🌍 The Kid Explorer Club with Jed

Tag: life

  • My Summer Top 3: Fun, Sun, and WOW

    It’s been 70 days since I have last written to you. I’m really sorry that it’s taken so long, so to make it up to everyone I am going to fill you in on my top three things I have done in each of my summer locations: Washington State, Washington D.C., and Nigeria (where I am now).

    Washington State = Camp Fun

    I’ve already talked about Spokane, where my mom grew up and I spend a lot of my U.S. time. My top highlight in Washington state was that I went to my first overnight camp. It was really fun! It was called Camp Reed and is run by the YMCA of the Inland Northwest. The YMCA is a kid friendly organization that offers a lot of kids’ programs, like camps, daycare or summer school. I had to get so much stuff ready for my week of overnight camp! My mom helped me gather all the supplies. I needed to get a sleeping bag, my special sunscreen (I’m allergic to a lot of other brands), a pillow, toothbrush and holder and toothpaste, bug spray, shampoo and conditioner, and much more! One of my favorite things about camp was that it was on a lake, and we got to play in it all the time. We also had a fun carnival where you played games to get beans and then exchange the beans at an auction for fun prizes or activities for your cabin. Our cabin used our beans to buy breakfast in bed! It was really fun. The cooks came into our cabin and served us, like the ultimate V.I.P treatment! On the same night as the carnival, we had an all-camp dance. Also, we held a Summer Olympics. Our cabin joined with another cabin to be team Brazil! I really recommend going to overnight camp if you have the opportunity. But for younger readers, you could do a “mini camp” where you only spend one or two nights at camp! And of course, there are always lots of day camps in most cities that could offer similar activities and experiences.

    District of Columbia = Baseball and Cotton Candy

    After Spokane, my family spent a few weeks in Washington D.C. for my dad’s job. I love being in our nation’s capital! The most fun I had in DC was probably when we went to the Nationals vs. Padres baseball game. I was really excited just to watch the game and cheer all the fun chants and songs, but I was super surprised when we walked through the ticket gate and the stadium workers were handing out free Nationals jerseys! We were attending on a family fun day, so the stadium also gave us a free kid’s meal. (All the parents say “Woohoo!”) The game was really intense, and it looked like thought the Padres were going to cook the Nationals. But surprisingly we were wrong and the Nationals had an amazing comeback and won the game! At the game, we also got to hang out with our really good friends that we met years ago while living in Egypt. It was really exciting because it was my first major league baseball game! And I might have enjoyed some really yummy cotton candy! The only down side I could share about the game is that the baseball jerseys (which are actually cut more like basketball jerseys) are all XXL (extra-extra-large)! Ha! But they were free, and I still wore it proudly. My final takeaway that blew my mind was that some people in the stadium had a whole suite to themselves! They sat in fancy boxes and ate buffets of food. Wowzers!

    Nigeria = New Adventures

    At the end of my summer, just three weeks ago, our family made our move to Nigeria! And here’s the deal. I haven’t been to a lot of places in Nigeria before, and I haven’t had much time to explore yet. So, this summary will be pretty quick. Like many people in the country, I am living on a small housing compound. For security reasons, whenever I mention it, I will call it “Jed compound.” It has a couple playgrounds, a small pool, and plenty of green space to play and explore with other kids who live here. I do have to mention that the power goes about six to eight times a day! Yikes. But I am starting to really like Nigeria; there are a lot of kind people and I love the areas I’ve seen. Because it’s rainy season right now, everything is very green and colorful. It feels really peaceful even though the city is busy and there are police and military all over the streets. I also really enjoy my new international school! I’ve made a lot friends, my teachers are great, and we have an awesome bunny nursery where we can hold lots of adorable bunnies and help take care of them. Lastly, one of the best things about Nigeria is the food! We hired a chef who comes to our home a couple days a week and cooks for our family. My mom loves to cook, but we don’t have a car right now and we aren’t allowed to take any form of public transportation. So, it makes getting groceries really hard. Our chef will go to the store, get ingredients for meals, wash all the produce properly (we have to wash them in bleach here!), and then make yummy treats our whole family loves. And it’s very affordable in Nigeria and helps give someone good work. For the future, I am really interested in Nigeran history. I hope to learn more and report back soon!

    Please leave comments about your summer, too! Did you go anywhere new? Or maybe you had a family gathering or did something that’s a family tradition every summer. I’d love to hear about it!

    Lastly, I have a big announcement! I am in the process of launching a YouTube vlog! It will be connected to my Kid Explorer Club (this blog). Check back in soon for the link to my channel!

