The Top 10 Lessons I've Learned as an Expat & Easy Pad Thai

Happy New Year! I can't believe it's 2015 already. I know everyone says this but I really mean it - where did 2014 go?! And, why have I been such a blog slacker? My last blog was in September, 4 months ago. I didn't plan on not writing, it's just that like all of you, I have been busy. Busy with raising kids, maintaining a household, running errands, managing a small baking business, and all the other details that go into our daily lives. Probably another reason I haven't written is that this blog takes me a long time to write. There is a lot of research that goes into my blog that is sometimes daunting for my little writing hobby. Today's blog has no research behind it, just my experience of living abroad. I have seen several articles on the internet recently about what people have learned being an expat. It prompted me to write as my experience is different. A lot of these articles are from young backpackers who have travelled abroad and may not have necessarily lived abroad for an extended period of time. I am the latter having lived in Sydney, Australia now for 5 years. I've learned a lot and wanted to share this for anyone who cares and/or might be moving abroad.

Card given to me by my girlfriends before I moved abroad.

1. The first year is challenging
Moving overseas sounds very exciting and glamorous to many. Before leaving, many people will tell you how great it all sounds, how they wish they could pick up and move somewhere, how brave you are. There are others who look at you with a weird face and tell you that you're crazy. And like other milestones in life - getting married, having a child, the thrill of living overseas lessens when you settle into a new country and have to start all over again.  It takes a while to figure out the logistics of your new life  abroad and you mostly have to figure it out on your own. Note to anyone moving, don't move over the holiday season; it's rough. I was not happy the first year, as I felt like a lonely isolated foreigner. Like anything, it takes time, patience, effort, a positive attitude and a hopeful leap of faith.

theologigal.com

2. If you move to a modern, first world country that speaks the same language, don't assume it will be the same.
While Australia is a modern first world country that speaks English, it is still different. I didn't realize moving here, that even with a lot of similarities, there were many differences too such as the lingo/slang, social norms, a more casual lifestyle, a different work outlook, different government, different school system, and many other aspects. Life down under is different.

3. Not everyone likes Americans
Some people love Americans and some people hate them. I've been told that Americans are so friendly, nice, energetic and fearless. On the other hand, we are brash, loud, ignorant, ethnocentric. Some despise American consumer culture as we "force" new trends, clothes, foods, holidays on them. Several times I have been asked if I'm Canadian. When I've said 'No, I'm American,' I am told, 'Oh, I thought so but didn't want to offend you as Canadians hate it when I ask them if they're American.' Gee, thanks...

4. When in Rome, be a Roman
You have to be willing to be flexible and adapt to your new country. No one cares if they do it differently in the US; you are not in the US anymore. Learn the local colloquial expressions, try new foods, don't complain how the prices/government/schools/holidays etc are different from your home country. Be where you are; adapt to your new home.

http://anothersmalladventure.blogspot.com.au/

5. You become nostalgic.
That said, nostalgia comes at unexpected times - whether its a food you miss, a smell that reminds you of home, a person that looks like an old friend, holiday memories creep their way out of your memory. It is this nostalgic that can make you long for home.

6. Building friendships requires time and effort.
 Moving overseas, I had no friends and I found it a real effort to establish new friendships. It is easy to make acquaintances if you put yourself out there but finding a few good friends can be hard. Australia has a small population (24 million) with  8 capital cities. Most people live in and around the cities so the women I've met have family and friends they have known for 20+ years. Many are not looking for new friends. I actually made a friend strategy last year choosing a few women I really liked and focusing on building a friendship with them.  This was worth the unexpected effort.

7. You can reinvent yourself.
Since you have left everything behind and are starting over again, you can recreate yourself. No one knows your past history and you may try things you haven't tried before. You can also change your behaviors and hopefully improve upon your shortcomings.

8. As an ex-pat, you become more independent, self reliant, confident and resourceful.
Since you have said goodbye to everything you know and moved to another country, you now have to rely on one person - yourself. You will have to step out of your comfort zone to navigate a new place, solve problems, and do a lot on your own. With successes and failures, you will be stretched as a person and will learn that you are capable of more than you thought you were capable of.

