TDY to Athens!

When you're in the Foreign Service, you occasionally get opportunities to go to another post to help them out.  Last year when Brazil had so much going on, there were lots of posts who sent people to Brazil to help out.  So this year, the posts in Brazil are helping out other posts.  I've been wanting to go on a TDY for a while - it's a great way to see and learn what another post does, as well as get to know another part of the world.  The hard part, is that it's often too expensive for your family to go with you.  While I'm enjoying the opportunities presented by this TDY, I don't think I'll be doing it again, unless the family can come along - it's just too long to be away from my loved ones.

I was lucky to be selected to go to Athens - what a wonderful part of the world to check out.  And since K. and the kids couldn't come with (school, expense, etc.), my dad decided to come and see me. I'm really looking forward to spending time with him exploring Athens and enjoying the Greek cuisine!

Even the flight over was fascinating.  From Recife, I stopped in Lisbon, Munich and eventually Athens.  Seeing so many airports in so many different countries all at once really highlights the differences and similarities between cultures.

There are so many interesting things that you experience when you go on TDY.  Unlike when you transfer to post and have a sponsor and have time to research where you'll be and what you'll need, with a TDY you just go and figure it all out.  Sometimes you're put up in a hotel and sometimes you're put up in post housing.  You land in this new place and get to figure it all out for yourself.  I was very lucky in that my contact at post met me at the airport (at 11 PM!) and took me to the apartment I was staying in and gave me an overview of thing so that I was fairly settled.

But there are still a lot of things you need to figure out.  For example - it took me about 20 minutes to figure out the washer / dryer this morning and I have yet to figure out the oven.  Since the appliance instructions aren't in English or Portuguese, it's hard to muddle through them.

And figuring out the transportation system - luckily most people in Athens speak English - otherwise who knows where I'd end up.

Living and working in a place gives you a different impression than when you visit as a tourist.  Public transportation, shopping for necessities, working and interacting with residents on a daily basis - it gives a much better sense of a place than just interacting in the tourist areas. I love learning about a place from this perspective.

I also get to work with such great people.  I'm getting lots of tips of things to see and do while I'm here - and of course the best, most interesting tavernas to visit!

The first day I was here was a Sunday - when all the shops are closed.  So, when I woke up, I headed down to the tourist area figuring there would be places open to get food, and Internet cafes so that I could Skype the family (there being no Internet at the apartment so no way to let them know I had arrived safely).  The women waiting for the bus were so helpful, even selling me a bus / metro ticket (they don't sell them on board and there's a stiff fine if you don't have one).  I ended up in the Monastiraki area.  It's at the base of the Acropolis.  Lots and lots of cafes and shops and people - it was wonderful to just stroll around and take it all in.

I got a souvlaki to eat in the square - super yummy!

There are ruins everywhere - just next to shops - so much history.  I wandered around in the Plaka, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Athens, at the base of the Acropolis.

Eventually, I made my way up to the Acropolis.












The view was tremendous!

So many things to see and learn about.

Unfortunately, it was closed at the top, so I'll go back another day.

Not that that's a problem - it's wonderful to walk around and see the ruins and soak in the history.











I finally made it back to the apartment.  While the stores aren't open on Sundays, there are kiosks at many main corners that are open and sell newspapers, cigarettes, yogurt, candy, ice cream, beer and wine.

I stopped to get a bottle of wine on the way back.  At first I couldn't find it, but then it was pointed out to me.  It's a plastic 1.5 liter bottle that cost me E$3.50 which is around $5.50.  I thought - why not?  It's locally made and ended up being quite nice.  Cold, refreshing and goes perfectly with the Greek Salad and Souvlaki I ordered for dinner.










And here's another interesting thing on TDY.  Since I'm just here temporarily, I didn't get any Greek language training. And it's a different alphabet.  So - reading a takeout menu in Greece is completely impossible!  Luckily, the person on the phone spoke English and I could just tell her what I wanted and eventually it arrived at my apartment.

I love the adventures!

Training in Sao Paulo

I had an opportunity to go to Sao Paulo earlier in the month for training.  The training was great, as was the chance to get together with other colleagues across Brazil.  It was also great to get a chance to see Sao Paulo as I've heard so much about it.

First off - the city is huge - something like 19 million people.  It's know for it's traffic and tall buildings. It's the primary business center for Brazil.  So - I was very curious.

Coming in from the airport, it is huge.  Lots and lots of tall buildings just going on and on.  Size-wise it reminded me of Los Angeles - it just goes on forever and there are lots of different neighborhoods.  But it has way more tall buildings than LA and those areas seem to go on for ever.  It also reminded me of Manhattan - it's very urban, but there are some lovely parks and broad boulevards.






It's also known for it's great restaurants.

We had a wonderful lunch at a French restaurant when we arrived.  I got the dessert sampler.

Mmmmm.  Chocolate mousse, creme brulee, strawberries and cream and an espresso.

I was happy to also find some whimsy near my hotel.

Yarnbombing is such a wonderful way of sharing fun and whimsy.  I saw some when I was in Virginia and was so happy to see some in Sao Paulo.

There's even a Facebook group devoted to YarnBombing.


















The other cool thing I got to do in Sao Paulo was go to DOM.  It recently was named in the top 50 best restaurants in the world - so of course I wanted to check it out!  I was particularly interested because the chef uses a lot of indigenous to Brazil ingredients.

 To start, the brought some bread with some wonderful soft cheese and some pates.  Super yummy.

The cheese course was fascinating - cheese mixed with some potato and spun around like dough.  Rich, but quite yummy.

Yummy dessert!

The Hash

Around the world, many FS people and other expats participate in something called The Hash.  I'd heard about it, and read about it, but had never participated in one.  Friends of mine have been telling me about how much fun it is for quite a while - and I finally had a chance to participate.

For St. Patrick's Day in Recife, well experienced Hashers came out from Brasilia to help us set up our very own Hash.  I participated in the Saturday Hash and had the best time.  K. and the kids love it as well.  In fact, O. had such a great time that he couldn't understand why we weren't doing one every day.

We met up at a central place and the rules were explained.  Basically, you run a course following chalk and flour symbols.  3 dots means you're on the right track.

An arrow tells you a direction to go in. Periodically, you find a circle and you have to decide which way to go (finding the 3 dots).  There are stops along the way for beverages (beer!) and eventually you reach the end where there's more beer and songs and general revelry.

It's loads of fun.  I'm with O. - ready to do another one!