International Supermarkets, Qatar Edition

Ever since I moved to te US, one of my must go places in Colombia is the supermarket. Being an expat makes you miss the most ridiculous things from home. I always buy a lot of food that is easy to bring back and I make it last for a long time. It's almost like bringing a part of home back with me. My husband does the same in Ecuador. We always ask our friends and family to bring us some food (nothing that can get you in trouble with customs). After traveling to Europe and seeing so many good things to buy, I started a ritual to stop by a local super market and buy food that looks interesting or tasty. I think that I'm becoming "weird" about my tourist attractions. My coworkers were not as excited as I was, but they still had a good time looking at the local foods and finding familiar items. We went to Carrefour (almost like a French Walmart) and I took a lot of pictures.

Since I slept most of the flight to Doha, it took me a while to realize that I was half away across the world. Seeing the Coca-Cola can made it real. I've always known that spices are famous in that region of the world. I don't know enough about them to buy anything, but I loved seeing them displayed and the smell that they had was unforgettable. I also loved seeing where all the fruits and vegetables came from. Most of them were from India and Thailand. I even found a couple of fruits imported from Colombia.

Nuts

Spices 

Fish chips

Can anyone explain what is the item below? It looks like an old cucumber.

Colombian fruits

Yogurt and her potato chips

I got some things that day including a can of nuts for my husband that said "Arabian mix" which is basically everything in a regular nut mix plus chick peas. This made a great souvenir. He loved it! I also got some of my favorite chocolate bars, Kinder Bueno, and some European wafer cookies that reminded me of the vending machines in Europe. I was a happy girl after our quick shopping trip. The next time that I travel, I will make sure to bring my camera to the supermarket.

Traveling for Work and Motherhood - Part 3

My flights from Doha to JFK departed at 8:00 AM last Friday. The night before, along with some of my coworkers, we went out to dinner and had drinks at the foreigner's bar. I decided to do what I did every time I took an early flight from Colombia and I stayed up all night to sleep on the plane. This was not as easy as it was in the past. I was with friends until 2:30 AM and after that I packed, took a shower and checked out of the hotel by 4:30 AM. Staying up was the best because I was afraid to miss my wake up call. I was only sleeping around 3 hours every night for a week and was extremely tired.

Friday is a busy travel day in Doha because the work week goes from Sunday to Thursday. It was difficult to find my way around the airport not only because I was so tired but also because the airport was packed and the layout is a little complicated. Qatar is building a new airport and until then, passengers have to be transported in buses to and from the airplanes. Most travelers are in transit since Qatar Airlines has a big hub in DOH. My leg was hurting from walking and standing for too long. I feel well most of the time, but my knee is not strong enough like it was before. I can't wear high heels, go down the stairs without holding the rail, or stand for long periods of time.

       

I've always dreamed and asked to work in different projects around the world. I finally got to travel outside of Florida for work. I don't know if I will be back to the Middle East, but I know that thanks to skype leaving my daughter at home is not as difficult as I thought it was going to be. I missed her every day, but seeing that she was happy and that my whole family was there to spoil her made this trip a lot easier. I always say that distance is easier for the one that leaves because the routine is different. For me, the week went by very quickly. I'm sure that it was the opposite for my husband and my parents who were busy taking care of Emma. I slept about 3 hours every day and was busy from 6:00 AM until midnight. 

                                  

Now that I'm back at home, my daughter won't leave my side for even a moment. She has been crying and complaining asking for every second of my attention. I don't want to do anything else but to be with her. 

This trip showed me many things. First of all, I can't ask for a better support system. My husband, my parents and my sisters helped me taking care of my daughter while I was away. I also realized that physically I am strong again. After breaking my right leg, I've been afraid to push my limits. Traveling for 22 hours at the time made it hard, but I made it. Last but not least, the possibility to grow in my career is right there. I just need to take advantage of this opportunity and grow. My experience in Qatar was very positive and I know that with the support of my family, I am looking forward to more business trips. I'm sure that going away is always going to be hard, but at least I know that we will be OK.

