Globalization at its Finest

Brothers

2011-05-31T13:26:00.003+04:00

Shot this yesterday afternoon during a particularly sweet exchange between the boys. Sebastian is very chatty already and as you can see, Zander is fascinated with him.

Meanwhile, back at the zoo...

2011-05-27T18:02:00.004+04:00

Zander may have a new little brother, but Sebastian isn't the only show in town. In fact, we have a baby elephant in the house as well.

But before he was born...

2011-05-27T17:45:00.004+04:00

Sorry to go backwards for a moment, but who doesn't like to see a big belly?

Zander was a good big brother, even back then. I am fairly positive you could have confused me with the broad side of a barn, but hey, that's what happens when you're pregnant.

That said, I was lucky enough to be part of a pregnancy article in the Middle East edition of Shape magazine (which means I couldn't have been quite as rotund as I think I was). Not only was I in a photo shoot, I also got to review two amazing mom-to-be spa treatments. There are perks to being pregnant and in publishing!

Here I am at 6 months pregnant, demonstrating the sideways lunge. In a surprising turn of events, I am also demonstrating what happens when a make up artist gets a bit over zealous with eye shadow and blusher...

Introducing Sebastian

2011-05-27T17:16:00.008+04:00

Here he is, TL2 in the flesh. Sebastian was born on the afternoon of April 25th, making him exactly two years and one month younger than his big brother.

As with Zander, I was induced when I had Sebastian, but thankfully instead of 16 hours of labor he arrived after only four hours -- and only three big pushes. It was a much smoother process than the first time around, and I was up and taking a shower within two hours of giving birth.

Zander, Tonny (Bas' mom) and Leizl (our nanny) came to the hospital that evening, and immediately Zander was intrigued by his little brother.

For those of you keeping track, this is the same hat Zander wore on the day he went home from the hospital. And both of them seem to have a mutual dislike of the beanie. Oh well. Mama thinks it is cute.

How does a year pass so quickly?

2011-03-24T17:40:00.006+04:00

More than a year has passed since I chased Zander around his room with my mobile phone, hoping to finally show off his prowess in the walking department. As they say, we've come a long way, baby.

Our little man will be two tomorrow, which just doesn't seem possible. Zander is growing into a joyful, silly and wonderful kid. He has a wicked sense of humor and loves to tease (especially his mother).

The past year has been a busy one for Zander. Besides embarking on a 3-week road trip around Europe (Holland, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Germany), he has learned the fine art of charming everyone he meets. His current passions include trucks ("doot doots"), music (particularly Big Band/Swing and um, Radiohead) and story time.

But these days, he's got something else to get excited about. You see, he's about to be a big brother. Yes, I realize that when I was pregnant with Zander I completely forgot to update our blog until a mere month or so before he was born. And this time around...I've done the same thing. Chalk it up to being busy or prenatal porridge brain -- either way, at least I'm predictable.

Zander is particularly fond of my belly. The bigger it gets, the more Zander likes to give my bump a friendly pat whenever it passes him by. And most of the time when I ask him to kiss his baby brother, I get a nice kiss on my navel. I've never seen a kiddo who is so ready to be a big brother!

TL2 (the in-utero name of our soon to be born son) is due to make his appearance in late April/early May. Watch this space for updates. No, really!

Zander, a hairbrush and a tour of his room

2010-03-17T21:30:00.003+04:00

Apologies if you've already seen this on Facebook. But I am very excited to share this video of Zander on the move!

So its been a little while...

2010-03-13T20:42:00.009+04:00

So here's Zander. He's nearly 1 now and I'm just getting around to updating the blog. Sorry, people. Why didn't anyone tell me that being a parent and working full time was a lot of work?!

You may notice that our son looks nothing like me. Sigh. Except for his light brown eyes, he is essentially a clone of his father. Which is good, because I think he's pretty attractive. :)

Well, some updates. About two weeks ago I had my back turned for a split second and when I turned around again Zander was racing across the room after our cat, Eliot. Running, mind you, not walking or crawling. After months of having mama, papa or Gima holding his hand, apparently Z was ready to try this two-legged forward motion thing on his own.

Since then he has only gotten better. He does what my sister calls a "Frankenstein Walk", with his arms straight up in the air while he toddles around the apartment with one of us chasing him to make sure he doesn't blind or otherwise injure himself.

Some kids seem to be pretty timid, but our little man likes nothing more than being hung upside down, tossed around in the air and "dropped" (though I promise that he is safely held by a parent at all times). I've actually started calling him Danger Mouse because really, the kid isn't scared of anything.

A few weeks ago he was standing in his room, holding his papa's hand and he raised his arm in my direction and said, "Mama!" First word and all, so that was exciting. A week later he did the same thing for his dad. And then this week he looked in Eliot's direction and said "Ehhyaa." So with the exception of Gima, the main personalities in his life are now accounted for. Gima keeps trying, though.

As for Zander's parents, Bas' company is growing and thriving, and while he's still on the road with some regularity he is also home quite a lot -- which makes everyone happy.

I am also very busy at work, though we have a few weeks of quiet time after several intense months of utter insanity. In a few days the ter Laares are taking advantage of the lull, though, and heading to a resort about an hour away for a week of well-deserved R&R.

After that, of course, we have some serious celebrating to do: Gramma Carol comes to town to celebrate her grandson's first birthday! Bas' mom is here with some regularity (in fact, she was just here a week ago, and a good time was had by all), but this will be my mom's first trip outside of America. Everyone is very excited and we have some fun surprises in store for her.
Sorry for the unbelievably long delay between posts. Will try to update again soon!

