Inspired by this week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, we’re cruising though week 21, the last one before our family goes back to the USA for a much well-deserved R&R… The chosen spot for our last weekend of May was the intriguing scenario of the Yungas, and these background and foreground images here bring out a bit of the unique beauty of the Cotapata Park. Enjoy as you please, and thanks for stopping by and riding with us! ♥
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “In the Background”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
From WordPress: “I’m looking forward to seeing you all but disappear into the moments you capture. – Pick”
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, background, background and foreground, Cotapata Park, in the background, postaday, postaweek, weekly photo challenge
It’s the rainy season all over the city of Nuestra Señora of La Paz: a cold rain often comes at the end of the afternoon, letting us know the upcoming night will be even colder.
It’s time to get the fireplace going, pop in a movie for the kids, and why not, go over the recent photos taken during the a well-deserved experience with nature.
Escaping to the Yungas mountains, on a biking trip, cycling through the world’s most dangerous road, couldn’t be better sealed up than with a unique Zip Line adventure. Instead of going from tree to tree, why not go… from mountain to mountain? 
According to Cheri Lucas, the one providing inspiration for this week’s photo challenge: “Escape. Depending on your current mood and headspace, or time in your life, this word can evoke different emotions and conjure a variety of images”. Today, sharing images of a great escape… to the world’s most dangerous road! Join us!
Definitely, one of the highlights of this month of May: Zip Lining with Gravity Bolivia! All are welcome to enjoy as much as the group did!
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “Escape”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, Escape, extreme sports, Gravity Bolivia, mountain biking, postaday, postaweek, South America, weekly photo challenge, worlds most dangerous road, zip line
I’d almost forgotten! Inspired by WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge, this blog shares a ‘weekly taste of Bolivia‘.
Without noticing, I jumped straight from week 18 ["from above"] to week 20 ["escape"]! Humm, am I trying to ‘escape’ from something? Don’t think so! And to prove that, here is the response for the 19th week of this year, inspired by “Pattern” – the colors of the Seasons in Bolivia, an ode to our 10th month in country [already? time really flies when you're having fun!].
Color Patterns of Fall:
Color Patterns of Winter:
Color Patterns of Summer:
Color Patterns of Spring:
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, La Paz, pattern, postaday, postaweek, seasons, Travel and Tourism, weekly photo challenge
It’s about 2:30 in the morning, and I see her coming in. The little body walked through our bedroom door, and I hear the sound of the so-familiar tip-toeing business…
Her half-asleep self, messy hair, teary eyes, tell me she’s lost her sleep, and has come seeking comfort and protection in her parents room… not an uncommon event, and like any other night, I guide her towards the bed. She lies down next to me…
We hug, cuddle, and while asking her the reason for her sadness, I’m told she’s afraid.
My five-year-old tells me she’s had a dream, and in the dream she felt lost, lonely, and didn’t know where to go for help, nor who to talk to… She tells me she’s afraid of growing up, and in becoming an adult, leaving us [her parents] behind, like what I did, in her words, ‘when I left my mother, and became her mommy’…
I let her know it had just been a dream, and that she was safe with me – her father and I would always protect her. I then, confessed I also used to fear the unknown, and often times, was too scared to think about it…
I told her that when I was her age, I used to fear growing up, and being left by the ones I loved. At her age I also began understanding the meanings of life and death, and all the events in between…
She’ll never have to feel lost or alone. We’d always be there, for her, for her big brother and her baby sister…
I told her the Future is something amazing, it’s like a dream you have no idea it’s coming, until you close your eyes at night, and let your mind take over your body…
By then, the teary eyes were gone, and through the fade light in our bedroom, the little girl hesitated in opening up a smile, which she finally did… I felt her comfort, her confidence, her trust. I knew she understood she didn’t have to fear for the unknown.
The future is just part of a sweet dream all of us experience… when we close our eyes, and let our minds take us through the bedroom door… into the unknown…
Thanks for the inspiration!
{Backstory} This week, the inspiration comes from walking through a door… imaginary, or a physical portal…
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Tags: Creative writing, door, DPchallenge, dream, Fear, postaday, through the door, weekly writing challenge, writing
Above us all, the peaceful skies over the city of Nuestra Señora of La Paz, turn into a magnificent and quasi-frightening scenario. Suddenly, the temperature changes and the clouds let us know that a powerful force of nature will bring down the showers. They might simply be hail or the heavy rain showers… one never knows what to expect… It’s the force of nature in action. It may last for a few minutes, and before one is ready for it, the sun will be shining again, above us all. It’s nature at its best performance…
The idea for this post is to try ‘inverting’ the perspective of the suggested theme. “From Above” inspired me to look for a different approach – the way the nature ‘perceive’ us, from above. Above us all, as the most powerful force…. Let’s see how it came out! Thank you all for visiting, and sharing your impressions! ♥
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “From Above”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, From above, La Paz, perception, perspective, postaday, postaweek, weekly photo challenge
“the light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it!”
We all need the Force. Something stronger is coming from above... Above us all, there’s a stronger counter-force: the power of a child who decided that playing was a better choice than his well-needed 8 hours of sleep…
May the Force be with you. With all of you. With all of us, parents, who have to deal with an unforeseen middle-of-the-night playtime!
Star Wars figures, inherited from his dad. From his dad’s collection [see the Darth Vader carrying case?] Yes, the same one who betrayed the Jedi Order and his Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi! – for over 30 years this case has secured the dreams of the boy I ended up marrying. And now, the carrying case and its figures are happily laying on the carpet, next to the hamster’s cage, planning some sort of invasion (???). And this is all happening way past my son’s bedtime…
May the Force be with you, parents of the world! May your sleepless nights be filled with giggles and pretend-fights among little toy figures… May the 4th, the first day of a long-waited weekend, be a great and restful Saturday, for us all… for our own sake and mental health!
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Tags: Darth Vader, Force (Star Wars), From above, Jedi, May the 4th, May the Force be with you, May the Fourth, Obi-Wan Kenobi, parenting, postaday, Star Wars, Star Wars Day, weekly photo challenge
Diplomatic Corp present at the Diplomatic Ladies Event in La Paz {April 2013}.
The Diplomatic Ladies Association [Asociación de Damas Diplomáticas] in La Paz, Bolivia, organized a fair to showcase products and a little bit of the culture of the many countries who mark their presence in La Paz. Entrance fees were used as a fundraiser for charity projects throughout the capital. Here, a collection of snapshots of a few of these countries, including Panama, Japan, Great Britain, and, the United States…
Wish I weren’t be so caught up working at the booth, and had the opportunity to go around snapping more pictures from the beautiful German Embassador’s Residence! Maybe next time… next year, for sure!
