Big Dreams & Hairbrained Schemes

When we decided to take a year away from teaching, we weren't totally delusional --- We knew we would need money. We just wanted to change up the way we got it, mainly the time and type of emotional energy we put into making said cash. We also wanted to explore some different interests and ideas, focusing less on the financial gains and more on the experiential rewards. 

✴Que the schemes and dreams✴

Christmas Markets: While spending time in New Brunswick we took to the opportunity to get involved in the various Christmas Markets happening. We also took the opportunity to learn some top notch baking skills and recipes from the best baker out there, Tyler's Mama. We had a lot of fun peddling our cookies, cinnamon buns (Video: How the Buns Get Rolled) and empanadas, as well as getting out and meeting a lot of other market vendors.   

Penfriend Postcards: This is an idea that combines our love for travel, writing and teaching literacy. It's a postcard subscription where we write and send a postcard every two weeks from various locations to our subscribers. A great way to promote real-life literacy for kids, and just plain fun to receive actual mail in the mailbox. We set-up a website with all the info and literacy activities, which was also really fun to create. So, won't you be our penfriend? 

 

First order of working remotely- Get Starlink

(Part-time) Remote Work: This is something we have wanted to explore, to answer two big questions;

1) Could we stretch one year of exploration into two without spending our savings?

2) How easy (or difficult) would it be for us to work remotely from anywhere? 

When talking about remote work, we are mostly looking at online tutoring and customer service positions. This avenue is still being explored and we've yet to answer our own questions, but it allows us to daydream about the places we could go given an extension of time and space --- Check back soon. 

Substitute Teaching: Ok, so not all that different from our regular occupation, but the pros on this one certainly outweigh the cons. 

Pros: By far the most lucrative of our ventures, teacher shortages mean there is work available everywhere we go, flexibility in schedule, and compared to being a full-time teacher--no planning, no report cards(!). Cons: Well, we all remember what it was like when a substitute teacher strolled in. Things can get a bit silly.

"My name is Mr. T and I'll be your substitute today."

This is definitely not an exhaustive list of the shit we get up to. On the daily we're chatting with folks from every walk of life, keeping our minds open to possibilities and swinging at every pitch---because, why not? We have gone to school (either as student or teacher) for the past 30 years and will likely return in the near future. We are fully aware that this time is a unique and rare pause in our professional lives. At this moment we have the gift of time to be completely present with our families and to have a crack at whatever comes our way.... so why not open that roadside tandoori BBQ in rural Ontario?! 

*A very good and inspiring listen about taking a 'life year' - Good Life Project - How to Take a Life Changing Break with DJ DiDonna

12 Books for 2022

This year I am making it a point to indulge in one of my fave pastimes, and to read at least one book a month. These books will be of my choosing based on my interests and/or for entertainment (which will most certainly exclude the latest approaches to teaching primary math or how to introduce baby-led weaning). Twelve books throughout an entire year doesn't seem like such a daunting task, does it? Well we'll see. One book, one blog update, one month at a time. 

January - The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

Being ever intrigued and enamoured with Indian culture, I have read many fictional novels set in India. When this little number popped out of my Christmas stocking, I was pretty eager to dive in (and ended up reading it in two days). The story is set in Rajastan's capital city of Jaipur in 1955, 15 years after the repartition. The main character, Lakshmi works to carve out a life of her own choosing, and helps provide women with more choices than society would otherwise give them. No small feat when navigating the caste system, gender inequalities and expectations, as well as the ever pressure to procreate. This novel highlights the hard truths about women and their choices in India. Having to be her own heroine, Lakshmi does have delicious moments of triumph throughout the novel and there are a handful of likeable characters who come through with decency and kindness.

Although this book was set 60+ years ago and feminism thankfully continues to evolve, gender roles and traditions can run deep, as witnessed firsthand during our trip to India. I loved our trip, but it was the only time I have been made to feel like I was regarded as less, simply for being a woman. One particularly overt display of male chauvinism was experienced while in the Rajastani Thar Desert, where after spending two nights at a homestay, we were asked to register in the logbook. Circled by the men of the household, I sat down and began to fill out my name, father's name (because that seems like a pertinent detail) and address. No sooner had I began, one of the uncles began criticizing the time it was taking me, and brashly insisted that Tyler make me write faster. As you can imagine, Uncle's criticisms were met with reproach. Shortly afterwards we were getting packed up and found ourselves with a quick moment alone with the elder Auntie of the family who had prepared our meals. We thanked her and delighted as she quickly tucked the gratuity we handed her into the top of her blouse. Forge onward, Madam.

February- Indians on Vacation by Thomas King

I know that I previously mentioned that I read a lot of books set in India. Well despite the title, this book isn't about Indians from India. It's about a First Nations couple who take a trip to find out more about their ancestry and make connections to places far from home. Husband and wife, Blackbird and Mimi are very different travellers and the book got me thinking about whether I'm more a Bird or a Mimi. Bird can be a 'glass half empty' kind of guy whose morosity often reads as dry humour, my fave. ---If you've ever read A Man Named Ove, he's a lot like Ove. Also you really should read A Man Called Ove, it's funny and sad and heartwarming and so wonderful.--- On the other hand, Mimi is up for anything and wants to see and do it all. She constantly pushes Bird to experience things while on vacation, while Bird is perpetually unimpressed and compares everything to his hometown in Canada. 

