Things I did on my sabbatical

Here are the things I did on my sabbatical. It's been the most amazing ride and I am very thankful for the time. Most of the things that I did are things that I will continue to do going forward (dance, painting, volunteering) and for that, I can consider myself a changed person!


Items with * are from my bucket list


Things I have never done that I did during the 5 weeks:

1. Taken Dance Lessons*
2. Swam with Dolphins
3. Zip Lining
4. Drove a Jet Ski on the Ocean
5. Rode on a Donkey
6. Swam to an untouched natural hot spring
7. Traveled to Greece*, London, and Mexico*
8. Experienced a serious protest & affected by tear gas - Don't want to do that again
9. Ran 13.1 Miles*
10. Painted on Canvas*
11. Been to an All-inclusive hotel (being spoiled is so much fun! I had no idea!
12. Walked to the top of a Volcano
13. Went Geo-Caching*
14. Wrecked our new BMW...it wasn't my fault, but that did not make it hurt any less

Things I have done and wanted to do again:

1. Horseback Riding*
2. Parasailing
3. Visited one of the Seven Wonders* (Chichen-Itza (we saw the Coliseum and Taj Mahal, so this is our third of the seven - I cannot believe Acropolis/Parthenon is not one of the seven wonders!))
4. Read a great book
5. Volunteered for animals (Alley Cat Advocates)*
6. Learned some new words in other languages*
7. Learned a song on the piano* (I have learned songs in the past, but only by sound, not by notes)
8. Had a chance to be a good wife, making Sam breakfast before seeing him off to work and making sure the house was kept and dinner was cooked... not bad!

Things on my bucket list that I did not do:

1. Karaoke (maybe one day... Marty, Steve, or Stefanie may make sure of it I fear)
2. Crazy Haircut (I am not ready to lose my hair.)
3. Watch all movies directed by Clint Eastwood (even though I watched like 9 movies... there are just too many)
4. Hot Air Balloon*  - I had it scheduled, but they canceled due to the heat. Should do it Saturday!

Dance Lessons - Contemporary

Like many, I love to dance. I love to dance at clubs, but I also find myself dancing at home, just freestyle to some hip hop or techno music. It's such a great release! I have never learned how to dance formally and am in awe of some dancers that I see at clubs or on TV.

So, I contacted Jennifer's Academy of Dance where they were happy to give personal dance lessons for whichever style I was interested in. Kristen became my instructor and immediately began teaching me choreography that we danced to her cut version of James Morrison's "If you don't want to love me" a song that I love!

I just had my third lesson on Thursday and though Kristen has shown me about 50% of the choreography, I still have a lot of practice to stay on point (or as she says, "in the pocket"). 

It has been a great experience and I am so grateful that I found a place that can help make my dreams a reality. I have talked about dance lessons for years and always backed out/procrastinated for fear of getting weird looks or judgment about a girl in her mid-twenties with no experience wanting formal training. Well, the exact opposite happened and not only am I learning a very fun routine, but I am getting an amazing workout! Aside from the pain and the bruises, it's amazing!

Since my sabbatical is ending, I decided to show a very small clip of my third lesson. 

Playing Piano

I have always loved piano. And, even though I type really weird (one of those 4-finger typers) and my fingers get twisted sometimes when communicating to my mom and family with Sign language, I still thought  I could learn one song on the piano. I love it so much, so why not!

Horseback riding

So, I wanted to ride a horse. I love horses. They are so powerful and have an erie calmness about them. So, why did I choose to ride a horse in Mexico when I live in the Derby City? I am not really sure... But I did it and was very pleased.

My horses name was Dingo and Stef's horses name was Century. Stef's horse had more attitude and pretty much did what he wanted. I think Javier, our guide spent most of his time yelling, "Stefooonie" over and over, trying to get her to take control of a crazy horse. She was a champ though and it was a lot of fun! He called me "La-U-Ra", emphasizing the "U", which I thought was very cute!

I was very surprised at how loose they let us in the jungle, especially because our horses misbehaved a lot, trying to go in the wrong direction to steal some food. It was up to us to get them in the water and on the right trail. Very cool!

Words from 5 other languages

So, the 5 languages I chose are:

1. French
2. Italian
3. Spanish
4. German
5. Portuguese

I have been to Italy, France, and Mexico, so you would think I would/should know something for those languages and for Spanish and Italian, I do (I was awful at French) But, I decided that it would be good to brush up on all of them for good measure.


