Teach. Eat. Travel.
  • Home
  • The Blog
  • The Places
    • Myanmar
    • Asia
  • The Updates
  • Photography
    • Myanmar Photography
    • Weddings & Portraits
  • About Alisa & Kim

Quarantine Diaries

8/4/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
​I’m laughing right now as I read over words that I wrote at the start of this year. I wrote them in a little printable booklet called The Year Compass, that I use to reflect on the past year and write down my hopes for the year to come. I found the booklet as I was leafing through my art journal yesterday and couldn’t help but burst out laughing when I got to the section about my wish for this year. I optimistically wrote “I wish to leave Istanbul feeling grateful and not stressed. I wish to land in Vietnam gently...” Bahahahaha If only I had known.
Picture
Picture
But in all seriousness, I’ve wondered on more than one occasion in the last few months if I still would have chosen this path had I known the immense hurdles that I would be facing along the way. Although there are many times that I have wished for a time machine to share these struggles with my before-signing-my-contract self, the truth that I cannot deny is that I know I am where I am supposed to be. I can feel it in my bones. I feel it so deeply down in my knowing that I want to question where it came from, but instead I am trying to sit with it. To listen to it. Trying to trust it.
Picture
Picture
Trusting this knowing was especially difficult when we got word that Kim’s flight into the country had been cancelled by the Vietnamese government. She was told last minute that she would need to make a flight this weekend and it was a furry as she packed her bags and said her goodbyes. Then, less than 24 hours before she were to fly, it was cancelled. It is unclear exactly why or what happened but it was so very disappointing. I’m trying to lean into gratitude, knowing that if anyone has a chance at remedying the situation, it will be my school.
Picture
Picture
Kim had already handed Penny over to the pet transportation company when we got the word of the cancellation. We decided to let Penny move forward with her journey since it was already under way. She is set to fly mid next week and, upon arriving to Vietnam, will stay in a boarding facility that we have arranged until I get out of quarantine
Other than the stress of Kim & Penny’s situation, I haven’t minded quarantine. The room I have is lovely. Big enough for what I need. I can squeeze my yoga mat in by the door for my morning sun salutations, spread out my art supplies and notebooks across the desk area, and take meetings on a padded bench - just to change it up a bit.
Picture
Picture
Picture
The three meals a day I have been getting are quite tasty. There is an entire vegetarian menu that is comprised of Vietnamese inspired dishes with a few western items thrown in here and there. The regular menu gives a choice between meals but there’s just the one option for vegetarians. No complaints here though, it has been more than satisfying the majority of the time and it is fun to try out a bunch of new Vietnamese dishes. I am starting to feel like one of Pavlov’s dogs though, for whenever I hear a rustling in the hallway my mouth starts watering (thinking that it just might be meal time). I do fear that I will be over rice and noodles by the time I leave.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
My school has been so kind at delivering necessities as we request them. The day after I arrived I received my school laptop. Following that we were given cleaning supplies (laundry soap, dish soap, spray cleaner, masks, hand sanitizer, etc). Plus we have had the opportunity to request items throughout the week that were shopped for and delivered by some colleagues that are already here. I feel so well taken care of.
Picture
Picture
I have begun the apartment hunt as well. SSIS is the first school I’ve joined who does not have school housing and instead gives a housing allowance (my last two schools you had a choice between living in the housing or accepting the allowance). Thus, my first time apartment hunting in a new city. Actually, my only time apartment hunting abroad, for when I moved off school housing in Myanmar, the apartment found us rather than the other way around. For now, we have decided to find a temporary place to stay for a few weeks while we get our bearings and so we can see apartments in person. This will be especially important I’ve realized, because one thing that is different here is that apartments can only be listed with one real estate agent, thus you most likely need to work with multiple agents in order to find what you are looking for.
Picture
Picture
I had my second COVID test yesterday. We will continue to have them every 4 days or so while we are here so they can catch any positive results as soon as possible. Thankfully the test is a quick throat and nose swab that is done in seconds.