Catching up with Jack and Shirlee

2009-08-12T07:48:00.004+04:00

One of the great things about living in Dubai is that you become friends with people from all over the world. So naturally two of our closest friends are from Idaho! They moved back to the States a year and a half ago and we were so excited to spend a few days with them during our trip.

They brought a trailer up to the mountains, so we would meet up every day for breakfast around the fire (with watermelon juice!), hikes and daytrips! I didn't realize the good folks of Ketchum, Idaho, needed such large chairs, but apparently the town is home to giants.

But besides large accomodation for their backsides, Ketchum residents also spend a fair amount of time shopping. The boys sit outside yet another boutique waiting for the girls to finish window shopping.

Road Trip!

2009-08-12T06:56:00.004+04:00

After two years away from the States it was time to hit the road with Zander. We drove from Billings to meet our friends Jack and Shirlee in Stanley, Idaho, and marveled at all the scenery along the way.

Check it out! No sand and not a camel in sight!

This was the glorious view from Jack and Shirlee's camping spot on Red Fish Lake. I'd almost forgotten that the outdoors could be like this!

Now, you may be wondering how the little guy did while traveling so long (Google Maps said our trip should take 8 hours). Considering that it actually took 10 hours and Bas and I both had completed frazzled nerves by the time we got there, let's just say Zander would rather travel 31 hours between continents than sit for any serious length of time in the backseat of the car.

I did manage to capture him during one of his rare siestas. Here's hoping that next time he's stuck in the car he'll be a bit more pleasant to be around!

Cousins and Grandparents, oh my!

2009-08-11T21:57:00.003+04:00

One of the coolest parts of our trip was introducing Zander to his big cousin Evey. They were pretty taken with one another, and Grampa Doug and Gramma Kathy also seem to be enjoying themselves.

Notice Zander's Missoula duds. Is this a subtle way of luring us back to the Big Sky State?

Grampa Jose

2009-08-11T21:46:00.002+04:00

When you have as many grandparents as Zander you almost need a scorecard to keep everyone straight. But the good news is he is spoiled with folks who love him! And as you can see, Zander is a fan of his Grampa Jose.

I can't quite see the resemblance, but maybe Zander's skin will eventually start to match his mom and grandpa!

Line 'em up and shoot 'em down

2009-08-11T21:32:00.003+04:00

Lest you think our blog is solely devoted to our big-eyed little boy, check out my sharp shooting husband:

In case you're wondering what he's aiming at, those three white specs in the distance are plastic gallon jugs filled with water. Next to them is one of mom's flower beds...

James Bond has nothing on Bas!

With yet another fire arm, Bas and Joe get ready to shoot up more unsuspecting, innocent milk jugs.

Small town American 4th of July

2009-08-11T21:06:00.008+04:00

Ah, the 4th. Parades, super soakers, mardi gras necklaces, taco dip and ice cream...okay, maybe our Independence Day celebrations in Laurel, MT are a bit unique. Doesn't matter, though, because a certain someone finally got a taste of the red, white and blue.

Just in case you can't read the sign in red, it says "How's that hope and change working out for you?" I love America!
An entire row of tractors made up a significant portion of the parade! Fantastic!

Gramma Carol is obviously an old hand at the 4th of July -- and this isn't Bas' first time, either.

Auntie T rocks it out.

Aren't we the picture of the American dream?

Zander saddles up

2009-08-04T06:26:00.005+04:00

It may have been his first time in Montana but based on his clearly natural horse riding ability you would never know it! Here, Zander shows off his skills to Gramma Carol.

This is the "Ooooh Face," which has expressed extreme excitement, delight and/or curiousity since the day Zander was born. The horse definitely ranks in terms of all three!

All in all, Montana had some pretty cool stuff to offer its newest son!

Our Little Rock Star

2009-06-25T20:38:00.007+04:00

When we got home from work this evening we found ourselves sharing our home with this cute little rock star. We didn't realize it but apparently Zander has developed quite a following among the inhabitants of Uptown Mirdif: Gima takes him for a walk every day and I guess he gets a lot of compliments, so today she got him dressed to impress.

In Gima's words, "Everyone appreciates his nice outfits." I mean, seriously? How could you not?!

Thanks, Uncle Joost, for the cool shoes!

A nanny AND a stylist! Gima is the real deal!

Zander Robs the Cradle

2009-06-20T18:47:00.005+04:00

Not long ago, our friend Dora hosted what amounted to a New Parents Night at her lovely apartment. The guests of honor were Zander and Luciana, a two-week old Colombian sweetheart. As you can see, Bas made the introductions between Luciana and her mom, Melissa.

And even Dora got some snuggle time with the little guy! So did Zander knock Luciana's tiny socks off? Only time will tell, but considering that Bas and I met in Colombia who knows what the future holds?!

Our Busy Bee

2009-06-20T13:45:00.005+04:00

Its summer in Dubai, so what better way to spend a Saturday morning than at the doctor's office? Not to worry, it was just Zander's three month check-up. Here he is hanging out on mom's lap waiting for the doctor.

As for the results, he is a cuddly 6.2 kg/13.7 lb and has grown to 62 cm / 24.4 in. According to the charts he has now passed delightfully average and is now well on his way to keeping up with dad's height.

In other news, I went back to work at the beginning of June. That first day was really tough -- especially walking out the door -- but it has actually been a fairly smooth transition. Gima and Zander have a nice routine and while my work isn't quite as insanely busy now as it was before I went on maternity leave I am busy enough to keep my mind off of my smiley little man.

