Keeping it Positive in Prague

K1 on the hike down Petrin Hill.

Throughout the past nine months, we have done our best to travel as much as possible. We aren’t fancy travelers. We usually pick our destinations based on good airfare rates and flight times. We have a list a mile long of places we’d like to go and as we travel, that list seems to be getting even longer rather than shorter.

Nevertheless, travels aren’t usually that easy or relaxing. As a friend who visited recently pointed out: there’s a big difference between a "trip" and a "vacation." We’ve been doing trip after trip and have yet to have a proper vacation. Our trip to Seville was likely the closest we have come to a vacation so far, mainly because Dave actually took some time off work while we were there. It also helped that the weather was slightly warmer than England and we all slept well!

Our most recent family trip was to Prague. During a spring break when we should have just gone to a beach in Portugal or the Canary Islands, we decided to hit up Prague. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an amazing destination…but it’s not a vacation for a family of four that includes two under 5. It's another trip.

I like to pride myself on being a positive person and Dave always says that this is a big reason why he married me: my positivity. I try, but I don’t always succeed and sometimes these trips we go on can seem more stressful than we’d like and staying positive is a challenge. Somehow though, we all managed a trip that for all intents and purposes should have been our most difficult, to stick to the bright side.

It started off early. We needed to be out of the house before 6am to drive to Gatwick Airport. After a late night with Dave’s MN co-workers who had been in for a commercial shoot, we managed to roll out of bed and get everyone in the car on time. Unfortunately, we didn’t get every ‘thing’ in the car. The carry-on that was packed entirely for K1 and K2 never made it. It remained resting next to the toy box, left behind. We didn’t notice until we dropped the car off for curb-side pick-up and Kaler didn’t have a bag to pull.

Don’t get me wrong. I was definitely annoyed that we had forgotten an entire bag. But at the same time, what were we going to do? We didn’t have time to drive all the way back home and really, how bad can it be to buy a few fun outfits from Prague? And every country has diapers, or nappies as we now call them, so we weren’t in any danger there. In fact, all of a sudden I was kind of looking forward to an impromptu shopping trip for my boys. I was only now upset that we hadn’t forgotten MY bag.

View from our Hotel Apartment in Wenceslas Square

Our arrival in Prague was easy and found our apartment hotel to be right on Wenceslas Square. Score! Here’s the thing. We agreed to book this trip knowing that Dave would need to work almost every day. Ouch, I know. Nevertheless, we just had to roll with it. Again, I was crabby about this when we were first discussing the trip, but once we were there we had to make due.

So each morning all of us would get some breakfast from a local bakery (in one case that meant Starbucks) and head out for an excursion. We were always back by early afternoon for K2’s naptime and Dave’s work day to commence as his co-workers were just waking up in the U.S. Then after nap, I’d spend a few hours at neighboring parks, the Easter Market, or looking for more clothes to layer with the kids. Dave would take a work break for dinner and we managed to find some really fun family-friendly places. After dinner? Yep, Dave went back to work and I got to read, surf the internet, or watch tourists frequent the nearby cabarets and strip clubs out the window. This is where I reiterate the whole trip vs. vacation bit.

Our luck continued, as we decided to make one of our morning excursions to the Funicular Railway up Petrin Hill. We voted to do this over Prague Castle mainly because we get to see lots of castles as it is in the U.K. I checked the website for ticket prices, times, etc. We took the lazy route and taxi’d there. Sometimes that’s the way it goes when you are carting two littles. We just don’t have the time or patience to study a transit map. So, we got dropped off at the base of the hill that looked more like a small mountain and headed to the ticket office. Closed. 100% CLOSED. For no reason really; just for a few days. It wasn’t Easter, Good Friday, or any holiday that anyone knew of. It was just closed. SO…we played at the playground at the base for a bit and decided to hike up on our own. Well, Kristoff didn’t really decide and he bucked the idea after about ¼ of the way up. I threw him on my back in the kid carrier and continued on. Kaler never complained and loved exploring. At the top we admired the views and paid to go into the mirror maze because... why not? We had never been in a mirror maze as a family. 