Traveling for Work and Motherhood - Part 2

I've been away from home for 5 nights already. I still have a few more days away before I go home again. My trip is almost over but I feel like I need at least another week to feel comfortable with my new task at work. I'm here to learn how to do it and keep doing it from the US. Time is almost up and I'm excited to get home to my family but I also wish I could stay longer and learn more about my work and this Country.

My stay in Doha has been amazing thanks to a few coworkers living here who are tour guides after work. I know how hard it is to do things during the week and I am very grateful that they are taking the time to go out. Every single day they have taken me and other coworker from Tampa to a new place. I've had the best hummus of my life. I don't know how I'm going to like "Sabra" again. I really enjoy Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food and there are plenty of choices around here.

Being busy from 6:00 AM until midnight has made time go by very quickly. I miss my baby a lot. Sometimes when I see some videos that I have on my phone I can feel the tears coming and I have to stop looking at them. We have an 8 hour time difference which means by the time I need to fall asleep they are just in the middle of the day. I usually call my family on Skype after I get back to the hotel from dinner at around midnight. It's weird to see them in the day light having their normal routine. While we talk, I can see Emma play. She is confused with me on the screen but she is attentive to my voice and when I ask she blows me a kiss. I'm lucky that I can see her any time I want. I called during her nap time today and just looking at her made my day better. My mom told me that she was missing me a lot yesterday and kept calling her mama. This broke my heart and I'm glad that my family lives in Tampa who can spoil her while I'm not there.

This trip has been a growing experience for me; not only professionally. I will share more pictures and thoughts later. I have been having serious issues with jetlag. Its almost 3:00 AM and I need to sleep for a few hours before it's time to go to work.

Traveling for Work and Motherhood - Part 1 of many

Today, I'm on my way to start a work week away from home. I will be working at a different office in the Middle East. I'm beyond excited for a new challenge at work. I asked for this opportunity for years and it finally arrived. I feel silly confessing that I am sad about leaving my baby behind. I know that she will be OK. I'm just sad because I will miss her and I'm sure she will miss me too. She has an amazing dad and I'm lucky to have a real partner who supports me 100%. I was surprised that I didn't cry when I said goodbye. We have never been apart overnight. I made it quick and she was happy with my dad holding her. I didn't want to upset her so I pretended to be happy. She and my dad are best friends so she was happy to wave me good bye. She has no idea that I'm not coming back for 7 days. I was about to cry but decided to be strong. I'm on the first flight of this 22 hour trip and I finally cried. After having a kid and watching my body make a human being, I'm convinced that we are not the weaker sex. We are stronger; even if we cry more. I know that getting ahead in my career means that Emma will have a better future. It breaks my heart that I can't spend every second of my day with her. I only wish that she knows that she is the reason that I have to get better everyday. She is the love of my life and she won't understand it until she has a kid of her own. 

I didn't bring my DSLR camera since I already have too many things to worry about in this new place. I'm not scared to be there. I can respect other cultures and I grew up in a place where women always have to be extra careful. One of my coworkers told me yesterday that I can't let them take away from me the place that I deserve. I'm not sure what to expect about that, but I'm sure that the company that I work for has many capable women who are able to stand up to many men and show them who the weaker sex is. I decided to fly back on Friday. I could have stayed one more night and do some sight seeing, but my heart kept telling me that my baby and my husband waiting for me at home are worth more than any tourist attraction. Wish me luck. I will post pictures when I come back.

Rainy Day in Pass-a-Grille

When one of my best friends, Ana, was visiting from DC in February we had plans to go to the beach as much as possible. She had not seen the sun since November and we've had plenty of sunshine this winter. It never rains in February but apparently it does if you make plans. We still went to the beach hoping that it would be nice and clear there. We drove towards the south end of St. Pete Beach, an area called Pass-a-Grille. When we got there it was foggy and "cold". We ate the sandwiches and snacks that we took, Emma unsuccessfully chased a few seagulls, took a nap, and we came back to Tampa. We stopped at the Westin Hotel at Rocky Point where it was sunny. We had a coffee and went home again. Emma wanted to get in the water but it was not a good day for that. I can't wait for the weather to get better and for her to enjoy the beach.

