January 20, 2016 - Best of Dar

You may or may not have noticed, but I completely forgot to ever complete the "Best of Dar" page on this blog.  Oops!  Let's just chalk that four year delay up to sleep deprivation.  But it's there now!  I did it!  Finally!

So, if you have actually checked this blog because you are going to visit or move to Dar (not because you are related to us in any way) - please visit the "Best of Dar" page for some highlights!  Otherwise, hi to the usual suspects ;)

LMW

January 18, 2016 - Indian Bingo

It has taken us...eh hem...almost 4 years, but we finally experienced the cultural institution of Indian Bingo here in Dar es Salaam.  Twice, actually, with two different groups of friends!  For the last two Friday nights, we headed into town to the Upanga Club for Friday night Bingo.  Dar has a large Indian-Tanzanian population and this is one of the places where many inter-generational families congregate.  For us, it was a nice cultural shift from the largely South African restaurants of the peninsula where we (and many other expats) live.  We did see some people we knew there (this is Dar, after all) but it wasn't like seeing EVERYONE you know at once, which definitely happens here.  

The food was authentic, good, inexpensive (especially compared to the peninsula) Indian food.  It is a simple atmosphere outside (plastic tables and chairs) - and because it is insanely hot these days, we appreciated the breeze coming from the very nearby ocean.

The first game cost 2,000 tsh., which is equal to $.92. 

Basically, all numbers from 1 - 90 are on your card, and you have to circle them as they are called off randomly.  First round, you can get any 5 in the same box.  Next round is one line in a box.  Third round, two lines in a box.  Fourth round, full house (a complete box)!  The winnings increase as the night goes on with prizes up to a rough equivalent of $100.  Although it starts really late (for us, that's 9:30) and so we haven't stayed longer than 2 rounds (brings us to 11:00 pm) but other people were still going strong when we left.  The 5:00 am toddler wake up call just comes too soon.

We haven't won anything yet, but it is a fun thing to do over good food and drinks.  In particular, the "caller" calling out the numbers has some great "names" for each number that lead to laughter and funny conversations.  For example, when he calls #4 he'll say, "one mini skirt! Number 4, that's one miniskirt!"  We have not quite determined the origins of his code, but it is very funny  (#4 is my favorite).  And I always feel like my Grandma Mueller would be proud of me, as she was quite the Bingo player!  So it's in my genes!

Service is fine, people are nice.  It's a fun Friday night in Dar.  I mean...we aren't going to go every week now...I don't think...but I'm so happy we have finally experienced Indian Bingo!  We would highly recommend this to tourists and expats alike.

LMW

January 4, 2016 - Big Girl

To kick off the new year fully, today was Aya's first day of "pre-school" here in Dar (and big thanks that the big kids were back to school as well after 3 pretty boring vacation weeks!).  She'll be going 3 mornings a week (just 3 hours) to start.  We've been talking about it a lot at home so at first this morning she was like "Aya's backpack.  Aya school."  But then when it was actually time to go she wouldn't put on her backpack or let me take her picture.  Fair enough.

We first had to drop Noah off at his school.  He REALLY wanted to take Aya to school but hers starts a little later.  She still didn't want her picture taken but HE really wanted a picture with her on her first day.  Both Noah and Grace were really excited for her and sweet on her this morning.  

Here you can see she is trying to get big brother to take his hands off her!

At Noah's school there are rabbits and tortoises and she always loves to see them.  That put her in a better mood and she was in pretty good spirits when we arrived at her school.  Upon walking into the compound I could see the look on her face, like a light bulb was turned on...I think she remembered how much she liked it when we visited in November.  She immediately said, "Aya slide. Aya bike.  Aya play outside."  So that was a very good sign.  

(I could not get direct pictures as I was trying to play it cool and be low-key so as not to freak her out.)

 (her snack bag was a little heavy!)

Walking into her classroom one of the assistants, Joyce, grabbed Aya's hand and Aya smiled up at her.  When we hung up her bags, there was a critical pause - like, what's going to happen now?  She did not cry, but she wasn't super smiley either.  Just sort of...skeptical. I asked her if she wanted to go slide with Miss Joyce and she put her arms up to Miss Joyce saying, "Aya slide."  Joyce said, "Say bye bye, Mama" and so Aya said, "bye bye, Mama!" and off they went.  I wanted to follow to capture more pictures, but really I didn't want to make her cry and knew that I would be pushing my luck. 

