Getting our stuff!

Over a year ago, we packed up our things in Berkeley in preparation for our new life in the Foreign Service.  At that time, we divided our stuff into several categories - that which we'd bring with us in suitcases, that which would come to us in Virginia (and could only be 750 pounds total), that which would meet us in whichever country we were assigned to (7000 pounds) and items that would stay in storage.

We said goodbye to a lot our stuff (pictures, blankets, books, games, kitchen equipment, dishes, glassware, etc.) for a year - all the things that help make your living space a home.  The things we took with us to Virginia were our clothes and the super special items that can help a place feel more homelike - our special red blanket, the refrigerator magnets, a few family games and toys.  But most of it went into storage waiting for our arrival at post.

We arrived in Brazil in January, but we haven't gotten our stuff until now.  Part of that is the time it takes physically for things to arrive (our stuff shipped literally on a big ship arrived at the end of February), part of that is the time it takes for items to go through not one country's bureaucracy, but two countries' bureaucracy, and part of that is because when I left to get medical care, no one was sure if I'd be able to come back.  So everything has taken even longer than usual.

But - we've finally received all of our stuff!  Our UAB (Unaccompanied Air Baggage) arrived just 1 day before our HHE (Household Effects).  We then spent the next four days (weekend plus you get two days of administrative leave to unpack your things!) unpacking tons of boxes.  Things we hadn't seen in forever.  Things we had forgotten we had.  Things we've outgrown.  We got it all!

There were boxes everywhere.
 And everything was very carefully wrapped.  So - unpacking yielded lots and lots of packing material that needed to be crushed back into boxes.  Luckily - we had two very motivated helpers!

Finally it was all unpacked! And it all looks so good with our wonderful tangerine walls - we call it our Tangerine Dream!

They came and hung our pictures and it's all finally looking like home.  It's so nice to see our pictures and books and games again.  It's super nice to have our kitchen stuff - our plates and tablecloths, our spices, our kitchen appliances.  We've been playing lots of games and cooking up a storm!

Manatees and a day at the beach

Now that I'm back in Brazil, we're trying to settle in to some sort of routine.  Of course, since we still don't have our stuff or our car (that's right, we're still living from the same 2 suitcases each we brought to Brazil 4 months ago!), we can't totally settle in.  But we can try to have regular adventures.

We try each weekend to have one day of adventure.  We've been lucky to be able to borrow a car most weekends and we generally head out to explore on Sundays.  Saturdays are usually the day to run errands and hang out at home.

Itamaracá is located north of Recife - about 40 km north of Recife - or about an hour drive.  We headed up there one Sunday, driving past Olinda and onto BR101 north.  Going through the neighborhoods we noticed that almost every street corner had vendors selling grilled chicken.  The charcoal grills were set up just about everywhere.

We drove north for a while and then headed east toward the coast.  Eventually we arrived at the island of Itamaracá.  First we started at the manatee preserve.  It was neat to see the manatees and even better to learn that they only spend 2 years at the preserve and then they are introduced back into the wild.  Manatee in Brazilian Portuguese is peixe boi - or fish cow.

After visiting the preserve, it was time for swimming and lunch.  At the end of the road past the preserve was a dirt parking lot.  

We were able to park our car and the guys there arranged for a speed boat to take us across the water.  

We arrived at a little island with beach restaurants along the sand.  The island was about 50 ft wide with lots of tables and hammocks on one side and a few tables on the other.  Water all around with speed boats and jet skis on one side and quiet swimming on the other - paradise.

We relaxed, had some caipirinhas,  caipiroskas, and suco de limao.  We order some isca - which is a type of fish.  It was cut into smaller pieces and fried - like mini fish and chips or popcorn fish and came with french fries  - just delicious!










It was a wonderful day.

Other blogs and provocative language

When I first thought about joining the Foreign Service, the place I looked first to get an idea of what it would be like was the blogosphere.  There are a lot of FS people out there blogging about their lives in the Foreign Service.  All sorts of topics are covered: gay/straight; married/single; with and without kids / pets / etc.  Basically - there's something for everyone.

The Foreign Service Blogosphere is also a great community.  Fellow bloggers comment on each other's blogs and offer help and advice - or just words of support.  We may not all be going through the same things at the same times, but many of the issues or complications can be similar.  And - if it hasn't happened to you yet, it may someday.

There is one blog in particular that I had read with avid interest from the beginning.  Perhaps because it was about a family.  Perhaps because when I started reading about them, they had been living in the East Bay near where I was living.  Perhaps because it was interesting and heartfelt and honest.  Either way, I began following it regularly. Many of the posts were about Foreign Service issues, and many were just about family issues - but it was all pertinent and gave me a great perspective.

And then came the October posts where they faced some very serious challenges.  I followed along, reading everything and hoping for the best as they coped with many challenges.  And I was gladdened to read about the support they received from fellow bloggers, the FS community and the State Department.

Fast forward to this January when I learned that I had to face similar challenges.  Luckily for me, the challenges haven't been nearly as intense, but they've been scary nonetheless.  I went back and reread all the posts again.  It was so helpful to get information - both about the State Department, and ideas about coping with my own health issues.

As I blogged about what was going on with me, I too got a lot of support from the FS blogging community.  I even heard from the person who's blog had helped me so much.  We began to correspond, I got some great advice and tips.  And when I was in DC for treatment, we were even able to get together for dinner.

Her experience has been very helpful and informative for me - as a member of the Foreign Service community - and as a person.

Interestingly, this past week, her blog came under fire as she continued to blog about her health issues and the details involved.  Information that I have always found interesting and more recently found to be incredibly helpful and applicable suddenly became controversial.  A word that I associate with love and sustenance suddenly was taboo.  I abhor censorship and find it incredibly sad when words in our language become taboo.  Nipples provide sustenance and pleasure.  That's all.  They don't promote hate - they promote love.  Why would they ever be banned?

The controversy set off quite a storm both within the Foreign Service blogosphere and the larger internet world as well.

It seems we like learning and knowing about the whole experience, not just a limited range.  And making certain words taboo is unacceptable.

Frozen Yogurt and Cheesemakers

Some new friends of our introduced us to a locally owned trio of businesses very near our house.  Campo da Serra.

All three stores are owned by a family that has a local farm and makes their own cheese and other milk products.  The frozen yogurt is lovely - simple and tangy with just a hint of sweetness.  You get to choose from an array of toppings - fresh fruit and fruit sauces, chocolate, granola, etc.

They also have a bakery producing breads and muffins.

It's a lovely place to have a treat on a weekend afternoon.


 Or a great place to go for breakfast.  Their café da manhã (Brazilian breakfast) comes with two types of cheese, crackers, bread and pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), fresh fruit, mini muffins, coffee and a wonderful yogurt, fruit and granola.  It's plenty for two or more.  There is also fresh fruit juice available - whatever is fresh.  The other day we had caja and acerola juice.   Yummy!

That's My Boss

Meryl Streep does a wonderful tribute to Hillary Clinton - my boss!

  

And then there's this:

How cool is she??