Things That Make Me Uncomfortable

Day 3, Friday: Things that make you uncomfortable

Conflict- Conflict has always made me super uncomfortable.  It doesn't make a difference if I am involved in the conflict or not- I always get super uncomfortable.  It must be the middle child in me :-)  I'm a people-pleaser and a peace maker.  When people around me are having some sort of conflict, my instinct is to either escape/avoid the situation all together (that whole flight instinct) or to do something to try and make the conflict stop and the people happy or at least peaceful again.  I know it's totally not healthy to be uncomfortable with conflict and confrontation, but I just can't seem to lose this habit.  I have gotten a little better over the years, especially in work and professional situations, but it is still something I need to work on... or just continue to avoid :-)

Close Talkers- you know who I mean.  That person who doesn't get that concept of personal space- especially during conversation.  It gives me the creeps just thinking about it. 

Oversharing- Over the phone, in person, social media, or in public places- I get really uncomfortable when people overshare personal information.  It's a little like the concept of personal space I guess... an oversharer makes me feel like they're somehow invading my personal space.  But above all else, often times when people overshare, it makes me feel embarassed for that person.  And I hate having to feel embarassed for someone else. 

Speaking Spanish- I took Spanish classes all through elementary and high school and then went on to major in Spanish in college.  I even studied abroad in Spain and lived with a Spanish speaking family.  I think it's pretty safe to say that I was pretty darn close to being fluent. However, I feel like I have "lost" so much of my Spanish, and now I hate that I feel super uncomfortable and unconfident speaking Spanish.  I get flustered and embarassed now.  I can bust it out when I need it (speaking to students or students' parents, translating a note to send home to parents, eavesdropping on unsuspecting people in public :-), etc.), but it's more effort than it used to be.  I think my frustration is mostly just that I realize how rusty I am now compared to where I once was.  I notice that my listening and reading skills are still pretty strong- it's just the speaking part where I now get super uncomfortable.  I would be so disappointed if I really did "lose" my Spanish, so I really do need to make an effort to practice more often.  Too bad those opportunities are few and far between in Australia...

Catch up with my "Blog Every Day in May" here:
Day 1
Day 2

Something I (am not embarassed to) Know A Lot About

Day 2, Thursday: Educate us on something you know a lot about or are good at. Take any approach you'd like (serious and educational or funny and sarcastic)

This was a challenging prompt for me! Like a lot of people, I tend to be overly critical of myself, and so I had a hard time identifying something about which I felt confident "tooting my own horn." So, I opted I'd go the non-serious route...

I know a lot about reality television. Probably too much as far as most people (my husband being one of them) are concerned, but I am unashamed. You name it, I probably watch it at least somewhat religiously and can recite random facts about the show/contestants. I love it all. I realize it is most likely rotting my brain, but I'm willing to take my chances :-)

What I'm Currently Watching and Know A Lot About:

Dancing With the Stars (watching an episode as I type this)

For some reason, this show makes me tear up at nearly every episode. I don't know what it is. I think it has something to do with the fact that I danced for nearly 15 years, and watching this makes me miss dancing. At the school where I taught in Houston, there were a group of teachers who watched religiously and would recap/analyze/wager in the teachers' lounge the days following the show. At the end of the last season before I moved away, I had several teachers over for a finale watch party. It was a blast!

The Voice (this is the VOOOOIIIIIICE!)

Again with the crying on this one. Can't explain it. And plus, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton?! What more could you ask for?! Oh wait, how about Usher- that's what more you could ask for! :-)

Ready For Love

I got really invested in this new show from the first episode. It's like a much smarter "Bachelor." They actually use professional matchmakers to screen and coach the girls on dating and relationships. However, I just learned that it's being cancelled and the rest of the season will only be shown online. Sad!

More Trash Shows I've Been Known to Obsess Over:

*this list may or may not be exhaustive....

The Biggest Loser

Another cry-inducer for me. It has proven impossible for me to get through an episode of this show without shedding at least a few tears. And I'm a sucker for a good Jillian Michael's reaming.

The Bachelor / The Bachelorette

I think I have watched nearly every season of this show. Half of the fun of watching this one though is poking fun at some of the ridiculous situations and contestants. This past season, my sister and I tried to coordinate our cross-hemisphere viewings of the Bachelor and got a kick out of exchanging texts with our insightful/mocking commentary.

American Idol

This is probably one of the shows I'm least invested in. I only started watching in the past 2-3 seasons. I LOVED when J. Lo and Steven Tyler were judges, so I'm missing them this year. Although Nicki Minaj and her shenanigans are pretty entertaining.

