Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

What a day! I can't believe we got the DR. We are overjoyed!

Today was totally intense. Around 3:15pm we were all in our seats, waiting anxiously, laughing nervously, learning how to use the Flag Day Bingo cards that a classmate had kindly created for us. I'm so glad I was sitting next to my classmate L. A few minutes later, we realized there was no way we could follow along with the bid list, Bingo, or anything else- all I could stand to do was watch and clap! It moved very quickly. The assignments started out with a bang when our classmate S was assigned to a Pol/Con rotation in Bangkok- a coveted bid for many members of our class! Her shocked reaction was priceless.

It moved quickly for me, although my family tells me I was in the last third to be called. Every time India popped up on the list, I held my breath. We bid 6 India posts high, so I thought there was a good chance we might go there (but I was hoping for certain posts more than others). Same for Mexico- in this case, we had only bid Guadalajara high, so I was nervous about the other posts.

Many of my classmates received posts that they are thrilled with- it seems like the CDOs really worked hard to accommodate pregnancies, spousal work/school issues, and even new love (well, maybe it wasn't intentional, but it sure is awesome). It was wonderful to see people get the posts they had been dreaming of.

Finally, my name was called for the DR! What a great feeling! I jumped up to get my flag and waved it joyfully at my husband and parents sitting in the back.

I should probably share why we are so excited about this post. First, I lived there about 12 (ouch) years ago for 6 mos on a short-term Peace Corps assignment. I fell in love with the country's beauty and diversity, the friendly people, the delicious food, and the bachata music. I know that Santo Domingo has its drawbacks, and I will need to learn what they are. I know it has changed since I was there. But in a few hours, you can travel to a gorgeous beach or head to the mountains for a refreshing change of climate. The warmth of the people is a big factor for me. And dancing bachata and merengue for hours pretty much equals the perfect night for me. I've already taught my husband to dance, but we'll have to start practicing again. I'm also relieved to have a first post that is so close and familiar to the US. I hope we'll have lots of visitors.

I'm also happy that we are leaving somewhat late. A lot of my classmates will ship out quickly. I really wanted to give the kids some time between moves, some time with their grandparents, and a chance to celebrate their birthdays here. In 2012, we will have Dominican blowouts complete with arroz con habichuelas and bachata music, but this year, we'll celebrate stateside.

So this is what I know: We leave in early August. I start Spanish on Monday, with quite a few of my classmates, so I wonder if we'll have more than 1 class. I'll take my Consular General (ConGen) class last.

A terrific guy from my class was also assigned to the DR, and tonight I chatted with a really friendly member of the 156th who heads there in June. According to my paperwork, the DR is one of the busiest consular sections in the world, so it sounds like there will be many people to get to know and lots of work to keep us busy.

I'm also delighted to overlap for a few months with my new friend at the blog For Lack of Tacos , who has been advising me over the last year about the FS with young kids. Hopefully I won't drive her crazy with my newbie questions!

Thank you everyone near and far for the good wishes!! We look forward to seeing family and friends in the DR!

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We are going to....

More soon!

Counting down

This week was a bit exhausting. We were working on some core skills, such as public speaking and answering tough questions, which meant a lot of preparation outside of class. Half my class is sick, and I feel for them. Luckily, despite my embarrassing cough during weeks 1 and 2 (I was in the front row and once had to leave during an Ambassador's session), I never got really sick. Knock on wood.

On Wednesday, 5 bloggers at FSI met for lunch. It was awesome to meet the famous Digger. The others who attended were Wanderings of a Cheerful Stoic, Career Diplomat (my classmate), and our organizer, Lisa from Paul Benjamin: Writer, Editor, Supermodel. We are planning a weekend potluck for all local bloggers, so please stay tuned for details. We all agreed that blogging allows us to broaden our network, which is so important at State, so we'd like to take it one step further. We wish all of you who are far from DC could join us too, but hopefully we'll cross paths someday, somehow.

So....Monday is Flag Day. I think it's safe to say we're all on pins and needles. I know that you are not supposed to "expect" anything, but I find it really hard not to. I find myself thinking about a certain post a little too much, and focusing on my highs (some of which will still give me pause upon assignment), rather than the whole list. And to make it even more nerve-wracking, we could even be assigned to posts not on our list. It's possible that on Flag Day, they will announce some last-minute additions. So, basically, the whole world is a possibility.