We got hungry. So we stopped at the little chalet for a snack and to use the bathrooms. After about 15 minutes, we noticed that everyone was looking outside and talking loudly. Snow. Lots of snow. And it was coming down quickly and in big flakes. We didn’t want to wait it out. Kristoff needed a nap soon and Dave had to get to work. So down we went. Dave led the way, K1 was next (he only fell once), and I trudged slowly through the slush with K2 on my back. It was almost fun. No one complained. Crazy, I know. Somehow K2 even managed to fall asleep. The toughest part was finding a taxi at the base. Our shoes and clothes were soaked and we all had rosy cheeks from the cold. Everything went wrong that could have gone wrong, and yet I think it was a favorite memory for all of us.

Let’s move on to the next patch of ‘good’ luck. The kid-friendly activity blog for Prague that I was using as a guide suggested bowling. It said that no one in Prague bowled and we wouldn’t need a reservation as the only bowling alley in the city was never busy. So, we made the trek to the other side of the city promising the boys a fun night of bowling and pizza. We finally found it and upon arrival were told that the entire place was rented out for a private party. Right. Okay. Well, we could get mad, or we could get excited about finding a different place to eat. We gave Kaler the task of finding our restaurant and ended up in some random underground restaurant eating pizza and a seafood platter (mine). Not too bad.

Old Town Square

Finally, I’ll share our last moment of keeping it positive: The Prague Zoo. Wow. Have you ever been to a zoo and thought, “Now, this just can’t be safe…can it?” I have. I’m pretty sure that the Hyena could have easily jumped the barrier and eaten my children. Luckily it didn’t. But it could have. And then there was the nocturnal animal exhibit with the sign that read “Warning: Low-flying fruit bats.” just as we were entering. What? Dave and I both looked at each other with fear in our eyes, but followed our boys into the dark cave. I quickly put hats on the boys to protect their beautiful hair from the bats, crouched down, and walked quickly. Sure enough, we heard the fruit bats right overhead and I saw one swoop down over Dave just before the exit. Gross. Scary. Icky. Bleh. Seriously, it was terrifying, but kind of exhilarating at the same time. So yes, we do recommend the Prague Zoo, but please remember to bring hats and be ready to run.

It wasn’t until Dave and I talked through the events of this TRIP that we realized just how good we were at staying positive through all of the curve balls we were thrown. We take lots of trips and I think we might finally be getting the hang of them. That said, I’m ready for a vacation. 

Prague Astronomical Clock in Old Town Square

More Life-Changing Decisions

Stonehenge this past Sunday.

Recently, a friend of mine from way back in my Peace Corps days moved to London.  It has been fun reconnecting. We’ve only seen each other a few times in random New York City sightings over the past 15 years and now here we are both in England. Dave and I broke the news to him a couple weeks ago that we are leaving England at the end of the school year to go back to the states, and he was floored. You see, we had just talked in the beginning December about how hard the transition had been and that we were now having a hard time imagining heading back to the US after just the one year. But, a lot can change in a few weeks. 

My friend also chuckled as he reminded Dave and I how glorious and happy our holiday video card was when, in reality, we’ve had one of the hardest years of our marriage and as a family. He said he loved the video but couldn’t help thinking of all we had just complained about and shared when last we saw him. It’s all there in the blogs. Well, most of it. Fleas in our house, visits to doctors, bank problems, hitting a bicyclist, no social life, stress stemming from a variety of transitional and unforeseen changes and problems... Did I mention a flat tire?, etc. He’s right. It has been a really hard year, and we’re only just over half-way through.

So there’s the bombshell for those of you who haven’t heard. We are, indeed, coming back. Dave loves his job in the Twin Cities and working remotely has been less than ideal. He tends to work U.K. AND U.S. hours and sometimes stays up after I’ve gone to bed just to take a conference call or make sure he has input from a meeting. I feel like he never stops working. Plus, he’s stuck in our house all day, save the random trip to the gym or bike ride, and he hasn’t had the opportunity to make a ton of UK buddies. Okay, I did set him up on one blind man-date and it went well, but they just weren’t ready to make a commitment! ;)

I’ve enjoyed my workplace, but I have to be honest in that I need more of a challenge. I have a caseload of eight wealthy and predominantly white students and they don’t need me in the way my students in the states needed me. I’m used to working with much larger classes of racially and economically diverse students. My passion feels like it has been on hold this year. Plus, I’m used to working with teens and the little ones are cute, but I need more angst!