Teen Mom

Oh how I miss having MTV. In my previous, MTV-having life, if a Teen Mom weekend marathon was on, I would drop everything and hardly move from the couch. And if there was a Dr. Drew Follow-Up Episode? Even better!

Just About Any TLC Series - (Including but not limited to... Say Yes To The Dress, My Strange Addiction, My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, Sister Wives, A Million Kids & Counting)

The more off the wall, the better. It's the whole rubber-necking phenomenon- most of these shows are just so ridiculous and strange that you just can't help but stop and stare with your mouth open. Also, these shows make me feel so very normal. Sometimes I need that. :-)

The Kardashians (and any of the spin-offs)

This is a bit of a sensitive topic for me right now. This is one of the few shows that I haven't figured out a way to watch in Australia. Of course, this WOULD happen during Kimye’s pregnancy. The horror!

Giuliana and Bill

I actually didn't get into this show until I moved here. I found Season 1 on Hulu and watched the whole thing in record time.  She's a little annoying, but they're so cute together. AND, David even kind of likes this one- he thinks Bill is pretty cool.

My husband is a pretty good sport about my affinity for reality TV, bless his heart. Amazingly though, we have discovered a new Reality TV in Australia show that we both enjoy. It's called "Customs."I'm pretty sure it's actually a UK show, but Australia steals most things from the UK so that would make sense :-) It's basically just about customs officers at airports and all the crazy things they encounter.

Surprisingly, I have never watched any of the Real Housewives series. Shocking, I know! Honestly, I'm pretty sure I would love them, and I think I'm just avoiding them because I am well aware of my addictive reality TV show personality, and I know that if I started, I wouldn't be able to stop. I'm sure it won't be long though…

 

250 Words {Story Of My Life}

As a relatively new blogger still, I'm still exploring and learning the ropes of blogging.  I started my blog mostly to keep my family and friends updated with our life and travels abroad while we live in Australia for the next few years- and I've really enjoyed doing that.  However, I know that my life won't always be full of fun adventures and travels (well, most likely not anyway), but I do still hope that I can continue blogging even after our Australian adventure comes to an end.  I've always enjoyed writing, and I'm kind of re-discovering that "hobby" through this blog.  So, with that said, I'm hoping to "flex my writing muscle" a bit more, and not only write about fun adventures and travels, but also just write about ordinary, everyday life and thoughts that come up.  To help with this effort, I'm going to push myself to participate with Jenni at Story of My Life who is challenging bloggers to blog everyday for the month of May using pre-determined daily prompts.  So without further ado, here is today's post!

Day 1, Wednesday: The story of your life in 250 words or less

I was born in Phoenix, Arizona on March 15, 1984. I'm a textbook middle child, and I love having one sister and one brother.

In first grade, I started my first of what would end up being twelve years of wearing school uniforms and sixteen years of Catholic education. I attended an all-girls high school, where I was mostly an introverted, rule-following, homebody teenager. At eighteen I moved away from home to attend Gonzaga University.  Here I had the best college experience I could imagine and made life long memories and friends. I studied abroad in (and fell in love with) Granada, Spain during my Junior year and got my first taste of traveling and living abroad.

Post-college, I taught for two years in South Central Los Angeles with Teach for America. During this time I learned more about myself, my beliefs, my passion for teaching, and what I was capable of, than at any other time in my life- I also earned my Masters in Special Education.  During this time, I also met my then roommate's brother and fell in love. We dated long distance for too long and before I knew it, he swept me from the beautiful California beaches to Houston, Texas.

My babies in Los Angeles (left) - My babies in Houston (right)

2010 was a big year for us- we got engaged, got married, and bought our first home.

My family on our wedding day.

Less than two years later, my husband's job moved us to Australia, and here we are- working (some) and traveling (a lot). Life is good! 

Day one- check!  252 words, but close enough- right?

Expat to Expat Q & A

Since starting this blog, I've become a bit of an "expat blog junkie."  Many of the blogs I follow are those of fellow expats across the world.  I love reading about other parts of the world, travel adventures, and mostly feeling a sort of camaraderie with people who understand the "expat life."  One of my new favorite expat bloggers, Belinda at Found Love, Now What is co-hosting an Expat to Expat Q&A session, where expats from around the world are invited to answer the same set of questions.  Here's the link to the original link-up post.  The April questions and my responses are below.  Enjoy! 

A bit of my expat background: I now live in Queensland, Australia, but I am originally from Phoenix, Arizona.  I've also lived in Spokane, WA.; Granada, Spain; Los Angeles, CA; and Houston, TX.  I've been in Australia since August 2012. 

