Category: My Thoughts Exactly

What I think about . . . just about anything

Better Yourself

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It’s no secret that moms and dads do not have copious amounts of free time.  We are constantly on the go and often forget to do things for ourselves.  But every once in awhile when life slows down a tad – a baby starts sleeping through the night; children start napping on a regular schedule; a toddler begins pre-school a few days a week – it’s time for you to think about doing something for yourself.  And yes, a two-hour massage or extravagant lunch with a friend might do it.  But I’m talking about doing something to better yourself in the long run.  Bangkok is a the perfect place for this.  You can find classes on everything from Muay Thai to gingerbread house-making in this town; and most are affordable.  Here are some of my recommendations:

1. Take a photography class – I’m in the midst of taking a basic photography course, and I love it.  Five sessions total, one day per week, two hours per class.  Now that is doable.  After just a couple of classes, my photos have improved drastically.  I’m finally feeling like I know something about this pricey digital SLR we bought years ago.  And my photos of Logan and Katelyn are about 1,000 times better.  Score for the whole family (including my husband who has always been slightly annoyed that I never really knew how to take a good picture).  Classes are taught by the ultra personable and knowledgeable Gyuri Szabo.  The environment is casual and Gyuri is patient.  I highly recommend learning through Gyuri.  This is such a fun thing to do each week.  Details here.

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My first (presentable) panning shot

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Learning to use aperture priority with sweet Kate as my willing subject

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Rule of thirds

2. Learn Thai – What a difference just being able to speak a few phrases makes.  I was fortunate enough to study eight months of Thai one-on-one for four hours/day in my home when I first arrived (this was part of my job before I resigned).  I love being able to speak Thai.  It makes my time in Thailand so much more fulfilling and fun.  It is great being able to chat with  street-side vendors I see everyday, bargain in the market, communicate with taxi drivers in a non-frustrating manner, and talk about Thai politics, culture, and society with my teachers.  Opt to take a 90 minute class once/week and have the teacher come to your home or work place for an additional 100 baht.  Details: Jentana & Associates Thai Language School

3. Beautify yourself – In 33 years, I never professionally had my make-up done.  Ever.  Not even at a counter at a department store.  So, when I heard about the great Francisco Zacarias, I jumped at the opportunity to learn a thing or two about make-up.  With a vibrant personality and and infectious energy and humor, Francisco is highly talented at what he does:  make-up artistry.  He has been a member of the beauty industry for 26 years and worked alongside renown fashion designers such as Randolph Duke, Cynthia Rowley, Betsey Johnson and Giorgio Armani.  In addition, he has done make-up on some of the most famous faces in Hollywood such as Drew Barrymore, Heidi Klum, Adriana Lima, and Natalie Portman.  Francisco teaches make-up application and  helps you choose colors and textures that best suit your skin type.  He can do a one-on-one session at his home studio or can come to you and a group of friends to teach a specific effect, like the smoky eye.  Francisco’s contact details:  Email fjzacarias@aol.com or call 0897942049.

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Using make-up tips Francisco taught for a night out with my hubby

4. Learn to cook Thai food –  I haven’t gotten around to this one yet; although I plan to before I leave.  A friend of mine highly recommends the Helping Hands Thai Cooking School.  Not only do you learn a skill, you help others in the process.  Details here.

5. Train for an athletic event – Whether it be the Bangkok Marathon or a local 5k, set a goal and find the time to train for it.  My personal goal is the Angkor Wat half marathon in December 2013. Can’t beat that scenery  (Vi Than is going to join me; Vi I have now committed you publicly to this race, there is no backing out)!  Try Jog and Joy for in-Thailand races and Go Adventure Asia for larger races in Thailand and the region.

 So find what it is that appeals to you and go for it.  Investing in yourself  also means investing in your children; as you will one day be able to pass on these skills to them.

The Nanny Conundrum

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To have a nanny, or not to have a nanny?  That is only one of the 2,874, 524 questions.