That said, it didn't take too long for Bas and I to realize that we were probably going to drive Gima nuts if we each called several times a day to see how Zander was doing. So now its just one of us calling Gima and then reporting back to the other one. Gima has also figured out if she sends us text messages during the day we stay out of her hair a bit more.

Zander is also sleeping better once the sun goes down and now only needs one visit from his folks in the middle of the night. He's even surprised us by sleeping through the night twice, so we always go to bed hopeful (particularly the doting parent with the night shift!).

Of course, we're all sorts of lucky with Zander, which means that it wouldn't be surprising if he starts sleeping through the night this week...just in time to have his little clock all screwed up with the 11-hour time difference between here and Montana. And that says nothing for the 26 hour door-to-door journey he'll endure first (not to mention his parents!). But at least that means he'll stay awake for the fireworks on the 4th of July!

Just in case you can't wait for Zander's North American debut, here's a sample of just how cute and alarmingly busy he is every morning. Enjoy!

How Times Change

2009-06-14T14:53:00.002+04:00

It wasn't so long ago that these boys were more likely to be snapped playing football or enjoying a pint of Heineken. But now they're also great looking dads! What a difference a few years makes, right?

Zander Mania Sweeps Holland

2009-06-07T19:06:00.008+04:00

This is the happy soul who fell asleep in Dubai but woke up in Holland (well, that's a bit of an exaggeration but you know what I mean). Zander's first flight was a great success, and as you can see here he is a fan of flying. Europe is a bit colder than the Middle East (particularly at 5 am), but Oma Tonny brought jackets of three different thicknesses to the airport in case we weren't prepared (which we weren't).

We had a very nice week with Bas' family and friends, all of whom are now confirmed Z-Philes. Here's just a sampling of Zander's Dutch cuddle time:

And we didn't even come close to getting pictures with everyone who stopped by! Thanks so much for the wonderful presents (the blue mouse in the picture above is a new favorite) and for the great week.

When CA meets DXB

2009-06-06T07:40:00.010+04:00

Fresh from California and her first international flight, Aunt Teresa came to Dubai to rock Zander's world. These two had an instant bond, which was fantastic because it meant that Ma and Pa ter Laare got a few nights of sleep when Auntie T took over (hours of uninterrupted sleep have to be the best present we've received so far!).

But Teresa's trip wasn't all baby-related; this IS Dubai, you know, shopping paradise of the world. And she certainly didn't waste any time...

Spending time with my sister was fantastic and we were all sad it was just for a week. But in that week Teresa really got to learn what this part of the world is all about. Besides hanging out with her favorite nephew and shopping, she rode a camel ...

... and really got in to local culture (perhaps a bit too much)...

We are also incredibly grateful for Teresa introducing us to the bouncy chair, which I am positive is one of the best inventions on the planet. The guy or gal who thought it up deserves some sort of award.

Teresa was also in town just in time to go to the doctor for Zander's 2 month check-up. As of that time (about two weeks ago), our little guy weighed 5.14 kg / 11.33 lb and has grown to 57 cm / 22 in. The doctor says he is smack-dab in the middle of all of the growth charts, so I am pleased to announce that in addition to being gifted, Zander is also delightfully average.

While Teresa's trip was short, it was definitely sweet and we're all looking forward to seeing her in Montana next month.

Ain't nuthin' but a Z thang

2009-05-11T11:01:00.007+04:00

I don't know if you can see it in this picture, but Zander's shirt reads "Mommy's Little Ray of Sunshine." Seems appropriate for this post-Mother's Day update!

We've had a busy couple of weeks. Gramma Kathy and Grampa Doug were in town two weeks ago and cuddled up a storm with our little guy.

It was great to have them here and from the sounds of things they'll be back again soon. It was fun to show them our lives and to give them a taste of Dubai -- not to mention let them spoil our son rotten. Bas and I were even kicked out of the house one night, ostensibly so we could have some quality time together, but we all know it was so they could have Zander all themselves for a few hours! (Btw, it was Gramma and Grampa who were responsible for the Obama shirt in my last post, so a round of applause!)

Since then we've been getting into a bit of a routine around here. While not exactly sleeping through the night, we can more or less guess when Zander will be waking up. The other night he slept for 4 straight hours, so here's hoping he'll continue that trend.

We celebrated Mother's Day early because Bas left on Sunday for a week in Kenya. Friday being our day off, we thought we would just be able to rest and enjoy our cozy threesome, but someone small and toothless had other plans. He spent most of the day alternating between crying and sleeping (more of the former, less of the latter), so Bas and I traded off with naps ourselves. He took the first sleep shift and then spirited off with our son to the mall while I crashed during the second shift. They came home a few hours later with a special Mother's Day present: a very pretty diamond ring. Bas says that when Zander asks for an allowance that he will have to wait a year because he'll be paying off my ring first. :)

As for Mother's Day itself, it was a day of laughing at the hand of fate. In the morning my beloved raced out the door to catch his plane. In the afternoon my son spit up all over me, so much so that it also splashed on the floor. And our evening adventure? Pooping in the bathtub, of course. Ah, motherhood. Thankfully, once the great Crap Exodus was over we had a pretty uneventful night. (Why did no one tell me that excrement played such a huge part in being a parent? Its ridiculous!)