1. What was your favorite season back home and is it the same now; why or why not?
In Phoenix and Houston, my favorite season was Spring. Even though Spring in these two places can sometimes be all too short with summer often coming much too soon, I still loved this time.  I love the 70-90 temperature range, blooming flowers, sitting outside, and while teaching I loved taking my kiddos outside during this time. 

2. Is there a place you would want to move to based solely on the weather?
My ideal temperature range is 70-90 degrees. For the two years I lived in California, I got to experience this perfect weather nearly year round.  So, I guess I would move (back) to California, simply for the weather. 

3. What is an article of clothing that you had to buy for your new home due to the weather? i.e. galoshes, winter coat, etc
Having lived in my fair share or warm weather climates (Phoenix, Los Angeles, Houston), my wardrobe didn't really need many additions.  However, I DID have to buy a sun hat.  Australians are really big on sun protection, and just about everyone wears sun hats.  At the schools, teachers are required to wear hats outside, and the students follow the rule of "no hat, no play." 

My trusty Australian sun hat- a new wardrobe staple.

4. Have you found the weather stereotypes of your new home to be true?
Absolutely. Australia, especially Queensland, is probably just how you imagine it- hot and sunny just about everyday.  I've been here 8 months now, and I've been wearing the same clothes the whole time- never once having to cover my arms.  Since summer weather in Houston started in May and I moved at the end of August, this has essentially been what I've dubbed, "The Year of the Never-ending Summer." However, when the weather DOES change here (rain, etc.), the changes can be quite extreme. 

5. Is there somewhere you would never live based solely on the weather?
I do NOT do well with cold weather. Being born and raised in Phoenix truly made me a desert rat. I'd rather be hot than cold any day!  So, with that said, I could never live somewhere with harsh and extreme winters- especially where those winters were mostly gray. The four years I spent in Spokane, WA for college were amazing, but I really struggled with the weather. 

Don't let the smile fool you- I am a HUGE cold weather wimp!

6. What are you looking forward to most this spring?
Well, since Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, we are currently in Fall (strange, I know).  Although, the seasons seem to be more of just a technicality.  Like I mentioned earlier, I've seen very little weather change in the 8 months I've been here. 

7. Where you live, what is your go to outfit for spring?
Again, I've been able to pretty much wear the same types of clothes the entire 8 months I've been here- which consists mostly of what one would consider summer and spring clothes.  If I had to pick a favorite, it would definitely be a sun dress and sandals. 

8. What is one thing or event that you miss that happens back home at this time of the year?
In Houston, the start of Spring (well early March) marks the start of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.  This is basically a 2 week long holiday in Houston.  I was never a huge rodeo/western person, but I LOVE the rodeo. This year was the first time in 5 years I wasn't able to go.  I love the food, the BBQ Cookoff, the great concerts, the rides, and of course, the ridiculous and hilarious tradition of mutton bustin'.

Houston Rodeo 2012 - BBQ Cookoff

9. If your hubs could bring home a bouquet of any type of flower, what you pick?
I love gerber daisies and tulips!

10. What does your perfect Saturday look like?
I LOVE to sleep late, and luckily haven't lost that "talent" yet.  So I'd sleep in with no alarms set, enjoy my favorite meal of the day at a fun brunch restaurant, do something outside (go for a walk, swim, etc.), go shopping, and then enjoy a night of dinner and drinks out with the hubby.

Bonus: Are there any special holidays in your new country in the month of May?
None in May, but April 25 was Anzac Day here. I'm never one to argue with a holiday that provides a day off-even if it did happen to fall on a Thursday this year. 

The Time I Decided to Hurl Myself Off a Bridge

Bungy jumping.  Never have I ever had any desire to participate in this activity.  I always asserted that I would much rather skydive (if that even), than bungy jump.  To me, it just seemed absolutely terrifying.  Oh, and dangerous.  I couldn't imagine why anyone would willingly throw oneself off a perfectly good bridge (or any other structure for that matter).  Nope, not for me. 

When planning our New Zealand trip, it was clear from the beginning that bungy jumping would be one of the activities.  For one, Queenstown is home to  one of the best known bungy sites in the world- the Kawarau Bridge Bungy.  This bridge is also considered to be the first "official" bungy site in the world.  Also, our friend who lives in Queenstown (the one whose wedding we attended in NZ), happens to work in marketing for AJ Hackett Bungy Company, so she had agreed to come along and "host" bungy-ing for her friends who wanted to jump.  From the beginning, I said I wanted to go watch, but I knew I would not be jumping. 

AJ Hackett Kawarau Bungy Centre (too bad the Bungy Bar was closed)

Fast forward to Monday, March 25, 2013. 

I know, right?!  No idea how this happened!! That morning, I had unofficially signed myself up to be the photographer for the other girls who would be jumping.  However, we got to the site, and something came over me and I started to think...