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “Culture”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
In the meantime, what else has our ‘home diplomatic corp’ been up to? Take a look at this beautiful initiative:
http://3rdculturechildren.com/2013/04/25/la-paz-runs-for-boston/
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, ABIA La Paz, Asociación de Damas Diplomaticas, CULTURE, La Paz, postaday, postaweek, weekly photo challenge
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The most popular beach resort in Chile, and an easy flight-and-drive from our house in La Paz, Viña del Mar is within reach of both Santiago and Valparaiso. Viña teems with tourists during peak months December, January and February, despite Antarctic currents that make swimming a formidable prospect. Our family went there during Spring/School Break [why not?] Renaca Beach is the hippest spot to sink onto the sands – and the ‘chosen spot’ for our oldest kids’ [7 & 5 yrs] ‘acrobatic performances‘… Our 2-year-old daughter is still too shy [and her parents, too cautious!] to give it a try!
“Viña del Mar, is a city and commune on central Chile’s Pacific coast. Its long stretches of white sandy beaches are a major attraction for national and international tourists”, from
Wikipedia.
- Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “Up”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, Chile, photo challenge, postaday, postaweek, Vina del Mar, weekly photo challenge
Innovation. Technology. CHANGE.
Using social media tools to change the way the world is perceived. In this case, celebrating the landmark of having 100,000 friends on the Facebook page of the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia [text extracted & adapted from the US Embassy Bolivia Website, link here] - simultaneously welcoming guests in the five different cities in Bolivia, through webchat technology. Hope on over to their fan page for images from guests in all 5 cities… Number of fans are changing every day… Changing now the way celebrations are done.
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “Change”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
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Tags: 100000 fans, 52 Bolivian Sundays, Facebook, La Paz, photo challenge, postaday, postaweek, social media, US Embassy Bolivia, weekly photo challenge, WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge
A long time has gone by since I prepared this blogpost… And yet, it remains so current! Even celebrated my birthday surrounded by bubble wrap & moving boxes – it was pack out season! The original post was ”Inspired by the FS Blog Round Up, I decided to do some research and put together a pack of interesting information about moving and packing, including my personal comments. Some of the “facts” were actually quite new to me.
Others, made me laugh.
Also found some “advice” on moving with small children – supposedly, “moving with kids could be a breeze, if you plan ahead”. This is probably my favorite, and I ask: “how much ahead to you need to plan? maybe before you were joined by your kids??”
Anyway, here are some of the ‘facts’ about moving and packing:
Comment: Really?! Would have never guessed! Moving is trauma, ranked right up there with getting a divorce, losing a job or burying a loved one. But chances are you already know that. So here comes the question:
So.. Why we do it???
** just a rhetorical question! We all look forward to those intense
finding-sorting-wrapping-packing-storing days!
- One-sixth of all Americans, an estimated 43 million people, move each year. (U.S. Census Bureau)
Comment: And 50% of all moves take place between Memorial Day and Labor Day – that’s just weird – no idea why the preference! [** And recently I learned it was because of the U.S. school year/calendar (thanks, Carla!)... now it does make sense - another hint that I'm a foreign-born spouse!]
- Individuals move 11.7 times in their lifetime. (from: U.S. Census Bureau)
Comment: Already crossed that mark, even before meeting the husband and joining the FS…
- The typical moving customer is a married couple between the ages 25 and 44, with one or two children between the ages of 2 and 11.
Comment: Good to know we’re not alone. It comforts me to know there are several other parents out somewhere, screaming and kicking …
And here are some of the “advices”:
- Get back to normal: For the sake of the entire family’s happiness, try not to take too long to resume doing what your family enjoys.
Comment: I’d really appreciate knowing how to get back to normal after a move, not taking long to resume to your ‘normal’ routine. Maybe I’m always too busy trying to prevent the kids from killing each other, that I may loose focus…
- Pack late (late?) – The actual process of packing up and putting things away in boxes may be emotionally trying for preschoolers, as they see familiar and favorite objects disappear into boxes. Try to pack your preschoolers’ belongings as late in the moving schedule as possible, and reassure them that their belongings will be going to the new house.
Comment: You don’t realize how much stuff your kids have until you start packing. BTW, where are the kids? Make sure the answer to your question is on the top of your to-do list!
- Pace Yourself: Your already busy schedule keeps you on your feet at all times, and moving adds a whole new list of things to do. Plan ahead. Give yourself several weeks to pack for your move, that way you are only packing a few boxes a day. This will decrease the amount of time you need away from your everyday responsibilities, including your kids. In other words, it’s not only about keeping your kids busy, but it’s about making yourself more available during your move.
Comment: Would love to know how to pace myself. One day I’ll learn. Not next year. Not in this decade. Also, how could I “buy” several weeks ahead, for packing before a move? If I’m able to manage a semi-smooth “packing & moving” event, ensuring that our car keys and travel documents won’t be packed away with our HHE, I’ll be pretty lucky!:o Here is some good advice (at least for me!) about keeping it real for the traveling children (thanks to “Family-Travel-Scoop”): Do talk frankly with your children about the move Do let your child express his/her feelings Do acknowledge their frustrations/anger Do research the country you are moving to with your child Do let your child say goodbye properly to the place you are leaving Do expect an adjustment period when your child has mixed emotions Do keep traditions from home alive in your new home Do maintain regular ties with family back “home” Do bring items (e.g. framed pictures) and put them in each home you live in a similar place Do involve your child with any decisions that may affect him/her if possible
Good luck to all the ones moving out this season! I’m glad we don’t have to think about packing for at least, another year…
-8.054277
-34.881256
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Tags: foreign service, FS blogs, home, postaday, Relocation (personal), U.S. Census Bureau, United States Census Bureau
Just mentioned [on a previous post] our recent trip to Chile, during the Easter break, taking advantage of the short and pleasant flights to Santiago. As part of our personal photo project called 52 Bolivian Sundays, inspired by the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge, now it’s time to share colorful images, from recent visit to Viña del Mar, Valparaiso and the Concha y Toro Winery, located in Pirque, a few of the many scenarios spotted during our family trip to Chile.
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
GREEN AND DELICIOUS BURGUNDY!
ALL BURGUNDY… AND EXQUISITE!
THE COLORS OF HAPPINESS & FRIENDSHIP!
city mural
Classic Travel Family Photo: everyone exhausted, but happy! :o
city mural
kids just being kids!
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, Chile, color, colors, friendship, photo challenge, postaday, postaweek, Santiago, Valparaiso, weekly photo challenge, WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge
Colorful Valparaiso
hotel, by the boardwalk
overview of the city
city mural
Entrance to the Ascensor
family going up on the Ascensor Concepcion
city mural
Classic Travel Family Photo: everyone exhausted, but happy! :o
boardwalk
kids just being kids!
