A Sojourning Life

Unfettered Time

2012-03-04T07:14:00.000-08:00

This recuperating time is time like I've never had before in my life.

I don't have to be anywhere or do anything for days on end. All I'm supposed to be doing is resting and recuperating. I'm in a hotel room all by myself. I can get up when I want, go to sleep when I want, do anything when I want. There is no one that I need to take care of, or talk to, or interact with.

Since I'm in a hotel room, I don't have any chores to do, no clean-up, no de-cluttering, no repair work. None of those things that nag at you when you try to relax.

And since I've just had surgery, I don't have the energy to go sight-seeing, or shopping, or anything but rest.

It's very odd.

I am, by nature, a fairly busy person. It's hard for me to relax and sit still (a fact that continues to challenge my husband). But here I am and there's nothing for me to do and nothing I should be doing.

There's been lots of time for self-reflection:

I've had a chance to ponder what my ideal schedule is - apparently I like to get up around 2 AM and putter for an hour or so and then go back to sleep. And take a nap in the afternoon!
I've realized I'm really not a TV or movie person - background noise is OK or when it's a shared experience.
I also don't need a lot of sound around me - music, NPR - I really like the quiet.

What I do really like to do is create. Whether it's knitting, painting, cooking, gardening or sewing, I love to make something new - something that allows me to think outside the box and use all my senses.

I've been lucky to be able to borrow a sewing machine from a good friend (and fabulous author - check out her book!). And as this time has gone on a bit longer than anyone anticipated, I've had loads of time to make things. And one day my wonderful dad took me to Berkeley's fabulous quilting store as well as the wonderful fabric store so that I could buy some fabric. The man is a saint - we looked at fabric for almost 3 hours!

I finally followed up on the passport covers that I've been wanting to make for a while.

And then I found a pattern and made some pencil cases to send to the kids while I'm away. My dad picked out these fabrics.

I've recently discovered Pinterest and found a some great sewing projects there.

This shirt pattern I liked so much I made three.

And this top caught my eye as well.

Then a skirt that was so fun I made two.

And lastly, this skirt.

As I said - I have a hard time sitting still.

Third Time's a Charm

2012-03-04T07:07:00.000-08:00

So - all in all, I ended up having three surgeries to get it all out.

The first one was the expected one. The second one came about because the margins weren't clear - just needed to clean it up.

The third one came about because the second surgery showed that the cancer went a little further than they had expected. I was given a choice. I could have one much more involved surgery where they'd take everything and be done with it. Or, they could go back in and try to get this last part - but if that didn't work, they would have to then go back and do the big surgery - it was up to me.

Luckily, I am one of those rare people who doesn't get horribly bothered by surgeries - I don't get sick, I don't get nervous. I just relax and try to enjoy a day with people attending to me, lots of pain killers and the occasional hospital graham cracker, cranberry juice and if you're really lucky - jello.

I also didn't want to lose any more of me than I had to. I wanted to keep as much of my feeling and self intact. So - I opted for a third surgery and kept my fingers crossed.

My dad came up again. The man is a saint. He's come up the last three weeks. Driving from LA on a Thursday, taking me to the hospital and attending to me on Friday and Saturday, and then driving back home on Monday. Not to mention putting up with my dragging him to various fabric stores and spice stores and forcing him to eat at all these restaurants. Well - that last part isn't true. I've never had to force him to eat a restaurant. He's been my willing partner in our eating binge. We've had loads of fun - I took him to the latest hipster bar (where he almost got a PBR), and the famous Berkeley Cheeseboard Collective to get pizza, as well as other, fancier places. It's been nice just the two of us. We've had some great times - it reminds me of the time we drove across the country together. It's amazing when it's just the two of us together, how much we are alike - quirky and weird in many of the same places. I didn't get to see my mom during this time, which would have been nice, but I really appreciate the gift she gave my dad and me of spending so much quality time together. She really took one for the team. And besides - she's promised to come and visit me in DC - so we'll get our alone time as well.

This third surgery was very hard on my family. For them - stuck in Brazil without me, it felt like yet another delay in a seemingly endless set of delays that was keeping us apart. The slow torture of it could push anyone over the edge. Luckily, with a little rest and time, balance and grounding does comes back.

The results came back a week later - as usual. Luckily this time it worked - they got it all!!!!

I now am headed to DC for the next stage of my treatment and will also be able to work at the Mothership. One step closer to being with my family!

My Week(s) of Medical Procedures

2012-02-21T09:27:00.000-08:00

I am so lucky to work for such a great employer and have such great insurance. I shudder to think if this had happened last year when we were unemployed with only catastrophic insurance!

So - I arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area to get this lump taken out. After traveling 30 hours, I arrived at my doctor's office with all my luggage. Everyone was super nice, letting me call family to let them know I had arrived safely (cell phone not yet hooked up to US carrier) and giving me a place to store my luggage.

My doctor spent a lot of time with me making sure that I understood everything that was going on, and that could go on. I am really impressed at the effort he made to ensure that I am well educated about the situation and am able to make informed decisions. The only problem was that after all that travel - I was not really in a place to hear it all. I had left Brazil thinking I'll just zip in, get this taken out, and zip back - no big deal (I know - sometimes I don't really take in the whole picture). Sitting in his office learning about different types of cells and their reactions to hormones and the body's life cycle - not to mention discussion of survival rates - was all a bit much. All I could think of was that I wanted a Manhattan, a nice baguette and some good pate (foodie to the end!).

When my appointment was over, I used their phone to call my good friend A. All I had to do was say "Come get me" and he was there, whisking me away and finding me a good Manhattan and a great burger (pate being hard to find, and burgers being my go-to survival food). A. and his husband D. and their two great children enveloped me in their cozy home and made me feel so much better. If I couldn't be with my family, it was nice to be with theirs.

The next day, I had an MRI to determine the location of the cancer and the extent of it. They give you a contrast that under the MRI makes the cancer cells light up - kind of like streets and cities at night from an airplane. I've heard many stories about MRI's - how it's claustrophobic and people often panic. The folks at the imaging center couldn't have been nicer. They hooked me up and got me in machine, giving me earplugs and headphones. The hardest part is that you have to remain still. But since I was face down - it felt like a massage table - I just shut my eyes and was grateful I wasn't claustrophobic. The machine makes a lot of very loud noises that are somewhat rhythmic and I found oddly soothing. There was even one sequence that sounded like the beginning of the song "CarWash" (the part with the jackhammers).

After the MRI I had another mammogram and then was free until the next day when I had to do all my pre-op stuff. That day, I made the rounds (kind of like a scavenger hunt). I had blood drawn and X-Rays and EKGs - they need to make sure that everything is in order before they take you to surgery. Then we met with the surgeon again. I say "we" because my wonderful dad drove up to be with me for all of this. Not only was it nice to have my family here (especially since K. and the kids were back in Brazil), but since my dad is a doctor, I had someone with me whose eyes wouldn't glaze over with all the detailed medical talk.

The next morning we were up bright and early to have all the procedures. My dad got breakfast, but I couldn't eat past midnight (it always comes back to the food!). First we went to the MRI center where I got another MRI. Since the cancer isn't totally obvious to the naked eye, they needed to mark the cancerous area with wires so the surgeons know where to cut. Unfortunately, they couldn't put me to sleep for that. I did get a local anesthetic, and once again, the nurses were amazing - giving me little massages in between times in the MRI.

After the wires were in place, they took me to the hospital where they got me ready for surgery. They give you this great paper blanket that gets filled with hot air - very cozy. And I got these cool leg wraps that massage your calves - very nice. The anesthesiologist came and made everything go away and the next thing I knew I was waking up and having a great conversation with the post-Op nurse about the best restaurants in Oakland (the foodie part of me just doesn't stop!). Soon after that, they took me to recovery where I got to see my dad and Skype K. (I am so thankful for modern technology!). Once I was able to move around, they let me leave with my dad. I'm very lucky in that anesthesia doesn't leave me sick like some people. The drugs they gave me left me happy and silly - so I was quite amusing to my father as we picked up my prescriptions and headed back to the hotel.

And then, especially since I was feeling no pain - and was super hungry - we went out to dinner to one of my favorite places. The following day, my sister came to join us and we all hung out as I rested and started mending. Since I was doing so well, my dad headed back home to his life after a few days and I continued to rest and recuperate and see some friends.

But, at my follow-up doctor's appointment where I had expected to get the "good-to-go", I learned that the good news was that I only had DCIS - no invasive cancer, but that the bad news was that the margins were too small (1mm) and that I had to have another surgery.

So - we did a repeat of the previous week. My dad drove up again (the man is a saint - the best dad ever!) on Thursday and I had surgery again on Friday. Luckily, I didn't need the MRI wire procedure again. Other than that - the same plan, hopefully the same recovery, and hopefully I'll head out to DC at the end of this week for radiation.

My dad and I even went to the same place for dinner on Friday. We joked about our Friday tradition - surgery and dinner at Oliveto's - but it's not a tradition I want to start.

Community

2012-02-10T05:54:00.000-08:00

Community has always been very important to me.

I've worked to create it wherever I've lived whether consciously or not. It's what made our wonderful neighborhood in Berkeley so fantastic. It's what initially drew me to the Junior League and I loved being a part of "Women Building Better Communities".

With the business that K. and I created, community was at the heart of our mission statement.

Speakeasy Theaters nurtures and grows local communities by entertaining, challenging and feeding the mind, body and soul through irreverent, respectful and whimsical entertainment and tasty, local, housemade food and drink.

I knew that joining the Foreign Service would stretch many of the physical bonds of the communities I've been a part of - it can be difficult to keep those connections fluid when you're removed from so many day to day interactions. Facebook and Skype are wonderful tools - but they're not a substitute for running into a friend at the Farmer's Market and catching up.

But I also knew that I'd become a part of a larger, worldwide community. I'd seen examples of how the Foreign Service community reaches out to one another from all over the world - whether it's evacuations, or personal health issues, the FS community really comes together.

And then we had our most recent whirlwind hit. The out-pouring of love and support has been tremendous!

I've had tons of offers of places to stay both in Berkeley and in DC (when I undergo radiation); my father has driven up to be with me for the surgery; my sister is coming in for the aftermath; my mother has arranged things with her work so that she can Skype my kids whenever they need. When I started to lose it after traveling 30 hours and then having a 3 hours doctor's appointment, all I had to do was call on my dearest friend to come get me and he did - he and his partner plied me with burgers and Manhattans (my favorite cure) and a cozy bed (and then fresh eggs and coffee for breakfast).

My Vibrant colleagues have reached out from all over the world. Their love and support makes me feel so warm and cozy! I know that when I do my TDY at the Mothership, I'll get to hang out with some of them and that's a wonderful thing to look forward to.

The outpouring of support from the FS blogging community has been wonderful. I've seen it in action before, but never (since I don't think of myself as a writer and since I'm fairly new to this life) felt truly worthy to be in their community. People I've never ever met - only read about - have reached out to me with their support. I may even get to meet some of them when I'm in DC.

And our tiny Consulate community in Recife has been amazing! People we've barely met and have known for less than a month have been helping to take care of my family - playing with the kids, helping my husband tackle life in Brazil by himself, setting up our cell phones so we can maintain contact (thank you Viber!). I can't be with my husband and kids, but I know they are being very well taken care of.

Even the official channels and positions who have the responsibility of making sure that the US objectives are being met and taxpayers monies are being spent appropriately are also making sure that I'm being well taken care of and that my family and I are in a good place. It's nice to be working for such a great employer.

I head into surgery today knowing that my family and I are being taken care of and loved and supported from every possible angle. It doesn't take the burdens away, but it definitely makes them lighter (and more fun) when they're shared by so many people!

Community is a tremendous thing.

What to do at LAX at 2 in the morning

2012-02-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

So - I find out I have to medevac out and my super organizing / control freak nature kicks in. The next days become a flurry of arrangement making - flights, hotels, locations to purchase US sim cards so my cell phone will work, friends to stay with for the nights that there's no hotel room in the entire Bay Area (glad the convention business is booming!) I've got confirmation emails all over the place, bags packed for the various possibilities and then we head to the airport.

My first flight is fine - long and boring - but no big deal. And I have an hour and a half to make my connecting flight. No big deal I thought.

Oh - how wrong I was!

Not only is Miami International Airport huge, but the signage can be a bit confusing. You walk forever, and then take a mini-train, then walk a forever again before you get to the Homeland Security check-in. And then of course, I picked the wrong line to stand in. It looked short, but I got behind several people who required significantly more scrutiny from the DHS people who keep us safe.

Finally I was through and headed to get my bags to go through customs. I still didn't think I had a problem. Usually when the airlines are concerned people won't make their connecting flights, they have agents standing by to facilitate the process. Since there was no mention of any of that, I wasn't concerned - but I should have been.

After getting through customs (again stood behind the wrong people), I followed the yellow dots to the connecting flights area. But - what's this?? A woman is shouting at me that people going to San Francisco need to go someplace else. Huh?

Well - it turns out that my flight had already loaded and boarded and was taking off in 15 minutes. There was no way to make it. And it was the last flight of the night. The very relaxed airline agents told me I could take a flight the next morning at 10 AM. 10 AM - that's when my doctor appointment is - West Coast time!! I explained my situation, trying to keep my emotions in check (stress, annoyance, frustration, sadness, tiredness - you get it). The agent got me on the LA flight with a connecting flight at 7 the next morning to SF. But - no hotel, no nothing. Oh - and the LA flight was starting to board in about 10 minutes and I still had to check in my bags and go through domestic security.

So I'm off - again trying to find my way through Miami airport as fast as I can. Also trying to login to the airport WiFi as I'm walking along so I can at least Skype my family to let them know what's going on and that I've made it part way.

I get to my gate as they're halfway loading the plane, quickly Skype my husband (not my best conversation - I was way too stressed).

I had to revise my plan - since I wouldn't be getting to SF and checking into a hotel where I could get some sleep, I thought I'd try to sleep on this leg of my flights. That way, I wouldn't need to sleep from midnight to 5 at LAX. As luck would have it, I sat next to the screaming baby that everyone dreads on night-time flights. I felt so sorry for his mother - she did everything she could, but he was having none of it. But since I'd had a super screaming baby - and he wasn't mine, I was able to sleep through it.

So now, here I am, at LAX waiting for morning and my flight to come. Everything shuts down here. The best place to be is the International Terminal. There the McDonalds stays open until 2 AM and T-Mobile has WiFi spots and there's some lounge type chairs. And then at 3:30, the security guys reopen the domestic side and I can head back to wait by my gate.