And to top it all off, K1 and K2 miss their grandparents and other family and friends deeply and I know they are missed right back. I knew this part would be a challenge, but I wasn’t prepared with how difficult it would be to leave our support network when our kids are so young and land in a place where we know no one and hiring a babysitter costs WAY TOO MUCH MONEY. Just the other day, K1 broke down sobbing about how much he misses his grandparents and it was hard to watch. I’ve always been a leaver…someone who has had a relatively easy time picking up and just going somewhere else. But now, I realize and I finally feel deep down just how different it is when a family is involved.

Despite how much of an adventure this has been and how much closer we have grown as a family, I think I’m finally ready to settle down back in the Twin Cities where there is so much to be excited about. I have a new perspective and am greatly appreciative for the family and friends with whom I will soon reunite. I know none of us regret this move in the least.

It’s true, we’ll go back to nothing. No house. No cars. Barely any furniture.  And no idea where K1 will go to Kindergarten.

Oh wait, I didn’t mention the best (and kind of the worst) part. Because of tax reasons and a little thing called the 330-day rule, we need to remain outside of the U.S.A for a total of at least 330 days over the course of one year. Our year started August 3^rd when we landed in England. So…with Dave’s work trips back to the states, this means we will leave England at the end of June, but we will not be able to begin our Midwest dream until August. We need to spend most of the month of July in another country. Where you ask? Why, Mexico of course. My lovely Aunt and Uncle have recently retired there and have graciously invited us to stay. We’ll see how they feel about that invitation at the end of July! So, one more dose of culture-shock before we move back should set us straight for a while. I’m happy we’ll be with family and will feel safe and supported while we are couch surfing for an entire month. How old am I?

So there you have it. It’s all out there. And it feels right. A tricky and logistical nightmare, but right.

Can you find K2 in our Stonehenge selfie?

Top 5 for Under 5's: Travel Tips for Tots

All this travelling and somehow my writing has stalled. Let’s be honest, I’m not sure anything can top my last blog post. The truth is, I haven’t peed my pants since then and I’m hoping it doesn’t happen again.

Some of our biggest lessons of living abroad come from the travels we take with our children. Some people have said we are crazy to travel all over with kids so young (5 and 2) and others have declared this the best time to do so. Well, I think they are both right. I know it would be easier to travel with children who can pee on their own, read, not need to be strapped onto my body once 1pm hits, or need multiple superhero figurines to come with us wherever we go. That said; it’s amazing to see the world through the eyes of little ones.

K1 said his favorite thing in Cardiff, Wales were the paintings at the National Museum. He talked up the Hypogeum, an underground tomb dating back to 4000 BC, in Malta. And he’ll tell anyone who listens about his field trip to the National Gallery in London.

K2 keeps us on our toes spying any playground or climbing surface within reach. This is often the best part of everyone’s day because the kids get to play and the adults get to sit on a bench and drink a coffee or alternative beverage. Bliss.

And then there are the tricky parts. Both kids are great following the curve of a sidewalk and holding hands when we cross a street, but we’re never quite sure when one will trip or fall into oncoming traffic or a bicycle. We’ve had numerous close calls. Dave and I pride ourselves on packing our backpack perfectly for the day with lots of snacks, travel puzzles, cars, diapers, and wipes for all of us. It never fails though that K2 calls for a snack within minutes of leaving the apartment and any time we are sitting still he wants to be eating. Have you seen the kid? He’s a skinny little dude, but he’ll eat just about anything. So it’s inevitable that by the time we hit noon, we are almost out of snacks and the kids don’t even want lunch.

This is when a beach vacation is fabulous for kids. They forget about food when they are digging in the sand and playing in the water. Then lunch will be a wonderful time for everyone. Yeah…we haven’t done one of those yet while in Europe. 

