the writer's block: self-love

today we're going to talk about a something that I think a lot of us [including myself] have struggled with: self-love.

I truly believe that loving yourself is the basis for having a healthy and rewarding relationship with anyone else. regardless of being single, married, or otherwise - you should treat yourself with respect and kindness. because, gosh darn it, you deserve to be loved.

now that you've heard my two cents, I have some more advice from two very lovely 20-something ladies. both of them are into coffee, travel, and creativity [so I know you'll like them.] I asked Megan and Annie a few questions about how they love on themselves. I hope you enjoy what they have to say, and be sure to check out their blogs for more.

the basics: Hello, it’s Megan of The Artistic Brunette - lover of music, coffee, seeing beautiful places and life! Visit the artistic brunette to learn more about amazing places to get a bite to eat, countries and places to explore, my latest life endeavors and tips on navigating a career as a 20Something. Come join the music!

three things that you love about yourself:
1. I love my ability to plan something from start to finish.
2. I love the fact that I am talented at working in the arts and non-profits bringing music to the world.
3. I love that I have a heart to help people and make them laugh.

how do you practice self-love?: Every week, I write down five things that I love about myself on my white board. This is so every time I leave for school, it is the first thing I see.

imagine the perfect date... with yourself. you have a private jet and unlimited funds available. where would you go and what would you do?: If I took myself on a date, I am sure it would be non-stop. I would have my own jet plane (heck I'd just invent a transporter), and I would first take myself to the streets of Paris, France for a croissant and coffee for breakfast. I would munch on this with the Eiffel tower in the background. Then I would beam over to Amsterdam to take a quick bike ride around the city and take pictures of tulips. Hehe I would most likely spend the afternoon sitting at a cafe in Salzburg drinking a coffee and eating a mozart kugel. Maybe I would even read my favorite book while people watching. It would be hard to decide where to end the day for dinner. However, I know I would dress myself up in an elegant gown, maybe eat on the canals of Venice then spend the night dancing at a ball in Vienna's Habsburg palace. Yes, I would get around. 

learn more about Megan on her blog: The Artistic Brunette

check out a few of her favorite posts:

linkedin it to the next level

another sunny winter day in San Diego

or follow along with:

facebook + twitter + bloglovin

the basics: I'm a 23-year-old working in finance and recently published author. Jesus, words, and new places set my heart afire. I write mostly about faith and travel, but I've written a more than necessary share of posts about TV shows (primarily Downton Abbey and Once Upon A Time).

three things that you love about yourself:
1. My tenacity. When I'm determined to know or do a thing I go after it singlemindedly.
2. My legs. I played soccer for ten years and since the gyms I played at growing up rarely had soccer balls, I practiced kicking with basketballs instead. I have some pretty strong legs!
3. My hair. Okay, this one I'm still wrestling with, because my hair is a beast. But I can curl or straighten it as I please and I love that! Just pass a bottle of hair spray... or two.

how do you practice self-love?: I'm a highly sensitive introvert, which means I'm highly reactionary to new things and people and energize in solitude. I take time out of my day to spend by myself, usually at Starbucks with a latte in arm's reach.

imagine the perfect date... with yourself. you have a private jet and unlimited funds available. where would you go and what would you do?: I'd travel the world. The first five places I'd go are Ireland, Germany, Israel, South Africa, and Australia. I'd spend my time wandering the major cities, visiting the main tourist sites but digging deep into the fabric of the native culture at the same time. I'd write about it all and then publish a book about it.

any other thoughts or advice on self-love?: I think knowing how you function is critical in figuring out how best to take care of yourself. I'm frazzled when I spend all my time with people, even though I love them, so to best maintain my friendships, I have to be protective and deliberate about my time alone. I've taken a few personality tests - Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, and the Enneagram - and they've been really helpful in figuring out how I best operate.

learn more about Annie on her blog: What She Saw

check out a few of her favorite posts:

to live free

on safari

or follow along with:

twitter + instagram + pinterest

ps- if you'd like to be a part of next month's writer's block post [and hang out on my sidebar] there are still sponsorships spaces available! I'd love to have you!