When we got up this morning (and even when the night goes well I am still surprised that we greet the new day relatively unscathed) Zander was feeling chatty. So I popped him in his playpen so he and his new teddy bear could catch up with one another. Turns out the conversation was a bit more physical than vocal, but as you can see, Zander has no trouble expressing himself. I shot this with my phone, so apologies for its Zapruder-like qualities. PS. Super cool outfit courtesy of Gramma Carol who got Skype this week and got to see Zander having breakfast yesterday!

Coming up next post: Aunt Teresa comes to town!

Constitutional Killjoy

2009-04-30T13:22:00.003+04:00

Bad news, Z-Philes: Apparently Zander is out of the running for the Presidency because he wasn't born on American soil. Not too surprising considering the hoops we have to jump through to get his US citizenship, but still!

Oh well. Guess we'll have to settle for him supporting the current US President in the meantime.

Who's your daddy?

2009-04-23T14:16:00.005+04:00

You've seen it before (or perhaps you're all too familiar with it), but there are babies who look nothing like either one of their parents. To test if that's the case for our son, we have a simple quiz.

Which of these pictures is Zander?

Photo A

Photo B

Believe it or not, Photo A is Bas, circa 1975. Photo B is Zander, circa two weeks ago. Of course, if you think all babies look alike then this quiz will have no effect on you. But trust us, the resemblance is uncanny!

Zander meets his constituents

2009-04-23T13:52:00.010+04:00

Zander doesn't know it yet, but his parents have big plans for him when he grows up. In addition to being a world-class football (soccer) player and an eloquent writer, we are already grooming our son to be the first man to ever run two countries. That's right: as a dual citizen of Holland and America (and naturally being fluent in at least Dutch and English), we believe his obvious career path is to become the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, followed by an 8-year stint in the White House. Of course.

How do we know this is possible? Because he's already pressing the flesh, making the rounds, getting to know the people on their terms. Here are just a few of his constituents who are already prepared to vote for Zander. You can tell by the big smiles on their faces.

If they had to vote today, its obvious that Tracey and Jacques would cast their ballot for Zander (nevermind that they're not eligible to vote in either country...).

In a strategy session with my friend and the most organized and clear-headed person I have ever had the pleasure of working for, Zoe:

Even our nanny Gima is all smiles when it comes to Zander's political future.

Now, considering that he's wearing a shirt that says "Macho" while hanging out with Linda may alienate some women voters who are wary of aggressive displays of machismo...

And finally, there's no telling what will come out of it when Niek and Zander put their heads together (but note the Griz t-shirt, which will certainly get the attention of the Montana voters).

Who's that handsome devil?

2009-04-16T12:46:00.003+04:00

Three weeks old and he's finally gotten a glimpse of himself. More like a fun house mirror than the full-length version, I keep telling him that the strange things he experiences as an infant are great fodder for the therapist's couch when he's older...

We had a wonderful time with Oma Tonny last week and it has been a bit of an adjustment to get used to life without her. Zander and Oma are big fans of one another, and there will be much happiness when we're all together again (we've already got our tickets for a week in Holland at the end of May!).

But Zander is nothing if not blessed with a surfeit of grandparents. Next up are Grampa Doug and Gramma Kathy, who will be making their maiden voyage to the Middle East to meet their grandson and of course, to see us, too. We also get to show them our lives here in Dubai, and as those of you who have visited can attest, this is a very different place to call home!

Meanwhile, life with the Little Guy continues to be full of surprises. He's smiling more frequently (yeah, yeah, I know, its just gas. I don't care, though, I love his grins!) and is awake for longer periods of time. Thankfully, this has been more during daylight hours than at night, but he has his moments of night owl behavior, too.

I don't know who invented this play mat concept, but boy, it was a bit hit today (thank you, Dutch girls!). Zander was especially taken with the purple giraffe. He's not quite at the grabbing stage, though, so at this point he just waves his arms like he's attacking a pinata and sometimes manages to give the giraffe a good thwack. Clearly a good time was had by all. If only we were all so easily amused!

A Walk in the Park

2009-04-07T10:13:00.007+04:00

I'm 11 days old and its about time I head out into the big wide world! At least, that's what we think Zander would have said, given the option of speech.

Saturday was our first official outing, with a visit to the doctor (everything is fantastic, he's gaining weight at a good pace, etc etc) and a trip to the mall to help Oma Tonny find some new threads at Marks and Spencer. We even had lunch at Macaroni Grill, which made Big Mama happy, too!

On Sunday we decided to take advantage of the great weather, so the three of us loaded up the car and headed out to Mushrif Park, a funny little green space just down the road. Funny because one of its unique features involves a collection of child-sized houses from around the world. Kids can wander around in a German house, an American Indian house (a teepee) or a Netherlands house (oddly, that's a windmill). The park also had a number of rides and slides, but he's a bit young for that at this point, I suppose. Here are Zander and Oma pausing for a photo op.

Sunday was another first, this time for me: my first cappucino since September! I have to admit it was worth the wait and perhaps I'll have another one today (may as well take advantage of the Starbucks and Caribou that are just downstairs!). The picture is a bit grainy because we used my mobile, but I think you can easily see the big grin on my face.

Some of you have asked how Eliot has been handling our new addition, and I am happy to say that he's been surprisingly good about this whole thing. Our strategy has been to act as normal as possible, giving Eliot as much love and attention as we can. For his part, Eliot sniffs at Zander whenever they're near one another and when Zander cries Eliot tends to join in the chorus and run around the room, trying to get our attention if he feels we aren't fixing the problem quickly enough. For the most part, though, he's still a big fan of lap time, even if he has to share...

Meet Zander!