So I snuck out and came back at 11 instead of the regular pick up time of 11:30.  I was sure she would be exhausted and ready to go home.  But her main teacher, Helen, ran out and told me that Aya wasn't ready to go.  She said that she couldn't believe Aya was not yet 2 years old...she listened really well and did was she was told to do, repeated everything, played and sang and danced at circle time, she ate all of her snack, she loved to be outside, and she was happy and smiling and so sweet.  Wow - music to a mother's ears!  So I waited a little while longer trying to take stalkerish pictures from outside the window.  It was very sweet to watch her.

After I snapped this picture from inside the classroom, Aya finally saw me and came running over! "Mama pick up!  Mama pick up!"  I picked her up and we had the greatest reunion hug ever.  She told me right away, "Play outside.  Music. Dancing."  A full day!  As we left to go home she said, "bye bye friends" to all of the kids and teachers.  It was like a dream.

Our little girl has started to have a little life of her own.  I feel we are both ready for it - although I did have a good cry for a few minutes in the car after leaving her.  That's the thing about parenthood - their milestones are wonderful and memorable and you're so happy for them, but they are also bittersweet as you have to let go of your child a little bit more.  Clearly Aya was ready for it, though, and I feel so good about the decision we made to send her to this school.  She doesn't go on Tuesdays, so let's see how it goes on Wednesday!  

Happy New Year!
LMW

December 31, 2015 - More Like Yoda

As we close out 2015, let's evaluate my resolutions from last year.  They were the following:

DO MORE:  

• blogging: I actually blogged even LESS in 2015! Eek! Something about sleep deprivation and 3 busy kids.  Sadly, I'm just not good at blogging anymore. 
• sleeping: Aya worked against me on this one.  It is only in the last two months that I have started to sometimes get more than 4 or 5 hours of sleep at night!
• exercising: Towards the end of the year I did find an exercise program that I like and hope to become more consistent at doing it in 2016.  In general, I wish we lived somewhere where I felt safe to walk outside at any time because when I lived in NYC / DC that was a huge part of my physical fitness.  
• problem solving:  I think this one is a draw. I think I problem-solved just fine but maybe not amazingly.  As in, we still have a toddler who doesn't sleep through the night so I certainly didn't figure that one out!

BE MORE: 

• patient: I was a little bit more patient (with my children), but this area still needs improvement.
• productive:  Um...no.
• kind:  I hope so.
• "in the moment":  I did not improve nearly enough in this area.  Must try harder.  Although Yoda says, "Try not.  Do or do not.  There is no try."  So I guess this year, "More like Yoda, I must become."

DO LESS:  

• complaining: Um, let's give this one a re-do as well.
• time-wasting: given that I was not very productive in 2015, I guess this was not successful.
• internet-ing: a slight improvement (as evidenced by my lack of blogging) this year.

BE LESS: 

• tired: "That's a negative, Ghost Rider."  Here's hoping 2016 is the year! 
• far away from our families: Nope.  Not this year.  
• whiny: Let's go with this...yes, I am less whiny than I used to be (because I had to improve somewhere, right!?).
• distracted: Well, if I really think about I would say that I...oh look at that cute puppy...

Overall, I still really like my "resolutions", or challenges, from last year and think I'll stick with them again this year.  With my super silly family (see below) by my side, I should be set up for success!  I always want to be a better mother, wife, friend, sister, and daughter than I am...but I think this year maybe that will start with being a better self.  I am not known for making time for myself and perhaps this is where I have been going wrong all these years. In 2016, I will aim to be kind and generous to (and forgiving of) ME this year and hope that trickles down to those I love.  Something about putting on the oxygen mask before helping those around you...

The real news of today is that we were woken up at 2:30 am with the sad news that Kristoffer's Team Assistant at work (more than a secretary) died unexpectedly last night.  She was 39 years old and had a heart attack that she did not survive.  He had a great working relationship with her and will miss her very much.  It is very difficult news on a day like today, when we are naturally a bit more reflective of the past and hopeful for the future.  We are reminded not to take our lives or our loved ones for granted.  We should live each day as if it were a new year - with all the hope and resolve and joy we can bring to it.  In honor of her, that's what I will try to do.

