A Long Weekend at Kruger National Park

The Kruger group

This weekend was a long, holiday weekend for South Africa. Tuesday was actually Human Rights Day, so many South Africans take a long weekend in advance of the day off. 

Our team was able to visit Kruger National Park, which is in eastern South Africa. Kruger is one of the largest game reserves in Africa, covering more than 7,500 miles. All Big Five wild animals can be found in the park, which includes: lions, elephants, leopards, buffalo and rhinos. The park is home to one of the largest elephant populations in Africa. 

So, last Saturday morning, we boarded a bus headed to Kruger. We ended up driving to the park, which normally would take about four hours, but on African time (we have found things take much longer than expected here), it took us all day. We left around 8 a.m. and arrived close to 6 p.m. It was a long day of traveling - which meant, a long day of me lying down in the back of the bus, trying to sleep and recover as we made our way across the country. 

About halfway through the trip, I realized I probably should have stayed at the hotel to recover. This was the same point in the drive when the roads went from being relatively smooth, to feeling like we were off-road driving down a rock and pothole filled highway. It was the bumpiest drive I have ever experienced. Forget sleeping at that point!

When we arrived at our accommodations, they were certainly well-worn. But we had air conditioning, which was much appreciated. I ended up in the guest house, with my teammate Dominika. We actually had our own individual rooms and bathrooms, which gave me a huge sigh of relief. I was not looking forward to sharing a room while I was battling the bacterial infection and thankfully, I didn’t have to. But we did have some rather aggressive monkeys try to squirm their way into our room - thankfully, we were able to shoo them away. 

Trying to keep the rain out!

After we dropped our baggage, we headed out on an evening game drive. Initially, we didn’t see anything but ant hills, birds, and antelope - not very exciting. But as we continued to our outside braai (South African BBQ), our driver found a family of giraffes, who walked right past our vehicle. We also came across a rather angry, black rhino. In fact, he stomped his feet and charged toward our jeep - in the direction of my friend Javier and me. The driver began shouting at the rhino and making noises, which persuaded him to stop and turn around, but he was still not happy with us. We didn’t see any lions that night, but did find a few more zebras, so it was fairly successful. 

Sunday morning we set out for Kruger. We spent the entire day in the park. However, the weather took a turn and for most of the day we battled pretty strong winds and on and off downpours. The wind was actually preferred though, because it kept mosquitos away and the temperature down. Our jeep was open-air, but had plastic windows that hung down to protect us from the rain - except the windows and the ceiling both leaked, so we fairly soaked by the time the drive was over. 

Kruger was beautiful though, despite the weather. We saw quite a few animals. In fact, Kruger has one of the largest populations of elephants in South Africa. We saw so many herds of elephants, including babies! We saw one elephant bathing himself in a fairly deep pool of water, another running to catch up to his herd, shouting through his trunk. We saw two elephants play-fighting with each other. So.many.elephants.

Lioness and her cub napping in the distance

We also saw a large number of girrafes - they’re all over Kruger, along with antelope and zebras. We managed to see one female lion, but from quite a distance. She was sleeping in a dried-out river bank. I was able to zoom in closely with my camera to watch her as she slept. At one point, she stretched and turned over, to reveal she had a cub sleeping on her stomach. And on our way out of the park, we ran into a pack of baboons walking down the road. 

We left Kruger just as the park was closing for the night and headed to a tree house camp. We expected to all be sleeping in the high in the trees that night, but it turned out the treehouses were more like shacks, with straw ceilings, no air conditioning and less than optimal conditions. . . . As a girl who fully admits she hates camping, this was my own personal nightmare. It got worse when a frog decided to join me in the bathroom. Thankfully, it was only one night. 

Domi’s and my cabin was quite a long trek from the main area, where we had dinner and breakfast the next day. We had to follow a dimly lit path, that twisted and winded over bridges and rocks. We got lost on more than one occasion trying to find our way to and from our room and the main reception area. To spend as little time in our rooms as possible, a few of us congregated in the dining area, where I taught my international colleagues how to play a fairly aggressive card game, which my brother and college friends and I call “Egyptian Rat Screw.” Thankfully this helped pass that time, before Domi and I made our way back to our cabin.

A shot of Blyde River Canyon

On Monday, we packed our bags and headed back to our hotel. On the way, we stopped at Blyde River Canyon, which was in a word: beautiful. We felt like we were standing on top of the world, looking out over a beautiful waterscape. After spending about 20 minutes exploring, we headed back to our van…when someone started shouting for a doctor. We found out, an elderly woman who had been walking on the rocks near the canyon had fallen and very clearly broken her leg. I did not envy her. 