Paseo Mirador
Detail from downtown Valparaiso
A quick stop to eat, before the walking and sightseeing continue! :o
Just mentioned [on a previous post] our recent trip to Chile, during the Easter break, taking advantage of the short and pleasant flights to Santiago. As part of our personal photo project called 52 Bolivian Sundays, inspired by the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge, now it’s time to share a day in Chile’s main port and known for its bohemian, artistic vibe and lovely vistas. I’m talking about the famous city of Valparaiso, only 70 miles northwest of capital Santiago. Its UNESCO-designated historic downtown offers charming colonial architecture, great seafood restaurants, markets and stores were our family’s chosen spot for enjoying the last Friday of March.
Sharing here, impressions and snapshots of a day well spent with our family of 5 and dear friends from our time in Africa, now, adjusted expats in Santiago. Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, A day in my life, Chile, Easter, postaday, postaweek, Santiago, Valparaiso, weekly photo challenge
Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, called 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do.
For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “My Neighborhood“, we will ‘stroll’ through a few images that are so very familiar to us, and yet, a surprise every single day, due to the unpredictable weather, so characteristic to the city of La Paz, the place we’ll be calling ‘home’ for the next year and a half…
Our morning greeting… the nostalgic design of the streets, the contrast between the cobblestones and the always green foliage covering the house walls…
And what we spot when looking up to the sky: the ‘chaotic and intricate’ arrange displayed by the electric cables, against the peaceful tree covers and the white clouds…
What about different views from a popular playground? Trying to show the intriguing ways a child would perceive its surroundings… the metal structures, the reddish mountains in the background, the memories of our childhood brought by the set of swings, and the majestic palm trees…
A walk towards the kids school leads to a nice quaint restaurant, with an inviting outdoors patio…
And finally, a roof top, like many around our neighborhood, after one of the many 15-minutes hail showers, leaving the tiles covered with tiny pieces of ice… Don’t like the weather? Just wait a few minutes, and a new scenario will arrive at your ‘Paceña‘ neighborhood…
So many details to look forward to! Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, Bolivian Sundays, La Paz, my neighborhood, Photo Project, postaday, postaweek, weekly photo challenge
Above, details from the drive up to the Hotel Complex, through the Valle de La Luna mountains.
Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, called 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do. For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “Lost in the Details“, brings images from our recent visit to Mallasa, and a day very well spent with friends from La Paz and from Washington, DC, at the Oberland Hotel Complex, a taste of Switzerland in Bolivia. In order to get there, one of the requirements is to appreciate the fascinating mountains from the Valle de La Luna [The Moon Valley]… The mineral content of the mountains varies greatly between individual rock formations. As a result, the sides of the mountains are different colors, creating very striking optical illusions. A majority of them are a clear beige or light brown color. There are also areas that are almost red, with sections of dark violet.
And here, a few more ‘detailed impressions’ from a great reward!
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So many details to look forward to! Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, Hotel Oberland, La Paz, Lost in the Details, Moon Valley, Photo Project, postaday, postaweek, Valle de La Luna, weekly photo challenge
March 2011 marked my very first blogpost: shared impressions from the world’s largest street carnival. It was obviously in
Brazil, the country that
lives and breathes popular festivities, and our
assignment with the foreign service from 2010 to 2012.
From that point on, blogposts began to come out quite often, increasing the number of subscribers, comments, Facebook Page fans [over 230], Twitter followers [over 350], and blog followers [now at 983]. Being picked to be Freshly Pressed a couple of times by the WordPress editors was definitely a good burst on the social part of it, coupled with the recent popular vote for best Expat Blog about our current home, Bolivia; and the mention of being one of the best parental/family blogs for families wondering about life with kids in the foreign service, according to Gaddling, the world’s top travel blog. Many thanks! 
Today, another milestone was reached, having me surprised and pleased, finding out that our ‘family travel & photoblog‘ displayed over 120,000 visits.
Being passionate about your life experiences, sharing images and impressions, reporting what one sees happening around, somehow, pays back. At least, in the ‘blogsphere‘… I’m inspired by the several bloggers who take part at the writing prompts, Weekly Photo Challenges, FrizzText and Jake Austria, probably being my very first inspiration (thank you both!); as well as, all the beautiful ideas shared by Ailsa, from ‘Where’s my Backpack?‘, with her travel theme challenges, and The Island Traveler, a parent, like many of us, who decided to share some beauty from their regular lives with the world…
Thank you all out there, parents, expats, bloggers, friends, for reading, commenting, following, and for offering a great deal of inspiration… blogging is fun!
What is your NEXT MILESTONE? Your Blog Milestone? Share here, if you care! Thanks!♥
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Tags: blog award, blog followers, bloggers, blogging, Facebook, FS blogs, Gadling, Online Communities, postaday, social media, Twitter, wordpress
Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, titled 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do.
For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “Forward“, a great place to spend some good quality time with friends, the Bowling Alley in La Paz: “Rock’n Bowl” – our chosen spot for the last Saturday of February! Hitting it forward!!!
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, bowl, bowling, Forward, La Paz, Photo Project, postaday, postaweek, rock'n bowl, weekly photo challenge
Parenting isn’t an easy task. There aren’t many solutions out there for our ‘day-to-day challenges’. Yet, we all keep on going… And why? Many bloggers/parents may relate to these statements, and who knows, even add more to the pot! With that in mind, and a bit of inspiration provided by this week’s suggested writing challenge from The Daily Post [Image vs. Text], had the perfect scenario for a ‘pictorial explanation’ of, ‘why we do what we do’ for our children!
Hopefully, the plan for this post will work. The images should provide at least a clue about the answers to these proposed questions… check the list below, and let’s see if you agree with the ‘suggested reasons’! ♥
* Why trying to prepare that special treat they love, knowingly we’d be tired after a full week of work, and the weekend is our only chance to recover and rescue ourselves before the upcoming work week strikes again?
* Why teaching our children the importance of group activities, the meaning of camaraderie and why being part of a team is greater than knowing how to work alone?
* Why having your house ‘invaded’ by little ‘barbarians’, who love to scream and cry, fighting over toys and games with their peers, during a so-called ‘birthday celebration’?
* Why teaching kids to love and respect their cultural traditions, their distinct backgrounds and their personal stories?
June Festivities in Brazil
Folklore written all over them… Gotta honor their Brazilian culture… that’s what “hybrid culture kids” are made of… learning how to respect and preserve the culture they’re inheriting along the way! :o
Carnaval in Brazil
African Bath
* Why getting up early in the morning, making sure our children have all they need for that particular school day, even if sometimes, we need to come up with a ‘last-minute’ solution for a very special request for some school activity?
* Why going over and over their school homework, despite sometimes having a splitting headache and zero inspiration to help them with their writing assignments?
A letter of ‘appreciation’, from my resident first grader…
* Why volunteering your very scarce free time, to join them in some activity at the school?
* Why teaching our children that they need to share their life skills and abilities with others, in a selfless way?
* Why is it necessary to show our children they’re special, unique, important in their own way, and always, unconditionally loved?
