Wonderful, wonderful week...

It's been a very busy week and I am so glad to see that I have some followers eager for an update! Moving, new daycare, new jobs has made us all feel overwhelmed and at times a bit cranky. We made it although I haven't felt this busy in a very long time. This whole experience has been invigorating. There have been ups and downs. My husband had good and bad news. The German test was a wash - what a disappointment, but he scored higher on his written test this time around - here's hoping for a stellar OA score. I personally believe he's got all the right stuff for the job and he knows WAY more history, geography, and politics than I do but it is all in the timing.

Here we are in Virginia...

We made it! It's been nearly a week of packing, moving, driving, visiting, and adjusting to changes. There were a couple bumps in the road, but otherwise everything went well. Packers arrived Monday to pack our clothes, books, and toys for the unaccompanied air baggage. They also packed the rest of our belongings for long-term storage. They were courteous and professional. The movers came Tuesday with a tractor trailer to take away our 5500 pounds of household effects and furniture. Our neighbors weren't happy to have the road blocked, but the guys were fast. We were impressed by the service as this was our first experience using professionals to haul our stuff.

The only real bummer is that our unaccompanied air baggage hasn't arrived yet and we don't have an ETA for it. This would be fine if I hadn't packed all our work clothes and our son's entire wardrobe and many of his toys in that shipment. I assumed it would be delivered prior to the start of orientation on Monday. Lessons learned: don't make any assumptions about air shipments and be prepared for the first few days! I guess we have to get used to these things. Luckily there's an H&M nearby.

Our son visited his new daycare today at FSI and got really excited about starting school. He made friends with the security officer and with the assistant director. It's a lovely facility - spacious, clean, and everyone is very friendly.

Everything starts Monday - new jobs and new schools - we're all a bit nervous, but optimistic.

Update - 2.5 Weeks Until the FSS Orientation

Back in the States and getting ready for the big move to Virginia. I've got most of the pre-employment forms completed and signed, except for the few that require witnesses. On Saturday my husband's friends from work will be hosting a party for him as he prepares to transfer his job to DC. He will be so relieved to cut his commute time in half. He took the German language test again last week as well as the FSOT. We're encouraged by the good news from The B Files and will continue to patiently wait for his invitation.

I had a bad scare yesterday when I was informed that my check out date for Oakwood will be in November at the end of the initial three weeks of training. I frantically called my HR representative (who deserves an award for patiently fielding questions from me) and was reassured that IRO training will keep me in the Washington, DC area at least until January. I had it in my head that we would be there until the end of April, hence my need to get our son into the FSI daycare. Several emails later, I think the right people know about my extended training and we should be set. In the end, how long we will be in DC will depend on our first post and whether I will need language training.

For now we are trying to enjoy our last two weeks in Michigan. The weather is gorgeous and we have some favorite autumn activities like getting apple cider and pumpkin donuts, going on hayrides, and visiting the places we haven't had a chance to yet, like the Ypsilanti Firehouse Museum.

Thousands of Miles Away

I'm visiting family in Romania this month and the experience has me musing about how much the country has changed in twenty years. I vaguely remember my first trip back in 1990 after the exciting and violent events of the Christmas before. We rented a car in Vienna and drove east through the night eager to see people we had left behind a decade earlier. The streets were pitch dark and there were very few cars on the road. The village houses barely had running water and outhouses were the norm. There was a sugar shortage and the stores were empty. Locating a gas station was a real feat. Yet the people were warm, inviting, and hospitable. Twenty years later, there are still horse led carriages in the nearest town, but so much has changed. Highways have been built, buildings have been renovated, stores of all kinds opened. The changes have been gradual and I have been lucky to have witnessed them over the years. I hope that my experiences here will serve me well as I live in and travel to new places in the near future.

Air Shipment

Yikes! Our air shipment survey came up twice the authorized weight which is currently 600 pounds with three family members. I have to re-think the children's furniture and the toys. Not a big deal. We signed up for this lifestyle knowing that we would not always have access to our belongings. It reminds me of my minimalist days teaching in Eastern Europe after college on $40 a month. I love a challenge!

In other news, we went to see the Wiggles yesterday which was such a treat for our son. He and I leave for Romania on Tuesday. I can't believe it's late August already. I also virtually met another IRO candidate starting in October and she's a tandem!

Household Survey

Things are moving so quickly. Today a representative from the moving company is coming over to survey our belongings for pack out in October. The house is a mess and I'm blogging. Not sure I have my priorities straight!

Hodgepodge

There is a lot on my mind today. I have been combing through the various Foreign Service related yahoo groups for information about the Oakwood apartments, daycare options, residency, pack out, and so on. I thought I would compile a list of the groups I'm currently subscribed to:
Foreign Service Specialists (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Foreign_Service_Specialists/)
FSSCareers (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FSSCareers/)
fsoa (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fsoa)
FSparent (http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/FSparent)
FS_FallsChurch (http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/FS_FallsChurch)
livelines (http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/livelines)
statetandems (http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/statetandems)

These lists are jam packed with resources and interesting tidbits about all things Foreign Service. For many of the groups, you do need to provide your full name and an explanation of your interest in the group.

Since my future position will involve the management of information resource centers, I have been reading Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman's First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently. The book is based on results of a gigantic study of 80,000 managers conducted by the Gallup Organization. Its insights make sense for any organization and any level of supervision, whether in a classroom or in a large, hierarchical organization. My favorite quote is from page 184 "create heroes in every role." I'm also re-reading Robert Stueart and Barbara Moran's Library and Information Center Management. I have taught lessons on leadership with this book and have found it to be a good overall resource. The online resources that accompany the text are helpful in their practical application of some of the theory.


Finally, I have been re-visiting my interest in essential oils. Lately, I've been hearing about bedbugs a lot. On NPR, in the New York Times, for example. I had a nasty encounter with these parasites in a Prague hostel many years ago. On top of that, I had an allergic reaction to the bites - not fun. Essential oils can be a terrific, natural defense against any of these critters. I use a home-made bug repellant based on lemongrass, lavender, and thyme from Valerie Ann Worwood's fantastic resource The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy. Essential oils, however, are not limited to bug repellants. I use them to deter me from biting my nails (a nervous, life-long habit) and simultaneously help them grow strong and lengthy. I have been using organic personal care products that contain lavender and find that geranium oil is great in the bath after a long day. I use them for cleaning and mix them with water in spray bottles to freshen up a room in no time. Many of the oils (like lavender) have antiseptic and antibacterial qualities so you protect yourself from germs and pests rather easily. I'm not sure of their availability oversees so I will have to stock up before we leave the States. I think that's enough of my ramblings for today.