The lucky things are that I was able to sleep for probably 4 hours or so between Miami and LA. And since I'm still on Brazil time, I'm pretty awake. 2 AM LA time is 7 AM Brazil time - about the time I arrive at the Consulate. And I got to properly Skype my family this morning and apologize for my crankiness last night. And I'll be setting a new personal record - 30 consecutive travel hours.

Mercado Sao Jose

2012-02-07T03:22:00.000-08:00

The Mercado Sao Jose in Recife is one of the oldest public markets in Brazil. There is the original market in a former train station, and then there are all the other vendors that have set up around the market radiating out for several blocks.

We went last weekend and it was quite an experience. The streets are very crowded with everyone getting ready for Carnaval. It feels like you could buy just about anything.

Heading towards the market, you first reach the outlying shops. There you can buy household items, clothing, snacks, etc.

As you get close to the market, there are many fruit and vegetable vendors.

And dry good vendors.

We even saw a woman selling what looked to be medicinal herbs. I made a mental note to go back another day when my Portuguese is better and I have more time to learn more from her.

When you get into the market itself, there are the fish vendors

and the meat vendors

It was a bit much for the kids.

We also found some more household goods and artisan crafts. We got some great woven placemats and hot pads for our home.

Mall Fun

2012-02-07T03:04:00.000-08:00

Recife is a great town with lots to see, do and explore. But then there are those days you just need to go to the mall to get stuff (school supplies, sim cards for your cell phone, etc.). Recife has one of the larger malls in Brazil - Shopping Recife.

Shopping Recife has loads of stores, restaurants, and services. There's a giant grocery store, an Ikea like furniture store, gazillions of shoe stores, a movie theater, video arcade - I could go on.

Lots of people go there and enjoy themselves. One thing I find very interesting is the amusements for the kids. In the center of one of the mall areas we found this:

That's right, kids in giant plastic balls floating around in the water. It looks like a lot of fun - except for one thing - how do they breathe? I seem to remember my parents telling me not to put plastic bags over my head. And yet people are lining up to put plastic bags on their kids heads!

So - our kids did the water boats. It made me feel much safer!

What a week it's been

2012-01-31T01:29:00.000-08:00

So - I got my results back from my biopsy and they weren't exactly the "it's all good" news we had all thought they would be. Seems as though it's more of a "hmmm - this doesn't look so good" kind of news.

So - I need to go back to the US and get this taken care of. And just when we were finally settling in to our new home in Brazil - the kids have started school and are making friends, I was hitting my stride at work, I've got some interesting projects that I've been tasked with. We thought - we finally will be able to be in one place for a while.

But (insert your favorite deity here) is a merry prankster!

First, we learned that my results weren't good and that set off a flurry of phone calls and information gathering to determine what the next steps needed to be. Luckily, we had already made an appointment with the Health Practioner for Brazil who just happened to be visiting the Consulate that week. The next day, when we met with her, we learned that the State Department would medevac me back to the US so that I could undergo surgery. My family would stay here, and as soon as I got the all clear, I could return to Brazil. If we were lucky, the whole process could be taken care of in about a week or so. I am very lucky to be working for such a great employer and have such great health insurance!

We started another flurry of phone calls and emails to arrange all the necessary appointments. I'm lucky in that I can go back to California to my regular doctors to have this taken care of. And my parents will be able to be there to help. But - as we learned more about what needed to be done - we learned that more often than not, people in my situation end up needing a course of radiation. Hmmmm - that's 5-7 weeks more . . . That's a long time to be away from my family! And a long time to be out of work!

Luckily, the State Department is a big organization and has experience with people needing to leave one place and work in another for a short while. It's called TDY - think "temporary duty". It looks as though if I do need to do the radiation, I can do it back in Washington, DC and take a temporary job at Main State - also known as the Mothership.

I'm trying to focus on the silver linings here - I get to see my family again sooner than I thought, I could get to work at Main State for a bit and get a better understanding of what goes on there.

But it's also super hard to be leaving my husband and kids for so long. I know it's the best thing for the kids - it's important that they get settled in to their new school and begin making friends so that they can really enjoy our time here. I'm so lucky to have such a good partner who does such a great job with our kids. And I'm so lucky to have such a great community of friends and family who are rallying around us all to support us in any way they can.

In the meantime, things are changing pretty fast. Every day brings new information. Soon I'll have my plane tickets - it looks as though I'll be leaving Brazil exactly one month after I arrived.

So - what is it that I'm doing here in Brazil?

2012-01-30T01:18:00.000-08:00

Living here in Brazil is great. We get to live on the beach, we get to experience a different culture, we get to spend some great family time together. It sounds like one big vacation!

But I also have a job here that I do.

Every day during the week, I go off to my job in the consular section of the American Consulate in Recife. Once there, my primary responsibility is to adjudicate non-immigrant visas. Huh?? What's that. Well, a vibrant colleague has laid it all out pretty well here and here.

Visas in Brazil are getting a lot of press these days. It is very exciting to be able to be a part of this process. I get to work with some great people, I get to meet lots of wonderful Brazilians, and I get to help facilitate people's travel to the United States.

It's a great job - one that I enjoy very much and one that is helping to make a difference. I feel very lucky to be able to do this.

Feijoada Friday

2012-01-27T15:16:00.000-08:00

So - I haven't talked much about food in Brazil. There's many different kinds of Brazilian restaurants. One very typical type is called a "por kilo". It means "by the kilo" or for people in the US - by weight.

When you walk in, you typically get a piece of paper or a card that you keep with you. Then you grab a plate and help yourself to their offerings. At the end, it gets weighed and marked on your card or chit. I've heard it compared to the food / salad bar at Whole Foods. It's similar to that in concept, but very different.

Most places have a salad type area with different lettuces, cold vegetable salads, cheeses, meats, fruit, and sometimes sushi.

Then there is the starch area with pastas, potatoes (boiled, mashed, etc.), maxaceira (another starchy vegetable), different rices and farofa. There's also the grill station with chicken, beef, sausage and other specialty meats (chicken hearts are very popular here). There's the caldo (soups) section and then the prepared hot entree part with moqueca (Brazilian fish stew), various beans, meat stews, lasagnas, fried plantains, and on and on. It's quite an experience.

One of my favorite places is Cafe Supremo.

Their food is really good and their hot entree section always has a theme and it's very good. Once it was a variety of fish stews with the bean, rice and farofa dishes that go with, another day it was goat. But on Friday - it's feijoada.

Feijoada is a very traditional Brazilian dish. You'll often find it at Brazilian restaurants in the US. The style of dish is found in many cultures. It's a stew with beans and different types of meat - usually beef, chicken and sausage. It's often served with rice, greens, sliced orange segments and farofa.

Cafe Suprema not only does an excellent feijoada, but when they serve it, the separate out the components so you can get the mix you'd like. There's a bowl of just beans, and then a stew of one cut of beef, then a stew of another cut of beef, then chicken, sausage and so on. It's just magnificent. They also have various sauces and relishes to go with it.

You can see why we look forward to Feijoada Friday!

Medical Care in Brazil

2012-01-27T13:22:00.000-08:00

Living overseas - and especially in the Foreign Service, means you need to rethink the way you handle your medical care. I was raised in an environment where I had the same doctor year after year. That doctor has followed my progress and kept my information. I like that system. It's simple and you've got someone who understands the way your body works - all it's little quirks. But when you move to a different country every few years, it's a bit different. Many people choose to keep there regular doctors in the US and see them when they're back for Home Leave and R&R. You still see doctors in other countries, but your main point person, is your doctor back home.

Since we were about to be overseas for two years, we made sure we took care of all of our regular check-ups when we were home in California before we left for Brazil. It made for a few hectic days of racing from appointment to appointment, but in the end, it was nice to have it all done.

But, as luck and life would have it, on one of my regular yearly tests, there was an abnormality. Nothing major, but definitely something you want to follow up on. We found out the morning we were scheduled to take the red-eye to Miami before heading on to Brazil. My amazing doctors were able to get me in that afternoon for a follow up look-see. It added another event on a rather busy day, but I was very glad to be able to get things checked out before we left the country.

But . . . the follow up look-see showed a bit more - something that required a biopsy. None of the professionals felt that it was an issue, but it's always better to get everything checked out to be sure. But - when and where to do it? At one point, we thought about doing it right then, before my flight out, but that just seemed like it was asking for trouble. So it was decided to get it taken care of when I got to Brazil. The medical center organized all my records and sent me off with a complete packet.

Taking care of things in Brazil couldn't have been easier (well - it could have been if my command of Portuguese was better and more geared to medical terminology and day-today living).

My Consulate has a CLO (Community Liaison Officer) and she's wonderful. I explained the situation and she found me an appropriate doctor who also spoke English. I was able to get in to see her just two days later for my consultation. That doctor reviewed my files and scheduled my appointment for my biopsy. She also let them know that I worked for the Consulate and that Portuguese wasn't my primary language.

The clinic where I went is one of the best in Recife. They confirmed things with the Consulate (again making sure that I was understanding everything). And when I went for my biopsy, they had someone who met me and moved me from place to place so that I didn't get lost in the system. The doctor who took care of things spoke English and explained what she was doing.

Interesting note - unlike in the US, where once the sample is taken, it's whisked off to the lab and you only get the results from your doctor, in Brazil, they handed me the biopsy sample to take to the lab. I dropped it off and they gave me a little card with a number on it and told me when to come back to pick up my results.

It also helps knowing what great care the State Department takes care of it's people. A fellow blogger has shared their recent story. It's challenging, but so nice to see how well supported we are.

Arriving in Brazil!

2012-01-15T04:13:00.000-08:00

After many days in transit (Virginia to California to Miami to Brazil), we finally made it to our new home in Recife, Brazil!

First we had to stop in Miami for some meetings - and a few minutes to check out the beach.

But then we got on our very long overnight flight and heading to Recife! We were greeted at the airport by some fabulous co-workers who helped us whisk through all the procedures and get on our way to our new home.

And this is what greeted us when we arrived! I think we'll like it here. It seems to be a great Community.

Of course the view from our apartment if fabulous.

We spent much of the first day unpacking.

And arranging furniture.

And then making our beds with our special new sheets (Christmas presents from Grandma!)

Traveling through Airports

2012-01-15T04:04:00.000-08:00

Usually when I travel, I like to keep my luggage needs to a minimum. Who wants to transit toting tons of stuff?

But when you're heading out to post, you want to maximize your luggage allowance because the rest of your things won't arrive for quite some time.

Hence the three luggage carts through the airport.

You also have to make sure you keep track of all the important members of your entourage!

Big Sur, Carmel and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

2012-01-15T04:01:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite places to relax is the Monterey Bay Area with Santa Cruz at one end and Carmel and Monterey at the other. And Big Sur is just next door.

So - when we were home, we made our pilgrimage down there with good friends.

First we stopped at Nepenthe - which a very special and magical place. Whether your buy in to Big Sur / New Age stuff or not, something wonderful is in the air there. It might be the energies converging, or it might be the great views, gorgeous trees and ocean air. Whatever it is, we had good times with good friends.

We also got to play at the Carmel Beach - a very favorite place.

And visit the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Last time we came, O. wasn't quite tall enough for the famous Giant Dipper. But this year he is - so we made the trek.

We also rode the Carousel. We tried to get the ring in the clown's mouth, but no one could make it happen.

And then there are the fabulous sunsets!

Christmas with Family

2012-01-15T03:52:00.000-08:00

When we joined the Foreign Service, I figured we'd be having Christmas far away and without family. But we were lucky this year and got to come home for a visit over Christmas before we left for post.

We got some great hikes and great cousin time.

And some fun soccer (futebol) games in the yard.

Coming Home

2012-01-15T03:49:00.000-08:00

We have been lucky to be able to go home for a visit before heading out to our post in Brazil. We flew all day and arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area around commute time. It felt so good to be home! I was amazed at how normal it felt. In many ways, it seemed as though the last 9 months in Virginia were just a dream. If not for the fact that I can still speak Portuguese, it might have been. It felt as though we would just drive across the Bay Bridge and park in front of our house on our wonderful street, head inside and be in our own beds with our cozy sheets. But, that's not the case. Our home in Berkeley is no more and we've moved out of our Oakwood Virginia home and have yet to arrive in our home in Brazil.

But luckily we are with family and that's home too!

It's so nice to be back in California. As beautiful as Virginia and the East Coast is, and as much as I'm looking forward to exploring the world - California is definitely my home. The sky, the air and the terrain are just amazing. We've been in the Gold Country and in Carmel / Big Sur and it's all just magnificent!

I had forgotten how much I love the California lifestyle - Californians live life outside and in harmony and balance with nature. There are so many outdoor activities - even when it's chilly. And the food!!! I had forgotten how truly wonderful good food could be. And it's all over - neighborhood cafes serving fabulous coffee; local butcher shops that are ecological responsible and community minded, great artisan cocktails, amazing ethnic foods that are complex and interesting and authentic. We also got to visit the great Berkeley food Mecca - the Berkeley Bowl.

We got our doctor's visits taken care of.

And just had some great hang-out times with dear friends!

It's been great to reconnect with family and close friends, but it's also been exhausting! When I planned our schedule, I wanted to make sure we all got the time we needed with the people we needed. But I forgot to schedule quiet time for us. This whirlwind trip has been wonderful - but I think we'll also be ready for some quiet time when we head to Brazil.

The view from here

2011-12-30T11:53:00.000-08:00

Well, we've come full circle with the view from our window here at Oakwoods.

When we arrived at the end March, the trees were bare and we had a great view of the parking lot and the cemetery. Here's what we saw from our balcony:

And then spring came and the trees leafed out obscuring the parking lot and cemetery. We watched many thunderstorms and weather patterns from our balcony.

We even saw snow.

Fall brought the beautiful leaves changing and the trees started to get bare again. The parking lot and cemetery came more into view.

And now we're back to full circle - bare trees and views of the parking lot and cemetery.

I guess it's time to head to a new place and see how the seasons are there.

Packing out from Oakwood

2011-12-30T11:51:00.000-08:00

I had thought that the pack-out from Oakwood wouldn't be as challenging as when we packed out from Berkeley. But it's amazing how much you accumulate when you stay in a place. And then there are the items we need to get especially for Brazil.

