From time to time I write about things that have some relation to Foreign Service life but are not necessarily things you would consider part of this journey. Moving around the world with no idea where you will first be assigned presents challenges and changes that you cannot imagine when you first see the email telling you you have been selected to join the Foreign Service. I guess life is a revolving process in general and Foreign Service life is no exception.
Today I delved into a project I have been avoiding for months. You know what I mean; everyone out there has a drawer or a room or a stack of something sitting in a corner that they keep meaning to get to but somehow never seem to find the time. Actually we all know the answer to why those things don't get done but we would rather not face the truth: that there are so many more fun and interesting things we would rather do with our time. Putting these tasks off only makes things worse and makes it all the easier to avoid; after all, we have created lots of practice avoiding those chores and now we are good at it. Well, for me, that task is unpacking the three large wardrobe boxes in the hall of my apartment. Now, I have lived here for 16 months and those boxes have been there the whole time. Luckily for me they are in the hallway leading to my bedrooms, so my guests have not had to witness my laziness directly. Nonetheless, it hit me the other day that in just a little over 8 months I will be packing to leave here and there is no good reason those boxes should not be unpacked by now.
So onward I went to dive into clothes I had not seen since I packed out of Austin in March 2008. What a revelation! It was as though looking through all those old clothes, I could see my life flashing before me in a wardrobe sort of scene setter. I guess I was trying to find myself for the past few years because some of those clothing choices were really ugly to be honest. For instance, I had several blouses that were orange. I don't even look good in orange. And what about clothing with color names that don't make sense? There was a cozy corduroy shirt that can only be described as the color salmon--definitely a color for a dead fish and not for me. And what about that day-glow lime green Polo sweater? Even though it was on sale, what was I thinking? You could see me coming down the road a mile away in the dark in that thing. There was some good news. I realized that most of my clothing was Ann Taylor and Polo and Gap--fairly decent brand names, so I have had decent taste even if I don't always get the color right. I purchased most of those clothes on sale or at the outlet mall because I well remember how poor I was during that time, but nevertheless I managed to look ok, despite a very tiny clothing budget. Another bit of good news was the clothing sizes I found in the boxes. Literally everything was too big for me. I tried on a couple of pairs of pants--sort of hoping I might be able to retain them and increase my wardrobe here in shopping-deprived Sierra Leone, but every single item was too large. I am happy to relate that all those miles of running have paid off because I am definitely a slimmer me than I was 18 months ago. Then there were the nostalgia items: Ryan's high school graduation robe complete with Valedictorian metals and National Honor Society sash. I had two lovely gowns; one from Allison's wedding and the periwinkle blue formal from Angela's wedding. Somehow the movers packed Laura's prom dress in my boxes and at a size 3/4 it's definitely too small for me. I found my grandmothers pink sweater that I gave her just before she died, my other grandmothers christening dress from 1905, several German dresses from Bavaria and even my old bowling shirt circa 1980. (did you know that I have bowled several 200 games and even a 600 series?) All those memories had been waiting for me and all I had to do was unpack them. To celebrate the big mess of hangers and stacks of clothes I have ready to give away, I happened to notice a wad of something in the pocket of that hideous orange stripped shirt I mentioned earlier. Guess what? I found $60.00! So to all of you out there who are avoiding that area of your life that needs doing, maybe you should think about tackling that project; you just mind find more rewards than you anticipated.
Showing posts with label Moving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moving. Show all posts
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Everything comes together...or NOT!
Well, a lot has been revealed in the last 8 days. Not all of it good. First off, the worst possible scenario has come true about the dishes...they never arrived! I unpacked boxes for three solid days and each day I was sure "this" was the box with the treasure trove of dishes. NO. Not a single plate arrived. No dishes of any kind. Now I am the kind of person who collects dishes. I probably had 8 sets of dishes/china in Austin, and I loved them all. In fact, I had a set of pretty pink rose antique china that I posted on Craigslist before I left. When the lady came to buy them, I could not part with them and ended up bequeathing them to Laura instead. Me, who loves to collect dishes and serve meals on a different set each night, arrived in Africa for a two year assignment with not a single place setting. Grrrrrr! After some investigation, I discovered that the moving company (who was supposed to keep all the kitchen things in the "send no matter what" category); had actually put all 4 boxes of dishes onto a different section of the inventory and they all went into storage instead of being shipped to me. Grrrrr. Now I have to decide if I should ship them (which will take 2-3 months), buy something online, or buy something here (not a good option). Wish me luck.
I did start running again lately, so those 100 energy bars will come in handy. Yesterday I ran with a group called the Hash House Harriers. Check out their google info. They were started by a British group about 45 years ago. They run every Monday night here; on different trails through the city. They are very active all over the world. Anyway, last night I arrived late to the meeting place because for some reason as I was leaving the Embassy, my car wouldn't start. I had Motorpool take a look at it (they are right on site, which is convenient) and all it was, was a lose battery cable connection. All the bumpy roads make parts come lose. I have to get it tightened eventually with a real tool. The car got started and I was on my way. I found the meeting place but the runners had already left. There was one lone runner on the side of the road and I shouted out the car window, "Are you running with the group?" He said he was, so I asked to join him. I parked the car and jogged to catch up. We exchanged names as we started the run and I happened to ask him how his weekend was. He nonchalantly says, "oh, I just got back last night from hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro." What irony! Just when I'm trying to get back into running, I end up running with some ultra runner who hikes Mt. Kilimanjaro in his spare time! As I began to get short of breath because we were climbing a mammoth hill, I informed him that I run 12 minute miles and since I could not possibly keep up with him, he should just run right on ahead of me! He smiled that pensive expert runners smile and said of course not! He stayed right with me the whole time; even when I had to walk up another hill that looked like a training run for Mt. Kilimanjaro. The total run was about 45 minutes long (which is about double what I have been running by myself on the nice flat beach!) and we got to know each other a little. He is from Iowa originally and he even has a name from the Midwest; Brian Larson. He works for C.A.R.E and has been with them for a long time. Said he took the bar and practiced law for a while, but didn't want to spend his life like that. Nice guy and he really was patient with me during the run. After the run, the group meets back together and sings silly songs and drinks beer. Crazy, but good way to meet new people.