I chose a few expressions I find myself needing to use when in a foreign country. I think, if you can get these down as a tourist, you should be pretty much good to go. I had to do some research for German and French, since they have different words depending on the context. However, I think this is a great starting point for me to practice. 


Hello

1. French - bonjour
2. Italian - ciao
3. Spanish - hola
4. German - Guten Tag
5. Portuguese - Olá

Thank you

1. French - merci
2. Italian - grazie
3. Spanish - gracias
4. German - Danke
5. Portuguese - Obrigado

You Are Welcome

1. French - pas de quoi
2. Italian - prego
3. Spanish - de nada
4. German - Bitte sehr
5. Portuguese - Seja bem-vindo

Excuse Me

1. French- excusez-moi
2. Italian - scusi or permesso 
3. Spanish - Perdóneme
4. German - Verzeihung bitte
5. Portuguese - Desculpe

Please

1. French -  s'il vous plaît
2. Italian -  per favore
3. Spanish - por favor
4. German - Bitte 
5. Portuguese - por favor

Where is the Bathroom/Toilet?

1. French - Où sont les toilettes?
2. Italian - Dov'è il toilette?
3. Spanish - ¿Dónde está el baño?
4. German - Wo ist die Toilette?
5. Portuguese - Onde é o banheiro?

Sorry, I do not speak <Language>

1. French - Désolé, je ne parle pas français
2. Italian - Ci dispiace, non parlo italiano
3. Spanish - Lo sentimos, no hablo español
4. German - Sorry, weiß ich nicht Deutsch sprechen
5. Portuguese - Desculpe, eu não falo Português

How Much Money is this?

1. French - Combien d'argent est-ce?
2. Italian - Quanto denaro è questo?
3. Spanish - ¿Cuánto dinero es esto?
4. German - Wie viel Geld ist das?
5. Portuguese - Quanto dinheiro é isso?

Here's to knowing just a few more expressions in other languages. Let's hope I can remember them!

Running My Mini-marathon

Okay, I did it. I ran 13.1 miles today.

I just got back from Mexico on Saturday night, slept and ate pizza all day on Sunday, stayed up till 2 AM and woke up at 10:30 and thought, "What will I do today?"

I still did not feel my best and really could have stayed on the couch for another day. I have really no idea whether I was truly awake and coherent when I made the decision to go to the gym and run my 13 miles on the treadmill. All I know is that it was hot outside and I wanted to run.

So, I went to the gym... The thing about the treadmill is, well, it's really boring. And the whole time you have no choice but to keep looking at the miles: .5 mile, 1 mile, 2 miles, 3 miles......  and boy, they don't always come quickly.

When running outside, you can at least get distracted by your surroundings, but on a treadmill, you look at the same things. So, usually I am only on the treadmill for 3 miles or so, but today I decided that I HAD to run 13 miles and I HAD to do it in the gym.

Though, I had to take a bathroom and water/stretching break, I pretty much ran consistently for the 13.1 miles. My legs were in so much pain. My body was not at all prepared for that run. After 7 miles, my knees started to hurt and after 9 miles, my ankles and calves started to hurt. My energy and will-power were good, but my strength was not.

But, I kept pushing through and somehow made it happen. But, I have to admit that my legs hurt so much!!! So, Sarah Moore, Amanda Wright, Roger Huff, and all you other friends out there who would totally kill me in a run, my hat is off to you!! You rock!!

Cancun Mexico, 2011

Check out the video of the Cancun 2011 couples trip. It was a Blast!

Just some of the things we experienced:

1. Parasailing
2. Swimming with Dolphins
3. Toured Chichen Itza (one of the seven wonders)
4. Zip Lining through the Jungle
5. Horseback riding / Speed Boat
6. Tanning & Swimming
7. Dancing
8. Drinking & Eating a lot! For Free!
9. Exploring Cancun & Shopping
10. Hanging with great people

Running 13 Miles

Well, I am on my way to accomplishing a 13 mile run. When I first added this to my list, I really wanted to train for a mini marathon. But, because of the heat and the fact that there were not minis in this area when it would work for me, I told myself to just run 13 miles. That was a challenge in itself because usually, I run 3 to 4 miles and that's enough. I run a lot, especially if I am trying to lose weight, but I never go for long distances, just run often enough to make a difference. The most Sam and I had ever run was like 6.15 miles, but that was one time.

