Hello All!!
sorry for the long delay - and no photos yet. I dont have internet at home (hope to get it installed this week). then i can download photos and put them on the blog. We cannot download outside data on government computers, so although I have internet I am a bit restricted in its use.
Otto and I made it safely to Ouagadougou (via London). We are getting settled. We have a lovely house. Great swimming pool - which Otto lives in. Work is BUSY. Otto really likes his school. It is hot here, but pleasant.
We are a bit isolated where we live - close to the Embassy, but about 20 minutes from the center of town. Things will improve once we get our car - but that will be a few months. Otto's dad is coming for a visit next week, and we will try to rent a car and get out of town.
Everyone has been great and very welcoming to us. We have had lots of invites for dinner and events. We had a very nice Thanksgiving with a family who lives just down the street from us. We have neighbors across the street with 2 boys (5 and 6 yo, Otto said it is just like at home with our neighbors Rhys and Kai).
Pictures soon and Otto will update his blog as soon as we have home internet. And then we can start skyping as well.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Outta Here!!
We are spending our last couple of hours in our hotel room, waiting to go to the airport. in the end everything did fall into place. except one of my colleagues who was supposed to fly with us tonight; didnt get his visa at the last minute (but then did, long story, true to our new life in the foreign service). And i havent had a good night sleep in days.
speaking of my colleagues. we are now all going our separate way after an intense 8 weeks together. we are not sure how we will all survive without each other to help fill in the blanks. We were like a group of orphans put on an island together and we had to figure out how to survive and flourish.
These are some of my beloved colleagues. just as crazy as i would hope. much like many of my colleagues in the past. ;)
i am so happy to be heading out. Otto arrived on Saturday and we had a nice weekend. not too busy except for some final packing. had time to catch a movie and see some of the historic sites.
From here on out I hope things will get much more interesting. better pictures and better stories. thanks for hanging in there during these dull 8 weeks of training. Let the adventure begin...
speaking of my colleagues. we are now all going our separate way after an intense 8 weeks together. we are not sure how we will all survive without each other to help fill in the blanks. We were like a group of orphans put on an island together and we had to figure out how to survive and flourish.
i am so happy to be heading out. Otto arrived on Saturday and we had a nice weekend. not too busy except for some final packing. had time to catch a movie and see some of the historic sites.
From here on out I hope things will get much more interesting. better pictures and better stories. thanks for hanging in there during these dull 8 weeks of training. Let the adventure begin...
Friday, November 12, 2010
Riding on the Sidewalk
I do love DC, but 8 weeks is about enough. The weather here rivals the good old PNW. but i have to admit, there are a few things that make me a little nutty. so i thought I would share:
lots of people smoke - in public, where i am walking.
people bicycle on the side walks!! and dont wear helmuts!! this could be my next public health mission.
the traffic is like nothing i have seen before (1.5 hours to go about 12 miles the other evening)
the lines at the grocery stores are like nothing i have seen before. at the Trader Joe's across the street sometimes the line is about 1/8 mile long, esp on Sundays. I am not joking, it snakes the entire store and out the door. i tried to take a photo, but it didnt work.
People are way too fancy - coats, shoes, suits, hair, blah, blah, blah. less money to spend on gear.
no IPA on tap. i have to walk over a mile to get any decent beer (but the Whole Foods does carry my fav Caldera IPA in cans).
I finally found a cafe that sells good coffee (stumptown, cafe intelligensia), only to end up paying $2.50 for a 12 oz americano and 14 bucks for 12 oz of beans. and I got a bit of attitude from the barista (dude, i live in PDX).
Portland food ROCKS. there are some want-to-be's here, but they are few and far between (and expensive).
bottom line. Portland has it all and we are very lucky...those of us who live there.
having ranted a bit, this is my last weekend here and i will enjoy it to the fullest!!
lots of people smoke - in public, where i am walking.
people bicycle on the side walks!! and dont wear helmuts!! this could be my next public health mission.
the traffic is like nothing i have seen before (1.5 hours to go about 12 miles the other evening)
the lines at the grocery stores are like nothing i have seen before. at the Trader Joe's across the street sometimes the line is about 1/8 mile long, esp on Sundays. I am not joking, it snakes the entire store and out the door. i tried to take a photo, but it didnt work.
People are way too fancy - coats, shoes, suits, hair, blah, blah, blah. less money to spend on gear.
no IPA on tap. i have to walk over a mile to get any decent beer (but the Whole Foods does carry my fav Caldera IPA in cans).
I finally found a cafe that sells good coffee (stumptown, cafe intelligensia), only to end up paying $2.50 for a 12 oz americano and 14 bucks for 12 oz of beans. and I got a bit of attitude from the barista (dude, i live in PDX).
Portland food ROCKS. there are some want-to-be's here, but they are few and far between (and expensive).
bottom line. Portland has it all and we are very lucky...those of us who live there.
having ranted a bit, this is my last weekend here and i will enjoy it to the fullest!!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Big Weekend - The Rally and Halloween
Otto and I did go to the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear last weekend. The best parts were the hilarious signs and costumes.
This is a photo of us in the metro...which we did not take because it was so packed. I overheard someone say this week that it was a record number of riders on the day of the Rally.
We couldn't see or hear anything, so it was a bit of a let down. Otto was bored. but for me the most amazing thing was being around that many people all at once. living in the PNW, i dont think we have that opportunity because there just aren't that many people. i think it was good for Otto to experience an event like this.
Hard to capture this on the iphone (my only camera), but 7th street was completely taken over by rally goers and the mass of people seemed to go on forever.
As for Halloween. Otto and I went to the kid-friendly neighborhood of a friend's. Otto got way too much candy (that is my opinion, certainly not his) with very little effort. he also got to give out candy by way of a chute from the top of the stairs at our friend's house, that then shot the candy out of the devil's tongue (see below). very cool, the kids just went nuts over it.
The very scary and convincing Otto as Death. maybe not the best costume for such a family friendly neighborhood. he had to take of the hood a number of times to reassure small children dressed as princesses and super heroes.
We couldn't see or hear anything, so it was a bit of a let down. Otto was bored. but for me the most amazing thing was being around that many people all at once. living in the PNW, i dont think we have that opportunity because there just aren't that many people. i think it was good for Otto to experience an event like this.
there are people in the trees!!
As for Halloween. Otto and I went to the kid-friendly neighborhood of a friend's. Otto got way too much candy (that is my opinion, certainly not his) with very little effort. he also got to give out candy by way of a chute from the top of the stairs at our friend's house, that then shot the candy out of the devil's tongue (see below). very cool, the kids just went nuts over it.
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