I tend to think I'm more of a Mimi, but with less attachment to the Lonely Planet guidebook. I did enjoy reading about their adventures in cities that we have also visited such as Prague, Budapest and Athens. And because of those guidebooks that Mimi constantly references, I learned of a lot of tidbits about the places and sights we've seen---Did you know that the Astronomical Clock in Prague has a figure representing Death who rings a bell and turns his hourglass upside down each hour? That detail is so Bird. 

March- Educated by Tara Westover

I have been circling this book for about three years, and even read the first 30 pages about a year ago, but for one reason or another had never gone the distance until now. Educated is a memoir written by a woman who chronicles her childhood and evolving family relationships in the context of religious fundamentalism and mental illness. It is a story that is often painful to read. 

Throughout the entire book I kept thinking about perspective and how all our memories shift and transform over time. I kept wondering about what life was like for the author's mom, the inner tickings of her father or what any one of her siblings' narrative would be if they wrote an account of their childhood or family dynamics. Yes, the children all grew up in the same home, but the sons and daughters were not treated the same. Even the order in which the children were born would play a big role in their perception of their home life. In the end, as the obscene gaslighting inflicted upon the author unfolds (fueled by religious delusion), the validity and accuracy of memories and childhood experiences is in constant question. With strength the author stands firm, and ultimately values herself over her toxic familia relationships. 

April - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

From the queen of the genre, a classic whodunnit! Although dated in themes and language (published in 1939), this story had us guessing until the epilogue as to who was terrorizing Indian Island. As a cast of characters gather under mysterious pretense on the luxurious Indian Island, it is only a matter of time before thing goes awry.

 

This book really needs no explanation, as it follows a cookie-cutter murder mystery formula that has been tried and tested. With that being said, I am a fan of crime fiction novels and really loved reading an O.G.

You might think, where did you even find this book? Why did you read this? Valid questions--- Found and purchased in rural Manitoba at a church rummage sale. I needed to use the washroom, and felt obligated to make a purchase ($0.25). I read it because, why not?

May - Is Everyone Hanging Our Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

Before this book I have only ever read one other memoir--FYI Seth Rogan's Yearbook is so so funny---His stories had me howling. 

Generally I stick to fiction, but I am a big fan of Mindy Kaling, so when perusing the book exchange in our building's laundry room, I thought why not? (How about that sentence--three commas, two conjunctions and a rhetorical question, heyo!)

Mindy's collection of short stories and essays were light and an easy read. Having seen Mindy's play Matt & Ben and being a huge fan of The Office, I especially loved reading about her personal experiences relating to these projects. 

There's something to be said about being able to read a quick chapter, put the book down, and days later pick it back up, not having to jog your memory about characters and a plot. As a now and again sleep deprived Mama, this book was there for me. I laughed, I chortled, I related. 

June - State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton & Louise Penny

State of Terror was a bit of a departure from my regular book choice. I can count on one hand the number of action thriller novels I have read. They usually have me rolling my eyes and muttering "Come on". 

I read this during a very busy month in my life, and it was exactly the type of book I needed. An easy story to pickup for 20 minutes every couple days and the plot just steadily ticked along--One might say it was full of action from start to finish. 

The book follows Ellen Adams, a newly appointed U.S Secretary of State who has unexpectedly fallen into the job of tracking down a suave international terrorist before his evil plans materialize. Though fictional, it can't help be noticed that characters and plots-lines often touch on current and past political realities in the U.S. Special mention goes out to the often referenced past administration who is noted to have been so inept, clueless and reckless, leaving the country and international relations in a mess. I definitely chortled more than once at the digs directed at the former fictional President. Ah Hillary--If you can't beat 'em, just write a best seller "not" about them-- always taking the highroad. 

   

July - The Lost Daughter by Gill Paul

Found by chance at a campground library, The Lost Daughter is a perfect summer read. A fictional story based on the former Russian Royals, this story follows Maria, and entertains the notion that one of the Romonovs survived the family's tragic massacre. Always finding the Romonov family intriguing, this story right away captured our imaginations---what if one of the members of the most wealthy family in world had survived? Couple that with a 'Women of WWII' theme, and gosh darnnit, you've got yourself a ripping yarn! 

As mentioned this story follows Romonov daughter Maria, and begins just before the family's said massacre. It follows Maria's escape, and life in Russia throughout the 20th century, enduring civil war, world war, Communism and the NKVD. Given the subject matter, as expected this book broke our hearts, and alternately had us exclaiming with triumph as the characters waded through some pretty dark times. If you like to invest in some fictional characters, read this book (and sorry to all those who happened to be hanging out with us while we read this book--It consumed us).

August - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I had heard a lot of chitter-chatter about this book, and was excited to see it on the nightstand of a dear friend. Even more excited when I asked her about it and she said it was so good, and that I could have it. A booklover's love language. 

Evelyn Hugo is a Marilyn Monroe-esque 1950's bombshell who, just as the title suggests, had seven husbands. Some were unions of love, some were not. Amongst the seven partnerships are men who will melt your heart and those who will make your blood boil. And there are a couple relationships that are the real-deal and have you rooting for Evelyn to make it work.

