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18 Memories From 2018

7/7/2019

1 Comment

 
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    Looking back on 2018 makes me wonder how I am going to be able to keep topping these amazing experiences that make up my life. Seriously. They say to live the life you love and love the life you live and I am unabashedly doing just that. The year started off with the best treat of welcoming our new golden retriever, Penny, into our family, followed by a spring filled with visits from my family members, including lots of Turkish road trips and unbelievably beautiful adventures. The summer was kicked off with our Myanmar family in North Carolina for a wedding celebration and stretched long allowing us to fully soak in all the goodness that is family time back home in Maine. The fall brought our second year in Istanbul, a blooming of my personal art making, plus more travel in the winter. Each year that I have put together these blog posts (2014, 2016, 2017) I feel a deep sense of gratitude for where our journey has led us and the soul-warming experiences we have had along the way. Thank you for being along for the ride. So, without any further ado, here are 18 memories from 2018.

14 Adventures of 2014
16 Epic Parts of 2016
17 Unforgettable Times of 2017

18. Adopt Penny

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    One of the very best decisions we made this year was to invite a new 4-legged member into our family. The story of her adoption starts back in Myanmar. After we accepted the move to Istanbul in the spring of 2017, we both began researching the new city that we would call home - me in the form of the art scene, the history, the neighborhoods, and the things to see and do. Kim devoted her research to two topics, the food (street food, restaurants, grocery store prices - she knew walking off the plane how much to pay for an apple) and animals. As I’m sure you know, Kim’s family has always had golden retrievers and they take up a big part of her heart (bigger than my section I’m sure). This is when Kim connected with Yasemin, a woman who has devoted her life to rescuing (mainly) golden retrievers off the streets of Turkey.
The story goes that years ago golden retrievers became the “must have” for the Turkish high class, and so everyone began importing and breeding them. Quickly they became over bred and less desired and turned onto the street. Since goldens are so docile, they have little chance of surviving on the streets against the other, more aggressive, types. So Yasmin steps in when she can, rescuing every golden she can find. She then works with golden adoption agencies in North America to send them to people who are anxiously awaiting a golden friend. Unfortunately, this whole operation has to stay underwraps because she has gotten threats from locals who think that she is stealing dogs and selling them. But, she goes on to do her good work, quietly.
Kim quickly offered to become a foster home for dogs who are awaiting their ticket to a new home. We had also talked about the possibility of getting a dog this year. While we were in Egypt for our winter break Kim got the message from Yasemin, she had a dog for us. Kim must have watched the video Yasemin sent of (what would be) Penny every minute of our trip, while anxiously and excitedly wishing it to end because she now had a four-legged friend to get back to. The day we came back, January 1st, Penny walked into our apartment and Kim knew she wouldn’t be leaving.
Penny has been a joy to have with us all year long and makes us smile and feel loved every single day. She was a very shy, anxious, tiny creature, who has grown into a friendly, sweet, not-so-tiny member of our family. From spending her days on the streets and then in a cage in a pound, she quickly took to Kim and now follows Kim wherever she leads. Penny flew to Maine and back with us this summer and just blossomed, running around in the yard and going on hikes with me. She got very itchy and come to find out she is allergic to Maine grass - seriously. Penny loves her giant bed, walks to Krispy Kream where she convinces strangers to feed her their donuts, and having her head rubbed. We are so, so glad she is ours.

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2. Black Sea Birthday Road Trip

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    For Kim’s birthday this year I surprised her with a long-weekend road trip. As you know, Kim loves driving and I love riding. So we hopped in our rental car (having to pick Penny up and place her in the back because she had no idea what was going on), and set on our way. I had randomly picked out a place for us to spend the night, having no idea that it was a spectacular little gem of a city called Safranbolu. It was jaw-droppingly gorgeous, straight out of a fairy tale. We wound our way through the mountains that bordered the Black Sea, and winded our way back down. We found a castle, jaw dropping mountains, and bee keepers selling honey street side. Read about the whole trip over here. 
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3. Dad & Pam Visit Istanbul

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    In March we had a fantastic week when my Dad and Step-mom, Pam, visited us in Istanbul. Neither had ever traveled abroad before and it was an absolute joy to be able to share in their first international experience. I’m not sure how to put into words the depth of fulfilment it gave me to be able to provide/share this life-changing experience of traveling to/with the man who made it possible for me to be able to live this amazing life of traveling that I do. I think out of all my seven siblings that I am the most like my dad, from him I got my understanding and compassion, my quiet, observant quality, my work ethic and my overall personality. We share similar processes of how we form opinions, translate thoughts about the world, save memories, and react to situations. He has quietly encouraged each of us to dream, always supportive of whatever way we choose to spend our lives. Finally, he got a little peek into what my life was made of.

    It was a whirlwind of a time, trying to show Dad and Pam all Istanbul had to offer while stopping to enjoy the little intricacies that only appear to a fresh-off-the-plane set of eyes. We visited all the sites, wrode the tram down Iskale street, took a ferry ride on the Bosphorus, showed them our neighborhood, and treated them to all our favorite Turkish foods. Oh, and then there was the hilarious costume photo shoot we found ourselves in that I still cannot stop laughing about!


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4.Ephesus/Pamukkale Road Trip

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We didn’t just stop in Istanbul though. They were set on seeing as much as they could so we hopped back down to southern Turkey to walk the ruins of Ephesus and visit the Virgin Mary’s house. Seeing my dad sitting in the grand amphitheater, taking it all in, is a sight I will keep close to my heart. These places meant a lot to Dad who connected with the stories from the Bible in a way that was not possible before.
We popped over to see the calcite pools of Pamakkale and almost got lost on a long dirt middle-of-nowhere road that Google sent us on. They then went to spend a few days seeing my oldest sister Renee in Egypt before having one last Turkish breakfast with us and then flying home. I think that we may have ignited the travel bug in them and I hope that we will be able to have another adventure abroad again so very soon.
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5. Family Trip to Athens, Greece

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Kim and I weren’t alone for long because only a few weeks after Dad and Pam left, my sister Amanda and her husband Josh joined us. These are two of our favorite people in the whole world and to be able to share another adventure abroad with them is what dreams are made of! You might remember them from our road trip around Israel. This time we were headed to Greece! First stop, Athens. We spent a few days in this ancient city traipsing around the Parthenon, taking in all the history at the museum, enjoying every stop on Kim’s personally made food tour around town, and of course taking ALL the pictures. I’m still thinking about the Greek yogurt top cream with honey and nuts we had *drool*
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6. Santorini aka Heaven on Earth