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toaster oven recipes// baked spinach artichoke dip

welcome to the first installation [of what I hope will be many] of: toaster oven recipes.

many of you know that in a previous life I was an avid baker, and even had a blog full of sweets + recipes. then a few things hapened: I became gluten intolerant and I moved to Taiwan, without all my kitchen gadgets.

so what is a toaster oven recipe? these recipes will include things that I bake - yes - in my toaster oven. but also things you can make with a simply equipped kitchen. the tools I have at my disposal will be all that are needed. namely: gas burners, a microwave, a crock pot, and of course the toaster oven. no fancy gadgets and no rare ingredients.

most of the measurements won't be precise. I do own a measuring cup, but not measuring spoons. I use literal teaspoons and tablespoons. if something is too dry, I add more liquid. if I'm short an egg, I improvise. one time I made pie crust using a cheese grater to cut the butter and a wine bottle as a rolling pin. [100% serious] this may not be the best way to communicate a recipe... but this is what life in my expat kitchen is like.

I hope that you will be able to enjoy these recipes in your own home, though they may require some experimentation on your part. but that, my friends, is the true joy of cooking.

ok, let's talk spinach artichoke dip. there are 456,874 other recipes out there on the internet. but once upon a time I had the. best. recipe. given to me as a christmas gift. it was a handwritten copy and if it still exists at all, it's taped inside the cover of one of my cookbooks packed away with the rest of my kitchen back in the states. I could NOT find this recipe online anywhere, so I did my best to recreate it from memory.

8oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded mozzerella
1 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 cup mayonaise
16 oz can artichoke hearts, chopped
12 oz frozen spinach, defrosted
2 cloves fresh garlic
paprika, nutmeg
salt + pepper to taste

let me state loud and clear that this is NOT a healthy version of this recipe. I found plenty that called for greek yogurt or even pureed white beans, but if I'm going to eat spinach dip it's going to be the good [aka the really bad for you] stuff.

start by mixing together your cream cheese, mayo, minced garlic and spices. I never measure spices, but I would guess about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of paprika and nutmeg each. you could also use garlic powder if you don't have fresh on hand. then mix in your shredded cheeses.

we actually buy our spinach fresh here and freeze it ourselves... so I'm guessing I used about the same as your standard box of frozen spinach. if you want more spinach, just add more. I like to crunch up the spinach while it's still frozen to break it into smaller pieces. defrost your spinach in the microwave, squeeze it dry between paper towel, and add to the mixture.

chop your artichoke hearts into bits as big or small as you like and add to the mixture as well. canned or marinated in a jar will both work. spread the dip into a glass baking dish. the dip will melt best if it's about 1 inch thick, so use a larger dish or split into two smaller dishes if you need to. you can cover the dip at this point and keep in the fridge overnight, just let it sit at room temp for a while before popping in the oven.

bake the dip at 350F/175C until the cheese is melted and it's nice and bubbly. mine took 20-30 minutes in the toaster oven. if the top starts to get too brown you can cover it with foil for a bit.

I made this dip for our superbowl brunch and even my friend's cat, Blanca, couldn't resist.

[and I couldn't resist sharing this beautiful fuzzball. can you tell I miss my cats? anyway...]

spinach artichoke dip is one of my favorites, and this recipe is full of creamy melty and garlicky goodness. serve the dip with tortilla chips or pita crisps and watch it disappear. leftovers can be reheated in the microwave... if you have any, that is.

enjoy!