I really liked this book as it read like a 1950's old timey movie. It was easy and entertaining. I did continuously change my opinion about Evelyn throughout the book. Do I like her? Is she as confident and in control as she perceives herself to be? Does she care about others? Are men her downfall? And if so, boo. Again, loved the book for what it was, but as I'm whole-heartedly into women who stand on their own two feet, and people in general who are genuine and kind, Evelyn's character was a bit of a trick for me. Didn't love her, didn't hate her. Then again, who doesn't love to ride an emotional rollercoaster with a book character? After all, we can't be loved by everyone all the time.

September - Take Your Breath Way by Linwood Barclay

I'm a fan of Linwood Barclay and have read a few of his books. I tend to pickup one up and fly through it thoroughly entertained... but to be honest I could not recall another title or plot written by B-Clay. To be further transparent, while talking with Tyler about this book three days after reading it, I still struggled to remember the details of the thriller. Again, that's not to say that I didn't devour it.

Everyone wants to know what happened to Brie. Was she murdered? Did she skip town? Is still out there? With so many theories swirling around from a multitude of characters, it all seems plausible and kept me guessing until the end. 

October - The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

Ohhh guys, we've got ourselves a goodie! The Dictionary of Lost Words is a story that is loosely based on historical events surrounding the collection, research and editing of the Oxford English Dictionary published from 1884-1928. I know, it sounds like a total bore. Luckily the main character, Esme spices things up as she begins to think about the words and definitions that are being accepted into the dictionary-- a dictionary that is supposed to be the ultimate historical record of the English language. As Esme begins to notice that the content is being written and edited largely from an upper-class male's perspective, she questions the process. 

As a result, Esme collects her own set of words and definitions from the different people she encounters throughout her life--including near-beggars, market vendors, suffragists, wounded soldiers and domestic workers--- some who are illiterate, and all a far cry from the scholars of Oxford. In particular, Esme highlights words used by women to describe their experiences, often noticing that the accepted definition written in the dictionary is quite contrary to realities being lived. The words she finds and records are vulgar, heart-wrenching, bold and soulful---And really, all the best words are, aren't they?

November - The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

On the surface this story is about a protagonist who makes a choice to leave her past behind and devoid herself of her race, and the associated limitations. When doing so, she leaves behind her community, family, and most notably her twin--literally becoming the vanishing half of a couplet. As the search for the lost twin fuels this story, there are so many wonderful characters that develop along the way. Following the characters through decades, it becomes apparent that all players have experienced a personal 'vanishing half', where their lives have taken a monumental shift at some point throughout their lives. 

Besides having a cast of loveable characters and just a good, entertaining story, I love the idea of a vanishing half--or vanishing quarter or whatever bit of ourselves have vanished over time and been replaced with something new, better, different. At whatever age the monumental shift(s) occur, and despite the inevitable growing pains, why would we want things to stay the same forever?  

December - Run, Hide Repeat: A Memoir of a Fugitive Childhood by Pauline Dakin

I don't know how I feel about this book---It was definitely one that evoked a lot of feelings while reading it, which of course translated into me exclaiming "Come on!, Yah right!, No way!" constantly. I transitioned pretty quick from wanting to hug the characters to wanting to shake them...and then wanting to hug them again.

This story is told from a daughter's point of view, who learns the truth about her family as an adult, putting a spin on her childhood experiences. As she begins to see her youth through an alternate lens, her adult relationships twist and turn. Honestly, if not set in Canada, I would have probably been duped into the fantastical world of Father Stan and the relentless mafia threats just as long as the author. 

If I'm being honest, I was hoping for a bit more of a 'true crime, investigative reporter deep dive, peeling back one shocking layer after another (we've all been conditioned by Netflix)- and altho missing a startling reveal, it's still a pretty outlandish and bizarre story and worth a read. 

...And if you're not up for the read, be sure to check out the Run, Hide, Repeat podcast. 

Ok team, we did it! 12 books in 12 months! What are we reading next?

The Unexpected Adventure of our Lives!

Mary Tyler & More was always a way people remembered our names... the "more" being the certain je ne sais quoi we'd bring to the proverbial table. Well the figurative "more" has grown into literally more Mary and Tyler...yup, we had a baby!

If you're slightly taken aback by this revelation, don't worry, you're not alone. We ourselves were also surprised by the initial news. And then surprised again by his 6-week early arrival, and then again with how much we absolutely love this little babe. Although parenthood was not something Tyler nor I had seen for ourselves, here we are loving, learning, laughing ....and sometimes crying through it.

The beginning, middle and culmination!

Despite having made very little waves on social media (this kid has got his whole life to be an internet sensation), little babe has made big tsunami swells in our once D.I.N.K lifestyle. (If you do want some seriously adorable baby content, send us a message and we will gladly spam your inbox).

Being born early, babe spent some extra time in the hospital.
Everyday we'd have lunch on a nearby patio that faced this mural 💕 

Yes, we are up all times of the night, squeezing little babe into the cutest outfits, flashing titties, constantly wiping up vomit and currently struggling to hold our heads up without flopping over---to be honest, sounds like a pretty good pub crawl, doesn't it? And boy, we party in this house!

From the word go, we have loved sharing our lives and adventures with our little beanie baby. Watching a shadowy fleck on an ultrasound screen grow into a real-life tiny human who is experiencing everything for the first time is pretty awesome! From feeling the ocean wind on his little face, being annoyed with the snowy, cold weather (you may have been born during the hottest Vancouver summer on record...but sorry babe, you are Canadian) to being shy with his own reflection--- the first smiles and giggles, first hugs and kisses, first babbles and cries; everyday is a new adventure!