Our dive home was again, on African time and took what felt like forever. We finally reached out hotel about 5:30 p.m. at which point I went directly to bed, not to be seen again until later the next morning. My body needed rest - which is what I should have done all weekend, but I was glad to have had the opportunity to see Kruger and more of South Africa. 

More photos below: 

View from our morning Bush Walk

One of the pesky monkeys trying to enter our room

So many beautiful elephants in Kruger

Saw quite a few giraffes

A baboon eating seeds from the riverbed plants

My First International Hospital Visit

This was one post I was hoping I wouldn't have to make.

Ever since I landed in South Africa, I've been dealing with some rather annoying stomach issues - primarily some pretty painful cramping and other symptoms. I actually thought I had food poisoning.

My first night here was horrible. I didn't sleep at all, thanks to jet lag and to the stomach illness. I was up every hour with pain. In fact, I spoke to our facilitator the next morning, because I was concerned I might not make it through our first day of meetings. I rallied as best I could and followed along, but the first day was brutal. I was breaking out into cold sweats, cramping, wishing I was in bed. By Sunday (three days after I started having issues), I finally started to feel better again. I began eating normally - instead of relying solely on bread, toast and crackers.

I thought I was good to go, until last Wednesday, when the cramping started again. This time it was worse. That same day, I did a more demanding workout and ended up simultaneously throwing out my back. Thursday into Friday was the worst night here so far. In addition to terrible stomach cramps, I could hardly move, because my back was in so much pain. My guess is I aggravated my herniated discs. By 4 a.m. I had about given up on the day - just getting out of bed was a challenge. I ended up staying in bed until 4:30 p.m., icing my back and popping ibuprofen.

By the end of the day, our facilitator thought it was best if I was checked out by a doctor, so she took me to the hospital, which is across the street from our hotel. This hospital was a private hospital, which accepts foreign visitors. Our facilitator said the level of care is much higher in a private African hospital, as opposed to a public one.

Even though we all speak English, it was still difficult to communicate with accents and such, mine included. We had to sort out my insurance, among other paperwork, as well as insure proof of payment through a company IBM uses when employees travel abroad. Lots of miscommunication happened between the hospital and the company, which caused a lot of frustration. Just when we thought we had everything sorted out, I realized they had transcribed my wrong birthdate, which meant they had to reprint all the forms and have be re-fill them out again, which just meant more time spent before getting treated.

When I finally got into my hospital room, I was assigned a nurse. Her name was Roxy and she was so nice and patient. She was funny too and said she loved treating Americans because we were so friendly, as compared to other countries. She also understood how difficult it was for me to sometimes understand what was happening - there are some thick accents here in South Africa, so she  would help translate what people were saying or write things down for me, so I could better comprehend what was happening. This was probably the scariest part - not knowing why a needle was going into my arm, or not understanding the instructions for medicine. I was very thankful to have had her as my nurse, she made the process so much easier.

They did a number of tests - blood work, urine samples, x-rays. Each time someone came to administer a test, I had to pull out my credit card to pay ahead of time, before they would be able to move forward. I think I ended up spending about $500 total - which ultimately isn't too terrible for an emergency visit (I should be reimbursed by my insurance company when I go home). When the tests came back, my white blood cells were fairly high, which they said indicated my body was fighting what they believed to be a bacterial infection. It wasn't worth figuring out what kind of infection it was they said, but that likely I picked something up on the plane or ate something here in Africa that caused the infection. I was given an IV with pain medication and a broad spectrum antibiotic. They also sent me back to the hotel late that night with a stack of pills.

Now, day seven into the second wave of this infection and my stomach is starting to feel normal again. I'm just hoping this is finally the end of this - it's been so frustrating.

Being away from home for so many weeks, has been an amazing experience. But it has also made me realize just how lucky I am. I never worry about housing, I never worry about electricity or internet connections, I never worry about good medical care or access to medicine. Even though this infection has been frustrating, it could have been so much worse and I'm sure thankful it wasn't.

A week in South Africa: My Initial Thoughts

I’ve been in South Africa just over a week now. Time is flying by, even though I still have about a month left before I head home. 

I thought I’d be incredibly homesick and while I do miss my family, friends, and particularly Miss Lincoln, I’ve been doing just fine so far. Then again, talk to me in a week and maybe that will have changed. 

South Africa is a beautiful country, with some of the friendliest people I have ever met among my world travels. Each person I meet, introduces themselves and then tells me what their name means. Since a large portion of the South African culture is based on tribal communities, their names all have specific meanings based on their particular language. One of our driver’s told us his name meant “hope.” Another hotel worker, that her name meant “trustworthy.” A tour guide, that her name meant “love.” 

While the culture here has been a joy to be a part of, South Africa’s challenges are vast. While in some ways, South Africa appears to be a fully developed nation, it’s still learning and growing. It hasn’t quite reached its full potential. 