* Why we, parents, end up doing exactly what we do, despite our list of countless complaints, which include tiredness, lack of resources and sleepless nights? We do it because we care. We care for their well-being, we care for raising emotionally resilient children, who will mature to become grounded adults, for a more compassionate and stable society. That’s why we do what we do… ♥
♥ Thanks for the inspiration, and for reading!
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Tags: DPchallenge, EDUCATION, FS blogs, Image vs. Text, images, parenting, postaday, postaweek, resilience, writing challenge
Being born in South Africa
Here, the big brother welcoming his Valentine’s Day sister, with a kiss, a perfect fit for this week’s theme. She’s not a baby anymore… better to say, she’s a young lady… a ‘señorita’…
We’re pleased, lucky and grateful for all the experiences we’ve been through, and we’re grateful for having had this intense, warm, active and loving girl into our lives for the past five years… Half a decade ago, husband and I received the best gift one could ever expect for Valentine’s Day: the birth of a baby girl! ♥
Find here, some lovely impressions from other bloggers… their special understanding of “KISS”: Thank you all for sharing! ♥
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, happy birthday, kiss, postaday, postaweek, Valentine's Day, weekly photo challenge
The ‘photographers’… :o
For this week’s photo challenge, we’re all trying to answer the question: ‘What is home?’ Some amazing bloggers have already done it!
What about you? ♥
Home is anywhere where one is able to share the joy of being alive, being its own person… Home is where we share, where we teach in exchange of learning… home is where we feel safe, surrounded by trustworthy friends… Home is the place where we share love…for a nomad like myself, trying to answer the question: “where is home” has a very unique response, because it’s a challenge to define ‘home’ for ‘serial expats’… Very personally, home is the place I feel free to be myself, and share all my passions!
Previous Posts from the Project “52 Bolivian Sundays”:
- Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 2, 'Illumination'].
- Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 3, 'Beyond']
- Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 1, 'Resolved'].
- Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 5, 'Unique']: the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real.
- Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays [week 4, 'Love'].
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, home, moving, postaday, postaweek, weekly photo challenge
Like many others, I need colorful and fun experiences in my life. A good way to cope with the intense life of the foreign service [moving every so often, and raising kids along the way]: find ways to ‘dive into the local culture, learning about their traditions and what moves their hearts!
We’ve already been posted in Bolivia for exactly 6 months, and I’m always on the lookout for interesting stories, traditional eventss, unique ways that represent the Bolivian Culture. The first post was about Art in La Paz through paintings. This time, a group of friends was taken to El Alto, just outside La Paz, for a Sunday afternoon experience with the ‘Fighting Cholitas‘! A unique experience for many foreigners visiting Bolivia, and a great fit for this week’s photo challenge!
In order to ‘educate myself’ a bit, I did a brief research on these famous women, and the easiest explanation comes from Wikipedia:
The Fighting Cholitas are a group of female lucha librewrestlers who perform in El Alto, Bolivia. The Cholitas are part of a group called the Titans of the Ring, which includes both male and female wrestlers. The Titans perform each Sunday for an audience of hundreds at El Alto’s Multifunctional Center.
Like the general population of El Alto, which consists almost entirely of Aymara and Quechua residents, the Cholitas are indigenous. They wear braided hair, bowler hats and multilayered skirts in the ring.
Now, less talk and more images. Starting with our short trip leaving the city of La Paz, towards El Alto, the ‘grand stage’ for the Cholitas Performance!
The ‘way to travel’: our Cholita Wrestling Bus, personalized tickets, snacks and souvenirs!
The ‘performers’… or should I say… ‘the fearless fighters’ and their loyal fans?
These women aren’t like the men in their spandex outfits and masks. They’re Cholitas, indigenous Bolivian women in their traditional Aymara Indian clothes. The outfit includes a layered skirt buoyed by petticoats, a shawl with long swinging fringe and a bowler hat adorned with gold pins. It’s what the women wear in, and out, of the wrestling ring.
Cholitas wrestling is an ever-growing business. Hundreds of tourists, and Bolivians, line up every week to watch the cholitas beat on each other. But why the fascination? “It’s something spectacular, something never seen before to have a cholita in the ring,” a common opinion shared among us, astonished and somehow, confused (?), members of the Sunday audience….
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Tags: Cholita, CULTURE, Fighting Cholitas, La Paz, postaday, postaweek, unique, weekly photo challenge, wrestling
At 6,438 m (21,122 ft), mount Illimani is the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real, the second highest in Bolivia and the 18th highest in the Andes.
It lies just south of La Paz at the eastern edge of the Altiplano, dominating the city of La Paz like a sentinel on guard.
It has three prominent peaks seen from La Paz (it actually has several peaks over 6000 meters) and the most commonly climbed route is on the west face. To climb this mountain one should have some experience and be very well acclimatized. It’s recommended to spend at least 7 days above 3000 meters and work on some high altitude trekking, before any attempt!
Here, this series of images display the snow capped magnificent peak, waiting for a storm to come…a very common scenario during this time of the year… Despite the frightful image, the mountain remains peaceful among the dark clouds…
…and after the storm has passed – the calming view of the mountain, once we’re safely back home, in La Paz!
♥ Thanks for reading! Curious about the previous posts on this Photo Project?
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, Illimani, postaday, postaweek, storm, unique, weekly photo challenge
Religion, devotion, faith, Love – many names for the several different ways of approaching what’s believed to be a stronger, powerful protective force… People seeking blessings, seeking help, seeking guidance…
Cerro Calvario (Calvary Hill) is a hill in Copacabana lined with small monuments representing the 14 Stations of the Cross. Pilgrims visit the Stations for prayer and penance. Thousands of pilgrims journey to Copacabana – some on foot for the entire 158km distance from La Paz, and it’s the chosen inspiration for the fourth week of this 52-week Photo Project, and the last Sunday of January 2013.
At the summit of Cerro Calvario, pilgrims light incense and buy mini replicas of various material possessions that they hope the Virgin will grant them during the year.
The Virgen de la Candelaria in Copacabana is a statue of the Virgin Mary sculpted by an Inca craftsman in 1576. Believed to work miracles, the statue of the “Dark Virgin of the Lake” is the most important pilgrimage destination in Bolivia.
According to a local legend, in 1576, some Inca fishermen were caught in a terrible storm on Lake Titicaca. As they prayed for help, the Virgin Mary appeared and led them to safety.
A traditional expression of love, for something bigger than oneself…
For this week’s photo challenge, we’re all trying to answer the question: ‘What is love?’ Some amazing bloggers have already done it! What about you? ♥
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, copacabana, love, postaday, postaweek, religion, weekly photo challenge
Art galleries in La Paz have been springing up like cactus flowers after the rains.
Many are within an easy walk from one another. Is there a better way for getting to know the beauties (and resources) this colorful city offers?
