Ah, life in the tropics. Gets a bit hot, but at least we get the sun! Sunshine, beaches, palm trees and blue, blue skies. That's how you picture it, right? A friend posted a beautiful holiday photo the other day, and it took a moment to dawn on me what was so appealing about it.… Continue reading Blue Sky Gazing
The Dream Job/No Job Conundrum
Sometimes it seems like I spend more time listening to people talking about writing than doing any writing. OK, full disclosure, over the past two months, I definitely have spent more time listening to people talking about writing than doing any writing. One of the podcasts I've found along the way is The Petal to… Continue reading The Dream Job/No Job Conundrum
Congo Sketch: The School Run at Walking Pace
It's another typically untypical morning in Congo, where no day ever goes quite as planned. Today, our driver isn't with us, as he had to take his child into hospital overnight with suspected malaria. So MT has taken the car to work with him, and I've hitched a lift with our neighbour to drop the… Continue reading Congo Sketch: The School Run at Walking Pace
Exploring Dorsoduro
The great advantage of visiting an iconic city for the second time is that the pressure is off - there's no longer that urgent impulse to tick off the major must-see tourist attractions within a short time frame. A few years ago I had the privilege of a romantic trip to Venice, where we made… Continue reading Exploring Dorsoduro
I Miss Getting Lost
There was a time when I would frequently get lost. I could turn from my desk to my bookshelves to look something up, and find myself an hour later lost in the opening pages of a dozen well-loved novels. I could stay at my desk, having sat down to do half an hour of preparation,… Continue reading I Miss Getting Lost
How Congo is More French than France (and one way it’s a bit like the Big Apple)
Before arriving in Congo we had high expectations. We were not coming to Africa for the first time - our year in Uganda had dispelled many of the apprehensions most people would have about life in the sub-Saharan continent. There was much to enjoy and appreciate there; we’d had a good lifestyle (although that is easier… Continue reading How Congo is More French than France (and one way it’s a bit like the Big Apple)
Tuesday’s Traveller – My Top Five Spas of the World
For something a little bit different, I'm over at Canadian Expat Mom today with luxury in mind...click below to read the post! My Top Five Spas of the World (so far…) By: Catriona Turner Hello fellow followers of Canadian Expat Mom! I’m pleased to be with you, inspired by Lisa to give my perspective on… Continue reading Tuesday’s Traveller – My Top Five Spas of the World
A Frustrated Nester Fiction Nugget*
I promised a little while ago that if I got to 100 facebook page likes then I would publish a 'nugget' of fiction here on the blog. I wrote this flash fiction piece about 18 months ago, while I was at Circle of Missé. A goal this year is to maintain a steady stream of… Continue reading A Frustrated Nester Fiction Nugget*
Stitched Up: Contrast Top Refashion
I've written before about how valuable to me time sewing with friends has been (in the book Once Upon an Expat...available now on Amazon...click here!) Here in Congo we have a group who get together around once a month to craft together, in surprisingly diverse ways: last week, we were drawing, making dreamcatchers, sewing garments, and… Continue reading Stitched Up: Contrast Top Refashion
Breaking Out of the Bubble
‘Tu as peur? C’est ça?’ No, I wasn’t scared to visit our housekeeper (ménagère) in her quartier, not in the way he meant anyway. But it had been two months since she’d had her baby, and he was right to wonder. I had plenty of reasons I could offer: I’ve been too busy; it’s difficult… Continue reading Breaking Out of the Bubble
