Treat Yo Self at MThai

So in an attempt to keep the blog going, I will also be sharing things I've written in other places. This was my first piece for Las Morenas de España, waaaay back in 2015 (March 22, to be exact).
It's about my visit to MThai Massage School in the center of Madrid. I love this place so much, as a matter of fact,I still go there! I hope you enjoy it: 

Treat Yourself: A Day at MTHAI Spa

En Mi Cocina

SO, the fuckery continues, even though I don't post as much as I should! I'm working on that, I swear. Especially since - This just in - I have successfully renewed my position here in Madrid. More on that later.

Cooking has been a big thing here in Madrid. It's the same as anywhere: it's cheaper to cook at home, and eating out is expensive. Plus, I'm in a new country so I don't know what most of the things here are called. Thank goodness for the 3 semesters of Castellano I took in university, and the year I took in high school (¡Hola, Señor Buerkle!), or  I wouldn't even know what I'm buying. Oh, who am I kidding? I usually don't know what I'm buying.

It has been much easier to eat better here. The produce is fresh, and it is EVERYWHERE. My fridge is always stocked with spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, and fruit. Yay fruit!
You know what I haven't found here? SOUP. Like canned soup. There is no Progresso, no Campbells, nope. You either get it in a packet, a pouch, or in a pour thingie like Stock or something. Sooooo, I have been learning to make my own soups.
(This is from 2014... turns out I have tons of half-thoughts that I never finished. Me again!

This Year in a Nutshell

Some things are old AF, yet some things are still shiny and new. I realize that sometimes I start things without finishing. It's been a struggle and a challenge, but it seems that midway through 2019... I'm still learning lessons. I've lost some friends to death, and others to arguments, yet I'm still standing. I've decided my next couple of steps but now I need to actually begin and follow through. Lord, send me the motivation... It's out there somewhere.

...right? Don't mind me. I'm just thinking.
-K-

Sometimes I write...

Yes, it's a fact: sometimes I write things. And occasionally they get published. I'll be using my space to share things I think of, so let me start with the latest article from The Local, Spain which was published last month. Introducing "The ABCs of Teaching English". Enjoy!

Like a Phoenix from the ashes...

My black ass is back! Okay, I didn't die or anything but I haven't been here for a minute. So, what's new with me? Well... 2018 has been a hard year. If we're talking about death, it's certainly been around. January brought the loss of two dear friends, within two weeks of each other. It was extremely surreal, painful and I still don't feel like I've completely recovered.

I'm still here in Madrid and loving it. But my body hasn't been loving me back. Late last year I started to notice a pain in my right knee. I figured it was nothing much that a little yoga couldn't work out, and I just tried to take it easy in spinning class. But it didn't get better. It got progressively worse until I had to drop my dance classes, stop going to the gym, and eventually - I had to stop walking altogether. Turns out I tore my meniscus. Yeah... that hurt. This brought forth a series of firsts: the first hospital stay, first surgery, first time using crutches... you get the idea.

Last month I turned 39 years old. Five days later, my [maternal] grandmother died. That was the biggest blow of the year. I flew home to New Orleans for the funeral and was able to spend some time with my family. I'm thankful for that. When I arrived back in Madrid my sister and family decided to surprise me with their own visit. It was great because she hadn't been here since 2014. My nephew Christian made his first trip abroad at 17 years old, and I loved having him here and showing him around. So just like everything else 2018 has been full of ups and downs.

Through all of this is something I haven't posted about before on my page. I'm a comedian. No, really: I started doing stand up comedy 2 years ago. If you've encountered my page before, this may not surprise you. But I finally worked up the guts to get up in public and do the damn thing and turns out I'm not half bad. I'll post my debut here (it was my first time. Be gentle. Oh, and take your headphones off/turn volume down at 7:28. You're welcome.), and there'll be more to come. You have been warned.

So: where is my head at with MiE? Well, I just want to write more. I've already written some articles, which I look forward to sharing with you. It's been five years now (can you believe it?) since I received the letter that changed my life and plopped me into Madrid. I've taken a lot of trips, had some great experiences, and I want to finally share the old and the new. Thanks for being here. See you soon.
-K-

Back in the saddle again.

It's been entirely too long since I made an update here. I'm aware of this. Every time I sat down to write something I got distracted or saved an entry and never updated it. The photos I took in Granada and Málaga were supposed to be uploaded, but now they may be lost forever, and it's my fault. So I'm taking this time to re-evaluate the site: What I want to to with this space, what I want to write about, and what I want to put up here. I know I want to share more of my writing (now that I'm writing again), and my recipes. So here, I want to make a commitment to you and myself. I want to upload something AT LEAST once a month. I want to write more, cook more, share more and learn more Spanish!! 

As I prepare to enter my third (OMG can you believe it!?) year here, I'm setting more goals and making a plan to make my life in Spain continue to grow and prosper. So there. Here's to my return to writing, creativity, and remembering how great life can be. Cheers!

Real Talk

     When living abroad, it's easy for others to believe that your life is all rainbows and sunshine. After all: You left the country! You're taking pictures from all these exotic locations, and filling social media with pictures of amazing food. Why wouldn't your life be something from a fairy tale? It's easy to pretend that going abroad and “living the dream” is where your problems end, and for a lot of people, that's all they want to hear. However, there is a dark side to all of this. There are things that make it hard to be where you are, and certain things you must accept in order to make this choice.

     For example: My mother has been in the hospital twice this year and now my grandmother, her mother, is in the hospital. And there is absolutely nothing I can do. I can only sit here, make calls over the internet, worry, and cry. Don't forget the crying. When you move to another country, you accept that things will happen at home, and you won't be there. We watch our friends' and families' lives: engagements, marriages, births, and deaths, over the internet. It is a decision that we make, and a choice we must live with. There is no easy way around it. 

      Living as an expat is not always fun. You have the same things to deal with in your home country. Sometimes it is in a different language, thus increasing the fun (just kidding, there's nothing fun about opening a bank account, renting an apartment, or other fun stuff in a language you barely speak). No one mentions the things that also come with being an ex-pat: The isolation, the comments, the stares, the homesickness, the depression, the helpless feeling when something happens at home, the uncomfortable feelings when encountering cultural norms, etc. I plan to talk about these things more in this space. There have been some AMAAAAAAZING times I've had here in Spain, and there have also been lows. They are not uncommon, but I don't always know how to deal with them. I will find a way to overcome certain things that [occasionally] make me forget what an opportunity I have here. I will find a way to deal with my decision, even when I have to return home to bury my dead. 

     Sorry for the morbid post. I told you: It's not all rainbows and sunshine. 

-K-