Time for a new post.
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While I honestly should be spending any spare minutes I have on school work and preparation for exams, I feel compelled to write during busy and stressful times such as these. Writing helps clear my head and provides me with insights into my life that my mind would otherwise pass over or ignore. This is my way of meditating. This is my way of finding clarity.
I had an extremely restful and fun weekend. I needed that, desperately. A good balance of productivity and playfulness that did my body and mind good.
Thursday, I woke up early and put in an awesome double Insanity workout. It felt great to be back in the gym after having taken several days off last week to recover from a nasty stomach bug. I didn't push myself "to the max", but I took my time, sweated it out and worked my entire body. It felt good and empowering. I then caught the shopping van and headed to a newer mall here in Riyadh called Hayat Mall to go grocery shopping. Usually I get my groceries with friends who offer me rides generously, but this time I wanted to go slow, take my time and enjoy getting my groceries as opposed to rushing through like usual. It was so pleasant. The Danube Hyper Market (grocery store in the mall) is absolutely amazing. They had an Organic section and a Gluten Free section (first I've ever seen in Riyadh). Their produce selection was quite good and everything in the store was laid out so nicely. I spent a good 2 hours wandering up and down the aisles (my incredible finds: Agave Nectar, Bob Mill's Organic GF Cinnamon Oats, Swiss Chard, Amy's Butternut Squash soup and Green and Black's 85% Dark Chocolate....mmmm). I concluded my shopping outing by grabbing a cinnamon tea and reading at a coffee table....not in a family section. This was the first time I've ever seen a public coffee shop that allows both men and women to sit outside in non-segregated sections. I felt like such a little rebel!
That evening my great friend Alex and I got all dolled up for the Winter Wonderland Formal hosted at the US Embassy. Her husband was away in Bahrain for a boy's weekend, so we decided to have ourselves a girl's night out. Unlike most of the wives here, Alex loves getting dressed up, going out, dancing and having a great time. I shouldn't say most wives don't like those things, but since so many of the married couples here have small children, their priorities have understandably shifted. Alex and I are two of the youngest teachers at school and therefore have bonded over our mutual love of dresses, Gin and Tonics and curled hair.
We weren't allowed to bring our phones or cameras into the event but it was truly beautiful. The bar at the embassy was decorated with Christmas decor -- fake snow, white lights, pine trees, blow up snow globes, Santa's and snow flakes. The food was absolutely delicious: assorted sushi, Caprese salad, slow cooked pork (we were at the American embassy after all), curry, roast chicken, thai stir fry....I ate so much dinner I had to forgo dessert (which looked delicious: pecan, pumpkin, raspberry and chocolate pies).
We danced the night away with some colleagues of ours as well as some new friends. I have to admit, it was so refreshing to be at a non-school event. I didn't know the majority of the people around me, but rather than feel awkward or out of place, I felt relieved. It was nice to be able to dance my heart out without fear of judgment or the feeling like I'm being watched.
Friday was slow and lazy, but delightful. A recovery day. I scrambled to complete a little bit of work in the evening, talked to my dad on Skype for half an hour and was in bed by 8:30 pm.
It is so easy to get caught up in stress. It is so easy to lose perspective and feel as though the entire world is against you. Working out, eating healthy nourishing foods, and planning out little events in my life are my simple but incredibly effective strategies for maintaining my joy (and sanity). I have slow days and sad days of course, but my ability to "bounce back" from those bumps in the road is obviously the result of my hard work maintaining a "health and wellness-centered life" characterized by passion and joy in all that I do.
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Alex encouraged me to buy this dress....my first ever "skin tight mini"! She's dramatically helped boost my confidence.
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While I honestly should be spending any spare minutes I have on school work and preparation for exams, I feel compelled to write during busy and stressful times such as these. Writing helps clear my head and provides me with insights into my life that my mind would otherwise pass over or ignore. This is my way of meditating. This is my way of finding clarity.
I had an extremely restful and fun weekend. I needed that, desperately. A good balance of productivity and playfulness that did my body and mind good.
Thursday, I woke up early and put in an awesome double Insanity workout. It felt great to be back in the gym after having taken several days off last week to recover from a nasty stomach bug. I didn't push myself "to the max", but I took my time, sweated it out and worked my entire body. It felt good and empowering. I then caught the shopping van and headed to a newer mall here in Riyadh called Hayat Mall to go grocery shopping. Usually I get my groceries with friends who offer me rides generously, but this time I wanted to go slow, take my time and enjoy getting my groceries as opposed to rushing through like usual. It was so pleasant. The Danube Hyper Market (grocery store in the mall) is absolutely amazing. They had an Organic section and a Gluten Free section (first I've ever seen in Riyadh). Their produce selection was quite good and everything in the store was laid out so nicely. I spent a good 2 hours wandering up and down the aisles (my incredible finds: Agave Nectar, Bob Mill's Organic GF Cinnamon Oats, Swiss Chard, Amy's Butternut Squash soup and Green and Black's 85% Dark Chocolate....mmmm). I concluded my shopping outing by grabbing a cinnamon tea and reading at a coffee table....not in a family section. This was the first time I've ever seen a public coffee shop that allows both men and women to sit outside in non-segregated sections. I felt like such a little rebel!
That evening my great friend Alex and I got all dolled up for the Winter Wonderland Formal hosted at the US Embassy. Her husband was away in Bahrain for a boy's weekend, so we decided to have ourselves a girl's night out. Unlike most of the wives here, Alex loves getting dressed up, going out, dancing and having a great time. I shouldn't say most wives don't like those things, but since so many of the married couples here have small children, their priorities have understandably shifted. Alex and I are two of the youngest teachers at school and therefore have bonded over our mutual love of dresses, Gin and Tonics and curled hair.
We weren't allowed to bring our phones or cameras into the event but it was truly beautiful. The bar at the embassy was decorated with Christmas decor -- fake snow, white lights, pine trees, blow up snow globes, Santa's and snow flakes. The food was absolutely delicious: assorted sushi, Caprese salad, slow cooked pork (we were at the American embassy after all), curry, roast chicken, thai stir fry....I ate so much dinner I had to forgo dessert (which looked delicious: pecan, pumpkin, raspberry and chocolate pies).
We danced the night away with some colleagues of ours as well as some new friends. I have to admit, it was so refreshing to be at a non-school event. I didn't know the majority of the people around me, but rather than feel awkward or out of place, I felt relieved. It was nice to be able to dance my heart out without fear of judgment or the feeling like I'm being watched.
Friday was slow and lazy, but delightful. A recovery day. I scrambled to complete a little bit of work in the evening, talked to my dad on Skype for half an hour and was in bed by 8:30 pm.
It is so easy to get caught up in stress. It is so easy to lose perspective and feel as though the entire world is against you. Working out, eating healthy nourishing foods, and planning out little events in my life are my simple but incredibly effective strategies for maintaining my joy (and sanity). I have slow days and sad days of course, but my ability to "bounce back" from those bumps in the road is obviously the result of my hard work maintaining a "health and wellness-centered life" characterized by passion and joy in all that I do.
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Alex encouraged me to buy this dress....my first ever "skin tight mini"! She's dramatically helped boost my confidence.
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