I wish everyone still hanging on to this blog - although I realize you might be down to your last finger holding on (thank you for that!) - a very happy and healthy new year full of the things that will make you the best you!

Happy New Year!

LMW

Christmas Card Outtakes... 

(the original idea was to photograph a snowball fight...in the absence of a professional photographer, we opted for the timer on our camera but never quite got one that showed all of our faces at the same time)

 (This one below was almost it!)

The Finalists...

(we gave up on the snowball fight and opted for my photographer friend's advice to give everyone an assigned spot and then run into it while the timer went...sort of like a game to get everyone laughing)

And, this year's winner...

(big thanks to Omar Gonzalaz Photography for the advice and touch ups!)

December 25, 2015 - God Jul! Merry Christmas!

What did Christmas look like for the Welsiens in Dar es Salaam?  A little bit like this...

Building (and eating, in Aya's case) gingerbread houses...

cookies for Santa were also being baked during this time :)

 Finishing up two Danish Christmas calendars (TV series from Denmark)...

 While waiting for Santa, Aya got her "rock" on...

 Grace & Noah worked very hard to sort and organize presents properly yesterday.  Too bad they were finished by 11:00 am and couldn't open anything until 5:30 pm!

 After lunch...diving into those gingerbread houses!

There was no Christmas Eve mass here, so yesterday we quietly spent a few minutes on our own in church.  I read the Christmas story from a children's Bible and we offered our gratitude for the many blessings in our life; Grace and Noah were quick to wish Jesus a Happy Birthday.  Then we visited our friends' house for a few minutes to say Merry Christmas!

 Santa Claus made an appearance...Noah was a sweet boy playing along (although he says he knew it was John Henry's Dad) but Grace felt a little bit embarrassed (since she knew he wasn't the REAL Santa...).  Aya, on the other hand...well, let's just say this is the first time we have a classic American picture with a crying baby on Santa's lap.  

For dinner, since we're on our own and not making a HUGE holiday meal just for us, everyone got to choose something they wanted to eat.  Grace chose bruschetta.  Noah and Far both chose "risengrul". Mama chose stuffed mushrooms and "ris a la mande" for dessert.  Aya tried everything!  So here is our very non-traditional dinner that was super lovely anyway...even though Noah could absolutely not wait to be finished!

Then came my favorite moment.  Our small candle-lit tree!  It always surprises me how beautiful it can be with those candles!  And Aya LOVED walking around holding hands and singing.  It was so sweet and I tried really hard not to cry...but a few tears betrayed me so that Grace shouted, "Why are you crying, Mama?!?!"  Oh, my sweet daughter...some day when you have a family of your own and they are all holiday hands walking around the Christmas tree singing "Silent Night"...then you will understand.  When your heart is so full, you sometimes have to shed a few tears to make space.

Opening gifts was awesome.  Grace and Noah both got the things they wanted the most: a Furby and Ninjago Lego for Grace, the Lego Pirate Ship and Playmobil pirate ships for Noah, among many other generous and fun presents.  Aya was just adorable playing with her new baby and baby-gear.  She also got a Lego Duplo House that she really likes.  It was a fun night and we couldn't believe how late everyone stayed up!  Big kids didn't leave their note to Santa until almost 9:00 pm!  

They woke up to this display - Santa had in fact come during the night! The big surprise was that he left us a box of cat food...he must have known that we ran out.  (Note that we don't officialy have a cat, but there is one on our compound who wishes she was ours...and we do feed her.)  

Santa brought skateboards with safety gear for Grace and Noah, as well as a cool new game, Minion Movie, and microscope for the whole family.  Aya, our cat lover, got a toy cat house with 5 cats and a new backpack for starting her pre-school morning program in January!  

Today it has been build, play, build, play, eat a little, build, play, etc. 

It is hot outside and quiet inside, and despite being "alone" this Christmas we're all feeling pretty happy as 2015 comes to a close.

Merry Christmas!

LMW