So, the internet is full of lies regarding dyeing brown eggs, but we had fun just the same. A Happy (upcoming) Easter to all!
JUST LOOK AT THESE UGLY THINGS!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Brown Bosnian Eggs Don't Like Easter
On Thursday afternoon, Liam and I decided it was time to dye our Easter eggs. Our eggs here in Bosnia are brown, but everything I had read online said this would not be a problem--you just leave the eggs in the color baths just a little longer. I got everything ready, and Liam started dunking the eggs. He was extremely tempted to continuously touch the eggs, so we set the oven timer to help us wait. But before the timer even went off, I noticed something about the soon-to-be blue and green eggs. They were bubbling. Weird, but oh well. When the timer went off, we checked out our eggs. The pink one turned out beautifully, the orange one was okay, the yellow one was a suspicious, wretched off-brown color, and the blue and green eggs looked like rocks from the bottom of a lake! They even had a similar slimy texture! They are the grossest, ugliest Easter eggs ever made.
So, the internet is full of lies regarding dyeing brown eggs, but we had fun just the same. A Happy (upcoming) Easter to all!
So, the internet is full of lies regarding dyeing brown eggs, but we had fun just the same. A Happy (upcoming) Easter to all!
Monday, March 18, 2013
A not so banner, and yet banner week for the Howards
This past week was supposed to be great. I was going to substitute teach at the international school for three days, Geoff was going to cook some award-winning chili for the Embassy's chili cook-off Friday, and Liam was going to be his fabulous self.
The week started off okay. I met with the teacher and go an idea of the way things work in his 11 year-old-classroom (6th grade) of nine kids. I learned what was expected of me in language arts and reading (basically a free reign--NO PROBLEMO!); in Science: some early spring gardening (HOORAY) and some studies of the 5 atomic structure models (HUH?); in math: percentages (okay, I can do that) and spatial geometry (SAY WHAT?). I was seriously starting to doubt I could teach all of these things to 9 eleven -year-olds, but I'd said yes, so I had to give it a try.
Wednesday arrived, and I jumped out of bed at the alarm. I had prepared my belongings and lunch the day before, so I arrived early and well-prepared for the day. My teacher was able to stick around and do the morning's teaching while I watched, although I did get to co-teach while the kids were working on their research (of Wikipedia) papers. I got to explain "this citation thing" on their terms and got to see the light bulbs turn on above their heads--ALWAYS a good feeling for me. The teacher was grateful. After the math, he left, and the kids left for their foreign language and then library time. I sat at the desk and ate my almonds and carrot sticks and started to think, "MAN, am I tired." I talked myself into thinking I had just forgotten how much energy is required to teach all day.
The kids came back to Science--GARDEN TIME! We went outside, despite the chill, and found the world's saddest spades and hoes to attempt our furrows for spring onions, spinach, and marigolds. After coming back inside, I began to feel achy, but I blamed it on the fact that I was wearing heeled boots and hadn't been in heels all day in 10 months.
After gardening, I did a bit of reading aloud from The Phantom Tollbooth (their teacher's choice--they're going to turn it into a play) and The Black Book of Secrets (which the kids chose out of two I brought, the other being Gregor the Overlander). The kids were enthralled, but I was struggling. Again, I blamed it on being out of practice.
Needless to say, by the time the day was finished at 3:15, I was beat. I drove straight to Liam's school to get him, came home to change, and SADLY, we plopped on the couch in front of a Pixar movie instead of doing our daily "baby" letter games. I simply could not function--couldn't unload the dishwasher, couldn't fold a load of towels...NOTHING.
At 12:30 that night, I woke up realizing why I felt bad. I WAS SICK!!!!! Violently ill, in fact. I had to e-mail the principal of the school to explain what was going on and send in sub plans, halfway afraid that she would think I was lying, halfway not caring because I WAS SO SICK.
Thursday was a blur. Geoff and I got Liam off to school okay, but I was a mess. My friend Anna mercifully left some 7-up at my door, and I sipped that as best I could all morning. I struggled through getting Liam from school that afternoon, but when Geoff got home he found Liam watching yet another Pixar movie in our bed with me still in misery. Even the lovely red Gatorade he brought me could not fix me. Geoff went about making his chili for the next evening's contest while trying to feed and parent our child before putting him to bed.
