expat on the go...

News

Last week Hon and I went to Las Vegas. It was my first time. I have to say, I really liked it! If you go, don't waste your time with Aureole restaurant - not excellent! Go to Milos, at the Cosmopolitan Hotel - fabulous! The Wynn buffet had to be the best food, although NOT the best service. I always LOVE the beginning of July. It's our 18th wedding anniversary and it's my 46th birthday. What a wonderful time! I got an app for my phone - couch to 5K in 3 months. I'm still on the first week, after 3 weeks! I can't get passed that first week. I'm still super out of shape to get to that second week. I'm determined, though! Talk soon, Expat

Loving the South

Let's face it, I'm as far a 'southerner' as you can get! I'm from Canada. I am loving living in Greensboro, NC. The lifestyle is slow. People are a little late, answer your phone calls a few days later, life is good. Life is very hot here! Yes, it's near 100F every day - and it's early June... so what? People continue to be polite - except when you open a door ... then, you don't get a thank you. I need to talk to my 'handy dandy' southern expert real estate agent. Will be having dinner at 1618 Seafood Grill this week with a mix of ladies - a northener, from Mass., another Canadian (from Toronto), my real estate agent from Greensboro and 2 Brazilian women. What a life when you get to chit-chat with such interesting women. I also got involved in a Community Agriculture group - I get fresh veggies once a week. I also have to volunteer, so I pick veggies, rinse it and bag it. I also also distribute it once a week for 5 times (my 'obligatory' time). I love the veggies and I love the group. It's part of the Goat Lady Dairy. I also get their eggs, yoghurt and cheese. Miam, miam!! Talk soon - sooner!

SNOW IN THE SOUTH

Well, we have been here for 6 months and I have to say that I actually love it here! Although, when we moved, people told us that it doesn't snow, but 'sleet' in this part of the world - one word - liars! It has snowed 3 times since December! What's that all about? I have to say that the news is saying that they have not seen these weather conditions for at least 30 years. I guess we brought the snow with us! I have to say that the people are very friendly and polite. What a wonderful change from New Jersey and especially, Paris. Now let's get some warm weather!

'THE SOUTH'

Okay, being originally from Canada, and now living in North Carolina, the culture difference is BIG.  First of all, let me clear, I am from Quebec, where people speak their mind.

I went to the doctor's office last week and this is what she said:

1) Tell everyone you're from Canada and NOT from New Jersey (our real estate agent told me that the south is still 'upset' with the north), and;

2) Southern people don't really say what they feel or think, they will 'skirt' around the issue - right away, I'm thinking, "oh, oh!", that's not my personality -  although my husband has been telling me to watch what I say, in front of certain people, for years (!).

On this note - read, "The Help".  It is a really good book.  Had I not read the book, I wouldn't have know what the horrible toilet, with the half-wooden door was, in the creepy basement of a house we visited.  The same agent asked me, "Do you know who that is for?".  I told her that I had read, "The Help" - and 'was it for the 'black' servant/maid'?  And, she said, 'Yes'.  Okay!  What do you say to that.  I came face to face with history.  A history that I know nothing about.   I only know the 'English versus French' history, not the 'Black versus White' history.  Wow!  What a shocker.

As for the house hunting, we have made an offer on a house - hopefully it will go through!  The house is amazing! 

As for our life here - the food continues to  be great.  I think we could easily gain 20 pounds by Christmas!  School is going well.  The little guy had a bit of trouble getting adjusted to the new school, but, I think, is getting more acclimated.

The teen started off great and now she is having a slump.  She is missing her friends, back in Jersey, in a big way.  Keeping an eye on her, though, she has been doing great in school - school before friends - which is a new concept for her!

Write about restaurants we have been too, next time.

Talk soon.

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA

We are here.  We  have been here for a week.  I already like it!  People are very friendly.  The food is good, and there is a lot of wine - they are wine drinkers (wouldn't have pegged them for wine drinkers!).  The kids started school today.  I will try to change my weather column sometime soon.  Although, you have to realize that we are in temporary housing, I am visiting houses and trying to adapt to the humidity!  Whooo!  It''s hot here!  Bring you up to date soon.

RESULTS FOR MY IRONMAN - LAKE PLACID 2010

Okay, my Ironman swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 miles and then ran a marathon - 26.2 miles.  He did that in 13 hours and 26 minutes.  If you've never been or seen an Ironman competition, you need to go!  It is thrilling, emotional, funny - it is pure entertainment.  You have the professionals that push themselves to the limit,  you have the regular guys that have trained for months (and can't believe they're doing this 'God-forsaken' race), you have the 'Elvis-look alike' (coiffed and dressed like the king), you have people with one leg competing, people who are blind (being guided by a volunteer), etc... 

You laugh, you cry, you shout - you can't wait to see your loved one.  And when you do... a flood of emotions fill you.  Here are some pictures:

The swim:  The professionals started (about 30 of them) and then the rest (2,600 participants - can you see my honey?)

Here's my honey, done with the bike and starting the marathon... looking goooood!

Here's my honey - first loop (13 miles, done, 13 to go!)

Second picture at first loop... still looking good!