So, when we got back from Greece, I knew that this would be one of the hardest items on my list. Well, here is what I have accomplished so far...

(Pulled from MapymyRun.com)

lvelangi logged A Workout . Distance: 8.55 mi. 07/14/2011X 

lvelangi logged A Workout . Distance: 6.31 mi. 07/12/2011X

lvelangi logged A Workout . Distance: 5.32 mi. 07/11/2011X

I am very excited. I decided to see what my weekly cumulative total was and I was shocked that it was just 20.2 miles. That really put into perspective what marathon runners go through. I mean, my legs hurt, I have sweat gallons over 3 runs and I STILL have not run as much as a marathon runner would run in one day. I just cannot believe it! It's truly an accomplishment and while right now my focus is on a goal much smaller, maybe one day I can get to that point. Nonetheless, it's been a blast!

Painting on Canvas

 I am excited to share that Number 9 on my list can be marked off!! I have had so much fun and am happy with my final product. I hope that I can keep practicing to improve my detail work and improve the depth in my paintings. As always, Youtube videos were a great help with easy how to's and demonstrations for things that I was not quite comfortable with. Here are my paintings:

Practice Paintings:

I started yesterday on the smaller canvas (8" x 10" canvas). I used Acrylic paint and painted over the Black Gesso that I needed to paint over another bad painting. I mainly used a spotter for the detail, a sponge for the heavier paint, and a flat wash for the blending.
                                                                    

Final Product:

And this morning, I started on the larger canvas (12" x 15" canvas). For this one, I used oil paint and sponged on most of the color. I used a ridge and flat wash for most of it, but then used a fan blender for the grass and detail. I also used a sponge for the leaves in the trees. I am not sure if I am done with this one yet. The detail could use some work and since oil takes days to dry, I have some time. 

Final Product:

My List Status

So, yesterday was the first day of my Sabbatical where I was just at home with no obligations or plans. I had great motivation, so I got up (before Sam) and quickly cleaned the house before going out for a run to train for my 13 mile run. In 80 degrees, I accomplished 5.31 miles on my first run, so I was very excited about starting off so well. Then, I started to dance a bit, since I had not heard back from my dance instructor as to whether they had a spot open for me. YouTube has great tutorials that I used. After realizing that I was off my dance game (as me and my friends call it, my groove monkey was lost), I decided to go to the store and buy some more paint brushes. I started a painting of peacock feathers and hated it, so I painted over it. Then, I tried another design and hated it too. I repainted the same canvas so much, that I had to paint over it with Black Gesso (like tar paint) to have an even starting point. So no dancing, no painting.... Maybe I can play the piano... Nope... I just did not have the motivation.

Instead, I took Eve for a walk and then went and had lunch and a pedicure with Jenica. I realized that trying to do too much in one day means that you will not give them all your best. So, today I ran again (6.31 Miles in even hotter weather) and now I am focused on Piano. And I may hang a bit. It's too hot to go out.

Peace.

Greece Highlight Video

Check out this video with some pictures and video of our trip. 

The music is traditional greek music that we liked. Also added my favorite track by Edward Maya, Stereo Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha5WVzn8JZ8

Our Greece Trip Highlights

Okay, we arrived home from our trip to Greece and let me tell you, it was amazing. Now that my Jet Lag is finally subsiding, I have a sane moment to type up my thoughts. We did so much and slept so little. I would have to look at every photo and ticket stub to recall everything, but I will do the best I can to jot down my perspective on what we experienced.

Places Visited:
1. Athens
2. Mykonos
3. Santorini
4. Crete

Exciting Adventures:

1. Got tear gased in Athens...well, went to the square oblivious to what went down until I saw everyone, including the cops in masks with white paint all over their faces... Then, it hit me... the pain on my skin, my runny nose and burning eyes...That was just the beginning of a very wild and humbling ride in Athens...
2. Visited the Palace of Knossos in Crete, The Acropolis, The Ancient Agora, Temple of Poseidon in Cape Sounion, Temple of Zeus, Temple of Apollo in Delphi and many other ruins sprinkled throughout Athens. I'm telling you, you can just stroll down the street after shopping and stumble into some gated ruins. It's amazing.
3. Swam a 1/2 mile from the ocean to the hot springs in Santorini. There is this red mud that is good for your skin, so I just smeared it everywhere, including my face :)
4. Jet Skied in Crete into the middle of the ocean - it was so amazing. 
5. Climbed up to the summit of the Santorini Volcano
6. Rode up the narrow path of Oia on Donkeys (had a great view of the famous Oia sunset as well)
7. Partied in Mykonos.. with tons of crazy people! It was an adventure.
8. Did I mention taking London by storm overnight on our layover?

