Bangkok Blogger break

Hey friends! This blogger will be taking a Blogger break while away on work travel in Bangkok, Thailand until May 16.  See you then!

Railay Beach, Krabi, Thailand, March 2011 (Laura Blank)

Mango salad, Krabi, Thailand, March 2011 (Laura Blank)

Krabi, Thailand, March 2011 (Laura Blank)

Med School Update #2

Update: After reading this post more closely last night, I realized that what I wrote may be a little bit confusing.  So here's take two:  While we're thrilled with the possibility of moving to North Carolina, the final decision is still very unclear.  Given the reality that there are several wait-list schools we have yet to hear from, it's quite possible that our decision could change 5 times between now and August. But we're confident that we will end up in just the right place by the time classes roll around. Thanks for everyone's prayers and support!


Well, we're nearing the end of the medical school process, but things are still a bit up in the air.  Nevertheless, it seemed like a good time for an update! Here's what we do know:

• So far, we have been accepted to two schools: the State University of New York (SUNY) in Brooklyn and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  Praise the Lord!
• We had to accept the offer of admission at one of these schools by May 15.
• After praying about the decision, talking to several people, thinking through all of our options and several different important factors for us, and taking a very deep breath, we decided to say "Hello, Tar Heels!" and "Adios, Big Apple."  
• However, we have also been wait-listed at 5 schools on the East Coast.  Technically, we could hear from any of these schools up until the day before class begins with an offer of admission.
• So, while we've made a small step forward, the waiting continues.  We could have a definitive answer in the next few weeks...or we could ultimately know where we're going right before classes start.
• Most schools begin in early August, so, to play it safe, we'll be moving back to the U.S. on July 31 in order to make sure we're home in time for *any* of the medical schools that may end up being our home for the next four years.

"Waiting," White Sands National Park, New Mexico, 2009 (Laura Blank)

^{Proverbs 3: 5, 6 - "5} Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

Grandma's Easter biscotti cookies

My Sicilian Grandmother, Maria Angelena Famiano Cusumano, loved making these Easter treats for us every year.  Unfortunately, my cookbook of her recipes is currently packed and buried beneath a storage-unit full of boxes in Boston, but this recipe is a close second!


I made these for some friends and officemates here in San Jose, and they loved them. I hope you do too!

Courtesy: LevieDeisapori.it

BISCOTTI - PUPA CU L'OVA


4 cups flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup of milk
1 teaspoon anise extract (optional)
about 1 teaspoon anise seed 
12 hard boiled eggs


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


Combine flour and baking powder; set aside.


Mix together softened butter and sugar; add 2 eggs. Combine flour mixture with butter-egg-sugar mixture. Add milk, anise extract, and anise seed (if using). After mixing, let rest for about 15 minutes.


Knead on lightly floured surface.


Here is where you use your imagination. It's supposed to look like a bird's nest: Make a base (about 4-5-inches in diameter each) and place a hard boiled egg in the center. I use scissors and make slits around the base. Roll a small piece of dough into a rope about 5-inches long and tie a loose knot, like a cross, over the egg. Bake same as above (they make take less time). 


Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of your cookie dough. Do not over-bake (they are not supposed to be brown). Remove from oven and cool. Yield: 12 cookies

Easter Sunday in San Jose

Easter Sunday in San Jose at Iglesia de Santa Teresita, April 24, 2011.

Iglesia de Santa Teresita, Barrio Escalante, San Jose, Costa Rica

Oh praise the One who paid my debts

Oh praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead! Happy Easter y Feliz Pascua de Resurrección!


Jesus Has Risen! Luke 24: 1 - 7

¹ On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ⁷ ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”

Play this incredible time-lapse video of El Teide mountain in Spain while listening to these beautiful hymns of praise. How great is our God!



The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.




Chris Tomlin, "How Great is Our God"



Carrie Underwood and Vince Gill, "How Great Thou Art"



Kristian Stanfill, "Jesus Paid It All"

An Ode to Peeps

(Clear throat, read loudly)

An Ode to Peeps

Colorful, sugary, creme-filled delights

Making my mouth a-water

Dreaming of your soft mallow insides

Yellow, pink, blue, no matter.