I just spent the last part of my evening doing laundry and ironing 5 shirts. Before moving here, I can't think of the last time I ironed anything. There was such a thing as "dry cleaning" in Texas. Perhaps you have heard of it? Well, there is no dry cleaning here. Nada. I guess I will be ordering some Dryelle from Drugstore.com soon.
Speaking of things we don't have....beauty shops. The lady who cuts hair has been gone for 2 months on holiday. I have not had my hair cut since April when I was in DC. That's 4 months ago!! The other day, I actually took the little tiny scissors off my Swiss army pocket knife and trimmed my bangs. I could not stand it any longer. When we were in OMS training in DC, many of my OMS classmates commented on why all the OMS's who had been in FS for a while, seemed to have awful haircuts. They must have spent too much time in African countries and lowered their standards!!
Speaking of dishes...I had my first real party on Thursday night. Yes, that would be a few days after I discovered I didn't have anything to serve on! I had already planned the party and sent the invitations out. I went out and bought 30 plates from the local grocery store. The plates were sort of like "seconds" that you can get at china factories in Europe. There I am in the aisle, carefully inspecting each plate to find 30 "good" ones, when the power goes out. Of course, it's totally dark and I can't remember where I set my purse! No worries, the power came back on when the generator re-started. Everyone is used to it here, but it still surprises me. The party was a huge success and everyone had a good time. It was a going away party for a nice young man who was at the Embassy for a 3 month assignment. He was smart and capable and kind and funny and he reminded me a lot of Ryan.
I better get some sleep. It's midnight here, which is pretty typical for me. Oh, I have been trying to watch some of the Olympics but every single time I turn on the t.v., it's boxing and I HATE boxing!
Hope all is well with you in your corner of the world,
Becky
I did start running again lately, so those 100 energy bars will come in handy. Yesterday I ran with a group called the Hash House Harriers. Check out their google info. They were started by a British group about 45 years ago. They run every Monday night here; on different trails through the city. They are very active all over the world. Anyway, last night I arrived late to the meeting place because for some reason as I was leaving the Embassy, my car wouldn't start. I had Motorpool take a look at it (they are right on site, which is convenient) and all it was, was a lose battery cable connection. All the bumpy roads make parts come lose. I have to get it tightened eventually with a real tool. The car got started and I was on my way. I found the meeting place but the runners had already left. There was one lone runner on the side of the road and I shouted out the car window, "Are you running with the group?" He said he was, so I asked to join him. I parked the car and jogged to catch up. We exchanged names as we started the run and I happened to ask him how his weekend was. He nonchalantly says, "oh, I just got back last night from hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro." What irony! Just when I'm trying to get back into running, I end up running with some ultra runner who hikes Mt. Kilimanjaro in his spare time! As I began to get short of breath because we were climbing a mammoth hill, I informed him that I run 12 minute miles and since I could not possibly keep up with him, he should just run right on ahead of me! He smiled that pensive expert runners smile and said of course not! He stayed right with me the whole time; even when I had to walk up another hill that looked like a training run for Mt. Kilimanjaro. The total run was about 45 minutes long (which is about double what I have been running by myself on the nice flat beach!) and we got to know each other a little. He is from Iowa originally and he even has a name from the Midwest; Brian Larson. He works for C.A.R.E and has been with them for a long time. Said he took the bar and practiced law for a while, but didn't want to spend his life like that. Nice guy and he really was patient with me during the run. After the run, the group meets back together and sings silly songs and drinks beer. Crazy, but good way to meet new people.
I just spent the last part of my evening doing laundry and ironing 5 shirts. Before moving here, I can't think of the last time I ironed anything. There was such a thing as "dry cleaning" in Texas. Perhaps you have heard of it? Well, there is no dry cleaning here. Nada. I guess I will be ordering some Dryelle from Drugstore.com soon.
Speaking of things we don't have....beauty shops. The lady who cuts hair has been gone for 2 months on holiday. I have not had my hair cut since April when I was in DC. That's 4 months ago!! The other day, I actually took the little tiny scissors off my Swiss army pocket knife and trimmed my bangs. I could not stand it any longer. When we were in OMS training in DC, many of my OMS classmates commented on why all the OMS's who had been in FS for a while, seemed to have awful haircuts. They must have spent too much time in African countries and lowered their standards!!
Speaking of dishes...I had my first real party on Thursday night. Yes, that would be a few days after I discovered I didn't have anything to serve on! I had already planned the party and sent the invitations out. I went out and bought 30 plates from the local grocery store. The plates were sort of like "seconds" that you can get at china factories in Europe. There I am in the aisle, carefully inspecting each plate to find 30 "good" ones, when the power goes out. Of course, it's totally dark and I can't remember where I set my purse! No worries, the power came back on when the generator re-started. Everyone is used to it here, but it still surprises me. The party was a huge success and everyone had a good time. It was a going away party for a nice young man who was at the Embassy for a 3 month assignment. He was smart and capable and kind and funny and he reminded me a lot of Ryan.
I better get some sleep. It's midnight here, which is pretty typical for me. Oh, I have been trying to watch some of the Olympics but every single time I turn on the t.v., it's boxing and I HATE boxing!
Hope all is well with you in your corner of the world,
Becky
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Some things you learn late....
I'm taking a 10 minute break from unpacking boxes. I think I've gone through about 25 boxes so far. I still have not found any of my dishes, my silverware, or my crystal wine glasses. I have not found any wine glasses at all , in fact. I did unwrap some nice bottles of Champagne, Makers Mark, and Pomegranate liquor that I forgot I packed. I found about 100 natural energy bars, so if I ever get back to running again, I will have snacks to refuel. I have enough energy bars to train for a marathon.