9. Living abroad changes you.
Living in another country gives you a new perspective of your home country. When you are removed from all you know, you develop views on your country from a personal perspective (eg. friends, family, work) and from a macro perspective (eg. culture, government). Because of your new perspective, you will feel changed. I often feel like a stranger in a strange land both in Australia and the US. In Australia, I will never completely fit in because I am a foreigner. In the US, I find my friends and family haven't changed much but I have. The US looks very different to me now that I have been away for 5 years.

10. You may not want to return home.
After living abroad, you may not want to return to your home country. We recently got our permanent residency (aka green card). If you told me when we moved here that I would be staying, I would have laughed. Then again, life is a journey full of surprises. I have learned you need to take that leap of faith and enjoy the ride.

Thai food was foreign to me when I moved here but very popular in Australia. There are Thai restaurants all over Sydney and it's become one of my favorites with the fresh flavours, spices, curries, noodle dishes, lovely soups, etc. I have always been intimidated to make it as recipes call for spices and condiments that I don't usually have in my cupboard. However, I saw a recipe in one of my cookbooks and thought why not give it a try? I had no problem finding the noodles, fish sauce, chile sauce, soy sauce in the Asian section of the grocery store. I found this dish easy to make, full of flavor and versatile as you can chose your type of meat. It is also nice for those gluten-free easters who may be craving pasta as rice noodles are gluten free.

Easy Pad Thai

adapted from Everyday Food:Great Food Fast 

by Martha Stewart Living

Serves 4 as a main, 6+ as an appetizer
Prep Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins

12 ounces/350 grms rice-stick noodles
1/3 cup tomato based chile sauce
1/3 cup lime juice
5 tablespoons Soy Sauce
3 tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Fish Sauce
4 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
4 cloves garlic, minced OR 4 tsps of garlic from a jar
500gm or 1 pound of your choice of meat - shrimp/prawns, pork, chicken, tofu
3 cups of Bean Sprouts
8 Scallions/shallots, cut into 5cm/2inch pieces

Possible Garnishes - chopped roasted peanuts, lime wedge, lemon wedge, bean sprouts, red pepper flakes, chopped cilantro/corriander, 1 scrambled egg

1) Bring a large pot of water to boil. Remove from heat and add all the rice noodles. Soak for 4 minutes until softened. Immediately drain in your sink and rinse noodles under cold water until they are cool.

2)In a small bowl, whisk together chile sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and fish sauce.

3) In a large skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons of oil over high heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add your meat and cook through until done. I used shrimp/prawns and cooked them quickly, until they were opaque. Transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside.

4) Using the same skillet, add the other 2 tablespoons of oil and coat the pan. Then add the noodles and chile sauce mixture and stir through for 1-2 minutes, so that sauce coats all the noodles.

5) Cut up the bean sprouts and then add them, the scallions and shrimp to the noodles. Over medium to high heat, stir for 2 more minutes.

6) Serve topped with garnishes if desired.

VIVID and Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Stew

This blog is long overdue, way long overdue. It has been sitting in my Drafts folder, 75% done for about 3 weeks. I blame the couch - the couch made me do it. I like to write at night and unfortunately, the couch has gotten the best of me. Time to finish that blog but let me have a glass of wine and enjoy the fireplace first - snore, snore. Time to finish that blog but let me catch up on 'The Good Wife' episode I missed and another and another. Time to finish that blog but let me read a little more of my book and then fall asleep with the book on my face. So it is all the couch's fault and my procrastination. So what has been going on that is uniquely Australian while I have been sitting and sleeping on the couch? It's bright, it's funky, and it only comes out in the dark - VIVID.....

From May 23-June 9, Vivid came to Sydney. Vivid is an annual event of light, music, and creative industry forums. For Sydneysiders, the big excitement is a free exhibition of outdoor lighting sculptures and installations that are lit up on the Harbour every night from 6pm-12am. Thousands of people flock to the city to walk along Circular Quay, see all the lights and especially see the changing displays on the sails of Sydney Opera House.

VIVID was started 5 years ago by the NSW government to increase tourism to Sydney during the cooler, wetter months. Each year, the event continues to grow, drawing tourists and modern artists from around the world. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Vivid Sydney attracted a record 1.43 million, an increase of 79 per cent from the 2013 festival. There isn't much investigative reporting here to do, just lots to see. The best I can do is share a video of this annual event.