So that's what we've been up to lately!

Here We Van-Again!

You all know that we love a good recreational vehicle. From motorcycle tours in Korea, roadtripping in Australia and vanlife in the Balkans, it's our favourite way to travel. After moving back to Canada, where the national fondness for camping and outdoor living is profound, naturally we wanted to get back in the scene. We've dipped our toes, been burned and are now ready to love again. Truly, it's been a bit of a bumpy road, but the soap opera (albeit melodramatic) saga continues!  

So back in March 2020 we, along with with rest of the world, found ourselves unexpectedly grounded. Super bummed that our Spring Break in Mexico was canceled, it was the motivation we needed to start the hunt for our next rolling home. Turns out, that's what everyone else thought they'd do as well, and it was rough out there. We saw some really lived in RVs, vans and motorhomes. The characters you meet in the RV world are the real deal (ranging from Pinterest crafty bloggers all the way to modern-day draft dodgers...and to be honest, we dig all folks on the RV spectrum) The kicker was, no matter what we were looking at, the prices were absurd--toilet paper and RVs were at a premium as the world grappled with the globals crisis. 

Sometimes you gotta kiss a lot a frogs, am I right?

We had some feelers out there and got a lead on a 27 ft Class C Corsair. Admittedly a lot more real-estate than we have piloted in the past, it looked sweet, the previous owner had taken great care of it, and the price was right. So we bought it sight unseen (so to speak) as we really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into with an actual motor home. As evident when we were about to pull away, and the seller hesitantly asked "You ever driven something this big?" Uhhh, nope!--Our plan was to drive slow and take the corners wide!

Settling right into that RV life!

I know some of you had seen our Corsair excitement hit Instagram...and then never heard tell of it again. Well, here's a brief story of our very brief foyer into the motorhome world. 

So our plan was to update the RV (falling into the Pinterest-ish camp of RVers) and fully move into it after a month when we would continue to teach online and enjoy some of the freedoms of remote teaching. Everyday we'd finish our day of Zoom classes, head on over to the Walmart parking lot (in North America, Walmart parking lots are free and clear for overnight camping...just to add to the overall ambiance), and start renovating. I'm sure when Walmart opened their parking lots up to overnight camping they exactly envisioned people parking for 3+ weeks and gutting their RVs. We basically slapped white paint on everything, tiled the kitchen and replaced the shag. We had a blast doing it, and were pretty happy with the way it was all shaping up. As the pandemic continued to unfold, the snowbirds whom we were housesitting for were unable to get back to Canada, so we had some unexpected bonus time before moving into the RV. We thought we'd use the gift of time to update the bedroom too. First thing Tyler did was unscrew the headboard from the wall...which was apparently integral to the entire structure of the back of the RV, because Whoa! Two words-- water damage. Two more words--- broken hearts. And just like that our RV dream was drown. The more we tore away at the soddened walls, floor and ceiling, the more dampened our spirits got. Recognizing this was a job that was definitely beyond our construction capabilities, let alone possible to be done in the Walmart parking lot with our most basic of tools, we decided to let it go. In the end, we sold it for what we bought it for, occupied our time during covid lockdown and learned a couple things, so really no harm, no foul. The only legacy the Corsair leaves behind is a new family catch phrase "They've got water damage"every time we see a RV cruise on by.

Before, during and after!

My fave part of the whole reno was the tiled kitchen!

Annnddd this is as far as we got with the bedroom 😳

Ok, so fast forward a year and a half later. Our recreational vehicle dream has never and will never die. Although the past year has thrown us some curveballs (pandemic, broken foot, an unplanned pregnancy resulting in the sweetest little toddle-baby) we have always kept our eyes, ears and hearts open for the right little gem to pop up. We knew we did not want to get into a RV again (the rot was just too much for our hearts to handle), and now that we have a babe who requires a carseat, we need something with at least one seat in the back. So we've waited for something right, and we've found her! ---Well actually, we can take none of the credit. Tyler's brother Micah found the van, did all the wheelings and dealings and deserves huge kudos---And a big bottle of whiskey for his troubles-- So we're back in the business of a van build!! So so excited to start planning and converting the new rig, as well as share the van lifestyle with our baby and explore on four wheels once again!

Photo cred goes out to the shop in Edmonton!...That's as specific as I can be.

** Update: Van life has been stalled once more, as the mountain highways that connect Vancouver to the rest of the country have been washed out by devastating floods and mudslides. Why does this affect our van viability? Well, as mentioned Tyler's brother found us the van. Micah and the van live in Edmonton,  which is 13 hours and a couple mountain ranges away from Vancouver. So that's where the van will remain until...well, who knows!

Mary's (Cinnamon) Rolls

Over two years ago, we went to a brunch and had amazing cinnamon buns. Like any pastry-lover would, I procured the recipe. Since then I've been persistently threatening to make them, to no avail. So after years gone-by, including 11 weeks in COVID limbo, we finnnnnaaalllllyy have some ooey-gooey deliciousness! 

