Intertwined: joy and sorrow

I have written before about the intersection of sorrow and joy; this isn't new to me. But a picture says a thousand words, so here is my picture of sorrow in the midst of joy and joy in the midst of sorrow.

This is me, hanging out with the love of my life, my nephew Elliot James. To sit on the deck behind my Grampa's house on a perfect October afternoon and laugh and giggle with Elliot was such a joyous gift. But we gathered there that afternoon to celebrate my Grampa's life, after a long and tearful day at his funeral and burial. It was with a very heavy heart that I traveled to Michigan in early October, compelled by my love for this great man, and by his love for me. 

Even as I'd sat in the church that morning, filled with sadness and pain, there was also joy. Joy that at long last, he was back with my Gramma, that for him there is no more tears or sadness or pain. Joy that he was a man who loved God and walked faithfully with God for many years, that he fought the good fight, that he kept the faith and finished the race. And man, what a race he ran. 

I am thankful. Thankful for the chance to travel back briefly and be with my family. Thankful for the gift of an amazing grandfather, and the gift of having him in my life for nearly 35 years. Thankful for Elliot snuggling in for a nap, and for those precious extra days with him. Thankful for a family that loves and cares for one another. Thankful for many friends and coworkers in Bangkok who made my absence possible. Thankful for being there, something I have learned to never take for granted. Thankful that in the midst of sorrow there is always joy, and that the sorrow in fact teaches us what it is to feel joy. 

With Grampa on my trip to Long Lake in September 2013. 

Summer highlights

If I had to sum up my summer in one phrase, it would be quality time.  The last three consecutive years I've had major summer events of some sort that kept me pretty busy (Argentina, Meg's wedding, then Argentina again), making this summer feel a bit low key. Somehow though, it was still jam packed, and as always, there were things I hoped to do that didn't happen. 

The highlight for sure was the quality time that I got with so many different people.  

One definite highlight of any trip to Michigan is my time with my friends Katie and Cora and their families. If anyone wants tips on how to keep their kids connected to relatives who live far away, these ladies are great models.  It brings me so much joy to see the kids' little faces at the front window when I drive up. Despite the fact that I've lived out of the country for most or all of their short lives, their moms make sure that they know me. I am so thankful for the time I had with them this summer! 

Making and then playing our own board game with Cora and her kids. 

Another highlight was the time I got to spend with my brother Matt. Between my five days in New York and his three in Michigan, I felt like I had more time with him than I have in years.  I also loved that I got to enjoy both of my brothers' cooking this summer. I don't know many (or any!) other expats who return home looking forward to the dinner their brother is going to make for them! 

A rather unexpected highlight was that by the end of the summer, I had managed to see, at least briefly, every single one of my aunts and uncles on both sides of the family.  I think there are 20 of them, and with so many people out of town during the summer months, it was a remarkable feat.  It also meant that I got a lot of time with my family and extended family in general, and that is always awesome.  They are the roots that give me the wings to fly here.  Within the aunt and uncle highlight was the particular time I got with my aunt and uncle in San Jose.  It was really special to get that one-on-one (or two) time with them and I can't wait to go back. 

In California with Aunt Leona and Uncle Dave

A long awaited highlight was the time I got with my friend Holly in Central California.  Ever since she made the decision to leave Bangkok we've were planning this trip and it did not disappoint.  I love that we had hours and hours to talk and that I got to see a little snipet of her life in California.  

With Holly :)

My final weekend in the States brought several great highlights of food and company. My friends Katie and Amy, who I skated with many years ago and both live out of state now, we're both in Ann Arbor visiting family. We had a chance to catch up over a long dinner at Bigalora Friday night. I'm not sure the last time that all three of us were together, but I think it was in the ballpark of five years ago. Then Saturday I went out for a farewell dinner with my mom  and siblings (we missed you Matt and Andrew!) at Bacco, which was amazing. Every single course was just perfect. Then on Sunday we had a bridal shower for my cousin at Bigalora Royal Oak and I wrapped up the weekend with breakfast with Katie and Amy on Monday before a Tuesday morning departure. Whew! 