Now, that I’m comfortable enough to walk around the city, I’ve begun a series of posts about art in the city, this one being the result of an afternoon visit to a current Art Exhibit at the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo ‘Plaza’, in La Paz. Oh, the temporary advantages of being a ‘stay-home-mom’! ♥
Got some free time to explore, what about nicely educating yourself on the country’s history, art and endless man-made beauty? I’ve got, and I’m slowly educating myself... through art and history!
[All images provided here were taken by me - with permission].
Still curious for more?
Find below a list of gallery websites, and/or related resources:
Bolivian Painter Claudia Soria
Online gallery of paintings by Bolivian painter Claudia Soria.
Bolivian Painter Emma Rosario Imana de Murguia
Biography of the artist and some art work samples (Italian).
El Retorno de los Angeles
Amazing online exhibition of Bolivian baroque paintings (angels, archangels, virgins and saints).
Galería de Arte y Cultura de Bolivia
Art and culture gallery. Paintings, masks, enbroideries, books, and videos for sale.
Jorge Crespo Berdecio
Artist in metal work, serigraphy, xilography, and lithography.
Jorge Hurtado’s Fine Art Gallery
Works in fine arts, illustration, and graphic design. Nice site.
Mamani Mamani
Collection paintings catalogued by theme: mothers, flowers, archangels, birds among others.
Marcelo Videa – Surrealismo Apechurrado
Surrealist art. Paintings, drawings, sculptures, and ceramic.
Orlando Arias Morales
Creative ecstasy in the works of Bolivian painter Orlando Arias Morales. Portfolio.
Paula Lopez – Art Gallery
Resume, exhibitions and pictures.
Pedro Portugal
Bolivian artist. Paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and murals.
Sanjines Art
Website for Bolivian Artist and Photographer Marcelo Sanjines.
Taipinquiri
Culture, architecture, and arts center. Paintings, sculptures and books.
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Tags: La Paz, Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Plaza, painting, postaday
With at least a post a week for 2013, which I’m calling “52 Bolivian Sundays”, I keep moving forward with the plan to share my [photo] impressions about our surroundings, the culture we’re currently calling ‘ours’, the place we’ll call home for the next year and a half…
Today, for the third Sunday of 2013, I’m sharing one of photo I snapped during a recent visit to a local Art Exhibit in town. The photo responds to the weekly photo challenge, “Beyond“, trying to answer to: “Do you have a photo which invites the viewer to look beyond?”
Leading the readers through the story in the photo. What do YOU SEE BEYOND the picture?
This is s very powerful picture, an oil painting, part of this months current Art Exhibit at the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo ‘Plaza’, in La Paz [more images from my visit to the museum to come later this week, after we return from our family escape to the Lake Titicaca!].
The image has many possible meanings/interpretations, although I believe there’s not doubt about its powerful impact/reaction… The picture portraits the image of a kid, maybe in despair? And, at the same time you find yourself looking at the helpless face of this boy, you discover the image is being ‘ripped off’ from its reality, which brings us to the questions:
‘Is it all real?‘ ‘Is all the pain portrait here, simply an illusion?’ Is the image a symbol of a lost childhood?’
What about you? What are you seeing beyond the painted image? ♥
Original posts from Photo Project:
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, Beyond, postaday, postaweek, weekly photo challenge
Today, for the second Sunday of 2013, the chosen photo is inspired by the weekly photo challenge, “Illumination“, and is a little remembrance of the way the city of Nuestra Señora de La Paz greeted the New Year of 2013… Illumination brings rebirth, reinvention, rejoice!
“Lights are functional — everyday objects in our rooms and on our streets. Yet lights can be powerful symbols: signs of life, curiosity, and discovery…”
Original post from Photo Project:
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, illumination, La Paz, postaday, postaweek, weekly photo challenge, WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge
I’ve been blogging for exactly 22 months [the first post went live on March 11, 2011, about the Largest Street Carnaval in Brazil – and apparently, it didn’t take long to be picked up by Pop Pressed‘s radar, on March 2011. Link here for full post].
But it’s always nice to get that sweet email from the WordPress editors… Especially, for the second time.. what are the odds? Thank you all for reading! ♥
A bit of Math here [and my former Algebra students who thought they were free from this!]: The chances of being Freshly Pressed are, on any given day, about 12 per million. Well, considering that just happened for the second time, it brings the odds to… 1 in 6,400,000,000
Maybe I should move on to playing the lottery?!
Curious about the ‘map it out post’? HERE it is!
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Tags: DPchallenge, freshly pressed, postaday, probability, writing challenge
Moving as an expat…
[Backstory, inspiration from WP] “As bloggers, we scan through photos and descriptive tales from our fellow writers who share their travels with us… Maps symbolize the places we’ve been, the places we want to go, and the places we’ll end up, even if we don’t know it yet…”
That said, I’m taking up on the challenge, and ‘mapping out’ the places in my life. Just the important, ‘life event’ moves. A couple years back when I began blogging, I decided to name this blog, representing/expressing what my [now 3] kids are: the product of their mom’s and dad’s hybrid/joined cultures. Moving is part of our lives, and was part of mine way before meeting the so-called ‘best-half’. Maps are a frequent guest at my posts, and this time, responding to the challenge, I’m ‘mapping out my life’, the moves I’ve endured as a nomad child back in Brazil, the ones leading me to a new path as an expat, mother and ‘trailing spouse‘… ♥
The beginning: ‘this child is born’, in a small Japanese colony, in Southeastern Brazil:
Itaguaí, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The original family moves to the nation’s capital, for a fantastic couple of decades of friendships, schooling, learning, growing, language, cultural and life experiences:
Professional opportunities keep leading that grown child to keep moving up… and North!
Life presents itself in very strange ways... and sometimes, love, personal life & work seem to agree with each other… a few fortunate moments, that one must take advantage of… and move on! Again, keep moving up… and North! The new home, now officially an expat, the “D” city indicated by the map – working as a foreign research fellow, in Davis, CA.
One day, we all come to the realization that it’s necessary to say ‘YES’ to a lifetime commitment… and so I did! And the acceptance brought me to a new address, some 2,800 miles away, to new work opportunities, to a new life as a spouse:
What happens when a ‘nomad child’ marries another ‘nomad spirit’?
Well, they move, together with their first ‘world citizen‘! This time, as a ‘trailing spouse’ and a mom, I’m going back South… to Southern Africa…
It came time to welcome our second child… so then we moved to a neighboring country, for a little while…
We were done with our work in Africa, and had to return to our original home. Back in Washington DC, before heading out to our next adventure… From “A” to “B”, landing in “C”, and welcoming our third child into the world [of traveling!]:
But since we’ve got ‘itchy souls‘, common to world travelers, we may not stop… We’re always moving, and as a result of work, lifestyle and adventurous minds, we find ourselves in a different place, the beautiful country of Bolivia… for now! Thanks for following us, and… what about you? What is YOUR JOURNEY? Feel free to leave a link at the comments section for others to ‘live thru your experiences’!!
