Weekend Cruise to Nassau Day 1

What does a girl do when her husband can't come on a cruise? She calls a friend (me), and asks her to come. When my friend asked me if I wanted to take her husband's place in a 2 night cruise to Bahamas I said YES. I only had one request: I had to come with Emma. At the time, I had never spent a night away from her. Also, this was the perfect opportunity to start taking long weekend trips with Emma. Emma and I were lucky that my friend had reserved a balcony stateroom in the MSC Divina and we had plenty of room for the 3 of us. Since we went to bed early, it was nice to have a good view from our room. 

We flew from Tampa to Miami on Friday afternoon and the cruise sailed for Bahamas Saturday at around 7:00 PM; just before sunset. As the cruise departed, there was a live latin band playing salsa, merengue and reggaeton. Emma was enjoying the music and she was running around the deck. I was running behind her, trying to eat a slice of pizza as my dinner and enjoying the music. The good thing about her new found energy is that she is sleeping the whole night.  

Sunset over South Beach's skyline

We all went to bed early and our plan was to disembark in Nassau as early as possible. 

Pre-boarding privileges

Last weekend, I took Emma with me and a friend to the Bahamas. It was a short cruise from Miami and I decided that it was easier to fly there. Emma still hates the car seat and our only flight experience last summer was great. I got my plane ticket on American Airlines, packed our bags, checked in the car seat and headed for security feeling like super mom. I managed that part like a pro. I folded the stroller, took my shoes off, made Emma stand next to me while I passed her diaper bag, the stroller, the bin with my shoes, and my camera bag (I know, I shouldn't have). I carried her, walked through the metal detector and collected everything again. I got her bottles tested by a TSA agent (no big deal) and continued to our gate. We ate a quick lunch and she walked the whole terminal. When it was time to board, I was already exhausted. I assumed that we were going to board after first class or worst case after group one. I had a group 3 boarding pass but I didn't really worry about it until it was time to board and nobody called for families. When I approached a gate agent, he informed me that American no longer allowed families to pre-board. He wasn't even nice. I had to wait until half the airplane boarded before we could go in. I had to fold and turn the stroller at the gate which requires both hands, watch that Emma wouldn't run, carry the bags hoping for available overhead space. I'm lucky that Emma now walks and she walked (slowly) towards our seat. The people behind us were not too patient, but a 28 pound toddler is a lot to carry for me these days. It would have been a more complicated situation with an infant. The flight was perfect. Emma loves to fly, she doesn't even cry. The trick is to give her a pacifier or something to drink for her ears. 

I started to check online to see if my good experience with Southwest was only to be expected from Southwest. I contacted AA on Twitter and they responded; at the beginning not very helpful and I finally made my point that they need to improve their service. I hope that they do change this policy. I understand that children that are older don't need help, but those with infants or traveling with a stroller need more time.  I read that Southwest, Delta, jetBlue, Alaska and Virgin still allow families with small children to pre-board. However, American and United do not. I'm planning to use all of our miles on a few flights and stop accumulating them with American. I find it the worst airline of all. Their airplanes are old and their service is not great. I stay loyal only because the milage program is the best. I am a loyal AA member and I am very sad that now that I am a parent I do not get a few more minutes to make the travel experience more comfortable. I didn't know how much work it was to travel with a child. I do not want to stop traveling and from now on, I will have to travel with those airlines who treat families well. Needless to say, I was not looking forward to our return flight. I upgraded to first class on our way back. It was the best $45 that I ever spent. We had leg room and we boarded first. I'm happy to say that Emma and I made it though a long weekend trip alone. She is my travel buddy now and I am SO proud of her.  I will upload pictures from the cruise soon. 

Visiting the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha - Part 2

I only had less than one hour inside the museum before they closed. My favorite part of the building was the ceiling. The collection of art inside is impressive. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to appreciate much of it. One of my coworkers gave me a quick tour around the main galleries and took a few pictures of me. I saw a few persian rugs and several antique jewels that made me want to come back. I hope that there is another trip to Doha in the near future, and this time I will extend my stay at least one day to do some sight seeing. 

West Bay (downtown) can be seen from the back of the museum and also from the outside terrace. 

We watched the sunset from outside of the building and after that it was time to go to dinner. I can't believe that I was able to do so much and also work many hours while I was there. I guess that I have to thank my jet-lag for allowing me to sleep only 3 hours per night. That and lots of coffee can make the days long and productive. 

Visiting the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha - Part 1

While I was on a business trip in Doha, I was working late most days. The only day that I got out of work early, I went to see the Museum of Islamic Art. This place made me wish I had traveled with my DSLR camera. I took hundreds of pictures with my iPhone and with the small point and shoot camera that made it to the trip. Sadly, they don't really show how beautiful this place is. I still haven't downloaded the pictures, but I wanted to share some of them before I forget the details about this trip.

The museum closed at 5:30 pm and I only had time to walk by a few exhibitions. The outside patio has the most beautiful views of west bay in the city. I wanted to stay there and watch the sunset. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay because it was past closing time.

At first, I was intrigued about this building because it was designed by the famous architect I.M. Pei. The gardens and the entrance of the museum are beautiful. However, the inside of the building is one of the most spectacular places that I have ever seen. I will show those pictures in another post. If you have only a few hours in Doha, I would recommend that you spend them in this museum. If you have more time, walk across the street towards the Souk for some shisha and dinner.

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!