Housing and poverty in particular are major problems. I learned this week that many South Africans don’t even have a postal address. While they might know what community they live in or the area they reside in, they can’t give an actual address. Which makes things like mail and government assistance difficult. 

Electricity and internet are also challenges. Very few of the informal settlements and backyard shacks made of mud, bricks, cardboard or steel have electricity. While some of the shacks have access to these services via the main house (remember, many of these shacks are built in the backyard of established homes), many children go home to no lights or running water. 

Internet within the home is low and while a large portion of South Africans have cell phones, internet access via a mobile device is still a challenge. In the West Rand alone, less than ten percent of households have internet inside their homes. Many rely on cafes and schools to access the web. Again, this lack of connectivity makes it difficult for certain South Africans to get the support they need. Instead, they have to rely on taxis or their own feet - sometimes walking many miles - to reach government offices to apply for services, like housing subsidies or other governmental subsidies. 

I keep having to remind myself that this country didn’t fully come together until the early 1990s, after apartheid was abolished. So while they have accomplished so much in just 23 years, there is still work to be done. 

I’m hopeful that our team’s project, looking at the housing subsidy system, will be helpful. I’m hopeful whatever we deliver brings some relief and that we contribute in some way to their momentum. The people here are beyond passionate. They’re smart  and talented and committed to making a difference - if our project helps, even in a small way, then we’ll have been successful. 

Lions, Elephants, Hippos! My first African Safari and a Visit to the Elephant Sanctuary

View from within Pilanesberg 

This weekend was full of animals. And it started very early with a 3:25 a.m. wakeup call on Saturday.  My team and I were headed for Pilanesberg National Park & Game Reserve - a two hour drive from our hotel - for my first African safari. 

When we arrived, we boarded a large open-air truck, that probably seated about 25 people. Our guide was clear from the start, while the park was full of animals and things to see, he couldn’t guarantee that we’d see anything at all. I would have been pretty disappointed to wake up at 3 a.m. for nothing! 

Although it has been quite warm in South Africa, and that day in particular was forecasted to be close to 80 degrees, it was very cold on the safari. I had a light sweatshirt on, so I was thankful when our guide handed out blankets for all of us. I was even more thankful when we stopped halfway through, at a small cafe for some hot chocolate. 

Our fears of not seeing any animals were quickly tossed to the side. Almost immediately after we entered the park, we saw a small herd of antelope. Beautiful, but for some reason an antelope just doesn’t compare to the Big Five. Immediately after we left the herd, our guide told us he received a report of lions. As soon as he made this announcement, the bus took off, speeding down an unpaved, dirt road. It was a very bumpy ride, which came to a quick stop, when we reached a small pack of female lions. In the distance, we could see four lions, laying in the grass, appearing to be keeping their eyes on some buffalos a fair distance away. The Lions didn’t do much, just sat there, with their ears perked, but it was pretty amazing to see wild lions just a few hundred yards away.

Our CSC team on the safari truck 

The safari was certainly fruitful. We saw an elephant, a giraffe, herds of zebras, as well as a hippo and its baby in the water. We didn’t get terribly close to anything, except a couple of rhinos enjoying their breakfast of grass and shrubs. The rhinos were maybe a few feet from our truck. 

The safari lasted between two and three hours, before we headed back to our van and made our way back to the hotel. The early wake-up call had me pretty sluggish most of the day, so I ended my day at the hotel spa and headed to bed early. 

Sunday was probably one of my favorite days on the trip so far. Two other colleagues and I went to an elephant sanctuary in Hartbeespoortdam. On our way there, we took another bumpy, dirt road, which weaved it's way through a valley of sorts. As we were driving, all of a sudden, I screamed, "Monkeys!" They weren't monkeys though (my brain was too excited to be specific I guess), but instead a pack of baboons, running across the road and up the mountainside to our left. They were too quick for us to take photos, but it was amazing. I never imagined I'd see wild baboons.

By the time we reached the sanctuary, my excitement was at an all time high, with butterflies in my stomach. To be honest, I  was hoping to see a baby elephant - I've had dreams of a baby elephant laying on my lap, although I'm sure they're probably too heavy to do that. This sanctuary was home to five adult elephants - so no babies to be found. But there were three male, two female adult African elephants. 

As part of the experience, we were able to touch the elephants - which actually made me a bit nervous, because these elephants were enormous. I know that might seem obvious, but standing next to them, is a whole new experience. After spending a few minutes petting the elephant, you could choose to have the elephant kiss you with his trunk. This is where a baby elephant would have been preferred, but in this case, I watched as other participants received a very generous, slimy, dirty kiss. As great of an experience I am sure that would have been, I decided to pass once I saw a woman with dirt and snot covering the entire half of her cheek. 

So excited to touch an elephant! 