We had been enjoying being able to go in the hallway on our floor the first few days we were here. I learned during the weeks I spent staying at home when Corona virus first hit Turkey, that having some sort of movement every day was important. So two or three of us would get together and do a workout or yoga in the small area near the elevators. However, after a few days some new people moved onto the floor to quarantine. We realized then that it was too risky being out in the hallway. No way would I want days added to my quarantine if there was a potential exposure to these new people. Thus began the full isolation.
Picture
Picture
So my days are filled with working on my Istanbul memories mini-book, browsing curriculum documents, talking with friends and family, searching for apartments, reading (currently Then She Was Gone), bits of yoga (and hall-walking if I’m feeling brave), waiting on word about when Kim will be able to come, taking my temperature every morning and evening, and listening for the rustling of lunch/dinner arriving in the hallway. Next week I’ll begin virtual orientation for school so I’ll have that to keep me busy for sure. In the meantime I’m sending you well wishes from a little hotel room in Vietnam.
Picture
0 Comments

Moving Continents Mid-Pandemic

7/27/2020

4 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
​I’ve made it to Vietnam. I’ve been waiting to say those words for months now, unsure if I ever would be able to. Moving continents mid worldwide pandemic is not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure. It was back in November when we excitedly signed my contract at Saigon South International School, a top tier school in the amazing South East Asian metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City. Kim was over the moon about moving to Vietnam, a place she has been itching to get back to ever since we visited back in 2015. I was convinced by the top notch reputation of the school and the phenomenal benefits package that it came with (including worldwide health insurance and yearly flights for both myself AND Kim). We were ready. That was, until Coronavirus took over the earth and threw us into an ocean of uncertainty. From March to June we rode the waves of emotions. I saw countless other international teachers’ contracts get cut due to countries shutting down, watched as the cases soured and boarders closed. We grasped blindly at any smidge of information we could get. I begun to cling to Istanbul, my friends there, and my belongings. Not wanting to let any of it go for a world of unknown. Kim was a rock during this time, or at least we were able to take turns being so in order to support each other’s troubled mental states.
Picture
Picture
​Thankfully my new school, SSIS, was a shinning light during this period. They pulled out all the stops to support us, holding weekly video meetings, sending countless emails to keep us in the loop, and relentlessly working the Vietnamese government to get us in the country. I headed back to the US at the end of June to take care of a few things and visit with family while Kim remained in Istanbul until we figured out what to do with our dear dog, Penny.

Vietnam was doing a spectacular job at keeping COVID at bay, having only 270 cases in the entire country and not a new one in months. As fabulous as this is, it made it all the more difficult for my school to get us into the country since the boarders are still closed (no commercial flights in or out). After weeks/months of waiting, finally the word came that SSIS chartered a flight from Seoul, Korea. I would fly ahead and then Kim would (hopefully) follow shortly after on a different flight chartered from London.
Picture
Picture
​​It didn’t feel real until just a day or two before I was set to fly. Only when the trip was in my grasps did I allow myself to begin thinking beyond just the arrival stage. I packed and repacked my bags at least 5 times, unable to have the mental capacity to make decisions between what items to bring. I spent every second with family. I said goodbyes for another year. And before I knew it I was sitting alone at my departure gate.

I know there is a lot of curiosity around traveling right now so I wanted to share my journey. In total, from leaving my Dad’s house in Maine to arriving in my hotel room in Saigon, it took 42 hours. Firstly, I needed to get a COVID test done a few days before I left. Then I took off from Portland to Detroit, a fairly uneventful quick flight at only 2 hours. I had a 5 hour layover where I staked claim to a very comfortable sofa that I snoozed on a bit in between catching up with video chats with friends.
Picture
Picture
When checking in for my flight from Detroit to Seoul, the airline agents were very skeptical. Their system showed that Vietnam’s boarders were still closed. I showed them my itinerary for my chartered flight and my Visa approval letter. They discussed between themselves as I armed up for a fight, but then shrugged and said that it would be up to the airport in Seoul. Thankfully, I knew there were going to be travel agent representatives waiting for me there. Relieved, I settled in for my 14 hour flight. After resting, movie watching, and some surprisingly good food (including a mini container of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream), I stepped off the plane in Seoul to find an escort waiting for me. He brought me through the back entrances and into a completely empty and closed terminal. There I found, for the first time, many of my colleagues, along with teachers from two of the other schools in town.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
​We spent the layover time getting to know each other and sharing tales from our transit. Before long, it was time to board the final flight to Vietnam. The airline personnel handed us full coveralls for the flight. We looked like a scene from an apocalypse movie as we all boarded. We had some trouble taking off and ended up on the runway for an extra hour or two but honestly, I was so tired I spent the whole time - plus the 5 hour flight - sleeping. The great thing about flying during a pandemic is that the planes are flying at half capacity or less which means I have the whole row to myself to lay down on : )
Picture
Picture
Picture
​Arriving in Ho Chi Minh was surreal, I spent so long stressing about getting here, I think it is going to take a bit for my brain to catch up with the fact that I finally made it. The airline and airport crew wore fully protective equipment the whole time, which was crazy because it was hot! Oh, I should mention here that I also wore a mask for the entire duration of the transit, only taking it off to eat or drink.