This got me to thinking about "what" I packed from the Texas house. I think I had about 15 boxes of kitchen things. As I unpacked most of it, I started to have this uneasy feeling that if I didn't use it in Texas, why did I ship it all the way to Africa? I thought about this a little longer and eureka, it hit me. I USED TO COOK. At one time, I utilized my kitchen on a regular basis. I fed 5 people for something like 20 years and I actually used all the stuff I unpacked today. The key here is "used to." I really have not cooked that much in the past 7 years. In 1999, when we returned from Germany; Dave left for California, Ryan left for college in Philadelphia, Angela was already at A&M in College Station, and I went back to school full time. For the next 2 years, it was only Laura and I, and I made small meals because we were both busy with work and school. After Laura left for college, I barely made anything more than a sandwich; unless I happened to be cooking for a date. The rest of the time I ate meals out or ate soup late at night after studying. I continued to bake cookies and breads and bars and that hasn't changed even to the present day. I really love to bake, and most of my friends already know this, as they have tasted the fruits of my labor in the form of mint brownies and banana bread. But cooking? I have not cooked any more in Africa than I did in Texas. I'm out a lot; learning about the country and the people here in Sierra Leone. So when am I ever going to use the 4 polish pottery baking pans, the crock pot circa 1978, the cappuccino maker that only Robert learned to operate, or the Pampered Chef deep dish pizza stone that never made it out of the box since it was purchased in 2000? Probably never. The polish pottery makes a nice colorful decoration on the top of my kitchen cabinets, especially since the ceilings in the kitchen are 10 feet high. Another crazy irony is that I brought tons of Tupperware. Which begs the question: If I never cook, how in the world will I have leftovers to put in the Tupperware?
All this reminiscing reminds me that I need to mentally update my life every once in a while. I need to discard what I don't use anymore; not drag it half way around the world. I recommend going through the spaces in your life and your house and get rid of things that are obsolete. I think we carry around way too many "things" that we have to manage. I don't mean shed everything. I really like some things I unpacked; the polish pottery being one. I smile every time I look at the pretty dishes I bought in Germany.
Now if I could only find those plates.....
Love,
Becky
This got me to thinking about "what" I packed from the Texas house. I think I had about 15 boxes of kitchen things. As I unpacked most of it, I started to have this uneasy feeling that if I didn't use it in Texas, why did I ship it all the way to Africa? I thought about this a little longer and eureka, it hit me. I USED TO COOK. At one time, I utilized my kitchen on a regular basis. I fed 5 people for something like 20 years and I actually used all the stuff I unpacked today. The key here is "used to." I really have not cooked that much in the past 7 years. In 1999, when we returned from Germany; Dave left for California, Ryan left for college in Philadelphia, Angela was already at A&M in College Station, and I went back to school full time. For the next 2 years, it was only Laura and I, and I made small meals because we were both busy with work and school. After Laura left for college, I barely made anything more than a sandwich; unless I happened to be cooking for a date. The rest of the time I ate meals out or ate soup late at night after studying. I continued to bake cookies and breads and bars and that hasn't changed even to the present day. I really love to bake, and most of my friends already know this, as they have tasted the fruits of my labor in the form of mint brownies and banana bread. But cooking? I have not cooked any more in Africa than I did in Texas. I'm out a lot; learning about the country and the people here in Sierra Leone. So when am I ever going to use the 4 polish pottery baking pans, the crock pot circa 1978, the cappuccino maker that only Robert learned to operate, or the Pampered Chef deep dish pizza stone that never made it out of the box since it was purchased in 2000? Probably never. The polish pottery makes a nice colorful decoration on the top of my kitchen cabinets, especially since the ceilings in the kitchen are 10 feet high. Another crazy irony is that I brought tons of Tupperware. Which begs the question: If I never cook, how in the world will I have leftovers to put in the Tupperware?
All this reminiscing reminds me that I need to mentally update my life every once in a while. I need to discard what I don't use anymore; not drag it half way around the world. I recommend going through the spaces in your life and your house and get rid of things that are obsolete. I think we carry around way too many "things" that we have to manage. I don't mean shed everything. I really like some things I unpacked; the polish pottery being one. I smile every time I look at the pretty dishes I bought in Germany.
Now if I could only find those plates.....
Love,
Becky
Saturday, August 9, 2008
House full of Boxes, oh my!
It's Saturday morning. I feel asleep on the sofa last night after a really long week at work and finally managed to get a full 8 hours of sleep! Of course, the pounding rain probably helped.
My HHE arrived and now I'm surrounded by boxes. A sea of boxes that I must navigate for the days to come. A word to the wise...travel light. I have 90 pieces of furniture/boxes total; for one person. I remember in Kenya where each person owned a coffee cup, a fork, and a blanket. Sure made moving a lot easier. I have really really enjoyed having my own bed again. And soft sheets! The welcome kit gives us sheets made of scratchy hardness. I forgot what it's like to lay on soft sheets! It was nice to see the antique coat rack, but they lost the little metal pans that go on the bottom for the umbrella holders. Hope they turn up. It seems strange seeing my white love seat in my living room in Africa. Seems almost a guilty pleasure to have it travel all this way. I'm planning to have a lot of fun unwrapping the kitchen things. I really want to find my Polish pottery and my china. I have never had a china cabinet before. Leave it up to me to base taking a new job on the notion that it comes with a free china cabinet! But I'll also be happy to see my wine glasses again. I am sick and tired of drinking wine out of beverage glasses! I'm going to start a list right now of things I want with me in my UAB (unaccompanied air baggage) for my next move. FS allows us 250 lbs of items they ship immediately to our next assignment. Topping the list will be: soft sheets, wine glasses, and 2 of my own towels!
