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
We made it to Malabo. Finally. After leaving Jerusalem in February of 2017, it felt like we’d never get here. Malabo is complex. Equatorial Guinea is complex. To set the scene for blogging over the next few years, I will not publicly grapple with colonial legacies and living here as a wealthy white woman married… Read More First Impressions of Malabo
Keeping with 2017’s theme of doing shit that brings me joy, I went on a group hike again, this time to Nahal Tse’Elim, in the Negev. I love the outdoors. I love hiking. And I love the sense of self-sufficiency that I’m gaining the more I explore the world around me. This hike was short… Read More Hiking Nahal Tse’Elim in the Negev
Hiking in the Negev in Israel is as beautiful as it sounds, and something I’ve wanted to do since we arrived a few years ago. As our time in Jerusalem is growing short, I ditched my spouse and kids, and signed up for a group hike in the HaMakhtesth HaKaton, a small crater in the… Read More Five Things I Learned Hiking HaMakhtesh HaKatan in the Negev
It’s easy to bleed money when we’re traveling. It’s also easy to bleed money living in a city like Jerusalem. Lucky us, there are lots of free things to do in Jerusalem with kids. Explore the Old City The Old City in Jerusalem is beautiful and full of history. Whether you’re exploring the Church of… Read More Free Things to do in Jerusalem with Kids
Chocolate covered dates are an easy beginning to my foray into Palestinian desserts. They’re a special occasion treat, something that I’ve seen mostly in small quantities at iftars or to be sold to tourists at artisan markets. The dates are delicious and rich, a perfect accompaniment for coffee, but not something to be consumed in large… Read More Palestinian Desserts – Chocolate Covered Dates Stuffed with Pecans
Holidays are tough. For everyone. All over the world. I’ve been celebrating the winter holidays abroad for a long time (in 10+ years abroad, I’ve spent three Christmases in the States). Despite that, I’m finding that as this holiday season begins, I’m more homesick than usual. I’m missing friends and family and pumpkin spice lattes.… Read More Celebrating Holidays Abroad – Reasons to Love It
I am damn pleased to announce that I’ve accepted a handshake to be the Management Officer at Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. We’ll leave Jerusalem next April, spend several months in DC, then arrive in Malabo in January 2018. This is a bit insider baseball to those not familiar with the Foreign Service, but very briefly, just… Read More Next stop, Equatorial Guinea!