​We waited a few hours for them to process our visas, all of us sitting around getting to know each other. Finally we were allowed to enter. I was so happy to see all of my bags waiting for me on the other side! A part of me was convinced that they would get lost in the tricky transit. We didn’t need to wait much longer before we were bussed to the local IBIS hotel (only a few minutes from the airport).
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
​We picked up our keys to our rooms and the COVID procedures we are expected to follow. We need to now complete a 14 day quarantine in the hotel. We are allowed to leave our rooms only to go in the hallway (the entire floor is quarantined off for only us). Thankfully we have a delicious menu of room service meals that will be brought to us when we call three times a day (plus snacks and drink options!). My school prepared this lovely welcome basket for me in the room filled with Vietnamese snacks. I took a quick shower and recorded my temperature (something I will need to do twice a day for the length of my stay). I ordered breakfast and then was requested out in the hall for our first COVID test. It was an easy throat and nose swab that was done in seconds. Back at my room, I found my first meal waiting for me, Vietnamese vegetable and tofu soup. It was delicious and I’m excited to continue having it for breakfast - I just have to remember to ask them to leave out the spicy green chillies haha
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
So that’s the update. I’ve made it to Vietnam. We are awaiting word on Kim’s flight and then will be able to arrange for Penny’s transit in as well. I’ll spend the next two weeks participating in an online orientation and planning for teaching, since we will begin school only two days after I get out of quarantine. Plus finding us a place to live and anxiously waiting on Kim & Penny’s arrivals. I can’t believe that I am actually here and this chapter, that I agonized over for the past few months, has finally begun. I hope you are ready for more blog posts because I’m sure I will have so much to share from this land of Vietnam!
Picture
4 Comments

18 Memories From 2018

7/7/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
    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

Picture
Picture
Picture
    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.

​
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

2. Black Sea Birthday Road Trip

Picture
Picture
Picture
    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. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

3. Dad & Pam Visit Istanbul

Picture
    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!


Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

4.Ephesus/Pamukkale Road Trip

Picture
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.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

5. Family Trip to Athens, Greece

Picture
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*
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

6. Santorini aka Heaven on Earth

Picture
    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.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

7. The Fairy Tale that is Cappadocia

Picture
    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.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

8. Bike Ride to Bulgaria

Picture
    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.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

9. Wilmington Wedding

Picture
Picture
    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.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

10. Boston TAB Institute

Picture
Picture
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!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

11. Summer in Maine

Picture
    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).
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

12. Second Year in Istanbul

Picture
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. 
​
Picture
Picture
Picture
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.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

13. The Art of Papercutting

Picture
Picture
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. 

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

14. World Record Setting in Kas

Picture
    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. 

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

15. Moroccan Road Trip

Picture
    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. 

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

16. The Blue Perl - Chefchaouen

Picture
    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!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

17. 30th Birthday Surprise Trip to Paris

Picture
    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.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

18. 4th Year Married

Picture
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. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
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

Surprise 30th Birthday Weekend in Paris

6/8/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
    Kimberly made my dreams come true when she surprised me with a weekend in Paris for my 30th birthday. It was a complete surprise that she had been planning since the summer. I knew she has something special planned for the weekend and had the idea that it would be a trip but never did I think that it would be this amazing! Kim sent me on my own because she knew if she came then I would be worried about her enjoying the weekend as well but if I was on my own I would be able to everything exactly how I wanted - like spending a full 12 hours looking at artwork.
    I spent my entire first day at the Louvre, wandering the various sections of art spanning centuries. I saw some of the most famous artwork in the world and thousands of others. I was lucky that the museum was open late that night so I was able to really see everything it had to offer. Don’t get me wrong, I could go back and spend another few days there, but in my short time I managed to see everything that I wanted to and more.
For lunch I splurged so I could stay in the museum and eat at the famous Angelina Cafe where I ate one of the most memorable meals of my life. It was so rich and luxurious I can almost still taste the creamy chestnut soup.
I closed down the museum and hurried to the Eiffel Tower. See, there were protests happening in Paris that weekend and unfortunately I had just found out that ALL tourist attractions were going to be closed the next day. Luckily for me, the Eiffel Tower is open late so I grabbed a cab and made it on one of the last trips up. It was unbelievable to be standing atop the brightly light tower and gazing out to the city of Paris. Oh, my heart still swoons at the thought.
On my second day, since the museums and other attractions were closed, I was able to wander the streets and see some of what Paris had to offer. I stopped by the Notre-Dame Cathedral to oogle it’s exquisite entrances, ate “french” onion soup (which was not as good as Kimberly’s TBH), and got lost on the streets lining the Seine. ​