In preparation for our move to Brazil, I'd put together big shopping list / spreadsheet. It was based on a spreadsheet that a Vibrant Colleague had put together before she and her family left for India. I went through it and adjusted it to reflect our family's needs. Luckily for us, Brazil has wonderful markets with great produce, fish, meat and other products we might need. But there are still those special products that can make your life a little bit nicer - whether it's your special brand of tea, or the lotion you love, - or for our family - the varieties of hot sauces.

I also had the kids get started on their packing.

It's really important to have everything you're taking with you packed and out of the packers way before they get there. Since we knew we wouldn't see our things for quite some time, we had lots of stuff to pack. We also had to make sure we had clothes for the last week in Virginia, the holidays in California, meetings in Miami and then for several weeks in Brazil. We ended up with a lot of bags!

The End of Language Training

2011-12-30T11:25:00.000-08:00

One of the requirements for a Foreign Service Officer to achieve tenure is to become proficient in a foreign language. There are many who enter into the Foreign Service already knowing a language, and then there are those of us who must attain proficiency in their first two posts.

I've been in Portuguese Language Training for the past 24 weeks. It's been wonderful and difficult and challenging and fun. I am so lucky to not only get to learn a language as part of my job, but to be able to learn such a beautiful language that's spoken by so many wonderful people and used in so many cultures. With this language, I'll be able to visit many continents and regions all over the world.

But it's been very hard, really hard. I've written about how challenging it's been for me here and here. The last 8 weeks, I've been in major boot-camp mode in preparation for my language exam. At my previous progress report, I wasn't quite at the level I wanted to be at and knew I really needed to kick everything up a notch. So in addition to my time in class, language lab and homework, I started meeting regularly with native Portuguese speakers to really boost my confidence. My entire being became focused on Portuguese. My language skills really improved and I began to feel much more confident.

The last few days before the big test day it's important to be in the right mind-set. At that point, you're not going to learn anything new - you already know it. You just need to make sure you're in the right head space for the exam. I reviewed some other people's preparations for the test, and then I crafted my own version: N. and I went to SpaWorld!

For those of you who don't know - SpaWorld is a Korean Spa located in the DC area. It is an amazing place! There are special pools with water jets that work every part of your body. There are poultice rooms that are super hot and equipped with various minerals that have healing properties. There are people who will scrub your body rendering your skin baby fresh. It is completely relaxing!

After SpaWorld, I felt well prepared for my test. I got a good nights sleep and went to my test rested and calm. Of course, I didn't stay calm long - but I got through my test and thanks to the wonderful language instructors at FSI - I passed!!!! I now have a "professional level of fluency in Portuguese" and can head off to post on schedule!

Goodbyes and Barbacoa

2011-12-30T10:42:00.000-08:00

One of the difficulties you must face when you're in the Foreign Service is saying goodbye to friends. There are so many wonderful and interesting people and it's great getting to know them and becoming friends. But - someone's always leaving and heading to a new post.

With my Vibrant class - there was a big bunch of people who left mid-summer, and then another bunch of people that are leaving at the end of this year. We are part of that group and have spent the last few weeks saying goodbye to many of our new friends. It's hard to say goodbye - but nice to know that nowadays with Facebook and Skype and other sorts of things, it's much easier to stay in touch.

We had a great goodbye / celebrating the end of language training dinner at Marrakesh in DC. Loads of fun, great food, great company - and belly dancers!

We also had a nice dinner with some good friends who are off to Cape Verde. M. is a native of Mexico and made a wonderful Barbacoa. He was kind enough to share the recipe. I'm looking forward to making it once we get to Brazil.

Barbacoa

Clockwise from top:

Chile, guajillo

Chile, ancho

Sesame seeds

Mexican oregano

Bay leaf

Garlic

Cloves

Marjoram

Black pepper, whole

Take all of the above ingredients and put in boiling water (enough to cover) for two minutes to soften. Blend until fine with some of the water and some salt and strain into a pot. Re-blend the residue with some more water and re-strain. Repeat these steps until sauce is nice and red. (Straining everything is an important step and helps prevent heartburn!)

Use the liquid to braise the meat (beef, pork, ribs, goat, lamb). Add the meats - you'll want a mixture and cook at a low simmer for about 2 hours or until done. The meat should be falling off the bone and very tender.

One option is to pull out the meat and shred it and let it crisp in the oven - like carnitas. You can also reduce the sauce so that it thickens. You can also use some of the liquid to make rice and serve along with the meat.

Serve the meats and the sauce with warm tortillas, chopped onions, cilantro, limes and avocados.

Weekend in New York

2011-12-30T10:20:00.000-08:00

We actually went to New York in July, I'm just now getting around to posting about our amazing trip. Since the kids were at Camp Grandma and Bompa, we decided to take advantage of a free weekend and head to New York. I hadn't been in many, many years and K. had never been.

We left Friday afternoon on the Vamoose Bus to New York. There was a lot of traffic so we didn't get to Manhattan and checked into our hotel until around 9 or so. We had a great recommendation from a Vibrant Colleague for a restaurant in Little Italy. It was wonderful and at his recommendation, we had the deep fried calzone - yummy! It was glorious to sit outside at 10:30 on a warm summer night and watch the people go by.

The next day we took one of those Hop On / Hop Off tours and explored New York. But first we made a pilgrimage to the famous Essa Bagel. Yummy whitefish on pumpernickel!

The Hop On / Hop Off tour is a great way to see a lot of the city in a day. We had a great time on the open top of the double decker bus. First we saw lower Manhattan. And then we stopped for a rest at the Plaza and got some lunch and walked through Central Park. After that we toured upper Manhattan finishing up at the Metropolitan Museum. It was very crowded so we hopped a cab and headed to the new High Line Park through lower Manhattan. It's this glorious urban park that has been built on old elevated train rails and winds through several blocks. There were lots of people promenading and several vendors selling refreshments. I got a Latin-style popsickle - super yummy!

We then strolled through some neighborhoods stopping at one point for some great NY style pizza. Eventually we ended up at the Staten Island ferry and from another Vibrant tip - took the free ferry to see the Statue of Liberty around sunset. It was beautiful!

We walked up the east side of the island through different neighborhoods and got a late night snack before heading back to the hotel - we were exhausted!

The next morning we headed back to DC and more Portuguese studying! It was a whirlwind, but loads of fun.

Holiday Traditions

2011-12-14T14:46:00.000-08:00

Every family has their special traditions and it's always nice to learn what they are. This year, with us being in this odd state of transit, we've had to forgo a lot of our usual traditions.

But we were able to keep up with some traditions:

Like Theo - our Elf on a Shelf,

And Toffee! My father's sister started this tradition years ago. She would send a big care package at Christmas and the part that we all looked forward to were the bags (one for each of us) of her very special homemade toffee. Oh - we loved that toffee!

So now it's a tradition in our house. I make it every year and it's great to give away or bring to parties. I'm glad that I was able to make it this year - despite all the transition.

Sue’s Toffee

Don’t double

2 C sugar

2 C butter (not Sweet) (1 pound)

2 C almonds, chopped and divided into big pieces and dust (1 cup of each)

chocolate chips

Line cookie sheet with foil and scatter larger almond pieces evenly.

Cook butter and sugar together over low heat at first, then higher heat until reaches 305F, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour over almonds on cookie sheet evenly.

Wait 5 minutes then scatter chocolate chips over toffee.

Wait 2 minutes and spread melted chocolate over surface of toffee and then sprinkle almond dust.

Let cool completely (4 hours), break into chunks.

And enjoy!!

Adventure Park

2011-12-14T10:31:00.000-08:00

We'd been promising the kids a fun "kid-friendly" activity for a while. They've been wanting to go to an amusement park - but here where it snows - they close right after Halloween.

So we checked Adventure Park USA in Maryland. It was the only amusement place that advertised as open all year. But when we got there, we found that only the indoor penny-arcade stuff stayed open - the miniature golf and roller coasters were closed.

But we still had fun! We got to play a bunch of video games,

play laser tag, and go on a very cool ropes course.

And of course play tons of Skeeball!

Flags of the World - in Food!

2011-11-26T12:44:00.000-08:00

A friend and Vibrant Colleague of mine recently sent me a link to the results of the Sydney International Food Festival. They had an extraordinary competition that required people to make the country flags using traditional foods from the country. The results are amazing - great food styling and creativity.

Here's the Brazilian Flag - banana leaf, limes, pineapple and passion fruit.

Here's the link for the rest of the flags - check them out!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T18:08:00.000-08:00

This is the first Thanksgiving that I haven't spent with my family - other than those times in college when I went home with a friend to share their Thansgivings.

Usually, for Thanksgiving, we all get together and cook and have a great time. It's a great chance for me to really play with different recipes and experiment - with an incredibly appreciative audience.

But this year is different. We're on the other coast and since we'll be heading back to California prior to moving to Brazil - it didn't make sense to take the time and the money to head west. So - we stayed here. We could have joined an number of potlucks - but since this year, Thanksgiving fell on K.'s birthday, we wanted to spend the day with the four of us.

And what a day we had! First opening presents. And then a great hike at Great Falls. I just love that place.

Check out the high water mark for 1936!

We had a Thanksgiving feast at a local restaurant. (I know - everyone is surprised that me, a chef, didn't cook. But cooking would mean spending time away from celebrating with my family - better to purchase a dinner out).

And then we had a rousing game of family Monopoly where I completely took advantage of my lovely daughter. I was able to talk her into purchasing Indiana Avenue for me and then accepting Water Works for the $1000 rent that I owed her. But eventually, my inability to land on Free Parking resulting in me forfeiting my two monopolies and K. and her winning the game.

A great end to a great day!

Old Friends and the Eastern Shore

2011-11-20T10:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we had the opportunity to visit my friend from college at their place on the Eastern Shore.

Being from California, I'm always curious how other places "live on the coast". I've heard great things about the Eastern Shore, but had never been there.

We had a great time and it was absolutely gorgeous!!! Apparently there's more miles of Maryland coastline than there is California coastline. This is due to the Chesapeake Bay and all the inlets and rivers that feed into it. What this means, is that almost every home is on the water - and many with docks and boats. It's breathtaking and really lovely.

My friends place is just wonderful. We got there and were able to go in their boat over to St. Michaels for lunch.

Along the way we got to see many of the homes that are on the water. There's quite a variety - from simple, cozy cottages to enormous estates. This is where they filmed the movie Wedding Crashers.

The town of St. Michaels is quaint and historical - it reminded me a bit of Carmel or Mendocino in California.

We went to this great place for lunch - the Big Pickle! Great food - try the Duck Wings and the Pastrami Egg Rolls!

O. got a hot dog and it was the biggest one I'd ever seen!

After lunch we strolled around town a bit and checked out the local brewery. They make awesome beers!

We also found a store that had a younger sibling of Beyonce!

We got our picture taken in front of the lighthouse and then headed back to J. & B.'s place. After several rousing games of a new charades-type game, we built a fire in their outside fire pit and roasted marshmallows. The stars outside were glorious!

Eventually we headed home. As you can tell - it had been a wonderful - and exhausting day!

Crabs!

2011-11-13T13:50:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to have crabs since we moved here. I remember having them with friends when I had lived here before and really wanted to experience again - this time with my family.

So this weekend we made the trek up to Cantler's for crabs.

Of course - since it shouldn't just be about the food, we checked out the fall colors and the Chesapeake Bay as well. First we went to drove out to Sandy Point State Park. The drive was beautiful and the park was very quiet and peaceful. When we got out of the car, we realized one of the reasons it was so quiet and peaceful - it was cold and windy! But beautiful.

O. found a great "caveman stick".

And we saw some deer.

Then it was time to head to Cantler's. It's down a windy residential road and sits right on the water. The Chesapeake Bay has so many fingers of water throughout the region here. It seems like everyone can get waterfront property and it's just so beautiful - especially with the leaves changing.

O. and I shared some crabs. He had lots of fun using his mallet to crack open the legs. K. was kind enough to clean the bodies for me to then pick out the meat. Unfortunately, N. was feeling righteously vegetarian that day and was concerned about flying bits of crab from all the mallet action.

After lunch we walked down to the water where they bring the crabs in and sort them. You can see why they call them Blue Crabs.

They were yummy and it was a good time. Some time I'd like to do a side-by-side tasting of Dungeness Crabs and Blue Crabs. We had Dungeness Crabs growing up and they are so tasty - and because they're bigger, there's more meat and less picking the small bits.

Of course I'll have to try the Stone Crabs in Miami sometime.

Well said

2011-11-10T02:29:00.000-08:00

People say a lot of things when they're running for political office.

This was recently said by a candidate running for President. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/07/perry-questions-intentions-of-american-diplomats/

I'm sure everyone has lots of thoughts and opinions on that subject. One of my fellow bloggers has commented so well on the subject that there's not much more to be said. Check it out here:

http://emailfromtheembassy.blogspot.com/2011/11/ill-bet-ive-met-more-diplomats-than.html?spref=fb

Halloween in the Foreign Service

2011-10-31T16:51:00.000-07:00

Today is Halloween. It's our first Halloween in the Foreign Service. In the past, we've trick-or-treated in our neighborhood. It was always a walking party. Kids we'd seen grow up with parents we've known forever. And visiting neighbors we know very well. Good times.

This year is different. Where we live now, there's no block. But there are a number of apartment buildings full of people in similar situations. Oakwood does a great job with the holidays. They had people sign up if they were going to participate. And then give the trick-or-treaters a list of participating apartments. It's good fun and great community.

Walking around apartment hallways isn't the same as walking dark, spooky streets. But it's still fun and people really decorate their doorways.

I know it will be even more different next year. Most countries don't celebrate Halloween like they do in the US. But the FS communities really pull together to make it fun for all.

Making Halloween Costumes

2011-10-31T16:26:00.000-07:00

Every year I've made the kids costumes for Halloween - well except for their first Halloween when they were both Crew members on Star Trek.

And the year N. wore my old witch costume that my mother had made for me. O. was a cat that year.

But every year after that.

N. was Josephine Baker when she was a toddler. I found plastic bananas and sewed them to a belt and she wore it over black pants and a turtleneck. Warm - and cool!

And O. was Astro Boy one year. I even made red boot covers and a special hat with the weird tufts of robot hair.

Last year, N. wanted to be a water goddess. I had her draw me a design and then we went to the fabric store to pick out the fabric.

This year it's been a bit different. All my sewing and craft supplies are in storage. It makes it pretty challenging. Especially since N. decided she wanted to go as Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter books. I have no desire to hand sew a Hogwarts cape!!!

