Anniversary Date in NYC

Told in Photos

iPhone screen protector fail

So, after my screen protector started peeling off my phone and looking raggedy Nicholas kept pleading with me to take care of it; to buy a new screen protector and replace it before I scratched my phone.

Like a good wife, I allowed a week or so to pass before I acted on the advice of my husband. I finally made it to a Best Buy today to pick one up. Holy geez, those things are pricey! Mine was around $22 with tax but claims it is military grade, whatever that means, and it has a lifetime guarantee... Well, at least there is that.

Once I got back home and went to work to prep my phone for the new "shield", it appeared that I did damage my screen. There were a few little bubbles... hmm. That looked more like what happens when you put on a screen protector. Wait a minute...

Notice the little bubbles in the bottom corner... yep. Screen protected. 

After doing a quick exam of my phone, it turns out that I had placed a screen protector over my screen protector. Safety first!

In Korea, when you go into a cell store, if your phone looks like it needs a new protector, it is just one of the services they will offer while you talk to them about whatever you came for. It is like an art there. Truly. One of the guys works on it for several long minutes and when he finishes, you can hardly tell the protector is actually on- it is that good. Looks like I had mine replaced the last time I was in one of the stores in Korea and didn't notice!

Celebrating 3 years of Travel,.. I mean Marriage

"Song of the Open Road" 

Allons! the road is before us! 

It is safe--I have tried it--my own feet have tried it well--be not detain'd! 

Let the paper remain on the desk unwritten, and the book on the 

shelf unopen'd! 

Let the tools remain in the workshop! let the money remain unearn'd! 

Let the school stand! mind not the cry of the teacher! 

Let the preacher preach in his pulpit! let the lawyer plead in the 

court, and the judge expound the law. 

Camerado, I give you my hand! 

I give you my love more precious than money, 

I give you myself before preaching or law; 

Will you give me yourself? will you come travel with me? 

Shall we stick by each other as long as we live? 

by Walt Whitman 

Today marks our third anniversary. Unfortunately, Nicholas is in Korea and I am in the US, so we celebrated early in Mexico City and NYC. Of course we did. You are not surprised.

After three years, we have done a whirlwind tour of the world. Our first day of our first year of marriage started out on a plane to our new home in Switzerland. That year we traveled to France several times, Nicholas went to South Africa, we traveled to Spain and ended the year, exactly to the day on a plane back to the US.

Our second year of marriage, we started off in the US then quickly packed and sold our belongings to move back to Switzerland. That year, I came back to the US for a quick tour, then we traveled to the Middle East. We enjoyed Dubai and Abu Dhabi. We did many trips around Europe to see friends, including Belgium, the Netherlands, England, Austria and Italy. We ended the year with a new contract to move to Asia.

Our third year of marriage included a trip to the US, a quick vacation down in the caribbean for Nicholas, and our long flight to our new home in Korea. Nicholas made a visit to Japan, then was off to Dubai, Turkey and Germany for work. I headed back to the US for work and we met up in Brazil. We then headed back to Asia for a couple of weeks before we flew back west to stay in Mexico for two months. After a quick trip to the US, Nicholas flew back to Korea yesterday and I flew to visit my family.

With our track record, I have no idea where year 4 will take us but it seems likely to be an adventure.

I feel incredibly blessed with the chance to travel and live in new countries and learn new languages, customs and cultures. I feel even more blessed to do so with my best friend.

"I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train." Oscar Wilde

I believe

Source: southern-belle-style.tumblr.com via Nicki on Pinterest

Stealing Wall Space

Between the ad & the Banorte sign: two women on sofa. 

On our walk home on Saturday night, we saw a movie playing on the side of a building. There was no sound, but when we turned to see where the film was coming from, it appeared to be someone's apartment! How cool to project out onto a white wall across from your building- love!

Snowing in...Mexico City?

Saturday late afternoon, Nicholas and I went to the movies in Polanco to see Argo. (Great film, go see it.) When we left the theater and walked out into the ritzy, open shopping plaza I thought my eyes were playing a trick on me. I swear I saw snow swirling in the darkening night sky... how the heck?

I was so stunned I could barely get the question out, "Nicholas, is it...snowing?!"

I lifted my head to the snow, just as I would in Cleveland growing up, to let the flakes fall on my face. Could this be happening? I was wearing gold sandals and a light sweater...

Christmas music was playing and kids were running around trying to grab the flakes. Turns out, we were just a part of the show. Even in a country with such a mild climate, the fancy Polanco mall was able to produce some snow for their guests. I have to say, it was kind of cool, but these kids have no idea what playing in snow is like. The red numbness of your fingers from the cold; the cold sting of the snow smacking you in the face, back, arm, wherever your brother takes aim; the not-just-nice-idea of a hot cocoa, but the necessity of one after playing all day in the snow.

*Edited to reflect the perspective that my comment about the economic position of the country was not correct. It is in fact the world's 14th economy, is rich in natural resources and home to the world's richest man. I should have referred to the income disparity and not speaking in simple terms. My apologies to anyone I may have offended. 

Saturday Bazaar

Nicholas and I had a great time strolling through the Saturday Bazaar at Plaza San Jacinto this morning. The weather was perfect and we were able to pick up a few small treats to bring back to wherever we are going next. I cannot wait to hand a couple of the items out! :)

We got to eat delicious taco/quesadillas with tortillas handmade in front of us. Yum!

Perfect start to our last day here!