Coffee and Kids

Living in a Muslim country 🇲🇦 vs 🇺🇸

2017-03-05T13:55:00.002-08:00

We arrived in Marrakech in October 2015 with the intention of only staying couple of months then moving on like a good gypsy family does.😂 But hit a snag in our plans when I overstayed my visa & was barred from leaving Morocco until I fix my tourist visa. So I automatically perceived this as a sign not to go to Germany and to just remain in Morocco till I can fix my visa. Now almost 6 months later were ready to leave and preparing to fix my visa. But this lead to my understanding of how I was treated by Moroccan officials compared to my own country treatment of illegal immigrants during our current political climate.

But let's back up to reflect on my love for the Moroccan people & country. We arrived and automatically felt home. The people, places and even the animals were SO nice to the kids and I. I encounter mean people but I encounter more nice than mean. I haven't experienced any violence against women, any things the media portrays of Muslim countries. I observed a country filled with people who are extremely proud to be Moroccan & Muslim. They don't make me feel uncomfortable, they don't make me cover my hair or body. I walk freely throughout Marrakech with ease. My children are able to play outside without worries of the dangers that plague children in the states like a child rapist, murders and just plain crazy people who take pleasure in hurting children for sadistic gain.

Over the next couple weeks, I will be fixing my visa for preparation to leave Morocco which I have mixed feelings because I have a great landlord and great neighbors and awesome neighborhood which we live in. I've been advised that I need to go to the police station & pay the fine & go to court to fix my visa and then they send a notification to the airport that I can leave Morocco. As I watch American news and see how illegals are treated I'm grateful to Morocco for its humanity and hopes it will never lose its humane treatment of illegal immigrants. The kids and I have learned a lot over the last 18 months while living in Morocco, patience, kindness, understanding and unconditional love. I'll share in a later post how to fix visa issues in Morocco. But in the meantime what are some of your misconception of someone religion? And how did you overcome the misconception?

“I have always considered myself a person with a gypsy heart, and I
Surrender my dreams to my soul, for it's a free sprit who believes in no boundaries of region and religion.”
― Megha Khare

Thiouraye (Senegal incense)

2017-02-27T16:52:00.002-08:00

What is thiouraye?

This is a very rare perfume Africa (thiouraye), it is an ancient recipe. It consists of a mixture of grasses, wood, flowers, resins, oils and perfumes. Most perfume shops in Senegal have different mixtures for sale.

Did you know thiouraye has several uses?

There is thiouraye for neutralizing food smells, thiouraye for chasing away a mosquito, some are good for the stairwell and living room, another kind is meant for the bedroom 😉.

Love tips for Dating African man

2017-02-26T10:43:00.001-08:00

Oh boy!!! Men, in general, are NOT that complex but add cultural & custom norms from their country and you have so many different situations you have to take into consideration. I recently read an article which provided some dating tips to dating African men. Very interesting. Read it and let me know your thoughts and maybe some other tips you could add. I would add that if you been single & independent for more than 2+ years I suggest you need a crash course or even technique on how to let go and letting your other half handle some of the burdens of life.

Love Tips for Dating The African Man

Walking around Marrakech

2017-02-26T09:05:00.001-08:00

Taxi ride Marrakech

2017-02-23T12:00:00.001-08:00

Birthday party fun in Marrakesh

2017-02-23T09:05:00.001-08:00

Farewell Marrakesh

2016-07-11T16:39:00.000-07:00

Our time has come to an end. We loved it here. We had many rough starts but we made it 9 months on a budget less than $900 a month. This single mom of four did it! Yes!!! It was all down to major budgeting and sometimes we went over but the overages were legitimately good reasons. Either needed medicine or the baby needed new clothes or bottles.

I've learned patience and acceptance. Living in a country with no family, friends or support system is a big challenge especially being a single mother of four beautiful children. But I survived and made it. Many things I was not able to accomplish while living in Marrakesh which was finding adequate schooling for my kids so I homeschooled, my online store did horrible which Argon oil is very popular but my customer base where mainly soap makers that loved Shea butter and black soap so selling argon was a little difficult plus shipping was ridiculous and more expensive then Senegal.