Luckily, the local Joanne's Fabric has some savvy sales people who turned me on to the fusible tape to put fabric together.

And we ended up with this:

Not bad for fuseable tape!

Snow!!!!

2011-10-31T16:23:00.000-07:00

We've come full circle it seems. When we arrived here back at the end of March, we thought winter was over. But . . . we did have snow one morning. But then it melted and it didn't really feel like we'd experienced snow. And coming from a part of California where it doesn't snow, we really wanted to have that experience too.

Well, we got it - or at least the beginning of it. On Saturday, the forecast was rain and snow, but I didn't really think it would happen. But then it did. N and I were driving around looking for Halloween costume items and the rain started to seem different. We realized it was snowing!

It was beautiful. By the time we got home, there was snow on the cars in the parking lot.

And we could see the snow falling through the trees.

So we stayed in, made a good veggie stew and apple crisp. It was a warm, cozy, family night.

My Son's Sense of Style

2011-10-20T14:53:00.000-07:00

When my son started sporting his sister's hair bands on his wrists - I put it down to his own quirky sense of style. (He is from Berkeley after all!).

But then I noticed that a colleague of mine had similar bracelets . . .

And then I saw this in Oprah's magazine!

They are Goody Doublewear 2In1 Ponytailers.

I always knew he had a great sense of style. I wonder what will come next.

He already has some great techniques with his socks.

He got complemented on his socks by a fashionable 20-something in the Columbia Heights neighborhood.

And apparently it's catching on!

Bolo de Cenoura com Chocolate

2011-09-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

Today in Portuguese Language Training we celebrated Brazil's Independence Day. The actual day is the 7th of September, but since the new students started on the 6th, it was decided to push the celebration back a few weeks so that they had a better chance of understanding the festivities.

The whole department got together for this celebration. Each class made a presentation and everyone brought something.

My class did a presentation on Don Pedro I. He was the son of the King of Portugal and he is the person who declared Brazil's independence from Portugal with the phrase "Independencia ou Morte" (Independence or Death). We re-enacted the scene - complete with crowns, swords and a lovely gown for the queen (thank you J.!).

I decided to bring a very traditional Brazilian dessert - Bolo de Cenoura com Chocolate. It's Brazilian Carrot Cake with Chocolate. It's very different from the carrot cake that is usually served in the United States. I've put the recipe below and here's a link to it in English and in Portuguese.

The recipe is unusual (for me) in that it's made primarily in the blender. Of course most of my cooking things are in storage waiting our arrival in Recife. So I had to make do - I'm so glad I had packed my smoothie maker! But I don't have a tube pan so I adjusted the cooking times and put it into a 9 x 13.

The batter with the carrots is the most lovely color.

And since my smoothie maker only holds so much - I had to switch to my big bowl to add the eggs.

Here it is out of the oven

The original recipe's chocolate sauce didn't quite work for me (the sugar seized up and it didn't reach the proper consistency. So I made some modifications in the recipe below. The finished cake was quite tasty and reminded me of a pound cake. The carrot just blends in to everything and if you didn't know it was there - you wouldn't guess it.

And the final product - ready for the party and very tasty. Viva o Brasil!

Bolo de Cenoura com Chocolate

3 medium sized carrots, cut up
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 F and butter and flour a cake pan.

In a blender (or smoothie maker), blend the carrots, oil and eggs until smooth. Mix the dry ingredients together and then mix into the dry ingredients into the wet. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake in the oven for 30 to 40 or until golden brown and done. (If you use a 9 x 13 it will take a bit longer to cook the inside.) Let cool and then unmold and top with Chocolate Topping.

Chocolate Topping (adapted)

4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk or cream

Put everything in a saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and it has a smooth consistency. Pour over the cake.

Little Black Books

2011-09-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

I picked them up today - our new little black books!

Two weeks ago we made the trek down to the Mothership to apply for our Diplomatic Passports. During language training, every other Wednesday is a half class day so that folks can take care of administrative things. Taking advantage of an Admin-Wednesday, we came home after class and got the kids (school hadn't started yet) and headed into DC. Everyone was on their best behavior and in their "nice" clothes.

I'd filled out all of the forms and had all of the paperwork ready. The folks in the Passport Office at Main State are really nice and very helpful. They told us where to go to get our photos taken as well. It's great to be able to get it all taken care of there - especially since we need so many copies of the photos - two for our passports, two for our visas, and then several other sets for country identification cards, etc.

And today - just two weeks later, I was able to pick them up at FSI. One step closer to being ready to head to Brazil!

With so many to juggle (4 people with 2 passports = 8 little books), I've been looking for a way to keep them nice and organized. I found a great tutorial for a cute passport cover that will hold two passports - I think it will be my next project.

10 Years Ago Today

2011-09-11T07:12:00.000-07:00

10 years ago today I was asleep in our house in Berkeley - the one on Sacramento Street that we had bought right after we got married. It was a Tuesday morning and for some reason, I'd had the alarm set for 6 AM. (Unusual since our business required us to work late hours so we usually didn't get up that early).

Anyway, at 6 AM (which was 9 AM New York time), the radio came on with the news of the plane crash. I immediately turned on the TV and we watched the second plane crash and everything that followed. We were stunned. Shock and despair - all we could do was hold each other.

And then the day kicked in. Phones started ringing. Phone trees kicked in as everyone checked to make sure their colleagues, friends and loved ones were safe. I was again impressed with how well run the Junior League is - within hours, we'd learned that one of our colleagues had been on the 101st floor. Networks were tapped to check all the hospitals in the area to see if she was there - but to no avail.

The only reaction to so much trauma and devastation is shock - and the need to do something - anything. But being on so far away - the possibilities were limited. So we did the only thing we could think of - and what many other people thought of as well. We went down to our local American Red Cross and joined the long line to give blood.

We also had some business decisions to make. Do we open for business as usual - like any other day? Do we shut down the theater for the night? Do we open for business, but just show the news? We had become a community center - a place were people came together to share their lives. What would be best for our community and our employees?

In the end, we decided to open for business and show our regular movies. We hoped that we might be able to be a place of respite for people who were looking for an escape from the news of the day. With so much horror - if we could offer anyone a moment's peace - we wanted to be able to do that.

And since we made pizza for a living - we brought stacks of large pizzas over to the blood bank. They'd been working hard all day and the lines of people waiting to donate blood were still around the block.

We got home that night - exhausted and full of despair. The world had changed. It felt like all hope was gone. All we could do was hold each other.

And then - nine months later - hope arrived.

10 years later our world has changed tremendously. The impact of the events of 9/11 continue to ripple throughout the world. Sometimes it seems as though the devastation and despair that began that day continues to grow. Acts of hatred continue to sow acts of hatred and hope can seem very far away.

And that is why we must always remember the acts of courage and selflessness and love that came from that day - that we all came together and put our differences aside towards common goals. Some of our finest moments came from that day.

As we move forward to tackle all of the challenges that face us - it would be great if we could remember (and invoke) that ability to put our differences aside and work together. The more we work together to build and support our communities, the more we try to contribute in any way possible, the better chance we have of pushing despair away and keeping hope close. And we've shown that when we work together - we can achieve amazing things!

East Coast Beaches and the Atlantic Ocean

2011-09-05T11:07:00.000-07:00

I grew up on the ocean. The smell of the salt water, the feel of the ocean breeze, the fog rolling in, the sound of the crashing waves and the barking of the seals - this is what I grew up with. This is the view from my bedroom window at my parent's house.

Sunset over Catalina Island.

I love the ocean and really miss it when I don't get to see it regularly. When we lived in Berkeley, we were close enough to smell the salt air and feel the fog and get to see the Bay. And we could always hop in the car and easily drive out to Fort Funston or Baker Beach or Ocean Beach or Muir Beach if we needed a closer fix.

But living near DC, the ocean is pretty far away. Of course, there's the Potomac River which leads to the Chesapeake Bay which eventually leads to the Atlantic Ocean - but it's still pretty far away (which is probably why we didn't feel much from Hurricane Irene).

When the kids were at Camp Grandma and Bompa, K. and I decided to check out the oceans on the east coast. We got up early one Saturday and drove northeast past Annapolis to take the Bay Bridge (not the Oakland Bay Bridge). By the way - the road we were traveling on is Highway 50 - the same Highway 50 that we drive on in California from Sacramento east.

Once we had crossed the Chesapeake Bay, we headed to the coast, passing farmland and some farm stands (great peaches!) and eventually reaching Rehoboth Beach. This part of the East Coast is called the DelMarVa Peninsula. It's a peninsula that has parts of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia - hence the name. We checked out many of the beaches and beach towns along the way - from Rehoboth to Ocean City. We found them all fairly similar, differing mainly by whether they were more family oriented or more singles oriented. All the beaches were filled with lots of people and lots of umbrellas. There were boardwalks with lots of fried foods and frozen treats. It felt very crowded and with not many people swimming.

Rehoboth Beach

Ocean City was notable for the number of large hotels - it resembled the Las Vegas Strip (but without casinos). There were also more miniature golf places than I've ever seen - and more than there were McDonalds! And lots of places offering crab.

The best part of Ocean City (for me), was to get to see the counterpart of the sign I'd grown up with.

This is what I see when I drive to my sister's house.

And this is what I got to see in Ocean City.

From Ocean City we drove south into Virginia. The towns on the Virginia peninsula are just wonderful - small, quiet, beautiful. The beaches are quite lovely - quiet and secluded - much more our cup of tea. We definitely want to go back for a relaxing weekend. At one point we even got to see Chincoteague - a town I'd read about as a child in Marguerite Henry's book - Misty of Chincoteague.

Eventually we came to the tip of the peninsula and went on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. It's an amazing span and tunnel - although a little scary with the tunnels.

The bridge ends up in Norfolk, Virginia - very near Virginia Beach. We had dinner there (soft shell crabs!) and headed home. Virginia Beach seemed like a place we'd like to return to and bring the kids. It didn't seem to have quite the hubbub of Ocean City, and also was closer to where we're living now so we could possibly make a day trip out of it.

Which is what we finally did this Labor Day weekend. On Saturday we got up early and headed to Virginia Beach. It was so nice to smell the salt air when we got there! We rented a 4-seater bicycle carriage and checked out the boardwalk.

N. loved checking out the boardwalk!

We got to go on a few rides and then we headed to the beach. It was absolutely wonderful to go swimming in the ocean again. It had been far too long! And, much to my surprise, people are right - the Atlantic is warmer than the Pacific. The kids were full of such joy as they played in the ocean. It made me so happy to see them enjoy the ocean and its power so much. We played in the waves for a long time, and then rinsed off and headed home. A great day at the beach!

Recife

2011-09-04T14:36:00.000-07:00

I've realized that I haven't really mentioned where we're going next since I announced it on Flag Day.

And, while I've had a few posts about other blogs to check out, both Foreign Service blogs and other blogs I love - I've posted no links to blogs about Recife, or Brazil or just Brazil links in general.

Desculpe!

So - we are going to Recife, Brazil in January, following the completion of our Portuguese language training at FSI.

We are all thrilled. After all, Recife was at the top of our bid list! It has many of the things we were looking for - warm weather, near (actually on) the beach, a great culture, a fabulous language, great food, great people - I could go on. It also allows me to fulfill many of my requirements for the Foreign Service - I'll be a consular officer and will also get to learn a new language. And since it's a fairly small post, I'll get to know my fellow officers and their families fairly well.

When we get there, I will, of course, be posting a lot about our life there. But in the meantime, I want to share some of what I've learned so far.

First off - there are two great blogs written by women who are living in Recife and are part of the Foreign Service Community. I've been enjoying reading about them for quite some time - even before I knew I was going to Recife. Please check them out! This one has recently been posting some great photos of Recife and also has some great posts about various places around Brazil. And this one is about another first tour family and also has some great posts about traveling around Brazil. Both are written by mothers with young children - it's great to get that perspective and information as well.

And here is another blog that's written about a lot of different aspects of Brazil.

And until you check out all these links - here are some photos to look at.

"The Brazilian Venice"

Recife means reef in Portuguese

You can see why we're all excited! And we look forward to having visitors.

What we do

2011-09-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

When our family decided to pursue a life with the Foreign Service, many people asked us why we we had decided to join the Foreign Service and what we would be doing. Here's a great article that sums up some of the what:

10 Things You Should Know About the State Department and USAID

In these challenging times, it's good to know where a very small percentage of your tax dollars are going.

And here's my Statement of Intent from when I took my Oral Assessment to become a Foreign Service Officer. It explains some of the why:

I have always served my community - I was a Girl Scout in elementary and middle school, a Ticktocker in middle and high school, and a Resident Advisor in college. After college I joined the Junior League and served on many of their boards and advisory committees. The business that I created, while a for-profit business, had at the core of its mission a commitment to nurturing and growing local communities.

This commitment to serving my community has enriched my life in many ways, and the rewards I have reaped have far exceeded the efforts that I have made. Through my service I have had amazing experiences, met amazing people, and have learned so many things. I’ve had the opportunity to travel to places I never would have gone (Washington DC, Boise, Fort Worth, and Fresno), meet people from all walks of life (politicians, laborers, CEO’s, chefs, scientists, artists, and schizophrenics, and have acquired skills (public speaking, community organizing, and conflict resolution) that never would have occurred to me to pursue. I love new experiences and take advantage of any opportunity to obtain new knowledge and gain new skills.

With all of the these experiences, I’ve realized that what I do best, and what I love to do most, is to create and facilitate community. Building bridges of understanding between disparate groups really rocks my world. I have learned that the more you can bring people together in safe and comfortable ways, the more they begin to see each other and dispel the myths about each other that create fear and misunderstanding. Breaking down those barriers and watching that understanding and comradeship grow is one of the most rewarding and wonderful things to see. This ability is my gift and one that I have utilized a great deal in the various communities / populations I’ve experienced. It is something that I will continue to do all my life.

The Foreign Service is all about service to one’s community, and the Public Diplomacy Cone is about building those bridges of understanding between the United States and every other country and culture. The United States is an amazing country with such wonderful principles and ideals. As a country, we continually debate the best ways to adhere to those principles and while at times those endless debates can be tiresome, they are a wonderful example of the process of trying to be the best we can be. I want to continue building community by facilitating the awareness and understanding of that process with other countries.

I have two children and, like all parents, want them to be safe as they navigate life. I believe that my children will only be truly safe when all other children are safe too. This belief has formed many of the choices I’ve made for our family, such as attending public school (where I use my skills to enrich the school), working within the neighborhood helping to build a sense of “community,” and volunteering on local boards.

