Isn't it Ironic!

So, I voted just like a majority of my friends and proud of it. But sometimes, the irony of politics gets the best of me. From very early on, when I was studying journalism in college and had discussions with fellow classmates on our freedoms, nationalism, self vs. community--it never ceased to amaze me how ironic some of the views and stands were, mine included.

Those who uphold the right to have an abortion, are also the same ones who fervently oppose most wars because you are killing innocent lives. While those that support right to life, also back up wars  many of which innocent people die. Those who support abortion because we cannot dictate a women's right to choose what she does to her own body, are also the same that would like a more socialized system, where we are told what doctor we have to use, how much money we have to give to government programs, many of which we have no idea where they are going to and who they benefit. So is there a line that we do not cross? Should there be a line?

We're all part of this, and no one party has the absolute right answers. But believing that one way all the way is the right answer is what probably got us into the situation that we are in right now. Democrats, because in their belief that some rights are absolute--lost part of the voters that do not agree with them on social or economic issues. And Republicans, who have for a while now, lost their ability to balance their personal beliefs with those of nationalism and capitalism. Nothing should be absolute, yet we do have to stand up for what we believe in. So where does that leave us?

It's been noted that some of the most successful Presidents are the ones who are able to work with both parties with both ideologies without shutting down the views that are different from the ones of their own party. How does this happen in today's nano-second media where everyone gives you their opinion even before you've made a decision?!! Yet another irony, everybody has the ability to broadcast their opinion to thousands and millions at the click of a button: YAY for technology and democracy. But at the same time, our views and opinions, when not checked for tone and temperament, can incite violence, hatred, doubt, conflict--contrary to the objectives of an open and free press. Which brings another point: the Free Press. Today, the free press and journalists are threatened, newspapers are in danger of  becoming extinct. You can customize the news you want to hear in today's society. If you want to live in a bubble--where the friends you have on Facebook deliver all the news you want to hear and you don't seek out opinion or views different from yours--then the time has come. In my belief the job of journalists is so important in today's society. But there are few media companies willing to report the news objectively, at a time when I think everyone, especially the younger generation needs to hear all sides of the story!!!

A few simple steps in the right direction

Anyone who knows me, knows that I like to eat and cook and try to live a fairly healthy lifestyle. But I've come to find out, that my eating habits may not have been the healthiest or the most balanced habits. What I thought of as eating healthy turns out to be not the best diet for me. And yes, I did go to a doctor who confirmed that some of the things I eat and thought of as healthy, may not be the best things for me personally. Add to that a very busy lifestyle, which includes lots of family moves, three young kids= STRESS.

So my very busy lifestyle, and the stress associated with raising a family in the military and what I considered healthy food choices gone haywire, caught up to me. I have some stomach problems, although diagnosed as Candida--or an overgrowth of yeast in my intestine-- I'm not 100% sure that the diagnosis is fully accurate. I do know however, that I do suffer from digestion issues and feel this has affected how I feel and how I look. 

For the next few weeks, I'll share some of the small steps I'm taking to try to eat better, more nutritious foods and also find ways to slow down and de-stress. 

One of the steps I'm taking doesn't have to do anything with diet or exercise. It's a simple step to slow down whenever I'm going to eat...anything. I realized that I, who was once teased as a teenager for eating so slow, am the fastest eater in my family. I take a few quick bites between grabbing someone a glass of milk or cutting up one of my children's meat plate. I then get a little stressed with the jumping and nagging and tantrums that inevitably occur when your youngest is 3 years-old. There's very few times that I can really slow down and savor my meals.

So now, I'm teaching myself to eat slow and savour everything I eat. I try to grab a glass of water or tea or just sit and breathe, before I start my meal, in an effort to start eating more slowly. There's a lot of literature that supports the belief that eating too fast can lead to low stomach acid which can cause improper digestion of food, and according to some, further problems associated with your  intestine. My doctor also told me that you're swallowing more air when you're eating too fast and this also hurts proper digestion. I'm not sure where I stand on this, but I certainly do feel better when I don't eat in a rush and try to enjoy my food --- s-l-o-w-l-y. 

Here's a few steps you can do to help yourself and your family eat more slowly:

1) Set parameters. Make sure you discuss the importance of the family meal and, if you have younger kids, discuss some rules (i.e. no t.v., cell phones, computers or toys). Take away as many distractions as possible that will prevent you from focusing on the taste and smell of the wonderful food you're about to eat.

2) If helpful, play soothing music before or during your meals to help you slow down.

3) Encourage family conversation during the meal to stimulate togetherness and also help slow down on fast eating.

4) Try to not eat in the car--instead grab a handful of nuts or a small digestible piece of fruit, if you think you'll have to eat lunch/dinner at a later time. This has been a lifesaver for me. There were many times that I would rush lunch because of an errand or even grab a sugar-laden smoothie thinking it would replace a meal. 