Modes of Transportation:

1. Plane to London and then Athens
2. Hydrofoil speed boats in between Islands
3. Taxi's (Mercedes taxis, if I may add) in Athens, when we were not on Tour buses. We also walked a ton, since we were in the square with the protests and no one would drop us or come near our hotel.
4. Boats and Donkeys in Santorini (otherwise, we walked...a ton...)
5. Crazy party buses and boats in Mykonos
6. Rode in a small auto with our driver Vigari to our hotel in Mykonos. There was no room in the front, but no room in the back either with Sam and our luggage. So, I sat up front while Vigari smoked and did not hesitate to take up all of the space, possible; including my lap.

(example of the auto)

Food:

1. Big on seafood, and certain fish that I've never even heard of.
2. Souvlaki is very popular
3. Mousaka is also pretty popular
4. I ate a ton of Greek salads and they are so delish!!
5. Good luck asking for Pita, Gyros, or Hummus... you will get strange, confused looks...

People:

1. The people are great! So nice and in the tourist spots, they expect that you speak english, so there is no confusion. Not the case in Crete where we really struggled, but it was okay.
2. The women are gorgeous... I mean... why is Greece not more popular for hot models? I loved to people watch on the beach.
3. Many men looked alike. I kept feeling like I saw the same guy walking around, but they just have this look. Especially the younger guys.
4. Oh, and no tipping in Greece... They are great to barter with and sometimes give you discounts even when you are trying to give them more money

Hotels:

1. Hermes Hotel in the Plaka district in Athens
2. Hotel Kamari in Mykonos
3. Theoxania in downtown Fira in Santorini
4. Lato Boutique in Crete overlooking the port and Venetian fortress

People we met:

1. We met many cool people on tours, but I do not remember their names, here are the people that we spent the most time with.
2. Jenny - lives in Hong Kong, but was on a post grad trip with her Columbia school mates
3. Glenn & Brian - Great guys from LA. They were with us in some of the videos in Athens. 
4. Jennifer & Russ - Were on their honeymoon in Greece and are a super-cute couple from PA. We tried our best to find a party together our first night and failed. But it worked out better, since we got to chat and get to know each other.
5. We met many cats and dogs... they all run wild, but are fed by the locals. One interesting dog was, well, let's call him Sparta. He was a beautiful reddish haired dog who visited us in our outside restaurant in Chania (Crete). I tried to feed him, but he would only eat the chicken that Sam put out. He sniffed my food and looked away. I mean, aren't you hungry? My dog would eat a piece of paper if I handed it to her and told her it was good. But this dog was the most spoiled beggar I had ever met! Oh, and to mark his territory (Sam) he peed so other dogs would know that he was his!!! No joke.

We had a great time. We have great memories and are more enlightened as a result of this trip. We are extremely grateful for the time, but even more grateful that we arrived back home safe and that our house and animals were cared for by my mom. It's good to be home!

Just landed in the US from our trip to Greece. It was a blast and we cannot wait to share our pics and experiences. From protests & tear gas in Athens, to history and culture in Delphi, acropolis, and knossos, to great beaches and parties in mykonos. Sam and I had a whirlwind adventure and can't wait to finally rest. Just 2 more hours to Louisville.

The Talk about Mexico & Greece

Mexico:

1. Drug Cartel
2. Kidnapping
3. Bus Hijacking
4. Robberies
5. Illegal Road Blocks
6. Police Impersonations
7. PickPockets
8. Hurricane Season (June-Nov)

Greece

1. Protests
2. Terrorist Attacks
3. Strikes
4. Overall unrest

So, this is all we have heard from people when we mention our trips. Well, I have to admit that these are the things that are in the news right now, and I am sure all are accurate and based on some kind of fact - somewhere. But, I decided to stay optimistic and maintain some perspective. Yes, it's important to maintain some caution. But, no matter where you look, people are critiquing countries and judging them by their political climate, people, cleanliness, crime, tourist attractions, weather... you name it. And you know what...these judgments are placed on entire countries as if you can classify thousands/millions of people or miles into one group. But, I don't think you can. 