Thursday night was another miserable night, so I had to e-mail the principal again, and when Friday morning arrived, I knew I was in trouble. Geoff took Liam to school, and I tried to get more sleep. When I finally made it into the Embassy medical office that afternoon, my blood pressure was low, my heart rate was high, and it was time for action. Geoff dropped what he was doing at work to come sit with me at the strange (BUT VERY NICE) Bosnian doctor's office while I was given IV fluids, a sonogram to check for appendicitis, and some drugs to help the illness. MAN, did that IV work wonders. I should have gone in sooner.
Geoff offered to skip the chili cook-off that evening, but I was feeling so much better, and he had worked so hard, I couldn't let him skip it. Glad he didn't, for our Chef Geoff won the "People's Choice" award for best chili. We always knew he was a fabulous cook, didn't we? I am just SO BUMMED that I didn't get to sample it. He got a lovely prize of some rakia (local brandy-type alcohol) and a cookbook amongst other things. We are very proud of him!
So all in all, it was a rough few days with a good ending! As indicative of this week's trauma, this photo of our usually non-napping son was snapped on Friday afternoon about 4 p.m. This week was rough on everybody.
The week started off okay. I met with the teacher and go an idea of the way things work in his 11 year-old-classroom (6th grade) of nine kids. I learned what was expected of me in language arts and reading (basically a free reign--NO PROBLEMO!); in Science: some early spring gardening (HOORAY) and some studies of the 5 atomic structure models (HUH?); in math: percentages (okay, I can do that) and spatial geometry (SAY WHAT?). I was seriously starting to doubt I could teach all of these things to 9 eleven -year-olds, but I'd said yes, so I had to give it a try.
Wednesday arrived, and I jumped out of bed at the alarm. I had prepared my belongings and lunch the day before, so I arrived early and well-prepared for the day. My teacher was able to stick around and do the morning's teaching while I watched, although I did get to co-teach while the kids were working on their research (of Wikipedia) papers. I got to explain "this citation thing" on their terms and got to see the light bulbs turn on above their heads--ALWAYS a good feeling for me. The teacher was grateful. After the math, he left, and the kids left for their foreign language and then library time. I sat at the desk and ate my almonds and carrot sticks and started to think, "MAN, am I tired." I talked myself into thinking I had just forgotten how much energy is required to teach all day.
The kids came back to Science--GARDEN TIME! We went outside, despite the chill, and found the world's saddest spades and hoes to attempt our furrows for spring onions, spinach, and marigolds. After coming back inside, I began to feel achy, but I blamed it on the fact that I was wearing heeled boots and hadn't been in heels all day in 10 months.
After gardening, I did a bit of reading aloud from The Phantom Tollbooth (their teacher's choice--they're going to turn it into a play) and The Black Book of Secrets (which the kids chose out of two I brought, the other being Gregor the Overlander). The kids were enthralled, but I was struggling. Again, I blamed it on being out of practice.
Needless to say, by the time the day was finished at 3:15, I was beat. I drove straight to Liam's school to get him, came home to change, and SADLY, we plopped on the couch in front of a Pixar movie instead of doing our daily "baby" letter games. I simply could not function--couldn't unload the dishwasher, couldn't fold a load of towels...NOTHING.
At 12:30 that night, I woke up realizing why I felt bad. I WAS SICK!!!!! Violently ill, in fact. I had to e-mail the principal of the school to explain what was going on and send in sub plans, halfway afraid that she would think I was lying, halfway not caring because I WAS SO SICK.
Thursday was a blur. Geoff and I got Liam off to school okay, but I was a mess. My friend Anna mercifully left some 7-up at my door, and I sipped that as best I could all morning. I struggled through getting Liam from school that afternoon, but when Geoff got home he found Liam watching yet another Pixar movie in our bed with me still in misery. Even the lovely red Gatorade he brought me could not fix me. Geoff went about making his chili for the next evening's contest while trying to feed and parent our child before putting him to bed.
Thursday night was another miserable night, so I had to e-mail the principal again, and when Friday morning arrived, I knew I was in trouble. Geoff took Liam to school, and I tried to get more sleep. When I finally made it into the Embassy medical office that afternoon, my blood pressure was low, my heart rate was high, and it was time for action. Geoff dropped what he was doing at work to come sit with me at the strange (BUT VERY NICE) Bosnian doctor's office while I was given IV fluids, a sonogram to check for appendicitis, and some drugs to help the illness. MAN, did that IV work wonders. I should have gone in sooner.