        

                      

                      

Saturday at the Curtis Hixon Park

Every time that someone from out of town is visiting, I take them to Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa. This is one of the newest places in Tampa and one of my favorite parks in the City. It's modern and beautiful. University of Tampa, a must see in Tampa, can be seeing on the other side of the river. My dear friend Ana was in town visiting me and Emma for a weekend in February. We had plans to go to the beach but the forecast said it was raining and it was indeed raining in the morning. We moved our beach day for Sunday and spent Saturday in Tampa. Emma loves nature so this was the perfect opportunity to do something fun for her and at the same time show my friend around. The forecast was wrong and we had a sunny and warm afternoon. We miss you Ana. Thank you for the pictures of me and Emma. I LOVE them! Come back soon!

UT in the background

Mom, no more pictures please! 

Emma's First Birthday

For Emma's first birthday in January, I wanted to create a photo book with some of her best pictures. Since we have taken so many pictures, it took me about one month to select my favorites. I collected pictures from my cell phone, my camera, Andre's phone, my mom's camera, her first photo shoot at the hospital, the studio session she had done in December, and Andi's pictures (still my favorite pictures of her). I also asked our families to write her a letter or a message. This book will be kept in a "vault" until she is old enough to take care of it. Her first year was one of the best and toughest years of my life and I love that now we have it documented and preserved. This photo book was perfect because I enjoy making scrapbooks but I don't have the time anymore. The result is shown below:

Click here to view this photo book larger

Click here to create your own Shutterfly photo book.

Winter in Florida

February and March are my favorite (weather) months in Tampa. It is sunny, warm and it doesn't rain. We have been lucky and our winter has been warm compared to the rest of the Country with their record low temperatures. This explains why it is impossible for Floridians to find an affordable hotel room to spend a weekend at the beach right now. I started my search when Valentines day was near and I wanted to get away for a few nights. I tried different weekends and I couldn't find anything for less that $250 to $300 per night for a room that I could easily get for $99 in the summer. I gave up on my weekend plans but I decided that we could still enjoy the beach like tourist and headed to the famous Don Cesar Hotel in St. Pete Beach. Our plan was to eat lunch and have drinks by the pool with a few friends. The pool was full of snowbirds who didn't mind the windy afternoon and the cold water. After a few mojitos and lunch, we walked towards the beach. It was a perfect Saturday afternoon with sunny skies and in the low 70s. Emma enjoyed every minute at the beach walking by the shore and crawling around chasing seagulls. We have been going for 3 weekends in a row to the beach.  The next time we go to the Don Cesar, I plan to make a stop at the spa while Emma and Andre spend time at the beach. 

**General info for those driving to the Don Cesar for the day: The hotel has 2 other restaurants where they will validate parking. The pool's restaurant/bar does not validate it. Self Parking is $15 and Valet is $25. Drinks were $12 each and most of the lunch items were about $15 each at the pool. Everything we ate was great.  

The Myth of Having it all

As a working mom, I often feel like I'm doing everything I can but it's never good enough. I feel that I am a mediocre wife, mother and that my house is never clean or organized the way that I would like it to be. I no longer take time to get dressed or do my hair and makeup. I do what I can with the time I have and most of the time the result is just...mediocre. I got my first pedicure since October last week and that felt like a luxury. Something harder to accept is that I am not the employee that I was once. I can't work a 60 or even a 50 hour week anymore. I'm not available 100% of the time and I take sick days if my daughter gets sick. The best I can do is work during my lunch break and use that hour productively instead of driving to buy lunch. I was finally allowed to have a laptop and I've worked after 8:00pm when Emma falls asleep. I have about 2 good hours before I want to fall asleep. Recently, I've started to cook at night to take my lunch the following day. At least I'm doing something healthy for me and my family. Emma ate chicken with broccoli and quinoa last night. She has been a picky eater for several months. She is even rejecting my mom's cooking which is amazing!