Some of you have asked for photos. This is difficult for two reasons. One-I feel uncomfortable photographing people here. It's strange to snap a picture of someones life. I mean, it's not a novelty for them to be living in poverty. It's a novelty for me to take a picture of it. I'm trying to get over that so I can show you what it's like here, but it's not easy for me. It reminds me that I'm at the top of the class system here and that's uncomfortable for me. Two-even if I take the picture, downloading it takes so long that the computer usually crashes. Slow inernet connection here. (hey, I'm just happy they have internet and cell phone service, since they don't have running water or electricity!) So, in light of this, I found a web site that has some beautiful photos of the beaches here in Sierra Leone. I spend a lot of time at Bureh Town beach with friends. It looks exactly like the photos. Our cottage is right across the water from the island in the photo, so what you are looking at is the exact view we have from the veranda of the house. The first beach I went to was Lakka and it's also very serene; no people at all while we were there. River no. 2 (what a strange name!) is a little more busy; they even have people who will take your drink order and bring you a cocktail under a beach umbrella. Lumley beach is the beach in Freetown proper. That's the beach I run on. It looks exactly like that, and the sunsets are really amazing. I can see the beach from my apartment patio and watch the sunsets at night. It's about a 12 minute drive from my apartment to the beach. Now that I have the car, I hope to run there 4-5 times a week. Here is the link:
http://www.visitsierraleone.org/gallery/gallery.asp?categoryid=9
So, it's back to unpacking for me. Hope everything is well in your corner of the world!
Becky
My HHE arrived and now I'm surrounded by boxes. A sea of boxes that I must navigate for the days to come. A word to the wise...travel light. I have 90 pieces of furniture/boxes total; for one person. I remember in Kenya where each person owned a coffee cup, a fork, and a blanket. Sure made moving a lot easier. I have really really enjoyed having my own bed again. And soft sheets! The welcome kit gives us sheets made of scratchy hardness. I forgot what it's like to lay on soft sheets! It was nice to see the antique coat rack, but they lost the little metal pans that go on the bottom for the umbrella holders. Hope they turn up. It seems strange seeing my white love seat in my living room in Africa. Seems almost a guilty pleasure to have it travel all this way. I'm planning to have a lot of fun unwrapping the kitchen things. I really want to find my Polish pottery and my china. I have never had a china cabinet before. Leave it up to me to base taking a new job on the notion that it comes with a free china cabinet! But I'll also be happy to see my wine glasses again. I am sick and tired of drinking wine out of beverage glasses! I'm going to start a list right now of things I want with me in my UAB (unaccompanied air baggage) for my next move. FS allows us 250 lbs of items they ship immediately to our next assignment. Topping the list will be: soft sheets, wine glasses, and 2 of my own towels!
Some of you have asked for photos. This is difficult for two reasons. One-I feel uncomfortable photographing people here. It's strange to snap a picture of someones life. I mean, it's not a novelty for them to be living in poverty. It's a novelty for me to take a picture of it. I'm trying to get over that so I can show you what it's like here, but it's not easy for me. It reminds me that I'm at the top of the class system here and that's uncomfortable for me. Two-even if I take the picture, downloading it takes so long that the computer usually crashes. Slow inernet connection here. (hey, I'm just happy they have internet and cell phone service, since they don't have running water or electricity!) So, in light of this, I found a web site that has some beautiful photos of the beaches here in Sierra Leone. I spend a lot of time at Bureh Town beach with friends. It looks exactly like the photos. Our cottage is right across the water from the island in the photo, so what you are looking at is the exact view we have from the veranda of the house. The first beach I went to was Lakka and it's also very serene; no people at all while we were there. River no. 2 (what a strange name!) is a little more busy; they even have people who will take your drink order and bring you a cocktail under a beach umbrella. Lumley beach is the beach in Freetown proper. That's the beach I run on. It looks exactly like that, and the sunsets are really amazing. I can see the beach from my apartment patio and watch the sunsets at night. It's about a 12 minute drive from my apartment to the beach. Now that I have the car, I hope to run there 4-5 times a week. Here is the link:
http://www.visitsierraleone.org/gallery/gallery.asp?categoryid=9
So, it's back to unpacking for me. Hope everything is well in your corner of the world!
Becky
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Moving In
Today the shipment arrived from Texas. What a lot of stuff! While it was nice to see some things from home, a part of me wanted to send the big truck right back to the warehouse and tell them to give it all away! The irony of Foreign Service life is that they arrange it so you live with next to nothing for 4 months while you are at training and until your things arrive in country, so you get used to living with very little. Then, all your stuff comes and you wonder why on earth you decided to pack so much stuff and how on earth you will fit it all into your assigned house! It also reminded me strongly how much of a consumer society we are in American. I mean, I have 4 wardrobe boxes of hanging clothes and 3 large boxes of regular clothes and shoes. I mean, I'm not even a socialite! I have been getting along fine all these months with the clothes I bought in Washington and the few things I packed in my suitcases from Texas. I think I will do what other FS classmates have suggested...give a lot of my clothes away to needy Africans.
A recommendation to Foreign Service people who might be packing up for their first assignment. "Take half of what you think you will need." Literally, living a simple life is much easier. We go on assignment to meet people and work hard. We don't spend much time at home and having to manage a bunch of American stuff just seems silly. Bring what you really love and leave the rest behind. Here are a few funny stories about what arrived today:
*My bike is here! It still has my racing number on it from the last sprint triathlon. I would dearly love to ride it...but it's not a possibility here in Freetown. The streets are crowded with people, dogs, kids, chickens, broken down trucks, pot holes, street vendors. Smooth is not a part of the road structure and there are no shoulders or sidewalks. My bike will probably become a patio decoration!
*Somehow I ended up with the coffee table that matches the German furniture that I did NOT bring! That reminds me that moving day in Texas was so chaotic that some things got in the wrong shipment. The table was supposed to go into storage. Oh well. Not a big deal.
*I ended up with the mattress for the German bed that I also did NOT bring. I even got the sheets for that bed; which are double and I don't have a double bed here. Oh well. Maybe I will make a curtain out of the sheets!