(Could someone please save me some to eat when we get back in 4 months?) kthanksbye

Courtesy: Boston.com

Two's company, three's a crowd

Courtesy: Greg Lavaty (2003 - 2011), PBase.com

There is a new guest in the Blank household in San Jose: a Great Kiskadee and his mate have built a home right outside our window and are eagerly awaiting the birth of Baby Kiskadees. (At least, it's our best guess at what kind of bird they are.  A Google search for "yellow belly black white bird Costa Rica" pulled up several images, and this is the one that most resembles our new neighbors!)

The Great Kiskadee nest

Besides the photographic resemblance, the description on Wikipedia pretty much seems what we know about Mr. and Mrs. Kiskadee - "the Great Kiskadee is a common, noisy, and conspicuous bird." Every morning, we hear them chirping around the house, and they make their displeasure known when we walk outside our apartment to see the nest.  Most days, if they're not tending to their nest, they are keeping a watchful eye out (usually with one leery eye toward us) by perching on a cable above our house or flitting around on the rooftop.  Some days, if I exercise outside, several birds will fly around my head, watching to make sure I don't disturb the nest. Yesterday, one dive-bombed me while I was trying to stretch my way through a yoga video.  Lucky for me, they missed.  Blanks - 1, Birds - 0.

Mr. Kiskadee watching over his nest from his perch above our apartment

Despite their somewhat antagonistic approach to us (they didn't exactly bring over a casserole when they moved in!), we're starting to have fun with our new neighbors.  And I love the way Charles Darwin described their call: "the call is an exuberant BEE-tee-WEE; in Spanish-speaking countries it is often bien-te-veo ("I see you well!").  Love our little birdie friends!

John Daker sings!

Watching this video on Saturday morning is almost as fun as watching Saturday morning cartoons when I was a little kid.  Happy Saturday morning, everyone!  (Shout out to Chelcie Cusumano for the post!)

It's Friday, but Sunday's comin'

I told Brian earlier this morning that when we woke up today, I kept thinking of the words "Hallelujah, He is risen. Hallelujah, He is risen indeed!" And the song, "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" circled in my mind over and over again.  But it was only Friday! Today wasn't the day to remember Christ's resurrection, but to give thanks for the awe-inspiring gift of His Son and the life-changing gift of salvation through His death on the cross.  


That's certainly something to be grateful for! But after watching this video from Pastor Tony Campolo in Philadelphia, I remembered that "it's only Friday, but Sunday's comin'!" Preach it, Brother Campolo!

Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?

Help! Has anyone seen the cookie monster in my house who's eating my super-special, extra-delicious dark chocolate and orange zest chocolate bar? Bit by bit, it seems to be disappearing.  


Here's what I started with the other day:

Here's what I found when I opened the cupboard today -- half the chocolate bar gone and this note:

The mystery deepens...

Live a little, laugh a lot

The downer of living outside of the U.S. - and in a country with basically no mail system - is that it takes about three months to get anything from Amazon.com. For realsies.  


The plus side is that I can find a lot of entertaining things online, including this excerpt from Tina Fey's new book, Bossypants.  

Courtesy: Reagan Arthur Books

It's called "A Mother's Prayer for Its Child."

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half and stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.  Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – and adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, for I will not have that shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.  “My mother did this for me once,”she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.”

And for a second dose of amazing Tina Fey-ness, listen to or read her interview with Terry Gross on NPR's "Fresh Air."  Happy Tuesday!

Tango time

Courtesy: RedCultura.com

Over the past few days, a tango group called Fantasia de Tango had a tango festival here in San Jose.  Last night, a friend and I went to check out the Sunday evening performance; it was amazing! And for only 6,000 colones (about $12 USD), it was a great deal too.

Funny timing because on Saturday, I walked past a little cafe/dance studio about a block from our house and met the tango instructor who invited me over for a free class! After going to the performance last night, I think I might be inspired to try it. Who's with me? 

PS: I forgot to mention the cute little old man who, when the lights when up after the performance ended, serenaded the entire theater with the rest of the final song. And he got a standing ovation! Loved him.

Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos) in Costa Rica

Living in Costa Rica, and celebrating holidays like Christmas and Easter, has been interesting as we've learned a little bit more about the customs and rituals of the Catholic church here.

On Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos), I went down to the main cathedral in San Jose, Catedral Metropolitana, to watch a re-enactment of Jesus' procession into Jerusalem in the days leading up to His crucifixion.  The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and the church bells were ringing; it was a beautiful day to remember this time in our history and what it meant for the world.  

Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos), San Jose, Costa Rica

Good food, good friends, good times

Over the past 24 hours, I have had three of the best meals I've ever had here in Costa Rica. Not necessarily because I ate the most amazing food but because the company, or in some cases just the experience of the meal itself, was so memorable.


Dinner (Friday)
Last night, we got our first taste of the ohnoitsalmosthereagain rainy season. I love a cozy rainstorm as much as the next gal, but you haven't experience rain until you've lived through Costa Rica's rainy season.  Take the most powerful rainstorm you've experience, multiple it by ten, and then bring it on every day from 1 - 4pm for about 8 months. Bienvenidos a Costa Rica in the rainy season. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that we don't have a car so we're in for some very wet pants soon.


So, last night, it's raining, it's dark, we have no food in the house for dinner, and we're starting to get hungry.  Our first idea was to walk to the store, buy some food, and cook.  After a quick peek outside we thought, "Hey, on second thought, let's go to Hotel Amistad."  

Outside of Hotel Amistad. Courtesy: HotelAmistad.com

This place is about one block from our house and it has the most amazing burgers I've ever had this side south of the U.S. Seriously.  Medium rare with crispy bacon, fresh lettuce and tomato, and gooey queso plus a side of super salty (slightly mushy) fries. To die for.  


So we grabbed our umbrella and spent the next hour at the bar at Hotel Amistad, talking to the bartender and the chef as we waited for our food.  Turns out that the chef used to work for Mel Gibson (he owns - or used to own - a few places down here), and he told us all about working for him, meeting Shakira, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Jordan, and other celebrities! Also hints to why his food is sooooo good. 

The bar at Hotel Amistad. Courtesy: HotelAmistad.com

Breakfast (Saturday)
Onto my most amazing meal #2.  Today was just one of those beautiful, sunny spring days where nothing could go wrong.  I went for a quick run this morning, and then headed down to the local feria to buy some fresh produce for the week. Bingo! I found fresh strawberries and blackberries and homemade cardamom rolls for breakfast.  Yumm-O.  Simple, fresh, organic breakfast on a lazy Saturday morning. Loved it!

Breakfast courtesy of the feria near our house. 

Lunch (Saturday)
Meal #3 could easily be one of my favorite experiences in Costa Rica so far.  My new friend, Flor, invited us over to her house to meet her husband, Orlando, and her four children, Jefrain, Orlando, Thelma, and Genesis Sophia, and have lunch together. 


She lives about 30 minutes away (walking), so we headed out with some beautiful lilies for her and her family and made our way south to her neighborhood.  This was the first time we'd ever been invited over to someone's house here, and we've heard that Ticos can be a bit shy about inviting extranjeros over to their homes, so we were flattered!  


Despite the language barrier for Brian and my still-growing language skills, we had an amazing time with Flor and her family, talking and laughing together, and enjoying her delicious ensalada con tomates, maíz, y lechuga  and a lasagna con pollo.  Gracias a Dios!

Lasaña de pollo y verduras. Courtesy: RecetasDeMicroondas.com

Let's get this Friday party started

Saw Jessie J perform on Saturday Night Live a few weeks ago and have been playing her song, "Price Tag," on repeat tonight. Great way to get this Friday party started, friends. TGIF!

Thank you for being a friend...

"Traveled down the road and back again. Your heart is true.  You're a pal and a confidante." - Theme song, "Golden Girls" (Andrew Gold, 1978)

Courtesy: ReelFilm.com

Today, I was talking to B about my ultimate Spanish goal: being able to do a live news interview in Spanish during a disaster.  As we started talking, I realized that, despite the fact that language learning as an adult can often feel like slogging through mud with concrete shoes, I have made progress! God is so good when He reminds us of His faithfulness.   

As we continued talking, I remembered that I had also told my husband that my next goal was to be fluent enough to meet a friend for coffee here in San Jose and just chat.  It has been hard to meet friends here and even harder to feel confident enough to chat in Spanish (when many of them are quite fluent in English).  Then I met my new friend, Flor (Spanish for flower).  

Flor and I met at Bagelman's, the coffee shop that I love to go to on the weekends.  She works there; I go there for the worldsmostamazingchaitealattes. No exaggeration. They're amazing.  After several weeks of chit chat on Sunday mornings over my  te chai to go, I mentioned that it might be fun to hang out sometime and her face lit up with a smile. Success! I had just made my first friend here.