We learned a little about the elephants' histories. One was rescued before he was sent to a circus. Two others were orphans - their parents had been killed and the babies had to be raised at the sanctuary. One came from Kruger National Park (which is where I’ll be going next weekend). The sanctuary is currently looking for a private preserve where these elephants can go to live out their lives, without human interference. While they have taught the elephants verbal commands, they are all actions that an elephant would do in the wild - so for instance, raising their trunks, or shaking their ears. The goal is to keep them as close to their natural state as possible. If anyone has a particularly large preserve in South Africa, let me know.! Apparently it's very expensive to maintain an elephant, because of their eating habits - consuming massive amounts of grass and leaves all day long. I offered my backyard, but apparently that just won't do! Lincoln will be so disappointed.  

After we had the chance to meet the elephants, we were taken to another area where we were able to feed them. The food consisted of pellets - similar to treats we used to feed our horses. We’d gather the pellets in our hands and then put them in the elephants’ trunks - which are like vacuums - and they would then feed themselves. Once you were out of food, you had to walk away immediately, because as our guide said, "No food, no friends." 

We were given a large bucket to feed the elephants with, but once we ran out, the elephants were no longer interested in us, so they went off for mud baths. At that point, we transferred to yet another area, where we were able to walk the elephants. We’d hold onto one of the fingers in their trunk and lead them forward. Don’t be fooled though, they might be giants, but they walk quite quickly. I actually had a hard time staying ahead of the elephant, because he was so quick on his feet.  

There is so much beauty here in this country - so much wildlife and beautiful settings. I'm excited to see more, Kruger next weekend, Amboseli (Kenya) in April, Cape Town as well. So much to see, so little time! 

One of the elephants we met at the Sanctuary

Rhinos eating breakfast

Elephant at Pilanesberg 

Gaining Some Perspective: A Tour of the West Rand District and a Special Visit

This week has been a whirl. 

On Monday, we met our clients face-to-face, beginning with a welcoming ceremony at the District Office. Local dignitaries attended and the Executive Mayor addressed the crowd. As people spoke, the bar was set in terms of what we’ve been asked to deliver. We were called the “best IBM could offer from around the world" . . .  no pressure, right?   

Members of the press also attended and a local newspaper wrote a short story on our work, you can read it here. 

An example of one of the larger subsidized houses 

We spent Tuesday touring West Rand and various housing settlements (communities).  These are low income, subsidized communities, where many of the residents are unemployed.  Residents making less than 3,500 Rand (or $245) can apply for a housing subsidy which will cover the cost of a two-bedroom, 42 square meter house (roughly 450 square feet). 

As part of these communities, you’ll also find a variety of informal settlements - resident-built “shacks” made of steel, cement block or cardboard - where resident’s rent these spaces, often located in their backyards, to other residents, as a source of income. In actuality, this is illegal in South Africa, but difficult to enforce. 

It was amazing to see what people will do when they have no where to live. Some of these shacks were the size of an average American walk-in closet. Some had flowing water and electricity, others did not.  Our client reminded us that we were seeing the "poorest of the poor." But, regardless of whether a person was living in a backyard shack or a subsidized house, one thing remained the same in each neighborhood we visited - the community support. 

Our Braai - Delicious grilled meat!

The communities prescribe to a principle called, "unbuntu" which means: I am, because you are. The members of the community take care of one other. If someone is short on food or supplies, another member will provide it, knowing he/she will receive the same help in return. The community is at the heart of the African culture - people working together for the common good. 

We stopped for lunch as part of our tour. Our client was incredibly generous and arranged for us to have a traditional braai - basically a South African barbecue. The food was delicious. We had mounds of grilled beef and chicken, with salads and mieliepap (or pap for short - basically a thick, cornmeal, rice type texture). The restaurant owners were so proud to have a "foreign delegation" visiting them. They actually took pictures of us as we ate. 

Before we headed back to the office, our client wanted to share with us something dear to his heart. In an effort to inspire and encourage us, he took us to St. John the Divine Orphans and Outreach - a local orphanage for children, many of which have lost their parents to HIV or Aids. Our client wanted us to see firsthand that good things are happening in South Africa. 

When we arrived, dozens of children ran out to greet us, waving and smiling and cheering. Each one wanted their photo taken, making faces and laughing. As you can see by my blog, we happily obliged (we were also granted permission to take these photos). 

We received a tour from the head of the Orphanage, Patricia - a woman they call the “big Mother.” She was so proud to walk us through the orphanage, showing us their kitchen, playrooms, and computer lab - which ended up being a room full of inoperative computer monitors from the 1990s. 

Dozens of elementary-aged children greeted us with smiles!

Of course, our team was incredibly moved by what we saw and by the wonderful work happening at the Orphanage.  You couldn’t help but want to do something to improve their circumstances. 