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    Comments

    7 responses to “My Summer Top 3: Fun, Sun, and WOW”

    1. Ana Laffoon Avatar
      Ana Laffoon

      I love adventuring with you! And it was a busy, full, and fun summer. Here’s to a year of excitement and discovery!

      Like

      Reply
    2. John Doe Avatar
      John Doe

      Thanks, Jed, for sharing about your time in the States and your move to Nigeria!

      Like

      Reply
    3. Joe Valinsky Avatar
      Joe Valinsky

      I love this

      Like

      Reply
    4. fuzzyparadise2f1d54fbd1 Avatar
      fuzzyparadise2f1d54fbd1

      Jed, I love reading about your life in Nigeria! Living in a compound I’m sure it’s way different than cycling around in Wassenaar, but you will cherish these memories for ever! Also i’m kind of jealous that you get to hold bunnies on a daily basis!

      Like

      Reply
      1. fuzzyparadise2f1d54fbd1 Avatar
        fuzzyparadise2f1d54fbd1

        it’s your Greek teacher by the way, I don’t know where the “fuzzyparadise” came from!

        Like

        Reply
        1. Jed Avatar
          Jed

          Hahaha I think it a security think and privacy thing.

          Like

      2. Jed Avatar
        Jed

        Its so nice to here from you, thank you for still reading my blog it means a lot. Plus, baby bunnies were just born and there so cute.

        Like

        Reply

    Tell me something about your travel style or adventures!

  • Papa Power!

    A Kid Explorer’s Guide to Father’s Day Around the World

    (Spoiler: Hope Your Dad Packed His Running Shoes for Mexico)

    Paris, France

    Hi, it’s Jed again! I’m writing to you from Spokane, Washington: the birthplace of Father’s Day (and the city where my mom grew up)! Father’s Day is awesome—but not everyone celebrates it the same way! It is so fun to learn about what other kids around the world do for their dads. Let’s just say some dads really earn their special breakfast… with a 21K run!

    World Tour: 4 Father’s Day Traditions

    Let’s take a trip to 4 very different countries to see how they do Father’s Day.

    GERMANY

    • Father’s Day, also called Männertag or Vaterdag, is always celebrated on a Thursday in May or June. It is the same day as Ascension Day, celebrated by many Christians.
    • Fathers dress up in colorful clothes and haul wagons of alcohol into the woods. I’m not quite sure what they do once they get there…
    • (That’s cooler than a pancake stack with whipped cream!)

    JAPAN

    • Father’s Day is called Chichi no Hi (“Day of the Father”) and is celebrated on the third Sunday of June (just like the States).
    • Families give their fathers a traditional Japanese meal, seafood, or gifts of cologne, flowers, or sake (a Japanese alcohol made from fermented rice).  They might eat grilled fish and receive yellow roses.
    • (I think my dad would love this tradition! He loves fish and trying fun drinks from around the world.)

    NEPAL

    • Father’s Day is called Gokarna Aunsi and follows the Nepali lunar calendar, so the date changes every year. It usually shows up in August or September—just depends on what the moon feels like doing!
    • It is similar to American Father’s Day, but they also pray to and worship fathers who have passed away and are no longer with them.
    • (That tradition is cooler than ice cream for breakfast… and that’s saying something.)

    MEXICO

    • Father’s Day also called Dia del Padre and celebrated on the third Sunday in June every year.
    • Fathers can run a 21-kilometer race in Mexico City called Carrera Dia del Padre 21k Bosque de Tlalpan.
    • (Note to self: Do not challenge a dad from Mexico to a race. My feet hurt just thinking about it.)

    Bonus Round: Fun Father’s Day Facts

    Washington D.C.

    Did you know…? Dad edition!

    • Father’s Day started way back in 1910 in Spokane, Washington. A girl named Sonora Smart Dodd thought dads deserved a special day, so she planned the very first one on June 19, 1910. That makes Spokane the official hometown of Father’s Day! Pretty cool, right?
    • 50% of all Father’s Day cards are bought for fathers, while 20% are bought for husbands. I like to make a card for my dad every year, but you can also go to a store to pick one out (there are so many funny ones!) or order one like this online!
    • There is a fun online Father’s Day game where you can make your own Father’s Day Card. Click right here  (click the link, then click on the Google image at the top of the page. It will open the game).
    • According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the necktie is the most popular of all Father’s Day gifts. Look at this one !
    • Father’s Day is celebrated in 111 countries. 111 countries?! That’s a lot of ties and pancake breakfasts!
    Bethlehem, Palestine

    No matter where you live, your dad probably just wants to hear that you love him. Or maybe a nap. Or a giant burrito. Depends on the dad. I like to make my dad breakfast in bed, give him a special gift I picked out and paid for with my own money, and spend lots of time playing with him.