We have spent time at the beach the past 3 weekends. We drive in the afternoon and stay a few hours to let Emma enjoy the sand and the wind. The water is still cold but she loves to get her toes in and walk holding our hands. Seeing her happy is what makes me happy. I've taken my camera out and I have lots of pictures to share. I will upload them soon. I always abandon this blog when I get overwhelmed. The art of balancing my life is something that I have not mastered. Until I can find the secret to be super mom/woman I will have to accept that I'm doing the best I can and I'm OK with it. 

**Thanks to "Lean In" and Sheryl Sandberg for letting me see things differently. If you haven't read the book please do. I wish I had read it when I was starting out my career. 

My Tripod Walking Style

The past few months were very slow and rough to say the least. I broke my tibia at the plateau in November and that meant that I couldn't walk for 3 months! This is the first bone that I ever break in 32 years at a very inconvenient time in my life (with an active infant). I cried for at least 5 days thinking what was I supposed to do with a little girl and a demanding job where I had already taken 3 months of maternity leave this year.

When the doctor first delivered the news, I was mostly thinking about the trip to Colombia that we had planned for months. We canceled the trip and stayed home instead of joining my family. I'm glad that we canceled because I had no idea what it was like to be on crutches. I always knew that it looked difficult, but it is a workout where your arms and the good leg get extremely tired. I really didn't think how the simplest things in life were also going to get extremely complicated. I read somewhere that stairs and crutches are mortal enemies. It is the perfect description on how I felt about them. We have been living with my parents because just thinking about going up or down the stairs in our townhouse gets me nervous. I did it a few times using my arms and my bottom but I don't want to do it everyday. My biggest challenge to this day is to be creative on how to take care of Emma and show her my love. She is already used to me not taking her to turn the music on or she doesn't show me things like other people who can take her there. It breaks my heart that I'm not her favorite person anymore. I also had other challenges like taking a shower. The fear of slippery surfaces and more broken bones had me taking sponge baths for several days at the beginning of this "journey". I asked someone to be next to me when I went in and out of the tub until the past week.

The pain was gone 2 weeks after the injury. I lost my balance once on my way to the bathroom the first week and hurt myself. After that I only went to the places where I really needed to go. I decided that to get some air and also some holiday shopping done, the best way was to rent a wheel chair. When we went out, Andre pushed the chair and I took Emma on my lap. She got bored after a while so he had to walk her around. Andre was a wonderful husband and father taking care of both of us without complaining about it.

I'm blessed with my family who helped me unconditionally and Emma's nanny was also wonderful taking care of Emma and me when my parents were on vacation and Andre was at work. I asked a few friends for help babysitting since I couldn't stay alone with Emma. My dad drove me to the orthopedist appointments and physical therapy twice per week. Things also worked out well thanks to the help of my my boss who allowed me to work from home as long as I needed. I returned to the office part time last week and full time this week.

One of the hardest things was reminding myself that this was only temporary. The limitations caused by crutches were annoying, and I couldn't wait for the day that I could be independent again. During my 2 months of no weight bearing and 2 weeks of weight bearing I learned many things. Besides knowing how to go up and down steps, I learned how to be more patient. Being restricted to move was an opportunity to stay at home and watch my baby grow and for that, I am grateful. Today, during my physical therapy appointment,  my therapist took my crutch and told me to walk. It was surprisingly easy. I was using only one crutch for the past week and taking occasional steps when I had something to hold on to in case of emergency. I started driving yesterday and today I walked. I am excited to finally say that after 2 and a half months this broken leg is healed. I still have a lot of work to do to get my strength back. I'm just happy that I can finally say today: GOOD BYE crutches!

