Just What The Doctor Ordered

On Friday, April 11th, I made my way to Canada to surprise my mom for her birthday and for Easter. Some of us had been keeping this secret for weeks! A Masters Golf Party had been organized by some of my mother's friends and I arrived with my father around 10:30pm. My mom's reaction was priceless. Tears were shed, laughs were shared and big smiles could be seen all around the room.

It was absolutely great!

The love between mother and daughter is forever

Deciding to go back to Canada for my spring break this year was a wonderful decision. After a difficult start to 2014, I knew some family time was necessary. Now, of course, my primary reason for going home was to surprise my mom, however, I knew that I could benefit from this trip just as much. Going home allowed me to spend time with some family and to reconnect with a few old friends, work colleagues and students. It also allowed me to lay around...to be lazy...to sleep...to watch TV... to get pampered...I mean, really, who doesn't need a little R & R once in a while?!

In this fast-paced world we live in, sometimes we need to stop and take a step back in order to rest, to relax and to regain our energy and positive outlook on the wonderful lives we live!

Canada's WONDERFUL Weather Conditions:
A little snow, a little rain & a little sunshine, all within 1 week!

On my way back to Dubai from Canada, I had the opportunity to see some of London's most famous attractions during a day-long layover.

It was an exhausting adventure, but yet another pretty cool experience of course!

Tower Bridge, London

I truly believe this break was JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED!

Now, it's time to get back to reality: Bring on the last term of the school year!

Comments

Mirror, Mirror

“I could try to be just like you, but I wanna be like me - the girl in the mirror.” Have you ever looked at a picture of yourself and thought “YIKES!”? Of course you have! We all have! We can all get a little self-critical from time to time, can’t we? I’ll be honest, I don’t often love seeing pictures of myself, especially those really close up, like selfies. Every image seems to amplify my insecurities and highlight “ flaws ” that I wish would disappear. I’m a pretty simple girl—no make-up, no heels, just me as I am, and I find that the world often holds up a different standard of beauty for females, one that's heavily curated and polished. My negative thoughts can weigh heavily at times, and social media ( with all its’ filters ) only magnifies those feelings of self-doubt. Over the last year, I’ve taken a number of selfies or mirror pictures. Some were taken to capture moments during my solo trips, some were taken to track physical changes influenced by diet, training and r...

Fly Away

“Until you spread your wings, you’ll never know how far you can fly.” For as long as I can remember, there has been a relentless pull within me; a desire to fly away, to explore beyond the boundaries of familiarity, and to immerse myself in the cultural richness of our world. It all started over 15 years ago with a pivotal moment: my first international trip to the Dominican Republic for humanitarian purposes. Little did I know then that this remarkable trip ( *along with teaching in a challenging multicultural school ) would set the stage for a life defined by adventure, discovery, and personal growth. Since that transformative experience, my life has been a whirlwind of movement and exploration. I've been blessed with the opportunity to experience living and working abroad, both in the UAE and in Vietnam, and along the way, I've had the privilege to traverse more than 40 countries, each offering its own unique blend of culture, history, landscape and perspective. Looking ...

The runner in me

“Mind over miles.” A few years back, I was all in. I was that person signing up for every race that came across my radar—10K’s, half-marathons, marathons—you name it. The thrill of crossing the finish line, the camaraderie at the starting line, the way the crowds cheered you on, it was all so energizing. I didn’t even need music to get through a run, even a whole 42km marathon, which, I know, sounds crazy to most people. But there I was, in my zone, taking it all in and doing something I enjoyed. I collected lots of medals and racked up plenty of podium finishes, but most importantly I had some memorable international races, and met tons of amazing people along the way. I discovered that running was a really accessible sport; all you needed was a pair of shoes and the will to go. I could literally show up to a race, put one foot in front of the other, and—boom—be part of a community of people all working toward the same goal. So, what happened? Why did I stop running? For me, it came d...

One Rising Star

Search This Blog