This belief plays out on a global scale. My children, my family, my community and my country will only be safe when all children, families, communities and countries are safe. I will continue to use the gifts I’ve been given to make that happen. The Foreign Service is the best place for me to maximize my skills in service to my family, community and country.

Come On Irene

2011-08-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

This past week has been quite interesting. First we had an earthquake on Tuesday. And then on Thursday, it seemed as though Hurricane Irene would be heading our way as well.

Now, coming from California, the earthquake was familiar and not especially exciting. But a hurricane - this is something we've only every got to see on TV and in news reports. And unlike an earthquake - you can prepare for it.

On Friday, we got a lot of information on how to prepare. My employer sent emails with lots of information on how to prepare; our housing company sent information on how to prepare; and of course we got lots of advice on how to prepare from our friends here who have lived through hurricanes before. And in Portuguese language training, we got to learn a new word: furacão. (And of course it didn't stop our field trip to the churrascaria!)

That night we had some good friends from Berkeley come over. We grilled pizzas on the BBQ's outside and enjoyed that last bit of good weather before the storm. It was great to catch up and have a visit from home!

A lovely rainbow over Oakwood on Friday night!

Saturday was supposed to be hurricane day. Since we would be home-bound, we planned a day of watching movies, playing games. K. made a big pot of yummy chili and we settled in for the storm.

We waited . . . and waited . . . and waited. I kept looking at the window to make sure I wasn't missing the hurricane. Every time there was a bit of wind - O. said "Mommy - I think that's the hurricane." It rained on and off - but never as hard and thick as it's been this summer during the thunderstorms. And while the wind gusted and blew the trees around, it never felt particularly strong - we would go out on the balcony and watch and hold our hands out to feel the raindrops.

That night after we went to bed, the wind picked up a bit. I could hear it really blowing the trees and at some point I heard a big crack. The next morning, the crew was up early (7 AM!!!) with a chain saw cutting up the big branch that had come off a tree from the parking lot.

We were pretty lucky where we were. Most of damage from Hurricane Irene was on the coast. In our area of Virginia, there were just some downed trees.

On Sunday we hiked on Theodore Roosevelt Island and checked out the damage from the hurricane. It was beautiful after the storm, but there were a number of downed trees on the island. But we still had fun exploring!

Here's what N. wrote about our hike:

I stepped out of the car into the wet and moist air with my long striped pants. My hot pink shirt is covered up by my Disneyland rain jacket. I walked to the bridge on a sandy path right next to the water. When I got to the gray concrete bridge, I looked down and saw the green water. There were little ripples in the water that seemed to be going right. I slowly walked across the bridge and toward the little island.

Churrascaria

2011-08-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

The Portuguese Department at FSI is the best! This past Friday, we got to celebrate our 8th week of class and the fact that we can hold conversations with each other (very rudimentary, but we can still convey ideas and information).

We did this by taking a field trip to a local churrascaria. For those who aren't familiar with the Brazilian form of barbecue, let me explain a bit. First off, it's a one price, all-you-can eat situation. Which means you have a very light breakfast or none at all. And don't make plans for dinner - you won't want to eat again!

The meal starts off with a trip to the salad bar. But unlike salad bars in the US, this salad bar has less varieties of lettuce and a lot more varieties of prepared vegetables and cheeses. There was reggiano parmesan, grilled provolone, goat cheese and small mozzarella balls. There was also marinated mushrooms, steamed asparagus, roasted peppers and onions, hearts of palm, artichoke hears and grilled jalapenos. And at this particular restaurant there were also other Brazilian specialties like feijoada.

But be careful - you don't want to fill your plate because the real reason you're there is yet to come. At your table, everyone gets a small round card that's green on one side and red on the other. You flip the card to indicate whether you want more (green) or want to rest for a while (red). You can keep flipping as many times as you want. Servers stroll around the restaurant with many different cuts of meat. When they see that you're showing green, they come by and slice off a bit for you. Everyone gets special tongs to grasp the slice as they're cutting it and put it on your plate. The meats are wonderful. There are the varieties that you might be familiar with - filet mignon, flank steak, chicken encrusted with parmesan, leg of lamb. And then there are the ones that are special to Brazil - Brazilian sausages and my favorite - picanha! In addition to all that - they also bring to your table some side dishes: fried bananas with cinnamon sugar, mashed potatoes and another favorite - little warm cheese breads. There is so much to eat and try and it all tastes so good!

Of course, since it was a part of class, the entire experience was conducted in Portuguese. We sat with our wonderful classmates and instructors and got to know each other a little bit better. I was even able to explain in detail how to prepare Bananas Foster to my teacher - all in Portuguese!

We had a great time!

Earthquakes in Virginia?????

2011-08-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

Yes Virginia - that was an earthquake. 5.8 to be exact!

Today towards the end of Portuguese language class, the floor started to shake a bit. At first I didn't pay much attention to it. After all, being from California I'm used to earthquakes. I've lived through several major ones so while I tense up and become very aware, I don't panic.

Also, I had a hard time believing it was an earthquake that was happening in Virginia. I meant, this is the place where we drive around and admire all the brick buildings and houses, all the while thinking that there's no way there would be this much brick in California - bricks are just not structurally sound for earthquake country.

So - when the rumbling and shaking continued and my classmates and professor started commenting, we all got up and headed to the door jam and away from the window and giant Smart Board. Several classes let out and people headed for the nearest exit. Then the alarms started sounding around the building and everyone headed out.

I caught up with K. (they don't typically put spouses in the same class) and we headed home (class being over) to check on our kids. It took us a bit to get home with the traffic and everyone being out in front of their buildings, but we got home and found that everything was fine. N. had been in the apartment and exited it when the shaking stopped. Once outside she went to our meet up spot and checked on O. O. had been on the play structure and of course hadn't noticed a thing!

It was nice to be together after all the shake up. I'm very proud of our kids!

Portuguese Language Training continues

2011-08-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

This is my eighth week of Portuguese Language Training. Monday morning (segunda-feira) I was feeling pretty good. We had a new teacher and we all had to introduce ourselves and tell a little bit about ourselves. I felt very good about what I said. I was able to explain who I was and who is in my family and where we live now and where we used to live and even what I had done before this and why I had changed and joined the Foreign Service. All in portuguesa!

Then we had our Monday Morning Chat. The Portuguese Department gets together every Monday morning so that we can all have casual, informal chatting to warm us up for the week. It's a great idea and really helps us warm up the Portuguese part of our brain for the week.

But then, after lunch, my brain crashed. I couldn't think of anything I wanted to say and none of my words were coming to me. I know that these things happen all the time and it's part of the process - but it can be pretty demoralizing. It's so hard to feel like an idiot and feel like you're failing.

For some people, feeling like they're slipping can feel like a challenge and helps them step up the pace. For me, it makes me feel awful and like I want to give up. I have to keep reminding myself that this is all part of the process and that I just need to keep plugging away at all my tasks and that eventually I will get there.

Luckily, last week I had met with my language learning consultant and together we had devised a study / homework plan for each day. Not only does it have many tasks to work on that cover all the areas (reading, listening, grammar, writing, vocabulary), but it's divided into smaller parts (30-40 minutes each) with choices. I took the plan and set it up in a spreadsheet with big boxes for me to check off (or paste a gold star) as I complete them. I know - call me a nerd, but the boxes to check off or paste a gold star really work for me.

So I've just been plugging away and then, as I was taking a break from my vocabulary games, I decided to read some of the blogs I follow in Google Reader. There's one that's written by a member of the FS community who lives in Recife. Occasionally she writes her posts in Portuguese and today was one of those posts. For the first time, I was able to read her post!!! I feel so much better.

Blogs I love

2011-08-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of blogs out there and some are really awesome.

I've mentioned some of my favorite Foreign Service blogs. And I also have a list on the left side of the blogs of my Vibrant Colleagues.

But there are a lot of other blogs out there that are not about the Foreign Service (imagine that!) and are just amazing.

I recently found about about a blog that I found to be hysterically funny - I was laughing so hard I cried! It's called The Bloggess and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Then there are the food blogs like Smitten Kitchen and 101 Cookbooks - they have great recipes and pictures. I just made the Easy Little Bread recipe and it truly was easy and lovely and the kids adored it.

The wonderful David Lebovitz blog about chocolate, food and living in Paris is a favorite of mine. I got to work with David for a minute when I did my CCA extern-ship at Chez Panisse back in the early 1990's. He is the nicest guy!!!

And now I have a new favorite. One of my favorite writers (and full disclosure - good friend), has started a new project. It's called The Urbane Grandmother and it is a tremendous guide for what to do in San Francisco with kids. But it's not your typical "go to this park" kind of kid guide. It's basically an adult guide to San Francisco that shows you the ways you can include your young friends in the wonderful activities you love to do. Things like the best place to get a cuppa tea and who makes the best focaccia. And she would know - after all - she is also the Culinary Muse and her Art of Tasting Chocolate thoughts are unbelievable.

Language Studies

2011-08-08T14:40:00.000-07:00

Language training is a big deal in the Foreign Service.

The State Department prides itself on training it's employees in 70 different languages for it's more than 265 embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions all over the world. In order for officers to attain tenure, they must achieve proficiency in at least one language.

I have friends who are learning single-use "boutique" languages like Latvian or Georgian which are primarily used in just one country, and friends who are learning widespread multi-use languages like Spanish or Chinese which are spoken all over the world by millions of people.

Language training at FSI is very different from learning a language in college. In college, I took both Russian and French and had class 3 times a week for 70 minutes. When you're in language training at FSI, ALL you do is study that language. I'm in class 4 hours a day with just 3 other students. I also have an hour of language lab a day and at least 3 hours of homework and other language based activities.

The very first day you start language training, there is an orientation which goes over all of the tools that are available for your use. You also take a number of tests to determine your particular learning style. I took the Meyer's Briggs test (again), as well as several other tests that give feedback about how you think and approach ideas and learn. One of the tests looked at how easy it is for me to take in information - and what's the best way for that to happen. Another test looked at the ways in which I process information. I learned that I'm lucky in that I take in information very easily and in a variety of ways, but that my challenge will be to organize it in a fashion that is easily accessible. I also learned that I'll need to firm up my casual attitude towards communication and be more serious about grammar rules. And that I need to stretch out of my learning comfort zone by working on my auditory style as opposed to my more comfortable visual style.

The instructors and classes are shuffled every 4 weeks so that students get to learn from a variety of native accented speakers and so that the classes comprise appropriate balances for optimum learning. I am now beginning my sixth week of learning Portuguese and I am loving it!

That's not to say it isn't hard and that my brain doesn't hurt and that there aren't many, many days that I feel like a complete idiot. But it's so wonderful to be able to just focus on just learning Portuguese. And to have such wonderful instructors, such great resources, and to be able to take advantage of the latest learning techniques.

It's also hard for a control-freak like me - it's rough speaking like a 3 year old all the time, and having the days where you just can't remember anything. Learning a language is an art (I've heard). I'm finding that it's a lot about trusting the process. It reminds me of working out at the gym: it's not about lifting a lot of weights one day or running far the next. It's about working out consistently day in and day out and eventually (many weeks / months down the road), you'll develop some muscles and tone and stamina. But it happens so slowly, you don't notice it. Until one day you put on an outfit you haven't worn for a while and it feels and looks distinctly different.

And that's where the great instructors at FSI come in. They work with you one on one and have great resources to help you achieve your best. It just takes time.

Food in the DC Area - Part 1 of probably many

2011-07-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me are probably surprised I haven't written about the food here yet. After all - I'm a super foodie.

On vacations growing up, museums were just places you went to between the significant restaurant stops. And family get-togethers were always about who was cooking what and where it came from and what the story was behind it. The best Christmas present my grandparents ever gave was the handwritten copy of my grandmother's favorite recipes. We all have our own copies of "Nana's Cookbook" and when she died, I was fortunate to get her copy that had many annotations and additions.

And of course I ended up working in restaurants, starting a catering company, going to cooking school and eventually opening my own restaurant.

But eventually that all ended and now I'm in DC with my fabulous new job with the State Department. Of course the big attraction of a job in the Foreign Service is that I get to taste food from all over the world!

So here we are in our first posting - training at FSI with us living in Northern Virginia. I'd been very excited to check out the food scene in DC. It's not really fair to draw comparisons between the restaurants of the DC area and those of the San Francisco Bay Area. After all - DC is a town that's all about politics and power - that's the whole point and everything ultimately serves that. San Francisco is a town that's about food. When your chef's are celebrities and recognized wherever they go; when your newspaper's food section is larger than the entertainment section - and has a food scene gossip column - then you know you're in a food-centric town.

The DC area has some great places though - and does some things significantly better than SF - for example pizza. I've had some really good pizza in Berkeley. And everyone knows that the Cheeseboard pizza is a category unto itself. Here there are a lot of really great pizza places. We love Pizzeria Orso in Falls Church but our absolute favorite is Pupatella. They've got the wood-fire oven from Naples and use San Marzano tomatoes. Just wonderful!

They even have a wonderful Insalata Caprese for my daughter! Fresh Mozzarella - Yum!

Snow Day in July??????

2011-07-22T05:19:00.000-07:00

Yes - it's true.

Although not the "snow" part. The heat here on the East Coast is reaching record highs. Yesterday the power started fluctuating at FSI (Foreign Service Institute / Hogwarts) and classes were cancelled for the rest of the day around 2:30. Lucky for us we're on the early schedule for languages and were already on our way home to do our Portuguese homework.

And then this morning while on the shuttle bus to FSI, we learned that it had been closed for the day. It seems that the power issues continue. One colleague pointed out that this wouldn't happen in Africa. There the power fluctuations occur so frequently that everyone has backup generators and life just continues. Oh - the issues you have to deal with in the US!

So - we've got a surprise day off. Which leaves us lots of time to continue to practice our Portuguese.

Folklife Festival

2011-07-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

Each year the Smithsonian holds the Folklife Festival in DC. It's "an international exposition of living cultural heritage" held on the National Mall. In one of the areas this year they were celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Peace Corps. We got to go and check it out with our good friend from California.

There were some great exhibits from many of the places Peace Corps Volunteers serve.

This is an exhibit about making Shea Butter by the women of Mali. A Peace Corps volunteer met these women in Mali and ended up creating a non-profit organization that works with these women to help them sell their product. You can learn more about her organization here.

And then there were the weaving demonstrations from all over the world. They really appealed to my yarn / craft side.

