Thailand

Getting out of here for the summer is on the top of every expat's mind. However we stuck around (except for the three weeks in Thailand). Yeah a little bit crazy, at least that is how we have been here at the compound. No one around but us. So to keep positive my blog will focus on mainly the fun trip to Thailand, and what a trip!!

We Jumped all over the Country, starting out in Bangkok. After landing we grabbed a mini bus to Hua Hin to meet up with Gilian, Amy, Trevor, and Talia. They had been in Cambodia all month and came up to meet us for a week. What a treat to see them, like seeing family. Rory joked about going to visit "Talia land" (instead of Thailand). Talia and Rory bacame best friends in first grade, they promised to come back to Thailand when they grow up. The funnest moment was dancing in the rain with a baby elephant named Soncran. I never knew I could love kissing a slimy cold wet elephant trunk. We even went back for seconds the next day and she just lit up when she saw us, what a smart baby. She danced and talked for us, she even painted us a picture. Later we found a fun hotel that had a cave for us to stay in, we battled a gargantuous spider who had big beautiful eyes but she won. Oh well I guess it was her house anyway. Gilian spoted a huge alligator lizard thingy staying under our cave, I think she almost had a heart attack but found it so exciting that she really kept her cool, I was quite impressed. A couple days here was just what the kids needed: bugs, animals, kayaks, ziplines, rope bridges.

After the Sterns left, me a the girls found some cave Temples to hike up to. After climbing about 500 steps and then around in a bat cave for a couple hours, we relaxed in front of the monks quarters. Looking at wild squirrel monkey things eating rice and dipping our fingers into the ponds for the fish to nibble. Poi was our guide, she was the niece of the hotel owner. She was so sweet and showed us all around her town, the girls just loved her to bits. She couldn't have been more than 20 years old.

Back to Bangkok again to meet up with Rich and Pyper. We had a few days before they got there so we went to the Grand Palace and Wat Arun (my favorite). The girls hiked super steep steps to the top and gazed out over the city. What a beautiful view, and the Temple itself was coated with tiny mosaaic tiles. After we picked up dad and the babe we ventured toward Phuket. Took us a couple days, we saw the floating market on the way and grabbed some messages too. One place we found along the way was a little western guesthouse right on a river, the girls loved walking around on the bridges and walkways.

Phuket was as expected (we'd planned to go to Ko Samui but travel just didn't work out) touristy. Although still fun because it wasn't too busy of a time of year. The beach was amazing. As tradition, I spent the mornings out watching the sunrise and snorkeling. One morning City joined me (5:00am) relaxing and bonding. This trip I had spent a lot of time keeping a scrap journal, its fun to keep flyers and maps to remember places and things.

We found some waterfalls and butterfly gardens, there was a cool collection of huge insects. Then we saw a fun stage show about the legends of the island with lots of animals and fire.

On the 4th of August we flew to Chiang Mai. Its a smaller city than Bangkok, a trendy college town. We spent a lot of time wandering around and going to night bazaars. People were very crafty and artistic here, we found some fun souveneres. One day we went rock climbing, even Pyper. We took turns with her while the rest of us climbed. Rory and City took right to it, very natural. Rich was a trouper and climbed too. I think this was one of my favorite days, although we did get rained out. We later hooked up woth some more friends, the Rollins from our home town too. They are working with Engineers without Borders, bringing college students to help out a small town up north. The goal is to install and facilitate a clean water system in Piang Luang. They kindly let our family tag along. There is a school that they installed a clean water system in last year. The school let me come teach some art and the girls had so much fun helping me and making friends. They were like celebrities always surrounded by kids, playing new games, eating a strange lunch, and even reading stories. Rory was embarrassed when they asked her to read to them and City to sing for them, but the Thai kids want to learn english so much. They were always asking the girls questions just to hear them speak english to them. and Lynn Rollins was there to teach them, she did a great job. I hope to go back again, it would be a fun for our family to have. On our third day we went back down to Chiang mai and then grabbed a train back to Bangkok. The girls have never been on a train, they had a blast making forts on the bunk beds and stairing out the windows. What an adventure for us all.