*I brought my massive oak desk at the last minute because my first apartment was so crappy that the desk was inadequate. Now I have a nice State Department desk in my new apartment and a huge monster desk from Texas. Well, it could be worse, I could have no desk, right?
*I only had one thing arrive damaged and that was a metal candle stand that I bought at a garage sale. It says Made in China on the bottom, so that explains it. Not a problem.
I can't wait to unpack my kitchen things and start baking. I didn't have any measuring cups in the "Welcome kit" and I miss my banana bread! I also can't wait to unpack my own dishes. I think I have a "dish" fetish. I really like my colorful polish pottery and my china. Eating off white Corelle just does not make meal times interesting; much less fun for entertaining.
Enough about moving. I have boxes to unpack!
Hope all is well in your corner of the world,
Becky
A recommendation to Foreign Service people who might be packing up for their first assignment. "Take half of what you think you will need." Literally, living a simple life is much easier. We go on assignment to meet people and work hard. We don't spend much time at home and having to manage a bunch of American stuff just seems silly. Bring what you really love and leave the rest behind. Here are a few funny stories about what arrived today:
*My bike is here! It still has my racing number on it from the last sprint triathlon. I would dearly love to ride it...but it's not a possibility here in Freetown. The streets are crowded with people, dogs, kids, chickens, broken down trucks, pot holes, street vendors. Smooth is not a part of the road structure and there are no shoulders or sidewalks. My bike will probably become a patio decoration!
*Somehow I ended up with the coffee table that matches the German furniture that I did NOT bring! That reminds me that moving day in Texas was so chaotic that some things got in the wrong shipment. The table was supposed to go into storage. Oh well. Not a big deal.
*I ended up with the mattress for the German bed that I also did NOT bring. I even got the sheets for that bed; which are double and I don't have a double bed here. Oh well. Maybe I will make a curtain out of the sheets!
*I brought my massive oak desk at the last minute because my first apartment was so crappy that the desk was inadequate. Now I have a nice State Department desk in my new apartment and a huge monster desk from Texas. Well, it could be worse, I could have no desk, right?
*I only had one thing arrive damaged and that was a metal candle stand that I bought at a garage sale. It says Made in China on the bottom, so that explains it. Not a problem.
I can't wait to unpack my kitchen things and start baking. I didn't have any measuring cups in the "Welcome kit" and I miss my banana bread! I also can't wait to unpack my own dishes. I think I have a "dish" fetish. I really like my colorful polish pottery and my china. Eating off white Corelle just does not make meal times interesting; much less fun for entertaining.
Enough about moving. I have boxes to unpack!
Hope all is well in your corner of the world,
Becky
Monday, July 28, 2008
Bits and Pieces
Dear Everyone,
Below is an email that I sent to my OMS classmates. Quick test: what does OMS stand for? "Office Management Specialist." Very good. DCM stands for Deputy Chief of Mission; and that is the title of my boss. My old boss left the embassy and my new boss arrives on Wednesday. Anyway, instead of re-writing the whole email, here is a copy. Enjoy! Becky
Just a quick hello. My HHE arrived on Friday and it is still sitting in the warehouse here. I went and saw it and I think they send my whole house from Texas! I sure hope there is a LOT of packing material in there because I KNOW I did not send that much stuff! I have a bike I can't use; a desk I wish I didn't send because my old apartment had a crappy desk but my new one has an awesome desk. Oh well. Life in FS.
My car arrived a week ago, but it's still in "processing" for license and registration. I found out that no car insurance company will cover me here. That's reassuring. Luckily the car I brought is not that expensive and is not attached to a loan. I was informed that I can drive the car home tomorrow. Now, if I can only find the car key and the radio....somewhere in my stuff from DC.
It's rainy season here now, so it rains about half of every day. It reminds me of my childhood summer days back in Minnesota. I have a wonderful balcony that I have already managed to fill with lots of plants. I eat most of my meals out there, to get fresh air after all that time at the a/c Embassy. So sterile! I was used to spending a lot of my day out and about in my old job, and being tied to the desk is an adjustment.
And Amy is right....being the OMS for the DCM involves a lot of scheduling. I never even used Outlook before I got this job! I'm practically a pro now. I even use the colored flags and bars for reminders and task lists. The hardest part about my job is trying to coordinate the DCM schedule with the AMB. It's a small post so they go to a lot of things together and if the AMB OMS does not inform me of appointments, then things go awry. Being in the front office has it's advantages....last week I got invited to the National Day at the Egyptian Embassy. At 5:30, the Ambassador walked by my desk and handed me HER invitation to the party. She said she couldn't go, and asked if I would like to go in her place. (wow, only been on the job for two months and already I'm a stand-in for the AMB!) Well, of course! Me? Miss a social occasion? The party was that same night at 6:30. I dashed home with the duty driver and took a quick shower and changed. I went alone, but there were several people at the party that I had met at other occasions; which was a welcome relief. Near the end of the evening when most of the people had left, I met the Egyptian Ambassador. He was really nice. He was "holding court" with his friends and he included me in their traditional wine drink - hibiscus. Here I am drinking hibiscus wine with 5 dashing Egyptians and I'm thinking I chose the right post after all! (and for anyone who's counting...yes one of them did ask me out!)
So that's the news from Sierra Leone. And me? Write a short email? I guess you know me better than that!
Becky
Below is an email that I sent to my OMS classmates. Quick test: what does OMS stand for? "Office Management Specialist." Very good. DCM stands for Deputy Chief of Mission; and that is the title of my boss. My old boss left the embassy and my new boss arrives on Wednesday. Anyway, instead of re-writing the whole email, here is a copy. Enjoy! Becky
Just a quick hello. My HHE arrived on Friday and it is still sitting in the warehouse here. I went and saw it and I think they send my whole house from Texas! I sure hope there is a LOT of packing material in there because I KNOW I did not send that much stuff! I have a bike I can't use; a desk I wish I didn't send because my old apartment had a crappy desk but my new one has an awesome desk. Oh well. Life in FS.