Related: Writing Challenge: Map It | Fi’s Mutterings & Mumblings
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Well, this is the time to come up with New Year Resolutions. I’m no different than many others, and since once of my resolutions is to get better at photoblogging, I’ve resolved to do something.
My resolution? Trying to blog better, more consistently… this year, I’ll see if I can abide by a weekly schedule… with at least a post a week for 2013, which I’m calling “52 Bolivian Sundays”, my plan to share my [photo] impressions about our surroundings, the culture we’re currently calling ‘ours’, the place we’ll call home for the next year and a half… Hopefully, I’ll stick to the plan, and have a photo post out every Sunday… 52 images of natural landscapes, people, culture, food, tradition, daily life, social events, artistic expressions… you name it! But each and every one of them need to represent the place we’re now calling home, the beautiful country of Bolivia! ♥
Today, the first Sunday of 2013, the opening photo is inspired by the weekly photo challenge, “Resolved“. My first resolution for the year: getting out [more] and exploring the country. We haven’t done a lot of traveling in these past 5 months here, but now it’s time to explore… and find out what’s hiding behind these mountains… or, what lies beyond these clouds…
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Tags: 52 Bolivian Sundays, La Paz, postaday, postaweek, resolved, South America, weekly photo challenge
![Quenua Tree [oil on canvas]](http://3rdculturechildren.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/img_4726.jpg?w=162&h=217 "Quenua Tree [oil on canvas]")
My most recent creation, showcasing the love affair with a unique tree – the Andean Queñoa, from my front yard!
Like many others, I
need color in my life. A few years back, I discovered a good way to cope with the intense life of the
foreign service, moving every so often, and raising kids along the way – through artistic expressions. We’ve been at our new posting for a little over 2 months, and I’m getting back together with my passion: painting. I’ve been learning, touring galleries, listening to stories…
Art galleries in La Paz have been springing up like cactus flowers after the rains. Many are within an easy walk from one another. Is there a better way for getting to know the beauties (and resources) this colorful city offers? Now, that La Paz is our home, and I’m comfortable enough to walk around the city, I’ve begun a series of posts about art in La Paz, this initial one is about ‘Painting’, bringing up a list of resources for other visitors/expats, like myself. Also, this month I’ll resume my painting classes – something I’d stopped while back in Brazil when my baby girl was born (2010). Here in La Paz I already got one canvas out, but still feel the enormous need to improve my skills, and learn more techniques… Oh, the temporary advantages of being a ‘stay-home-mom’! Got some free time to explore, what about nicely educating yourself on the country’s history, art and endless man-made beauty? I’ve got, and I’m slowly educating myself... through art and history!
[All images provided here were taken by me - with permission - at different art galleries throughout the neighborhood of San Miguel, La Paz].
Here, 3 of my “creations”…
Find below a list of gallery websites, and/or related resources:
Bolivian Painter Claudia Soria
Online gallery of paintings by Bolivian painter Claudia Soria.
Bolivian Painter Emma Rosario Imana de Murguia
Biography of the artist and some art work samples (Italian).
El Retorno de los Angeles
Amazing online exhibition of Bolivian baroque paintings (angels, archangels, virgins and saints).
Galería de Arte y Cultura de Bolivia
Art and culture gallery. Paintings, masks, enbroideries, books, and videos for sale.
Jorge Crespo Berdecio
Artist in metal work, serigraphy, xilography, and lithography.
Jorge Hurtado’s Fine Art Gallery
Works in fine arts, illustration, and graphic design. Nice site.
Mamani Mamani
Collection paintings catalogued by theme: mothers, flowers, archangels, birds among others.
Marcelo Videa – Surrealismo Apechurrado
Surrealist art. Paintings, drawings, sculptures, and ceramic.
Orlando Arias Morales
Creative ecstasy in the works of Bolivian painter Orlando Arias Morales. Portfolio.
Paula Lopez – Art Gallery
Resume, exhibitions and pictures.
Pedro Portugal
Bolivian artist. Paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and murals.
Sanjines Art
Website for Bolivian Artist and Photographer Marcelo Sanjines.
Taipinquiri
Culture, architecture, and arts center. Paintings, sculptures and books.
-16.499010
-68.146248
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Tags: DPchallenge, La Paz, painting, postaday
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt:
19,000 people fit into the new Barclays Center to see Jay-Z perform. This blog was viewed about 68,000 times in 2012. If it were a concert at the Barclays Center, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Click here to see the complete report.
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Tags: blogging, photography, postaday, wordpress, wordpress.com, writing
2012 will be over in a couple of days!
A very intense year, in many levels, scenarios… Our family moved several times throughout the year… we got to live in 3 different countries [Brazil, USA, Bolivia}, lived out of suitcases for a long time; kids had to say goodbye to their dear friends, and say 'hello' to the ones becoming their new friends and teachers, adjusting to a new school, new cultures, and now, we're happily settled in Nuestra Señora de La Paz, capital of Bolivia...
At this moment, looking back at 2012, and preparing the 'retrospective': popular posts, interaction with other bloggers, popular searches/forums... good discussions... Good therapy, some may say - and I'm glad to agree - when it came to blogging, got a lot done this year, sharing our experiences, challenges regarding parenting, multilingual living, cultural adjustments... work... expatriate and family daily life.... So, why visitors, readers, commenters, came to this blog? Most of them are expatriates, like our own 'nomad family', some belong to the Foreign Service community, and are well familiar with the challenges faced by the 5 of us. Others, are parents, travelers, adventurers, looking for images, photos, tips about travel options, or simply... curious eyes in search of a good reading, or a funny/intriguing/amazing image from our travels and/or not-so-fantastic daily life!
Now, I find myself with some time after the Christmas holidays, and with a chance to pull together the ‘highs and lows’ of 2012, displaying my gratitude to the readers, commenter, frequent visitors, who always enrich this blogging journey! A big thank you to all!
For a ‘visual summary‘ of 2012, please hop over to this other post, especially crafted for WordPress‘s weekly photo challenge, the last one of 2012: A year through images!
For all the ‘fellow stats junkies’ out there [don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about! ] here it is, this past year, through numbers… Who came in, looking for what, and the most popular posts…
Top visitors {countries}:
United States
Brazil
United Kingdom
Canada
India
Australia
Popular Posts/Articles
2012 displayed an average of 246 blog comments/month, averaging 186 views a day.
Here are the ‘top commenters‘ [thank you for the very positive interaction!]
And which ones were the most commented posts? The ones with the strongest human interaction? [Again, my deepest gratitude for all the feedback received!]