I am reviewing the list daily and trying to prepare myself for my lows and mediums. It's really hard to prepare for the unknown. So I'm concentrating just on being positive. Everyone says that you never know what your tour will be like. Your "dream post" can be really challenging for unexpected reasons. The post you dreaded can turn out to provide an amazing tour. I know that wisdom is true, so I'm going to really do my best to smile and withhold judgment, even if the flag I receive on Monday is not one I was longing for.

FSI blogger meetup

If you are a State Dept blogger and currently at FSI, please join us for lunch tomorrow from 1130am-1230pm (or any part thereof) in the cafeteria! Lisa at Paul Benjamin: Writer, Editor, Supermodel  had this great idea. We'll be in the main dining area, along the windows near the main entrance.

Sunday update

We went on a 2-day retreat in West Virginia this week. It was cold but awesome. Unfortunately, I can't tell you much about it. But I can say that it was great to get to know my classmates better and in a different atmosphere. We have a really incredible class and I'm proud to be a member of the 158th. On Thursday night, the "Follies" committee put on a terrific show consisting of a series of skits that left me laughing so hard I cried. I truly didn't want it to end. The show was brilliant and my hat is off to my amazingly talented classmates.

Lots going on today. I have to prepare a speech, attend a class potluck, and hopefully have a playdate with some classmates in my building and their kids. Only one more week until Flag Day. We are very excited. I had a dream about it during a nap yesterday, and woke up right before the ceremony started. Bummer- I wanted to know where we're going! I think I'll sign off now - my to-do list is calling.

Out of our hands

Well, the bid list was submitted yesterday. Less than 2 weeks until Flag Day (1/31), when we'll find out our fate (for the next ~2 years, anyway). I have a feeling it will pass pretty quickly. I don't really want to wish the time away, because that will mean wishing A-100 away, and it's really a pretty cool time.

On Friday, I met with my CDO (Career Development Officer), the person in charge of assigning me to a post. My husband was able to participate by calling in. I felt like it was a good meeting. She listened to us and our concerns, learned more about me and my skills, and prepared us for a post using my Spanish. We tried not to get too bogged down in dozens of priorities, focusing on just one: we'd like to avoid a Mexico border post with our young children, because of the dangerous atmosphere. She was kind, but cautioned that a border post might be exactly the right fit for me, as the timing might work out perfectly with the amount of Spanish training I need. She also noted that we might be able to go to other Spanish speaking posts, which was good news, as I thought many of the posts were designated for people needing a full course of Spanish.

[it is so hard to write this without revealing post names! Or revealing prohibited information! I understand why many bloggers go private.]

I should add that there are many advantages to serving on the border, and that if we're assigned there, we will make the best of it. I really love Mexico, and feel so sad that the violence is escalating to such a degree. Every post has its pluses and minuses, and in the end, I didn't end up doing too much research on posts. I read a few pages on most of them, and then just trusted that wherever we're assigned, we'll figure things out and make our way.

In the end, we had 21 high posts, 17 lows (danger/unaccompanied posts, D.C. jobs, and Econ posts), and the rest mediums. Our highs include varied posts that would allow me to learn quite a few different languages. Anything could happen on Flag Day. We just have to wait and see.

Oakwood Falls Church

I thought I'd take a moment to share my thoughts on Oakwood Falls Church. State has a contract with Oakwood temporary housing to provide us with furnished lodging while we are in training. I haven't visited the other Oakwoods here in Northern VA, so I can't compare among them. I can say, however, that I've been impressed and pleased with this facility. It's tremendously helpful to be able to move in and not worry about the basics. Of course, we brought everything but the kitchen sink with us, and while it was a pain to move, I do think it helped us feel at home pretty quickly. (a word of caution to cooks: the kitchen storage space is not very ample, so I suggest being careful about what you bring).

I find that the reception and maintenance staffs are courteous and attentive. For example, when we moved in, we found that the closet light in the kids closet was out. We reported it on Sat pm, and it was fixed by Monday am.

