Learning a Different Language

It takes time.  And now after being here for 9 months I'm finally learning a different language:

Afrikaans

What?  Did you think it was going to be Arabic?

Tinsel

Everyone knows what tinsel is, right?  According to my Mac's dictionary, tinsel is "a form of decoration consisting of thin strips of shiny metal foil; showy or superficial attractiveness or glamour."  That's deep.

But have you ever seen any tinsel like this?

Someone please tell me how this is showy!

Ha! (she says in disbelief)

I think it's beautiful:

Tricks of the Trade

I have realized that teaching the girls is an everyday occurrence.  Yes, art is my subject with Yaya, but there are a variety of other things I can be teaching her and Norah at all times.  That's why something entitled "Tricks of the Trade" has entered our lives.

Every woman knows that being a woman is a trade, a profession of sorts.  You may be a teacher, but you were a woman first.  And as every woman grows up, it is the job of older and well-seasoned women to teach them the tricks of the trade.

Tricks of the Trade:

1. If you spill yoghurt on your shirt, use your spoon to lift it off of your shirt and then eat it.  This should be done before you ever think about reaching for your napkin.

2. If you don't have a hair band for your hair and yet need to put it up, use a pencil.

3. Some things have shells or protective casings around them.  If you pick up something of this nature, like a banana, orange, or hard-boiled egg, and then decide a few seconds later that you don't want it- you can put it back.  But if something does not have a protective casing around it, like an olive, than you must eat it or you will suffer penalties and stares from those you are with when you try to put it back.

Those are the three tricks of the trade we have discussed and reviewed several times over the past few weeks.  And it's working:  Yaya asked me today if I would help her put a pencil in her hair.  Of course, I got distracted and forgot, but the point is: she asked!  She has a deeper understanding of what it is to be a woman.

This morning I also revised the second trick of the trade with an addendum:

2. If you don't have a hair band for your hair and yet need to put it up, use a pencil or the combination of a plastic drinking cup and a clothespin.

Happy Trekkie Tuesday!

Some people apparently have

something to say.

And I guess they find ways to say what they feel.

Maybe they need to start something more constructive, like a blog...

A card to go down in history

From my parents to celebrate Valentine's Day 2011:

"Daughter- You sure have grown up!"

"You almost never pull your dress up over your head in public anymore."

Being around two little girls all the time, I now understand how great of an accomplishment and milestone this is.  I can't wait to give Norah a Valentine's Day card like this in the future. ;)

In the Fridge

I opened the fridge the other day and look what I found...

We always name our eggs.  After all, it's very important for every egg to have an identity.  But thanks to Kate Wright, let's take a closer look:

Do you see what I see?

Carrefour on a Friday

When you move to a different country things are different.  That's obvious.  But with every new culture comes new tests.  I've been subjected to a few tests, but none compared to going to Carrefour on a Friday afternoon.... accompanied by two small fries.  Carrefour is a grocery store and I had to make a special Friday trip a few weeks ago because I was making something for a party.

You can see the massive amount of people behind the cart housing the girls.  All I can say, still after a few weeks have passed, is... "Wow."

All to their credit: the girls did an amazing job being in such a crowded, over-busy place before even getting to eat lunch that day.  They are the real troopers!

Gloria later explained to me that we all go through these tests and soon there will be new people around that I can do the same thing to.

In her words, it would be "luring an unassuming victim into something that is seemingly harmless and ordinary only to discover that it takes special skills to navigate the C4 on Friday."  I like those words, it's the way I felt... except I wasn't lured, I went willingly.  What was I thinking?

Do I now have the special skills?

YES

Will I ever willingly put myself in that situation again?

NO

A New Shovel

My dad showed me his new snow shovel over skype this weekend.  It has probably come in handy with how much snow my parents have been getting in Connecticut recently.

He didn't smile in the first picture, as you can see.

So I had to take this one.

Much better smile Gig.

There was a Gorilla at the zoo...