The most anticipated highlight (and it lived up to its billing) was the quality time I got with my nephew.  I got time with him at family events, time with him at his house, one-on-one time babysitting him, and time with him at Aunts and Elliot Day. It was awesome to be there to see him roll over for the first time and watch him grow and develop over the course of the six weeks.  He was definitely longer and gigglier by the time I left, and he had just learned to sit up and had started eating cereal.  He is just absolutely delightful and I miss him terribly!  In addition to the joy of meeting him, I also really liked seeing my sister and brother-in-law as parents.  They're doing a great job :)  

The day we first met. Yes, I bought him that onesie :) 

What a great mom she is! 

Too cute! 

Our last day together- sitting up like a big boy! 

There were so many other quality time moments sprinkled throughout my summer that made it a lot of fun to be back.  It's never easy to leave everyone and the adjustment back can be a bit rough, but somehow the working crazy hours has made it a bit easier in that at least I don't feel the quiet quite so much.  I'm thankful for all the quality time that God blessed me with on my trip!  

California Dreamin

This past week I had the privilege to spend some time with family and friends in Central and Northern California. I had a few days with my friend Holly and then a few days with my Aunt Leona and Uncle Dave. Holly and I taught together at ICS before she moved to Central California a year ago. We started our trip in San Jose, traveling down the coast through Monterey, Carmel, and the Big Sur area, before catching the sunset in Cambria and finishing our drive at her home in Paso Robles. The drive was absolutely stunning, as was the company. We had a great breakfast with Holly's family the next morning and then we spent Friday in Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo and had oceanside apps and cocktails at Avila Beach before another beautiful sunset. It was so good to spend time with Holly after just talking via Skype for the last year!

On Saturday, Dave and Leona joined us for wine tasting in the Paso Robles region. With most of my wine tasting experience coming in deep Argentine reds and Malbecs, it was a lot of fun to taste a variety of wines from small vineyards in the area. At the end of the day, We ended the day at my uncle's favorite brewery, and then I head back to San Jose with them

After a lazy Sunday morning, Dave, Leona, and I went for a beach walk and tide pool exploration in Carmel. The sunny weather was perfect and it was a refreshing change to be on a gorgeous beach that wasn't 95 degrees and humid! We explored the charming town of Carmel a bit before heading to the Monterey Aquarium for their summer live music evening. The aquarium itself was amazing, and that much more fun for the evening atmosphere (and lack of hoards of children). For my last day we drove north to Napa for a couple of tours and tastings, fulfilling a lifelong dream of mine to visit Napa Valley. It lived up to everything I imagined, and more. We had a special dinner at home that night before I flew out the next morning. 

It was a wonderful week that left me asking, can I do this every year? 

Michigan Adventures

Following my time in New York, I've spent the last two weeks bouncing around Michigan, some time in Detroit/Ann Arbor, then Grand Rapids, some time Up North, and now back to Detroit/Ann Arbor. I've had a great time and have had good quality time with so many people. It's hard to believe that my summer is quickly coming to an end. I fly back on Thursday and start work next Monday! 

Clockwise from top left: an evening on Portage Lake, sisters overlooking the 18th green of Arcadia Bluffs, dune climb (I did not make it to the top), Mike putting on the 18th, and Lake Michigan view at the end of my run. 

Clockwise from top left: lunch at the new brewery in Frankfort, the Portage Lake channel into the big lake, view from wine tasting in Leelenau, boat ride on Lake Michigan, Thai spicy steak salad made by Mike as part of our Thai diner. 

Our trip Up North was in honor of my mom's birthday, which isn't until August but this is when we could all be there. We had a great birthday dinner on the last night and got a family picture that even has me in it :) 

Last night I had a chance to see most of the Collins women one last time for a fun evening with lots of laughter. 

New York weekend

Like many people, I love New York. Luckily, my brother moved there 3 years ago :) This past weekend I got to go visit and spend a few days with him and enjoy one of my favorite cities. One thing I really enjoy when I travel is exploring neighborhoods, so we spent some time walking and biking around Queens and Brooklyn. We took the dog for a walk, played catch in the park, visited Matt's plot at the community garden, and ate at some favorite local spots. I got to eat Mexican, Dominican, Korean, Argentine, and Italian food, as well as fish and veggies on the grill. On Sunday afternoon we biked across Brooklyn to the New York Transport Musuem and Prospect Park. It was also really fun to be there during the World Cup and watch a few of those games. The highlight for me of any trip to New York is seeing a play, so on Saturday night we went to see The Cripple of Inishmaan. It was a fantastic play (hilarious dialogue but also deep and thoughtful) and great evening. Of course, the best part of the weekend was getting to do all these things with my brother :) 