Back inside, I have been trying new recipes trying to make weeknight dinners a bit more enticing. Some of my new found recipes have come from magazines.  I use to like look at the rag magazines, ones with little content but lots of gossip and photos of famous people. Now I like magazines that have recipes that look good and look relatively quick, easy and wholesome to make. 

In the June edition of Australian Women's Weekly, there was a recipe for slow cooker Shredded Mexican Chicken. They had me at  Mexican.  Generally speaking Mexican food is lacking  in Australia. Having moved here from California where there is a large Mexican population and Mexican cantinas all around, I just can't find that level of quality or choice down under. It would be akin to finding a good pie and sausage roll shop in the US. This should come as no surprise though as there is not a large, if any, Mexican presence here. I must confess, my usual Mexican cooking is not authentic either. I like to make tacos, quesadillas, chilli and enchiladas ( see recipe on past blog) - quick, easy, rich Mexican food. 

I liked that this recipe was for the slow cooker. I don't know who invented the slow cooker but it is genius for an everyday cook.  I love my slow cooker, especially in the cooler months. How easy it is to chuck a lot of healthy ingredients into one big pot, let it cook all day with little fuss, and come home to a house that smells great and eat a good dinner that usually has lots of leftovers. This is a win-win. So give this dish, which I have re-named Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Stew a go and enjoy. It was easy, tasty and feed my family of 4 for 2+ dinners. Also, do not skim on the seasonings, you need them to flavour the stew.

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Stew

adapted from Shredded Mexican Chicken

Australian Women's Weekly magazine, June 2014 

1.5 kilos (3lbs) chicken breast, preferably frozen

1 regular can kidney beans, drained

1 medium brown onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium red AND green pepper/capsicum, chopped

1 regular can corn, drained

1 regular can diced tomatos

1 cup chicken stock

2 teaspoons each - ground cumin, dried oregano, sweet paprika

1 teaspoon dried red chilli flakes (optional but I think necessary)

OPTIONAL ADD-INS when serving: chopped fresh cilantro/corriander, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips

1)Combine Beans, onion, garlic, peppers/capsicums, tomatoes, chicken stock and spices in 5-liter slow cooker. 

2) Stir the stew and add and submerge frozen chicken breasts. Cook on low for 8 hours.

 (chickens are low in fat so they cook faster and can become tough & dry in the slow cooker. Frozen chicken cook slower and is moister in the end). Mine were slightly thawed in this picture.

3) Remove chicken from cooker and using a knife, cut and shred the chicken into small pieces

4) Return chicken to the slow cooker, cover, and cook on Low for 20 more minutes.

5) Serve with rice or alone. Serve with additional add ons to suit your taste. 

Tasmania's MONA and Chicken Curry in an Extra Hurry

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of going to Tasmania. It was a girls weekend that my friend, Neeta, had planned. A girls weekend away here usually means a 1.5 hour drive to the Hunter Valley, a wine region OR a drive to a cute quaint seaside town. That would be too ordinary for the wonderful and adventuresome Neeta. Besides, Neeta is an "Expiring Ex-Pat," an ex-pat that is soon returning back to their home country. In their final months, they do and see more of Australia and/or the area they live in than most residents will see in years.

Tasmania is an Australian state located about 400 miles off the coast of southern Australia. It has a population of 515,000 and is about 70% of the size of England. The state capital of Hobart is known for the Sydney to Hobart sailing race (click to read previous blog on this race). It is also known for good weekend markets, great scenery and a gourmet food scene. Many Australians and visitors go to Tasmanian to go hiking and/or rent a camper van and drive around to see the natural beauty and coasts. On the flip it also has a reputation, something akin to the US state of West Virginia - a hick place full of inbreds. You know, a place where men are men and the sheep are scared. Trust me, there are a lot of sheep in Tasmania. My only knowledge of Tasmania was the Tasmanian Devil, another unique Australian creature that can only be found in Tasmania and on Looney Tunes cartoons.