We scrounged together a few hundred Rand, the equivalent of about $35. When we gave Patricia our meager offering, she was so incredibly thankful. She told us the money we provided would allow the children to eat beans and meat later in the week. She said she would be using the money to purchase chicken at the local market. 

When we left the Orphanage, I could’t help but want to do more. Not only do they need computers - which they plan to use to raise money as an internet cafe and to educate the students - but they also need basic items like clothing and shoes for the children, or vegetables and alternative forms of nutrition. In the US, we often hear about orphanages and children overseas in need of assistance, but to see it firsthand, really tears at your heart. I hope to help in any small way I can - even if that means making another donation, or maybe purchasing a few supplies to donate before we leave. At the very least, I look forward to staying in touch and hearing more about the good work Patricia, her husband, and the community are doing for these beautiful children. 

I've spent a total of six days in Africa so far - and every night, I go to bed reminding myself how lucky I truly am. 

Our team at lunch 

All smiles!

Children working on their homework

Computer Lab at the Orphanage

Patricia, or "Big Mother" - She leads the Orphanage 

An example of a well-done subsidized community 

Another example of a some housing we saw - this was mining housing

Living in a Way that Respects and Enhances the Freedom of Others: Visiting the Apartheid Museum and Soweto

I'm two days into my Corporate Service Corps assignment, based near Johannesburg, South Africa - and what an experience it has already been.

Zulu lunch - chicken and maize - it was interesting!

In just two days I: managed to catch and suffer through a severe stomach bug/case of food poisoning (really not fun, in case you were wondering); learned how to play African drums (video proof below); rode in a tuk-tuk around Soweto; waved to a couple of zebras (or Zeh-Bras as my best friend Christine correctly pointed out is the appropriate pronunciation); visited the Apartheid Museum; and tasted authentic/traditional Zulu food and drink (Umqombothi to be exact).

From the minute we stepped off the plane, IBM has kept us on our toes, fully immersing us in the South African culture - and it's been fantastic. Tomorrow we meet our client in person for the first time. My team, which represents four countries, including the US, Japan, Poland and India, is eager to get started. Our goal: find quick wins and be as impactful and as helpful as we possibly can - in just four weeks - I have faith in us to do just that.

Outside of our drum lesson yesterday - my favorite activity was the Apartheid Museum, which also featured an exhibit on Nelson Mandela, his life and impact on the South African country. It was a truly moving experience.

The museum walks visitors through the creation of Apartheid - what led to it's enactment, the uprising against it, it's ultimate downfall, and the aftermath. While we had our own Civil Rights Movement in the United States, which saw it's own viciousness, the amount of violence and death that occurred in South Africa is startling. What was most powerful to me, was visiting Soweto, the birthplace of the Apartheid uprisings, following our museum tour.

Tuk-Tuks in Soweto - Taken with my new Panasonic Lumix.

We took a tour of Soweto - which means South West Township - and had a chance to interact with the residents living there today (interestingly, many of the original leaders of the movement, including Desmond Tutu, still maintain residences in the township). The people we met, the faces we saw, were so welcoming and kind and happy. These are people who are walking down the same streets where children were murdered for protesting inequality in their schools, where stones were thrown and shots were fired. The difference is, that today they walk those streets having gained the freedoms they and their neighbors fought so hard for. It was truly inspiring.

As little children ran along side our tuk-tuks, laughing and cheering and saying hello to us, it hit me. I'm actually here, in South Africa. And what a beautiful place it is.

Our entire CSCZA17 Team - Below is a short drum video 

Deployment Activated: My IBM Corporate Service Corps Assignment in South Africa

Thank goodness!

I’ve really neglected this blog over the past couple of years. I look  back on the posts and can clearly see, this blog was an outlet for me to process the passing of my father - which honestly, I’m not sure I’ll ever truly “process."

I’ve often thought over the past couple of years. about updating my blog, but with work and life, my writing has taken a back seat. 

So what brings me back to the blogosphere? Well, after five years at IBM, I’m finally deploying on my Corporate Service Corps assignment to South Africa. In fact, I’m typing this first post on the tail end of my first 12 hour flight - I have another eight hour journey ahead before I arrive in Johannesburg. 

To paint a brief picture for you - I’ve been sprawled out on a three-seat row, which thankfully I’ve had all to myself. But the wonderful couple in front of me, decided to recline all three of the seats in front of me, full extension, the entire flight - so I’m currently jammed between my seat and my laptop, with little room to see my screen. I’m not bitter at all.

So what is Corporate Service Corps? I’ve explained it in two ways to those who ask me - it’s like the Peace Corps for business - or more accurately, a pro bono work assignment in a developing nation.  In our case, we’re working in West Rand on a housing subsidy project. 