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    It was easy to decide to make Santorini our other stop in Greece. After seeing just one of the jaw dropping photos of the white houses clustered on the cliffs over the ocean, I was sold. And boy was it perfection. We had decadent meals served by waiters who became friends and invited Kim into the kitchen. We had adventures out on quad bikes, zipping around the island and eating sandwiches we whipped together on the back of the bumpers. I had a quiet morning wandering session squeezing through all the nooks and allies of Oia and being blown away by the beauty at every turn. We even took the time to hire a professional local photographer who got some unbelievable photographs of all of us exploring the island. The whole experience was perfectly incredible.
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7. The Fairy Tale that is Cappadocia

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    We weren’t done yet though. Amanda and Josh had one more stop they were dying to make and that was back in Turkey. So we flew back there, grabbed a car and made the not-so-quick drive down to Cappadocia. A town in central Turkey known for its land formations in the shape of cones. It has underground cities that you can still go and (try to) squeeze through and an astounding show every sunrise where the sky fills up with hot air balloons that bobble around through the clouds. This was such a special place and I already have plans to return back in 2019.
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8. Bike Ride to Bulgaria

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    Back in Istanbul it was a normal week when I saw an online posting for an opening on a weekend bike ride from Turkey, through Greece and Bulgaria, and back to Turkey. I thought about how insanely awesome that sounded by the insane outweighed the awesome in my mind. The next day my colleague/partner in crime/work wife mentioned that she would be going on a bike ride that weekend. Could it be? Yes, the exact same one. And quickly the decision was made, the plans were booked, and I was on a bus to the most north western town in Turkey. Two days, three countries, 28.4+ miles, one night in Bulgaria, and one very sore bum later I had a fantastic experience with some even more fantastic people.
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9. Wilmington Wedding

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    Immediately following our last day of school in Istanbul I flew to Wilmington, North Carolina to meet up with Kim and our Myanmar tribe. I am so grateful that we have been able to get together two years in a row despite being in all different parts of the globe. Sharon, Steven, and their two kids are in Malaysia currently and Shelly & Luis are in Florida. We all got together to celebrate Shelly & Luis’ wedding in Wilmington. It was such a festive time that was jam packed with quality moments of the everyday sort - dinners together, drinks around the pool, walks around the adorable little town, and all the conversations that we could squeeze in between wedding prep. The ceremony was lovely, funny, and heartwarming; and boy did everyone dance the night away. As always, it was too short to spend with some of my favorite people in the whole world but I’ll take the little slivers of sunshine and hold on to them tight.
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10. Boston TAB Institute

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Mid summer I took the train down to Boston where I joined other Art Educators from all over the world at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design for the TAB Summer Institute. TAB stands for Teaching For Artistic Behaviors, an art teaching pedagogies that I have been following since I very first started teaching. TAB teachers follow a three sentence curriculum: What do artists do? The child is the artist. The classroom is their studio. When I want to explain my method of teaching simply, I tell people that I don’t teach children how to make art, I teach them how to be artists.
It is challenging as an art teacher to not have many people in the same field as you in the same space to bounce ideas off of. Then on top of that to be committed to this amazing choice-based methodology, greatly limits the amount of like-minded art educators I’ve come in contact with. This can often be a challenge to continue to grow professionally. This is why I was so excited that my school, MEFIS, approved my request to attend this conference.
For a week I was surrounded by art educators who are passionate about giving the student artist as many opportunities for agency, independence, and choice as possible. We had round-table discussions about what is working and not working in our classrooms, presentations from some well practiced TAB educators, and talked with the founders of TAB. We also had a large studio open all week with a variety of different centers set up for us to go in, be inspired, and make art. It was a week of being re-centered in my teaching philosophy, networking with other talented educators, getting inspired, and making art.
Plus, I spent a glorious half a day wandering around the spectacular collection at the MFA Boston - sketching, gawking, and trying to take it all in. It was everything you want from a Professional Development and more!
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11. Summer in Maine

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    What a luxuriously long summer we had in Maine. It was the longest I’ve spent in Maine since we moved abroad and it was just chalk full of all the summertime goodness - campfires, unintentional family get togethers, strawberry picking, swimming, hiking with the pup, sunsets behind the mountains, ice cream trips, so many sleepovers, shopping, camping, and on and on. Kim was happy to accept a job as a prep cook and baker at the Gingerbread House in Rangeley which kept her joyfully busy for most of the summer. Meanwhile, I hoped around from couch to couch soaking in as much family time as sanely possible.
    Just a few of the summer highlights included Meg’s adorable book themed baby shower, frisbee golf afternoons and spontaneous sunset hikes with Drew, planning and watching Sam & Cody get engaged, going to the Great Falls Balloon Festival (a tradition I haven’t made it to in 4 years), family amusement park day at FunTown SplashTown, spending hours in the craft store with Autumn (and then nights watching movies and trying out all our purchases), attempting stand-up-paddleboarding and then kayaking while pouring out our deepest worries and biggest dreams with Amanda, hanging with Zane - the coolest nephew ever, wandering my home-town fair with all the fam, wedding dress shopping for Sam with all the girls, avoiding the freezing mountain water at Smalls Falls with Nikki, Mac, and Danny, endless hours of driving just to share conversations with Andrea, hiking with Lanie, and all the amazing meals from the grill enjoyed on our picnic table with Kim.
    Just before I was to head back to Istanbul in early August, I got word that the school building was still under construction and they moved our orientation to online which meant that I got an EXTRA two weeks at home!! In this time I was able to photograph a last minute wedding down in Boston - which allowed me to fund my camera replacement (from the one that got stolen last year).
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12. Second Year in Istanbul