Real Tasmania Devil,  source:australiangeographic.com.au

With Neeta planning the trip, I didn't have much to do or worry about. I was in great hands and I knew Neeta would not leave a stone unturned. All that I kept hearing about was a museum there, called the MONA - the Museum of Old and New Art. Right off  the bat, I was put off by the name, MONA, as there is a world renowned MOMA in New York City. I wondered how someone in Tasmania of all places could have the audacity to call their museum the 'MONA'...as if. I am snobby about a lot of things and one of them is art. I have been fortunate to have done a lot of travelling and everywhere I go, I always seek out art museums. If there isn't an art museum, I will go to the local cathedral to admire the paintings and art work there. I have gone to many of the world's best art museums in Europe and the US and didn't think a little museum in Tasmania would be on that level.....at all. Plus, I am not a big fan of modern art. I think most paintings by 3 year olds are better than the many vague and sparse modern paintings I have seen. So, despite all the hype for the MONA, I was already skeptical that it was not going to be much of anything. Boy, was I wrong. The MONA blew...me...away! All I can say still, several months later is, REMARKABLE! If this museum was in major world city like New York, Paris, London, there would be lines down the street. It was THAT GOOD at least in my little art eyes.

The tone for a great adventure was already set when we boarded the special MONA ferry in Hobart to transport us there. The ferry was a large catamaran in camoflague colours outfitted with a staff in uni-suits that looked like something out of the movie, Top Gun.  Neeta had paid a little extra so we could ride in the Posh Pit of the ferry which gave us free stimulants (alcohol or espresso) and canapes on our ferry ride to and from the MONA

MONA ferry, source: http://www.abc.net.au/

Once we reached the museum, it was a bit odd as you couldn't really see the building. Once you ascended the stairs, there was an astro turf tennis court that you had a walk across to a black mirrored opening/door. While I am a big tennis player, I found the tennis court bizarre and the non descript mirrored front door entrance to be strange. I thought there might be a big MONA sign but instead there was the court and a cheesy disco- like entrance. (I later found out that the museum owner, David Walsh, is an avid tennis fan.)

Once inside, there is a cafe with a fireplace to the right and a museum shop to the left. To get to the art, you descend down a long winding black iron staircase that goes deeper and deeper down into cut sandstone and underground. Unlike most museums where you rent a audio tour, the MONA gives you a free iPod that has a GPS system in it so anywhere you are in the museum the GPS tells you which art is around you, some information on that artwork and some pieces have music that is hand selected for that artwork - very impressive. In front of you is a big black and white board, that reminded me a bit of the boards in Grand Central Station, New York. To the left of this entry is a bar. Yes a bar, in case you want a drink before you begin exploring the museum.

Cool board with changing patterns and changing words at entrance. It reminded me
of the boards at Grand Central Station in New York City. Source: my phone

Drinks anyone? A great looking bar that pours everything, including the wine
made at the on-site winery. Source: my phone

From there, you start exploring the museum. My favourite art exhibition from the whole museum was there, right in the beginning of the museum.This is artist's Julius Popp's Bit.Fall. It's a waterfall that releases droplets of water that form words from news headlines before dropping to to the ground. The meaning behind it is to expose us to to the constant stream of information that we receive from the world each day. It draws you in quickly due to the sheer size of the art, the desire to see what words will come out next and the constant thumping noise its makes as the words drop to the ground.

Julius Popp's Bit.Fall
I hope you can view this video from my phone

Right after Bit.Fall was a ping pong table with lots of intricate painting and drawing on it. The museum encourages you to play on it. How cool to be in a museum where people are actively playing on and with the art pieces! 

Ping Pong Table source: my phone

Another piece I liked was a fat Porsche which symbolised our over consumption society

The Fat Porsche by Erwin Wurm, source:my phone

Then there is the famous piece of art, The Cloaca by Wim Delvove, where lots of glass "vats" turn food into feces. I prefer to call it the Poop Room. I didn't know poop was art as we all poop everyday so what's the big deal?! It appeared to be more of an elaborate science project, where they give the machine some food from the museum cafe, and as it passes through various cylinders various enzymes are added until it poops at the end. Despite the vile smell, I had morbid curiosity and happened to be there for the daily poop - lucky me. I thought of including the photo but it's quite gross.

Time for a poo? The Cloaca by Wim Delvove, source:my phone

 Another area of interest and discussion was the Wall of Genitalia which was filled with many paintings. I actually didn't find it shocking at all as the paintings were pretty watercolours where you wouldn't realise there were private parts unless you looked up close.