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how to find an international teaching job

I get a lot of emails with questions about moving abroad to teach. I’ve sent the same response so many times, I figured I should just write a series of blog posts explaining. I myself am not a teacher so I cannot answer all of your questions... but 95% of my friends are teachers, and Husband did assist in the writing of this post. hopefully it will give you a better idea of the process of getting hired to teach overseas. [if this is not something of interest to you, please come back tomorrow for a less wordy post!]

first, I want to be clear that this is only one of many ways to pick up your life and move to the other side of the world. this is simply our experience. second, if you are looking for information on becoming an ESL teacher and going into a program for specifically teaching English [either to adults or at an after-school program for children] this is not going to be helpful for you. if anyone reading this has done that and has information to share, please let me know because I would be happy to point people in your direction!

what this post will give you is: information on how you, as a certified teacher, can find a position teaching American curriculum classes at an international school somewhere else in the world. and all in 5 easy steps... ok, not really that easy but I'll try to break our experience of the job fair and getting hired down for you.



step 1: decide to go

the summer of 2011 was when we definitively knew we wanted to move abroad. Husband was teaching in Philadelphia at the time, and the district was in severe debt and making extreme cutbacks and layoffs. I was stressed out and unhappy at my job and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. we had been tossing around the idea of moving abroad for years, and it felt like the time was right to give it a try.

that fall we started exploring our options. Husband was lucky enough to keep his teaching position [his hire date was one week before the cut that fall] but things were not optimistic for the next school year. we considered several options but decided to go through a group called ISS/ International Schools Services to find a job.

step 2: research schools + locations

ISS reviews schools to ensure they are to a certain standard, and at the time they also reviewed candidates before allowing them access to their full website and job listings. you upload your resume and cover letter to their database where schools can search for teachers and contact them if interested. [as a non-teaching spouse, I was also required to write a letter about myself.] candidates can also search schools and open positions, and contact schools they like.

the initial list that we made of places we would like to go was pretty much thrown out the window once we had access to the job openings for high school social studies teachers. Husband has spent time in Turkey and we had considered it one of our top choices… but there is a law about only Turkish Nationals being allowed to teach History in Turkish-run schools. there was only one school which had an exception. we had also been very interested in South America [where I could use some of my high school Spanish experience] but openings were sparse.

the majority of positions were located in Asia and the Middle East. to be honest, I wasn’t completely comfortable with moving to either of those areas. but the choice was to make peace with a little discomfort, or to can this whole idea. so I sucked it up and we started researching those schools.

one upside to working in Asia or the Middle East is that the ratio of salary to cost of living allows you to save much more than working elsewhere in the world. I would love to move to Europe… but we would not be able to survive on a single salary there. being able to save money for our future was not the main reason for moving abroad, but it was definitely an important factor in choosing where to go.

once we had access to the full ISS site and listings, we signed up to attend one of their job fairs. ISS holds several, usually starting in Europe in December, then in Asia and the US during January and February. the February 2012 job fair was being held in Boston – thankfully within a days drive from where we were living in Princeton, NJ.

step 3: contact schools of interest

one thing that gave us an advantage was to start contacting schools several months before the job fair. I went through the listings and made a master spreadsheet of all social studies openings- including their location and information on salaries and benefits. we emailed every school we had interest in, though not all of them responded. we were also contacted by some other schools that were interested in us.

we emailed back and forth with several recruiters, most of them wanting to meet at the upcoming job fair. Husband did a pre-interview over skype with one school. we left for the fair with three or four good prospects, but open to other opportunities.

when we arrived, we had a bit of a shock. one of the schools we had been in talks with didn’t show up to the fair. they had gone so far as to offer me a part-time job as a teaching assistant… but apparently they had decided to fill their positions elsewhere and save the air fare of coming all the way to the states. there were a few other openings that had somehow been filled, but also a few new ones listed.

the first few days of the job fair are supposed to be for attending school presentations. we went to a dozen meetings the first day. I took thorough notes but it all started to blend together after a while. it was a LOT to take in. we were impressed by a few schools that hadn’t even been on our radar. Husband struck up a conversation with a lady in an elevator and ended up with an interview. we had notes in our mailbox from schools we had never even heard of. every break we had was spent looking up new schools and comparing information. it was... chaotic.