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After the extra time in Maine, as much as I hated to leave, I felt myself getting antsy to get back to our normal routine and at the end of August I headed back to Istanbul for our second year in this big, beautiful city. The first task at hand was unpacking our new apartment. We were happy to move into a different school-provided apartment still directly next to the school. We were looking forward to more light, a small balcony, and (mainly) a much bigger kitchen. Kim arrived a few weeks behind me so I spent that time arranging and rearranging, unpacking, and organizing. I bought a stunning kitchen island, a water cooler, a bigger mattress, and even more plants. I feel really good with what I was able to arrange for the unique space we were given and both of us feel much happier than last year. Kim is able to satisfy all her kitchen needs while I have my own little art corner, these are both in the same open space so we can each do our own thing while still staying connected. 
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I’m enjoying my second year teaching art to grades 5-8. I feel that this is my ideal age-range. I know that middle school can make most people cringe (I said for years that I would never teach middle school), but there is something that clicks in place with these students around this age, they are old enough to do more advanced things, have depth in their ideas, and have longer spurs of concentration; yet they are young enough that they still really want to do what they are supposed to, they don’t (usually) have that teenager attitude (yet), and they are funny. I enjoy my schedule and my extra responsibility of being Head of Department for “Group 6” aka the specialists. Kim is just beginning a new work venture that has a lot of potential and we are both excited to see where it goes. I’m glad to say that Kim and I will be staying for at least a 3rd year, if not more after that.
I’ve had days of playing tourist and wandering the grand bazar, riding the ferry over to Asia, and exploring the nooks and crannies of new neighborhoods. But most of our days are simple, walking Penny through the park, having a tea down on breakfast street, or spending the evening cooking/art making at home. We are very comfortable and happy with our little but grand life over here.
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13. The Art of Papercutting

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This school year has seemed much calmer than ever before. It took me a few months to realize that this is the first time in my seven years of teaching that I am not in my first year at a new school, nor am I job searching (which is practically a full-time job of it’s own). This has allowed me to have a lot more time and headspace to work on my artwork. Starting back in May, I was inspired to create a papercut map of istanbul to place over my Ebru artwork. Ebru is the traditional Turkish art of water marbling that Kim and I took a six week workshop in (Kim continued with private lessons afterwards). After that, my love for papercutting was reignited and I began making all sorts of papercut artworks. Our friends Katherine and John who are still teaching in Myanmar commissioned a Yangon themed papercut from me and it will forever be one of my favorite artworks I have ever created. I made a letter “O” for little baby Oakley’s baby shower, and a few other little pieces. When I returned to Istanbul I continued working on the papercuts. I began designing little scenes encapsulated in circles that could be shown against a real life background, I created geometric designs, and then I returned back to maps. 
    “The Places the Make Us,” is an ongoing series of layered map papercuts. The original one I created included four maps, one for each of the places that Kim and I have called home since we were married. I just adore cutting maps and am so happy that others have liked them too. I have created three commissioned pieces from this series, personalized for the special locations of each client, and have three more on the docket. One of my goals this year was to find a way to get my art out there more and I love that I can create these one-of-a-kind, individualized artworks that are beautiful and layered with meaning. Please get in touch if you are interested in commissioning an artwork from me. 

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14. World Record Setting in Kas

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    My oldest sister, Renee, is a professional freediver currently living in Dahab, Egypt. She has unrelenting ambition to make her dreams a reality which led her to the World Freediving Championships in October. Coincidentally, these were held in Kas, Turkey - just a short flight and a few hours drive away from Istanbul. It was priceless to be able to watch Renee surfacing as the new USA National Record Holder, after her record-breaking free immersion dive of 63 meters (203 feet). For those who are unfamiliar with free diving, it is diving without using any breathing aparatas aka holding your breath. It is always uplifting spending time with Renee who is an inspiration for all of us Blundon siblings. 
Kas is the cutest little ocean-side town on Turkey’s southern coast. The sunsets were unbelievable and the vibe was quaint and breezy. We even took a quick trip over to Demre, the home of St. Nicolas - the man who eventually became known as Santa Claus. There we were also able to visit the rock tombs of Myra, an ancient city. 

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15. Moroccan Road Trip

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    Winter break this year brought us to Morocco, a country that has always been in the back of my mind. When planning our two week trip, I came across story after story of scams, harassment, overwhelming touts, and other forms of things that traveler’s dread. Now, we are no nieve travelers but the vast amount of these stories that I read gave me pause. I arrived in Morocco very guarded, ready to fend off the numerous hassles that I was told I would face. You know what happened? Absolutely nothing. Not once did I feel any more harassed or harassed or tricked than any other country we have gone to. I felt perfectly comfortable as a woman, traveling with other women, despite all of the people telling me the contrary. To our advantage, it was winter so my legs and arms/torso was nearly always covered, and we had a car so we avoided many tourist heavy areas (like bus stops). 
    Our friend Katie joined me and Kim for the two-weeks as we drove around from fantastic city to the next. We flew in to Casablanca but did not spend any time there as I had researched that it was nothing but a big industrial city. Driving up the coast we spent on night on the ocean-side town of Assilah before heading to the mountain village of Chefchaouen. From there we went down to the ancient city of Fez, spending days wandering the incredible median (main city area where no cars are allowed). After enjoying the culture of Marrakesh we finished off our trip at an all-inclusive resort before heading home. 
    Morocco was everything I had hoped - beautiful chaos, endlessly winding medinas, stunning mosaics, cute towns, tasty couscous, cactus gardens, and an overall fabulous adventure. 

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16. The Blue Perl - Chefchaouen

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    Hands down, my favorite place in Morocco was the mountain village of Chefchaouen. This is known as the “blue perl,” due to the blue paint that covers the majority of its buildings. Some say it is to bring the sky down to the earth so the people are closer to God, others say the blue keeps away the mosquitos, whichever the reason everyone can agree that it is absolutely stunning. I spent hour just wandering the narrow walkways taking pictures at every turn. It was a photographer’s dream for sure!
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17. 30th Birthday Surprise Trip to Paris

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    Kimberly made my dreams come true when she surprised me with a weekend in Paris for my 30th birthday. The whole trip was absolutely magical. It was beyond anything I could have hoped for. It will truly be a memory to last a lifetime. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have a wife that would give me such an experience. Read about the whole wonderful trip here.
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18. 4th Year Married

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In May of 2018, Kim and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary. I am in awe every year of how much we manage to still learn about each other, what elements we are still discovering, and how our relationship changes as the different aspects of our individual selves continue to develop. Although we have faced challenges, just as all others do, we continue to come out stronger and closer as a result. And still, there is no one I would rather adventure, through the world and through life, with. 
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Well there it is, another big, long, way-to-many-photos, yearly blog post. If you’ve made it all the way to the end, cheers to you! Thanks for following along on our adventures. See you in the next one!
​-Alisa