But you probably can't tell which one is the Gorilla:

2011 Theme Announced

Yesterday while skyping with my parents, my dad made an important announcement....

There will be a theme to this year's skype conversations.  

We decided that it would be best to wait until my mother's ready for this news.  This means that I can't tell you the theme yet, but I will make an announcement: 

The theme will be announced as soon as it can be announced or if it happens at all.

Cordially yours, Kate

Until then... here's a picture of last night's skype conversation, The Baba and Gig Band.

Notice that Gig is singing...

And Baba is playing the mighty tambourine.

Public Service Announcement

I used to make these all the time in Limnology.  But I have an important public service announcement and it doesn't have to do with any reptiles... well actually it does.  This is called a PSA if you're really savvy.

Grubby is a part of everyone's life here in the villa.  Amanda often spends quality time with him even when I don't suggest it, Norah and Aliza are always looking for him and Kate Wright hasn't taken a liking to him, but I can tell that she will soon.

Here is a sign of how much people love Grubby:

Aliza included him in her beautiful Art drawing.

But that's not my PSA because everyone already knows about Grubby's fame.  My PSA is that Grubby is a dragon.  Here is the proof:

Grubby is a Gronckle.

I identified him as I was watching "How to Train your Dragon".  I don't know how I didn't see it before.  All I can say is, "Wow!"  Listen to this, it sounds just like Grubby:

The Gronckle is the toughest dragon in the dragon world and more than lives up to its looks on the battlefield. The Gronckle can launch a devastating fire attack but is limited to six shots at a time. The Gronckle can be slow, lazy, and cranky; it has been known to fall asleep mid-flight, waking only when it plunges into the sea or crashes into a mountain. Because of its tremendous weight and small wings, it would seem impossible for them to fly. However, because the wings of a Gronckle beat at a speed similar to that of hummingbirds' or bees' wings, it is possible for one to sustain flight. In fact, a Gronckle can fly backward, sideways and even hover in place. Its tail can be mistaken for the head if little attention is paid. It is also prone to dragon acne. Because of its large stout body and clubbed tail, the Gronckle somewhat resembles an ankylosaur.

from http://howtotrainyourdragon.wikia.com/wiki/Gronckle

Christmas Away from Home

This year there hasn't been as much gearing up for Christmas as I'm used to.  In the States, people prepare for the holiday in different ways, but general society transforms into one of holiday cheer.

If you go to the mall here you'll see store keepers wearing "Santa's Helpers" t-shirts, but general society doesn't transform the way it does at home.  Really this isn't a horrible thing.  There is enough Christmas cheer in the villa to prepare my heart for Christmas, but it wasn't until today when I got this email that I really felt like Christmas was approaching.

Hi, Kate,

I went to the post office and followed Santa's instructions to the letter (get it?).  He thanks you for

promptly supplying your address.  Fortunately, the one you supplied and the one Santa has on

file match.  How about that?

According to Santa, a number of fathers are helping out this year in the same manner I have.  He says

this builds character and is generally good for us.  I told him that I am already a character--what

kind of foundation is that to build on?  He said I should stop smarting off and get on with the program.

I suppose he's right--after all, he is Santa.

Love, Dad

This just in...

I was wrong.  Things catch on in ways that I never expected.  I am NOT behind the times.  And either is this guy...

Well done, Glen, well done.

Glasses

This picture was taken by my most favorite Glozilla....

What does it mean when your eyebrows are two inches below the top rims of your glasses?  Does it mean that you are what they call "Behind the times"?  Does it mean you need new ones?

Someone at the conference we went to yesterday said that I looked just like Thelma from Scooby Doo...  should I take that as a compliment?  Does this mean that camp style doesn't stretch into the real world?

I think my life is changing...

Homeboy

I was scrolling through my pictures with Amanda sitting right beside me this afternoon and we found this one in the trash.

I heard her ask, 

"Are those gigantic pillows?"

Well yea, if you're a homie.