5) Eat a good breakfast and try to incorporate fiber into your breakfast. I also try not to eat first thing in the morning. I drink a glass of water, some people swear by lemon water--I've yet to try that. I also try to exercise, write for a few minutes or stretch before I start fixing breakfast. Once you're fully awake, then go ahead and fix breakfast.

6) Chew your food. It's recommended to chew every bite until it becomes slightly liquefied and the food is broken into smaller particles. Now, it may sound a little gross, but chewing your food thoroughly allows proper digestion of the food and thus absorption of the nutrients instead of it passing through your gut. This also applies to smoothies, try to chew a few time before swallowing  to further break down the smoothie.

7) Take time to smell what you're about to eat. Breathe in deeply, enjoy the spices and aromas from the delicious food you're about to eat. It might even inspire you to start eating healthier and using less additives if you slow down and take time to smell the ingredients you're incorporating into your meal. It's been written that by smelling your food, you're stimulating a part of the brain which then sends a message to the hypothalamus and further down, allows the digestive process to begin.

8) Don't eat when you're angry or stressed out. Whatever you decide to do, don't eat during an argument or in a fit of stress. It's sometimes hard to do, especially with younger kids running amuck, but try to first set a more calm setting. You can always sit during the family meal and drink water or tea, until you are feeling more relaxed.



I leave you with a pic of one of the healthiest pizzas I've ever made: Cauliflower Crust Pizza! Believe it or not, it actually was eaten by all the children.

Spain-- a country engrained in tradition and passion

It has been almost 15 years since my first visit to Spain and since I stepped away from the beautiful country, I knew that I would never forgive myself if I never went back. So the opportunity came for me to travel with my family and I was beyond excited.

What is it that I loved about Spain? The sounds of the language--different than the accents I hear in my own country, but still very much familiar to me. And not because it's Spanish, and I'm a native speaker, but because it's as if I'm reconnecting with old friends that I understand. Almost like coming back to long lost family. I also love the culture itself. Always passionate, sometimes vain, full of fun and variety. Sometimes I'm glad I don't live in Spain, for fear that I wouldn't be able to handle it all and would die of high blood pressure--sometimes I'm glad my life is rather quiet and bland compared to most Spaniards. But for those times where I long for excitement and fun--I instantly think of Spain and it's people, the foods, the music and even the smells of the fresh orange trees in the summer.

We decided to rent a car and go from the center of Spain in Madrid, southwards towards Sevilla and Granada and a visit along the eastern coast of the country to Valencia, where my ancestors once lived and the name they took during the Spanish Inquisition in efforts to conceal their Jewish heritage--hence my maiden name. First we made a 1/2 day tour to Toledo, one of the oldest towns in Spain, famously known for being one of the few Medieval cities that embraced the country's different religions: Catholic, Jewish and Muslim. Walking along the town's narrow passages and cobbled-stone streets, one does have to wonder how these religions where able to get along and why we can't seem to figure out how today. We visited the Jewish museum one of the must sees for me, to help relate to my children my ancestry and the importance of learning about your roots.

Toledo

Jewish Museum in Toledo

Zip Lining in Toledo (this time it wasn't me)

Admiring some of the welding done in Toledo

One of the amazing sceneries in the Alhambra

Sisters in the Alhambra

Caves that were in ancient times dwellings for the Arabs.
Today, they are mostly used for Flamenco shows
performed by Gitanos (gypsies). 

The traditional costumes worn in Sevilla during the Feria, a celebration of Seville's culture.

Ole! Inside a bullring in Valencia

The Rock

We happened to be traveling during Holy Week--one of the most important times of the year in Spain-- specifically southern Spain. The towns there are still very much ingrained in tradition which date back to the Catholic religion mixed in with a sprinkle of Arabic influence. As we entered Sevilla's downtown, we were greeted by street crowds, all gathered to witness the procession of Mary.  I couldn't capture a picture of this, because we were hauling our luggage and kids since the closest parking spot was over 10 blocks away from our apartment. But picture everyone dressed in their finest Church clothes, waiting to get a glimpse of Mary and her child, carried throughout the main street. After a few days in Sevilla we made our way further south to Granada but before that we made a pit stop in Gibraltar. My husband would not consider a trip to Spain without visiting "the Rock" as the British call it. We discovered beautiful views of the ocean and northern Africa. We also learned that a group of monkeys inhabits the top of the rock. Today, Gibraltar is still a British territory--you can have fish and chips at any of their restaurants and pay in British pounds too!