1 Comment

17 Unforgettable Times of 2017

12/17/2017

4 Comments

 
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The year flew by in whips of whimsy and fun. 2017 hosted a lot of dear lasts and oh, so many sweet firsts. A few BIG events happened that will forever be stamped on our live’s map but there were also hundreds of miniscule choices that created so much joy each and every day. Lots of travel ensued of course, from Asia to South America and many places in between. We said goodbye to our first home away from home, Yangon, and hello to our new love, Istanbul. There was many days of work and plenty of nights of fun. I got to travel with two of my siblings and spend a summer with the rest of them. We packed up our bags and unpacked them so many times, in so many places; sometimes for a night and other times for good (ish). To celebrate it all I have a very VERY special treat for you: One Second a Day - Our 2017 video. Every single day of 2017 I took a one second (or one and a half seconds) video and compiled them all here. I just love the special atmosphere that videos can bring that even the most stunning photograph lacks. Have a watch:
Before we get into the 17 Unforgettable Times of 2017 I want to take a pause and acknowledge the unexpected passing of Robin Ellicott, Kim’s mother. I don’t think I can say it better now, a year later, than I did when she first left us:

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Robin was a soul made of laughter, honesty, and pride. She loved her family, both blood and chosen, with a fierce passion. Always generous, she enjoyed giving to others just to see them joyful. Humor came to her as often as breathing always bringing everyone around her to laughter as well. She welcomed anyone and everyone into her home like family, without judgement or question, including myself. All of my heart and thoughts are with Kimberly, Stan, and the rest of the family today. May you rest in peace dear.”

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Words have left me as I try to explain the impact that this loss has had on Kim and the entire family so instead I will share a few photos of this beautiful soul.

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We are so lucky that Robin and Sonny were always in support of our crazy travels so here go, trying to live our best lives with them in mind. 

17. Sister Trip in Thailand

Not only am I lucky to be living the life I love of travel and art, but I also was able to travel with TWO of my siblings this year! The first of which involved my little sister Sam who took a gap year to do a bit of traveling. April vacation in SouthEast Asia always aligns with the new year, Thingyan in Burmese or Songkran in Thailand, which means massive city wide water fights. I am not a fan of water and wanted to make sure I was far away from this. Kim however wanted to be sure to experience Thingyan in its full capacity. So for April break Kim stayed in Myanmar and partied the week away getting drenched and splashing water. Meanwhile I met up with Sam in Chiang Mai, Thailand where we explored and then escaped even further to the mountain town of Pai. We spent the days lounging and avoiding the water fights and the evenings eating Pad Thai and drinking mojitos. It was the best.
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16. A Day With the Elephants

While Sam and I were in Thailand we took a day to visit an Elephant rescue sanctuary. We spent the day learning how to take care of these massive creatures. There was even a one year old “baby” named Dumbo! We fed them, walked in the woods with them, and took them to the river to bathe them. This was certainly one of my favorite experiences!
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15. Saying Goodbye to Myanmar

After three years in Myanmar it was time for Kim and me to move on. Both sad and excited we were ready for the next chapter of our lives. After April break ended it became real; Sam returned from Thailand with me and spent a month in Myanmar. It was great playing tourist again as we visited all the same locations that looked so foreign to me not so long ago. I checked off the list of last things to do like visit a palm reader, get more dresses made from Lady Phoo, one last night on 19th street, and so many massages. We also took a weekend to visit Bagan because there’s no way Sam could come all the way and not see this Myanmar gem. As always, it was the people that were the hardest to say goodbye to, but luckily I am certain I will see most of them again someday. To process this time I challenged myself to spend time every day for the last 30 days I was there journalling or drawing or otherwise creating. This is one of my favorite consistent journaling times to look back on now as it strongly reflects this time in my life. The very last weekend in Myanmar was rough and I was grateful when I finally sat down on the plane to have my very last look at the country that was my first home away from home.
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14. A Breath in New York

Flying into New York I was so relieved and grateful to be back with my wife and in a country that I understood. We decided to take a few days to explore and root down before heading back to Maine. The first stop was obviously a bagel shop and I nearly cried when the lady behind the counter asked if there was anything else she could help me with *sigh* how I missed US customer service. We visited Central Park and Times Square, ate a hot dog from a street cart (Kim of course, who was majorly disappointed), and drove way too far to find a chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick (so NOT disappointing!!!). We were also able to meet up with some of my favorite Canadians who were also on their way back from Myanmar and stopping to see the big apple too (see, I told you it wouldn’t be long!).
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13. Friends Week in Atlanta

After only a beat in Maine we jumped on a plane to Atlanta where our Myanmar tribe was getting together. Shelly, Sharon, Steven, and the kids were our family while in Myanmar and all of them left after the two years while Kim and I stayed for a third. We were also joined briefly by our dear friends Daniel and Tati, who are still living and working in Myanmar. It was a week of catching up, saying all the little things that seem too insignificant to write in an email and getting to the heart of the big things that often can’t be written down at all. Plus lots of laughter, fun, and love. You know those people who just get you? Who always make you a better person while appreciating who you are at the same time? These ladies are those people for me and a week with them was far from enough time. Until next summer, xoxo
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12. Straddling the Equator 

Our next big adventure came before we even set our bags down in Maine, my little brother Drew, Kim and I were off to South America to spend a month backpacking Ecuador. Drew has been itching to travel for ages and finally we managed to plan this trip. When Kim and I were looking for a new place to move to this year we set our sights on Eastern Europe or South America and since we happily landed in Eastern Europe that left South America to explore. We choose Ecuador the same way we choose a lot of our travel locations: it was the cheapest flight. Plus our friends Steven and Sharon had just spent a year living there and we wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So we got out our travel bags, Phoebe and Roxanne, a trusty guidebook and set off. The first epic place we landed was Quito, the capital city that is smack in the middle of the Equator.
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11. Ziplining in Banos

After some exploring of the capital and a cute mountain town called Otavalo (known for its huge market) we went searching for some thrills in Banos - we were not disappointed! Banos has everything to offer adrenalin seekers and I was quick to sign us up for a ziplining, cable bridge crossing, and rock climbing excursion (a few mojitos might have helped with the courage). It was terrifying but a blast! We also went to the top of the mountains and had fun at the Swing at the End of the World, as well as another even bigger and crazier swing that we got strapped into. One day Drew and I went on a bike ride down Ruta de la Cascadas, the Road of the Waterfalls. It was gorgeous and we saw so many waterfalls along the way. We also stopped and ziplined across the canyon because it was $10 (#nobrainer). Banos was exhilarating!
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10. Hiking Through the Amazon Rainforest

