February 25, 2025 by Brooke

Medellín, Columbia – Our favorite things! – Part 1

Today marks one month that we have been living in Medellín and it is truly an awesome city. Here are some things that we think make it wonderful, especially for families.

The Atanasio Girardot Sports Complex – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atanasio_Girardot_Sports_Complex

This incredible facility was built in 2010, before they hosted the South American Games in Medellín. It is comprised of 5 multiple-court facilities, 11 outdoor swimming pools, multiple stages, multiple football (soccer) fields, 14 clay tennis courts, speed rollerblading, track cycling, martial arts and….wait for it….badminton! Yes! I found badminton courts! And better yet, when our daughters joined the classes they loved it! I haven’t had access to badminton courts to play with my girls in a very long time so I’m so excited to teach them how to play! We also haven’t been very active (besides walking) since we moved here, but that’s all going to change with this sports complex so close to where we live! It’s $2 US for a taxi to get there, or one metro stop from where we live! I wonder if anywhere else in the world has such an awesome, free, family-friendly, huge, movement space!

The totally incredible thing about this Estadio area, in addition to being the training place for many clubs and teams, each space can be enjoyed by the public, for free (including kids and families!) Yayyy! Even more wonderful, a branch of the government is in charge of “Inder- Medellin” which takes care of all the scheduling of the free spaces, and offers free classes for families to join throughout the week, and throughout the city. Free fitness, dance, sports, and swimming classes are offered throughout the week! This Saturday for instance, we will go to the dance class at 10:00 (free in the plaza), then rent rollerblades (from some locals) to rollerblade around the stadium, then swim (for free), then play badminton! What an amazing day! It’s my happy place. I absolutely love seeing all the people out being active. This facility, definitely makes the people of Medellín healthy. I keep thinking of the ripple effect of how many people benefit from the free classes, outdoor movement spaces and places to interact and move together. It’s like the Medellín government believes that it’s a human right to play and move! They put their money into providing teachers, the clean spaces, the first aid and security support to put their money into these incredible INDER Programs.

Another incredible part of this Complex is that all the buildings are indoor/outdoor spaces because the metal walls are made with holes throughout them, so you are always able to enjoy the weather, it’s like you’re playing sports outside, but you’re inside. For me, as a Canadian, from the north country, feeling the light breeze and seeing the sunset while I play badminton is incredible! I especially love playing badminton while it’s raining! The rain is pounding on the roof, the air becomes fresh and cooler, the thunder and lightning is cracking outside, and we are happily playing badminton inside a huge facility!

Here is the link to the website to see all the offerings, throughout the city (not just this Sports Complex), Click top right “translate” if you need the page to be translated to Spanish. https://www.inder.gov.co/

The People (La Hente)

The people of Medellín are truly very friendly. Many times we have needed help to figure something out, and anyone who sees we need help stops to help us. This happened in Chile too. We are always so grateful to receive help in a new land. I guess it helps (in this case) that we look like Gringos 🙂 The girls have also experienced that the kids in their school have been very friendly and welcoming. The teachers and staff at the school have been so professional, organized and welcoming. It’s a great school, fostering a great community of families! Colegio Calasanz https://calasanz-medellin.edu.co/

The culture seems to be very friendly to everyone. Often, we have seen store-keepers give something to a homeless person. Every day people ask if we are content living here in Medellín, and are happy when we tell them we love it. Part of their culture (also like Chile) is to first ask “Como estas?” (how are you doing?) before going on with the conversation. It sometimes seemed annoying at first to need to ask the same question each time (even before your start texting someone on a new day), but now I have relaxed into the pace of it and remember it’s important to put the person first, before what you need to talk to them about. Another example of kindness is when we went down to the metro station this weekend, and we saw some guys playing ultimate freebie in an open space, when a stranger came up and asked if he could play, they welcomed him in. When the girls saw this Eilee said, “I get giddy with happiness when I see people being nice.”

People from Columbia are known as Paisas and are known for their warmth and friendliness, but we have experienced this first-hand. It’s truly so nice to see. They seem comfortable with each other. And it has helped us feel more comfortable here as newcomers. Many people have told us to be careful, of the dangers of living in a big city, but mostly we have experienced it feels very safe (I am happy to report!). I wonder if the warm weather, and the abundance of food (fruits and vegetables especially) and also the abundance of dancing and music people enjoy here, had created an especially friendly culture. Also, I wonder if their history of violence and hard things, have specially helped the people band together and look out for each other.

I have also found the mothers, of kids in our girl’s classes, to be very willing to offer help whenever we need it. I’ve really appreciated this. Here, I found friends the same way I did in Chile; I asked a couple women if they would like to meet weekly to practice Spanish and English speaking. In this way, I have found some of my fastest and closest friends. They are the friends that I have learned from the most about the culture, patterns in the schools, and fun things to explore. These friends have been my critical links to figuring things out in these new cities, as a mother. One fast friend, Eva, invited me this week to join her in a fitness dance class by the Stadium, which proved to be a blast, and then later that week she helped me find soccer and guitar lessons for Hannah. Since she knows how everything works, she helped us figure it out in a fraction of the time it would have taken me on my own!