And, I'm sorry, I didn't get a picture at the 13th hour - I was to excited and nervous!  I will post that picture when I will be able to get it from the professional photograph.

Now that's what 46 years old looks like!!!  Honey, I'm proud of you!  When's the next one?  Just kidding!!!!

WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

A few nights ago we had dinner at Mixto, a latin restaurant in Wilmington, North Carolina.  First, let me say this - the riverfront is just simply beautiful!  Very clean, quaint 'boardwalk'.  AND, the people are just so polite and friendly.

Okay, back to the restaurant!  Mixto.  The drinks were wonderful - mojitos.   We had this great cheese 'dip' or fondue as and appetizer and it was delicious!  The girls (the teen brought a friend, let's call her Mimi) had burritos.  They said they were good.  The little guy had a taco (ground meat) - he said it was good.  The honey had chicken mole, he said it was delicious.  I had the 'award-winning' salad.  Very good!

There was homemade salsa, also very good.  I don't know why this restaurant is not advertised anywhere, as it is very fresh and delicious.  There is in-door and out-door seating.  Here's the address:

MIXTO RESTAURANT

5 S Water St
Wilmington, NC 28401

(910) 399-4501 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (910) 399-4501     

Okay, one draw-back!  The service is a little on the slow side, but after having lived in Paris....we're used to slow!  The service is very polite, though!

LAKE PLACID IRONMAN

My husband is doing the Lake Placid Ironman next weekend (wish him luck!).  If any of you have ever been to an Ironman, the emotions run high.  The competitors are usually type-A personalities (i.e: my husband), people who have been through hell and back (a disease or a handicap), or 'normal' people that train and want to finish (and when they do - a lot of crying goes on). 

It is very nerve-wracking for the spectators.  You are always on the look-out for the person that you are cheering-on.  My husband usually tells me, "I'll be out of the water by this time, off the bike by this time and I should finish by this time".  Well!!  They never really start on time, so his times are always off - hence, a lot of worrying goes on.

He wakes up at around 4am so that he can eat and digest the 'protein cake'.  I always make sure that I know what he is wearing so that I can somewhat easily spot him in the crowd.  The hardest is when he comes out of the water.  I usually have my daughter on the look out for him and I'm holding the camera.  In Monaco, she was the picture taker and I was the spotter.  Once, I told her that he was out of the water and to get ready to take the picture, she froze and got all teary eyed - suffice it to say, I had to take over!  There is a wonderful picture of him in Don Fink's book, "Be Iron Fit, 2nd".   Don Fink is his trainer. 

He will then go - swim, bike and run (a marathon).   It will take him about 12 - 13 hours.  Yes, you read correctly.  He will exercise for that amount of time - straight!  A lot of people say, "Why?".  Hey, I ask myself the same question!  He loves it.  It's his passion...  and being 'mid-life', I'm happy that his (other) passion is swimming, biking and running ;)

If I have inspired anyone - here is the Ironman address:

http://www.ironmanusa.com/

I HATE TO MOVE

Okay, let's face it, I hate to move!  Not only do I have to deal with the schools, here in NJ, but the school in NC - 2 kids, one in elementary school and one in high school.  I also have to deal with the house here, in NJ, keep it clean (HA!) to sell it, AND I have to think about the house in NC (what colors we need to paint the walls, furniture we may need or not need, etc...).

Of course, the housing market is not what it used to be.  The last house we sold in 24 hours - Yes, that's HOURS.  We are now in the 4th week for this one. 

The honey and I are about to not talk to each other.  That's the trick we've learned after 13 moves in 17 years of marriage.  I don't know what Dr. Phil would say about that, but it works for us.  We stay civil and respectful, but 'communicate' as little as possible.

Right now he's in Greensboro, NC.  We have the house inspection tomorrow.  I hope that goes well!

As you may realize by reading this post - I'm stressed, I'm tired, I've had it!  I can't wait to write from my deck in NC.  That will be a good, positive post, I promise!!  :)

EXPAT ON THE GO...

Here we go again.

My husbands' company closed its 'global headquarters', here in NJ.  A few people got to relocate to Greensboro,NC and my honey was one of them.  He's the 'global Risk Manager' warrior.

The honey and the kids are in Greensboro, NC, as we speak, to see the new school and some houses.  I am having a quiet night at home - super clean home, because we had a realtors' open house today.  I will have a 24 hour period of quiet and calm.

My daughter shed tears, as we told her the news.  She is now sharing the news with her friends and the people at her present school.  My little honey tried to find my honey a job in NYC, by looking for a job on the internet.  You see how your children deal with stress, when you make them deal with it.

The little honey said he would write, "This house stinks" on the sheet describing our house (the realtors' description of the house).  He then said he'd, "draw fire coming out of our house" - on all the sheets).

My teenager tells me that, "Everything is okay" - I don't like that - I don't trust that. 

We'll see ... I think I'm still in denial because I really like my area and neighborhood.  At this exact moment, what is important is to sell this house and not have to worry about keeping it clean all the time.

Right now I'm into watching, "Weeds".  WOW... loving it!  Watch it, it's great!

See y'all... ;)