Our next stop took us into the Amazon Rainforest. We hiked to a secluded waterfall, swung on a rope off a cliff (well drew did, I definitely did not), visited a local tribe, took a ride down the river in a carved out canoe (which ended up being more like white water rafting), and made some friends with some local birds. I wish we could have explored deeper but am so glad we got to experience some of this spectacular environment.
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09. Parasailing Off the Beach & Galapagos

After shopping for hats in Cuenca it was time to head to the beach. The little town of Montanita is usually a huge beach attraction but was a little quieter in the off season. We still had heaps of fun lounging about, drinking coconuts, and trying parasailing for the first time - one of the best $10 that I almost didn’t spend! We chose this location in particular to be sure that we got a chance to experience the Galapagos. This chain of islands are known to have species that can’t be found anywhere else on earth, it is where Darwin developed his theory of evolution. Unfortunately a trip to the islands costs several thousand dollars, so we took the alternative trip to Isla de la Plata, known as the “poor man’s Galapagos.” We spent the day waddling around with the Blue Footed Boobies, snorkeling with giant turtles, and watching whales leaping out of the water on our boat ride back to shore.
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08. Quitola Loop

To wrap up our time in Ecuador we took another day trip to the Quitola Loop, a volcano that erupted some 600 years ago, leaving a pristine turquoise lake in the center. Many visitors choose to hike around the crest of the crater but with our visit we choose to walk down into the center. The lake was stunning and we were sure to take full advantage of it by enjoying a kayak trip on it’s calm surface. The hike back up to the edge however, was one of the hardest things I have ever physically done in my life. We (stupidly) denied taking a horse ride back up and slowly ascended on foot - a decision I regretted every step of the way due to the 12,700 ft altitude. But we conquered it with a stunning view along the way!
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07. Summer in Maine

There is nothing as good as coming home again. Having a place to drop your bags and familiar faces all around. Maine is such a gorgeous state and I spent a good chunk of summer soaking it up. Between swinging in my Ecuadorian rainbow hammock strung between two pine trees in the front lawn, to family cookouts in the yard surrounding the fire, it was a peaceful, happy time. There are few things sweeter than being with family and my family is the absolute best.
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Andrea Simmons Photography

06. Moved to Istanbul

Although every summer I return home it seems to get harder to leave, it was time to head off on the next chapter of our lives - moving to Istanbul, Turkey. When I was in my second interview for the position I ended up taking, the director asked me “Why do you want to come to Istanbul?” Before I could think about the answer the words were spilling out of my mouth, “Because I always knew it would be a part of my story. Istanbul has always been on the back of my tongue waiting for it’s time. I didn’t know when, or how, or how long, or why, but I somehow always knew that Istanbul and I were meant to be.” Fast forward to August and there we were, meeting my principal at the Istanbul airport and getting settled into our new apartment. Starting my new position as the Middle Years Art teacher for an international school involved a lot of orientation, curriculum planning, and meetings but my enthusiasm was high and both my and Kim’s excitement of exploring this new place kept our spirits light. And boy is there lots to explore! Istanbul is the perfect blend of exotic, new, fascinating finds, mixed with modern, western amenities. There is so much to love about this beautiful place I feel like it will take us a while to truly get to know it. Having lived here for six months at the time of writing this we are still just as happy with our decision and are loving this life we are living.
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05. ​Ferry Rides to the Prince Islands

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I don’t think there are stairs to heaven, instead I believe there must be a ferry ride to the pearly gates. Ferry rides are the single best way to travel. There is just something about the smooth rocking of the boat, sitting on the balcony watching the European side of Istanbul fade away while the Asian side comes into view, sipping a chia with the wind whipping your hair around, it just fills me with bliss. One weekend we took a longer ferry ride to a small collection of islands not far from Istanbul. Originally, the Prince Islands were a place of exile for the naughty royals but they have evolved to become a popular way to escape the city life. The islands have no motorized vehicles and were a wonderful day out of the city. We took a bumpy horse and cart ride around the small island and enjoyed being back in nature for a bit. 
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04. Turkey Road Trip

On a four day weekend in November Kim and I took off with our friend Katie to explore a bit of Turkey. We rented a car and drove south with some general destinations in mind. Our first stop was at Pamukkale, a hill layered with white calcite pools filled with volcano water. The name translates to Cotton Castle reflecting on the poofy white snow-looking texture of the terraces. Our next stop was the great ruins of Ephesus, a nearly 3,000 year old city and the most well preserved archaeological site on the Mediterranean. The Library there was definitely my favorite! We made a few other spontaneous road trip stops like Sirince, a little wine village up in the mountains. It was so nice to get out of Istanbul and see some of what Turkey has to offer!
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03. Sea and Sun in Dahab, Egypt

For winter break Kim and I headed south to Egypt. My sister, Renee, is a freediver in Dahab and with a quick 3 hour direct flight it was an easy choice to spend a few weeks in the sun with her. We took advantage of the low rates and hung out at an all-inclusive hotel in Sharm el Sheikh for a few days which was just the absolute perfect way to rest from a crazy semester. Then we lounged around in Dahab, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere. We took a Discover Scuba course, went on a 4-wheeling tour through the desert, had a bedouin Christmas dinner cooked under the sand, snorkeled at the Blue Hole, and had some family time. What more could we ask for?
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02. The Great Pyramids 

On the last days of the year we were traipsing around the Great Pyramids of Giza. We obviously couldn’t go to Egypt and not visit the Pyramids! Hearing lots about how crazy Cairo is we planned accordingly and booked a one day private tour of Memphis (the old kingdom) and the Pyramids. It was the ideal way to beat the crowds and get all the information about the area. We climbed inside a pyramid to see the burial chamber, “kissed” the great Sphinx, and danced around like an Egyptian. We also made sure to get in all the recommendations from others like staying in the coolest old style hotel, wandering around the Egyptian Museum, riding a boat down the Nile, and eating pigeon (that one was all Kim!). I love ending the year with adventure!
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01. Third Year Married

Three years ago Kim and I started a grand journey, one that has led us to places that have surprised us, frustrated us, and built us up. No, not the time we packed up our things and moved across the world, I’m talking about the day we stood in front of our favorite people and made promises to each other. This year came with sorrow, challenges, and heartache but we stood side by side and continued on and we also able to experienced countless joys, adventures, and so much love. I couldn’t imagine doing what we do without this woman along for the ride.
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If you made it all the way to the end of this post you are a trouper! I feel like I created these more for me than any of you, as a sort of scrapbook to look back on and remember our years, but I’m also so so so glad that you are here following with me. I’d love a comment below so I know you were here.