We also like that there is lots of diversity in this city. Well, as of 2024, it’s population is 2.62 million, so there is bound to be diversity, but we like the diversity of food, culture, people, styles and things to explore. The city’s population is diverse, with many people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry.

The Columbian Spanish

We also like how much easier the Columbian Spanish is to understand. It is slower and clearer, and they don’t have as many slang words here as in Chile. I am always thrilled to find that we can usually get the gist of what people are saying here… most of the time. In Santiago, we were still struggling to understand the Spanish, even after living there for 6 months.

The Weather (El Clima)

Ok, this city is truly the perfect climate! We can’t believe it. It’s warm, but not too hot, most of the time. It has very little bugs, and most of the windows are open most of the time so it’s like indoor outdoor living! So amazing. Yes, it gets slightly hot, or slightly cold, but most of the time, it’s perfect. The “City of Eternal Spring,” Medellin, is consistently between 28 and 18 degrees Celsius. This week here, it had highs of 24 degrees Celsius, and the nights fell to 16 degrees. If you get your exercise done in the mornings, it’s perfect weather to exercise outside. And it also rains almost daily in the afternoon, which is also nice because the rain cleans the air, waters the trees and plants everywhere, and cools things off.

The Public Transportation System (a combination of an above ground metro, electric trams and gondolas all connected!) https://www.metrodemedellin.gov.co/en/#link

Below is picture of their metro system (which includes all the gondolas!). As you can see, the blue and orange are the only two above-ground metro lines. The rest are Tramvia’s or Electric Bus lines, or “Cable” which are their “aerial cable cars” or what we know as gondola system!

The Aerial Cable Cars are my absolutely favorite way to travel here. They are clean, quiet, it’s non-polluting, and it provides a way to float above the city and see it all from a bird’s eye view! And in this city, there is a lot to see from the sky! Because Medellin is mostly in a valley, with houses and apartment complexes all the way up the mountain sides, it’s absolutely amazing to see in the day or night. They say Medellin is a truly unique city because “the mountains at night are lit up like sparkling stars.”

Part of the public transportation system that we have also enjoyed here in Medellín, like in Santiago, is the fast access to taxis and Ubers. We have loved not having a car this year! It’s been so much simpler and easier, and much more enjoyable to not have to drive (or have Mike drive in this crazy traffic!). Instead of paying to buy a car, maintain it, fill it with gas, pay for parking and worry about vandalism, we just order an Uber or pick up a Taxi to take us where we need to go! Love it! It has also motivated Mike and I to walk and bike more, to save money on taxis.

For this first month, we have had to take taxis to and from the girl’s school, which takes about 6-10 minutes by taxi (depending on traffic), and about 24 minutes to walk.

Distance to girl’s school from 1st apt.

But from March-June we will be living within walking distance to the school (3 minute drive with taxi, so we will walk in about 10-15 minutes, next to the lovely Parque La Floresta, so we are really looking forward to walking more and taking less taxis!

Distance to girl’s school from 2nd apt.

February 11, 2025 by Brooke

My Dad, Greg Harris

This past Saturday (Feb. 8th 2025) was a day I wish never had to come…. my Dad’s funeral.

Back in November I got to spend a month in Canada with him while he was still alive. I cherish that time with him and my Mom and my sisters, in the Osoyoos Lakeshore Cottage. We all took turns caring for him and helping our Mom, tag-teaming for the last 3 months of his life, as his health deteriorated day by the day with bone cancer. He didn’t want to die. He loved his life and lived every opportunity to its fullest, but we are glad he is not suffering anymore.

The picture in this announcement is Dad running back to us at one of our weddings after something was forgotten. It reminds me of the song “when you’re down, and troubled, and you need a helping hand…and I’ll come runnin’, just to see you again.”

Here’s the song, because it reminds me so much of my Dad. He was a friend, a mentor and a loved one to so many. He was a good person to have on your team. I believe the world is a better place with men and fathers like him in the world.

One of the things I’m so glad we did before he passed, was we asked people to write to him while he was sick in bed. He called those emails his “Love Letters,” and he cherished reading them. He was amazed with each email received, as people expressed gratitude that they knew him, and the many ways he had changed their lives for the better. He was an example of happiness and a mentor to many.

It was truly incredible to read some of the letters to him and learn more fully about his legacy of helping others, that he built over a lifetime. We compiled those love letters into a book called “Greg’s Love Letters: A legacy of a Canadian man with a huge heart, dedicated to encouraging and adoring his friends and family.” He had always wanted to write a book, so we helped him do that, and we presented it to him days before he passed. The book is over 200 pages.