After Gibraltar we went to Granada a city full of tradition but also very modern because of the amount of tourists that come to visit it's pearl: The Alhambra. Called one of the seven wonders of the world. I never had the opportunity to visit Alhambra and of course I couldn't miss it this time. This palace which dates back to the Roman Empire, but was really brought to it's grandeur by the Muslim rulers in Granada. I could have easily spent days roaming it's gardens and enjoying the calming sounds of it's fountains which are in almost every outdoor patio and garden throughout the palace--but little nudges (and sometimes full outbursts) from all 3 kids reminded us that we needed to keep our visit to a two hour maximum.

As we left Spain, we left a little bit of tradition behind. The scenery of the country is varied and beautiful--a country so vast--sometimes reminding me of the southwest part of the U.S. But what struck me the most were the people: warm and friendly, passionate and dedicated to their families. I remember seeing throughout the many streets we walked, teenage girls holding their mother's or grandmother's hand. Family -- familia-- is so important in this culture. It was so refreshing to see that they honor and value their time with family so much. Spain, I hope to see you again. Hasta pronto.

Belgium

We made our visit to Belgium last October and I'm just now getting to posting pictures of our time there. I think I was most impressed by how much history Belgium had to offer. First off, we stayed in the attic of an artist's home which was right next to Graversteen castle in the town of Ghent, a town which dates back to the Middle Ages. Our accommodations were cozy, but the kids were very excited to be sleeping in an attic next to an old castle. We enjoyed touring the castle, which had many artifacts dating back to the Middle Ages complete with a torture room!  We saw many armors and swords and even an old guillotine and a few other torture devices--it was a tough time, the Middle Ages!!

After our castle visit, we went on a canal tour of Ghent. Known as the less touristy alternative to Brugges, Ghent offers just as much history and architectural beauty as it's next door cousin. The following day we headed over to Brugges to see the belfry tower. We climbed up 366 very narrow steps to the top to see a beautiful view of the town and a look at some of the bells which still play to this day. Food is a big part of Belgian culture and we enjoyed sampling some pommes frites and local chocolate and of course: beer. I enjoyed a cherry bear while my husband liked the heavier dark ales. Our short visit to Belgium was enjoyable and I marveled at the age of the towns we visited. The Belgian people seemed genuinely friendly and very open. It was sad to hear of the bombings that occurred in France and Belgium not too long after our visit there.

Going up the steps of Graversteen Castle. Ghent, Brugges

City view from the top of the Graversteen Castle

  

Relaxing while taking a canal tour of Ghent

Belgian waffles for every taste

Brugges' Belfry Tower

Dumond Chocolate Shoppe, one of the oldest in Europe

Playing in the park after a long day of sightseeing

The music box inside the belfry tower

One of the many chocolates Dumond Shoppe has to offer

Playing in the sand on the coast of Belgium 

Mannequin Piss or "The pissing boy" in Brussels. Our trip wouldn't have been complete without seeing
this popular sculpture.

At Grand Place, the old town square, in Brussels.

A shoppe selling Turkish treats

A horse farm next door to the second AirBnB we stayed at outside of Ghent

Good Things are Not Always Easy

It doesn't take a genius to know this. But to truly understand and accept why it is, sometimes takes time. In the 8 short (but sometimes seemingly long) years of motherhood I've learned a thing or two about the easy and the hard things in life.

It started with my decision to stay at home with the children. Some people take it for granted, and assume that it just falls naturally that the mother will stay at home with the children. I did have opportunities given to me, even while I was pregnant with my first born, to go back to work. I decided to try out this new adventure in motherhood, to really embrace all it had to offer.  Part of it because I had grown-up with both working parents. I remember treasuring going over to friends houses that had mothers at home who baked chocolate chip cookies and played dolls with them. I knew that making this decision meant giving up some of the headway I had made for myself in my career and putting some of my dreams of writing on the back burner. I have to say I don't regret doing so, but it hasn't always been as melodic as I thought it would be.

And with big decisions come the ones that we make on a day to day basis--to homeschool, to put them in daycare, to drive that extra half hour for gymnastics, to move and take the next lucrative assignment or to stay and try to build some roots and stability. Sometimes the decisions are made for us: you are no longer needed in this assignment, but we have something nice half-way across the world!

