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Bump to baby on the beaten expat track

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Letter to congressmen: support Public Option!

11 September 2009 by Nathalie Abejero 1 Comment

Dear Representative James Moran:
The US health care system is in deplorable state. Upon repatriation for any number of reasons your ~7 million expatriates are the only citizens of OECD member countries with no social health protection mechanism in place to assist in transitioning back home.

As a voting constituent in the 8th Congressional District of VA, I respectfully urge you to vote for a strong and comprehensive public option that guarantees all Americans with the choice of a public health insurance plan, as proposed by President Barack Obama.

This reform package, which aims to provide all Americans with access to affordable health insurance, must include a strong and comprehensive public option that:

  • is available to ALL Americans on DAY ONE. Co-ops or triggers weaken the public health insurance option and make it ineffective. I ask you to oppose these proposals.
  • is national, available everywhere, provides transportability and thus a continuum of benefits.
  • has government-appointed decision-makers and thus are accountable to Congress.
  • provides substantial bargaining leverage against providers and pharmaceutical companies.

I also ask you to put a statement on your web site’s home page supporting these points. As aptly stated by our fellow American expatriates in Canada: health insurance in a civilized society is a collective moral obligation, not a discretionary consumer good.

We voted for Change in 2008 and I ask that you support what voters have overwhelmingly demanded from our representatives. I look forward to reciprocal support for you on the 2010 ticket.

Sincerely,

———————————————————-

Look up your representative(s) in the House here.

Look up your US Senators here.
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Filed Under: Interests, Life Tagged With: health care, health insurance, health reform, obama

our resident tukei gecko

27 July 2009 by Nathalie Abejero 3 Comments

Isn’t Fred the cutest tukei gecko ever?? Except he’s a SHE! LOL! Just saw her little ones yesterday, they’re feisty like mommy!

Fred is about 6inches around her tummy, 10inches long to the end of her tail. She’s been a regular at our place for years. Or should I say, WE’ve been regulars at HER place for years LOL!
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Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Cambodia, gecko, Phnom Penh, tukei

Celestial dance of 22 July 2009

22 July 2009 by Nathalie Abejero Leave a Comment

A dismal overcast day spawns in the Kingdom. The mighty Mekong bucks and swells with all the world’s rage. Celestial beings roar.

Across the land village radios quiver with the news: the Eye of God cometh. Today a dark day falls. None shall be spared.

Humans and fortune tellers and witches scurry about their paltry rituals and offerings to stave the impending doom. But the cauldron of the heavens boils and bubbles. In just moments the essence of wrath will descend upon earth to end this corrupt age of Kali. Lesser clouds sent by a kindly small (unknown) Hindu god for Cambodia’s meager comfort cower as the lunar transit arcs straight into the solar spectrum.

om shanti….. Om Shanti…. OM NAMAHO SHIVA!!

[looks to see if you, reader, are still watching….]

Well. Thunderclouds rage also in my thoughts. There goes my view of the solar eclipse. Would be nice to see the arc of the cosmos hurtling us towards our destruction, at least.

[sulks. chucks a used tissue over the balcony… and the used tissue chucked over the rail blows into my downstairs neighbor’s balcony.]

[a small smile escapes.] This day may yet improve. :-)

—- update at 12:05pm, after the eclipse:

Our six and a half minutes of solar eclipse was watched by many of my friends, thanks to my news flashes on Facebook. Here below is a picture taken by Dave Coolio, since for part of those six minutes I was called into someone’s office for a minor query. :-(

Also why Dave felt the need to point out the obvious in the photo is beyond me.
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Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Cambodia, eclipse, Phnom Penh, solar eclipse

California plates in the Penh

20 July 2009 by Nathalie Abejero Leave a Comment

California DMV yoohoo! Anyone file missing Land Cruisers with plates 2d8514 or 4USN291 lately? They’re in Cambodia LOL! (Took this shot two months or so ago and forgot to post them, though I did tweet it!)
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Filed Under: Life Tagged With: CambodiaCalifornia DMV, license plates

Traffic rules? What traffic rules?

20 July 2009 by Nathalie Abejero Leave a Comment

Only four traffic laws broken in this pic LOL (unless you count all the helmet-less heads on two wheels);
2. going the wrong way, which I suppose is subjective in this country;
3. mobile stuck to the head while driving a moto (although I guess this isn’t a law in Cambodia);
4. same guy who doesn’t have a helmet while yakking on his mobile is also missing his mirrors.
Did I miss any others?

I love the very specific methods for plowing straight into oncoming traffic: make eye contact and you lose the right of way. LOL!

No helmet, talking on the mobile, and obviously the point of rearview mirrors is lost on this fellow.
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Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Cambodia, traffic

the occasional luxury that’s worth the money

18 July 2009 by Nathalie Abejero 2 Comments

Once in a while you just have to splurge on a multi-sensory dining experience: attentive service, innovative chef, great setting.
I’ve only had excellent culinary and service experiences at Sirocco (euro- fusion) and Breeze (asian fusion). For sunset drinks splash out at SKY bar and Distil. These are just a few of the establishments at Lebua at the State Tower in Bangkok.

Filed Under: Travels Tagged With: Bangkok, Breeze, Distil, Lebua, Sirocco, SKY Bar, State Tower, Thailand, travel

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Those little feet pitter-pattering about rule our lives lately. But on the occasional free moment I get to tap out scatterbrained bursts of consciousness about raising toddlers in Cambodia, traveling with them and working abroad. These posts are my personal updates to friends and family. But since you’re here, have a look around. Thanks for stopping by…

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