2009-04-02T12:04:00.008+04:00

Here he is, our Dutch-American-Mexican love bug: Zander ter Laare! He was born at 12:29 am on Wednesday, 25 March and has kept us on our toes ever since.

He's been with us for just over a week now and while we're both a bit sleep-deprived we already can't imagine our lives without him.

The big excitement today, though, is the arrival of Oma Tonny, who will be with us for about 10 days. Zander doesn't know it yet, but he's just about to have the stuffing loved right out of him!

The wait is almost over!

2009-03-13T09:03:00.003+04:00

So we haven't posted an update in nearly a year, but heck, better late than never, right?

A lot has changed since then...the biggest news is that I'm pregnant! And it isn't long now: I'm set to be induced on 24 March. That's just a few days away!

Hard to believe that parenthood is just around the corner. But we are very excited to meet our little guy and promise to be better about posting photos and info once he makes his appearance.

Here's me in the nursery about a month ago. I'm a bit bigger now and we have a lot more supplies stocking the shelves and the changing table, but this is the basic idea.

Check back again soon for actual pics of the newest ter Laare!

Bas: 57 Lena: 23

2008-06-06T12:09:00.000+04:00

We totted up our world travels this morning and discovered that one of us clearly has an overused passport. That would be the Dutch half of our global union, who weighs in with an impressive 57 countries. I'm not doing too badly myself with 23 -- and in my own defense, coming from Europe gives Bas a bit of an advantage -- but I clearly have a lot of catching up to do!

And not only with travel -- we've been woefully out of touch on our blog since February. Sorry for that, folks. We've just come out of one of the busiest times in our young lives and it is only now, a good 3 months or so later that I'm finally able to catch up with all of you.

So what's the latest from Dubai? Well, as you can see above, our most exciting news was from our trip out of town (my first exit since India in November!).

Thanks to a very generous invitation from a flower grower, Bas and I got to fulfill the common lifelong dream of walking with the pharoahs. The flight from Dubai to Cairo is quick--just 4 hours--and our first stop was the Egyptian museum. My friend Elizabeth had prepared us last year by saying that it was unorganized at best. What meets you went you finally go through security is a complete jumble of Egypt-related everything: stones, cats, mummies, boats, dolls, inscriptions--you name it, its crammed up next to something from a different era. The thing that got me was the labeling--you can see the passage of time (and perhaps, administrations) as the neatly typed and aging index cards are gradually replaced by hand-written scribbles on note paper, and finally (though more rarely), laser-jet print outs attempt to explain the random artifact you are standing in front of.

While it was all fascinating in an Indiana Jones meets Willy Wonka sort of way, the absolute highlight was the mask of King Tut. This gold and lapis lazuli masterpiece is an icon if there's ever been one. Now, when I was growing up in the tiny town of Laurel, Montana, I spent hours obsessing over this image and many many others. To be right in front of it was extraordinary and breathtaking.

And then there were the pyramids.

Nestled alongside one of the "more rustic" sections of Cairo and protected by a fair amount of security, the pyramids are just as incredible as you can imagine. We climbed around one on of them and actually got to go inside of another. And after cracking my head on the low ceiling of the tunnel, I can understand why these structures have been standing for 5,000 years...

It was a whirlwind weekend that was actually very peaceful, which surprises everyone else who's been to Cairo. But we loved it.

These last few months have also been a working whirlwind. We've hardly had a chance to see one another at the pace we've been running, which is one reason we're particularly happy about our upcoming honeymoon. We'll take two weeks in July to visit Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam (for those of you keeping score, that will bring Bas to 59 countries and me to 26--he's been to Thailand before). While I don't think it will necessarily be cooler than Dubai (I heard on the news last night that they're projecting Summer 2008 to be the hottest one in years...), it will certainly be a nice change of pace.

So now that I've mentioned our honeymoon, I bet you'll be wanting pictures now. :) Next post, I promise!

Fit to be tied...the knot, that is!

2008-02-29T22:03:00.003+04:00

It's official! Yesterday we became Mr. and Mrs. ter Laare, and what an incredible day it was. More details later (and if I can figure it out, some video on YouTube), but every moment was truly magical. As my friend Shirlee said last night, "I know the word has been overused today, but absolutely everything about your wedding has been perfect." We couldn't agree more!

A big hug from the ter Laares and watch for video and more pictures soon!

GOPs are Red, Dems are Blue, I'm Confused, How 'Bout You?

2008-01-22T17:48:00.000+04:00

When we got up this morning and turned on CNN we were just in time to hear Anderson Cooper and his panel of pundits analyze the latest Democratic debate. One of the funniest things I've noticed about myself is that now that I'm living on the other side of the world I pay much more attention to what is happening back in America than I ever did before. How do gas prices impact truckers on the Jersey Turnpike? Ask me, ask me! Post- 9/11 discrimination in US schools? Heard all about it in a This American Life podcast (which I faithfully download every week--I love you, Ira Glass!).

But just because names like Obama, Clinton, Huckabee and Giulani (I just had to ask Google how to spell that and I'm still not sure I got it right) are all over the news doesn't mean that our proud democratic process of electing the next leader of the world's only superpower makes a lick of sense to anyone outside of America.

Born on that--to some, the correct--side of the Atlantic, I thought I had an innate understanding of how the machine clicked along. (This despite the best efforts of the student teacher in my senior year Government class who spent a good hour arguing with me about her belief that there was no inherent difference between Republicans and Democrats...) But when my inquisitive Dutchman watches CNN by my side I am now and again forced to give an impromptu civics lesson. And I'm starting to feel a bit, well, unprepared. For instance:

Why was Iowa so important?
Now that Nevada picked Hillary, is she the Democrat's candidate?
Why does America use the Electoral College?