Using the recipe from Lil Luna.com, I was feeling confident. Anchorman Ty, who was feeling especially Saturday-night-self-isolation-bored and coupled with general disbelief that this moment was actually, finally happening, will be debuting his short film in this year's Cannes Film Fest. 

For those who are interested in an advance screening... 

Fresh Start, New Year!

Who doesn't love September? For those who base their annual calendar around the school schedule it almost feels like the ringing in of a 'New Year'. Refreshed from extended holidays, 'new year' resolutions have been made and the mental 'clock' has been reset. Overall, it's been one for the books!

First, I am getting a do-over with my students. Both myself and my eclectic group of children have embarked on Year Two together. It was the smoothest first week of school to date, and I am excited to continue to watch the little grasshoppers hop...seriously, one month away from them offers a fresh perspective as to how bright and special each of them are! I know it sounds cliche, but for a student who wasn't reading when they left in June to casually mention "Did you know there is a two, to AND too!?" I almost fell off my chair! On an even brighter note (as if that description of my day-to-day couldn't get any more sun-shiny yellow) my newest colleague, Mr. Tyler has brightened all days! I still get shocked when I look up from some playground drama to see Tyler just strolling by.

As always, the first weekend before the school year starts is Malaysia's Independence Day...filling our deeply ingrained need for a 'labour day weekend' before heading back to school. Hutchy had rented a 14 seater van (which none of us were sure he could handle) and we were set to cruise through the night. Destination; Kapas Island. I had my quiet reservations about heading back to the island where I had picked up dysentry in the Spring, however, I hand-sanitized like a Mo, questioned the source of each ice cube, eventually said *^% it, and made it out unscathed....save the horrendous jellyfish stings. As most of our regular crew was still away on summer vacation, we got to know some new peeps and caught up with some old faithfuls. If time has proved anything, three days on a deserted island makes fast-friends.

Although things are fresh, new and exciting, as they often are in September, the city of Kuala Lumpur is currently none of those things. Since we have returned back, the haze levels have been fluctuating from moderate to hazardous due to the out of control burning of forests in Indonesia (all in the name of palm oil). It feels like we haven't seen the sun shine in days and days, face masks have become my new favourite accessory, school has been closed, and generally we're going a bit shack wacky  (with a hint of asthma) from all the indoor living (how indoor cats do it, I'll never know).

Rooftop view pre-haze & now during the seemingly perma-haze

 So what do you do with your time when the 'fresh air' is deemed poisonous? Well it's a bit like being in the deep freeze of winter-- You stay inside--We play poker, go to movies, spas, order-in, wander the mall...and celebrate fabulous people! With heavy hearts we have bid adieu to our original KL bestie, Sweet Dee. After working, living and traveling with Danielle for the past two years, it's hard to  imagine life in Malaysia without our ever-constant, over-ordering, drink-spilling, pun-loving, bright smiled, third wheeling, social butterfly. She and Damian are off on the next adventure!....However, not before one more night of Regalia nonsense was had to send them off <3

Adios amiga ♥♥♥ We love you!

 On the docket for the coming months...Thailand, Malaysian Oktoberfest, Deepavali, Indonesia and India! Anyone planning to be wandering around these parts? Let us know, we'll plan a weekender :)

Dog Days of Dysentery

So in my last post about Kapas Island, I smugly highlighted some different camping approaches found between our group, and groups of local campers. One being a remark about the excessive use of fresh water while camping. I am here to eat my words (or crow).

Turns out, yes fresh running water is a necessity when 100+ people are using the same four squatter toilets (so is bleach). Where am I going with this? Well, I'll tell you where I ended up for the last four days...

What started the day after we returned from our weekender as a suspected bout of food poisoning (which is more common than I care to admit), I started to grow concerned when I couldn't shake it after the 5th day. On the third visit to the doctor, he decided to admit me to the hospital for fear of dehydration. After two days in the hospital, when blood tests had been done and symptoms had not subsided, it was concluded that I had picked up dysentery somewhere along the way.

No one likes being admitted to the hospital, and my hospital stay in a foreign country was no different...except perhaps the conversations about my bodily functions were much more bizarre and colourful than they needed to be, as language was often an issue. As it took a couple days for the doctor to figure out what exactly was wrong with me, and Tyler was away on a work-trip, my stay-cation came with its highs and lows.

In chronological order, I give you a photo story;

Ok, so for someone who is firmly not a fan of selfies, I will be the first one to tell you it's weird to have so many pics of one's visit to the hospital, However, as Tyler was away, and my family in Canada were on constant alert...photographs needed to be taken and sent. As a result, a reflection of my boredom, frustration, happiness, and disgust (for plain rice porridge). You can also pinpoint the moment Tyler left, and returned three days later....he makes me smile in all situations :)

If you haven't thought to yourself that I am being a tad melodramatic (because I am), let me tip you over the edge (and I swear this is true). After being in a windowless hospital room for four days, I walked outside to the pouring rain on a sunny day (cue CCR) and a rainbow stretched over the sky. Do you have chills? As for my health, I am gobbling antibiotics and happily on the mend at home!

Coconut Oil- I Put That Sh*t on Everything.

Coconut oil seems to be something I find myself rambling on and on about with friends, co-workers, perfect strangers on the subway..and poor Tyler. Much to the annoyance of my local friends (who have known about the not-so-secret benefits of coconut oil since they were tots), I talk about the 'innovation' of coconut oil and all its magical properties and uses way too much. So in an attempt to get it off my chest once and for all, I've put together a list of my most common uses for coconut oil (also crediting friends who share the same love for the all natural, all encompassing product).

