VIRGINIA, USA: Interview with Dee Harlow

VIRGINIA, USA: Interview with Dee Harlow

Where in the world do you live? And, are you from there?

I was born in Thailand and have lived in so many places that there is not one place that I can genuinely say I am “from.”

At this moment, I live in northern Virginia but it is really only a pit stop until next July when my husband and I, and our two kids, will go live in Vientiane, Laos for two years. And this is after having just lived in Mexico for two years…thus is life in the US Foreign Service.

What language(s) do you speak?

I speak Thai like a six year old, English like a native speaker, can recall some Uzbek, trying to retain Spanish, and now learning Lao.

When did you first become a mother?

I gave birth to my twin son and daughter the day before I turned 42 in 2009.

Are you a stay-at-home mom or do you work?

I have been a stay-at-home mom since my children were born up until three weeks ago when I started Lao language training at the Foreign Service Institute. (more…)

Dee Harlow (Laos)

One of Dee’s earliest memories was flying on a trans-Pacific flight from her birthplace in Bangkok, Thailand, to the United States when she was six years old. Ever since then, it has always felt natural for her to criss-cross the globe. So after growing up in the northeast of the US, her life, her work and her curiosity have taken her to over 32 countries. And it was in the 30th country while serving in the Peace Corps in Uzbekistan that she met her husband. Together they embarked on a career in international humanitarian aid working in refugee camps in Darfur, Sudan, and the tsunami torn coast of Aceh, Indonesia. Dee is now a full-time mother of three-year old twins and continues to criss-cross the globe every two years with her husband who is in the US Foreign Service. They currently live in Vientiane, Laos, and are loving it! You can read about their adventures at Wanderlustress.

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Friday Question: Which trait would you like your child(ren) to learn?

This week’s Friday Question comes from World Moms Blog writer The Alchemist ofIndia.  She asked our writers,

“Which trait would you like your child(ren) to learn from you and/or your husband or partner?”

Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…

Jenna Farelyn of North Carolina, USA writes:
“I actually pray every night for my children to learn to be compassionate and non judgmental.  I am very accepting and open-minded, while their father is not so much.  Rigid, conservative, “tolerant”.

I hope they learn his skills with budgeting both money and time, because they don’t get that from me.” (more…)

World Moms Blog

World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children. World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.

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INDIA: Wedding Blues

Two months back, I went home to attend the wedding of a cousin. This was my first visit home since I came to the Garden City seven months ago. Also, the first time my one-year old Little One (hereafter referred to as LO) was going to get a taste of his Mom’s place – the heat, the relatives, the food – in no particular order.

Hubby and I had qualms on how LO was going to take the trip. For one thing, we were going to undertake the 530 km journey by car. To minimise any untoward incidents, we had already decided to make it an overnight trip, so that LO would be asleep for most of the journey.

The last time we made such a trip, he had fallen prey to a vicious cold and it took him almost a month to get over it. And he was just 7 months old at the time. Now that he was a sturdy 14-month old, we thought we would have things easier this time. (more…)

Veena Davis (Singapore)

Veena has experienced living in different climes of Asia - born and brought up in the hot Middle East, and a native of India from the state known as God’s Own Country, she is currently based in the tropical city-state of Singapore. ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Several years ago, she came across World Moms Network (then World Moms Blog) soon after its launch, and was thrilled to become a contributor. She has a 11-year old son and a quadragenarian husband (although their ages might be inversed to see how they are with each other sometimes). ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ On a professional front, she works in the financial sector - just till she earns enough to commit to her dream job of full-time bibliophile. ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ You can also find Veena at her personal blog, Merry Musing. ⠀

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EAST TIMOR: Flying with Kids

We recently made our way back to Dili from Seattle—logging nearly 20 flying hours and two full travel days. It was exhausting, but somehow easier now that the little ones are almost four.

They understand that flying is part of a journey and are usually pretty excited about the destination. They love checking out the airport scene, observing other travellers and befriending  just about everyone they meet, from airport security guards to stern-faced business travelers.