When I made the decision to come to IBM five years ago, it was not a decision I made lightly. It took hours-long phone calls with my Dad, discussing the pros and cons, weighing my options. Many of those phone calls ended in tears, as I struggled to leave my first job and take a chance with a enormous, international company. 

Photo I texted to Mom before takeoff 

There were many factors that led to me finally taking a giant step into the land of Big Blue, but one very big factor was the global presence IBM had and the opportunities I would have as an employee, to explore the world. Case in point - the Corporate Service Corps program, which I was keen to apply for the minute I was eligible (I basically held my breath for two years, waiting until I qualified for the program . . . just kidding, sort of). 

To have the opportunity to share my skills with others, to learn from colleagues from around the world and to immerse myself in a completely new and rich culture is a rare and exciting opportunity. As I collect my things and “prepare for landing,” I think I’m finally letting the weight of this experience begin to sink in. I’m nervous and anxious about the six weeks that lay ahead, but I’m so ready to dive in, head first. 

My goal is to blog throughout the journey - and hopefully, this will inspire me to get back to writing - please feel free to follow along. You can also follow me on instagram and twitter, where I’ll be sharing photos from our weekly excursions.

And now, it’s time to close all electronic devices and power down laptop computers - So, here we go!

Something is missing

Well I am in Brussels, but I can't say the same for my luggage. Before I dive in there, let me share some more details on Monaco.

I have to say, it was really something to wake up every morning to dozens of yachts on the Mediterranean. It was absolutely beautiful. Every day, when I walked to the conference location, I walked along the water. It was really quite a view.

On Wednesday night, my work duties were over and the conference treated us to a 007 themed event, with an open air concert, lots of food, and a little 007 show. My colleague and I also had the opportunity to super-impose our faces and live out our 007 dreams.

This morning I hopped a helicopter...yes, a helicopter to Nice from Monaco. Oddly enough, the helicopter was cheaper, faster, and generally more efficient than a cab. That is, not where my luggage was concerned. I checked my bag when I arrived at the Heli Airport and it was supposed to go all the way to Brussels. However, when I arrived in Brussels, my bag was no where to be found. Honestly, I wasn't really surprised, because it wouldn't be a trip if something didn't go wrong.

I went to the Brussels Airways desk and made my complaint. Oddly enough, even though my bag was tagged and marked, they couldn't tell me where my bag was. All they could say was that it wasn't scanned in Brussels...huh, really? No kidding.

I'm not confident I'll see my bag any time soon. The attendant said he thinks it will arrive in Brussels tomorrow morning, but how can he really know when he doesn't even know where my bag is? Thankfully, since I lost my bag in Orlando, I've learned my lesson and I keep all my essentials in my carry-on: makeup, contact solution, underwear, and my toothbrush. Although I should remind myself next time to include an actual hairbrush - I won't be looking so pretty tomorrow morning.

So after realizing I had no bag, I did manage to find the train station in the airport and get myself to the Brussels Central station. And then I sort of struggled finding my hotel. I had saved directions on my cell phone, but without internet access, it was hard to tell where I was really. The streets aren't marked as nicely as they are in other countries. So I just started following signs to the Grand Place, which I knew was close to my hotel. I managed to find it, although I will be honest, I wasn't sure if it was REALLY the Grand Place. But it was very big...very place like...and lots of people were there, so I assume I found it. Yet, I didn't know where my hotel was in relation to the Place, just that it was close by.

I eventually asked a waiter who was at an outside cafe and he directed me perfectly to my hotel - which is quite nice by the way.

I had planned to go for a run tonight, but without my bag, I'm stuck. Although I probably should go tour Brurssels, I have to admit, I'm plain exhausted. I plan to take a shower and hang out in my hotel room tonight. Tomorrow I head to Bruges and Ghent on a tour. Saturday I spend here in the city and I'm off to Luxembourg on Sunday.

Until next time, please pray for my bag's safe and quick return!

Bonjour!

Greetings from Monaco. It's about 11 p.m. here and I'm simply beat. It's been a very long day and I'm going on 32 hours of pretty much no sleep.

I'd like to say my travel here was uneventful, but it's me, so that's never the case. I was at the back of the plane on my flight to Paris and of course, my seat was broken, so I had to sleep straight up and down...no reclining for me. But I did meet a race car driver from New Zealand and we chatted most of the flight.

Just when we thought we were going to land in Paris, the pilot let us know we were circling the airport because Paris was undergoing some difficult weather A few minutes later, he let us know the airport was in fact closed and we were low on fuel, so we headed for Brussels instead. After spending an hour on the ground in Brussels, we finally arrived in Paris. At least my five hour layover was only two!