Ethiopia pictures

Ethiopia scenes

Thoughts of a different life

The company my husband works for, McKinsey organized an office retreat in Ethiopia. Held at the Sheraton in Addis Ababa, the capital. Life inside and outside the walls of this resort were contrasted way beyond my moral standards. This became apparent our first day there. We spent a couple hours riding around in the hotel taxi, getting lay of the land, culture and even doing a little shopping. As I absorbed my surroundings I became overwhelmed and surprised at how different their way of life was from mine.

Life in the City:

My First impressions were of grief and sadness, seeing so much poverty and homelessness. Tarps or fabric strung from stick to stick divided their living spaces and maybe even provided a little shade. Others more fortunate formed scrap metal square units with maybe a few rough cobble stones in the entry way to keep out the mud. Not a moment passed while we were out that I wasn't staring out the window, taking in everything I could. But in doing so becoming nearly if not completely overtaken by tears.
I could not hold back as I observed so many young children without proper shoes or nourishment. Anywhere you looked there were babies and young children playing in the streets only a few feet away from the busy traffic. My heart ached at the sight, I imagine much of the death rate is even caused by such circumstances.
Homeless mothers we would see on the streets looked at us, begging with their starving malnourished eyes for a way out. The same look from the commercials when I was 8 years old. Hasn't anything changed? In 20 years? Many would argue that they have, but I didn't see it. I wanted to empty my bank account for them, but had to settle for diapers or sometimes take out. Rich and I learned quick that we could not give money or even carry it with us. The early times when we'd reach for our purse to purchase something, people would hover with desperate stares. Even shop keepers argued and yelled at us to stop at their shop, for it was unfair to stop at his neighbors and not his.
At one point we were assaulted by three young men. The act took place within 6 seconds, Walking hand in hand we were at an instant forcefully separated. I was dissarrayed at one young mans greetings while two others quickly frisked Rich. Hands scooped every pocket but came out empty after a mild brawl with him. Rich was satisfied with his strength against them but quite frustrated as he watched them run away. No one hurt, just a ripped shirt pocket to show for a desperate attempt to get ahead in life, us being the victims.After taking her picture I gave 1 bihr (like a quarter) to a little girl who quickly snatched the rest of the bills from my hand. I tried to get them back and motioned to the other kids that I wanted to share with. But she just disappeared into the crowd only to be seen moments later smiling and waving with her proud mother. Needless to say, from these first to days we learned how to get around and a little on how to safely serve or give to those in need.
Country life:

We ventured out to Wonchi crater lake (created by a volcano) and into the countryside. It was so beautiful to us, considering the drab dry desert life we are use to lately. Everything is green and lush. Ethiopia has had a droubt lately so a nice change for them I'm sure. Unlike in the city, grass sprang up where there would otherwise be mud, providing a cleaner thoroughfair. Life here in the country was still very busy but in a more productive way. People in the city make a living selling trinkets and driving taxis, where the country folk herd goats and manage small farms. We hardly passed any motorized vehicles, only a few horse drawn carts, but mostly everyone walked. Nobody was empty handed though, even young girls carried at least a sibling on their back. Women with large fabric sacks full of grain on ther heads, sticks/ kindling bundles strapped to their backs. Some men with very heavy packs on their heads. Goat herders everywhere, bringing their flock to and from the slaughter stations (which were managed by a guy with a knife and stone slab on the side of the road.) Chickens for processing.