ISS also offers several general lectures and forums on various aspects of teaching abroad. these were informative if not a little intimidating. one thing that they really stressed was finding the right school for you, not just picking based on location. the recruiters have a school that needs to function, and they are looking for pieces that will fit well in their school’s community. as Husband says: the “fit” is sometimes a little snug, but the whole point is that they are looking for individuals as much as teachers are looking for communities. matches can be made, but aren’t always 100% perfect. certifications and qualifications are just the first step to the process, cling too hard or be too rigid over what letters follow your name and a school might casually pass. 

the Q+A panel of veteran teachers and administrators really illustrated this point well. one teacher in the audience was quite dismayed at the apparent lack of opportunity. "I teach IB Business, but only two schools even offer it as part of their curriculum! how am I supposed to find a job?" one seasoned panel member [an administrator who had staffed a school in the Persian Gulf during the first Gulf War] responded best: "it might be time to reinvent yourself then, mate. people who can teach - that's what we want to see."

step 4: interview your face off

on the second day of the fair they held open interview sign-ups. each school set up a booth for interested teachers to visit. depending on the popularity of the school, the lines to speak with representatives were LONG. you might wait half an hour to only have 3 minutes to talk to the school and try to sell yourself into booking an interview. [if this sounds crazy - that’s because it is.]

then the actual interviews started. obviously I don’t want to get into the names of the schools and who did what. so let’s just call them school A, school B, etc etc. school A had done a pre-interview with Husband over skype, and made him an offer when they met in person. we still had interviews with schools B and C, and had been contacted by schools D and E. so we had 24 hours to respond to their offer and get in as many interviews as possible [and potentially receive any other offers.]

Husband went off to interview with school B, but unfortunately they were only accepting teaching couples. a few schools have concerns that as a non-teaching spouse you will not be happy and want to leave, taking the teacher with you. hiring couples for openings means they will both have secure and stable jobs and be more likely to stay… plus if the school is covering housing they save money. we have met several couples who have been successful in finding teaching jobs – usually one is certified in a specific subject while the other is more general [for example, elementary ed] so they can be flexible in where to work. having a couple who are both high school English may not be as beneficial.

the interview with school C ended in an offer, so we had our first choice to make. between schools A and C we decided that we would rather live in country A. so we declined school C, but still had more interviews to go through before accepting A.

school D was in mainland China and I locked myself in the bathroom and had a panic attack while Husband was off at that interview. they were impressed with his work so far, but we ran into another common issue. this school [like many other school at the fair] didn’t typically hire first-time international teachers. they scheduled another interview with higher-up administrators to hopefully come to a decision.

school E had an opening that was social studies, but for middle school. both Husband and the school mutually decided that it wasn’t the best fit. but I mention this to [again] bring up the point that you may need to be open to something a little different. if you pen yourself into a specific niche you will have a much harder time than if you are flexible. keeping an open mind will give you more opportunities.

step 5: accept an offer

Husband went through several rounds of interviews before we ran out of time on our offer from school A. school D was not ready to make an offer yet, so we went with school A.

obviously it isn't guaranteed that you will receive an offer, and you aren't required to accept one if you do. but you should know that backing out of even a verbal agreement can get you blacklisted in the international teaching community. if you aren't sure... don't say yes. we knew this was what we wanted to do, so we accepted and signed a contract.

the experience of the job fair was very intense and definitely stressful, but unless you can get hired directly by the school it is your best chance at finding a job. the good news is that [from what all the veteran international teachers we’ve met since have told us] going through the job fair and the hiring process the first time is the real hurdle. once you have an international school on your resume and the experience and knowledge of going through the process, the next time becomes infinitely easier.

good luck and if you have further questions, feel free to contact me via email!

linking up with Expat Diaries and TYS Thursday

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Bali // Luwak coffee tasting