When I got to Nice, the airport was basically dead, except for the dozens of people waiting for a cab. I ended up with a really nice cab driver. He asked if I spoke French and I let him know I did, but from that moment on he only spoke to me in French. Running on no sleep, my brain hurt trying to keep up, although I managed to get about 75 percent of what he was saying.

When I got to my hotel, I was completely exhausted, but the view from my room is amazing. I literally overlook the ocean, with yachts in the distance.

I went to dinner at La Note Bleue with some colleagues - it was great getting to know so many colleagues from around the world.

Tomorrow the real work begins, although I have been working on some things this evening.

For now though, my bed is calling my name.

On the road again . . .

Well, my bags are packed (sort of . . . ok not at all) and I'm off on another adventure. This time, I'm headed to Monaco for a work event, and then spending a week on vacation in Belgium and France. I'll also be making a quick trip to Luxembourg (because seriously, when will I ever have the opportunity to go to Luxembourg) in between.

This year, I've already traveled to Toronto and Nashville . . . I was originally headed to Amsterdam (with some work time in Paris), but that trip obviously didn't happen.

And of course, this time around, I'm facing the same challenges and dilemmas with packing, as I usually do. Trying to make the weight requirements and making sure I have enough space to bring lots of presents home. Belgium Air has some seriously strict luggage policies...as in one carry-on per person. Not a bag and your pursue...or a bag and a briefcase - literally one carry-one. Period.

This time around though, I'm a little nervous about the fashion requirements in little ol' Monaco. It just happens to be the most wealthy country per square mile in umm, the world. So let's just say, they take their fashion seriously. Apparently there's a very strict dress code to enter the casinos - which obviously I don't plan to do, since I am going for work. But our after-event celebration is at the Monte Carlo casino. I'm not about to pack a gown, but I did find a nice little green number I think will do the trick.

My goal is to blog throughout my trip...which I've never done. Usually I just post Facebook updates and then write a quick blog after my trip - because I'm too tired to go into too much detail. But this time, I'm going to try and commit to blogging each day of my trip - even the work days (that goal might be a little more difficult)! There will probably be more photos than words, but it's something!

I am pretty excited to visit some more international crossfit boxes. I've scoped them out and I've found one in Monaco, Brussels, and Paris. Here's hoping I can make it to at least one and add to my ever-growing t-shirt collection.

I'm spending four days in Belgium by myself, before staying with Eric, Sandrine, and the children. I was originally a little apprehensive - I tried to convince my friend CG to ditch her boyfriend and come with me, no dice - but I'm actually looking forward to some alone time, in a foreign country, where I can just think about the past few months. Ironically, while things are still difficult and I still find myself in tears some days, I do feel like things are looking up. Someone once told me things will never get better...they'll never get easier...but somehow you manage to get through it. I guess this is me getting through it.

So just a few more days until I set sail...errr flight. Bon voyage!

Back on U.S. Soil

Well, I made it to Europe and back! My attempts at super packing were successful and I was under the weight limits every time. Had a wonderful trip, really learned a lot and met so many new people. Although I had a wonderful time, more than two weeks away from home can be a bit taxing at the end. I have to say, when I left Spain that last day, I was ready to go home.


Some of my trip highlights:

View of Prague

1. This trip solidified my belief that taking this new job was one hundred percent the right decision. Throughout my time away, I met people from more than 20 different countries and really enjoyed the folks I worked with. Overall, the amount of drama I encountered was minimal and honestly, a breath of fresh air. It feels good to know I took a giant leap of faith and it paid off. To those who supported me and continue to do so, thank you. To those who didn't or continue to contribute negativity, you don't matter and honestly, never really did.

2. I met some amazing co-workers from Texas and Canada. We had a great time out to dinner in Poland and even found time to partake in some karaoke at the event finale, which resulted in an impromptu, "Hold On" karaoke session on our bus back to the hotel. Great people. Looking forward to some upcoming trips to Toronto and Austin and reconnecting in Russia.

Inside of the restaurant

3. Prague was simply breathtaking. Everywhere I looked there was a postcard photo opportunity in the making. Although the city was awfully crowded (due to a beer festival and hockey season), I can finally cross "See Prague" off my list of to-dos. Such a beautiful city.

4. I didn't have much time in Spain, but I had the opportunity to go into the city for a really fantastic dinner. I randomly chose the venue, La Capilla de La Bolsa, which happened to be the home of the former Madrid Stock Exchange and a church with ties to the Knight's Templar. I was nervous, since it was a random Google selection, but in the end, it paid off and everyone was thrilled with my choice. The interior of the restaurant was phenomenal and there were opera singers who put on a performance every fifteen minutes. I also had my first taste of lobster paella, which was to die for. And we enjoyed some sangria, which was nothing like I've ever had here in the U.S. Despite this amazing meal, I managed to lose almost four pounds over the course of the two weeks!