SO to start off, we buy cold-pressed coconut oil by the gallon. We use the same bottle for all our purposes- nothing scented, nothing added, nothing fancy. It all comes out of the same bottle we keep above the stove. In warmer climates it comes in a clear liquid form, however when home over the holidays, I saw it in its solid white form...it's like ice, it will melt and is the same product. As well, if it isn't painfully obvious, I am not a nutritionist, scientist, beautician or any sort of 'ist'. I can only claim to love coconut oil because of what it gives me at face value. Our relationship is pretty transparent. To delve deeper, ask Google.  So what do I most commonly use coconut oil for? Here we go;

Cooking: We almost exclusively use coconut oil for our cooking. It's lighter, smells amazing while you are cooking, and adds an extra flavour dimension. I know you might think that you don't want the vague flavour of coconut in everything you eat...but it pairs well with everything (Pairs? Who do I think I am?) We (Tyler) use it for chicken, curries, stir fry, soups, brownies, cakes... seriously, it's our cooking oil of choice (except when serving an aglio olio- stick to the olive oil.)

Hair Conditioning: Before coming to KL I always had healthy hair- not dry, not greasy. I didn't use any products on my hair including conditioner and maintained a glossy, thick mane. However, after baking on the equator for a year and a half, my hair has become dry, bland and straw-like. Solution: Coconut oil. I rub coconut oil through the length of my hair and on my scalp at least once a week, then tie and wrap it up for several hours (or I usually just sleep with it in). Note, rinsing the oil out can take a couple of tries, but the results are fantastic and totally worth it. Ever ask yourself why those Indian girls have the most amazingly healthy hair? It's coconut oil. Works for brunettes, blondes, black, dyed, curly, straight hair...ask my friends!

Teeth Brushing: So I've seen a few things about 'oil pulling' posted on other blogs....read those articles for the whole explanation. But the long and short of it is, you take a tablespoon of coconut oil and swish it around your mouth for about 20 minutes. Yes, I know it sounds gross, but remember, coconut oil tastes like COCONUTS. When finished, spit and brush with the ol' Crest. Why you ask? Well to start, it is a natural teeth whitener. As well, it removes all kinds of toxins and bacteria from your mouth, and in turn your body. Trust me when you spit it out, you will see. Remember it turns back into a solid when cooled, so careful with the pipes!

Body Moisturizer (From Ellie): How many of us have a coconut scented body moisturizer....with a bunch of other added ingredients? Coconut oil is the real deal...just rub on and smell like a vacation all day. Our friend Ellie freezes hers into a solid so it's a bit more manageable/less messy to rub on.

Removing Make-up (From Danielle): Sweet Dee can get into some pretty creative make-up, not to mention the need for waterproof everything in the constant humidity, and if she swears by a makeup remover, you can trust it will work. Just like any make-up remover...it removes make-up. BUT it doesn't dry out your skin :)

Anti-aging and Digestion (From Magesh): I haven't tried this one personally, but my Indian coworker who has beautiful skin, nails, hair, and teeth AND not-so-coincidentally is a lover of all things coconut oil (she even renders it herself from the milk...ahhhmazing!) claims that for years, her grandmother has been taking a teaspoon of coconut oil each morning before she eats, and that she looks shockingly young for her age. Although I have no photographic evidence of this woman who has been drinking from Aphrodite's teaspoon for decades, when the time comes, I will gladly consider coconut oil over botox, and honestly, I have yet to find a reason to doubt coconut oil...or Magesh for that matter.

I will be the first one to scoff at trendy health crazes....the words gluten-free, almond milk, chia seed, kale, and quinoa make my eyes roll involuntarily. (I'm sorry, but being raised by a Mother who was sneaking flax seed into everything and tried to pass 'BRANies' off on me as a teenager...it's part of my rebellion- Sorry Ma ❤️). Although coconut oil could easily be added to the list, I urge you to buy it, use it, and use it often. 

Thaipusam Festival

The true beauty of working in Malaysia is that there are so many public holidays recognized. This past week we were at school 3/5 days as we recognized the Birthday of the Prophet Mohammad on Tuesday, and on Friday we celebrated Thaipusam. The Thaipusam festival that is held in KL at the Batu Caves is one of the biggest in the world, and the general buzz is that it is quite the spectacle. As Ty and I love our festivals, from the Fireworks Festival in Busan, to Applefest in Brighton, we were eager to add another to the list!

We were warned by coworkers that the insanity starts early, and that about a million people visit the Batu Caves during the one-day festival. Having experienced some pretty claustrophobic moments while at Korean festivals, Tyler and I set our alarms and did our best to beat the rush (with no real luck). Taking the already crowded train too early on our day off and feeling slightly off as per the Korean bbq and soju from the night before, Tyler did the faux-pas of jumping on the illusive 'ladies only' car. Feeling awkward, we found the other rogue males on the train car to stand near and tried not to make eye contact. Once arriving at the Batu Caves it was pretty apparent that this was unlike any festival we had been to. Sure there were the food tents, others selling clothing and jewelery, the music was pumping and there were hoards of people. The biggest difference was however, that it was all fueled by religion, and everywhere we looked people were expressing their faith in spectacularly colourful ways.

