rants, odes, and ramblings: HAPPY BIRTHDAY

09 January 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

This is me sending out big blog love to my favorite big sister and my uncle B, on their birthdays. I was sending all kinds of good vibes your way on the 4th and 5th. xoxo.

By the way...happy new year! In preparation for a much needed pre-celebratory nap on the evening of new-year's eve, I accidentally set my alarm for "11:00" instead of "23:00"...and slept all night. Better luck next year.

4 comments:

Unknown said...: I love you man!!!! Happy Bday Bryan! Miss you both!!! Love, Angelina; January 9, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Nicole said...: lol styna....i did the same thing on NYE, but i did it on purpose. Partied a little too hard the night before ;)

miss you xoxoxooxo; January 11, 2009 at 10:53 PM
jimigtrslingin said...: Hey Christina,
Thanks for the happy b-day wish!!
Awesome pictures over there, and over here,,,even my Mr Puzzle head pic!
miss ya,
Uncle Bryan; January 15, 2009 at 2:52 PM
Laurie Colletti said...: Wow, thanks for doing this, Miss Chris. Talk about your warm & fuzzies...I come back to this slide show again and again....love you so much, Mom; January 24, 2009 at 9:52 AM

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Frequently Asked Questions

Weren't you going to move to Singapore?

Excellent question. Steffen and I were all set to move to modern, beautiful Singapore when two things happened. The job I was up for fell through, and Steffen's company's project in Nepal started to heat up. So, when faced with a decision between paying two to three times our Monterey, CA rent in Singapore, versus about a fifth of that in Nepal, we decided it was time to do some trekking in the Himalayas :)

What happened to your awesome cat when you moved?

Obviously, he came with us as carry-on luggage. No seriously. He was a little angel the whole way, he is treated like a prince by locals here, and he's loving the abundance of pigeons outside all the windows of the apartment. I know that dogs are cooler, but as long as we're travelling, the Sgaz-man is just about the best pet anyone could ask for.

Where is Nepal?

It's a little country in South Asia, south of China and north of India...I think Bhutan is somewhere nearby.

What's the food like?

Nepal's geographic location makes it a culinary paradise for Steffen and I. Most menus in town are a mix of Chinese and Indian food, with the frequent Continental dish like pizza, pasta, or fish & chips. For about seven bucks, we can both feast on various curries with veggies, chicken, tofu, mutton, or "buff" (water buffalo) and rice, garlic naan, and tandoori chicken, and wash it down with a sweet, yogurty "lassi" drink or an icy cold bottle of Everest beer. There have been Western expats in Kathmandu for so long that you can get pretty much any dish you want.

What about your favorite breakfast?

Oddly enough, most cafes in town offer my favorite breakfast: Two eggs any style, home-fried potatoes, bacon, toast and coffee for about USD $2.50. Like I said, it's pretty much food paradise.

Are you guys working over there, or...what?!?

I'm working on an education project with the Embassy, and still looking for a full time gig in International Ed or language teacher training. Stef's doing the same job he was doing in Monterey - the only difference is that now he doesn't have to take trips over here all the time, because we live here now. We're taking Nepali language lessons, and trying to make friends by signing up for every random event that comes up on the Kathmandu expat forum, including a pilates class, a cat play date, and volunteering to play Santa and Mrs. Clause at the annual American expat club holiday party, to name a few recent ones.

What's the time difference there?

Kathmandu is 13 hours and 45 minutes ahead of California, making it pretty much the most annoying time difference possible. As I write this, my day is just warming up and you're all going to bed.

How are you going to keep in touch?

Although Nepal is, I think, less developed than Kazakhstan (or at least, Aktobe), it's a lot easier to keep in touch from here. We have internet in the apartment, 3G modems in case the wifi is too weak for Skype, and smart phones with What'sApp, Facebook, and all that other jazz. I know what you're thinking: "But will you use them, Christina?" And it's a good question, because my track record with keeping in touch has not been stellar in past sojourns. It's my greatest personal goal to stay more connected, and I hope that all you dear friends and relatives will help me by nagging me about it.

rants, odes, and ramblings

09 January 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

4 comments:

Other great travel blogs!

Babushka!