Geoff offered to skip the chili cook-off that evening, but I was feeling so much better, and he had worked so hard, I couldn't let him skip it. Glad he didn't, for our Chef Geoff won the "People's Choice" award for best chili. We always knew he was a fabulous cook, didn't we? I am just SO BUMMED that I didn't get to sample it. He got a lovely prize of some rakia (local brandy-type alcohol) and a cookbook amongst other things. We are very proud of him!
So all in all, it was a rough few days with a good ending! As indicative of this week's trauma, this photo of our usually non-napping son was snapped on Friday afternoon about 4 p.m. This week was rough on everybody.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Our 4th visitor
After our Istanbul trip, we had the pleasure of hosting our fourth guest at Hotel Howard Sarajevo. To be quite honest, I never expected we would get visitors...much less four in our first nine months here!
As a reminder, our first guest, my Uncle Jim Robey, came on a self-imposed R&R before his bazillionth trip to Africa (that's not an exaggeration, right Uncle Jim?). Our second guest, our buddy from Virginia Beach days, Chris Rawls, came from his home in Japan not only to see us, but to also use us as a home base while he travelled around eastern Europe. Our third guest was my mom (who was delivered by our first repeat guest, my Uncle Jim) who came to see what all the fuss was about and attend Liam's birthday party.
Now on to guest #4...my friend Rebecca Smith. Rebecca and I grew up in the same small town, Pell City, AL. Although we are a few years apart in age, our families were friends through church, and due to her parents' artistic endeavors (check them out at Camp Creek Creations) and Facebook, we've been able to keep tabs on each other these last 10-15 years.
Rebecca, also a teacher, has been given the amazing opportunity of participating in the Fulbright Teacher Exchange, a fantastic program that allows teachers to exchange classrooms for a year. Rebecca was lucky enough to be placed in a picturesque British town of Woburn Sands. She's having a great time teaching, learning, and traveling, and I must admit that I am a tad jealous. I wish I had known about this program back when I was unattached!
Anyway, Rebecca is very well travelled, but had not been to this area of Europe. While here, Rebecca and I toured the city, played Legos with Liam (a lot--he was quite a fan of Rebecca's tunnel building skills), and ate well. The attached photos are of a dinner we enjoyed out a tiny restaurant called Mala Kuhinja (translated Little Kitchen). We enjoyed fellowship and a delicious five course meal...all for the grand total of around $35 (US) per person. Not bad!
It was a great visit. Thanks, Rebecca, for the fun times AND the wonderful gifts you brought us!
As a reminder, our first guest, my Uncle Jim Robey, came on a self-imposed R&R before his bazillionth trip to Africa (that's not an exaggeration, right Uncle Jim?). Our second guest, our buddy from Virginia Beach days, Chris Rawls, came from his home in Japan not only to see us, but to also use us as a home base while he travelled around eastern Europe. Our third guest was my mom (who was delivered by our first repeat guest, my Uncle Jim) who came to see what all the fuss was about and attend Liam's birthday party.
Now on to guest #4...my friend Rebecca Smith. Rebecca and I grew up in the same small town, Pell City, AL. Although we are a few years apart in age, our families were friends through church, and due to her parents' artistic endeavors (check them out at Camp Creek Creations) and Facebook, we've been able to keep tabs on each other these last 10-15 years.
Rebecca, also a teacher, has been given the amazing opportunity of participating in the Fulbright Teacher Exchange, a fantastic program that allows teachers to exchange classrooms for a year. Rebecca was lucky enough to be placed in a picturesque British town of Woburn Sands. She's having a great time teaching, learning, and traveling, and I must admit that I am a tad jealous. I wish I had known about this program back when I was unattached!
Anyway, Rebecca is very well travelled, but had not been to this area of Europe. While here, Rebecca and I toured the city, played Legos with Liam (a lot--he was quite a fan of Rebecca's tunnel building skills), and ate well. The attached photos are of a dinner we enjoyed out a tiny restaurant called Mala Kuhinja (translated Little Kitchen). We enjoyed fellowship and a delicious five course meal...all for the grand total of around $35 (US) per person. Not bad!
It was a great visit. Thanks, Rebecca, for the fun times AND the wonderful gifts you brought us!
YUM!!!!!