Indonesia is known for its coffee - perhaps the islands of Sumatra and Java sound familiar? in particular, they are known for Luwak coffee. this coffee is special and often expensive because it is so rare. not because of the type of bean, but because of the way it is processed.

during our day of touring the island we stopped to do a coffee and tea tasting to break up the drive. we had a wonderful guide who walked us through a lush little patch of jungle and showed us various plants and the coffee making process. we got to smell all the spices that are grown there – cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, ginger, turmeric, etc etc. and we got to meet a mongoose who helps make Luwak coffee. [though he was too busy napping to pose for a good picture.]

you see, the mongooses in Bali eat coffee beans off the plant. and Luwak coffee is made from beans that have been collected from mongoose poop. that's right, poop. 

before you start gagging, let me explain the rest of the process. the beans are collected, washed, removed from their shells, washed again, dried for 30 days, washed again, roasted and then made into coffee. the digestive process of the mongoose ages the beans in a way that removes some of the caffeine and adds a distinctive earthy flavor.

there has apparently been a lot of controversy surrounding this process and the treatment of the mongooses. the place we visited collects their poop from the wild, and the above mongoose is the only one caged. obviously this takes a lot more work to collect the beans and drives up the price. BUT it's a lot more humane for the mongooses.

Luwak coffee is prepared similar to Turkish coffee. it is mixed with hot water and you must wait for the sediment to settle before drinking. the flavor was surprisingly mild… I definitely still prefer regular coffee. [I need the caffeine.] 

we decided to be brave and try the Luwak coffee. I mean, when else would I have a chance to drink something that's been fermented in the digestive tract of a mongoose? we also tasted regular arabica bean coffee, flavored coffees [ginger, coconut, mocha, vanilla, and ginseng] sampled unsweetened cocoa made straight from the cacao plant, and teas from spices and roots such as lemongrass, turmeric, and ginger.

the four of us decided our favorite drinks were the coconut coffee and the ginger tea [and bought some to bring home, of course.] though I will probably never go out of my way to try Luwak coffee again, it was a fun experience and we learned a lot about the different plants that grow on Bali. if you aren't adventurous enough to try the "poop coffee," I would suggest visiting one of the many other coffee houses for a tasting of a more traditional variety.

the cup of coffee that [ever so appropriately] fueled the writing of today’s post was sponsored by Kayla. she drinks her coffee with cream + a touch of honey and blogs about health, fitness, and her love of running over at FitLifeForward.

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Bali // by iPhone

I'm back from Indonesia and overflowing with photos and stories to share. I loaded all my pictures onto my laptop this morning and sorted through them... you guys are going to be seeing Bali for months. [hopefully, you're alright with that.]

let's start with something simple... the best of Bali by iPhone, along with a few short stories. if you follow me on instagram a few of these may look familiar, but my internet was a little sketchy so not all of these were shared.

we stayed all 10 nights of our trip in Ubud, which is in the middle of the island. Ubud is known as the cultural center of the island, the place where Elizabeth Gilbert stayed in Eat Pray Love, for its food + juices, and as the home of the monkey forest. [many stories regarding the monkeys to come.]

a lot of people go to Bali specifically for the beaches. we went to relax. traveling with two teachers who had just gone 100 school days without a break and one student who was studying to be a teacher meant they didn't care so much where said relaxing occurred, so long as it did. so while we made it to the beach one day of ten, most of our time was spent poolside or at the amazing Mexican joint we found.

we also took some time to see a few temples around the island. it seems that a few select sites have been designated for tourists, while hundreds of interesting gems are tucked away safe from those of us with passports and cameras. I was a little disappointed that we couldn't dive deeper into the culture. but I can respect that they want to keep their temples strictly for worshippers, and not sell them out to tourists.