Here are my Top 5 Tips for Travelling with under 5's: 

1- Even rookie travellers know that parents always need crayons, a coloring book, and blank papers on hand. But what’s even better? 
A pot of play-doh works wonders on a plane or bus and is not as messy as you’d think. Pipe cleaners fit in tiny pockets and a lift-the-flap book keeps ones attention for quite awhile.
2- Try to have a variety of snacks so it’s not all sugar…fresh fruit, nuts/seeds, rice cakes, and yogurt covered things are great. And when all else fails, a lollipop keeps kids quiet for at least a few minutes!  
3- A sweet treat is typically a must for us on vacation. Kids don’t get chocolate milk at home, but on vacay it’s a great way to end the day. Use a sweet treat as a reward for good behaviour after an attraction or site-seeing and everyone is happy. We love sitting down to share ice cream cones, pastries, and desserts we’ve never tried before.
4- Keep to routines with as much flexibility as possible. We still make sure K2 has naptime, but we plan ahead that he’ll sleep in the Ergo carrier or that we have a break in the day to stop at the rental or hotel room. Sometimes we’re an hour or even two later than normal, and that’s okay. 

5- How do you turn a dicey situation into a memorable one? Mini dance parties! These can happen in your rental/hotel room, on a bus, in a park, and even in a museum is you have headphones! Keep music at the ready on your phone. We recommend: Okee Dokee Brothers, Jazz for Kids (with Ella, Louis, etc), Katy Perry, anything by Stevie Wonder, and of course Prince (yes…this is Dave’s influence). 

Here are some of our pics from Malta! 

a

Admiring the Mediterranean Sea

Scorpion Fish. SO delicious.

Valetta, Malta

Island of GOZO

Mdina Glass

St. John's Co-Cathedral, Valetta, Malta
Commissioned in 1572

Urine for a treat.

You know the feeling when you’re having a pretty good day: get to work on time, your outfit looks nice, and the fun new ideas you have for mother tongue/language day are well received? And then, you pee on yourself. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Doesn’t it happen to everyone?

I peed on myself today. Twice. I have NO idea how in the world I could have let that happen TWICE! The first time, a small part of the back of my skirt apparently got tucked up under me and I caught it before it was too bad.  I washed it out, dried it in the hand dryer and went about my day feeling okay.

Well, I drank a smoothie for breakfast,  two cups of coffee, and a water bottle full of water all before 10:30am. So, I wasn’t really thinking about anything but relief when I went to the bathroom a second time.  Uh huh. I did it again. And way worse. Almost ½ of my skirt ended up under me in the toilet and I proceeded to pee ALL over it before I even thought to look down. Tell me you’ve done this? Boys, I’m guessing that’s a no for you, but ladies? Help a girl out.

I washed it out with soap and then dried it for a while under the hand dryer. But my skirt is still quite wet, I think I smell a little like urine, and I have lunch duty in twenty minutes. Pray for me.

In other news… Here’s the link to our 2014 Schutz Family Holiday Video Card if you haven’t seen it yet. 
Love, cheer, and safe adventures in and out of potties everywhere to you all!

A Newcomer's Experience with the NHS

Let's be honest. I was a bit afraid of the National Healthcare System (NHS) here when we first arrived. I didn't even formally register with a clinic until November.  I know, bad mom. And you're right if you are thinking that I probably only registered because one of my kids was sick. True. I handed in the paperwork to the clinic and the same day got an appointment for K1. He'd been coughing for a couple weeks and I wanted to get him checked out. That was just before our Thanksgiving trip to Bruges. It is only four weeks later, and I've been back twice. All three times I have been able to get an appointment for one or both kids (and even Dave) the same day I call and everything is FREE. No co-pay, no questionnaire, no photocopy of an insurance card.

Sure, there are trade-offs. You can take a look at the office yourself. 

This is where you stare at the tiny LED screen and wait for your name to scroll across.

This is where you check in and make appointments. 

No bells and whistles. No kids corner with books and games. No comfy chairs or inspirational posters on the wall. Just rows of chairs facing a wall where updates scroll on the LED message board. The first time I came, I didn't know that this is where I'd find our name when it was our turn for an appointment. I panicked that I'd missed our name. No one will call your name out or come find you if your name scrolls by and you don't show up. You hear a quick BEEP and see this "K1 S ... Dr. Lawn... Room 11." 