My car arrived a week ago, but it's still in "processing" for license and registration. I found out that no car insurance company will cover me here. That's reassuring. Luckily the car I brought is not that expensive and is not attached to a loan. I was informed that I can drive the car home tomorrow. Now, if I can only find the car key and the radio....somewhere in my stuff from DC.
It's rainy season here now, so it rains about half of every day. It reminds me of my childhood summer days back in Minnesota. I have a wonderful balcony that I have already managed to fill with lots of plants. I eat most of my meals out there, to get fresh air after all that time at the a/c Embassy. So sterile! I was used to spending a lot of my day out and about in my old job, and being tied to the desk is an adjustment.
And Amy is right....being the OMS for the DCM involves a lot of scheduling. I never even used Outlook before I got this job! I'm practically a pro now. I even use the colored flags and bars for reminders and task lists. The hardest part about my job is trying to coordinate the DCM schedule with the AMB. It's a small post so they go to a lot of things together and if the AMB OMS does not inform me of appointments, then things go awry. Being in the front office has it's advantages....last week I got invited to the National Day at the Egyptian Embassy. At 5:30, the Ambassador walked by my desk and handed me HER invitation to the party. She said she couldn't go, and asked if I would like to go in her place. (wow, only been on the job for two months and already I'm a stand-in for the AMB!) Well, of course! Me? Miss a social occasion? The party was that same night at 6:30. I dashed home with the duty driver and took a quick shower and changed. I went alone, but there were several people at the party that I had met at other occasions; which was a welcome relief. Near the end of the evening when most of the people had left, I met the Egyptian Ambassador. He was really nice. He was "holding court" with his friends and he included me in their traditional wine drink - hibiscus. Here I am drinking hibiscus wine with 5 dashing Egyptians and I'm thinking I chose the right post after all! (and for anyone who's counting...yes one of them did ask me out!)
So that's the news from Sierra Leone. And me? Write a short email? I guess you know me better than that!
Becky
Friday, May 23, 2008
All Aboard!!
I leave tonight at 9:40 EST. I'll be in London at 10am London time on Saturday morning; which is somewhere around 4am my time. I hope to catch a nap then tour London for the rest of the day. After that, some sleep at night and then back on the plane to Sierra Leone at 1pm Sunday. I arrive in Freetown around 7pm Sunday night. A person "an Expeditor" is meeting me. When I asked how he will know who I am, I was told that he will be holding a sign with my name on it. Wow, I'm a movie star and a diplomat! Never thought I'd have a sign at the airport.
Today was spent on those last minute things that never seemed to get done earlier; like applying for Student Loan Repayment and signing my will. That was fun...thinking about dying. I think I scared my kids with the thought of my demise. Let's hope it does not happen for many, many years. I also got a safe deposit box at the State Department Credit Union. I KNEW there was a reason I opened that account! I got to go the "little room" in the back of the bank and use my key to "match" the key from the bank and put away my jewelery. A lot of "firsts" in this job. In so many ways, I feel like I'm doing all the things in life that an independent adult does. I guess I've arrived!
Here is my new address:
Becky Cheney
2160 Freetown Place
Dulles, VA 20189-2160
You can send things regular mail with US stamps. All mail goes through Washington DC for security purposes. Go figure. Speaking of security, everyone keeps telling me to be careful. I guess my trusting nature is worrying a lot of people. I promise to try and remember that I'll be living in a third world country and that I can't do things the same way I did them on Silver Creek. I promise NOT to run at night and I promise NOT to be friendly with strangers.
I have to get the laundry, pack, etc, etc. Somehow I ended up with TWO bottles of good champagne in the frig. Wish some of you were here to celebrate this momentous moving with me.
I love you all and promise to keep in touch. I don't know what my communication options will be in Freetown, but I'll notify you that I've arrived somehow.....look out for smoke signals!!
Becky
Today was spent on those last minute things that never seemed to get done earlier; like applying for Student Loan Repayment and signing my will. That was fun...thinking about dying. I think I scared my kids with the thought of my demise. Let's hope it does not happen for many, many years. I also got a safe deposit box at the State Department Credit Union. I KNEW there was a reason I opened that account! I got to go the "little room" in the back of the bank and use my key to "match" the key from the bank and put away my jewelery. A lot of "firsts" in this job. In so many ways, I feel like I'm doing all the things in life that an independent adult does. I guess I've arrived!
Here is my new address:
Becky Cheney
2160 Freetown Place
Dulles, VA 20189-2160
You can send things regular mail with US stamps. All mail goes through Washington DC for security purposes. Go figure. Speaking of security, everyone keeps telling me to be careful. I guess my trusting nature is worrying a lot of people. I promise to try and remember that I'll be living in a third world country and that I can't do things the same way I did them on Silver Creek. I promise NOT to run at night and I promise NOT to be friendly with strangers.
I have to get the laundry, pack, etc, etc. Somehow I ended up with TWO bottles of good champagne in the frig. Wish some of you were here to celebrate this momentous moving with me.
I love you all and promise to keep in touch. I don't know what my communication options will be in Freetown, but I'll notify you that I've arrived somehow.....look out for smoke signals!!
Becky
Sunday, May 11, 2008
10 Days and Counting....
For those of you who want to have cards and letters waiting for me when I arrive in Sierra Leone, here is my new address!
Becky Cheney
2160 Freetown Place
Dulles, VA 20189-2160
The mail will take about 10 days to reach me. It is processed through the government postal system, so you can use regular US postage. Don't forget that postage went up May 12, bummer!
Today was Mother's Day. Laura drove 6 hours to come visit me for the weekend. That's how you know you're loved! (the other kids called me) As Laura drove away, it really hit me that I'm moving....and won't see her for two years...unless we meet when I have R & R. Wow. It's really becoming real.