Of course, 20 hours is still a very long time to be confined to a small space—with or without kids. But, it’s not as grueling as it once was. (more…)

Shaula Bellour (Indonesia)

Shaula Bellour grew up in Redmond, Washington. She now lives in Jakarta, Indonesia with her British husband and 9-year old boy/girl twins. She has degrees in International Relations and Gender and Development and works as a consultant for the UN and non-governmental organizations. Shaula has lived and worked in the US, France, England, Kenya, Eritrea, Kosovo, Lebanon and Timor-Leste. She began writing for World Moms Network in 2010. She plans to eventually find her way back to the Pacific Northwest one day, but until then she’s enjoying living in the big wide world with her family.

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WASHINGTON, USA: Less than 24 hours in NYC…by myself!

I am sitting at a gate in Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) waiting for my flight back to Seattle.  You may be wondering…”How does she have time to sit and write with two girls while she is at the airport?”

If my girls were with me, I definitely would NOT be writing.

I would be mulling this post over in my head while I watched them burn off steam running over and under seats before getting on the six hour flight back home.  The beauty of this story is that I got the weekend off from mommy duty to travel east 3,000 miles to go to a wedding in New York City!  I know, I mean, I really do know – LUCKY ME!!  (more…)

Eva Fannon (USA)

Eva Fannon is a working mom who lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her hubby and two girls. She was born and raised on the east coast and followed her husband out west when he got a job offer that he couldn't refuse. Eva has always been a planner, so it took her a while to accept that no matter how much you plan and prepare, being a mom means a new and different state of "normal". Despite the craziness on most weekday mornings (getting a family of four out the door in time for work and school is no easy task!), she wouldn't trade being a mother for anything in the world. She and her husband are working on introducing the girls to the things they love - travel, the great outdoors, and enjoying time with family and friends. Eva can be found on Twitter @evafannon.

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ARIZONA, USA: Anticipation of Change is Worse than Change Itself!

The Anticipation of Change is worse than change itself!

Today, I am on a plane headed to New York with my two baby boys. Ok, young men. 🙂 It’s a journey we have been dreaming about, as well as confessing and praying about for years, and it’s finally here.

This is a big change for us. It has been The Three Amigos for over 16 years, and now that changes. This is going to be different and exciting all at the same time.

My oldest is moving over 3000 miles from home to New York City Dance Academy, and my youngest is starting a new modeling career, and I have things in the works, too. But even with the excitement, it’s still CHANGE, and we know change can be a little scary. (more…)

Dr. Jeanelle Marshawn Lanham (USA)

Dr. Jeanelle Marshawn Lanham is an Indiana native now living in Arizona, USA. She’s the Founder of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Teen Center – Hodge Podge the Teen Cafè™ (http://www.HdgPdg.com), CEO of Iron WoMan Inc™ (http://www.IronWoManInc.com), a writer, is known to teens all over the world as the S.W.A.G Doc™ (http://www.TheSWAGDoc.com), a wife and most importantly a mom to two awesome boys. She joined the Army when she was a senior in high school because she did exceptionally well on the testing and was involved in the Gulf War. She served 8 years and is now a disabled Vet but that doesn’t get her down, nor stop her. Dr. Jeanelle Marshawn Lanham loves to write and help teenagers feel better about themselves. She knows ASL and signs with her deaf friends when she can. She’s always busy writing and building her Brand and found it great when she was given the opportunity to write for World’s Mom Blog. She has many goals on her bucket list and once her business has grown to her satisfaction, her goal is to own her own bull(s) (yes, real bulls!) and have them participate in the PBR (Professional Bull Riding). Traveling is a love of hers and one day she will visit Italy! You can find Dr. Jeanelle Marshawn Lanham on FaceBook at http://www.FaceBook.com/theSWAGDoc or Twitter @JeanelleLanham – Her heart is true to Rehabilitating Teens, Coaching Moms & Encouraging others.

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