Making mud cloths.

It was a great day!

Camp Grandma and Bompa

2011-07-18T16:19:00.000-07:00

Choosing to join the Foreign Service means that you might not get to see your family as often as you used to. And that's been pretty hard.

Of course, family and friends come and visit. And if you're going to a really wonderful place, they may come and visit often. But it's still not the same as being able to drive a few hours to see your cousins, parents or grandparents.

But we may be starting a new tradition. Camp Grandma and Bompa. This year, to coincide with the beginning of Language Training, we sent our kids to stay with my parents for 3 weeks. Leading up to it I was both excited and scared. Excited for my kids to be able to spend some great times with my family and excited for K. and I to get to spend some nice uninterrupted quality time as we started language training. But I was scared too. Neither one of us has been away from our kids for this long. It's a long time to go without hugs and kisses from your babies.

My mother is absolutely thrilled. She's planned a whole slew of activities. For the Fourth of July, she and my dad took them to the beach and then got a hotel room so that they could watch the fireworks over the ocean.

She's arranged drum lessons which they just adore. The drum teacher is even teaching them some Brazilian drumming to prepare for Recife. They've taken the train to San Juan Capistrano. And she found a day camp where they swim and take archery. It's pretty amazing stuff.

This week they've headed north to my sister and brother-in-law's home where they get to play with their cousins and go to music festivals. They're having a pretty wonderful time.

They may never want to come home.

Fourth of July - DC Style

2011-07-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

Before we joined the Foreign Service, we lived on one of the greatest blocks in Berkeley. Our street had an amazing sense of community and it was best exemplified by our annual block party on the Fourth of July.

Each year on the Fourth of July, we'd close the street. The barricades and permit came from the city, but the decorated signs announcing the party were done by the neighborhood kids. They'd gather to make the signs and then we'd load the barricades on a wagon and troop to the ends of our block to officially close the street.

At that point, all the neighbors would bring their BBQs to their front yards and start the grills up. We'd move our lawn furniture into the street and erect tents and tables for the communal food. At some point, the Scrabble crew would start playing their game, the kids would fill water balloons and music would begin playing. Some year's we'd have a band and do the Electric Slide in the middle of the street.

We'd always have a parade. The kids (and some adults), would decorate their bikes, scooters, hats - whatever, and ride down the street playing kazoos. One year we even had a City Councilmember attend!

We'd also have a neighborhood Egg Toss. It was a contribution the very first year by a neighbor whom I'll call "Egg Toss Man" and was such fun that it became a yearly tradition growing larger each year. Eventually we had to have a smaller version for the under 10 set.

So this year I was a little concerned about the Fourth of July. We wouldn't be with our fabulous neighbors. And the kids would be away at Camp Grandma and Bompa.

But luckily we had a friend from California come to visit and a Vibrant Colleague invited us to her neighborhood party. They have a wonderful annual event that gets capped off with a visit to the rooftop of their local school to watch the fireworks over the Capital. Pretty amazing!

It wasn't Berkeley - but it was pretty spectacular!

YarnBomb!

2011-06-21T15:21:00.000-07:00

Coming from the Berkeley, and having worked in the entertainment and food & beverage industries, I'm used to seeing and participating in all kinds of creative expression. I love working with artists of all kinds and exploring my own creativity.

I particularly like public art and new ways to push the envelope. When I left the San Francisco Bay Area heading to suburban Virginia for training, I figured my days of seeing spontaneous bursts of public art were over for a while.

But I was wrong! I saw some urban art on my way to FSI this morning and it was very exciting!

At the bus stop on the corner of Wilson and S. George Mason.

It's a YarnBomb!

Wikipedia states that yarnbombing is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted cloth rather than paint or chalk.

Here's a link to a yarnbomb that happened at the Berkeley Library.

And there's even a book!

ConGen

2011-06-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

ConGen is the nickname for the Consular Studies course here at FSI (Foreign Service Institute). Since every officer is required to serve in a consular position at least once prior to getting tenure, everyone ends up taking ConGen early in their career.

ConGen is 6 weeks long and I had been concerned that it would be very dry and boring. After all - you're learning about the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 and how it's applied today. Since I'm not a lawyer and most of what I know about the law I learned from watching Law and Order, I was fully prepared to suck it up and knuckle down and just get through it.

Boy-Howdy have I been surprised. FSI has either managed to find the best instructors ever - or they've got the best instructor training program around. Each one of our instructors has conveyed all the intricate information in ways that are clear and organized and very interesting. Their enthusiasm about the topics shine through and infect the rest of us.

It never occurred to me that it could all be so interesting. Learning the intricacies of passports and nationality, immigration visas and non-immigration visas and American Citizen Services is really fun. I know I'm sounding like a big nerd - and maybe I'm becoming one. I have been learning and understanding the lingo and sometimes when I hear myself use it, I have to pause and laugh at myself. Who knew that I would ever be able to speak, much less understand, the "government speak"?

I am really looking forward to my consular post!

Reason Magazine has a great cartoon about immigration.

Thunderstorms and Rainbows

2011-06-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

We have a lot of thunderstorms here in Virginia. It seems like every night (and sometimes in the afternoon), the clouds roll in and then the thunder and lightning and rain starts. I just love it! Coming from California I'm used to cold rain - which is also quite wonderful. But this warm, balmy rain is absolutely glorious! It always makes me feel like I'm in some tropical paradise on vacation.

Of course, when the clouds roll in the afternoon, it means the end of pool time - which can be a real drag. The rule is that if there's thunder, it's out of the pool for 30 minutes. If there's lightning - it's 60 minutes. Either way, it usually means the end of swimming for the day.

One night I was fortunate to be at a rooftop party celebrating a Vibrant colleague's 30th birthday. There was a thunderstorm off in the distance and it was like being in a movie watching the clouds periodically light up from the lightning. The storm was far enough away so we didn't have to leave the rooftop. The other amazing thing about that party was that it was the first rooftop party I've ever been to where we didn't end up shivering back in the apartment. I guess that's one of the big differences from the Bay Area where each night, the fog rolls in and the sweaters come out.

Two nights ago, the thunderstorm was incredibly loud and right overhead. It was as though we were inside the orchestra during the Brandenburg Concerto. The lightning was flashing constantly and the rain was just pouring down. It frightened the kids, but K. and I stood on the balcony and just watched it all (of course after we got the kids calmed down).

Last night, the rains came early and we had a double rainbow. Just beautiful!

Thank You For Your Service!

2011-06-17T15:22:00.000-07:00

This message recently went out on some of the Foreign Service boards:

My husband is a Marine Corps reservist who just finished Command and Staff College at Quantico. One of his teachers sent the following email around, from a colleague in Afghanistan:

Marines in need of contact and support. These Marines are deployed in AFGH with no next of Kin or family/friends corresponding with them or able to afford packages.

Send by priority mail flat rate boxes you can obtain at Post Office or on-line. You also need to attach a customs form. Special rates for military packages are around $12.00 large box. On customs form just list magazines, food, estimate value at $12.00, otherwise if list valuable contents they will be stolen, Boot socks (Merino) are needed as they go through a few pair a week on patrol, baby wipes, jerky, cigarettes, dip, chew, candy (It reaches 120-130 degrees in summer so some will melt, This is also the sandstorm season for 120 days in South so face masks, scarfs are used. magazines, books, underwear, bug spray, sunscreen,. Winter in goes down to near 0 so gloves, hats, socks, hand warmers etc. All packages are X-rayed.

Among all the other ways they serve, marines staff the Post One at most Embassies and Consulates - they keep us and the work we do safe. So of course we have a special place in our hearts for them. When this email went out, my Vibrant colleagues organized some care packages for the folks who are out there serving their country.

My kids made some pictures to go in the packages

In case you don't have fluency reading level in 1st grade writing it reads:

Thank you for all the srvs (service) you give us!!!!!!!!!

And

If you'd like to put together your own care packages to send - just click here.

I found a new market!!!

2011-06-15T03:39:00.000-07:00

As those of you who know me are aware, I am a foodie and really need to have a variety of good quality food products to cook from. When we lived in Berkeley, we were quite spoiled with multiple farmer's markets, a variety of specialty food stores and the best grocery store in the world.

Since moving to Falls Church, it's been a challenge to get a good variety of quality produce and goods. We've been making do with the local Safeway and Whole Foods - but either the variety and quality can be limited (and the prices can be quite high!).

But we've recently found a new grocery store with a great variety and a lot of very fresh product.

As you can see - the products are really fresh. And the prices and variety are great! It's not the Berkeley Bowl - but you can't have everything.

Old Town Alexandria

2011-06-12T14:07:00.000-07:00

We've been trying to more of the DC sights and we recently went to Alexandria's Old Town. It's a really cute city that lots of interesting shops and restaurants and is full of historical sites to see.

We headed down early on a Sunday morning and got coffee and pastries and strolled along the waterfront. It's right on the Potomac south and east of DC and the waterfront is really pretty.

I've been trying to figure out ways to get the kids more engaged in the various museums and historical places we visit. I met a colleague who was recently back from Turkey and he shared how he got his young kids interested in all the sites around Turkey - he was able to break it down into bite-size pieces at their level so that they were able to grasp it and get excited. That ability is definitely not one of my strengths, but this is a great time to work on developing it.

So with that in mind, we set out to do the Kids Scavenger Hunt in Old Town Alexandria. What a great activity!!! Not only did the kids get engaged in the various historical sites, but they also got to hone their detective and map reading skills. And they worked on their reading and writing as well. And an added bonus was that as they navigated the town, K. and I got to stroll along, taking in the sites and having good conversation!

And here is the completed Scavenger Hunt.

National Museum of the Marine Corps

2011-06-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had a great opportunity to visit the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

One of my vibrant colleagues was kind enough to arrange a special tour for a group of us. We had two tour guides (Marine Volunteers) who told us great stories. The museum itself is quite fascinating with some very realistic exhibits. Here's a link for a virtual tour and here's a clip of what you can expect.

Of course on the way home I was peppered with all sorts of questions about what happened during which war and was the Cold War really cold.

Thunderstorms

2011-05-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

We're having thunderstorms here tonight in Falls Church.

They are glorious! We've been standing on our balcony and watching the lightning and counting until the crashing thunder. All the time listening and dancing to Dynamite and Halo and Landslide. Good stuff.

As O. says - it's great to watch the trees dancing in the wind to the storm.

To Dog or Not To Dog

2011-05-27T03:09:00.000-07:00

My daughter has been wanting a dog for a long time. She's very maternal and family oriented (currently she wants 12 kids when she grows up - 6 boys and 6 girls!!).

At one point we told her that she could have a dog when she turned 9. Then we began exploring joining the Foreign Service and moved the dog issue to the back burner. I had many conversations with her where I told her that we just couldn't have a dog in the Foreign Service. I figure that moving around the world every few years with two kids is involved enough. When you add pets into the mix, you need to deal with a variety of transportation issues, housing issues, quarantine issues and then what if we were evacuated?!

But this past weekend we went to a training for Families Overseas. It was a great training - I highly recommend it. There was information for parents and age-appropriate information for the kids. There was a another family there who is heading to the same country we are and announced that they are getting a dog. Our cover was blown!

We also met another family who told us how their son's overseas transitions had been really benefited from having his best friend - his dog - with him during all the changes. My son has made the transition to Virginia quite well - within a few days of being here, everyone seemed to know him and he now has a posse that he runs around with. My daughter has had a harder time with the transition - she really misses her friends back home.

So we began to think about it a lot more. We haven't made a firm decision yet, but it's looking like it might happen.

The A-100 Five

2011-05-24T03:43:00.000-07:00

You've heard of the Freshman Fifteen? We'll there's also the A-100 Five.

Luckily, A-100 is only 6 weeks or so because it could easily become the A-100 Ten if it continued.

It's pretty hard to stay with your good routines and habits during A-100. You've moved to a new location; you don't have all your stuff; you don't know where the grocery stores are and you certainly don't have time to cook.

Add to this very long, intense days ( I left the house at 7 AM and didn't get home until 6 PM - and that's when I came straight home). So, it's hard to find gym / exercise time as well - much less time for the important people in your life.

And then there are all the Happy Hours. An important goal of A-100 is building "esprit de corps." This translates into many, many activities. And if you've a class that's anything like my Vibrant class, it means lots of truly fabulous activities with some really interesting people. In addition to all the Happy Hours, we've had Trivia Night, Card and Pizza Night, Sunday BBQ's, Rock Climbing, Korean BBQ and Karaoke, Cigar Night, Ethnic Food Night - you get the picture.

I was doing fine until we had our offsite. Then there were 2 days in West Virginia where were served a different style of food than I'm used to. It's what pushed me over the edge.

So - now A-100 is over and I've been able to settle into a more balanced pace and lifestyle. It's so nice to be able to establish my routines again - morning yoga, healthier eating, more relaxed time with my family.

Swearing-In

2011-05-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

Today the members of the Vibrant 160th got sworn in.

I do solemnly swear

That I will support and defend

The Constitution of the United States

Against all enemies foreign and domestic,

That I will bear true faith

and allegiance to the same,

That I take this obligation freely,

Without any mental reservation

or purpose of evasion,

and that I will well and faithfully

Discharge the duties of the Office

on which I am about to enter,

So help me God.

Pretty powerful stuff.

We've completed six weeks of orientation where we were introduced to the profession of diplomacy, among other things, by some pretty wonderful and skillful coordinators. On Monday we will head off on our separate ways getting additional trainings and preparing for posts all over the world.

And it's also Foreign Affairs Day - very serendipitous.

Congratulations to my colleagues in the Vibrant 160th!

Flag Day

2011-05-05T18:46:00.000-07:00

So - we had our Flag Day.

That whole week we were all pretty antsy. It's hard to stay focused when you're just a few short days from finding out where you'll be spending the following years; how long you'll be in training; what language you might be learning; how your family will feel; whether you'll be in a warm place or a cold place; mountains or beaches or desert or jungle; whether you'll need to order a year's supply of olive oil / toilet paper / cheerios; what you'll actually be doing for your job - the list goes on.

Many of us got up early that morning to watch the Royal Wedding. Many others couldn't sleep and thus ended up watching the Royal Wedding for a distraction (me). Finally it was time to go to FSI.

The A-100 coordinators had done a great job of planning the schedule. They knew that on this day - Flag Day - our attention spans would be very short. They had planned an offsite that took our minds off the end of the day and was quite fascinating. We all had a great time.