Check out one of the videos I found (very popular) regarding the 10 worst countries to visit. I particularly like #3, since it's where my husband is from.

If you listened to the news and did not travel places that everyone had an opinion on, then you may find yourself missing out on the world's beauty.  Don't miss out. We don't plan to... We are going to Greece and Mexico and plan to have a blast while taking the proper precautions that you should take anywhere you go. Anyway, we have endured protests in Rome, Travel strikes in Venice/Nice, slums and bad hotels in India and rude people in Trinidad. But, that did not stop our amazing experiences. Instead, those things increased our understanding and appreciation for life, as well as gave us great memories and stories that we can take with us. So, here's to some great memories and great times...
See you back in the US.

A lot can happen in a Month

There's just one more week till my sabbatical and I can't help but think about all of the months that go by in a year with more of the same. Not that it's bad, but it is so easy to get caught up in work mode and allow time to pass and before you know it, a month passes and you can't remember what you did.

Well, for my time off, I am determined not to let that happen.

A lot can happen in a month... People have built houses, trained for marathons, traveled the world, discovered new land and civilizations... you name it. Well, I get a month and a week, and it is up to me to make the most of it. Hopefully, this can help me make the most of future months as well, as I am finally starting things that I have always wanted to do. This is just the start...

So here's to time... Having a lot of time all the time, but taking the time sometimes to have the time of your life, so that you can reflect on that time in many years time, and know that you made the most of your time... time.

Peace!

My Birthday Surprise!

Sam is the best and because of him, I had a great birthday even though I was sick in bed with a fever. Those who know me, know that May has a way of kicking my butt even though it is the month of so many great things like: (1) my birthday, of course, (2) Our wedding anniversary, (3) May = 5, which is my lucky number, and it's usually a beautiful month... 

Now that May is coming to a close and my birthday has come and gone, I now get to play with all of my awesome gifts from Sam. The theme of the celebration was my Bucket list, since I have been talking about it for such a long time. 

Sam started with a paint set with acrylic and oil paint as well as two canvas boards. This helps me to accomplish number 9 on my list!

The next gift was a new camera with a bunch of other stuff to accompany it. The coolest thing is that it takes video and photos. This will help us capture all of the great moments in Greece and Mexico which are number 1 and 2 on my list!

Also, after a tireless search, he got an awesome new keyboard, which is something I have always wanted. And it also helps me to accomplish number 12 on my list to play an instrument!

And... because Sam never does something halfway... he then bought two passes for a hot air balloon ride to be used anytime. It's amazing!!! This was such a surprise and I am thrilled to say that it helps me accomplish number 5 on my list.

Are you keeping count? It's pretty awesome to have someone who pays attention so well and knows just what a girl wants. Now I that much closer to getting to the things on my list and it's very exciting.

Bring it on! 

Preparing for my Sabbatical

So, let's kick it off... I have 2 months until my 5-week sabbatical in July and I have a large list of accomplishments that I will try to complete. I made this list because, hey... rarely will a person have this much time off with no obligations or baggage. At the age of 25, who knows where my career will take me and how soon my husband and I will have children... Now is the time to go nuts!

There are things I have always wanted to do and this is my opportunity to do them. I truly hope that these 5 weeks will be full of experiences and that I will face any challenges and have a blast!

Here's the list:

1. Go to Greece (Traveling to Athens, Mikonos, Santorini, and Crete)
2. Party in Mexico
3. Sing Karaoke
4. Go horse-back Riding
5. Get in a hot air balloon
6. Run 13 miles
7. Take dance classes
8. Volunteer to help animals
9. Paint something on canvas
10. See one of the seven wonders of the world (Mexico)
11. Get a crazy (to me) haircut
12. Learn how to play an instrument (one song!)
13. Watch every movie directed by Clint Eastwood
14. Go Geocaching
15. Learn 5 words from 5 languages

...I am sure there are more things that I can do in my time off and as I think if them, I will jot them down. This is my blog...for me... My way of documenting and holding myself accountable to accomplish these things instead of just talking about them. They are real now in cyberspace.

As I complete each item, I will post photos or video of me doing them...Here's to a great challenge!