The results are in...

In October, I'll be going to Phnom Penh, Cambodia!

 

 

Don't feel bad if you can't remember where Cambodia is - that's what the map is for

Until I leave, I'll be doing some job-specific training and getting paid to learn a language that doesn't match my ethnicity (Khmer)...which I'm pretty excited for.

In case my excitement doesn't translate in writing, I've compiled a list entitled Reasons why this posting is amazing.

Here it is:


Reasons why this posting is amazing

1. Phnom Penh has a huge, young, socially active expat community 
2. The city offers everything you could possibly want...mostly costing $1
3. My house/apartment will be big enough to host all of my friends on their South-East Asian travels
4. Cambodian food
5. I get to spend the summer in DC living in my free housing...which includes a pool
6. I'll finally get to drive a scooter
7. Unless by choice, I won't see another winter until 2012
8. Travel to see colleagues in other SE Asian countries will be cheap & easy
9. I'll be going to post with a friend from A-100
10. I don't think I'll ever get tired of surprising people with my amazing Khmer which I will obviously have

I have more, but the list looks better as a set of 10.

On the Eve of Flag Day

In less than 24 hours, I'll know what I'll be doing for the next year at the minimum - and 3 years at the max. This is insane...I haven't had that much stability since high school!  I'll have to adjust a bit, but it might be nice to actually be able to plan for my not-so-immediate future.

and of course, it will definitely be nice to know when I'm leaving and where I'm going! 


For now, on this eve of Flag Day when I am still completely unaware of my pre-determined future, all I can do is have faith that those who are making the decisions will treat me kindly.  I must have faith in my ability to make the best out of any situation, and I must remember that even the worst tour will only last 2 years. 

Wish me luck!

...unless you're Russian...then think bad thoughts about me!

...like off a menu in a restaurant

Just as I submitted my bid list, a colleague reminded me to cherish this moment and to:

"take a moment to really consider the unique and extraordinary opportunity you have today - you are poring over a list of exotic, mysterious, and romantic locations around the world and you get to pick, like off a menu in a restaurant, where it is you want to go!"

...so lucky in so many ways.

And now the waiting game begins - Jan 29 can't come quickly enough!

Back from Boston

Going back to Boston and falling back into (2-week) old habits this weekend helped me realize two things:

A.  I am actually excited for my new life
B.  My friends are ridiculous and amazing and I love them

Also, my bid list is due in less than 48 hours, and 9 days thereafter I will know what I will be doing and in which country I will be living for the next 1-3 years.  No pressure.

If Procrastination was a country, I'd be Ambassador

A-100 is a bit of a black box: Input Human -Output Diplomat/Bureaucrat/International Person of Mystery

Before I started, I kept thinking that I would include a detailed description of what goes on during this magical five weeks at FSI.  Of course, that was before I started.  Even though I get home by 6:00PM every day and have much fewer distractions down here in DC than I did in Boston, finding the time to blog isn't as easy as it seems.  Between preferences, post research and the ever-daunting bid list, I can barely find the time to unpack! The good news there is that I'll probably have to do another packout soon anyway.  Fortunately, I also have lots of required reading to do. Years of graduate study have helped me to perfect my procrastination skills, and thus I am blogging (with some wine and old SVU episodes) instead of reading about how to write.  Now comes the challenge of finding something to blog about...

...how about DC?

Culture Shock :: Back to Reality

Last Thursday, I made it to the Culture Shock DC weekly class with Cecile.  I don't know if it was the company, the class or the fact that the combo spoke to exactly what I was feeling at the time, but it was like an instant sanity check.  Suddenly, everything seemed to make sense - including the importance of dance in my life. I just hope my CDO sees it the same way and sends me somewhere with a good class to take!

The class itself was great - the instructor was hilarious and the combo was challenging but not impossible.  It was also great to see that the hip hop dance community is alive and well in DC - I will definitely be taking more classes with them as long as I'm in the area.

Friday was a failure - Saturday not so much...depending on your definition


Since I didn't go out on Friday, I had to make up for it on Saturday.  It started as a dinner with some new colleagues at Souk on H st.  The original plan was to go to Sticky Rice, but the place was way too packed for a group of almost 20...the change of plans ended up being for the best, as Souk hit the trifecta: delicious, authentic, and cheap.  Next up was The H St Country Club for some skee-ball, Big Buck Hunter (Pro!) and bonding.  By the end of the night, I had:

1.  Showcased my mad Big Buck Hunting skilzzzzzzzzz
2.  Discovered the fratty Hong Kong of DC in Rock and Roll Hotel
3.  Danced with Teeny/Polly Pocket/TamTam
4.  Met a lumber jack
5.  Investigated yet another escalator mystery
6.  Met some really fun people
7.  Became convinced that, while not as fun as Boston, DC can actually be a good time.

ok - now it might actually be time to earn my keep and do some reading.

Back to Boston this weekend!

New Year, New Life

It's Friday night and I'm staying in...this might be a first. It's also the end of my first week in the Foreign Service, meaning that I'm 20% through the basic training and less than a month away from knowing where and when I'll be going next.  Thanks to that realization, moving into a big apartment all by myself, getting my bid list, finally getting to a dance class, and a visit from my parents, I've been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster.  In the past seven days, I've been nervous, excited, completely overwhelmed, relieved, desperately lonely and surrounded by friends and family - sometimes all at the same time. I think I deserve a night in with some trashy TV.

Hopefully I'll have the energy for an actual update soon!