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
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. Word’s can’t even express my emotions truly as I try to write how grateful I am to be living the life I do with the best partner one could ask for.
0 Comments

Black Sea Birthday Road Trip

3/8/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
It is Kim's Birthday this weekend and I have been reminiscing the fabulous Turkish road trip that we took last year for her Birthday. We brought our favorite four legged creature and set off to the Black Sea region of Turkey. Our first rest stop was at the beautiful Sapanca Lake, so serene and peaceful. 
Picture
Picture
Kim loves driving and I love playing navigator in the passenger seat. The roads were long and speckled with beautiful sights like these. 
Picture
Picture
We spent our first evening in the stunning UNESCO town of Safranbolu. Honestly, I just picked this town because it seemed the right distance away from Istanbul but it turned out to be a total treat! It was the cutest little place that seriously looked like it is where they shot Beauty and the Beast. I couldn't get over how adorable this place was! We stayed in a hotel that was a renovated house from the 1800's that still had a lot of it's similar qualities. I definitely want to return. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
When we set out the next day we were driving through a little town and all of a sudden there was a huge castle on a hill right in front of us. We were able to drive up an explore it on foot. It turns out it was the Kastamonu Castle, parts of it dating back to the Byzantine era. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Perhaps my favorite scenery of the weekend was the mountain passes we traveled on our way to the coast. We stopped and sampled honey from street-side bee keepers and sipped tea on picnic tables surrounded by white peaked mountains. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Most of our day we spent winding the twisting coast of the Black Sea. I had read that this route was as amazing as the coasts of California and it was quite spectacular . . . for the first few hours. By afternoon we were both ready to get off of the curving paths but alas, the only way out was through, so we continued to twist and turn with these views by our side. 
Picture
Picture
We ended the weekend in Agva, where we stayed at a funky place that gave us our own cottage with a working fire place that we had to take a boat to cross a little river in order to get to. They also had the most amazing homemade jam with the Turkish breakfast we had in the morning. 
Picture
It was such a fun road trip over all and Ms. Penny did amazingly, quickly warming up to this new way of travel. Just writing about this makes me want to do it all over again. Happy Birthday my love, cheers to another fantastic year of adventuring. 
0 Comments
<<Previous
Forward>>

    Alisa & Kim

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

    Picture

    Archives

    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    July 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    December 2017
    November 2017
    August 2017
    April 2017
    December 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All
    About Us
    Amusement Park
    Animals
    Anniversary
    Around Town
    Art
    Art Gallery
    Artists
    Art Teacher
    Artwork
    Athens
    Bali
    Beach
    Birthday
    Buddha
    Burma
    Bus
    Camping
    Cat
    Cave
    Celebrations
    Chinese New Year
    Circular Train
    Color Village
    Couchsurfing
    Culture Class
    Date Night
    Digital Art
    Doctor
    Dog
    Downtown
    Eat
    Ellie
    Entertainment
    Expat
    Family
    Farewell
    Festival
    Fire Balloons
    Flying
    Food
    France
    Freediving
    Greece
    Ho Chi Minh City
    Holi
    Holiday
    Honeymoon
    Hong Kong
    India
    Indonesia
    Inle Lake
    International Teaching
    Isreal
    Istanbul
    Kim's Cooking
    Lion Dance
    Living Abroad
    Local Transit
    Maine
    Malaysia
    Medical
    Mexico
    Monks
    Morocco
    Moving
    Myanmar
    Myanmar Food
    Night Life
    Outside Yangon
    Packing
    Pagoda
    Pandemic
    Paris
    Paya
    Pearl Condo
    Pets
    Philipines
    Photography
    Quarantine
    Reflections
    Resources
    Road Trip
    Saigon
    Shopping
    Shwedagon
    Smoothee Foodee
    Snacks
    Street Eats
    Students
    Teach
    Teaching
    Teaching Abroad
    Thailand
    Traditions
    Travel
    Turkey
    Vietnam
    Walking Tour
    Wedding
    Weekend Getaway
    Weekly Updates
    Wet Market
    Yangon
    Yoga
    Zoo

    RSS Feed