Until the next adventure,
Alisa
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19 Travel Hacks for the New Traveler

5/17/2016

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Next week my little sister leaves for her first time abroad. Amanda will be spending 10 weeks in the middle east studying and interning as a lawyer at a woman's rights organization. I could not be more proud of her or more excited for her! Accompanying her on this grand adventure will be her husband, Josh, who I hope will blossom just as much through this experience. Before they head off to ride camels through the dessert I wanted to share with her, and all of you, some travel hacks that Kim and I have learned since we began traveling abroad two years ago. I hope they help the next time you take off on a new adventure!
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Before You Go

1. ​Triple check your flight times
If you ask any seasoned traveler I guarantee that every single person will have a story about missing or almost missing a flight due to reading the flight times wrong (I certainly have a few). If you fly often it is easy to get times mixed up, so do yourself a favor a triple check all of your flight times and dates (especially the am and pm times) as well as the airports (departing and arriving). Trust me, you will thank me one day. 
2. ​Double check your baggage
Baggage allowance varies a great deal from airline to airline. Be sure before you leave your house that you know precisely what you have available for baggage from ALL airlines you are flying. It is significantly cheaper to purchase your baggage online before your flight, a luggage weigher will help get the most out of your baggage allowance. Some booking websites book connecting flights separately and you will need to pick up your luggage between them. The last thing you want is to arrive to your destination without your belongings, so double and triple check. 
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3. ​Pack an outfit in your carry-on
Just in case that dreadful event of losing your luggage does happen, make sure you have a change of clothes and anything that you need immediately (contact solution, medicine, etc) packed in your carry-on. Plus anything breakable – you don’t want to watch the airline workers pack or unpack the suitcases, it is terrifying. 
4. Don’t buy an adapter yet!
I got this advice from my big sister, Renee, who at the time was living in Tanzania and is now in Egypt. You can spend $50-$100 on an international plug adapter – but don’t! You don’t need one. Wait until you get in the country that you are going, visit the local convenience store and 95% of the time you can pick one up for less than a dollar. Save your money for more traveling!
5. ​Have the first hotel night and transportation there planned
Whether you are spending a couple nights or a couple months in your new city, there is one thing that is certain – after a long travel you will need a comfy bed and some shut eye. Be sure you know where you are going after you arrive and how to get there. Most hotels will be happy to tell you the easiest or the cheapest way to get there from the airport, feel free to shoot them an email. Don’t be afraid to ride the local transport either! It is usually fairly easy, cheap, and a fun way to see the city for the first time. 
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6. ​Have small AND large bills for exchange
Generally large bills ($100s) get the best exchange rate, but it is also common for the currency exchangers at the airports to give very poor rates. So I compromise by bringing a small bill or two ($20) to exchange at the airport to have money for transportation and a bite to eat, then after I get settled in my hotel I bring my larger bills to the hotel recommended exchange for the very best rates. 
7. ​Keep emergency cash separate
One time I was in Bangkok and I got pick pocketed. Luckily I kept my money separate from my important documents (passport), so all that was gone was the cash. Unfortunately that was all the cash I had. I was in a state of frenzy until I remembered that I had tucked away $100 in one of my suitcases for an emergency just like this. It was enough money to get me to the airport and pay for my visa back into Myanmar. Lesson learned: always keep emergency cash and place it separate from your other important items. 
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8. ​Inform your bank
Be sure to let your bank know that you are traveling if you plan on using your debit or credit cards out of the country. Check the amount of cash you are allowed to take out per day and ask for an increase in this limit if you think you will need it. Notify any other important  businesses/connections as well.
9. ​Download a currency converter app.
Converting currency is hard at times, especially when you are going to multiple different countries, or if you are bad at math. A currency converter app will save you the hassle from having to do the math yourself, but more importantly it will keep you informed on what the daily rate is. I bought a water on a flight once and when they handed me back the change in the foreign currency I checked the exchange to find out that it was the wrong amount, I was able to bring it to their attention and get my correct change back. 
10. Download offline maps
One of the best travel apps I have is called Maps.me, it allows you to download a map of the country you will be going to and then use it when you are off line. This is helpful before you have figured out how to get your device to work in your new country. Bonus suggestion: download a phrasebook or google translate before you leave as well. 
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At The Airport

11. ​Bring Pens.
You will be filling out a lot of papers as you travel (like immigration forms). You will need pens. Bring them, many of them. 
12. ​Stand in the Right line at immigration
One of our best tricks! Immigration lines are notoriously long and such a pain to wait in after a long flight when you are just itching to get outside (or just before a long flight). So choose the right line carefully. Look for the diplomats’ line – but don’t go to that one – go to the one next to it. Often the diplomats' line has no one in it and it will invite people from the next line over to come through. You will pass through twice as fast. Try it, works like a charm!
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13. ​Tell them where to stamp
I have had my current passport for a year and a half and it is more than half way full. I am very grateful for this of course, but what I am not grateful for are the stamps that are placed in the middle of a page! I have taken a new habit of finding a free space for a stamp and asking the immigration official if they could PLEASE stamp it in that spot. I find that they are about 75% receptive to this and it has allowed me to condense some space. You may not need to do this yet, but it is good to know that it is an option. 
14. ​Don’t use a passport cover
Every time you have to hand over your passport (which is multiple times at the airport) they have to remove you passport cover to scan the barcode. Just don’t use one. Instead I keep a small zippered pouch where I can safely store it along with my other travel documents (and my pens!). 
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15. ​Prep for security
Use the time you are waiting in line at security to empty your pockets into your purse, backpack, or other carry-on. This will get you in and out of the craziness faster. If possible, wear bottoms that do not require a belt and shoes that are easy to slip on and off. Have your devices easily accessible as well, you will most likely have to remove them from your bag. 
16. ​Bring an empty water bottle
Everyone knows that you can no longer take liquids through security, but few people plan in advance enough to take advantage of the bottle refilling stations found at many airports. Beat the extraordinary airport prices by bringing an empty water bottle and refilling it yourself once you are past security. But be sure to put it in your carry on or there is a chance they may take it (happened to us once). 
17. ​Have your passport and boarding pass open
When you are in line to board the plane, take a moment to set up your documents. Open your passport to the page with your photo on it and place your boarding pass above it. Keep your thumb in this page so when it is your turn you can easily hand off to the flight attendant and whisk through the check. 
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On The Plane