Too tired to write more tonight. Have a good one in your corner of the world,
Becky
Becky Cheney
2160 Freetown Place
Dulles, VA 20189-2160
The mail will take about 10 days to reach me. It is processed through the government postal system, so you can use regular US postage. Don't forget that postage went up May 12, bummer!
Today was Mother's Day. Laura drove 6 hours to come visit me for the weekend. That's how you know you're loved! (the other kids called me) As Laura drove away, it really hit me that I'm moving....and won't see her for two years...unless we meet when I have R & R. Wow. It's really becoming real.
Too tired to write more tonight. Have a good one in your corner of the world,
Becky
Monday, April 28, 2008
Car Shopping
Well, the search is on. I need to buy a car for West Africa, as the pristine Avalon will not hold up over there. When we were in Kenya in 1999, the roads were pretty rough. Basically, even in Nairobi (which is the capital). the paved roads all ended right at the edge of town. People, cows, goats, carts, cars, buses, and tractors all shared the road at the same time. You need to keep your wits about you! You also need a car that can handle huge pot holes, water holes, and rugged terrain in general. I'm looking at a Land Rover (Discovery model), Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Rav 4, Toyota 4x4. Can believe that I have never actually purchased a car all my myself? That must be come kind of record! When I was 18, my dad helped me buy my first car; and he basically picked it out. Ugh! It was not what I wanted, but it worked. (It especially looked better after I installed an 8-track player and yellow carpet on the back hat rack!) When I was married, my husband picked out all our cars. They were fine, but I never had the pleasure of actually choosing. Now I have about three weeks to not only find a CAR, but a USED car, a car that I have to ship to AFRICA, and a car I can AFFORD. Oh joy. I have met some interesting people, for sure. Today this nice Hispanic man came and picked me up and drove me to where his car was located for sale. It was a sweet looking car; Range Rover, shiny black exterior, leather, upgraded wheel rims, two sun roofs, (can roofs be plural?? or is it rooves, which rhymes with hooves??) Anyway, I felt a little unsafe getting into his car and being driven to a strange place. When I got in, I asked him (sort of jokingly) if I could trust him. He said, YES OF COURSE and then he motioned to his two little kids in the back seat, along with his brother. Way cool! I got to smile at the baby all the way there! That was a more pleasant experience than yesterday, when I test drove a 1993 Toyota 4x4. The guy picks me up to show me the car. OMG. He must have weighted 400 lbs. which is no problem, except this truck did not have running boards and it was REALLY HIGH UP! The poor guy had to heave himself into the truck and for a while there I thought we might have a medical emergency. The accessibility (or lack thereof) was one of the main reasons he was selling the car. His mechanic bought it at auction....it was a piece of crap! The check engine light came on while we were testing it, the back window would not roll up, the odometer was broken, etc etc. Oh, did I mention the interior smelled like the inside of a bar? No thanks. I have a great lead on a 2000 Range Rover Discovery II model for sale for $5000. Guy on the phone sounds nice. He is being deployed with the military and needs to sell the car in the next 10 days...good for me. I'll let you know.
Tonight I baked cookies and the apartment smells homey and wonderful. (I guess you can take me out of Minnesota, but you can't take the Minnesota out of me!) I gave some of the cookies to the night manager at my apartment complex. Yesterday, he gave me a ride to the Metro station because it was raining. It was not part of his job or anything; he was just being nice. He has done other things above and beyond, so when I filled out the general "how are we doing" survey, I mentioned his name. Apparently, he got a copy of it because he stopped by my apartment to thank me. I had just taken the first batch of cookies out of the oven, so it was perfect timing. I thought later...I wonder if he ate one of the cookies as soon as he left my apartment, or did he wait until he got back to the office? Yea, I don't think he waited...the cookies were delicious!
Today in class we learned about classification of documents. I learned that everything I create/write/send in my new job is considered "property of the US Government." In fact, the emails I send, or cables I send, or the letters I write, will some day be archived and stored in permanent storage in a government facility. They becomes available for public viewing sometime around 10-99 years from now. How cool is that?
I miss a few things about my Austin life....like my friends, my fellow Realtors, my dog. Don't miss the big house and all the yard work, but do miss he comfort of my own bed and the ambiance of the windows and trees outside my bedroom. I miss my car sometimes; especially when I got lost yesterday (in the rain) trying to find the movie theatre. Walked about 4 blocks out of my way...But the good news is that I'm getting lots of exercise and my clothes are still getting more loose. Yea!
Better get to bed. Still am having a hard time with the east coast time change.
Love to all,
Becky Boo
Tonight I baked cookies and the apartment smells homey and wonderful. (I guess you can take me out of Minnesota, but you can't take the Minnesota out of me!) I gave some of the cookies to the night manager at my apartment complex. Yesterday, he gave me a ride to the Metro station because it was raining. It was not part of his job or anything; he was just being nice. He has done other things above and beyond, so when I filled out the general "how are we doing" survey, I mentioned his name. Apparently, he got a copy of it because he stopped by my apartment to thank me. I had just taken the first batch of cookies out of the oven, so it was perfect timing. I thought later...I wonder if he ate one of the cookies as soon as he left my apartment, or did he wait until he got back to the office? Yea, I don't think he waited...the cookies were delicious!
Today in class we learned about classification of documents. I learned that everything I create/write/send in my new job is considered "property of the US Government." In fact, the emails I send, or cables I send, or the letters I write, will some day be archived and stored in permanent storage in a government facility. They becomes available for public viewing sometime around 10-99 years from now. How cool is that?
I miss a few things about my Austin life....like my friends, my fellow Realtors, my dog. Don't miss the big house and all the yard work, but do miss he comfort of my own bed and the ambiance of the windows and trees outside my bedroom. I miss my car sometimes; especially when I got lost yesterday (in the rain) trying to find the movie theatre. Walked about 4 blocks out of my way...But the good news is that I'm getting lots of exercise and my clothes are still getting more loose. Yea!
Better get to bed. Still am having a hard time with the east coast time change.