**Before I go on, I'd like to add the disclaimer that, although completely captivated by Indian culture, and learning more about the Hindu faith, I am pretty vague on the facts. Most info is based on observations, a bit of internet reading, and by and large conversations with my great co-teacher Magesh. For the most part, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!

Thaipusam is one of the largest Hindu holidays in the year, where in the lead up people fast, or give up certain things (much like Christian's Lent). On the day of Thaipusam, Hindus visit the temple to pray to Lord Murugan for help in the future or in order to rid themselves of their sins. They make offerings, mostly of fresh milk. Once finished, they feast with their families. Seems pretty mundane, right? Like the case in all religions, the practices that one follows depends on their personal relationship with the deity. People practice their faith based on what works for them, and what brings them the most comfort. As we watched the droves of people making their way through the gates of the temple, as mentioned, we certainly witnessed many expressions of faith and interpretations of the festival.

For some people, walking up the steps to the Batu Caves with their families and pots of fresh milk works. Others will shave their heads, make pilgrimages, carry very heavy colourful offerings on their shoulders, dance, and most notably pierce their cheeks, backs and chests with metal hooks and skewers. Again, it is really whatever works for the individual and the family at that time in their lives.

We watched the steady procession of people and chariots for over two hours!

 As far as festivals go, Thaipusam ranks pretty high! With the basis of the celebration being religion it certainly offered a more dimensional experience than some festivals we have gone to (not that Applefest wants for sophistication or dimension!) If you're interested, check out an interview with a Thaipusam participant to hear his perspective on some of the practices carried out at the festival. 

In other news, the count down is on to Chinese New Year! Nine more working days until we ring in the Year of the Horse with a week's vacation..Let's paint the town red!

Blue Christmas

This past summer, when making the 13 hour drive from Tyler's hometown to mine, we stopped off at a campground in Quebec. By total chance (questionable luck..?) it was indeed the completely unecessary holiday 'Christmas in July'. As we sat around the campfire sweating, drinking beer and listening to Christmas carols, we both felt a little Scroogy McDuck, as we found ourselves not totally in the spirit of the trailerpark traditions.
Fast-forward six months; We are still sporting flip-flops, listening to Christmas music and trying to figure out how to get ourselves out of this perma-deja-vu funk and into the proper decking the halls, cookie baking, Bailey's drinking, candy cane spirit. Besides the fact that this will be the third Christmas spent away from our families and Canada, I can easily say that besides a broken heart (I've always been a  bit melodramatic) we are seriously suffering from seasonal depression. This is the first tropical Christmas we have ever had, and I can honestly say, the palm tree adorned with twinkle lights is not cutting it. Nonetheless, I'm not one to wallow..at least not too long. Here's some ways we have been trying to kick the 'winter' blues, and highly recommend to anyone who is not quite feeling the holiday spirit as of yet;

1) Find the Christmas lights. There's nothing more satisfying than hitting your favourite mall, only to realize that it has been blanketed with sparkly lights, over-sized Christmas trees and  mountains of fake snow. Although sometimes (often) tacky, no one can deny that an abundance of Christmas lights makes them feel some measure of glee. In a city where it seems like there are more malls than anything else,  Santa's villages are a plenty. That coupled with the blasting air conditioning, is the only place I can comfortably order a hot toffee nut latte and imagine that the winter wonderland isn't just a ploy. This really gives new meaning to 'retail therapy'!

'Santa's coming! I know him!'

2) Mention the word 'Santa' to a group of children. As a Grade One teacher I do admit that I have had to muster, encourage and put out some serious Christmas energy, in particular, in the lead up to our Christmas school concert. As we rehearsed our (spectacular) rendition of 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town', wrote letters to Santa, baked gingerbread men, made ornaments and erected our own Christmas tree, nothing, and I mean nothing winds my students up like the four simple words "Santa Claus is cooommmiinnnggg!". This instantly cues a jumping, arm waving, screaming reaction, and why not? Let's face it, Santa is a rockstar.

3) Help others. Recently, our friend Hutchy, Tyler and I headed over to a community centre in our neighborhood that feeds about 500 homeless and needy people. We spent the morning peeling, chopping, and in Tyler and Hutchy's cases working the woks. We met a couple of super friendly 'mom-types', Jackie and Jane. While the boys used their muscles to cook up over 200 chickens, and about 20 pounds of cabbage, I got to talking with Jackie; A spicy, 60 year old widowed Chinese woman. She had a great sense of humour, gave sage relationship advice and shared openminded opinions about all areas of life. She was one of those people that you find yourself having a deep and meaningful with, despite only knowing her for 5 minutes. In the course of our conversation she shared so much optimism and positivity. It was great to get out of our regular, self indulgent routine and connect with the community we are making our home!

4) Belt out the tunes. Void an embarrassing home video, you can imagine how this one goes.

5) Get together. I think the biggest difference between celebrating Christmas in Asia opposed to North America is it's only celebrated for one day. ONE! This is clearly not enough. To feel complete I need at least a solid two weeks of cheese platters, ugly Christmas sweaters, potlucks, eggnog, friends and family. This year, as we will be traveling over our Christmas break (to Sri Lanka and Borneo!) we won't be doing the makeshift Christmas dinner with all the other 'Christmas orphans'. Instead, we did it the best way we knew how; Santa hats and drinks by the pool...it is 40 degrees after-all.