Here are some of my favorite things people said in their letters that captured who my Dad was in the world:

You always kept the door open for me – Poul
The way you treated me was like a breath of fresh air – Ram
The world’s greatest cheerleader! – Vivian
Dedication to your kids + the kids surrounding your kids – Melanie
Your encouraging words ring in my ears – Karolina
One of the most wonderful people – Lindsey
You made me feel like one of the “gang” – Sharon
Your belief in us never wavered – Katherine
You taught the backhand to our entire generation – Steve
King of the backhand – Beth
Magnanimous- ‘noble in heart and mind, generous in forgiving’- Louise
I felt safe knowing you were looking out for each of us kids – Jenny
Would have been a great Youtube video! – Bryon
You have profoundly touched my life – Maja
Thanks for re-writing all of the rules with love first – Sarada
A giant of a man – Darin
Living Big and Dreaming Big – Bryn
You have set and example for what’s possible – Rudy
Part of our defining moments – Kelty
An amazing soul sent here to charge the people around you – Amanda
Love for one another speaks volumes – Melissa
You’re an inspiration to me – Tuula
My life is better because I knew you – Sharon
The Best of the Best – Karen
Enthusiasm for life and those around you – Meg
Strong and Confident Father – Alisa
You made us feel we had made the right decision – Barbara and Gary
Every stage was your favorite – Karen
Quick to laugh and full of fun – Claire
You took me into your home for nearly a year – Duane
My Good Friend – Lauchlan
Kind, knowledgable and patient – Paul & Heather
You shared so generously – Trina
With gratitude for you! – Kirsten
Your impact is immeasurable – Tonya
You made those around you feel seen & special – Laura
We felt at home and part of the family – Rike
Invaluable experiences – Hector from Mexico
Sincere questions and true connection- Sonia
Our dearest Brother Greg – Renate and Bob
We loved to be together – Bill
I love how inclusive you are – Nelson
A big thank you from Germany – Volker
The Best Neighbor Ever – The Donaldsons
You made an impact – Everett
You spread goodness – Jason
You have touched so many lives – Melina
One of my most favorite families – Deb
Greg and our love for him – Les
Your girls won the Dad Lottery – Christina
We kids traipsed through your house and backyard – Caitlin
Your family inspired me – Jezzat
Your influence is just that big – Bryn
Small things that are not small to me – Chris
You and MJ took me under your wing – Laura
You showed me the power of relationships and hospitality- Madeleine
A wonderful example of mentoring others- Sarah Jean
Hi Beautiful Human! – Pippa
You were a great part of my life – Tyson
Without missing a beat you asked me to dance – Ashley
First introduced to the great life by you – Etienne
To acknowledge your steadfast friendship – Michael and Jane
A family man – Alandria
Only because of people like you! – Dale
You helped me through a dark place – Jessica
Curious, solution oriented, and a great mentor– June
A True Canadian – Ursula & Hans

These titles of people’s letters captured who our Dad was in the world. Many common themes were written throughout the letters he received. Things like optimism, encouraging others, a love of fun and people, interest in other’s successes, love of family, and love for his community. My favorite is how my friend Sarada said “thank you for re-writing the rules with love first.” My Dad emanated love and interest in others. He believed everyone had an interesting story and wanted to feel important. He truly rejoiced in being present with whomever he was with, and helped them feel important everyday.

After reading each letter to him, Dad would tear up, would sigh and say “Thanks. That’s good.” It was like he was finally content that to have accomplished what he set out in the world to do. Reading those letters, one by one to our Dad gave us precious times to reflect and talk about incredible days gone by with him and also helped us all remember the man he was in the world. He had forgotten as he got more and more sick. Writing those letters was the best gift we all could have given him; to give back and buoy him up, after a lifetime of him buoying up others. Thank you to all that wrote him.

My sisters and I got the idea to ask people write him after we started telling friends about my Dad’s health condition. When I told one dear friend, she got really emotional. She said it hit her really hard because he was a very dear person in her life. I invited her to write him, and assured her that he would LOVE to receive her letter. In that moment, I realized there were a lot more people who might want to write to Dad, if they knew he was so sick. So all the sisters started writing to friends and family to update them and ask them to write him. Many people didn’t know he was fighting cancer. For the last few years Dad didn’t want people to know. He didn’t want people to relate to him as someone who was “dying of cancer,” so he asked us not to tell people. I think he also wanted to leave space for a miraculous recovery! So, when we did start telling people, and asked them to lift our Dad through letters during this fight of his life, to our relief, the emails started flooding in.

I’m so grateful he was able to hear the wonderful things people said about him. And people were grateful to be able to thank him in person. I’m sure he would have felt really ripped off (and we, his family would have felt saddened) if all these things were only said at his funeral, and not to him! He loved compliments, but more than anything, he loved hearing he was part of the successes of others! He believed success begets success, so he was a real player in building up the community around him. He knew that when our friends and community experienced success, then we (his family) would too. He understood how we were all connected, and how positivity works and how criticism doesn’t work.

PICTURE

The funeral was a beautiful honoring of who my Dad was in the world. It was truly wonderful to see people gather at his funeral to honor him. People from all over the world attended online, and in person.

