Kristyn ZalotaWhere in the world do you live? And, are you from there?

I live in New Haven, CT.  I am originally from CT but have lived in several countries, including Russia, England and Thailand.

What language(s) do you speak? 

English, Russian, enough Thai and Spanish to chat and order food

When did you first become a mother?

My son Nikolai was born in Oxford, UK in 2005.

Are you a stay-at-home mom or do you work outside the home?

I am stay-at-home mom, who runs a non-profit when the kids are at school.

Why do you blog/write?

I wrote my first blog, WanderMama.com, to share my experiences living in Thailand with my then 1-year-old and 4-year-old.  I write my current blog, CleanBirth.org, to share information about my Clean Birth Kits project in Laos.

How would you say that you are different from other mothers?

I travel as much as I can, I am curious about the world and seek out adventure.   I am okay to go a week or two without seeing my kids (gasp!), in order to explore a new place and do some good.

More than anything, I love bringing the kids with me and exploring a new places together.  Nothing gives me more joy than seeing them make friends on a playground, using language in Russia (they speak Russian) or using smiles in a place where they don’t (yet) speak the language.

What do you view as the challenges of raising a child in today’s world?

It’s hard to maintain balance.  I want my kids to have as many opportunities as their peers but not so many that we are living out of our car.  Who can afford soccer, ballet, and piano?  Same goes for material stuff.  A tablet, a $250 scooter and name brand clothes for Christmas?  Really?  He’s seven.  Sometimes it’s hard to know what they *need* and what is extra.

I am sure there are a million harder things down the road.   I feel very lucky at the moment.

How did you find World Moms Blog?

Dee Harlow found my blog, CleanBirth.org, and I began following hers.  She has the WMB button on her blog and I started reading.  When I found out about the Social Good section, I got in touch to see if  I could share posts about my work in Laos.

This is an original, first-time post to World Moms Blog from our new writer and mother of two in Connecticut, Kristyn.

The image used in this post is credited to the author and was taken directly from her non-profit’s website, Clean Birth

Kristyn Zalota

Kristyn brings her years of experience as an entrepreneur and serial volunteer to CleanBirth.org. She holds a MA, has run small businesses in Russia and the US, and has volunteered in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Uganda on projects related to women’s empowerment. After having children, Kristyn became an advocate for mothers in the US, as a doula and Lamaze educator, and abroad, as the Founder of CleanBirth.org. She is honored to provide nurses in Laos with the supplies, funding and training they need to lower maternal and infant mortality rates in their villages.

More Posts