you couldn't walk ten feet in Ubud without someone asking if you wanted a taxi. if you said "no," they asked "tomorrow?" and would try to sell you a tour of the island / rice terraces / swimming with dolphins / volcano trekking / etc etc. most of these guys were harmless, if only a bit annoying. but then there was this taxi... yes that says "sex" on the side view mirror and the first time we walked past it [because it sat on the sidewalk nearly the entire 10 days we were in Ubud] there was a man with dreadlocks sitting inside of it, literally gnawing on the steering wheel. do I want to take a ride in your rusty sex taxi? no, thanks.

but we saw plenty of beautiful things too. sorbet-colored sunsets and lush jungles, endless tiers of rice terraces and far-off volcanoes. Bali wasn't my all-time favorite vacation, but it was certainly worth the trip south of the equator.

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Taipei // Longshan Temple

if you read this blog [and look at the pictures] you probably know by now I have a thing for the dragon-covered temples that can be found around every corner in Taiwan.

Longshan Temple in Taipei is one of the most famous temples in Taiwan. like many temples, it is dedicated to a combination of Taoist and folk deities [over 165 are worshipped here] and is one of the oldest and busiest religious sites in Taiwan.

if you take the MRT to the Longshan Temple stop, you can exit through an underground mall and surface across the street from the temple. past the gate there is a large courtyard with waterfalls to the right and a golden dragon fountain to the left.

the inside of the temple is packed with worshippers of all ages, burning incense and supplicating the various deities.

do I feel awkward and maybe a little irreverent poking my lens into someone elses' place of worship? yes. but I do my best to stay out of the way and be as inconspicuous as a white girl with a camera can be. [also, I saw five other people snapping away while we were there. so a little less awkward.]

Longshan Temple lacks the gold and sparkle of some of the places I've visited in Thailand, but I find the faded dragons just as captivating. there's just something about detailed tilework and ornate carvings that I love... no matter the culture the come from.

I might be biased with my love of dragons, but I think that Longshan Temple is definitely worth a stop if you're in Taipei - particularly if you've never been to a temple in Taiwan before. the complex is large but not overwhelming, and though every temple is unique, Longshan has a great representation of several different elements and styles.

plus... you could email me to come be your tour guide!

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52 weeks project recap

since we are almost to the end January, I figured I better share the results of my 2013 52 weeks project with you:

I made it through all 52 weeks! and I actually ended up with 53 photos... I'll explain why in a minute.

the simple twine + mini clothespin display I started last January has finally filled up! if you remember, I hung the twine using tiny 3M sticky hooks. I added a few more strands as the year went on.

for a while, I was hanging all of my instax photos here... but I've moved the extra photos elsewhere in the apartment for now.

41// Guang Fu Road
42// dragon archway
43// one of my park writing spots
44// red door + lion knocker
45// plum blossom pavillon
46// the gardens by our lake
47// a striped selfie

48// dragons + power lines
49// roadway gate [more dragons]
50// the egg sculpture
51// Big City Christmas tree
52a// New Year's on the roof - me
52b// New Year's on the roof - Husband

that's right... week 52 has 2 photos. I actually thought I had completed the project, but on December 31st I realized [just in time] that I needed one more. Husband had just come home from school and the sun was setting, so we ran up to the roof to catch the last of the light. there were 2 exposures left on my camera. it only seemed right that we should each have an "end of 2013" photo.

I love this wall so much... every time I see it, I smile. 2013 was an amazing year, and I'm so lucky I can reflect on those memories every day just by walking into my office.

not every picture turned out perfect, and I learned a lot about working with instant film. I definitely think I would attempt this again as another 52 weeks project. but for now, my instax camera will just be for fun.

this year I've decided to tackle a weekly self-portrait. [all of your comments about self-portraits made me really want to try it again!] I may not be sharing them all on the blog, or even telling you that they are part of my project when I post them... but they'll be there. [hint: check out the last photo!]

have you ever done a photo project? are you working on one this year?

see the rest of my 52 weeks posts here:

weeks 1 to 14

weeks 15 to 24

weeks 25 to 40

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