I’m so grateful for technology because Mike, our daughters and I were able to attend from Medellin, Columbia. I tried to help my Mom and sisters with the planning of the funeral from afar as much as I could. The hardest thing of the day was seeing his gravestone, with all our names next to his, as his children that he loved so much. As one person wrote, we won the “Dad Lottery” when we got him as a Dad for this lifetime.

I will miss his smile, encouragement and hugs the most! I will miss calling him and telling him whatever I’m excited about, and him share in that excitement. But my heartache is lessened knowing he lived an incredible life and I got as much time with him as I could, and I am glad he is not suffering anymore.

It has also been interesting to come to comprehend this idea, that he didn’t die, but just transformed, and he is all around us now. I see him in nature, I see him in the old men I pass on here in Columbia, who waves to me in the window, I see him in my sisters, and my Mom, myself and my daughters. It’s as my sister Dana said when she saw a beautiful sunset, and thought, if Dad were a sunset, he would be that sunset! When I hug a ponderous pine tree, it smells like our Dad; sweet like caramel, and earthy at the same time. Now I more fully comprehend what my friend talked about when she said that she feels her Mom in the breeze and in the sun rays, and she hears her Mom in the birds singing in the morning. I especially experience my Dad’s essence when I see birds. He loved birds and believed in adoring all animals.

Here is a part of the Love Letter I wrote to my Dad before he passed:

My sisters and I have an endearing name for our Dad. It’s Daddio. To us, Daddio means our dear Dad, our confidant, our coach, and our friend, all mixed into one. Actually, to us, he’s even more than that. Daddio means a close engulfing hug that you hope will never end. Daddio is our best cheerleader and biggest fan. Daddio means the man who will sing to you at night about how much you are loved and how everything will be alright. Daddio means an encouraging adult to all your friends, someone who is on your side because he understands that when our friends succeed, we are more likely to succeed too! Our Daddio is our who tears up anytime he talks about his family and/or anything kind or special. Daddio means the important someone you like brainstorming ideas with because he is the one person in the world who believes you can do anything. Daddio is the person who wants you to experience everything great, so he provides as much as he can and for that. Always, it’s for sure, you’re so grateful he is on your team. Our Daddio will always call back as soon as he’s able if you ask for him to. Daddio is our coach on and off the court, who taught us how everything in life relates to racket sports! Daddio will never turn down a chance to practice sports with his kids. Daddio showed us how hard work on and off the court pays off. Daddio means comprehension of God’s love for his children and being cherished.

He left an incredible legacy of encouraging others and being interested in their successes. We will continue his legacy, and so will all the people whose lives he touched.

Here is his Tribute in the newspaper

Tribute

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Gregory Richard Harris. He lived a life full of love, purpose, encouragement, and enthusiasm. He went peacefully with adoring family by his side.

Greg was a devoted son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and friend.

Greg was the firstborn with his identical mirror-image twin, Geoffrey, in Edmonton, Alberta; the sons of Myrna Gillstrom Harris and N. Stuart Harris, and the cherished younger brothers of Norma.

He was a top student, natural leader, and eventual Student Body President at Bonnie Doon Composite High School. He was a hard working athlete and excelled in tennis and badminton, winning several national titles and represented Canada at the Commonwealth Games.

He became a devoted coach and taught many juniors how to master “the winner backhand” and helped them practice for success in life, on and off the court. He will be remembered for his fairness and good sportsmanship and a healthy perspective that winning was more fun than losing.

After graduating from the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Law, class of ’71, Greg went to Europe for his “summer of serendipity.” He even played in the French Open and to his delight for 8 years, proudly shared the same losing record as Rafa Nadal —only 1 loss! Serendipity remained a guiding principle in his life.

Then he went on to practice law in Vancouver and Calgary for 50 years with diligence and integrity. For years, he was found biking to the office through rain and snow.

Greg married Maryjoy Sevy in 1977 and together they raised 6 children. Known for his insatiable thirst for knowledge, kindness, and dedication, Greg was deeply involved in his community through his profession, the Calgary Waldorf School, his Church, and the Glencoe Club. Their family life was enriched by spending many hours playing sports, skiing in Montana, and summers at the lake in Osoyoos, B.C.

In 1999, he and Maryjoy took their children ages 7-19 on a year long trek around the world. It was a fantastic time of adventure, learning, making new friends, and memories; a highlight of their lives. Throughout it all, he created friendships and memories that will last for generations.

Greg was a loving and encouraging father and friend to many. In his final months, the love and admiration he inspired throughout his life poured back to him in the form eloquent letters. These “Love Letters” were read to him every evening with joy and appreciation. Thank you.

Greg leaves behind Maryjoy; their son Brig; their daughters Brooke, Paige, Dana, Brianna and Victoria; and their 18 adorable grandchildren. He also leaves behind his siblings, their spouses, and their loving families who will especially miss “The Twin Show.”

Greg lived the game of life with almost perfection. He adored his wife and children and loved spending time with them above all else. He earned enough and not too much, yet never hesitated to splurge on the experiences that truly mattered.