Finally it was time. I collected my family at the Visitor's Center and proceeded to the auditorium where we'd find out. I got them settled in the front row of the guest section. The kids had brought things to do. I gave them their special coloring book that the Overseas Briefing Center prepares for kids. They also got the same bingo sheet that we all got. Country bingo is a traditional Flag Day activity. Various countries are listed on the bingo card and you mark them off as they're called.

I found my moral support buddies and we got good seats in the rear so we could watch everyone. I made sure my phone had reception so that I could text my family the results when the time came.

There was a slight (felt like a long time) delay while we waited for our last VIP to arrive. Then, the CDO's entered bearing the three special holders with all the flags for our countries.

First, the country's flag appears on the screen and we all try to guess which country it is. A fabulous classmate had made us a cheat sheet with all the countries and their flags listed. Then the post and position are announced and then the FSO's name. There's lots of cheering each time.

It was all very overwhelming. I tried to keep up with my bingo sheet and to mark which posts my colleagues where getting, but I found myself not being able to pay attention and be in the zen of the moment. So I just let it all go and enjoyed the experience. Colleague after colleague got called and went up to get their flags. It all felt unreal. I thought I'd get to see all my new friends get their posts and that I'd just sit and watch and then go home with no post.

Finally, one of my top posts got called and I heard my name. Everyone knew it was super high on my list and they all cheered. I went up and got my flag and got my picture taken with the Ambassador. Then I collected my orders and looked for my family as I went to sit down. They were very happy with our new post - Recife, Brazil!

I didn't hear the next few posts as I was still reeling from the experience. Eventually I surfaced and got to cheer on the rest of my colleagues as they got their posts. At one point, I heard K. call out Bingo! I knew it was at O.'s direction.

Afterwards we all went to a nearby restaurant where we celebrated and congratulated each other. The CDO's had done a great job - most of us had ended up in places we were happy with or that we understood why we were there.

All in all a good day.

And the results are in!!!!

2011-04-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

That's right - we're going to Recife, Brazil!!!!!

Brazilian flag courtesy of 4 International Flags

Flag Day Stories

2011-04-29T02:13:00.000-07:00

Today is our Flag Day (and of course Royal Wedding Day!).

We are all anxious and antsy - many of us aren't sleeping quite as well as usual.

We won't find out until the end of the day. In the meantime - Alex over at Travel Orders has a great post that links to many wonderful Flag Day Stories. It will give you some of an idea of what our day will be like.

Not the Woods - we went to Camp!

2011-04-25T15:51:00.000-07:00

There is a legendary part of A-100 class that's been called "the Woods" because it's held off site at a place called - you guessed it - the Woods.

Unfortunately, the Woods closed this year - so our class got to go to Camp!

2 nights in West Virginia at a Training Camp. It was great! It was an opportunity for us all to get out of our business suits and into some more relaxed clothes and have team building and leadership exercises. We had our version of the infamous Follies (flag-day, flag-day . . ., hula skirts, egs-tc.). We had karaoke, dancing, foosball, pool, etc. at the Liberty Lounge. And I had what's been my biggest cultural experience thus far - who knew that pudding was a mainstay on the salad bar??? I had thought it was a big vat of mayonnaise!

Our vibrant coordinators planned a great off-site for us. We went into the experience a great group and we came out with better and tighter bonds and more trust in ourselves and each other. I am so incredibly lucky to be part of this class!

Patrons of Diplomacy

2011-04-21T17:05:00.000-07:00

I got to do the most amazing thing!

I got to be a member of the audience for the first in a series of interviews between current Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and former Secretaries of State. This first one was between Secretary Clinton and Dr. Kissinger! It was hosted by Charlie Rose - here's the link. This series is in honor of the lovely rooms that the State Department maintains for diplomatic purposes. The event was held in support of the Patrons of Diplomacy.

Needless to say it was incredible! To be there in the presence of such intelligence and talent was unbelievable! The last few days in class we've covered public speaking and composure under fire - this was seeing it all put in action. Truly a remarkable experience. My colleague has described it very well here.

Of course, I can't let the description go without commenting on the food (foodie alert!). The cocktail reception following the event was quite lovely. The champagne was quite smooth, the company interesting (to say the least!). The hors d'oeuvres were tasty - a nice cheese platter, tasty grilled veggies and sweets (petit fours, truffles, cookies and traditional macaroons). I think there was even some muhammara! The passed tidbits were tasty as well - perfectly cooked chicken satay, lobster / caviar cones, and assorted canapes.

Not only was this a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it took place in the fabulous Benjamin Franklin Room. Here's some information about it that one of my colleagues found in Ambassador Mary Mel French's new book United States Protocol: The Guide to Official Diplomatic Etiquette:

The Benjamin Franklin State Dining Room

            The largest of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms was named after Benjamin Franklin, who is known as the “Father of the American Foreign Service.” This room was completed in 1985 after an architectural redesign by John Blatteau.

            A portrait of Benjamin Franklin, painted by David Martin in London in 1767, hangs at the far end of the room. The room’s long walls are lined with full-standing scagliola (colored and polished plaster) Corinthian columns; engaged columns (columns embedded in a wall and projecting from its surface) adorn the short walls. The decorative plaster ornament of the entablature and the coffered (decorative sunken panels) cove above the entablature are gilded to enhance the appearance of the room. The Great Seal of the United States, formed in plaster and coated in gilt, decorates the center of the ceiling. Eight Adams-style cut-glass chandeliers shine brilliantly to illuminate the room’s features.

            The floor is covered with Savonnerie-style carpet designed especially for the room. The carpet’s design elements include the Great Seal of the United States, symbols of the four important crops of the early republic, the four seasons, and in the field, fifty stars representing the states of the Union. Both foreign and American guests are entertained in the impressive State Dining Room.

I have the best job ever!

GLIFAA Lunch at FSI

2011-04-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

Today was the GLIFAA lunch for incoming A-100 members - and anyone else for that matter.

There were a number of us from our class - allies too! We got to learn about the work that GLIFAA has been doing and what strides Secretary Clinton and her team have made. Things still aren't equal across the board, but the envelope has been pushed out about as far as it can be under current law.

It's important that all of us stand together and work towards equality for all. This is a great organization and I encourage everyone to support the work they do.

And - if you come - you just might get to meet the famous Digger!

Halfway through A-100

2011-04-16T15:27:00.000-07:00

This weekend marks the halfway point for my A-100 class. We've got 3 weeks under our belt and 3 weeks left to go.

The past three weeks have been amazing. I've met and become friends with some pretty cool and interesting people. Some of my classmates have blogs that I'd been following for quite some time. I was quite excited to learn that I'd be in a class with her, and her, and her. And then there are the others that I've gotten to know in class and then found their blogs - here and here. There's also a fellow Californian here and a fellow foodie (who's been giving out some great recommendations) here.

The A-100 orientation team does a tremendous job. Imagine taking a group 60-90 accomplished and competitive individuals from a variety of backgrounds and facilitating their introduction to the State Department and working for the Federal Government. And then add in that one of the goals is to create a bond and trust amongst these varied individuals that will provide them with a solid foundation so that they can excel in this new lifestyle they're beginning.

It's a tall task and the orientation team pulls it off very well. I came into this very excited about joining the Foreign Service and now, at the halfway point, I am even more excited about this new journey I'm taking.

Homesickness

2011-04-07T13:29:00.000-07:00

Last week we attended my son's 1st grade play in his new school. Great school, great teachers, great kids, great play.

But it made me sad. It made me realize how much I miss our old school. The South Berkeley community where we lived is so rich and diverse - it's truly reflective of its citizens. I've known those kids since they were babies and I've enjoyed watching them grow up.

I know I will see them and reconnect each time we come back for home leave. And I know that as we live in various places around the world, we'll get to know the communities there.

But nothing will ever supplant those kids I've known forever. They are very special to me!

The Bid List

2011-03-30T16:56:00.000-07:00

We got our bid lists today! This is the list of all the places we could be assigned to. We'll have a week or so to research the list and identify our priorities and meet with our CDO (Career Development Officer).

I can't share what's on the list (that "need to know" bit), but there are two things I can tell you.

First - the CDOs do an amazing job of preparing us to receive the bid list and understand it and conduct research.

Second - I can tell you that we will likely go to one of these places:

Twas the Night before A-100

2011-03-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

N. and I had gone to the nearby Eden Center to check it out and perhaps get our toes done (my good friend had taught me the importance of having fabulous toes) in honor of our first days at
our new school and job.

I got a call from K. letting me know that they were all right, but that the sirens we were hearing were because our building had had a small explosion in the electrical room (?) causing a nearby car to catch fire and the entire building to lose power. The entire building had been evacuated while they worked to determine the problem.

K. and O. joined us in the Eden Center and we got some snacks while we waited to see what happened. When we returned, we found that we were able to enter the building, but there was no power. So - we got dressed and went off to the great welcoming reception hosted by the 158th class.

At the reception we got to meet lots of members of the 160th. It's such a great group. People from all over with such varied experiences. There are a bunch of us and everyone is so interesting. I'm glad I've got 6 weeks to get to know them better.

When we returned, we found that there was still no power - and that this meant also no water or heat. Now being a good Californian, I always have my emergency flashlight and candles. But with the pack out and weight allowances, they hadn't made it into our luggage! So we headed off to the nearby Safeway to find that they had sold out of candles and flashlights! Luckily Target was also nearby (life in the suburbs!) and we were able to get items there.

The Virginia Power Company worked all night (jack hammers and all) and finally got the power back on around 10 AM the next morning - a bit late for the early risers, but nice to come home to.

Getting dressed the next morning was a bit of a challenge. I was in a new place (so much more difficult to navigate in the dark). Luckily I had showered late the day prior so I could get a way with a sponge bath using the big bottled water we had bought. And I had steamed out my suits and organized my papers the morning before. Putting on makeup in the dark was a challenge (it's quite hard to hold a flashlight so that it doesn't cause shadows).

But I got it together and was out the door while it was still dark and early. Our first day of A-100 was fascinating and that's all I can really say because you don't have a "need to know". Suffice it to say that I'm enjoying it all very much!

Arriving at Oakwood

2011-03-26T13:51:00.000-07:00

After traveling all day we finally arrived at our new home for the next weeks, months ????

We were so exhausted when we got in that night - the kids got to bed at midnight!!!!

Even though we landed at 7, it took until 8:15 to get out of the airport (huge with a train to get to baggage claim), get our bags, get to the rental car and then get the car. Then drove to Oakwood (30 minutes) and got registered there, then got to our place and unloaded. Then we got back in the car (by this time around 10:30) and (after driving in circles) found a big grocery store and got stuff for dinner. It took some time to wind down.

We slept in a bit (of course O. was still up at 7!!!). We then registered both kids for school. N. starts on Monday. There are 6-3rd grade classes. The principal is reviewing her recent report card and will determine which class she'll start in. School for both of them is from 8:30 to 3:30 each day. K. will take N. to school on Monday to get her settled and then after that she'll take the bus. There is a bus stop just for all the Oakwood kids.

O. will start school on Tuesday as he has his reading assessment (1 hour) on Monday. So K. will get N. to the bus stop on Tuesday and then take O. to school on Tuesday. Both schools look great and the people in the office are nice.

Our place is great - each bedroom has it's own bathroom, we have a washer dryer in our walk in closet and a dishwasher in the kitchen. There's a balcony off the living room and our bedroom. They've been renovating Oakwood and I think we've got one of the recently renovated apartments. Here are some pictures of the living room and the kitchen.

The Happiest Place on Earth

2011-03-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

We decided to ease our family's transition away from Berkeley and to the Washington, DC area by spending some time at Disneyland in between the two towns.

I hadn't been to Disneyland for several years and this was the first time for our kids. I was in heaven - I got to revisit a favorite place from my childhood (I grew up in LA so have been often). And I got to share it with my family.

We were lucky with the weather - meaning it rained 2 of the 3 days we were there. You might not think rain is a good thing at Disneyland, but it makes for fairly short lines. The first day we were there, we were able to go on the Jungle Cruise, the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Teacups (a personal favorite!), Autopia (N.'s favorite), Space Mountain, Small World - and that was after getting there late and leaving before dinner.

The next day it rained again. Of course O. and I were not deterred, but K. and N. went back to our hotel to get warm and watch a movie. O. and I hit California Adventures - a first for both of us. O.'s favorite ride was California Screaming - he just loves the roller coasters. I really liked Soaring over California - it reminded me of the IMAX movie at the Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian.

On the third day it was sunny and beautiful and the crowds came out. Yikes!!! Luckily by this time we had been on the rides we'd wanted and could just go back for our favorites.

Space Mountain - always a winner!

The adventure begins

2011-03-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

I didn't think it would start so soon.

Yesterday, we left our home and community of over 10 years and are now on our way eventually ending up in DC and begining our new Foreign Service life.

This morning we're on our way to Disneyland for a proper transition.

The shuttle that took us from our hotel to the airport really highlighted the new life for me. It was packed with all sorts of people from all over the world.

The Brazilian soccer fans quickly established a common language by naming cocktail favorites "...mojito...caipirinha ...".

The guy from Philly pontificated loudly and often (4 times on a 15 minute drive) that "they shoulda taken reservations so we don't hafta be treated like animals".

And all this at 6:30 AM!

We've left our Berkeley bubble and are now out in the big world. Bring it on!

The Packout

2011-03-18T22:11:00.000-07:00

Packing out is probably the most stressful and difficult thing I've had to do as part of this foreign service process.

Now you are quite possibly asking yourself why I chose this job / career / lifestyle is packing out is so difficult.

Harder and more stressful than studying for and taking the written exam; more difficult that the PNQ essays for the QEP; and more intense than the oral assessment this Packout has touched just about every mental nerve I possess.

Sorting and organizing began weeks ago - at least in my head at 4 AM each day. I really couldn't start putting things into piles until this past week. And then our house became so chaotic that it was difficult to have a clear thought or prepare a healthy meal. Which if course contributed to the stressful ADD aspect of all of this.

By the night before the movers came, we were all so tired that all we wanted to do was go home and relax. But of course our home was gone at this point so we went to a hotel and tried to get some rest. I'm so glad I got a hotel with an indoor pool and hot tub!

The packers / movers were so wonderful when they arrived. So calm and soothing- they really put me at ease. I was able to relax for the first time in weeks. And they were so kind as they gently let me know that I had no concept of what 700 pounds of stuff was. At least I got the really important stuff in the air shipment - the kids scooters and toys, our clothes ( well all of the family's and most of mine - who knew clothing weighed so much?), and the TiVo.

