spend my last day of 2011 arranging snapdragons in vases and having a walk in the sunshine, I thought I would pass on this sweet award. It also might introduce you to a couple of new blogs that I read. 

Basically, this little award is only given to blogs with under 200 readers (phew...I made the cut!!!) and has these stipulations:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you. 
2. Reveal your 5 blogger picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog. 
4. Hope that the people you have sent the award to will forward it to their favorite bloggers.

So...my awards go to...

The Times of Miranda- Miranda doesn’t blog often, but her writing and photos of life in small town Arusha, Tanzania, are beautiful.  I also love reading the excerpts she posts from her grandfather’s diaries.  She retells stories from the real Africa, not the shiny, new one that I live in.

Seedling- Mallory is so creative. Her photos and snippets of life, to me, look beautiful. She talks of her real life in New Jersey, not just the perfect one most bloggers try to capture. She writes about her business ventures, her growing family and her new puppy Autumn; the later always makes me giggle.

Long Story Short- I have been reading Katie’s blog for a little while now. Even though I think she mostly writes for her friends and family (in that sense I feel a bit like I am sneakily reading someone’s diary). She lives in New York and her happiness is contagious, she makes me laugh out loud. I am not sure if she has more than 200 readers though-she probably does as her blog is very sweet.

Rock the Kasbah- a blog by The Loerzels, an American expat family that live in Morocco. A blog full of their African Adventures.  A recent post of hers was about the family receiving a love package from ‘Santa’ – full of cereal and other little home comforts. It made me smile, as I know exactly how that feels!

and

.heart to heart. - Hannah is, like me, a young teacher. She lives in the States and writes about hiking, running and eating...I think we would get on!!  :)

I must  mention Mud’ s blog; Not Enough Mud, which I read faithfully, and who (surprisingly) has less than 200 readers...why, she is fabulous!? I am always at the edge of my seat (or bed) reading about her adventures. Anyhow, I couldn’t pass on the award to Mud though, as Barbara also passed it on to her.  :)

I’m choosing to have a quiet Hogmanay this year. I want to awake in 2012 feeling fresh  and  healthy  and ready for the adventures that lie ahead. Hope you enjoy your celebrations, whatever you are doing. 

xx

Traffic

When I started my blog, it was just for friends and family -I was inspired by my friend's (Mike and Erin) cool photo/travel blog. Then I opened it up and allowed it to be found on search engines.

Traffic is still mostly made-up of friends and family, although it is usually people I have never met (other bloggers) that comment on my posts.

Recently these funny things have been typed into a search engine and people have stumbled upon my blog...maybe they left disappointed...some may have come back.

"I hate Uganda" movie -I am sure this person didn't find what they were looking for on my blog.

Africa school days photos -I rarely mention the 'w' place- but there were photos of my friends and I painting the mural of Ntinda School for the Deaf and of our visit to Acholi Quarters and of course Valley View (on this page).

Beautiful things in Uganda - I haven't written my 3BT for a while, but I did for a while and there are LOTS of beautiful things in Uganda.

Giberish - Yes-  I did blog about how I when I was younger I spoke Giberish (as I lived in Gibraltar...) and have no Scottish accent, but an International one.

How Does African Mamas Give Birth - Well, I really don't think it is going to be any different from another Mama!!But I did write that my friend is now and African Mama.

Hairylemon/Tsetse fly - ah, maybe these people wanted to find out if the Tsetse fly really spoils the visit to the Hairy Lemon. Well- I wrote about my first fishing trip; I didn't come back with many bites, or the sleeping sickness, but my friends and I all got Bilharzia. TIA!(This is Africa!)

Oh-one more thing. I think (ready for a sweeping statement...) some visitors from the States may find me and think, "ah, white woman in Africa, a teacher...she must be on a Mission". As (no offence intended, it is just interesting), quite a few of my readers seem to have badges on their blogs like; "I follow Him" or " I am proud to be a Christian" etc. Anyhow- a missionary I am not, a get paid to teach...yep...paid for working in Africa.   

Juneathon Day 4
A better run. An early start and the sun was shining. 57 min solo, slow and hilly jog, about 8km (that included me going into the shops and getting airtime and water).
I really want to go to the pool to swim laps, but have a few jobs to do in town. Maybe later.

Stylish Blogger Award

Last week I was kindly awarded the Stylish Blogger Award by ...and Bob's your uncle!

It has taken me a while to post my new award, as there are a few responsibilities that come along with accepting this award! Just like a real beauty contest!

7 things about me
Me, talk about me...oh, ok then...

• I was born in Bahrain and feel at home hearing the call to prayer from the mosque.
• I think I was a Jew in my past life!
• When I was younger I wanted to be a STAR, then a pathologist, I think I just liked the word!
• I would rather dance at a ceilidh than at a club.
• I am happiest when eating good food and drinking wine with friends or family.
• I only learnt to dive into a swimming pool at the age of 27, my friend Sven taught me in Falika.
• I am a hasher (through and through). On-On!

Share the love
These are some of my favourite blogs that I am reading just now:

• A Wee Bit of Cooking  - my recipe go-to, beautiful photos that always make me miss Scotland! 
• 3limes  - a beautiful writer and photographer and friend in Uganda.
• everyday musings - anyone else that loves food is alright by me!
• the chirpy bird  - even photos of butter melting are great...yes, more food!
• Long Story Short - she reminds me of my friend Erin and her posts make me smile! Now I want to go to Belize on holiday!

Hope you like them too!

If you have been awarded the Stylish Blogger Award, do as I have, or read this, Jo makes it very clear :)

Stumped

I have been having a wee bit of 'writer's block' with regards to my blog and writing about my adventures in Africa.

Power cuts and dry taps quickly becomes the norm; the white noise of living creatures at night is easily ignored (along with the calls to prayer from the mosque) and safari stories are really only fun for those that went on them!

I thought about writing about my running routes again..but I am still just finding my feet and haven't yet worked out how to use my fancy new Garmin.

Then school, such a major part of life, is really a 'no go' area.

Reviews...hahahah! I have learnt from my mistakes and a critic I am not.

This weekend I am off to Nairobi for a mini adventure, and I am determined to be like a tourist, not only in Kenya but once I return to Uganda; to look at East Africa with some fresh eyes and share my stories. I also will charge up my camera and take some shots of everyday life. You can hold me to it!

Technical Difficulties!

It has been pointed out to me that readers cannot comment on my blog postings. The "it's not you, it's me" phrase comes to mind! After spending hours last night on my 'settings',  the problem is still not solved. An annoyance and a shame, but not the end of the world. You can always e-mail me a comment by clicking on the envelope below the posting...or just e-mail me to say 'hello'!