Seeing my family around the city

I have been blessed, both here in Buenos Aires and now also in Bangkok, to have lots of family visit. One of the joys of this is that I "see" them as I walk around the cities. Yesterday walking around my old neighborhood I passed the empty lot where Matt and I played catch. Today I went to the Japanese Garden, a place I've only been once before: with my Dad. Tomorrow I will have dinner at my favorite restaurant in the city, Las Cholas, which I discovered with Meg (and later took everyone to, since she was the first visitor). When I walked through the feria on Sunday, I remembered shopping there with my mom. In Bangkok, I see my family in so many places, and even though it sometimes makes me a little bit sad, I am also always glad to have shared those places and foods and experiences with them. It so much helps me to connect all my worlds together when they understand my life a little bit and then I can see them in my memories all around town. 

Koh Samet

Koh Samet is a small island that is the closet island destination to Bangkok (three are mainland beaches closer, but you get a different feel on an island), yet I still had never been there before last weekend. Robin and I left right after school on Friday on a journey that was several hours longer than it should have been- a trip we would both love to forget. Once we arrived though, we had a wonderful time. 

We spent Saturday reading and lounging by the beach, swimming in the Gulf of Thailand, exploring nearby beaches, and drinking smoothies and fruit shakes. In the evening we ate seafood on the beach, watched a couple of fire shows, and walked along the shore eating roti, one of my favorite desserts. Sunday morning we had a few more hours to lounge and swim before we headed back to Bangkok in the early afternoon for a much more pleasant trip home. It was a quick weekend, but still a lot of fun. I love seeing Michiganders reactions to the tropical beach- we are always amazed by the water temperature and annoyed at the salt (and slightly frightened of creatures). 

There are often swings hung along the shore here, great fun and cute pictures! 

My view all morning. I could get used to that! 

View at lunch

In the afternoon we explored this beach next to the one we were staying on. I'm always unsurprised how much the tide changes throughout the day! 

Adjustments: there's a teenager in the house!

Life with an 18 year old is interesting- some things I knew to expect, others I couldn't see coming. One of the biggest differences between having Robin here verses every other roommate I've had in my life is that for the first time, I am responsible for feeding another human being on a daily basis. You mothers out there will get a good chuckle out of this, but this whole meal planning and grocery shopping thing is kind of crazy. Especially for a girl who has basically lived off a minimart for over two years and grocery shopped from time to time, but certainly not regularly. But somehow, when you're feeding two people, that whole cooking thing and buying food seem a bit more important. 

So here I am, grocery shopping weekly and throwing around words like meal planning. Don't get me wrong, we still eat food from the shops on my street and go out some, but even cooking a few meals a week requires some coordination and planning, especially when you're feeding a pescatarin. 

So I would say food and feeding are adjustment number one. 

Adjustment number two is more subtle, but probably more profound. Awareness. I am suddenly aware at all times of another persons movements, especially the first few days of volunteering at ICS. It's kind if a strange feeling for someone who never really had to think about anyone else before. At first, the awareness was exhausting and overwhelming, but I've gotten used to it and she's more independent around the school now, so it's definitely less intense. But still kind of there- which is a good thing when you're keeping an eye on someone else's child in a foreign country! 

Adjustment number three is that I feel and sound a lot like my mother. There are things she will do and I see myself in her, doing or saying those things to my mom. Not big or negative things, just how an 18 year old does the dishes or talks about their day or walks down a sidewalk. I look at her and smile and understand my mom just a little bit better. 

Mentors: all in the family

I have had a lot of great mentors in my life: youth leaders, coaches, professors, veteran teachers, and mighty women of faith. In the past few years I have come to specifically appreciate a special group of mentors who continue to stick around in my life: my aunts and uncles. I have a lot of them and there are few topics I could ever need advice on that would force me to look outside this group. 

Growing up, my aunts and uncles humored us in our play, watched our dances and musical performances, had us for sleepovers, and were generally a wonderful presence in our lives. But looking back, it's my teens and early 20's where they really stand out because in those years they allowed us to become adults. Not all families do this, allow the younger generation to grow into full fledged members of the family, but ours did. We were talked to (and listened to) as real people. Our opinions and experiences were valued. We weren't sitting at a kids table at holidays, rather we were able to listen in on the dynamic and always interesting conversations at the adults tables. We were given jobs to do- it wasn't all play and no work. No one walks away from a family holiday without contributing in some way, unless you're a guest or the family Matriarch or Patriarch. I loved learning how to properly set a table from my Gramma (and often wish she were here to remind me because I always get the silverware mixed up) and even young kids have to help clean up in some way. I don't think it's any coincidence that all of my adult cousins have grown into interesting, responsible, articulate people, even the boys, who did eventually grow out of their grunting years. Even now, when I'm in the States, my aunts and uncles are inviting me to dinner, meeting me for breakfast and generally expressing a desire to continue to be a part of my life even when I live far away. 