A seeker of wisdom and kindred spirits, Gregory surrounded himself with renaissance people, continuously fueled by his focus on their success. He was pragmatic, faithful, and unfailingly kind, possessing a unique gift for recognizing and celebrating the strengths of others.

Greg’s legacy is one of love, abundance, and an unyielding zest for life. He will be deeply missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him.

We look forward to seeing him again.

This was a family reunion we made happen because Dad wanted all the Grandkids of his and his twin, to get to know each other.
So glad we make it happen!

One of my favorite times with my parents was preparing and pickling this huge pile of garlic scapes.
This was during Dad’s “growing Grumpy Grandpa Greg’s Garlic” phase 🙂

https://nunes-pottinger.com/obituary/gregory-harris/ (with pictures and/or in case the link doesn’t work someday)

I love you Dad. Thanks for being mine.

December 25, 2024 by Brooke

Very Warm Seasons Greetings from the Lowry Family in South America!

Hello Friends and Family,

This is our Christmas letter/update this year!

In January 2024 we started packing up our home to rent in Moscow, Idaho to start our second Sabbatical with Mike’s job. As a professor at the University of Idaho, every seven years we have the opportunity to live in another country while he does research. So, this Sabbatical we moved to Santiago, Chile in August. The girls went to the same school together, which they loved because they could see each other throughout the school day. While starting school entirely in Spanish was a challenge, they’ve made wonderful friends and now officially understand Spanish! ¡Bacán! (which is the Chilean saying for awesome!)

We’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much we have loved living in Santiago! We think it might be one of the most family-friendly cities in the world! The simplicity of life without a car has been wonderful. The city has a healthy culture and countless beautiful public parks. We’ve also discovered how much we love apartment living—it’s amazing how well-designed and spacious it feels, providing everything we need. Plus, the convenient location makes it easy to walk, bike on the separated bike-lanes, and use public transport to get to school and explore different parts of the city.

Christmas is very different here because it is so warm. It is 32 degrees Celsius here on Christmas day (that’s hot!)! But the rest of the seasons have been delightful. The winter was not too cold, and the spring was incredible with the plethora of flowers and trees in the city.

We are sad to leave this beautiful country of Chile and the friends we have made here, but it is time for us to change it up for the second half of Mike’s sabbatical. In January 2025, we will move to Medellin, Colombia. We are excited because 1) Mike will be working with another great research team using AI for transportation planning at the U of EAFIT, 2) Colombian Spanish will be easier to understand than Chilean Spanish, 3) Colombia is less expensive than Chile, 4) We get to experience, compare and contrast another culture in South America.

Favorite Memories and Highlights of 2024:

Hannah – “Waving to the smiling Peruvians from the caboose of our train to Cuzco…it was so happy-making!”

Hannah has started writing and recording her own songs this year! She sings and plays guitar everyday. She uses this creative outlet to process all the changes, challenges, and thoughts about this new land we are living in. The songs and music just flow out of her!

Kaiya – “Meeting people during our travels and learning their history….it was so interesting!”

Kaiya’s favorite thing to do is read…always. Our favorite Kaiya quote is “I actually read about that in a book recently….” Longest book 532 pages. Average book length 360 pages. Favorite genre right now: Dystopian. Kaiya is a power hiker and has thrived in her friend group at her new school.

Eilee – “I loved tracking, finding, and seeing the exotic animals in the jungle of Bolivia….it was so fun!”

Eilee is still her playful self. We are so happy to have a 10 year old because she brings cuteness and smiles to our family on a regular basis. We are amazed at her capacity to play, and how quickly she went from knowing no Spanish to speaking the most out of all three girls…all through playing with friends!

Brooke – “I loved meeting new wonderful people, studying Spanish, learning about Chilean culture, and riding the incredible gondola system in La Paz, Bolivia… it was so inspirational!”

Brooke’s Dad has been fighting cancer this year so Brooke cherished the month she went back to Canada to spend time with family in November. She is also working on her Masters of Education Graduate degree online through the U of Idaho and of course studying Spanish!

Mike – “I enjoyed picnics in the beautiful public parks and riding the metro to work in Santiago…. It was so relaxing and efficient!”

Mike has worked very hard to make all the parts of this Sabbatical work for our family. We are fortunate to be the recipients of his attention to detail, master-mind planner for trips, and concern for our comfort and happiness. Mike’s favorite thing is to plan the next adventure.

Many thanks to our friends and family who have encouraged and helped us during 2024. We love and cherish you in our lives! We hope this Christmas letter finds you happy and healthy!

Sending you much love and light, and best wishes for a very beautiful Christmas season.

Mike, Brooke, Hannah (15), Kaiya (13) & Eilee (10)

November 4, 2024 by Brooke

Politics in America

The election poles are surprisingly tight and we are all getting very concerned. This election is one of the most important things to happen in our decade and will shape the future of America and the world.

In this post, I will share some resources I have found to help think through who we are choosing as leaders. We need to ask, are we choosing leaders who will uphold democracy, lead without racist/sexist bias and who value honesty?