One painting from the Wall of Gentitalia, source:my phone

There was also another room where only 2 people could go in at time. You entered the room and had to follow a path of stones over black water to reach an ancient Eygptian mummy who was entombed in a glass case on your left and on your right was another glass case with a computer generated image to show what the mummy would look like inside. In front of you was a spotlight on a noose hanging from the ceiling with a poem about death on the wall. Unfortunately, I do not have any photos but it was very powerful. There was so much more art but I don't want to bore you so I just gave my highlights. However, if you are ever in Tasmania, all I can say is go, go, to MONA!

The MONA was an all day event. The nice thing is all the amenities it has there to enjoy your experience - a winery with wine tours,  2 casual and 1 high end restaurant, and a hotel hidden out of view. We went on the wine tour and had a nice lunch which were all good things to bring my mind back down to earth and give me a break from the museum overstimulation. I could have spent another day or two there and I hope to go back again.

One of the most interesting things about the MONA is the man behind it, David Walsh. In doing my research on him, he is the pure definition of an 'enigma' - a person or thing that is mysterious or difficult to understand.' David Walsh grew up poor in Hobart, Tasmania and was raised in the Catholic faith. He was a shy geeky kid who was very good at mathematics and later computer programming. While at University, he teamed up with a fellow student and later business partner Zeljko Ranogajec, and they started counting cards at black jack tables. Walsh then dropped out of University and spent a lot of his time at a  Tasmanian casino before being kicked out by the casino for winning too much. They then became traveling gamblers, counting cards and gambling at casinos throughout the world and amassing a fortune.  Using Ranogajec's gambling skills and Walsh's mathematical abilities, they were able to read and count cards which caused them to win (and lose) alot of money at casinos. They went on to form the company Bank Roll, which is one of the worlds most successful gambling syndicates, with business in Europe, Australia, Asia and the US. 

David Walsh at his MONA, source: Peter Mathew/News Limited

David Walsh, (only) 52,  used his gambling earnings to buy art from around the world. It started on a gambling trip to Africa where he wasn't allowed to take more cash out of the country than he took in. However, you were allowed to take art out of the country so he put his winnings into art and it's said that was the beginning of his art collection. Over time, he amassed a multi-million dollar art collection, built a small gallery in Tasmania and eventually decided to fully fund and build the MONA., which was estimated to cost between $150-$200 million. He considers MONA a gamble, and admits to doing extra gambling while the museum was being built. Luckily, he won and the museum opened in 2011. In the past 3 years, MONA has had over 1 million visitors which has been a huge boost for Tasmania's depressed economy.

 David Walsh is an enigma. I read numerous articles about him to write this blog which were very time consuming and puzzling as in one article he is very clear and articulate and in another, he is quite vague. He appears to like the attention he is getting and hate it at the same time. An obvious example of his confusing personality is his car space at the MONA. Since he is an avid atheist, perhaps this is a joke, his joke OR perhaps he is extremely full of himself or perhaps both. 

David Walsh's parking spots at his MONA, source:my phone

Of all the information I read on David Walsh, perhaps his bio on the MONA's website is the most insightful. He quotes a a line from Dostoyevsky's The Gambler: "As far as my most secret moral convictions are concerned, there is no place for them in my present deliberations. Be that as it may; I am speaking to clear my conscience. But I will make this observation: for some time now I have found it terribly repugnant to judge my actions and thoughts by any moral standard whatsoever. Something else was guiding me.... 

After that, his bio states, "Like some of the greatest minds of the modern era (the people with the minds) he consumes too much dairy, and sometimes obscures insecurity by acting like a prick. Usually, however, he's a prick because he feels like it." (MONA museum website, link highlighted above). I don't know. I wondered why a rich reclusive geek would want to build an art museum instead of spending his money on himself or making large donations to charity. I found this David Walsh quote in several articles: “Those who make money without creating anything should feel the most social pressure and personal pressure, be the most [susceptible] to moral judgment if they don’t do something with the money.”(The Guardian)  Bravo, David Walsh! This is the best thing I read in the many articles I reviewed and the quote I will remember. And really, no matter, what myself or anyone thinks about him, I am thankful that he spent his millions on art, put it in a cool building, and shared it with me and the world. He's definitely not a prick in my eyes. 

The best thing about my MONA experience was that it kept me in the moment, 100% present and engaged in the museum. I wasn't thinking about my family, my responsibilties, my active cell phone, etc. I was there, just there in the MONA, looking at art I liked, art I disliked, exposing my senses and thinking about the big picture...big questions...things much greater than myself. That is a great museum experience and a rare day for me. If you are ever in Tasmania, I encourage you to run to the MONA. You will not be disappointed and if you are, go again or at least go have a few drinks in the posh pit :).

