TweetA book review of Ni Howdy! by Desi Downey I think all expats ask these questions in the beginning.  In Belize, I had an outhouse, the worst toilet I’ve ever had. Even European toilets have their weird things.  Germans have what can only be described as a “poo shelf”, and French toilets are operated with [...]

TweetI’ve always been interested in languages, but in my travels (specifically Belize, France, and Germany) I’ve had to learn some basic Spanish, French, and German to just go to the store and to do the everyday things like take the bus or order a pizza. I’m not fluent in any language except English (yet) but [...]

TweetI knew better.  I really did.  And I thought he knew better.  So when my husband asked me to put his half-eaten chicken burrito hot pocket thing in my backpack on our Air Canada flight just before we got off, I gave him one of those looks that you give your husband after 8 years [...]

TweetI’m not going to get too crazy personal, but this was kind of fun.  28 random things for the 28 years I’ve been alive.  Any of these surprise you? 1. I once had a gerbil named Peter Harold. 2. I love to eat Cheetos dipped in organic yogurt. 3. I’m an only child. 4. I’ve [...]

TweetIf you’re an American expat, and away from the extended family you’re used to celebrating the holidays with, this time of the year, through Christmas, can really be a bummer.  In some countries you may not be able to find the foods and decorations you’re used to.  And if the climate is wildly different it [...]

TweetI posted this on my homeschooling list, and they were not impressed.   Do you think I’m a heartless mother for letting my child read “negative, sad” stories?  Or are “Where the Red Fern Grows”, “The Bridge to Terebithia” and other kids stories with sad endings beneficial? My son (8 years old) finished reading “Where [...]

TweetWhat is antisocial networking?  Well, first we have to figure out what social networking really means.  I mean, “social networking”.  Isn’t that redundant?  It sounds like a big party.  Not really. My son’s American Heritage Student Dictionary says: social: adj. 1a. Living together in communities or similar organized groups network: n.1. An open fabric or [...]

TweetSome of my best memories are in the backdrop of the natural beauty of Arkansas, especially its parks: Lake Dardanelle, the lodge at Mount Magazine, taking every single out-of-state visitor up Mount Nebo, the little local park at Piney Bay, near where we used to live.  Hours and hours of fishing, family picnics, romantic walks, [...]

TweetIf you live in a 25-mile radius of Dardanelle, Arkansas, you probably know my mom. If you don’t know her from church, school, or football games, or from reading her weekly column in the local newspaper, you know her as that woman who brings her chickens to town. I’m not talking about a clucking, flapping [...]

TweetAlmost two years ago, I was sitting in the basement of my mother-in-law’s house in Germany, discussing with my husband which country we should try next. US – can’t go there (that’s why we were in Germany) Belize – too hot. And other issues. Stay in Germany – too restrictive Where else could we go? [...]