18. Pack your charger in your carry-on (or buy a power bank)
After the seatbelt sign is switched off you reach for your phone and your device is dead. Defiantly not what you want to happen, luckily on most long flights nowadays they have installed USB chargers at every seat. So make sure you have your charger handy. If you want to be sure though, it is better to just invest in a power bank that will allow you to charge your phone multiple times after just one charge-up.
19. ​Prepare a Plane Kit
There are a few things that I NEVER fly without: Headphones, eye cover, pillow, pashmina, snacks, ibprophen, eye drops, sleep aids. The headphones are a necessity to entertain yourself through your own device or the in-flight entertainment. An eye cover and a pillow (probably a neck travel pillow) will help you get comfy on a long flight. A pashmina is a necessity for me, airplanes are almost always cold, bring something to throw over your shoulders. Eye drops help with dry eyes after sleeping, especially for those who wear contacts like me. Bringing a few medicines are allowed as long as they are clearly labeled, we always have ibprophen for aches or such and sleep aids just in case. 
I hoped this helped you Amanda, and any other new travelers reading this!
You are off on an amazing adventure! 
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For any other seasoned travelers, do you have more tips to add to my list? Comment below!

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Christmas, Celebration, and Care Package | December Update

3/2/2016

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December in Yangon is just like December back home, minus the snow, and the cold, and the stores mobbed by Christmas shoppers, and the . . . Okay, maybe it is not just like December back home, but I did try to make the month as festive as I could starting with our Christmas Tree and our Christmas Party. December is an important month not only because it is Christmas, but because it is also my birthday month! Have a read about all of that and more below.
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Christmas Tree


My second favorite day of the year (after my birthday of course) is getting-a-Christmas-tree-day. Always an important tradition in my family, getting a Christmas tree was a huge event that involved coordinating the schedules of everyone in the family, spending hours hiking through the snow, and many eruptions of “this is the one!” There were arguments over the fullness of branches, the softness of needles, and the necessary height of the tree. Snowball fights broke out and fingers/toes/noses got numb.  One time my mother declared that we would not settle for any ol’ tree, that we would have to wait for a sign that it was the right one. After an hour of searching we actually found a tree that had an old birds nest in it! It was lumpy and scrawny but we all insisted on getting it because it was “the sign.” That was defiantly the ugliest Christmas tree we ever had! Eventually the majority of us would agree on one and dad would shimmy under the branches to saw it down. Each year, after we found “the one,” we returned home to blast the Christmas music and trim the tree. It was always fun to rediscover the ornaments that we had made and find a way to fit all of the stockings on the chimney. Yes. Getting-a-Christmas-tree-day is certainly the best.
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With these roots it should not surprise you to know that I am adamantly against fake Christmas trees. Last year was my first Christmas away from my family so I improvised by buying a large potted house tree to use as my Christmas tree. Unfortunately I am not very good at keeping plants alive and that tree is barely hanging on. Riding in a taxi downtown I saw the most cheerful sight. Right in the middle of the fruit stalls and beatlenut stands was a CHRISTMAS TREE store!!! Although they were all fake trees of course, they were so festive that I couldn’t resist. Hence my first every fake Christmas tree. While we were missing the pine smell and the grandness of a real tree, this little plastic one brought a lot of Christmas spirit into the apartment. Here is the final result. 
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The Spots


​Kim has developed another mysterious illness, this time it is in the form of pink spots. No, it’s not chicken pox (although we considered that) we think it is some version of heat rash. These little spots appear in different areas all over her body after she is in a hot environment (hello? Any place in Yangon!) They are extremely itchy and are painful at times. AND she has had this for almost two months now! Yes, she has gone to the doctor and they gave her a bunch of different medicine to try, but the thing about heat rash is the only thing that can really make it go away is being cold for long enough which is simply not possible here. Poor Kim, hopefully these spots will disappear soon!
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27th Birthday


​On the 9th I turned 27 years old! I love my birthday and was so glad to be able to share it with some awesome people! On Sunday we had a small ladies brunch at a fancy hotel called Inya Lake. It was a luxurious event that involved course after course of delicious food and endless Champaign. The afternoon turned into hours of munching, sipping, and chatting with some great ladies.
As is tradition, I took a personal day for my birthday giving me and Kim the day to celebrate together. The morning started off with the best macaroons in all of Myanmar. Our first stop of the day was to the nail salon where I have been trying to make time to go for weeks to get my nails painted and designed then we headed over for a massage at my favorite day spa. We enjoyed lunch at Sprouts, a local salad shop, before starting our search for a piece of artwork. Last year, I bought myself a painting on my birthday and I absolutely love it so I thought this year I would do the same. Buying artwork can be difficult, we wandered for a few hours to a couple different galleries before I finally decided on a beautiful abstract canvas painting by a local artist. With that in hand we headed off to Shwe Sa Bwe for dinner. This fine dining restaurant is a social enterprise, meaning that it helps the community buy training and employing local underprivileged people in the fine dining field (so they can get hired long term in a good establishment). Not only that but it was simply spectacular! Defiantly one of the best meals we have had in Yangon. After our lavish 4 course dinner we drifted home to the most decadent and delectable chocolate torte that I have ever tasted (have I mentioned how phenomenal my wife is?). What an amazing birthday! Here is to an equally as incredible 27th year!
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Gallery Visit


​The art scene in Yangon is lacking for a city of this size, but luckily we have a lot of great people working on improving that. One place is the Deitta Gallery in downtown Yangon which is specific to photography. I took my Advanced class on a field trip here to see their UnEarthed exhibit. Not only were the photographs absolutely spectacular, but the content was informing and revealing. With each photograph was a typed story all about the hazards of working in Myanmar in the extractive industries sector (think mining for gems and the like). 
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Christmas Party


​It is not a secret that I adore Christmas. I love the whole spirit of the season! This year in Yangon Christmas was slightly more apparent than last year. A few times I heard Christmas Carols playing in English while riding in a cab or shopping at a store, there were more Christmas decorations on display all around the city, and I even saw some Christmas carolers on our street once! I was also lucky this year to have a roommate that also adores the Christmas season. So we banded together to throw a Christmas Party! Since almost all of our friends leave for the winter break we picked a Saturday early in December and hosted a huge shindig. We played a silent Christmas movie, blasted Christmas music, had festive Christmas themed food and drinks, and organized a Chinese Auction/ White Elephant. If you are not familiar with the game it goes like this; everyone brings a gift – for our party we asked people to bring the funniest gift that they could find for under $5 – and then based on a number drawn out of a (santa) hat, the gifts are open one by one. The opener gets the choice to keep the gift they selected or trade with someone else. There was SO much laughing and fooling during the game from all of the silly gifts (giant pictures of naked babies, used shoes, a slingshot and tattoo gloves) it most certainly was the highlight of the evening. Even though it is 80* and sunny every day and our families are all so far away, it was amazing to have an evening of Christmas fill our home. 
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Care Package