Part time or full time?  Live in or live out?  Burmese, Thai, or Filipina?  A nanny who strictly helps with the children or a nanny/housekeeper/cook all in one?  A nanny who is fluent in Chinese or reads and writes English?  One who can juggle like the Cat in the Hat while cooking Pad Thai and making Lego castles with your children or one that can sing lullabies like Jewel, make baby food like Jamie Oliver, and clean like Mary Poppins?  Heck, why not just all of those things.

Whether or not to employ a nanny is inevitably one of the first issues you face when you arrive in Thailand and it is not an easy one.  As a parent, I cannot imagine loving anything more than my children.  The very act of trusting someone with them that is not part of our family is difficult.  No, beyond difficult. Continue reading →

Holidays the American Way

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We are beyond happy and excited to be home visiting family and enjoying the delights of the USA this holiday season.  What’s not to love about visiting DC’s most awesome Smithsonian museums – dinosaurs, planes, space shuttles, model trains and all – or heading out to a farm with good friends, enjoying festive toddler-sized dinners with cousins, running wild through the National Zoo, visiting fire stations, watching parades, eating mounds of sweets, frolicking in the snow, choosing and cutting down our very own Christmas tree?  Yes folks, we are doing it all, and it is wonderful.

That being said, there are a few things we have had to adjust to when it comes to spending time at home this winter:

1. Instead of getting out the door with shorts, t-shirt and crocs for Logan and a onesie for Kate we have to bundle up.  I’m talking warm socks, real shoes (!), two long-sleeve t-shirts, a sweater, fleece-lined pants, jacket, gloves, and maybe a hat.  And that’s just Logan.  The same routine goes for Kate, but with a more feminine flare.  Then I attempt to put on pants, a sweater, socks, tennis shoes, and a jacket.  Then Kate spits up.  Start again.  Then Logan has a dirty diaper.  Start again.  Finally, we are ready to walk out the door 45 minutes after we started getting dressed and both kids are crying because they hate winter attire.  Geesh.  How does anyone ever make it out of the house with kids in cold weather? #sothankfulforBangkokweather

2. Driving, driving and more driving.  From my parents’ house to DC – about 40 minutes each way.  From my parents’ house to one of my best friend’s house – about one hour each way.  From Walter’s mom’s house to his sister’s house – about 20 minutes each way.  Yes, the kids are sick of driving, but they are being good sports about it.  In Bangkok, I strap Kate in the ergo, Logan in the stroller, head down the elevator, and within 10-15 minutes we are at:  a) the pediatrician, or b) the grocery store, or c) a shopping mall, or d) the embassy (aka daddy’s work), or e) Logan’s school, or f) lots and lots of restaurants, or g) the skytrain.  You get the point.  Also, I get many weird looks for wearing Kate in a carrier instead of using a stroller in the suburbs.  #sohappytoliveinabigcity

3. Two hours early for our domestic flights and we still almost miss them!  Yikes.  We totally forgot how difficult air travel was in the USA!  Shoes – off, belts – off, baby carriers -off.  An airport train at Dulles that doesn’t get you anywhere near your gate.  Three gigantic suitcases, two car seats, and a stroller are probably not adding to the ease and efficiency of our travel.  Thankfully, we have managed to make all of our flights just as the are boarding.  Guess I can’t complain too much.  #wemissyouThaiAirwaysandAirAsia

4. The size . . . of everything!  Portions and grocery stores, especially.  I walked into Meijer two days ago and was completely overwhelmed.  They just don’t have mac n cheese, they have an ENTIRE SECTION dedicated to mac n cheese.  The same goes for animal crackers.  A half-aisle just for ice cream made from candy bars.  People, this is what makes America great . . . but it is totally insane.  You can get anything and everything.  All in one store and for affordable prices.  I forgot how easy it was to do one-stop shopping in the USA.  I also realize how Americans are getting fat fast compared to the rest of the world . . . #ohVillaMarketyouhavegrownonme

We miss you, Thailand, but not enough to come back just yet.  Two more weeks and we still have carriage rides in the snow, a trip to see even more cousins in Laguna Niguel, CA’s Legoland,  oh right – and a little something called Christmas, left to enjoy.  More from us in 2013.  Until then, Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

A Healthy Mom is a Happy Mom

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Let me just start by saying that if you are a mom in Bangkok looking to get back into shape via running, here are some critical links for you:  Go Adventure Asia and Jog and Joy.  The first site provides a list of some of the bigger and more well-known races in Thailand and the region; the second lists the more local races in Thailand.

