I am back in Malabo. I volunteered to come back. So here I am. My spouse and kids are in the US. It’s heartbreaking for me now, and I miss them, but I suspect that we’ll settle into a “new normal” relatively soon. A few observations from the last few months: Full productivity with the… Read More Back in Malabo. Ish.
Malabo feels like one of the last places on earth not to be touched by COVID-19. But of course, despite the small number of positive cases here, life has dramatically changed, not just for expats who are watching the news from home with horror and concern, but for Guineanos whose livelihoods will be permanently affected… Read More Life in the time of Coronavirus
A dear friend told me today that she wants more routine in her life, and in particular, a calming evening ritual of tea and a book before bed. There’s something magic about curling up with hot tea and an engrossing story at the end of a long and frustrating day. Or a long and frustrating… Read More On new beginnings, but not quite the new year (yet)
All I wanted from the trip to Kazakhstan with my kids was good company, good food, and a chance to get out into nature. Our first trip out of Almaty, to Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lake, and Kaindy Lake more than delivered on all three. Charyn Canyon Charyn Canyon itself is starkly beautiful in a… Read More Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lake, and Kaindy Lake (with kids!)
I took the kids to visit friends for eight days in Kazakhstan. Yes, as in, the country with the 9th largest landmass in the world, in Central Asia. A friend living in Almaty invited me and my monster gang to visit her and her own monster gang, and I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.… Read More 8 Day Kazakhstan Itinerary with Kids
I can’t believe we made it six months in Malabo without visiting the Equatoguinean National Park. It’s more like a Central Park or the National Mall than what we would think of as a wildlife preserve, and it’s full of beautiful spots and places for kids to play. Now, we’re regular visitors. It’s a great… Read More Parque Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial (Equatorial Guinea National Park)
Sometimes you just need a little bit of peace and quiet. We took advantage of a recent local holiday to hit the beach and the pool. I’ve written about the Sofitel resort at Sipopo before, and it’s weirdly post-Colonial feel. That hasn’t changed at all. Even so. The kids and I had a great… Read More Island Life and Relaxation
I went to the state hospital last week for a dentist appointment. The dentist was all business, and super direct about the things he felt I could do better to care for my teeth, in a way that was off-putting at first, but also strangely familiar. The dentist was clearly not of Equatoguinean decent, and… Read More Homesick for Jerusalem. Finally.
I recently dragged Bertrand and the kids up Pico Basilé, the imposing volcano that sits behind Malabo. As the volcano hasn’t erupted since 1932, we surmised that it would be utterly safe to visit the national park on top of the mountain. On our way up the winding and narrow road, we stopped at a… Read More Pico Basilé – Bioko Island’s Biggest Volcano
This week in Malabo has been ridiculous (-ly awesome). The Embassy hosted our annual Independence Day Reception, then hosted an official nonofficial Community BBQ for all of the AmCits on the island, and also, my spouse started working. Yes. Bertrand started working (not at the Embassy) and upended all of the routines we’ve developed over… Read More Malabo, Six Months In