I think I'm most impressed by the times I and people around me make decisions that are considered out-of-the-box. I recently read a book that hit this concept home to me. The book, "The Horse Boy" tells the true story of a dad, his wife and their son who traveled across the world from Austin, TX to Mongolia in search for a cure to some of their son's autism symptoms. Their son was 5 years-old at the time of their journey and was so bad into the symptoms of autism that he was not even toilet trained! The parents decided to take on this journey and to stop the conventional autism therapy (which was not really working for their son). And why Mongolia? They had heard of shamans or healers in the mountains that might be able to help their son. Another key element: they could ride horses there. From early on, their son had expressed a love and true affinity with horses. They rode horses in their hometown in order to calm some of the son's autism "tantrums". I myself have been witness to the ability horses have to calm and center people--if they are open to this. I volunteered at an equine therapy center in Houston that helped children with autism and other disabilities. And so, they took this journey which was grueling and well outside the comfort zone, especially for an autistic 5 year-old. But why? Because good things are not always easy. The dad summed it up during one of his treks on horseback across Mongolia: I could be driving my son to therapy, stuck in traffic and listening to his autism episodes only to come back more discouraged from a therapy which was not really working, or throw caution to the wind. Why complain he added, I'm in a beautiful, rugged land with my wife and son having the experience of a lifetime. Sure it was cold (and hot depending on the altitude) fly-infested at times. But they got to experience a culture so different from their own, they saw magnificent nature, things only a few of us ever get to experience, because it is so outside our comfort zone. At the end of their journey, their son did improve. He befriended a Mongolian boy his own age, the first friend he ever made. He toilet trained a week after coming back home from their two-week trip to Mongolia. Some of his obsessive disorders lessened and some completely stopped. The boy started telling stories of his journey across the Mongolian mountains (something hard for autistic people to do) and continued his love of horses and horse back riding.

It was so encouraging and inspiring for me to hear this. I've made decisions for my own children, that other parents might consider outside the box--not the norm. I've put our daughter in a school in a foreign country knowing very little of the language. It will be a short three years in that school and some parents might consider going the other route--an American school with kids who share the same culture and language. It has not been easy. The first few months, I doubted our decision since it was causing our 7 year-old discomfort. After a few months the daily complains of going to school lessened and she showed some interest in making friends from school. Now she is learning German and says she wants to continue at that school. Now, we are realizing that we as parents have to become more involved in the school and the culture, and step out of our comfort zone in order for this to be truly fruitful for ourselves and our children. I, who can sometimes be considered an introvert, will have to step out and learn the language and take a chance and make friends with some of the moms, the same ones who seem give me a taciturn face in the morning! We'll still have our base in the American community through activities sponsored by the base school and church, etc. But we would like to befriend Germans and learn more about the country and culture.

But why? And: why not? I always come back to Robert Frost's poem a Road Less Traveled. It's not that the path less traveled was necessarily the best path--both paths were good. It's taking that chance, albeit, sometimes more measured than others, for something different, for something equally good or even better. For the adventure of the journey and the things such journey will teach us.

Black Forest, Germany

It doesn't take long before you're in Germany's Black Forest to realize that you've stepped back in time. Perhaps not to the time of the Brothers Grimm, although it is easy to see where the inspiration for some of the famous fairy tales came from. A land full of trees and winding roads, shadows and mystery. I couldn't quite pinpoint it at first--why I thought I had stepped back in time. Maybe it was our innkeeper, an elderly woman, who still tended to the bedsheets the way it was done some two centuries ago. She hung them on a line to dry and then we saw her in a little room pressing all the linens and bedsheets.  Close to our inn, each of the houses had sheds full of cut up wood. Some of them even had small woodworking rooms where you could peek in and see a man carving his latest clock. Maybe it was the traditional German attire: dirndls and leiderhosen worn by shopkeepers. Or perhaps it was just the feeling of being in a very remote place--perhaps the same way Hansel and Gretel felt when they got lost in the forest.

The weather added to the surreal. We woke up to an early morning fog as we drove our car down the narrow winding road that took into town. Although the day was overcast, the people seemed unaffected by the lack of sun and eager to help and let us know the best place to look at cuckoo clocks, which originated in this part of Germany.  The day we visited was the end of the Christmas season and there was a big festival. The kids wanted to ride the ferris wheel. Afterwards we enjoyed some "gluwein" (warm wine) (the kids drank hot chocolate) while we watched a puppet show. Towards the end of the night there was a fire works show. The crowd was large and we were too far away from the actual show to see it, but were entertained by the music. We escaped the crowds and went to a traditional German restaurant. We ordered some very tasty German food and the famous Black Forest Cake. Unfortunately, cakes in Germany are not as sweet as what we're used to back home. So we're still continuing our search for that perfect German dessert!


We left the Black Forest and made our way back home. Along the way, we stopped at Freiburg, known as one of the more "sunnier" cities in Germany. Compared to the black forest, it was indeed sunnier. We visited the old town square where the Freiburg Minster, a gothic church which was built between 1200 and 1500, stands prominently with its 116 meter spire. It's one of the few churches to have survived World War II unscathed. There was an outdoor farmer's market at the town square and  enjoyed some bratwurst and got some fresh vegetables to take back home.

Who will stay on the road?

Freiburg Minster 

Freiburg Farmer's Market

Bratwurst!

Freiburg Minster spire

A Puppet Show

Cobble stone streets, Freiburg, Germany