Left side, near to far: Violett, Rebecca, me, Anna
Right side, near to far: Mary, Christina, Natalie
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
a little on the lingo
Geoff and I are still taking Bosnian, but things are getting more complicated. We've gotten into the grammar aspect of the language, so while we are still learning some vocabulary, we are now also conjugating verbs AND trying to remember the 7 different cases. We don't have cases in English. Despite English's complexity, showing possession is the same regardless of the word (add an 's or just an ' as required), and none of our words change due to position in sentence or function (a word as direct object at the end of the sentence or as the subject of the sentence = same stinkin' word.) This is not so in Bosnian. Bosnian also has feminine, masculine, and neutral words. All of this makes words change differently depending on gender and function.
But I digress. Bosnian is getting harder. The end. What this post is about regards friends and family! If we were all Bosnian, this is how we would address you! A note on pronunciation, emphasis is usually on the first syllable.
A female friend = prijateljica (pree-yah-tell-yeet-suh)
A male friend = prijatelj (pree-yah-tell)
Family = porodica (pore-ro-deet-sah)
Parents = roditelji (ro-dih-tell-yee)
Mother = majka (my-kah)
Father = otac (oh-tats)
Son = sin (seen)
Daughter = kćerka (chur-kah)
Brother = brat (braht)
Sister = sestra (sess-trah)
Grandmother = baka/nana (bah-kah or nah-nah)
Grandfather = dido/djed (dee-doh or dee-yed)
Great-grandmother = prabaka/pranana (prah-bah-kah or prah-nah-nah)
Great-grandmother = pradido/pradjed (prah-dee-doh or pra-dee-yed)
For the rest, Liam will be our focus, since aunts and uncles can get complicated.
Aunt Steph and Aunt Bridgette (being Geoff's sisters) = tetka (tet-kah)
Uncle Colin and Uncle Brice (being married to Geoff's sisters) = tetak (teh-tahk)
Uncle Connor (being my brother) = ujak (ooh-yahk)
Aunt Shannon (being married to my brother) = ujna (oohyeenah, YES one syllable if you can manage)
Uncle Matt (being Geoff's brother) = stric (streets)
Aunt Laura (being married to Geoff's brother) = strina (stree-nah)
Caleb and Owen = rođak (row-jahk)
Emilie, Ella, Lillian, Isabelle, Eliza, and Avery = rodica (row-deet-sah)
Is that clear as mud?
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Istanbul, ISTANBUL...day 3, Topkapi Saray
On our last morning in Istanbul, we headed to the Topkapi Saray, the palace of the Ottoman Sultans for hundreds of years. It was a HUGE thing, with four levels of courtyards before we could even get to the main palace! Liam enjoyed all the outdoor running space, the many swords on display, AND "C3PO's hand." In the museum, there are many relics from ancient Judeo-Christian times as well as Islamic relics, including the rod of Moses, the sword of David, and the hand of St. John the Baptist (which is encased in a golden hand-shaped casket...thus "C3PO's hand.") Some of the Islamic relics included the sword of Mohammad, dirt from Mecca, AND a tooth and some chin hairs from Mohammad. We could not take pictures while inside the museum, but we took plenty outside. Enjoy!
Yet another visit to the fountain before going to the palace
The gate
Old Byzantine church turned arsenal in the first courtyard
The fortress
Room to run!
Arabic scroll
Looking out over the Bosphorus
A cool fountain
Family shot
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Istanbul, ISTANBUL...end of day 2
After our long day of sightseeing, we headed back to our hotel to change for dinner. Before we left, we headed up to our hotel's terrace to see the sunset. Geoff snapped some great shots.
Our view across the Bosphorus...the Asian side of Istanbul
The Hagia Sophia, seagulls, and Asian Istanbul in background
The Blue Mosque behind another mosque
Istanbul, ISTANBUL...tea and sweets
After our time in the park, we headed to a tea shop to warm up, rest, and fill our bellies. Geoff and I ordered tea (his was Turkish tea--black tea with some aromatic spices; mine was apple, think apple cider infused tea), and Liam got some juice. Then we tried the Turkish delight sampler. Liam and I were not fans--texture issues I suppose? Geoff ate most of the flavors (except the rose flavored one) with no problems.
Liam's suspicious of the treat, but at least it has a sword!
Our only complaint about the tea? They serve it in glass, which makes the vessel too hot to hold!
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