Love to all,
Becky Boo
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Bits and Pieces
I had a long weekend....no class on Monday and Tuesday. It felt totally blissful to sleep in, not rush, smell the roses (literally) and just generally socialize and be a normal human for a change.
Last Friday was graduation. Pictures, programs, congratulations. Ambassador John D. Negroponte (Deputy Secretary of State) gave the oath of office. It's really official when you raise your hand and promise to support and defend the Constitution of the United States in front of about 500 classmates, friends, family and assorted dignitaries.
I've completed the first three weeks of general Specialist orientation. Now our wave of tiresome briefings will be replaced by information specific to our unique speciality. Our class of 54 is separated into each specific individual category for more training. My departure date is set for somewhere around May 22nd. I have much to do; arrange a car, find out about housing choices, prepare for shipment of my HHE (House Hold Effects). I also have to arrange immunizations (oh joy!) diplomatic passport, consumables shipment (paper towels, baking supplies, cleaning stuff---things which are too expensive to purchase in Sierra Leone or NOT AVAILABLE). I sat down this morning and made out Level Two "TO DO" lists. Wish me luck!
I wanted to mention a few things I have been thinking about that have to do with being away from home. I have a feeling my children (especially the younger two) are more adaptable than I am. I think Ryan and Laura have moved every six months or so since they left college. I, on the other hand, have been in the same house for 17 years; with only two of those spent in Germany. Here are a few things (good and bad) that are different from being in Austin:
The fellow in the apartment below me smokes. How do I know this? Well, I like to keep my patio door open and let the fresh air in. Suddenly, there is this horrible smell of cigarette smoke coming in the apartment! UGH!! I went out on the patio and looked all around and finally looked down, and there was half a person smoking a cigarette. Only half a person because that's all I could see from my angle. The joys of apartment living, I guess.
I love birds. At home in Austin, I have a birdbath right outside my kitchen window. I used to love watching the birds come and take a bath and eat out of the feeder. I lamented what I would do when I could not see the birds from my balcony in Washington. No worries! I can see the birds closer than ever! I put out some bread crumbs, old crackers, popcorn, etc, and the birds have come to me. This morning I woke up to the smaller birds fighting over the crumbs. It was sweet music! Of course, I have to be very still when I watch them because if they see me, they fly away. Now I can see the birds and hear them from about 2-3 feet away. Where there is a will, there is a way!
I miss driving my car. Laura has my car in New York because I really don't need it here. It's been three weeks and I've been taking the Metro. Not much of a problem and I like the exercise. But it rains a lot here. No fun getting caught in the rain. Yesterday I walked about two miles to get a pedicure. (girl thing) It started to rain on the way home. I was wearing those ridiculous next-to-nothing flip flops they give you so you don't ruin your polish. I had to walk the two miles home in the drizzle and then I really missed my car. But I did think of all the money I'm saving not having to buy gasoline!
Tomorrow it's back to class. My highest priority is to check with the Embassy in Sierra Leone and determine housing choices and what attire is appropriate on Post. I'll let you know if we wear sun dresses or business suits!
Hope all is well in your corner of the world,
Becky Boo
Last Friday was graduation. Pictures, programs, congratulations. Ambassador John D. Negroponte (Deputy Secretary of State) gave the oath of office. It's really official when you raise your hand and promise to support and defend the Constitution of the United States in front of about 500 classmates, friends, family and assorted dignitaries.
I've completed the first three weeks of general Specialist orientation. Now our wave of tiresome briefings will be replaced by information specific to our unique speciality. Our class of 54 is separated into each specific individual category for more training. My departure date is set for somewhere around May 22nd. I have much to do; arrange a car, find out about housing choices, prepare for shipment of my HHE (House Hold Effects). I also have to arrange immunizations (oh joy!) diplomatic passport, consumables shipment (paper towels, baking supplies, cleaning stuff---things which are too expensive to purchase in Sierra Leone or NOT AVAILABLE). I sat down this morning and made out Level Two "TO DO" lists. Wish me luck!
I wanted to mention a few things I have been thinking about that have to do with being away from home. I have a feeling my children (especially the younger two) are more adaptable than I am. I think Ryan and Laura have moved every six months or so since they left college. I, on the other hand, have been in the same house for 17 years; with only two of those spent in Germany. Here are a few things (good and bad) that are different from being in Austin:
The fellow in the apartment below me smokes. How do I know this? Well, I like to keep my patio door open and let the fresh air in. Suddenly, there is this horrible smell of cigarette smoke coming in the apartment! UGH!! I went out on the patio and looked all around and finally looked down, and there was half a person smoking a cigarette. Only half a person because that's all I could see from my angle. The joys of apartment living, I guess.
I love birds. At home in Austin, I have a birdbath right outside my kitchen window. I used to love watching the birds come and take a bath and eat out of the feeder. I lamented what I would do when I could not see the birds from my balcony in Washington. No worries! I can see the birds closer than ever! I put out some bread crumbs, old crackers, popcorn, etc, and the birds have come to me. This morning I woke up to the smaller birds fighting over the crumbs. It was sweet music! Of course, I have to be very still when I watch them because if they see me, they fly away. Now I can see the birds and hear them from about 2-3 feet away. Where there is a will, there is a way!
I miss driving my car. Laura has my car in New York because I really don't need it here. It's been three weeks and I've been taking the Metro. Not much of a problem and I like the exercise. But it rains a lot here. No fun getting caught in the rain. Yesterday I walked about two miles to get a pedicure. (girl thing) It started to rain on the way home. I was wearing those ridiculous next-to-nothing flip flops they give you so you don't ruin your polish. I had to walk the two miles home in the drizzle and then I really missed my car. But I did think of all the money I'm saving not having to buy gasoline!
Tomorrow it's back to class. My highest priority is to check with the Embassy in Sierra Leone and determine housing choices and what attire is appropriate on Post. I'll let you know if we wear sun dresses or business suits!
Hope all is well in your corner of the world,
Becky Boo
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