I came up with semi-decent answers to the first two but I have to agree with the third question. And while I'm sure Al Gore is with me on that one, I'm starting to get a little panicky about what else I will have to explain. I'm just glad Bas isn't a rabid fan of college basketball. There is simply no way I could explain March Madness.

This is How I Roll

2008-01-18T22:28:00.000+04:00

Check it out! This is my fantastic Christmas present, which finally landed in our parking garage on Sunday. Of course, considering the weather I've had only a handful of chances to drive it. But today was beautiful so we went for a spin.

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that we've lived here more than a year but haven't visited more than one of the city's major parks--yes, such things actually exist in the desert. We spent most of this afternoon wandering around Creek Park, which is unbelievably green and has such a nice vibe. It also has some amazing views of the city.

It was a perfect day to have the sunroof open and we must have looked super cool buzzing around town. I'm such a good sport that I even let Bas drive...

Snow Day!

2008-01-14T16:29:00.001+04:00

Well, okay, so it isn't really snowing. But it has been raining for the past few days, which basically has the same effect. The roads are a disaster (lots of flooding and accidents because people continue to drive like their white robes are on fire) and its generally just gloomy. And all of this at the exact same moment the US President arrives in the UAE. What's a forward-thinking Middle Eastern city to do?

Wait, I have it! Let's shut down every major road, government office, bank, school and private company and have a day off. Oh, and let's announce it at 4 pm the day before.

Unbelievable. We went to Abu Dhabi today, thankfully via the only free road in the city, but every possible turn into Dubai was blocked by police barricades. Bas talked to a friend who lives on Sheik Zayed Road, which is the main artery of the city, and he actually couldn't leave his flat because the entire road was blocked. You have to love a country where rain and the arrival of someone important forces a snap decision like that.

Anyway, as a way to cheer myself up, I am posting some long-awaited pictures from our trip to India in November. Better late than never, right? These were sent from our friend Jalpa, who invited us both to give presentations at the event.

These are before and after shots of us eating a fascinating palate-cleanser that involved coconut, rose petals and various other things wrapped in some sort of leaf. As you can tell, the results were mixed.

Next, we have some action shots. That tiny person behind the podium (immediately below) is me. Before I started speaking Bas was afraid that no one would know where my voice was coming from. I showed him--I wore heels! And there's my boy, working the crowd.

And finally, here we are at the tradeshow. Power couple of the flower industry? We're talking to our friend Ravi (Jalpa's husband).And that's all I have for the moment. Its time for me to go out and play in the rain.

Lena's First Football Match

2008-01-06T14:00:00.001+04:00

Happy New Year, everyone! We kicked off 2008 by attending the Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Football Tournament last night with a big group of friends. We were there to support Amsterdam's own Ajax (pronounced "eye-axe" for those of you automatically thinking about cleansers) against Inter Milan.

As many of you know, sports isn't exactly my forte, which is why I've only ever been to two Cubs games in my life. So in my head, a professional sports event involves Chicago-style hotdogs, having beer spilled on you by complete strangers and ice cream. Turns out this isn't normal, at least if you're talking about a sporting event in the Middle East. We all sipped from juice boxes (orange or mango, including something called "identical artificial additive") while nibbling on sunflower seeds. The braver fans selected hamburgers from sea foam green styrofoam containers or individually wrapped shwarma. For a zillion reasons, we chose not to be brave.

Oh, another difference. Halftime. No midriff-bearing cheerleaders or fuzzy-headed mascots throwing promotional items at the crowd. Instead, we were treated to a drum group leading a procession of people on stilts. Which makes sense to me. Somehow.

In any case, we had a great time. I picked up a few new Dutch phrases, most notably "Zet hem op!"--which sounds suspiciously like "Set 'em up!" but apparently means "Go get 'em!" But the boys of Ajax weren't impressed and they lost to the Italians. Maybe I should have shouted louder...

Bas' Other Girl

2008-01-06T13:52:00.000+04:00

She may be a 6-hour flight north, but Bas' dog Botas is never far from his mind. Here, our little girl frolics in her Aalsmeer backyard on one of the colder days of the winter.

Poetry is always in fashion

2007-12-26T12:16:00.000+04:00

'Twas the second Christmas in Dubai
for this American girl and Dutch guy.
And while the rest of the world shivered in cold
we two smiled under a sky of gold.

Wrapping paper and boxes were all over the floor
but there was no way we could ever be bored.
We played all day with the great gifts we were given
while our cat went crazy with the brightly colored ribbons.

Soccer tickets, a photo printer and even a new car,
there's a lot in our lives we are so thankful for.
We're approaching a new year and we know it'll be great
so we're sending you our best wishes for a fantastic 2008!

Love, Bas and Lena

Once an Editor, Always an Editor

2007-12-17T12:50:00.000+04:00

I know I posted some thoughts on Christmas about an hour ago but I just received an email that I have to share. FYI, Ras al Khaimah is where my warehouse is located, so that's how they got my info. I swear I added nothing but italics and took out nothing but double spaces between paragraphs.