On to food, glorious food...a simple dinner. I am a big fan of rotisserie chicken, which is called 'BBQ chicken' in Australia. I use it for school sandwiches and wraps, a quick weeknight dinner, and for my chicken enchiladas (click to see recipe from previous blog). During my sister's recent visit, she made Mark Bittman's Chicken Curry in a Hurry from his book, Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times. Mark Bittman writes a recipe column for The New York Times. It is called "The Minimalist" and he simplifies recipes to make them quick and easy for the home chef.  I have made this recipe even faster by using rotisserie chicken instead of chicken breasts. I omitted the salt and pepper as the chicken is seasoned and the original recipe calls for sour cream but I used coconut milk instead. This recipe is fast, delicious and can be customised to suit your taste. Enjoy!

Chicken Curry in an Extra Hurry

adapted from Mark Bittman's Curry in a Hurry

Rice 

1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 medium Onion, chopped
1.5 tsp Curry Powder, or to taste
1/2 Rotisserie Chicken, meat removed
1 cup Coconut Milk

OPTIONAL ADD INs: raisins, walnuts

1) Cook Rice.

2) Remove meat from rotisserie chicken and set aside.

3) Put the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Note: It is really important to cook (and not burn) the onions for 5 minutes. This will make them soft and sweet.

4) Turn the heat down to medium, sprinkle the curry powder and continue to cook for a another few minutes.

5) Add chicken, stir through and cook on low/medium heat for 5 minutes.

5) Add coconut milk and stir constantly so onion, spices and coconut milk mix and thicken.

6) Serve curry over rice and sprinkle nuts and/or raisins on top

Michelle Bridges 12WBT and Chicken Bun Cha

I am currently 3/4 of the way through Michelle Bridges 12-Week Body Transformation (12WBT). What Jane Fonda was to the US in the 1980s, sans headband and "don't forget to breathe!", Michelle Bridges is to Australia today. Her 12-week exercise, nutrition and mindset training program is designed to transform your body and your way of thinking about food and exercise. While Jane Fonda came into my living room in exercise videos, Michelle Bridges comes to me on my computer. For $200, I received a password and access to her 12WBT website with a customised plan for me. Each week, I electronically received a nutrition plan with recipes & shopping lists, a customised exercise plan based on the program I selected, weekly mindset videos, a message board, a store to buy her products and much more. Sounds great and easy? Well, it started off great, then went downhill and then my 12WBT hit ground zero. In fact, I've just returned from a weekend away where I was on a seafood diet - I see food and I eat it. Despite this, I have found her program to be helpful.

source: facebook.com

source: jillconyers.com

I wanted to give you a little background on Ms. Bridges. What would my blog be without a little investigative reporting? Michelle Bridges is a personal trainer, author, and TV personality as the trainer on Australia's lose weight reality program The Biggest Loser. She recently launched a clothing and sports accessories line with Big W. She started her career at as a teenager.  In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, Bridges stated "I was 14 when I pitched the idea to my school mistress that I would take the kids at school who didn't play sport, who hung around smoking cigarettes, and do fitness classes with them." She then went on to take over space at a local squash court and taught classes there. She is prolific,  building a fitness empire and churning out strong marketing and PR, both in person and through social media. She is on morning news shows, Celebrity MasterChef, and on just about every bus when a new season of The Biggest Loser is about to lick off and also when a new 12WBT program is about to start. According to BRW, Bridges predicts revenue from Michelle Bridges-branded products will have earned $67 million in 2013. The 12WBT has grown 350% and is set to launch in the US this year. 

Source: news.com.au

source:mummysmiles.com

In my January blog I noted that one of my ongoing New Years Resolutions is to eat healthier and exercise more. I had heard good things about 12WBT so when two of my friends asked me to do it, I decided to join them. I had recently quit my gym membership and thought the running program, one of several exercise programs to chose from, would be good for me. I also heard her food was excellent. I liked the idea of new dinners and getting the shopping list emailed to me without having to go through a recipe book and find new recipes on my own. I also found Michelle to be a very real and credible seeming person. She is pretty but not a glamazon and it was obvious that she worked hard to have a toned body. This was in encouraging as I live in a beach area where there are so many gorgeous girls with legs up to my armpits. Michelle Bridges at least seemed normal and someone I could relate to.