Some of the pros of this Oakwood are
- shuttles that leave pretty regularly to the metro and FSI
- lots of activities such as Sunday brunch, kids crafts time, movie nights, etc
- pool and playground, which we hope to be able to use soon
- gathering rooms that State employees can rent at no charge. For example, we rented a room to watch post videos on a Sunday afternoon.
- really spacious closets in both bedrooms- the best feature of the apartment, for me. We can store our suitcases, plastic storage containers, linens which will become our UAB when we leave for post, etc.
- thick walls! My kids are terribly loud, and I *think* that the walls do a great job of containing the noise. Our neighbors insist they can't hear us, and we have a baby living directly below us, who I have never heard. I'm really grateful for this fact.

The only con to me is the shuttle thing- most of the other Oakwoods are closer to a metro station. You can walk to East Falls Church, but it's about 10-15 min and not something I enjoy (my husband does it regularly).

A tip for parents, especially: request an apartment on a floor with laundry facilities. They are located on every other floor and we are provided with free laundry cards. There are about 5 washers and 3 big dryers on my floor and it is actually easier to do my laundry here because I can do it all at once! At home, it used to take me all day. I do feel like I'm in college again, though.

One final thought: your perspective on Oakwood totally depends on where you're coming from. People who just returned from overseas, where they had luxury apartments or enormous houses, find this place pretty small. Personally, I like not having to run up and down the stairs- a 2BR is the perfect size for me. I'm not sure if my husband and kids agree, though. And we were definitely not living in luxury before, so this suits us just fine.

Here are a few pictures of the kids room, the only room I can keep relatively clean. As you can see, we brought a lot of things to help it feel like home. I really think that is one reason we settled into this new home rather easily. It will be more challenging to do this when we move to post, but I'll find a way.

I'm really glad we brought L's crib. She was very happy to see it and I'm glad we had something to contain her since she's going through a difficult bedtime phase. M has graduated to a big boy bed, and this reminds me that his toddler bed is still in my parents' basement. Sorry!

The closet has shelves and hanging rods on both sides- it's awesome. And ours, which I can't currently show you, is practically twice the size. We came from a very closet-limited home, so we are psyched. And yes, that is a small flat screen TV at the top of the closet. There are TVs in every room. We don't plan for the kids to watch TV in bed just yet, though.

And last but not least, I wanted to share my holiday card wall. It was really bothering me this year that I couldn't put my cards up, so it was one of the first things I did in the new home. Friends and family, we say hi to you every day! (if you don't see your card here, please know that I've added a lot since I took this picture!)

At some point, I might get around to cleaning up the apartment enough to share more pictures, but I'm not promising anything. In the meantime, hope this was helpful to future FSOs as well as our family and friends.

A-100, week 2

I have been trying to update this blog for days, but things are kind of chaotic around here. As many have said before me, A-100 is intense. There is homework for upcoming classes, online tests to complete, committee work to do, lots of socializing going on, and of course, the bid list to research, over and over again. And there is, of course, my family. It's fun and exciting, but very busy.

My husband has been totally amazing and I am really grateful to him. He has supported me and put my work first these last few weeks. He has stayed home with first L and then M when they spiked fevers, since missing A-100 is not an option for me. He has talked with me about the bid list non-stop for a week.

The kids are doing very well at FSI daycare. I feel a little left out, since my husband was the one to help them adjust the first 2 days and I don't really know what's going on there (a first for me). Now that I have the lay of the land at FSI, I'm mostly doing drop-off and pick-ups, but my husband helps a lot. I've taken them a few times on the Oakwood shuttle, and they love that. The A-100 schedule is diverse - some days you are at Main State (or start one place and end up at another) or another location downtown, so it's tricky to coordinate kid transportation.

And then of course, there is the bid list. For those who don't know, we received a list of approximately 70 posts. Each one has an ETA, language level required (some have none), and type of job indicated (Political, Economic, Consular, Public Diplomacy, or Management). We have to bid each post high, medium, or low, according to a list of 3 priorities. Here are ours:

1) Family friendly: relatively safe, affordable cost of living, adequate schools
2) Timing: we'd prefer a post that leaves after June, though there are a few irresistible early posts (in many cases, this means I'd be learning a new language, except for the Spanish posts for which I'd get a little more training)
3) Job: I prefer a Consular or Management job

Bidding is really a challenging exercise. I'm glad they ask us to identify our priorities and form a bidding strategy around them, as that practice really does help you flesh out what is important and helps you consider posts you may never have thought about before. Before I joined, I thought of bidding in regions- I'm really going to focus on Latin America, or I'd like to explore East or Southern Africa. But the list required me to think differently, which is why I think I was disappointed at first. The timing and job type really make a difference, and the posts are quite diverse.