Here is a breakdown of cost of living in Marrakesh, see below :

Rent 2 bedroom, 1 bath $250-$300 (I 1st used Airbnb which I learned was too expensive then went to Realtor and they showed me apartments that I thought was cheaper but after visiting other people's home and me comparing my apartment to there Riad I was paying over $100 more, but you live and learn) also beware if you get a Realtor to help YOU pay commission which is one month's rent. Most contracted apartments require 1st and last month's rent, One-month rent deposit and $100 utility deposit. Which is crazy expensive.
Housekeeper 1x a week is $10 a week. (I paid more by $².00 just because 😂 but again I talked to my neighbors that lived permanently and they paid $10 a week)
Monthly food varies, and honstly, it's cheaper to order out then buy groceries so I'll give prices of certain meals and other useful price breakdown:

Tagine poulet for 2 Max $2.50
Calamari plate for 1 $3
Tagine meat for 2 Max $5
French fries 🍟. 50¢
Moroccan soup. 50¢
Café with milk $1
Moroccan tea 🍵. 10¢
Orange juice .40¢ with straw extra. 10¢
Strawberry juice $1
Bowl of Snails 🐌. 50¢
Sugar donuts. 20¢
Macaroons .10¢ for 1
Taffy, you just give him. 50¢/$1 and he will cut you a piece.
Coffee from walking coffee guys MAX. 20¢ a cup.
Bag of popcorn .20¢
Cotton candy .20¢
Homemade chips $1
Burgers and 🍟 $1.50 with cheese extra .30¢ They also have well know fast food like McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, and Pizza Hut.
Baby items cost (best if you go to Marjane their prices are just like Walmart prices) :

Pack of pampers $7.00
Baby wipes. $1.50
Baby bottles $3-$10 Baby shoe &; clothes EXPENSIVE 😂 $20+ Cheap plastic stroller $100 overpriced

Taxi: each taxi has a METER but whether they use them is another thing lol They always want to act like there meter broke but just wait for honesty taxi and they will use a meter. But keep in mind petite taxi's only take 3 people and yes they count babies as 1. Grand taxies do not have a meter so negotiate a price to a destination. Anything between Jemma la Fin, Gueliz, Marjane roughly cost $2-3 in petite taxi they will want you to pay $5-7 but don't fall for it. Marrakesh has plenty honest taxis that will go by meter.
Bus fare: .40¢ per person and babies are free. Airport bus is $3 one-way
Horse carriage ride varies but should never cost more than $15 for tour of city

They have Ikea but it's in Casablanca which is 3 hours from Marrakesh. I probably forgot something but I'll add it in the comments later. Now you might have to pay more if they think you don't know better. All in all, we met great people and made awesome friendships. Marrakesh is very westernized country and more liberal than West Africa.

So is Marrakesh budget friendly YES, kid friendly YES YES YES and more YES. I would totally recommend Marrakesh for a family. So get ready and book your flight.

Adieu Maroc jusqu'à la prochaine fois ...

Life update 2016 traveling with kids, Marrakech, Morocco & Dakar, Senegal

2016-06-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Malika Beach 2014 Fun

2016-06-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

Tour of old apartment in Kuer Massar, Senegal-2014

2016-06-08T06:23:00.000-07:00

Senegal Oldie but Goodie...

2016-06-03T19:28:00.002-07:00

Enjoy this short update video about living in Keur Massar, Senegal.

How to Survive Your Fírst long haul plane ride with kids

2016-05-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

"In America there are two classes of travel - first class, and with children." - Robert Benchley

It's definitely not easy. It requires a lot of coffee and patience. Here are some tips I learned while traveling with four kids:

Wear comfortable clothes. No need to be glammed up when you're traveling with a tribe for 9+ hour plane ride and 2 layovers totaling 16-20 hr trip just because you trying to save money. Remember on long haul flights major airlines have baby bassinets but a big nuisance because everytime seatbelt light come on you need to remove your peaceful sleeping baby and put him/her in your lap with a lap belt. And if your flight has turbulence like I had on a trip to Barcelona it was just better to keep Vivi in my lap. lol
Remember you have to take off shoes so easy shoes to take off & on. Crocs, Crocs, and more Crocs are the best invention since sliced bread and perfect for traveling with children.
Bring plenty of snacks for the kids because airport food is ridiculously overpriced. Remember to pack according to airport requirements regarding liquids and packing.
Accessories, for instance, head rest/pillows, earphones, iPad or any electronics so kids can have entertainment while waiting for departure.
If you have toddler or baby like me Stroller is essential because when you have those long layovers and the baby is sleepy you can stretch the stroller out for a nap. Trust me the best invention is reclining strollers haha.
Toys if you have smaller children. Electronics for older kids.
Last but not least a thermostat full of your best coffee with a little brown liquor mixed because containing & entertaining toddlers & babies for 9+ hours is no small task.