Week 1 started off great - I had my exercise plan, recipes, shopping list and a great can do attitude. I headed up to the park to begin my running program. I use to run 5-10 miles a day and I'm active so I figured it'd be easy to start running again. Big mistake! My running felt like sheer drudgery with only negative thoughts in my head - "Wow, this is hard!...where's the bathroom?...10 more laps, are you serious?!...no wonder most runners look so miserable while running - they are!"  It reminded me of those times when I said, "Sure I can have another glass of wine. I don't get hangovers"....."Babies? Sleepless nights? I wouldn't be that tired. I have a lot of energy" Ha ha. I decided to drop the running program and increase the weekly sports I already do and enjoy - tennis, pilates, and walking.

oursuburbanfarm.com

I suspect most people who join any sort of exercise and diet program are motivated to lose weight. It is quite wise that 12WBT does not use the word 'diet' for the food part of the program. It is instead called 'nutrition.' Smooth move, Ms. Bridges. After all, the word 'diet' does have the word "DIE-" in it. I am lucky that I have good genes, a fast metabolism, and trouble sitting still. This all contributes to me generally staying at a healthy weight. However, I did think it might be good to lose 5 pounds. It was more of a personal challenge as I've generally been the same weight for about 20 years except during my pregnancies. Again I started Week 1 armed with my shopping list and recipes for the week. The food tasted very good, was generally easy to prepare and it was filling. However, I had a problem - the fact that I couldn't eat whatever I wanted when I wanted made me hungrier than ever. I started obsessing about food a lot. I dreamed of 'bad' food more than ever and didn't give up my regular glass of wine and dark chocolate I enjoy each night. I also had a huge occupational hazard that would set anyone up for failure - I have a small cupcake business and I wear many hats, including quality control. Sampling cupcakes and butter cream frosting regularly is definitely not part of the 12WBT program.  I don't know why I thought I might have the willpower to follow through with the diet, I mean 'nutrition' part. I didn't have much weight to lose and I love food. I enjoy baking and cooking and even going to the supermarket. I am usually thinking or planning my next meal and avoid people who say they forget to eat. Really, how could you? I once had a boyfriend who didn't care much about food and forgot to eat. I sometimes had to remind him. This should have given me a clue early on.....




So, did I lose weight on the Michelle Bridges 12WBT? No. Was that really my goal? No. Am I more mindful of what I put in my mouth? Yes. Am I exercising more? Yes. Have a learned some new dinner recipes? Yes. Could I have perhaps bought a few of her cookbooks and saved some money? Yes. Would I recommend this total program to someone who wanted to lose weight and live a healthier life? For sure.

I have gotten many new recipes from my 12WBT.  The dinner recipes have been great! There are many recipes I could share but I chose a Vietnamese dish, Chicken Bun Cha. Before this program,  I'd never heard of this dish. With Australia being closer to Asia, there are a lot of different types of Asian restaurants in Sydney - Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Singaporean, Malaysian, Vietnamese. I find Vietnamese food light and refreshing. This recipe is not spicy and works as a substantial, filling salad. 

Chicken Bun Cha 
Michelle Bridges 12WBT

Dear Readers,

Sorry that this recipe has been taken down from my tiny blog. It was taken down by request from the 12WBT team. Here are excerpts from several emails I received:

"We have however noticed that you have copied one of our recipes onto your blog. This is a breach of the Terms and Conditions of your membership so we are going to have to ask you to remove it. We are fine with you putting up your own pictures we just ask that you don’t share any content of the program such as recipes."

"The Terms and Conditions of your membership do state that we grant you personal use of the content and we do ask that you don’t share it on other websites. Our terms also specifically prohibit publishing or posting any of the content such as recipes on any other website....outside of these specific formal relationships, we do not allow any other site to publish our proprietary content."

I was surprised by these emails as I always attribute my blog information, photos and recipes to their original source. I would also think that posting a recipe and recommending it is positive PR. I guess not. I invite you to Google 'Michelle Bridges recipes' and take a look at the 100s of her recipes on blogs, Pinterest, newspapers, magazines etc. You will be able to find Chicken Bun Cha recipes and many others....

Kind regards, 
Susan Minihane
May 8, 2014