Since I received the bump-up points for Spanish, I was automatically scheduled to take the full Spanish test. I scored a 2/2, which means I need about 12 weeks to get to a 3/3, according to FSI. I think this assessment is just right- I need some work, especially in reading comprehension, to get to a 3/3, and I definitely don't want to go to post and be expected to do Pol/Econ work without a better professional grasp of the language. So I look forward to learning more, if applicable.

I also took an informal French assessment (a quick test) and did well enough that they are scheduling me for the full test. That will be painful, as my French is extremely rusty.

There is so much more, but it's late and I need to get some rest. More this weekend, I hope, with photos, too.

The first few days

I've often been disappointed when bloggers start A-100 and just disappear...only to resurface later sharing very few details about A-100. Well, I get it now. Moving is exhausting and stuff is everywhere. I don't find the day too overwhelming (yet), but when I come home, I have tons of email messages to read/respond to, plus plans to make with my new colleagues, and I just haven't gotten to the blog. PLUS, there's this little problem that we are not allowed to share what happens during A-100.

So, I'll say this. There are 64 of us, about 1/3 women, and only a few moms (but lots of dads). As has been said before, everyone is amazingly accomplished and terrifically nice. I've almost got all their names down. Almost.

A-100 is amazingly well-run. I'm totally impressed at the organization.

And we got our bid list today. As some of you frequent blog readers will know, I'm not allowed to share specifics on the blog. I can say that the list was not what I expected. I thought there would be lots of opportunities to learn certain languages, but there aren't. I'm really trying not to get too worked up about the list. I understand we may go to any of these posts, and I know my Spanish may be what's needed by the Service. My full Spanish test is on Monday, so I'll get an idea of which Spanish posts I am most qualified for.


That's all for now.

We're here!

Well, we made it. We shlepped our UAB down here all by ourselves and moved into Oakwood Falls Church on Saturday pm. I had promised my pop THIS time he wouldn't have to move me- the State Department would- so I was a little embarrassed to be eating my words. My mom, pop, and brother helped us move our 1 minivan, 1 truck, 2 SUVs, and 1 sedan worth of stuff into the apartment. It felt a lot like moving into a college dorm, though the digs are much nicer and I have two small appendages now. Thank you, thank you, family!!! You are the best!

I'm bummed I don't have photos of the process or of our apartment before it got hit by a tornado of stuff, but there was just too much going on.

I'm impressed and pleased with Oakwood. I really like the way the apartment is set up and furnished. Once we get our stuff put away, I'll post photos.

The kids are doing extraordinarily well. They were a little hyper yesterday after all the excitement, but that was it. Tomorrow Daddy will take them to FSI daycare for a few hours, to let them get used to it. They will have their first full day on Wednesday.

The 156th class threw a great welcome reception for us tonight and I enjoyed meeting my classmates, their spouses, and members of the 156th. I can't believe tomorrow is our first day. I can't wait to get started.

Goodbye New York

This week, I said goodbye to New York. Of course, I'll be back again, but it won't be the same.
Just want to take a minute to say goodbye.

So many wonderful things happened while I was living in New York. There was this...

My husband and I met at Penn Station 9 years ago and that's where he proposed 

We had a beautiful destination wedding in Mexico

And not too long after, there was this...

And two years later, this too...

I was lucky to make some wonderful friends, including but not limited to these great women...

These lovely ladies are from my MPH program...even though I'm leaving the field, we'll always be able to talk shop.

This one moved to CA a year ago. I am so grateful that I can count her as a dear friend.



I've known this one all my life, but she moved to NYC ~5 years ago, much to my delight



This one saved my life at one of my jobs.  I am so grateful we became friends.

I am using a different computer and don't have access to my photos right now! So if I missed you, it's not intentional! I have many other friends who will be missed.

We have wonderful family members here, who have joined us for every birthday and other celebrations. We've loved spending more time with them over the years.

I know that we will be back, both before we leave and during every trip back to the U.S. And I know my dear friends and I will stay in touch. But for now, goodbye NY and everyone dear to us, we love you!