Then you walk to the doctor's office/room yourself. Knock. And enter. No nurse to check things at the beginning. No waiting more inside after waiting on the outside. You are face to face with the doctor or NP. 

This is inside the doctor's office. Yep, K1 is in his pajamas.
And yep, there's dust all over the place.

In some ways it's a bit off-putting when the doctor doesn't immediately take my child's weight or shine a light in his eyes, but it didn't really bother me. Doctors are not quick to prescribe as I feel some of mine were in the states. If you do need a prescription, it's totally free for children. Adults pay £8 per scrip. Max. 

I chuckled when I opened up the lotion that was prescribed for K1's eczema though. Aveeno. Well, at least it was free! 

I recently asked whether I needed to bring my kids in for annual or semi-annual check-ups. This seemed to be totally up to me and if I want to do so there's a different pediatric centre to checkout. I'm not sure if I'm going to go through the trouble. If we have a problem or question, I can continue to see the doctor we've been seeing. We're figuring it out as we go, but for now the NHS has met our needs and then some. Sure I'm paying a zillion quid in taxes to cover our healthcare, but I am happy with the speed and service that we've received. And again, I didn't have to worry about extra payments at the clinic or for the prescriptions. I'm not sure how I'll feel if something more serious is needed, but let's pray we don't have to worry about that. 

Catching Up: 2 Countries and a Birthday

Nice, France was just what I needed. The educator conference I attended there the weekend before Thanksgiving included a multitude of sessions and keynote speakers, but my favorites centered around service and language. 
One of the most impactful speakers was Mark Cook who started his organization, Hope & Homes for Children.

When Mark retired as a British UN Commander, he decided to dedicate his life to children. Mark shared his journey and how he originally began trying to better orphanages around the world. He saw horrible conditions for children. We watched a short video showing these conditions and I can honestly say that I was quickly moved to tears and almost to the point of vomiting. Horrific conditions so devoid of love for children.

After some time, Mark soon realized that fixing up the exterior and interior of the orphanage didn’t really better the care of the child. Instead, he had what he calls an “epiphany” that he could just get rid countries of orphanages in the first place. He introduced the idea of foster homes in countries like Rwanda, Romania, and Sudan to name a few and was responsible for the closing of hundreds of orphanages across the globe. Here’s a quote from his website, "When we began work in Romania in 1999 there were 100,000 children trapped in institutional care. Today the figure is approximately 9,000 and the Romanian Governments has committed to working with us to close every state run institution by 2020."  

I am in awe of this man. I am so moved by hearing stories from people, like Mark, who a truly making a difference in thousands and thousands of lives.  Utterly inspiring.

And then there’s Bruges, Belgium. Wow. First let me say that we have found many things in the U.K. to be more difficult than we every imagined. Somehow, driving our car onto the Eurotunnel and over to an entirely different country was as easy as pie!

The kids were happy and comfortable and we were excited to drive on the right side of the road for a change. 

After only 36 hours in Bruges, Dave and I decided that we’d like to retire there. Seriously. Kind of. It is an idyllic city that seems to be a cross between Amsterdam and Venice but more laid back than both. The kids loved all the Belgian chocolate treats that were passed out at the Museum of Chocolate and that we felt compelled to purchase simply because of their beauty. We indulged on a boat tour on the canals and a horse-drawn carriage ride through the city the morning of our departure.

I highly recommend this travel spot to any and all. If possible, rent a bike and spend time biking around town and to the nearby village of Damme. Dave and I lucked out and each got a bike ride in while the kids were napping. That how it works when you travel with young kids…you take turns sitting in a dark room while children nap! At least that’s how we do it and it seems to work well.

Please find the rest of our pictures at the end of this post.

And finally, it is K2’s birthday today. 

Our beautiful and bright boy is now 5. He celebrated with 5 friends from school. Each boy was given a cape and mask upon arrival. We then walked to a nearby park and the kids took turns flying through the air on the zipline. It was awesome and nice to do something so simple and easy at home. No bells and whistles, just star-shaped PB & J’s, a park, chocolate cake, and a few minutes of Christmas Kung-fu Panda on Netflix. The sunshine helped the low 40 degree temps feel more like 50 and the whole thing was over and done by 1pm. A win for everyone!

And now for the picture roll...