Post/Page
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Comments
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157
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86
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77
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70
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67
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66
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64
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63
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60
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59
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See you all back in 2013! Let’s all have a great, peaceful and successful New Year!
Thanks for stopping by!
************
…so, the blog morphed into more than just a quasi-travel and photo journal. I liked the idea of organizing not only our travel notes, but also providing resources for other parents, and encouraging an exchange of ideas through comments, questions and suggestions from viewers. The name for the blog came from the term itself: “3rd Culture Children” (TCKs, more information here) are children whose parents come from distinct cultures, and grow up under a hybrid environment, experiencing diverse cultural growth.
T
ravels in Brazil, posts related to outdoors activities, cultural events, such as attending the
world’s largest open air theater for the Re-enacting of the Passion of Christ, as well as the ones showing
scientific investigations and
natural discoveries, seemed to be quite popular!
‘Adventure‘ popular posts:
Visiting the Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, swimming along with marine dolphins (Brazilian Atlantic coast, World Heritage Site, according to UNESCO)
Builiding a Hanging Garden using Recycled PET Bottles - teaching the importance of respecting the environment.
I’m grateful to Ruth Bailey, for the recent nomination – the 7 x 7 Link Award, where one’s supposed to highlight 7 recent important blogposts. Many thanks to Cyclingrandma, for offering the Good Apple award.
Nominated by a couple of bloggers in 2011 & 2012
Thank you, ClaudiaJohnson, for the nomination!
For a working mom, juggling with the work-life balance, in charge of anything from grocery shopping to planning trips, I’m honored. I’m so pleased to share with other expatriates, parents, and traveling families, the beauty and excitement of traveling, exploring nature (I’m a biologist!), languages (we’ve got Spanish, Portuguese and English in our household!), social/cultural adjustments, and our not-so-professional advice as “parents-on-the-go“ - imagine hauling this family of 5 around, raising multi-language TCKs, and keeping the passion for photography and story-telling?!
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Tags: blogging, Brazil, postaday, United States Foreign Service, wordpress, wordpress stats, year in blogging
June 2012: After 2 years at post, our family says goodbye to Brazil in style, surrounded by friends & family!!
2012 will mark the 12th New Year’s Eve with my guy… yeah, the one riding the Peace & Love 70s van with me, just pictured above… ♥ And this December we celebrate 110 months of married life… it sure goes by pretty fast!
How was the year of 2012?
Apparently, we all did okay through the Mayan quasi-apocalipse, so, that’s a pretty positive point!
It’s often said that images speak more than words, so…. Considering that during 2012, we had homes in three countries, it was a bit of challenge to pick an image to represent each month, but, why not give it a shot? :
Here is our 2012, through photos!
August 2012: New life, new school, new friends. School kids receive their ‘welcome’ with a traditional ‘Salteñada’.
July 2012: Spending Home Leave in the USA. During a family Reunion, kids get to ‘show their colors!
September 2012: Learning about our new home, the beautiful country of Bolivia. First stop: the traditional architecture of the San Francisco Church
October 2012: Halloween at the USAID/Bol Compound
“November 2012: Celebrating the Anniversary of the Marine Corps. “Who doesn’t like a Ball?”
January 2012: Beginning the year cooking: a typical Portuguese/Brazilian dish: Shrimp casserole, here, with an added hint of…. beer!
June 2012: After 2 years at post, our family says goodbye to Brazil in style, surrounded by friends, family and co-workers!
March 2012: A trip full of adventure to the Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, Northeast of Brazil.
May 2012: A visit to the Rainbow Warrior, ship from Greenpeace on Brazilian Waters.
February 2012: Enjoying the largest street carnival in the world – Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
December 2012: Scenes from old homes and present home. The warmest wishes for a fantastic New Year!
April 2012: Visiting the mystic city of Brasilia, capital of Brazil, for a USA/Brazil summit. Here, the architecture, lighting and unique beauty of the Metropolitan Cathedral.
This week’s photo inspiration is to portrait 2012 in pictures… one per month… Let’s see how good of a job I did over here!
Happy Holidays to all!
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2012 is almost over! A very intense year, in many levels, scenarios… Our family moved several times throughout the year… we got to live in 3 different countries [Brazil, USA, Bolivia}, lived out of suitcases for a long time; kids had to say goodbye to their dear friends, and say 'hello' to the ones becoming their new friends and teachers, adjusting to a new school, new cultures, and now, we're happily settled in Nuestra Señora de La Paz, capital of Bolivia...
At this moment, looking back at 2012, and preparing the 'retrospective': popular posts, interaction with other bloggers, popular searches/forums... good discussions... Good therapy, some may say - and I'm glad to agree - when it came to blogging, got a lot done this year, sharing our experiences, challenges regarding parenting, multilingual living, cultural adjustments... work... expatriate and family daily life....
Before I get a chance to pull together the ‘highs and lows’ of 2012, displaying my gratitude to the readers, commenter, frequent visitors, who always enrich this blogging journey, I remembered last year, WordPress came up with a great initiative for all bloggers and readers: the year in blogging… That said, I thought it could be a great way to get ready for this year’s review. Post write-up is both in English and Portuguese, since we were living in Brazil, at that time… Maybe, if I’m gutsy enough, I could try to prepare this year’s review post in English and Spanish (Bolivia’s official language)??
************************
Here’s this blog’s ‘first year’s review’ [2011], according to WP: [Anxious to know what's in store regarding 2012's review, as well as the plans for 2013!]
For some reason, according to the WP blogging annual report (shown/posted yesterday), today I’m sharing the post that got the highest number of unique views (over 2,500 views in one day, September 2011), surpassing the one that’d been Freshly Pressed (about children and folklore in Brazil).
I had no idea that “directing” the photo shoot of my husband jumping into the paradisiac Blue Lagoon in Jericoacoara (Ceara, Brazil, one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world, according to the NY Times), could be so intriguing!
Anyway, thanks for checking it out, and here it is: The Blue Lagoon: Executing his best jumping, flying and diving moves!.
[Portugues] Depois que o jornal Washington Post, em 1994, incluiu Jericoacoara entre as dez praias mais bonitas do planeta, a pequena aldeia de pescadores, 300 km ao norte da capital do Ceará, mudou bastante. Jericoacoara não é simplesmente encantadora pelas suas dunas, praias e lagoas, mas também pelo seu vilarejo tranqüilo. O lugar era uma antiga vila de pescadores e até hoje conserva as ruas de terra, a arquitetura antiga e principalmente a paz de uma cidade que se esconde atrás de enormes dunas. O nome Jericoacoara deriva do tupi-guarany: yuruco (buraco) e cuara (tartaruga). Buraco das tartarugas, que seria uma referência a uma praia onde acontece a desova das tartarugas marinhas. Além de tudo isso, Jeri, como é chamada pelos moradores, oferece diversas opções para prática de esportes como windsurf, vela, trekking, cavalgada e outros.