Dear Sir,
We are newly established travel and Tourism agency in Ras al khaimah city and we would like to introduce our self to your esteemed company in prospective of a long term business relation ship.
Out activities will be mainly in hood/out hood tours including ticketing and hotels and packages inside UAE and internationally.
We are ready to offer you the best rates for holiday packages all over the world under different categories and classes throughout the year for all seasons.
We highly appreciate extending your cooperation with our company in providing us tickets on your best agencies discounted fares for dealers and distributors.
Further details will be provided by our Coordinator by visiting your office.
As we still do not keep stock.
Thank you

Sometimes I think the UAE needs to launch an English improvement campaign like China. But the rest of the time I just sit back and enjoy not having to edit the funny mistakes.

The Morissette Principle

2007-12-17T09:47:00.000+04:00

I've had many people ask me what it is like to spend Christmas in Dubai. The easy answer is that it is a lot like Florida: sun, sand and people in warm-weather clothing smugly having telephone conversations with relatives who are eye-deep in wool sweaters.

This will be our second Christmas abroad. I left the States just over a year ago in November, which meant that the holly jolly feeling was being injected into my soul for a good long time before I left. In case you're wondering, the FaLaLattes, Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" and even Linda Werthhimer's recipe for cranberry whatever on NPR--all of these cultural wonders take a while to get out of your system. Call it the "Christmas Hangover" effect, if you like.

In any case, this year it has been a little harder for me to get in the spirit. The malls are crazy-busy with Santa, bears playing musical instruments and walking gingerbread men, and you can buy poinsettias at the grocery store (for the same price as a full tank of gas, btw). But the feeling behind December should not be "Geez, I need some shade because I'm starting to get pink."

To get over this, I headed to the nearest mall last night to immerse myself in holiday cheer. Bas was off on a desert safari with some friends (read my original post on why I did not accompany him) so it was perfect. It really did the trick: I was giddy with delight at finding a couple of perfect presents. And there's something about a fake Christmas tree the size of a building blinking on and off with electric blue lights that lends a sense of gravity to the situation.

Anyway, presents in hand I head to the hypermarket to get some wrapping paper. This place is like WalMart or Target except a lot cheaper and with much stranger things. They do have a huge Christmas area, though, so it seemed perfect. And they had all sorts of artificial trees, truck loads of twinkling lights and glittering piles of boxed ornaments. Dotting the end of each aisle I found cardboard boxes filled with wrapping paper, each box with a different pattern. Exactly what I needed! I grabbed a few and then realized I needed bows. Of course. Because a bow goes on a present. Right? Just like a real Christmas tree requires a tree stand.

And here is when it hit me, standing in the middle of HyperPanda: Christmas in Dubai is like living inside of an Alanis Morissette song. When she says "Its like ten thousand spoons/when all you need is a knife," I really get that now. I was surrounded by absolutely everything one needs to create Christmas: massive felt stockings with fuzzy Santas, reindeer antlers to be worn by children or drunken guests, cheap imitation Barbie doll accessories that will break in about an hour. Everything, my friends, except bows.

Lest you think I am being dramatic, I have yet another example. Last year we were all set to have a real Christmas tree. Bas even had it in the car until we realized we needed a tree stand. He put it back and we spent the next few weeks scouring the city looking for a stupid stand. Our logic was simple: find a place selling trees (his came from work) and there ye shall also find a tree stand. But no one (including the grocery store, Ikea or Ace Hardware) had a stand. Matter of fact, they looked at us as though we had sprouted two heads. Why sell both when only the tree is what you need?

I promise not to give this realization a name (though I have hopes that the "Morissette Principle" would find a home with Murphy's Law in popular usage) but in a strange way I feel better now that I have a way of explaining it--both to you and to myself. Despite the Starbucks downstairs and the Borders at Mall of the Emirates, even a year into this expat life I'm still grappling with the realization that I can't just superimpose my reality on top of another one.

But that's not all bad. Since we couldn't find a tree stand last year we ended up with the little guy you see at the top of this post. Truth be told, it reminds me of the fake Xmas trees in Charlie Brown. But it fits our place (and us!) really nicely.

Exit Bas, Enter George

2007-12-13T15:01:00.000+04:00

This is a question for the ladies: Let's say the love of your life has left this morning for a trip to, oh let's say Kenya. How will you spend your first solo evening? You could see some friends, have some laughs, maybe meet George Clooney?

If you're me and if your beloved's departure happens to coincide with the 4th Dubai International Film Festival, that's exactly what you do.

Last Sunday I headed down to Madinat Jumeirah with my friends Shirlee and Nelda to do a little stargazing. It was opening night and while we didn't have tickets to the big gala the organizers had created a little peanut gallery for people just like us. The stars were all set to arrive around 8, so we showed up around 5:30 because we expected hordes and hordes of people. Happily, not so many folks were there (I think at the peak there were maybe 50 but that might be pushing it) and because there was no way Shirlee was going to give an inch of our front-row spot we had the perfect viewing area of the red carpet.

Remember, of course, that this is the Middle East. So in addition to George Clooney (the biggest name of the night) there were a number of Arabic and Indian performers who caused a great deal of commotion when they arrived. Who knew that Egypt had a vibrant cinematic tradition? Turns out that they do and wow, are they popular. Lebanese television stars and Bollywood actresses rounded out the hysteria.

For those of us with easily impressed with Western-style entertainment there were some other fun surprises. The first was a guy named Steve, who is apparently on the sitcom "Reba." Now, Reba plays here on the sitcom channel (yes, such a thing exists) but it could have been cancelled 10 years ago because they also play re-runs of "Blossom" on a regular basis so we're really none the wiser. Anyway, Steve got out of the limo and the ladies next to us freaked out.