Here is the baby bassinet which Vivi sleep like a brand new baby but keep in mind every time seatbelt light appears you need to remove the baby and have him/her laying in your lap with lapbelt.

What other tips can you add that will help a traveling family? Sharing is caring!

Budget...

2016-05-17T00:50:00.000-07:00

My budget for any trip is very minimal for a family of 5. For housing, I can usually afford between $400-$500 USD and food between $100-$200 monthly and the rest I spend on transportation, utilities, and the baby things for Vivienne. Picking the right country is vital for us because if we pick somewhere too expensive we won't survive.

We have lived mostly in Africa because the cost of living is within our budget but now we plan to venture to Europe. Within Africa, we were free to come and go without purchasing a visa or applying for residences visa. But with Europe, it's a lot more complicated and make it harder to move within Europe with my tribe. Over the next couple of months, I plan to research the best location with main focus will be on

Fits budget
Provides free schools,
Low crime rate,
family friendly town.

I came across a a little island that is wishing to increase population and revive its island and after a lot of reserch it's top of the list only downfall is that don't have secondary school on the island for my two older kids but they have secondary school on mainland which my older kids would go from M-F and board at sponsor housing and come home Friday's. Which is okay since my older kids are 16 & 14 and it will be like boarding school or away summer camp plus it will give them experience what going away to university is like lol.

Inishturk Island

Therefore, I plan, research, look and hope we find a great fit for my little tribe.

Easy money while traveling

2016-05-15T12:03:00.000-07:00

A couple of sources of revenue that I use while traveling that is simple easy money. Usually, the places I live are less than $400-300 month rent so getting $200-$300 easy money is a bonus.

First, one is a company called Vindale. They are primary a survey company and have tons of surveys to answer. Plus the best part is they payout at $50 and I been able to get $100 a month from filling out surveys and questionnaire. If you have a Paypal account they deposit the money via your PayPal account. I have been using their site since 2011. Now it does take time but pretty easy money.

Second, freelance work. Many sites offer freelance work but I rather not have a middle man so I been freelancing for many years on the side from taxes to basic accounting functions like bank reconciliations, account recon, etc. Mostly word of mouth I get referrals. When I was in the states I would go door to door to small businesses that had Quickbooks/Quicken and offer my service which worked out well for me.

Also, while traveling there are many ways to make money especially if you don't have a work visa for that particular country. But if you do have work permit the best source of income is teaching English abroad which I know several individuals who have used Teachaway.com for job placement.

What are some ways you have made money living abroad? Would love to hear from you.

Review of Sindi Sud Riad

2016-05-15T02:04:00.000-07:00

Sindi Sud Riad Review

Located: Riad Zitoun Lakdim Derm Sidi Bouloukate 109, Marrakech

We stayed at Sindi for two months and was able to get to Old Medina within a 5-minute walk. The price was super affordable for a family of 5. Some of the rooms had bathrooms some didn't but on the 3rd floor a community restroom and shower which is very tidy and clean with plenty of hot water was available but if you take showers during the check-out time it will run cold lol.

We stayed in a room with no bathroom on the 3rd floor. They provided unlimited wifi but I have to say the internet would come and go and sometimes disconnect but okay for normal use. But if you want to watch Netflix I advice waiting for a better connection.

The staff is awesome, very helpful and resourceful. They have great knowledge of the city and where the best affordable places to eat. They offer breakfast for 25 dirham per person which includes fresh squeezed orange juice and traditional Moroccan bread. But honestly, you can get fresh orange juice for 4 dirham and Moroccan bread & honey for 6 dirhams at Jemma la fin square.

So inclusion I would recommend Sindi Sud Riad for a short-term stay and give it 3-stars out of 5.

Hotel Sindi Sud (Marrakech, Morocco) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor

Here are some pictures from our stay at Riad Sindi Sud...

People's fear...

2016-05-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

Before I came to Morocco many people made comments advising that Moroccan people did not like African Americans, non-Arab, darker skin people. This was far from the truth. From the moment I got off the plane, the kids and I were showered with acceptance, love and compassion. I never once felt other people's fears. I think as American's the media has made the rest of the world a "big bad place" and only America is safe and accepting of African Americans. But this is not true and far from the truth. Were accepted and loved and not judge by the color of our skin abroad. My son will never be shot dead for the color of his skin in Morocco.