First, I hold these things as self-evident:

It matters to be kind to all people; especially immigrants since they have a harder road, and because we are all from immigrant ancestry.
Stay away from bullies and narcissists and certainly don’t vote for them to lead your country.
Value democracy and choose a leader who pledges to work within the rules of democracy, with intelligent leaders, for the good of ALL Americans, not just the wealthy.

Here is an incredible podcast laying out the facts about the current situation we find ourselves in.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=CxA3mLuwzp8&si=yWKVVB2n41Pc5xVD

The following Jimmy Kimmel short video is good place to start to see clearly what is happening, and share with the Republicans in your life.

This TED talk reminds us about the importance of checking bias and how having a single story about a group of people is dangerous.

Below is a list of 7 Forms of Bias to think about when thinking of the candidates before we make this important decision.

Here’s a Checklist of Bias behaviors I found in my textbook about Education this week. Use it to check to see how many of these things Trump exhibits!

Below is a useful list to Check for Sexism and Racism in children’s books, you can also use when examining Trump’s “story.”

Check the Illustrations (aka Check what pictures he is portraying about himself through social media)
Check the Story Line (aka Check his story-line and what’s his moral of the story)
Look at the Life-Styles (aka Look at Trump’s life-style)
Weigh the Relationships Among People (aka Look at his relationships with his family and former work colleagues)
Note the Heroes (aka since he IS the Hero in his story, what values does this Hero have?)
Consider the Effects on a Child’s Self-Image (aka how does Trumps rhetoric affect children’s image of themselves as future collaborators in this country?)
Check Out the Author’s Perspective (aka what is Trump’s perspective on the USA, other leaders in it, and the world?)
Watch for Loaded Words (aka listen to the key words Trump uses)
Consider Literacy, Historical, and Cultural Perspectives (aka where did Trump go to school, who did he marry, what cultural perspectives does he have?

I believe women make the difference in this election!

Click to access article-10-ways-to-analyze-childrens-books-for-sexism-and-racism.pdf

What’s the most shocking thing about this add is that it’s making Republicans angry. Isn’t freedom to choose their vote a right that wives should have too??

In conclusion, I believe we all need to pause and check who we are voting for and why and what they stand for as leaders. Unity or separation? Check who we are resonating with. Do the leaders we are electing support collaboration, honesty, anti-racism and uphold democracy in America?

I believe Kamala Harris is our only fit, sane and healthy option to become the President of the United States of America. I have already voted for her by mail from Chile and am grateful to be able to do so.

Please vote carefully US citizens!

Be thoughtful.

Be careful.

Be kind.

We all hold the future of America in our hands.

One vote.

Choose wisely.

October 31, 2024 by Brooke

Doorways

One of my favorite things is to look at doorways and creative things people have done with their entryways.

In this blog post, I share some of the doorways that have caught my eye as we’ve been walking the streets of Peru, Bolivia and Chile. A lot of these doors I found in Santiago (Chile,) as I walked different ways home after I drop the girls off to school.

I specifically look for neat color, artistic, plant, and/or shape combinations. I also like seeing what people’s doorways can show about what is going on in their lives.

Over this doorway, we found a penny that the girl’s aunt Rachel Lowry left there when she went to Machu Pichu with her school class last! That was fun 🙂

October 28, 2024 by Brooke

Favorite Things – Online Wellness Resources

In this blog post, we list our favorite online resources that we use often in our family.

Mindful Movement Meditations

This is my FREE go-to meditation source on YouTube for relaxation, gaining energy in my day, going to sleep at night, and/or going back to sleep at night.
It’s my favorite because I find the author’s voice relaxing and soothing and she offers a huge variety of focuses and a variety of time options.
By reading her titles, I gain clarity about what I’m feeling at that moment, and address it through getting in a comfortable position, pressing play, and getting still. It’s my favorite thing!
I play Mindful Movement Meditations for my daughters to help them decompress during the day to take a rest, and/or to go to sleep at night. Through listening, they gain a more healthy script for their brains, and practice learning how to utilize their breath as a key for relaxation.
I recently found Yoga Nidra meditations which is said to give the equivalent of 4 hours of sleep in 1 hour of listening!
Here is a list of my favorite meditations from The Mindful Movement: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh8aJ6W04Zr7bNAsWtFIM5fl5vd8BLk2i&si=XPWI4YlObgUZCCSX

“DownDog” Yoga App

This wellness app is my go-to way to get on the yoga mat quickly, with adjustable time and personalized options.
Recently added, HITT options add high-intensity exercises mixed with your Yoga practice, which I love.
This app costs way less than signing up for classes in person, and means I can do a class wherever I am (with downloadable class options even if I have no internet).
I love that all I have to do is get on my mat and press Go! It helps me get my yoga commitment to myself done.
www.downdogapp.com

“Epic” Reading App

Epic is the best app out there that I have found to teach kids to read!
Epic offers Read-to-Me options where the words individually pop-out to the reader so they can read it and hear it at the same time.
Explore 40K+ kids’ books online, from classic storybooks to audiobooks, comics & more.
This app would be especially effective to teach kids how to learn English as a second language!
Most of the books are in English, but they also have books in Spanish, French, and Chinese.
If you want your child to get hooked on reading, sign them up for Epic to access thousands of books through this kid-safe app.
www.getepic.com