Behind us there is a younger group of cousins, once known as The Cool Kids Club, who are not kids anymore. In the last six years as they have started graduating from high school they too have become adult members of the family. I love it when they join the conversation and we all get to know them as they forge their adult identities. I feel like I've missed out on a lot with this group, spending nearly six of the last seven years overseas, so I am always delighted when I get to spend time with them. 

Next Friday, one of them will come to Bangkok to stay with me for a few months as part of her gap year between high school and college. She's going to volunteer at my school during the weekdays and hopefully run into plenty of fun and adventure the rest of the time. I am excited to get to know this witty creative cousin of mine in deeper ways and to walk with her through a small piece of this time in her life. Will it be work? Yeah. But it will also be completely worth it. 

Side note: personally, I believe there should only be two requirements for graduating from the kids table. One, a desire to sit with the adults and two, a low probability of knocking over somebody's wine glass at dinner. 

NYE in Bangkok

Normally, I like a pretty quiet NYE: dinner at home with friends, a toast at midnight, and off to bed. Last year I had a great barbecue dinner on the beach with my mom and Matt and then we watched the fireworks off the coast of Koh Chang. Mike and Sara chose to spend New Years in Bangkok where we had dinner at the restaurant of Thailand's newest celebrity chef, which did not disappoint. We rang in the new year from the rooftop of a nearby hotel where we could see some of the fireworks going off across the city. A memorable night to be sure! 

NYE dinner part 1 

Part 2 

Singapore with Mike and Sara

Mike and Sara finished their trip with two days in Singapore. Within hours of arrival they had tried the signature dish of Singapore: chili crab, and also given durian a chance (none if us really liked it). The next day we visited the wet market in Chinatown then ate at a few vendors and did some shopping. We also walked around and ate in Little India before finishing off the day at a Lim family favorite Indian restaurant. On their second day we had pork rib soup for breakfast before visiting a few coffee shops to sample espressos and then went to the Malay neighborhood, an area that was new to me. One last coffee stop and then Cantonese dinner (well, some of them ate dinner- you can ask Sara or I for more details on that!) before they were off to the airport. Quite a whirlwind visit! 

As ready as we will ever be to try durian! 

Foodie discussion at the wet market 

Masala tea and roti :) 

Breakfast!?!?!

Haha, we posed kith this guy outside a "rainforest cafe" in Little India 

Railay Beach Fun

After Chiang Mai we flew down to Krabi, in the south of Thailand, and spent a few days at Railay Beach. We had one full day on the beach and by the pool and then another day on my boat/beach/snorkel tour (not the best tour of the trip, but it was okay and we saw two fairly good snorkel spots). It was a great way to relax after busy days in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. We returned to Bangkok today in order to have NYE dinner at the restaurant Mike most wanted to go to in the city. Then tomorrow we're off to Singapore! 

Here are a few pictures from the beach: 

Our beach empty in the morning, Sara and I enjoying fresh fruit smoothies after a day of snorkeling, and a rock that reminded us of Michigan's Picture Rocks

My favorite beach at Railay, Mike and Sara right after we arrived, and the closest thing we got to a decent sunset (fairly overcast at twilight every day). 

We saw a ginormous tree monitor lizard at a park like area near my house in Bangkok, then saw this smaller one on Hong Island where we went snorkeling. The sign is from the park near me. 

Busy days in Chiang Mai

Mike, Sara, and I have spent the last two and a half days in Chiang Mai. We went on a day tour of elephant riding, hiking, and rafting , did a cooking class, and lots of shopping and eating. I really enjoy having them her and just spending lots of time together. Here is a small sample of pictures, I'll try to get more of them into Facebook. 

We went on a short (1 hour) hike to this waterfall. The weather was perfect- mid to high 70's!

I got to make one if my favorite Thai dishes: khao soi. These are the ingredients and garnishes. I made that curry paste myself :)