The Best of 2013

January

The year started with Emma still in my belly. The first week I was sent home by the doctor because of my high blood pressure. I was extremely busy at work and stressed all the time. I "lost" 2 weeks at home with Emma because I was only allowed to take a total of 12 week leave from work. I really felt like I couldn't do it anymore. The swollen feet and the work load were too much for 38 weeks pregnant. It was the last time that I had time to do nothing and sleep late!

Emma's birthday was January 13th and after that my life was changed forever. 

February

I stayed 10 weeks at home when Emma was born. Watching her grow was an incredible experience. One that allowed me to take naps with her on my chest. Those were my favorite moments of the day. She was so tiny and she loved to sleep there too. She still does :)

March

The whole month of march I was still at home. Andre was in between jobs and he was also at home with us. I will always treasure those moments together plus he became really good at changing diapers. 

April

Going back to work was extremely difficult (emotionally). However, this also allowed me to get some of my "normal" life back and also not only talk about feedings and diapers. The few hours that I get to see my baby a day are the best hours of my day. I was exhausted because I had to be productive to leave on time, rush to pick Emma up, pump my breast milk several times a day, store the milk for the following day, wash the pump and the bottles, give her a bath and finally put her to sleep. She was waking up between 2 to 3 times every night. 

May

May was a busy month. We celebrated my dad's birthday, my first mother's Day, Emma's baptism and I had to do a lot of over time at work. I can't remember much of this month. That is probably because of the sleep deprivation. 

June

Three of my best friends visited us during June. I am extremely lucky to have friends which I can almost call sisters. They loved spending time with Emma and I was happy to see how at different stages in our lives we can still be great friends.

One of those friends, Andi, took some great pictures of Emma and I. I will treasure these pictures forever. Thank you Amiga :) next time you have to be in the pictures. 

July

Summertime in Florida means lots of pool and beach time to cool down. 

August

Emma loved going to the beach. We will have to go back next year. 

September 

My parents, Andre, Emma and I went to Canada during Labor Day weekend. Our trip to Canada was great. Emma was a great little traveler. After a bad New Year's Eve a long time ago, I made a promise to myself to travel to at least one new country every year. I have kept that promise even pregnant and now with a baby. Canada is not far but it was a good start. Traveling with a baby takes a lot of planning and it is exhausting but it is what I enjoy the most. 

October

October is my favorite month of the year, not only because it's my birthday. The temperature is nicer and I can finally enjoy being outdoors and not hate it because of the heat and humidity. Emma was very sick on my birthday for about one week. She had a strong respiratory virus that became bronchitis and ear infection. She was feeling better by Halloween. 

November

I was finally feeling like I was catching my breath at the whole working mom routine. We had another trip planned and I was counting the days to take a week off work. We went to Busch gardens several times. I loved watching Emma clap to the Sesame Street show and get excited with Elmo. We had a trip to Colombia planned and I broke my leg a week before the trip. We didn't travel and the good thing is that I have a voucher until October of 2014 with American Airlines. I have been using crutches since November and we can't do much these days. Andre has to take care of both of us when we go out. I want to take Emma to see Elmo again soon since our passes expire in April of next year. 

December

This year, Christmas was exciting  again. I want to create new traditions for Emma and also teach her some of my family's traditions. She got many gifts from our friends, family, Santa, and El Niño Dios (baby Jesus). 

Everyday, I am thankful for my supportive family and friends. Partcularly this year, I don't think I could have made it without them. At the beginning of the year learning how to be a mom and again at the end of the year to help me with the challenge of not walking or doing much by myself. I am ready for 2014 and I hope that we can take advantage of not paying for Emma's plane tickets for another year. Her passport is waiting and I can't wait to live new adventures with her and my loving husband. I have to get my 12 grapes ready for tomorrow and also pack a bag to "travel" in 2014. Do you have any New Year's Eve traditions? Happy 2014!