Blog for screen-free fun for families

I go to this website for book lists, game lists (great to get ideas for gifts!), kids activities, and parenting tips.
This is an example of access to lists of great kids books https://www.whatdowedoallday.com/books/
www.WhatDoWeDoAllDay.com

PolarSteps – Travel Tracker app

This app offers a fun and easy way to share your travel experiences with family and friends.
Easily share where you have been -on an actual map of the world- and pictures each step of the way.
Plan, track and relive your trips (app helps you create a travel book with one click too!)
Here is the link to our travels from this Sabbatical (July 2024-July 2025) on PolarSteps: https://www.polarsteps.com/FamilyLowry

We love sharing great ideas with others. We will be updating this list as we learn about other great resources to help families learn, stay healthy and share our lives with each other in fun ways.

If you have other online wellness resources you love and use on a regular basis, please share with the community in the comments below!

October 23, 2024 by Brooke

Apartment and big-city living with a family of 5

Coming from North America, we have always lived in houses and thought it was great. But living here in Santiago in an apartment, we have been really pleasantly surprised with how much we enjoy apartment living with a family!

In this post, I will explain the reasons why living in an apartment with a family of five is actually great. I will also share why we love it!

But first, here are five unique caveats to note about our family’s specific experience this year….

1) Our girls are now old enough (14, 13, and 10 yrs) to entertain themselves inside. This means they do things like: play guitar, make forts, read for hours or do on-line learning. So, it feels comfortable to live in a smaller space. I think with littler kids, I would need to get them out more because they would be climbing the walls (or off the balcony!).

2) We are living in an especially comfortable and modern apartment which makes all the difference! It’s newly built, easy to clean and the floor-plan is great. So, the fact that this was available to us, and that we could afford it, makes it all possible.

3) This apartment came with all the essentials already here for a family. Things like: 3 bedrooms, quality linens and blackout blinds for good rest, a large deck for outside space, a washing machine in the apartment, and a large kitchen, have proved essential for our family’s happiness here.

4) The temperature in this apartment is naturally comfortable and that’s something we didn’t know is something to pay attention to, since often apartments aren’t made for the cold. This apartment is luckily well-buit and north and south-facing. So it’s warm in the winter (good thing with only one heater in one room) and it has little direct sunlight coming in (which is essential when it’s hot). W also love the windows to let in alot of light since the majority of our stay here has been in winter and spring (August – December). Winter here is June-August, and spring is September-November.

Below are more reasons why we love living in an apartment as a family:

20-30 stores within a 10-minute walking radius of our apartment! This makes a variety of shopping easy and accessible. With 5 grocery stores, 2 pharmacies, 3 bakeries, school supplies etc. within walking distance, we really love having the day-to-day necessities available close-by. This morning, for example, I just needed three yogurts for the girl’s lunches, so I walked to the little mart on the corner and was back in 5 minutes flat! Since we don’t have a car, we enjoy shopping with our grocery-buggy and backpacks. Of course, we have to go shopping more often but since it’s so accessible, we find it very manageable.

4 beautiful parks within 5 blocks from our apartment!? This is something that is truly extraordinary about living here in Santiago. Mike keeps wondering if any other city in the world has this many pocket parks (Comment in the comments below if you know of any!) The parks here are not only everywhere, but they are beautifully designed. Here in Providencia at least, they have water features, playgrounds for little and big kids, workout stations for young and old, dog parks, lots of trees for shade, grass and benches to sit on. With so many apartments around, these apartments get used a TON at all hours of the day.

The Concierges greets us when we come in. Although it took some getting used to at first, we think it’s nice to have someone say “hello” to you every time you come home. “Hola, buen día!”

Easy garbage removal. All you have to do is take it to the dumpster outside the back-door and it’s taken care of. We think this is a novelty because in Moscow, we have to walk our trash down the long driveway each week on a certain day, even in the snow. Here we just take it down whenever it’s full and it’s taken care of. Recycling too.

No garden to take care of. Although I love working in my garden, it just simplifies things to not have a garden or a yard to take care of here. If people want to plant things here, I have noticed they take full advantage of growing plants (and lots of them) on their decks.

The views outside our windows are really neat! Our apartment is on the fifth floor which we have all found is high enough for us, and yet still gives us the views we like seeing up here. We have views of palm-trees, the goings on in the street below, the ever-changing sky and clouds, we see the Andes mountains out one side of the apartment, and the Costanera (the highest skyscraper in South America) out the other side. We also like seeing the other apartments around us, as they change colors with the sunrise and sunset and people do their daily living in them. We also like that the apartments are not too close and in directions where we can have our windows open and still experience privacy so that’s really great.