Two weekends ago, Flor and I met for te chais in Parque Nacional and spent nearly two hours talking about everything from our marriages to our families to our jobs and dreams for the future. Wow. Flor is nothing short of an answer to prayer, an encouragement, and a wonderful new friend! I'm so looking forward to hanging out with her again soon.  

"Thank you for being a friend..."

Good times, good times

Being silly and enjoying some Caribbean-style Tico food at Restaurante Whapin in our neighborhood with friends from the Philippines, Seattle, and San Jose on Friday night.  Good food, good friends, good times!

Dulce dessert

Tonight, I had Mexican street meat. In a word: delicioso!  Fresh beef tacos with cilantro, onions, limes, and guacamole.  And for dessert, the owner of the B&B I'm staying at gave me some of his obleas con pepitorias.  It's like a two half-circles of sweet, colored wheat wafers filled with honey and pepitas (like pumpkin seeds).  Yummm!  Here's a great blog with a recipe and the story of these delicious dulces. 

Courtesy: Puebla-Puebla.com

Courtesy: BodaClick.com

A brief history of the world (or the past 200 years) in 4 minutes

A fascinating look at the history of 200 countries...and their development (or lack thereof)...in the past 200 years.  Have been thinking a lot about this lately.  Why do some countries grow and thrive? And others continue to struggle for generations?  

Oooh Mexico, sounds so simple I just gotta go

Today's blog post comes to you from The Red Tree House in Mexico City, Mexico and is sponsored by:

The letter "L": limonada: (kind of like lemonade but a whole lot better!) 

Refreshing limonada. Courtesy: Flickr.com

The number 1: my #1 favorite house in the Condesa neighborhood of Mexico City: 

A classic, Mexican-style house in Colonia Condesa on Avenida Mexico. Courtesy: PBase.com

The color purple: for the beautiful jacaranda trees that blossom every year at this time:

Jacaranda trees in full bloom. Courtesy: ProSoundCommunications.com 

And the color green: for the parks all over the city, including Parque Mexico near my hotel:

Parque Mexico, Colonia Condesa, Ciudad de Mexico. Courtesy: Artelista.com
 

Mexico City, Mexico. Courtesy: BugCon.org

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't

Some days, I feel like my job gives me the opportunity to do amazing things, use my God-given skills to their fullest potential, continuously learn and grow professionally and personally, and meet passionate, interesting people around the world.

Other days, I feel more like Dogbert.  

Bella Roma

A few weeks ago, B and I had the wonderful chance to travel to Rome together for a week. It was the first time the two of us had traveled together in quite awhile, and in many ways, it felt like a second honeymoon! B ran the Rome Marathon, I did the 4k fun run that same day, and the rest of the time was spent bouncing around between morning cappuccinos and pastries, 2,000-year-old ruins and Roman history, Italian cooking lessons with a chef named Fabio, and 3-hour-long dinners where we stuffed ourselves full of pasta and red wine. 


In many ways for me, it felt like a homecoming of sorts, a chance to understand more about my roots and where my family came from three generations ago.  Both of my great-grandparents emigrated to the United States from small towns in Sicily, the island off the southern tip of Italy.  I've always felt a closeness toward this part of my heritage and have dreamed about the day that I could finally make the journey to Italy to learn more about my family tree.  Every day, there were moments that reminded me of the Cusumano in me; I would see someone who looked like my grandpa, taste pasta sauce that reminded me of my grandma's recipe, or hear something that one of them used to say.  Que bella Italia!

Rome, Italy, March 2011, Brian and Laura Blank

Phew!

You know it's been a long week when, on a Friday night, your husband comes home from a 48-hour trip to a time zone two hours ahead of you, and, after a delicious dinner together, finds you nearly passed out on the bed, to which he says:


"L, you can't fall asleep yet, it's only 9:30 p.m."


To which I reply (in my head):


"Wow, I made it to 9:30 p.m.! I can definitely fall asleep now because that wouldn't be pathetic."


To which I quickly realize that it's not actually 9:30 p.m., it's only 7:30 p.m. because Dear Husband hasn't changed his watch back to our time zone yet. #ThankGoodnessItsFriday.

Railay Beach, Krabi, Thailand, Laura Blank, 2011