Next cause for screaming (and this is actually pretty fun) was Paulo Coelho. Anyone who survived the 1995 version of High Road at Wheaton College will remember the book The Alchemist. His latest novel is The Witch of Portobello and since part of it takes happens in Dubai he has a special place in everyone's hearts. After speaking to a few journalists, Mr. Coelho came straight over to our section and shook hands with all of us. He was even kind enough to pose for a picture with me! Lit major that I am, I was tickled.

Now, there were a few ladies who graced the red carpet as well, but they didn't come near the peanut gallery. Sharon Stone was the host of an AIDS benefit and Gloria Estefan (minus the Miami Sound Machine) is giving a concert tonight. Sharon Stone waved at us from afar but I don't think Gloria Estefan even looked in our direction.

But none of that matters, really, because when George Clooney, his girlfriend and his entourage arrived all bets were off. Shrieking, yelling and jumping, the place just erupted. I forgot to mention that the festival organizers created two fan spaces: one for beautiful people and one for the rest of us. The beautiful people got to greet the stars first, and that's where George started. He came over to our space briefly, promised to be back, and then headed to the press area.

While I was a journalist in my past life, the flower industry doesn't exactly do red carpet events. I also wore suits when conducting interviews. Apparently this is a close-minded approach to reporting news in these parts because I have never seen so many sparkles, such deep cleavage and so much make-up in such a confined space. I'm sure there were male reporters as well but you really didn't see them because it was easy to be blinded by all of the bright colors.

Finally, after surviving one section of the press area George turned back to us little people. He was actually being led away from us but broke away from his group to come say hi. Not to burst any bubbles here, but he's much shorter than I imagined. Still handsome, though. And just plain old nice. He shook everyone's hand and as he did so looked us each in the eyes. He shook Shirlee's hand, she said something. He shook my hand, I said, "Nice to meet you!" and he shook Nelda's hand and she said something. I guess he hadn't expected to meet three Americans right in a row, because he stopped, looked at us and said, "Wow, there are a lot of expats here!" We all smiled and giggled. And then kept taking pictures.

So there you have it. Our brush with greatness. Since Sunday we have all three been verbally abused by everyone here who didn't attend, but we are strong. And believe me, it was worth it!

'Tis the Season

2007-12-03T22:12:00.000+04:00

We were watching CNN tonight and I think it caught us both off-guard to remember that it is actually early December in the rest of the world. The footage was shot somewhere in Minnesota where cars carefully trundled down icy streets while rosy-cheeked girls with blonde pigtails sneaking out of their polarfleece snow hats tried to keep up with their (hatless, gloveless) mother.

Meanwhile, today I drove an hour north under a partly cloudy blue sky, dodging the occasional sand drift and dutifully moving to the middle lane when maniacs in Range Rovers roared up behind me flashing their lights for all they're worth.

Somehow, the scene in MN seems a lot more Christmasy to me.

All of this has me thinking about how my definition of "seasons" is changing. It used to be that the only guest one worried about in December was Santa. Turns out that in Holland this visitor could cause a bit more consternation than in the States. Forget that sissy lump of coal reserved for bratty American kids: Naughty Dutch children are abducted by Sinterklas and his band of black men during the first week of December. They come to your house, put you in a sack and take you to Spain. (Of course, once these kids grow up they head to Spain for weeks of hedonistic fun, but that's another story.)

In any case, December in Dubai means a very different type of guest. It could be your mom, your best friend or even someone you used to work with. And actually, it doesn't matter, because anyone will pose as your second cousin's live-in plant sitter to have the chance to spend some time in the sun and thaw out. For many who live here, it is the time to replace the front door with a revolving one and to have yet another spare key made (Dora, notice that I'm not mentioning you at all...except I just did...).

It also means that social events generally include people that no one else knows. Its great to have new faces and fun to put our "old" friends in new contexts. But a year later you look back at the pictures and think, "Who WAS that guy?" You know he was the friend of someone you knew at the time (who may have easily moved away by the time you get around to looking at the pics), but for the life of you you can't remember her name or why she was with you when the friend in question was clearly nowhere nearby.

I realize this isn't a phenomenon exclusive to Dubai, but I've never seen anything like it anywhere else I've lived. We have friends who had guests staying with them for a solid three months. Not one set of guests staying for a long stretch of time--several different groups of people settling in for days or weeks at a time.

But I'm not complaining. Dubai is a constantly changing tapestry of people, buildings and roads and really, you have to see it to believe it.

One year on

2007-12-01T16:03:00.000+04:00

Believe it or not, last week Bas and I marked one year together here in Dubai. Its been an incredible time and we've learned so much. For instance:

a Three things that should never go together at the same time: Lena, ice cream and desert off-roading.

a Tiger Woods and Bas will never meet on the golf course.

a Curiousity may very well kill our cat Eliot if he tries to jump off our third-floor balcony again.

a If it is midnight but you're sweating like you're running on a treadmill in a blast furnace while wearing a rubber-lined track suit, then it must be summertime in Dubai.

a No matter where you are in the world, you can always count on a cold Heineken at the bar...unless you're in Montana.

a You don't realize just how much plot line you can miss when movie sensors axe sex scenes.

a Ikea makes a very fine chicken showarma.

a Just because they sell Christmas trees at the grocery store doesn't mean that they also sell Christmas tree stands...nor does anyone else in the city.

But the most important thing we've learned this year is just how lucky we are to have each other (insert "Aaaaaaww..." here).

So far, so good: We've loved this past year and we're really looking forward to the next one.