Easy access to a network of bike paths. We find this especially exciting since we loving getting around by bike. Separated bike lanes and walking paths within a block are truly a luxury and a wonderful thing! To jump on a bike path with the rest of the commuters and get around this city on safe and comfortable routes is a novelty for us. We are also amazed that from our bike path systems here in Providencia, we can get to pretty much anywhere in this city on bike paths. The “cyclovias” as they call them in Santiago make a truly impressive network of connections! https://www.bicineta.cl/ciclovias

Five blocks from a fitness club! Now we didn’t know this was so close when we chose this apartment, but interestingly Brooke (since she played badminton competitively in Canada), we are a 7-minute straight bike ride to the best badminton courts in Santiago! The club is called the Providencia Club, the players are friendly, the courts have a nice feel and it’s sooo fun to play again! The club also has social events, a beautiful swimming pool and fitness center. https://clubprovidencia.cl/

Five blocks from our church and LDS Temple. We didn’t see this coming either, but our apartment is 5 blocks walk to church and our temple. The temple grounds have beautiful landscaping and it’s where the girls have weekly activities with the nice group of youth so we are grateful. We are in the Los Leones Ward here.

Great neighborhood for families. Our neighborhood is called Providencia and we love how it’s so clean, walkable, centrally located, and feels safe. I (Brooke) always look for people walking as a good indicator for safety and in this neighborhood, there are a LOT of people walking with their kids and dogs. It might be because the sidewalks are so clean, comfortable, shaded and separated from the streets, or maybe it’s because people who enjoy walking move to this area of the city, but either way, there are a lot of people our walking here at all hours of the day or night. Often I see women walking at 10:00 alone at night, or couples walking in this neighborhood, which to me is a good sign of safety. Many people have told us that Santiago is unsafe, and I believe it used to be, and still has areas of the city that are still unsafe, but this neighborhood of Providencia feels very safe. Our girls take the bus home from school on their own, they walk to meet with friends a few blocks away, they walk back from church activities in the evening along the busy streets. We always try to have them walk in pairs for safety, but there are so many people on the streets, they could get help from anyone if they needed it. The fact that all the streets are really well lit, and there are always people out, makes it feel safe as well. Living in a nice neighborhood (it’s not the wealthiest neighborhood in Santiago, but I believe it’s the most walkable), with separated sidewalks, and illuminated sidewalks at night, and an incredible climate, makes walking in Providencia a pleasure.

Here is an example of the street right outside our apartment. It’s an example of a complete street (which is a transportation engineering term – just ask Mike!)

Neat neighborhoods nearby. Our location is pretty amazing because we are literally down the street from the Costanera (the largest skyscraper in South America) which has a gigantic mall in it with anything you need, but there are mini-malls and stores everywhere so essentially, so if you bus in any direction, you can get to a store by bus. One of our favorite neighborhoods close by is Ñuñoa (which is where the girl’s Angel School is).

One bus ride to school every morning. As we have mentioned before, we LOVE not having a car this year, because public transit is so accessible in this city! So, every morning, the girls and I get on the city bus (#212 or 104) that takes us straight down Los Leones street, drops us off 2 blocks from their school. It takes about 15 minutes to get to school and it’s fun to see all the other people on the bus. The girls especially enjoy seeing the same people on the buses each morning. I (Brooke) enjoy seeing all the people up and at it in the mornings, and so after dropping the girls off at school, walking home with my audiobook has become a favorite start to my day.

One city bus to the nearest Metro station. For anyone who hasn’t lived in a city with a Metro, let me just explain a few things about why living next to a Metro station is a great thing. 1. Taking the Metro is great for getting you long distances faster. 2. Metros are mostly underground so it’s warm in the winter and cool in the summer. 3. Metros are fast and reliable because they don’t have to deal with traffic.

A fitness room and swimming pool downstairs!! Now in my opinion, these two things are a quality of life thing that I think is really great. Granted the fitness room is hard to reserve because of all the people who want to use it, but it is wonderful to just go downstairs, get a workout in, and come back up to your apartment for a shower. I absolutely love it! I also love that the girls can use it because in the USA, they are all still too young to use the fitness centers, but they really love working out and moving their bodies in fitness rooms. When it gets hot enough to open the pool in November (because right now as I’m writing in October, when it’s 29 degrees Celcius, it’s still not hot enough?!) the girls are absolutely going to LOVE it! I’m sure they will be jumping in every day of the week.

Uber to a hike in the mountains. We absolutely love this aspect of living in Santiago. Besides living in Utah with the Wasatch mountains, where else can you take an Uber for 20 minutes and get dropped off at a trail-head to hike for the day, end up on the other side of the mountain and take city transit back home?! It’s incredible. Here are some pictures of our latest and greatest hike. Literally a 20 minute Uber from our house.

In conclusion, there are a lot of things that make this apartment especially wonderful for us to live in during this Sabbatical in Santiago Chile. We are so grateful to love where we are living! One thing is for sure, the quality of your living space, even the design and floor-plan of it, as well as the location really can add to your quality of life!

Lowry Lore

recent happings in the life of mike, brooke, hannah, kaiya, and eilee