Just when I was complaining about how lazy I am, I got the call: My security clearance finally came through and I could begin work at the government job for which I was hired ten months ago. So, last week I bid farewell to the Diplocats and the blue velvet sofa and I ventured out of my […]
When I was 28 and had just quit my job as a journalist, got married, and moved to Yemen, I wrote a blog post in which I vowed to never stop with my creative pursuits, and to always live a life of passion. Four years later is probably a good time to revisit my wide-eyed […]
We finally visited Haram al-Sharif – which houses the Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock – this past weekend, after being on a waitlist for a year to get in for a special behind-the-scenes tour of one of the most important religious sites in the world. I often say how everything is complicated in […]
Welp, it’s that annual time where I get restless with my normal gym routine and search for something new. I’m still going to the gym regularly and pushing my way through the same old circuit training workouts (so many squats and burpees and push ups, you know the drill) and I run now and then […]
I’m back in Jersualem, and it’s especially evident that we’ve been living here a year because the things from last November/December are back: There’s the upcoming annual fancy fundraiser at a gorgeous old hotel; the Christmas tree is up Bethlehem’s town square (and another one is up in our living room); and the skies are no longer […]
Readers of this blog: You know I like wine. And at all three of our Foreign Service posts — Sana’a, Madrid, and now Jerusalem — wine has been something of an issue. First wine was an issue in Yemen because there was none. It’s a dry country where booze is haraam, but us crafty Americans […]
Back when we learned we’d be moving to Jerusalem, the thing I was most excited about was the food. And, after 10 months here, I’m happy to report: It has met my high expectations. This part of the world is a vegetarian’s paradise. The creamy cheeses, the crisp salads (eaten with every meal), the hummus, the falafel, the […]
We recently had two long weekends here in Jerusalem (got to love that we get all major American, Jewish, and Muslim holidays off) and Mr. Jerusal-Em and I took advantage with a few weekend trips in the region. First, we finally crossed the border into Jordan, a process made easy by virtue of having Diplomatic license plates (otherwise you’d […]
One of the absolute best parts of living in foreign places is eating delicious local foods and taking those recipes with me wherever I go. I imagine being old and having a recipe book filled with interesting dishes from places around the globe. File under the Spanish section: Two incredible, easy, no cooking required, refreshing-yet-creamy Spanish summer […]
I submitted my graduate school thesis, which is the first 70 pages of my novel. I feel pretty okay about it (not great, because my novel isn’t finished yet). I’ll head to Paris for one last time in July, but already I’m mourning this program ending. Do I really not get to go to Paris […]
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