    Jim Gaffigan, a funny dad comedian, once said that there should be a children’s song that says, “If you’re happy and you know it, keep it to yourself and let dad sleep.” Ha!

    Amman, Jordan

    Thank you for reading! Have a great Father’s Day and remember to celebrate your dad in a way that’s special to your family or cultural traditions! And leave a comment down below with any fun traditions you do on Father’s Day!

    🌍 The Kids Explorer Club With Jed

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Tell me something about your travel style or adventures!

  • Suitcases, Sandwiches, and See-You-Laters!

    What it feels like to say goodbye (again) when you’re a kid who moves a lot!

    1. The Top Slice: Saying Goodbye

    Hey, Jed here again! And guess what? I’m writing to you from an empty house! I’ve lived in the kingdom by the sea, The Netherlands, for two years now, and I am going to leave at the end of this month. I move a lot, so moving is used to me and I have to get used to it. I am going to miss a lot of things though, including my friends, teacher (Mrs. Mattson), my favorite Dutch snacks like stroopwafels or hagelslag, and my favorite places that make the Netherlands “home,” including my school, house, park and Luciano’s ice cream shop. But when you’re a Diplo-kid, you know that moving is just part of life even when it’s hard and sad. From my experience, it’s helpful to have a goodbye party so you get a chance to hug and play with the people you love, and to do fun and special activities like a final bike ride to school or a climb up your favorite backyard tree. When you’re doing it for the final time, remember to tell yourself that’s the last time you’ll do it so you can really remember it and keep it in your heart.

    2. The Filling: The In-Between Days

    Before you pack your house up, it’s a good idea to imagine what it will look like when it’s empty. Let me tell you, it’s going to look very weird and unfamiliar! During the pack-out, or my fun nickname for it “The Great Pack,” you might feel a lot of emotions. You will probably feel smushed together like a sandwich.  A very emotional sandwich that feels big things like: excitement, sadness, nervousness, boredom, happiness, etc. Like my mom says, “You can feel more than one thing at the same time.” And that’s definitely true when you are saying goodbye to your home and friends. To make you feel not so nervous and emotional you can start a family tradition. For example, my family asks our friends to write notes to us at our goodbye party and then we pack the notes deep into our suitcases without reading them. Once we get to our next destination, we read the kind, heartfelt notes. Some of our friends write down funny memories, too. That’s great for a laugh at a time when you might be feeling a little scared or unsure or your new home. By the way, my new home is going to be Abuja, Nigeria. I think it’s going to be very different from the Netherlands!

    So what do all those feelings add up to? A moving sandwich, of course! Here’s a recipe to guide our way!

    Jed’s Famous Moving Sandwich Recipe

    Warning: may cause feelings. Best served with hugs and snacks (like the ones we talked about in my first blog post).

    Ingredients:

    • 2 slices of “See-You-Later” bread (preferably toasted with love)
    • 3 tablespoons of excitement for new adventures
    • 1 overflowing scoop of goodbye tears (I hate to say it, but it’s bound to happen)
    • A pinch of nervous butterflies
    • 4 memories you don’t want to forget (folded gently)
    • 1 crumpled packing list you lost but found again
    • A sprinkle of “I’ll miss you” messages
    • Optional: melted chocolate to remind you that sweet things still happen

    Instructions:

    1. Start with a slice of goodbye—this part might feel heavy.
    2. Layer in the feelings: stack your excitement, nerves, and memories any way you want.
    3. Add a generous helping of hugs, favorite songs, and one inside joke from your old home.
    4. Top with your second slice—hello, new place! Press down gently. Wrap in kindness, pack with courage, and take a big bite.

    Serving tip: Best eaten with your favorite people (even if it’s over video call).

    3. The Bottom Slice: What’s Next

    You always need to look forward to what is coming next. I am going to spend my summer in the USA before we move to Nigeria. Of course, I am looking forward to things like the Maple Bacon Duck Donut or the famous Cosco hotdog. Not only that, but I’m also excited about seeing my cousins and making new friends at Summer Camp. Also, of course a shopping spree at Target and Trader Joe’s. Other than summer in the States, I’m really excited about Nigeria. My new school, teacher, friends, community, house, etc. But there is a lot that I don’t know yet, like what my neighborhood will look like, when our shipping container will arrive, and who my new best friend will be. Lots of mysteries to be revealed. I guess you could say, “The sandwich of goodbye is messy, but it’s also full of flavor.” I don’t know exactly what’s in the next sandwich… but I’m hungry for it (just hold the pickles)! Yummmm.

    Thank you for reading! I’ll have more content up soon. Please come back!  And check out the new coloring pages on the Badges and Games page!

    🌍 The Kids Explorer Club With Jed