​The day before winter break I received my very first care package! My awesome sister Andrea put together an assortment of goodies and fun things and mailed them all the way over here to Yangon. Some of the special food items included honey nut cheerios (my absolute favorite!!!), Oreos, Resses Christmas Trees, Jif peanut butter (our #1 favorite brand), Marshmallow Fluff (Kim was ecstatic about this one), Goldfish, granola bars, Cheez-Its, Fruit Roll-Ups, Hot Chocolate, special chocolates, and some of Maine’s own whoopee pies! Special little items were also tucked inside like a drawing from my nephew, Zane, some family photos, a make-your-own snow kit, a scrapbook, and a small canvas. How lucky am I?!?! I can’t tell you how amazing it is to get so many goodies from home. We have learned to live without many things we are used to here so it is such a special treat to receive all of this! Andrea is defiantly the best!
I have to tell you the story about receiving the package. I was at school when my secretary brought up a slip for me from customs saying that the package was here. My school offered to go retrieve it for me but I wouldn’t receive it until after break (this was the Friday afternoon before our three week winter holiday). Luckily, Kim was headed downtown so I told them that I would pick it up myself and I ran the slip over to Kim. When she arrived at customs there was some problem with getting the package so Kim had to give them the equivalent of $5 (plus the fee for getting it out of customs which was about $3) to get them to give her the package. As soon as that was slipped into the man’s hand all was well and Kim walked out with the package. What a crazy place we live in. 
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Trip Planning


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​​Much of my free time in December was filled up with trip planning. Kim and I had our first three week long break starting in December and we were not going to waste a minute of it. We decided to spend most of the time in Vietnam; I’m not sure where the idea came from originally but once we set on it we knew it was the right choice.

We also decided to visit Siem Ream in Cambodia on the way over. From booking 7 different flights and 8 different hotels, plus all of the organization in between, it was quite the challenge but one that I was certainly grateful to have. The massive trip needs a couple blog posts to share it in it’s full amazement but I’ll leave you with these few photos before I go. 

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In Other News . . . 


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This is the wreath and mistletoe that I made from some fake garland I found at the Christmas tree store and some other Christmas shots for you. 
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I hope everyone had an amazing holiday season! Stay tuned for posts about our trip to Vietnam and Cambodia!
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Summer Home in Maine | June/July '15 Update

7/23/2015

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Our summer was overflowing with Maine goodness as we visited, relaxed, and enjoyed June and July with our family and friends. The air was still cold when we arrived and I spent the first few weeks in jeans, a sweatshirt, and socks. Coming from the Myanmar hot season, Kim was loving the cool temps and continued to wear her shorts and flip flops everyday. We lived as nomads, moving from place to place spending time with all of our favorite people. 

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Starting off right away we celebrated Drew’s 16th birthday by camping in true Maine style – cooking lobster over the fire. It wasn’t long before it was Amanda’s 21st as we took her out for her first legal drink continuing with a trip to a casino, margaritas, tacos, and beer pong. The days quickly got filled with lunch dates with awesome people, excursions to the local swimming holes, and frosty deliciousness at our favorite ice cream stands. There were late night bonfires, family BBQs, road trips across states, hikes on the best of forest trails, catching up with friends, and quality time with family.


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Our yearly trip up to Lubec (the most eastern point in the US) had a rocky start when the truck broke down on the way up. But we continued on and had a few days of bliss with ocean breezes, starry night skies, not a person in sight for miles, and lobster. There is always lobster on an Ellicott vacation to Lubec. Shortly after we said goodbye to our dearest Ellie May. Words cannot express the loss we feel at the emptiness in our lives left by the happiest creature imaginable. Ellie got along with every person and animal (besides skunks and squirrels). We were constantly complemented on her happy personality and calm demeanor. She was so much more than our puppy dog, she was the third member of our small family.

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As we worked through our emotions, we continued to stuff ourselves with our favorite (and much missed) American food. Milk, steak, honey nut cheerios, swis rolls, bread that is not sweet, breakfast sandwiches, waffles, orange juice, chocolate, granola bars, fruit roll ups, meatballs, steak and cheese grinders, and so SO much more. I’m seriously going to have to work off all the extra weight when I get back. 

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I photographed a wedding with Andrea and some super sweet couples sessions. Kim went fishing with Josh and sunk the paddleboat. We got our one year anniversary photos taken by Aime from Aime E Photography. There was so much amazingness in these few weeks! To wrap it up we spent an unforgettable week with most of my family in a cabin in northern Maine where we explored waterfalls, went white water rafting, cruised the lake at sunset via pontoon, had never ending card games, and laughed more often than not.


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The seven weeks we were back seemed more like seven days. I knew it would go by quickly, I was prepared for it to go by quickly. What I wasn’t expecting was the lack of anticipation on returning. I figured it would feel like any other vacation where towards the end of it you get the itchy desire to be back where you came from. Instead I felt very comfortable, very settled surrounded by all of my favorite people and familiar environments. It was easy and not complicated. I guess that is what it feels like to come home.
 

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Yet, in no way am I hesitant to continue our adventures abroad. As I see fewer signs in English and more noodle dishes around me, I feel myself pulling back on my armor. Not in an aggressive way, but the necessary readiness needed for navigating a foreign country. The oh-so-familiar complications of language barriers, unknown customs, foreign cities, unrecognizable food, and general confusion that accompanies traveling is flooding back. With it though, comes endless potential for more life-changing experiences, meeting more awesome people, continuing to broaden our mindsets, and learning more about ourselves and this amazing planet everyday. 

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So THANK YOU Maine and everyone for the conversations and catching up, for the couches to sleep on and the overly delicious food, for the time spent with us and the un-wavering open arms that welcomed us back. But mostly thank you for all the love that filled our hearts enough to last us (what is sure to be) another remarkable year away from home. 


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    Alisa & Kim

    Two expats living, teaching, and eating their way across this beautiful world

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