Just last weekend I challenged myself by jogging the Vertical Marathon at the Banyan Tree.  That means climbing 61 floors (1,093 stairs) as quickly as possible.  It was awesome.

On a high after fourteen minutes of stair-climbing to the top of the Banyan Tree

Now on to my weekly blog post story:  When I was pregnant with Logan three years ago, I joined a prenatal yoga class on Capitol Hill.  My ultra-hippy yoga teacher would start each class by having everyone introduce themselves and use one word to describe how they felt.  I remember using the word “frustrated” one week and when it came to why, I explained that I just wanted to go out for a run.  Logan was born in late July in Washington, DC and as the beautiful spring and summer months came out to play, I was aching to go on a nice, long jog.  Prenatal yoga certainly helped me with delivery, and for that I am grateful, but blah blah blah blah, it was boring (my apologies to all of you yogis out there)!  Four weeks after delivering Logan, I went out for my first jog.  I was pathetically out of shape, but it felt great to be jogging again.  And as the weeks ensued, I got back into running, lifting and some tennis, started some short-distance races, and a year later I was pregnant again.

Pregnancies don’t treat me kindly, so I counted chasing my one year old around as my daily exercise while I was pregnant with my second (and those of you that have had a 1-2 year old boy know that chasing him around is exercise indeed).  I was extremely ready to get back into jogging after Kate was born in May.  I started slow and built up.  I feel about a thousand times better now that I can challenge myself physically again.  The endorphin high is an extra plus.  This fall weather in Bangkok is another bonus.  What a beautiful time of year to jog outside.  There were actually leaves falling on my jog in Lumpini today.

Bottom line, for me, a healthy mom is a happy mom.  Every day I can get a quick jog in or some lifting, I feel like I’m a better mom.  I’m less stressed, more fit, get in some valuable alone time, and build up energy for the day with my children.

Find what it is that makes you healthy – a good read, a good swim, some time with friends – and find the time to do it.  You will be a better mom for it.

Push-ups in Lumpini

The Single Best Thing We’ve Done for our Toddler in Bangkok?

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Teach him to swim.

Thailand is teeming with pools and beautiful beach destinations.  The weather is magnificent for swimming year round.  We’re fortunate enough to have a pool in our apartment complex.  With so much access to water, it would be silly not to enjoy it.

After arriving in November almost a year and a half ago, I was anxious to find activities for Logan.  The problem was, he was only four months old and the only things available to us were playgroups.  Sure playgroups are all well and good, but let’s face it – after two or three playgroups of drooling, grunting, pooping babies a week – Logan and I were both ready for something more.

Then I heard about a little organization called Bangkok Dolphins.  And to be honest, our lives haven’t been the same since.

At the tender age of five months, Logan began infant swim classes.  He started in a Tuesday class of about six children (with parents by their side), taught by an enthusiastic and endearing British swim instructor named Teacher Tom.   Every Tuesday since then, minus a few missed weeks for vacation and runny noses here and there, Logan and I both have looked forward to our Tuesday swim outings.  Logan has developed a love for the water, acquired the fundamentals of swimming, and has learned about water safety at a very early age.  Walter and I have had so much fun swimming with him. I was even fortunate enough to meet some of my best friends in Bangkok (I’m talking about you, Natalia, Barbara, and Alejandra) during infant swim classes.

Watching Logan’s evolution over the past year and a half has been awesome.  Here’s a little clip of Logan swimming at about 10 months of age.

And here are a couple of videos of Logan swimming more recently.

If you have access to a pool and/or swim school nearby, I highly encourage you to give your child the gift of swim lessons.  Enjoying the water at home and on vacation has greatly enriched Logan’s infant and toddler years.  Below are some pictures of our fun times in the water together over the past two years.

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