Hence, America history of racism played a heavy part in African American fear and how they think the world perceives us. I'm not saying their not racism around the world what I'm saying is that it's not how everyone suggests. The best way to conquer fear is to venture out not just the Caribbean, but Turkey, Russia, Ireland and many other countries and see that the world and embrace all.

Marrakesh we LOVE you!!!

2016-05-13T10:27:00.001-07:00

What can I say, we love Marrakesh. Morocco is the most inviting and most friendliness country we been thus far on the continent of Africa. From family friendly restaurants to strangers kissing Vivi. It's deep in culture but also has a modern western feel. Old Medina is a fantasy world with snake entertainers to the henna tattoo artist. Here a short video of our adventure in Marrakesh, I hope you enjoy.

How to start the process of living abroad

2015-10-17T16:42:00.000-07:00

The madness of just packing and leaving was draining with a seven month old baby, two teenagers and seven year old . But the process took me about year almost two years to plan and save. And even then I wasn't prepared for everything. Here are some key steps to take to prepare to move abroad:

1. LET GO OF YOUR FEARS!!!!!

2. Clear your debt. Don't acquire any new debt. Don't make any new purchases just basic necessities.

3. Start a trip fund. Which is extremely hard for single mothers so start with $10.00 a paycheck. Save your tax refund and any other extra money. Which I rarely had extra lol

4. Start selling off stuff that can't fit into a suitcase. You basically have two check in and one carry on to fit your life.

5. Start researching the best location for you and your family. For me it was all about easy access to Europe & also cost of living less than what I estimate per month.

6. Find a group of ex pats or Americans on Facebook. Almost all locations have a group full of Americans living at your location. But don't be scared off because most of the women in these groups have a husband in military or husband from that country. You will rarely see any single moms in these groups. So don't be disheartened you can do this.

7. Start researching schools because your kids still need education while traveling, but keep in mind most countries are fee based schools, so you will have to pay tuition. So include tuition in your budget.

8. Now before any move you need to get non custodial parent on board and in agreement. If your kids have passport great the hardest part over I'll write another blog on how to obtain passport for your kids as a single mother.

So what are you waiting for start planning. Bon voyage! Follow me on YouTube and Instagram.

Coffee and Kids: My journey to find "home"

2015-10-10T18:53:00.001-07:00

Coffee and Kids: My journey to find "home"

My journey to find "home"

2015-09-02T14:06:00.003-07:00

Where do I begin? Life has so many ups and downs and you realize you have a passion or urge to do more then 9-5 career and live the hustle and bustle life. So this is where my journey begins. We moved to Morocco for pursuit of happiness. When my children remember there childhood and say, "my mom spent a lot of time with us..." compared to, "my mom worked all the time...". The difference in both statements make or brake the child's perception of "joy of living life to fullness".

So that's how we begin my story. One single mom with four kids on a journey to pursue happy medium with work life and family life. So follow the kids and I big adventure.

Follow my YouTube.com and Instagram for more about our journey.

The End and Beginning of a Journey!

2014-11-07T22:12:00.000-08:00

Where do I begin...

Life has a funny way of waking you up. The kids and I moved to Senegal and came back July 2014. And my husband and I have will have a bebe girl due 2/5/2015 WOW... LIFE! It gave me a burst of energy that surge thru me and energized me in many ways. But I decided to embark on a special journey which I think I was unaware of which is called LIFE. Have you heard of it?

It's been lacking, I have spent 36 years not knowing what life is. What color are the leafs? What is the sound of laughter? What are your surroundings today? Have I just been walking without seeing? I have asked this question and wondered. I worked, I also played but what I did not do was live life. So my journey is like most a healing of my life journey and revamping my inner soul. I'm exhaling negative and inhaling positive. I've learned to follow my own heart and mind and put my focus on more positive tangible people and things.

Welcome to the new beginning of this Journey called Life! Enjoy and ride along with me I always love company :D

My love story

2013-11-20T08:13:00.001-08:00

"School DaZE" BY Spike Lee

2013-09-05T19:29:00.001-07:00

Downy Unstopables Giveaway

2013-01-27T20:58:00.001-08:00

Downy Unstopables Giveaway

The most beautiful lady in the WORLD grandma!!!!

2012-07-27T13:39:00.001-07:00

Guest Book for Mary Matthew – Online Guest Book by The News & Advance and Legacy.com.