If all else fails, draw the curtains, blast the air conditioner,and Skype yourself into a Christmas party!
When it's all said and done, that is pretty much it for us and Christmas 2013...We are off to Sri Lanka on Friday! Without a doubt, we will be thinking of all our friends and family throughout the holiday season with a big smile and lots of love in our hearts. xoxo

Jungles, Beaches&Mountains

If it wasn't bad before, Tyler and I have gone into tourist overdrive in the last couple of weeks. We've spent less time working on our tans (to Tyler's dismay) and a bit more time ticking off tourist sights in and around the city. With that comes some cheesy tourist spots, the inevitable street-food induced sickness, and ultimately some cool experiences!

Last weekend, after both being sick, we thought we needed some fresh air (Stats say that due to the air quality in KL, it's like each person is involuntarily smoking 7 ciggies a day -_-). We jumped on a train, and landed in a forest reserve, FRIM, just outside the city. The reserve's main draw is that it has a canopy walk through the jungle. We arrived on a mission to get in the treetops, walked up the mountain to the canopy and realized we needed to get a ticket at the bottom of the hill...no problem. Anyone who is close to us knows that we are always game for a totally unnecessarily long and seemingly pointless walk (33 km midnight walking race comes to mind?) We walked up, wandered down, back up again, and back down once more. Pros: watching and hearing monkeys in the treetops overhead, getting a birdseye view of a jungle from a rickety canopy and learning that Tyler might not be so comfortable with heights. Cons: Well, who can complain about a day in the park!?

This past weekend was a busy one, as Tyler had a four day weekend, and although I had to work Monday and had Tuesday off, I was in full long weekend mode (perhaps subconsciously celebrating a Canadian Thanksgiving..who knows!?) We started Friday with a typical happy hour, dinner, drinks and as old habits die hard, a night of karaoke. Despite a bit of a headache, Tyler and I were up and off on Saturday to a nearby beach town called Port Dickson. Being as Port Dickson is one of the closest beaches to KL there are lots of resorts and lots of people. We checked into a VERY kid friendly resort and relaxed on the beach, watching the sunset and even caught a fireworks show. Although we both teach, and have quite the affection for children, the sound of 100+ screaming children fighting for a turn on the pool slides on Sunday morning was too much for us to handle, so we checked out, jumped in a cab and were off to Blue Lagoon Beach. Blue lagoon is said to be the cleaner beach area with less people...sounded ideal! Of course there were the mandatory landmarks we had to checkout when we arrived (we just can't resist). Trekking up a seaside mountain to snap a photo of the oldest lighthouse in Malaysia was a bit of a let down..perhaps because the lighthouse was closed, perhaps because we have seen one too many lighthouses being from (Tyler) the East coast..who knows? Quickly moving on, we followed a trail down the other side of the mountain, and through some questionable trails. When we felt we were never going to hit a beach, one just opened up to us...and the novel thing was (especially for Asia) no one was there! There was no one, and nothing; just a couple of kilometres of unmanicured beach all to ourselves! A perfect way to find some peace and relaxation on a Sunday! We later trekked out, avoiding the biggest, blackest snake we've ever seen, hoping we hadn't gotten Dengue fever from all the mosquito bites, but feeling ultimately like we had had a killer day! (Note- We didn't even make it to Blue Lagoon Beach..)

 

 

 

Once we arrived back in KL we met up with a couple of friends who had a visiting friend (always exciting for all those involved)! What was to be a quick bite to eat, then straight to bed kind of night, quickly turned into something a bit more full-blown.After a fantastic meal which, among others, highlighted tomyam soup, satay and bbq fish, we headed to a club called Sky Bar. Our friend Danielle had raved about this bar and had convinced me to check it out, if only for a minute, as I was still pretty committed to getting to bed early. Needless to say this is not how the night worked out. Sky Bar is on the 40th floor, has open windows facing the Petronas Towers and a huge swimming pool down the centre. I think it would be hard for anyone to check out early...So we danced, drank (20rm waters for those with day jobs..) and capped the night with a late night swim. After a pretty productive Monday at school, we got ready for a Tuesday vacation day celebrating Hari Raya Haji     (Feast of the Sacrifice- sacrifice of the best halal domestic animals (usually a cow, but can also be a camel, goat, sheep or ram)).

Since this is one particular holiday we were  not interested in (although I suppose millions of turkeys met the same fate in the West this past weekend), we spent the day out of the city checking out Genting Highlands. We had heard this was a place where we could see beautiful vistas, cool off from the heat in the city and gamble...add a little touch of Niagara Falls cheezzze, and Genting Highlands did not disappoint. We rode the roller coaster around the mall while taking in the sights of mini Big Ben, Golden Gate Bridge and Eiffle Tower, lost a bit of money at roulette and ate bad carnival-esque food. The highlight and redeeming factor was definitely taking the cable car down the mountain side. We came down at sunset, descending through the fog and mountains for about 15 minutes. It was beautiful and totally turned us around on the allure of Genting! We'll be back for the cable car (...and to put it all on black ;)

Although it seems like the long weekend just wrapped up, we are on the eve of a two week vacation from school! Needless to say, spirits are high! Next stop, Bali!