Well - I am of course hoping ( and counting on) that it will get better and that I will get better at it. And I figure that since obviously it's an area where I seem to have some issues, this is a good opportunity to address and work on those issues. After all - isn't this one of the many many benefits of this lifestyle - the opportunity to push the envelope and challenge ourselves in ways we hadn't even contemplated. I just hadn't thought it would hit so soon.

But I am so glad it's over for now. Our stuff is packed and in it's way!

Mental Health

2011-03-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last 8 months as the Office Manager at the Mental Health Association of San Francisco.

When I took this position last August, I was interested in it because it was a position that would provide benefits and sustenance for my family and because it was a non-profit who's mission I could support.

The Mental Health Association of San Francisco (MHA-SF) is dedicated to improving the mental health of residents in the diverse communities of San Francisco through advocacy, education, research and service. In all its programs, MHA-SF works together with people and families challenged by mental illness and with the agencies that serve them to promote prevention, access to services, leadership, and independence.

In those 8 months it has become so much more.

I've had the wonderful opportunity to work with some amazing and talented people. The friends I've made I hope will be with me for a long time. They've taught me so much and I'm so excited at the directions that their lives are taking them.

I've learned more about the harm that our stigmas and discrimination cause to our society. And I do mean our society - not individuals. By not seeing and including all the members of our society we really do ourselves a disservice. Everyone has something to bring to the table and a perspective to share and deserves the respect that goes with that contribution. The more that we can take advantage of everyone and everything the world has to offer, the closer we can come to the important truths in life.

I wish my friends and MHA-SF the best as they continue fighting the good fight.

San Francisco

2011-03-13T13:16:00.000-07:00

Lara's Song - the love theme from Dr. Zhivago - that's what the street musician was playing in his saxophone as I walked to Bart on my last night in San Francisco.

I had just left The Slanted Door - a farewell dinner with my friends from the Junior League. As I walked to Bart, the city looked so beautiful. I noticed the lights on the Bay Bridge and the Embarcadero. What a great way to say goodbye to a city that I've lived in and around for over 20 years.

So many great memories and so many great times. The next time I'll be back I'll have a whole load if new experiences and perspectives under my belt.

Drinking the Wine

2011-03-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

When you're in the Foreign Service (or about to be), you know longer pack yourself when you move. There are packers that come and pack your belongings for you. You still have to organize everything, but the packers put it all in the boxes.

You get a booklet that let's you know what all the parameters are. So much weight is aloted to be shipped by air and meets you in a week or so. So much goes by boat or ground and you won't see for perhaps months. You also have restrictions on what you can bring.

For the air shipment, the items must be able to fit within a certain size (so no bikes unless they fold up). You also can't send liquids. Not such a big deal - unless you've got a wine collection.

We've got a few special bottles that we've acquired over the years. With our impending move, we figured now was a good a time as any to open them with good friends and toast life.

The first bottle - Chateau Haut Brion 1983 was given to me by my good friend from college, S., to celebrate my graduation from cooking school. It was delicious!!! And what a treat!

Then we opened this great bottle. A magnum of Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 1995 from our good friend D to celebrate us getting married.

It as a great night toasting and celebrating with friends! We are so lucky to have such wonderful people in our life to share these special times with.

FS Blogs

2011-03-08T16:24:00.000-08:00

When you first become interested in the Foreign Service, you do a lot of research. And to be honest - I think the research aspect never really stops.

The State Department website has some great information and some great tools about becoming a Foreign Service Officer.

But in addition to that - there are the FS Blogs. They are wonderful and a source of so much information. There are blogs written by both male and female FSOs; blogs written by both male and female partners of FSOs; blogs written by straight people; blogs written by gay people; even some blogs written by children of FSOs.

This blog (which is a favorite of mine) has a list of all the FS blogs. There are brief descriptions. Digger also does a welcoming blog post when a new set of bloggers start their A100 class.

This blog (another fav) has organized a weekly round-up where individual bloggers can volunteer to host a round-up and share what's going on across the FS blogosphere. She also has a map of where bloggers are around the world.

The FS blogging community is incredibly rich and supportive. Everyone may not be in the same physical space, but we all share the commonality of this lifestyle. When some has a momentous occurrence - people reach out and are very supportive. It's nice to know you're not alone.

Here are some more if my favorites:

This and this are anonymous blogs that provide rich and cutting commentary and pose great questions and points to ponder.

This is written by a FSO who's also a mom with small kids. I love reading about her experiences - I figure I'm getting a bit of a preview if what's to come.

This blog is funny and poignant and very insightful.

This one is written by the male partner of an FSO. It's important to always remember the sacrifices our partners make to go on this journey with us.

This, this, this, this & this are written by my fellow classmates. I look forward to getting to know them in person.

Check them out. Theres something for everyone.

California

2011-03-08T16:07:00.000-08:00

California is such a great state and I'm so proud and lucky to be from here.

Driving up Highway 99 in the springtime is absolutely beautiful. All the fruit trees are in bloom. There's rolling hills with field after field of pale pink, purple, red, yellow and white. As the petals fall, they create a carpet that looks like snow under the trees. And that's interspersed with the new grass coming up after the rains.

California has so many other magnificent parts - the rugged coastline or the wide beaches or redwoods or the mountains. The San Joaquin Valley that feeds so many often gets upstaged but is truly beautiful. I'm glad I got to go through it in springtime before we take off to see the world.

Mojave and Dryden

2011-03-07T16:17:00.000-08:00

The Mojave Air & Space Port is a big piece of land out in East California very close to Edwards Air Force Base. Many companies and individuals come there to work on their air and space projects. It is a tremendously creative place. People are trying all sorts of whacky things and pulling them off.

The guy that runs it (my cousin) has created a safe supportive environment where people can push the envelope of rockets and space. Everyone there is so focused on the experiments and tests they're doing. It is a joy to watch all that passion being nurtured and exercised.

Mojave has also brought a lot of jobs to this part of the state. There's not much out there, but the folks at the Space Port are constantly looking for ways to create partnerships and bring industry into that community. Old planes come there before they get recycled; metal wheels get refurbished there; long windmill blades are housed there for the nearby wind farm. Numerous jobs have been created, the area is being spruced up - it's great community building!

At NASA Dryden we got to see many of the planes that have made history. Breaking the sound barrier; skimming the endosphere; exploring new galaxies - these are the people and this is the place that make that happen.

We also got to go on the F-18 flight simulator. Wow! It was amazing to sit where our pilots sit and use the same test equipment to practice landing an F-18. I managed to land it with only a few bounces - of course on the easiest setting. My niece spun it head over tail and my dad missed the runway completely on his first attempt. He did get to roll the plane though. It's incredibly challenging and I have tremendous respect for those who pull it off everyday in much more stressful circumstances.

NASA is doing some great things with our tax dollars and they are in line to make even more breakthroughs. You can feel the excitement and enthusiasm of all the people there. They are doing something they love and have passion for and it's incredibly inspiring. The innovations being made and the boundaries being expanded are a amazing. I feel very lucky to have been able to witness it.

Celebrations

2011-03-03T09:10:00.000-08:00

Today my father turns 75.

I am so proud to be his daughter. So much of who I am is from him. Not just my coloring ( thanks for the tannable skin!), but also my attention detail and my follow through. He taught me to analyze and question anything I didn't understand and to never accept something someone says just because of who they are.

We're celebrating by visiting the Mojave Space Port. My cousin (second, third? once / twice removed?) is the main guy there. He's the greatest guy - took us all for a ride in his plane last time we saw him.

And then of course the important birthday meal. Switched to Saturday because that's "lamb day" at the Woolgrowers. Food that tastes the way my grandmother used to make it.

Family is a wonderful thing - it shapes us all in so many ways.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

How We Prepare

2011-03-02T15:37:00.000-08:00

As we are all getting ready for this new adventure we are about to embark on, it's interesting to see the different ways we prepare for it.

For myself, being a control freak, I've been obsessed with organizing and inventorying everything. I lie awake at night thinking about the spices I have and ranking them in order of how frequently I use them. Then I re-rank them in order of how hard they'll be able to find away from Berkeley.

Then there are the nights I obsess about trying to finish every last unfinished project before we go. There's my son's baby book (he's now 7 - second child syndrome). There's the unfinished baby quilt for a good friend's baby (now 6). My mother's photo montage from a family vacation that was taken 4 years ago.

But I think my son has the best way to prepare. Every morning he watches this video. He tells me he wants to learn all about our country in preparation for our adventure.

Packing

2011-02-20T14:10:00.000-08:00

The aspect about moving that most people hate is the packing. No matter how organized you think you are, when you get down to it, there are still a lot of items to put into boxes and transport somewhere.

One of the (many) great things about joining the Foreign Service is that you are packed. Professional movers come to your house and pack your things. It sounds wonderful and I'm sure it is. I am definitely looking forward to not having to get everything safely stowed away in boxes.

But - even though this great team of people will come to my house in a few weeks to pack up all of our stuff and ship it to our new home, I still have to get it all organized. And I don't mean just organized in my head with an idea of what goes where. I have to organized things in piles (really rooms). And I have to inventory everything. Yikes!

I have to organize stuff into what we'll take with us on the plane (clothes, things we'll need right away, etc.). Then there's the stuff that will come to our new home fairly quickly - maybe within 2 weeks. And then there's the stuff that we won't see until we get to our new post - which might not be for many months. And then, there's the stuff that will stay in storage for years - the things we don't want to risk losing. Lots of different choices for lots of different things.

Some of the stuff is pretty easy. Of course we'll need our clothes. But - will we be in DC long enough to need our winter clothes? And what about holiday decorations? I just put away all the Christmas stuff. The place we'll be living in DC doesn't have a ton of room and I don't want to fill it up with stuff we don't need. And then there are the kitchen items. The place in DC is furnished, so we shouldn't need pots and pans. But that said, I'm a cook. I love cooking and it relaxes me. So, bring the Cuisinart and the KitchenAid but not the crockpot or the bread maker? Yes to the pressure cooker (how else would I make beans for fish tacos?) So many decisions.

Then there's the stuff for long term storage - the items we won't take to post. Again - some stuff is easy. The kids baby stuff that I've kept to pass on to their kids - definitely long term storage. But photos are hard. I want to have them with me but they're probably safer remaining in storage. Digital photos are easy, of course, but the older photos. . . And then the artwork that makes our home our home - what to do about that. So many decisions and which is the right choice?

It's so easy to quickly become obsessed with making the right decision. Wanting to know how it's going to be, what I / we will want 6, 12, 18 months from now. But then that brings me back to crux of all of this. We just don't know. This is a lot about letting go and seeing where life takes you.

And that's the adventure.

Getting the Call

2011-02-11T16:51:00.000-08:00

I got the call this week. The call that I had been waiting for and hoping for for just over a year now. On Monday, I got an email from the State Department inviting me to join the 160th Junior Officer Class.

And it's been quite a week since then. On Tuesday, I reserved our place to live; on Wednesday I registered the kids at their new school; on Thursday I scheduled our packout date. And today I've been wading through masses of information.

It has been quite a long journey over the past year. Lots and lots of waiting, nail-biting, studying, and preparing. And now it's a whirlwind. We have about a month to get our home ready to be packed, to say goodbye to friends and family and to move our entire family to Washington, DC.

This time last year K. and I were both busy looking for jobs. We had been out of work since our restaurant-movie theater business of over 12 years closed due to the recession. Big life changes give you an opportunity to really think about what you want. I've always wanted to live overseas with my family and really get to know a country - or ideally several countries. My favorite part of our business was the community building aspect. As I looked for jobs and thought about what I wanted to do with my life now that I had to start over, I came across information about becoming a Foreign Service Officer. The more I learned about it, the more excited I was. K. agreed that we could give it a try.

So, I filled out the application and began the process. There are many blogs that describe the process. Suffice it to say that it's a long shot. There are many tests and many hurdles to pass and at any step of the way you can not pass and have to start over. I certainly wasn't holding my breath that this would all work out. I kept looking for jobs while I did my best to prepare for the various hurdles. My daughter was so excited that I felt it was important to remind her that very few people every make it all the way. She said, "Mommy - you just gotta have faith!" I love the optimism of kids - and her faith has been justified - we're about to start on our next great adventure.

Secrets of Adulthood

2011-02-08T13:45:00.000-08:00

Good friends of ours recently celebrated the 18th birthday of their oldest child. To honor the occasion, another good friend had the wonderful idea of collecting our own version of "Secrets of Adulthood" (from The Happiness Project).

Here are mine:

Just in Time - things have a way of showing up just when you really need them - not when you thought you did. Be patient, relax and see advice #2
Have Faith - it may not turn out the way you think it should at the time, but it will be fine - and may even take you to new places that expand your horizons.
Follow the Instructions - if you really do, it usually comes out the way its supposed to.
When in doubt, take a deep breath, get grounded, and then listen to the teacher inside you.
Stay on it - the little baby steps really add up. And can create momentum.
Participation makes life more fun.
Absolutely nothing can change or take away the love that your family and real friends feel for you. And that is all that is important.
Ask for what you want. Get clear, be concise and direct - and use your words to ask for what you want - whether it's to a person or to the universe - put it out there. If you don't ask - no one will know what you want.

These last few years have been really hard for so many families and communities. The impact of the economy has pushed people to the edge. I have had occasion to rely on all of my "secrets" time and again. They are what has gotten me through.

And so it begins . . .

2011-02-04T16:11:00.000-08:00

I'm not really a writer and while I've enjoyed reading other people's blogs, it hadn't ocurred to me to start one of my own. But then I came across the letters I had written to my grandfather when K. and I were building our theater. Reading those brought it all back to me and it was wonderful to have that record - both of the beginnings of our business, and the beginnings of our relationship.

Sojourn means a temporary stay, or to stay somewhere temporarily. I feel as though I've had many sojourns in my life. There are, of course, the ones we all share - growing up, high school and college years, etc. After college, it seems as though I've had so many different experiences - either linked with a particular job or career field - chef, entrepreneur, non-profit organizations; or with a location - Berkeley, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. The worlds, or sojourns, can seem incredibly varied and at times even unrelated. But they are all aspects of me.

Going forward, I'm hoping to write about the changes and experiences that are going on, and to also record some of the experiences that have happened in the recent past. It's been a wild roller-coaster these last few years.

Pop has since moved on from this world, but I like the idea of writing down what's going on in this life and my sojourns to come.