What if I regret not jumping?...
If there would ever be a place to bungy, this would be it...
I know one of the employees here, and she knows all the operators, so it kind of feels comfortable...
They have a perfect safety record, and this place seems legit...

And next thing I knew, my cousin Lee Anne had set the form in front of me to jump tandem with her and then handed me a pen.  And there I was, signing my life away.  And off I went to the bridge.  Honestly, I think it actually helped quite a bit that I hadn't planned on jumping.  That way, I hadn't been worrying about it the night before or that morning.  I wasn't even nervous when they were strapping my legs in.  I must have been in denial/shock.  I truly did not get scared until I was standing at the edge of the platform.  And at that moment, I really did freak out.  I told the guy to untie me and that I didn't want to jump anymore.  I tried to sit back down.  I kept grabbing onto the railing next to me (so much so that an employee had to come and peel hold my hand off of it). 

This is the bridge from which I was about to hurl myself

 

Eek- the view from above!  Somehow I have to make it down there.

 

How we really felt |  Hiding fear with smiles

 

Believe it or not, I wasn't yet nervous at this point

 

I do not remember making the decision to actually leave that platform.  I must have either blacked out or (more likely) I think we may have gotten a gentle push.  All I know is that before I knew it, we were bouncing around at the end of our bungy frighteningly near the river below.  And no, that bounce/snap at the bottom point of your jump does not hurt- it's very smooth.  I didn't even open my eyes, until I felt that bounce.  But when I did, I just remember feeling a mix of excitement, relief, and disbelief.  We were quickly and smoothly lowered down into the boat below.  It took a few minutes before the craziness of what I did hit me- oddly, I started tearing up a little bit.  The adrenaline rush that everyone talks about is real.  And intense. (The photos below are the professional photos taken by the bungy company- they have an amazing camera system set up, and I'm SO glad I have these photos.) 

See my death grip on the rail?

 

Our friend Katie cheering us on

 

 

I love the perspective of this shot

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smiling!

 

Safe!  We did it!

I am really glad that I decided to jump.  I am normally such a wimp and very rarely, if ever do I take big risks.  But, I am really really proud that I did it!  Was it terrifying?  Absolutely.  But, even still, it was such a fun, amazing, thirlling, and unforgettable experience!  I definitely do not regret jumping.  Am I addicted now?  Am I an adrenaline junky?  Do I feel the need to jump again?  Nope.  Not in the least.  I honestly feel no desire whatsoever to bungy again- once is enough for me.  But.  I am so so so glad that I did! 

Watching this video still makes my stomach drop and my heart beat faster.  Oh, and side note- the only reason I would maybe consider jumping again is because as you'll see in this video, we did a wimpy feet first jump/drop- I totally wish I had been brave enough to dive.  Oh, and thanks to Lee Anne who was able to convince the bungy operators to play our requested jump song- "Sail" by AWOLNATION. 

*Well, I can't seem to get the video to upload correctly. :-(  I'll update with the video as soon as I get it figured out. 

Everything In Australia Is Scary!

Before I moved to Australia, I was visiting one of my best friends from home, and her dad sat me down at the computer to show me some articles he had found about how many dangerous and deadly creatures live in Australia (I think they were trying to convince me not to leave).  It did freak me out a little bit, but I took it with a grain of salt.  And off I went to Australia.

Well, it was only a couple weeks after moving before I started to realize he might have been right when I had my first snake and big-as-your-palm-spider sighting, which I wrote about here.  I'm really not a squeamish person when it comes to bugs or other creatures, but Australia really takes it to a new level with their creepy crawlies.  I've quickly developed tendencies like refusing to enter the garage before the door is entirely open so that I have a clear escape route if there happens to be a snake in there, thoroughly inspecting the doorstep and any corners nearby before I will go out any door leading outside, inspecting my shoes for spiders before putting my foot in, etc.  I know it's kind of ridiculous- but in my mind, it's totally necessary.  Now, I realize every part of the world has dangerous animals and conditions, but it's almost comical how extreme many of these things are here.  And yes, Australia does also have many amazing and beautiful creatures, but still...

As if I needed further proof, just the other day, my dad sent me this list of "17 Pictures That Prove Absolutely Everything In Australia is Terrifying." 

See for yourself:

http://now.msn.com/australia-is-scary-a-gallery-of-terrifying-photos

Real Beauty

I was at the doctor's office the other day waiting to be called for my flu shot (it's fall and the start of flu season here), and this ad came on the waiting room television.  I was immediately transfixed, and by the end I was definitely drying my eyes a bit.  This has such an amazing and powerful message.  I really do think every woman should watch.  Well done, Dove!