Overall it was a great trip. I plan to blog more in-depth about it later, but wanted to give a quick blog update.  Now it's back to the real world . . . marathon training,  etc. But I have some incredible memories to last me a lifetime.

Already looking forward to Russa, et. al. next year!

An Update on the Packing Saga

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm making a real valiant effort to be a savvy packer for my trip abroad in a mere 11 days. Here's an update on my successes/failures thus far:

1. I bought new luggage and actually got a great deal on it too. Quick sidebar: I went to Macy's, where they had a 50% off luggage sale. I ended up going for a Calvin Klein set (three pieces, big, medium, small). Together with a 25% friends and family coupon, a slew of giftcards (Thanks CS, LS, & TC), I ended up snagging more than $700 worth of luggage for only  . . . get ready for it  . . .  $200! I consider this a success, not just because of the awesome deal, but because I know have a matching set of luggage and a good sized check-in piece, plus a great little carry-on. Ok, it's not really a success, but I'm still excited about my new luggage . . . and wow, I'm excited about luggage.

2. I took a trip to the local Christmas Tree Shop which is essentially Mecca for all things travel-sized. I snagged some great little finds, like the perfect sized bottle of body wash. Simple pleasures my friends. I also had a great 20% off coupon, so that didn't hurt.

3. I've slowly started to make a pile of things I need to pack - My goal is to do a test run next week.

4. I've tested out how much lotion, contact solution, etc. I REALLY need for two weeks and am now taking about a third of what I normally take on a trip. This has to make a difference, right?

5. I've almost convinced myself that it's impossible to bring my scale with me. When I told my best friend Lindsay about this, she said, "wow Amanda, that's so weird." So I guess I really shouldn't do it, but I'm still on the hunt for a light weight-travel scale. Should one exist, it's mine.

6. I suppose this is somewhat of a failure - One of my coworkers asked me to play tennis in Madrid...which is awesome, but now requires me to pack my tennis racket. I suppose I could not be a tennis snob and rent a racket in Spain, but I feel like I should bring my own. This could put a real wrench in my packing - we shall see.

Just a quick update. Still can't believe I have 11 days left to make it all work!

Staying Healthy while Staying Abroad

In just a few short weeks, I'm off for an extended work trip abroad. I'll be spending about a week in Warsaw, Poland, a few days in Prague, and four days in Madrid, Spain. While I'm certainly excited and happy for the opportunity to travel, I'm a little nervous about two things: 1 - How will I manage to pack all that I need for two weeks in one suitcase and one carry-on and still make the airline weight restrictions? 2 - How will I stay on track with my marathon training and eat healthy? Big problems, right? Yeah, I know, they're fairly minor, but still important, especially to a PR, clothes/shoes-loving, woman!

Let's tackle the suitcase issue first. I've already started making a list of things I need to buy and things I want to pack. I think I've come to the realization that I will need to do some laundry in the hotel sink, and I'm alright with that. But let's be honest, I'm totally one of those girls who brings eight pairs of shoes and too many "just-in-case" outfits. It's going to be tough. I just don't want to get into another situation like I did in China, where my bag was too heavy and in broken English I was told I needed to pay $500 U.S. dollars - Nightmare of a story for another blog post. Anyways, my goal is to be extremely practical about my packing - I said, it's my "goal." I also need to some how leave extra space for all the gifts I need to bring back. This will be a real challenge folks. I plan to document my packing extravaganza and offer some tips as I go along. So wish me luck!

As for my training schedule and eating, that's another story. I know the hotels I'm staying in are equipped with gyms, so that's a start. Working out isn't really going to be a huge issue, I seem to make time for it on work trips. Sometimes though, the fatigue and time differences make me lazy, so I'm going to need to fight the urge to sleep. My shorter runs won't be too bad, but I have a seven and ten mile run to complete while I'm away - that's going to be one boring treadmill workout. Here's hoping I stick to it!

Now eating is a totally different beast. I'm a little compulsive when it comes to weighing myself, so I usually bring a scale with me. Yes, I pack a scale in my suitcase. I'm not sure I'm going to have the space for it this time around, although I refuse to give up and am on the hunt for a lightweight travel scale, if such a thing exists. Worst case, I'll see if the hotel has one. I'm also bringing a lot of my own food, which also contributes to the packing issue. I plan to bring low fat English muffins, a small container of peanut butter, oatmeal packets, some craisins, cheerios, 100 calorie snack packs, and I'm sure that's not all. Part of the reason I bring my own food is strictly health reasons (i.e. calories), but the other reason is due to food allergies - It's not easy being lactose intolerant abroad! I'll also continue food journaling, which should help keep me on track. When all else fails, order the salad.

If you have any tips on packing or keeping a healthy lifestyle while abroad, please do share! I'll keep you all posted on my attempts!