This country side was very beautiful, steep hills and ravenes everywhere. One room huts positioned on even the most narrow hill tops with barely a couple feet to the drop off on either side of the house. These steep hills did not stop them from farming though, we saw crops being processed or grown at a 30 angle slopes. The huts were built from sticks into the ground and mud/dung plaster gluing it all together. Some people painted sweet amature drawings around the walls of their homes. The wealthy had thatched roofs, others just scrap metal pieces. The thatching is their form of air conditioning. Most had stick fences around just to keep out the wandering goats.
Arriving Wonchi we were welcomed by crowds of people gathering to see the whitees. We ate first then ventured down the road. Kids followed us down striking up conversation in sparse english. "You American?" "I'm in school" "you give money for books?" "you have pen?" They offered branches to dust our feet or mules to ride on. I learned thank you in Amharic, amesege'nallo'. The valley was full and lush like something out of Jurassic Park. We passed two mills, a few kids bathing in the springs and even spotted a black and white monkey. At the bottom it was too marshy to walk so we rode the muels to the lake, where we then boated to the island. There was a monastary at the top of the hill on the island but closed for the season.
This life was so peaceful, I could do this. I think. I always have had a secret dream to get marooned on an island and have to provide for myself. Make my own house, clothes, food etc. It doesn't seem too hard having observed this life here. :) Well I'm sure my ignorant passion can runnaway with my mind. But the reality is I have chosen my life and I am happy at the direction it is going. However my heart has been touched too many to just stand aside and not do anything about so much poverty in the world. Not that I'm out to rescue everyone, but I left Ethiopia with some new goals and I am setting out to accomplish them. Thanks Ethiopia for such an eye openning adventure.

My cute baby

Al Khobar: more craziness

So this past weekend we decided to take a trip to Al Khobar, an Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. There are a couple of towns located there along the gulf coast so it is a nice break from in-land Riyadh. Our first morning there was spent hunting for this "Thursday morning Market" I think only the expats all it that because the locals had no idea what we were talking about. The first place we found was the vegetable and fish market (Felicity loved it Rory hated it). Soon after we realized we were in the wrong place we hunted again and then found it. Well worth the search the girls made their way through the crowd to see the baby rainbow chicks. So cute but I'm sure they were slightly damaged from all that bright dye. While they were playing with the baby chicks and bunnies I tried to haggle with an antique vendor for some of his goods, but he didn't want to play my game (I think he did not like me). Oh well. I found the basket ladies who were more than willing to play. I got some great baskets for $75.

Next we followed some local lds folks to their "private private" beach and played the rest of the afternoon in the water and flying kites, it was bliss. I found it interesting that even on a private beach we were surrounded by Saudis who covered there picninc spot with a half tent for privacy. It's like a stretch of fabric that is unrolled around their picninc tables to keep anyone from viewing the wife who was only showing her eyes anyway.

Friday we hooked up with the Lockyers for lunch and then went to church in the Aramco compound, it was awesome!!!!!!! The lesson focused on 3 Nephi 17 when Christ visits the Nephites.

Saturday was our last day and I had a mission to find the local scene. So we headed off into the sunset to find out what else was so cool about Khobar. Sure enough we found a slew of beaches and even a fair-ish area where they sell goods and give camel rides, four wheeling, cotton candy etc. very cool. Unfortunately we were a little late to join in the fun since we had to get back to Riyadh that night. Earlier we did get to catch some splashes, after having bought full length bathing suits for me and the girls (sorry no pics). Pretty interesting though, mine was very bright so I wore my abaya over top and snorkeled anyways.

to catch up

A few things to catch up on. First; can I just say "What a Crazy country this is that I'm living in!" (not meant to offend anyone) I mean, wow! Last month we finally ventured out for a weekend trip, which took weeks of planning with drivers and permission forms and so on. So we go to Bahrain, supposedly the peaceful sweet vacation spot for Saudis and expats. Drinking, bathing suits, you name it. Soon after we are on our way we catch word that it is now blowing up in protests. But we decide to just get there and see how it goes. It was nice we went to this wonderful museum where we learned a lot about the Arab culture and bedouin life. The girls bought a little souvenere etc. The next morning we hear of a few deaths from the police's early morning raid on the protestors camps (children mothers Fathers and all were forced out of the square). So we decide to get serious about checking around to see just how seriousely we should respond. So Rich calls the local Mckinsey office who is surprised we are there and offers to get us the first flight out. Enough reason for us to get out of dodge, so we book our driver to take us back and we headed out. However we could not resist stopping by a craft mart to buy some baskets, the basket maker made the girls these cute little animals and bracelets. And we found a camel farm that we visited as well. They had the cutest baby camels.