Bangkok: The Countdown

There are less than 3 weeks left before I depart for Bangkok, Thailand to start teaching English, and I can't explain to you how much is going on in my head right now. It has got to the point where all other forms of inspiration and creativity have evaporated from my brain (including my sense of humour if I'm honest). I am a nightmare to be around lately, and I apologise in advance to family, friends and strangers (the man at the post office on Tuesday) that have been caught in the thunderstorm mood-swing that is Sarah. I feel the necessity to share what is going on in this head of mine in the hopes that it won't explode. It's not pretty...

Image from vegatravelbangkok.com

If we were all honest for a day...

Ever wonder what would happen if you had no choice but to be honest for a whole day? I personally think the world would blow up. Us humans don't realise how often we lie on a daily basis, whether it is a huge deliberate lie or a tiny innocent white lie. We all do it, and some are better than others! I'm talking to you sweaty-palmed-avoiding-eye-contact liers.

To be honest (haha I know), I think it would get you into a whole lot of trouble, and possibly effect your future. Watch any episode of 'Real Housewives' and you will see where honesty gets you...possibly being kicked in the face with a Louboutin.

Moving on

Our family are what you would consider 'modern day nomads' to a lesser extent. My parents build and sell houses, and we have lived in over 14 different homes in 4 different cities. This may seem exhausting, unsettling and stressful (and believe me it is all of these things), but moving from one place to another so often has taught me many valuable life lessons, and shaped who I am as an adult.

The real pet obsession

So this last sunny Sunday was rather relaxed, as are all the other Sundays in my home. We had guests over who are friends of my parents and whom I hardly know and have little in common with, but I digress. As we were sitting casually outside, all with our chosen drinks in hand, my mind started to wander off with boredom. These people had been talking about their pets for over an hour, I'm not joking.

Be present

So often I found myself being distracted. I would be talking to someone and look down at my phone when a notification popped up, or gaze behind a shoulder at the television programme that caught my eye. The worst part is that I caught others doing it and would feel offended.

Happy times

When my family moved cities, my parents had interviews to find a domestic to assist with the cleaning, washing and general household chores. My parents both had full time jobs and couldn't manage on their own with two young children. When they met Happy amongst other possible candidates, they just knew that she would be the right person for our family.

Small town syndrome

When most people think of South Africa they think of the warm beaches in Durban, the busy urban life in Johannesburg and the rolling winelands of Cape Town. They are all a beautiful representation of our country, and full of rich culture in their own unique way.

The perfect birthday dinner

It's my birthday tomorrow so I thought I would share my planning and preparation, along with TONS of help from Pinterest. I really wanted to have a relaxed dinner party with a few friends and family just to celebrate my special day.

All of these ideas are so easy to do and only require a small budget. I like to keep things simple, because I find that as soon as you try too hard to impress everyone or spend too much money it doesn't usually have the desired effect. It's never easy to cater for a group of people so I thought I would have a variety of snack foods to keep everyone going. I have also included a few ideas for atmosphere and decor.

The details
It's always nice to add small touches to the evening to make it seem more put together, whether its adding tags of peoples names or having a nice arrangement in the middle of the table. I saw an idea where each placemate is a piece of black paper and you simply write each guests name in chalk on the black paper. I love monochrome, it always looks more sophisticated than it is. Another idea is to present knives and forks in a serviette tied into the shape of a bow tie. This is perfect for a barbeque or help yourself type event.