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Celebrating our “Paceña Season of Joy” [yeah, we're loving La Paz!], we’re getting ready to wrap up the series of “20 images of joy, waiting for our White Christmas, here in La Paz, Bolivia. We haven’t gotten snow, so far, but it does not diminish the beauty and joy from these days preceding December 25th. It’s wonderful to look at the kids faces, witnessing their anticipation and excitement. As parents, we have lots to be grateful for, and we’d like to extend our wishes of a Peaceful End of the Year to many other traveling and expat families out there. Life is very intriguing on itself: sometimes very hard, other times, surprisingly easy to manage… Like so many others, we all had our highs and lows, and this holiday season is the moment to reflect upon them… Wishing you all a peaceful, joyful, holiday season!
Image #19: 20 Days of a Cold Christmas: Peace on Earth
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Quote
Image #18: 20 Days of a Cold Christmas: Christmas Stories at School
Unlike last year, when we spent Christmas surrounded by the tropical Brazilian weather; this year, we may have something ‘closer to a White Christmas’, considering we’re in La Paz, and at least, we may experience some cold weather… The season’s wardrobe isn’t packed with colorful light pieces, ‘havaianas‘, and sneakers, like last December… Bring out the boots and coats! Let’s get some warm wine out and sit down by the fireplace, where the kids will get their nighttime Christmas stories…
This year, the lights have been out for a while, tree is up and twinkling, we’ve got a yard instead of an apartment veranda, but it’s a bit too cold to be out at night, which is actually, great!
In order to celebrate our “non-tropical season of joy”, we’ve been sharing images that showcase how we’re seeing and enjoying this time of the year. Are we gonna get any snow?! Who knows… maybe!
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Tags: Christmas, Christmas play, December, holidays, images of joy, La Paz, postaday, theater
Image #16: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: Mayan Calendar
Backstory: Our family’s got Portuguese, Spanish, English, French, Mexican, Native American [and who knows what else!] heritage. All into the very same pot… and due to work, we’re bound to the foreign service life(style). That said, we like to ‘collect things along the way’, as we travel, as we move from country to country. And funny enough, we do not not have ONE Mayan Calendar. We have THREE… We like the pieces, and I don’t think they’re any indication of the ‘end of an Era‘- let alone, the end of this world we call home…
And right now, since we were able to get our stuff/household effects from our last post, the calendars are mounted to the wall…. Next to an Elf Stocking (!) and a ‘twinkling plant’, surrounded by tiny colorful Xmas lights. As you may see, we’re a pretty eclectic family… We believe in Christmas Morning Magic, Santa, Elves… and everyone gets along just fine, around the Mayan predictions!
Now, go over for the quick explanation from NASA… Happy Solstice!
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Image #15: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: Silently listening to Santa, while he reads a Christmas story…
Silent kids during “Breakfast with Santa? Surprising!
What wouldn’t one do to be on ‘his good list’?
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… this blog! Gold it is!
I’d like to thank you all for reading, suggesting, commenting, checking the blogposts out… Thanks for the positive feedback!
Thank you for showing support through the great comments you’ve written.
One fan says: 3rd Culture Children has a wonderfully diverse mix of cultural posts, photography, food, local and daily life, and just general musings on life. It is a blog that gives you a glimpse of life as an expat, not life as a tourist living temporarily somewhere other than “home.”
If there are any suggestions or questions, please feel free to give me a shout… or Tweet along, or check the Facebook page [see right sidebar]… but I do believe the easiest way will continue to be this one over here: leaving your usual thoughtful comments at this blog… Thanks!
Now, as the tired involved mom I’m, back from the last day at the kids school, enjoying their end-of-the-year stage performance, the best way to celebrate this achievement is hiding from the kids and taking a nap, enjoying a glass of wine, bragging about it sharing the good news with my fellow bloggers!
Thank you very much for the ‘serial expats’ and friends in the Expat & Foreign Service community for taking the time to read the blog and leave comments… Much appreciated! ♥
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Image #13: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: And this boy here sent only FOUR LETTERS TO SANTA! Hopefully, one of the 4 will make it to the North Pole with his long, long, wish list…
Twenty days until Christmas – through twenty images of joy… We’ll get a bit closer each day that goes by… Previous image here.
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Tags: Christmas, December, holidays, La Paz, NaBloPoMo, North Pole, postaday, Santa Claus
Image #12: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: Up with the holiday spirit! Crazy head day for school!
Twenty days until Christmas – through twenty images of joy… We’ll get a bit closer each day that goes by… Previous image here.
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Tags: Christmas, crazy head, December, holidays, La Paz, NaBloPoMo, postaday
Image #9: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: Not quite your regular ‘Elf on the shelf’… more like ‘a non-stop climbing pre-toddler’! Climbing on the half-desk… going up the stairs… just got caught, while, quietly, trying to move on… Oh, the perks of being a mother of 3 little ones! Who needs adult supervision, anyway?
Twenty days until Christmas – through twenty images of joy… We’ll get a bit closer each day that goes by… Previous image here.
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Tags: Christmas, December, Elf, elf on the shelf, holidays, La Paz, NaBloPoMo, postaday, toddlers
my two boys after the match
Image #8: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: My two boys on a regular Saturday morning…
While many are still sleeping in, my boys head to the soccer field at the kids’ school… The ‘older one’ is the player, but my ‘youngest boy’ has to be there to support his dad… I couldn’t be any happier when looking at their faces… That’s a good wish for this 12.12.12: I’ve got 2 girls and 2 boys, and being able to witness their happiness is priceless… Today, I’m sharing the joy these boys bring to my life, through their shared passion: sports!
Twenty days until Christmas – through twenty images of joy… We’ll get a bit closer each day that goes by… Previous image here.
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Tags: Christmas, December, holidays, La Paz, NaBloPoMo, postaday, soccer
Image #7: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: Evergreen centerpiece.
There’s a bit of backstory to this branch of evergreen. It used to belong to a much larger tree, in front of the Radiation Treatment Facility here in La Paz. The tree has been trimmed to offer space for a canopy, where patients and patients-to-be would benefit from some much deserved shade, while waiting to be called into the facility. Several branches were cut down, and a few of the volunteers decided to take them home, using them as part of a unique Christmas decoration…
Two weeks later, one of the branches still exists as my dining table centerpiece… beautiful… a keepsake of a day of work, but most importantly, reminding us about how blessed we’ve been… There’ll be no holidays at a hospital facility for our family… we’ll spend these holidays together, as a family.. we’re all healthy and grateful…
Twenty days until Christmas – through twenty images of joy… We’ll get a bit closer each day that goes by… Previous image here.
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Tags: Christmas, December, holidays, La Paz, NaBloPoMo, postaday, Radiation Center La Paz
brasileiro? latino? no speak americano?? click!
Photo Project: 52 Bolivian Sundays
good feedback!
