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The Last Week of Orientation
Foreign Service Orientation (aka A-100 or SOAR) is 6 weeks long… then after that comes more training, specific to what your job is, and where you’re going. There are close to 200 of us brand new baby diplomats, and we’ll be sent all over the world… …but we don’t know where yet. Early in orientation,…
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Splitting Myself in Two
I had to split my brain in two to get this job, and I’ve had to split my heart in two to start it 💔. It took me 15 months from application to starting as a Foreign Service Medical Provider. When I report that timeframe here in training, my colleagues are astounded, but for the…
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Feeling Home
Jen and I were recently talking on the telephone about how our first life together lasted about 5 years. We dated (only for a few months!), fell in love (instantly for me! She took some convincing, but I was relentless 💘), got engaged, and then hitched. The two of us adventured together while I worked…
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I’m a Diplomat Now!
I’ve sworn an oath to the constitution. I’ve gotten a super official badge that allows me past armed guards in marble gov’t buildings. I used my State Department email to send a message to my wife to tell her that I love her – make a FOIA request for it, ha! 😂 I spend the…
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The Kindest Things
How awkward would it have been, if: Us: “…so we’re moving out of the country.”Everyone else: “Good!” Ah jeez! Ha! It’s not like I thought THAT was going to happen. I knew that us leaving would disrupt a few things for a few people. But I didn’t expect to be shown the depth of kindness…
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City of Roses and Broken Hearts
Portland is an amazing little city. Our food, our fashion, our outdoors, our books… it’s comforting that, no matter where we go in the world, we can wrap ourselves in little bits of home: Seek and Swoon throws, Dehen 1920 shirts, Danner boots, Columbia/Mountain hardware gear, Pendleton everything (ha!). This city has its problems. Oregon,…
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Farewell, Patsy Wigglebum!
You are a dog, which meant dog poop, pee, vomit, hair, stink, and muddy pawprints. Did these chores actually teach our little ones about responsibility? Perhaps not. But you were family, which meant rainy runs, epic hikes, yummy shared ice cream cones, patient waits outside the school for kids to get out, and endless cuddles.…
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Rollercoasters, Root Beer, and Ketchup
After waiting for ages, we’re finally on the rollercoaster. The lap bar has snapped down. We’re climbing that first hill. It’s waaaaay too late to get off now. I quit my job. I have top-secret security clearance. We’re selling our things. We’re re-homing our dog. We have renters lined up for the house. *click* *click*…
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3 Weeks! EEEP! Spend and Purge
Hanna Andersson, Columbia employee store, Darn Tough socks, REI, Cotopaxi, Travelpro. Goodwill, Craigslist, junk removal. Money goes out. Stuff comes in and goes out. Every project that we complete, we say, “oh! This is so much better! Why didn’t we do this years ago?” We’re sorting our possessions: Keep with us (2 checked bags and…
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I’m In Between Jobs Right Now…
My final patient at the urgent care chain had new onset dysphagia after a URI. It was mild enough not to warrant a full dysphagia workup just yet, so I ordered a COVID PCR. My suspicion is high (because COVID —> weirdness), but I’ll never find out, because I’m outta here! I ran the numbers:…
