A BIG WEEK AHEAD!

I’ve been here for one month now and am 2/3 of the way through the initial training program.  I’ve done A LOT in these first few weeks – both in and out of work. 

At work, our class was invited to a swearing-in ceremony for the new Under Secretary for Political Affairs in one of the diplomatic reception rooms.  Secretary Kerry gave the remarks and I was 20 feet away!  There were probably a couple hundred people in the room and I occasionally looked around thinking, “Do they know they let ME in here?” 

The diplomatic reception room where we attended the swearing in ceremony.

My new boss!  

Outside of work, my class has continued to pull together fun social events and outings.  Last weekend, a bunch of us went to a Nationals game.  It was a beautiful spring day – perfect for sitting in the sun, talking with new friends, having a beer… oh, and occasionally watching a baseball game.  (The home team won... after a 16-inning, 6-hour marathon.  I made it until the bottom of the 10th before I called it a day.)  Before the game, we gathered at a spot right outside the ballpark called the Bullpen which is a huge open-air area with drinks and music… and cornhole.  An entire field of cornhole with about 20 games going.  These “fields of cornhole” are all over DC.  We went to an indoor bar a few weeks ago that had a giant basement area filled with all sorts of games, including about 15 cornhole lanes.  Who knew?

Go Nats! 

Fields of cornhole.

My friend Meg was in town for a couple days and stayed with me.  She came with me to a happy hour with a bunch of my classmates yesterday evening, and then to a coffee and gelato tasting this morning.  It was organized by one of my colleagues whose family owns a chain of gelato shops here in DC.  The perks of this job just keep coming!  We had a great visit, and I really enjoyed melding my Portland world into my DC world.  I realized I haven’t left Portland behind – I’ve just made my world bigger.

Coffee and gelato - breakfast of champions!

Now, on to the week ahead.  And it’s a BIG one!  On Friday, we’ll find out our assignment – what post we’ll be going to and when – in a ceremony called “Flag Day.”  It’s called that because we get presented with a little flag of the country we’ll be going to.  Family and friends are invited to attend, and Andrew and my parents will be coming.  I’m glad they’ll all be here to help celebrate!  …or to provide emotional support.  J

I have a poll going at the very bottom of the main page of this blog (on the web version – not mobile view) where you can cast your vote as to what continent we’ll end up on.  Mark your calendars and plan to check back here on Friday to see if you’re right!  I’ll be sure to announce our destination on here that evening.  In the meantime, keep your fingers crossed for us…

SETTLING IN

I’ve been in DC for two weeks now, and I just finished my second week of training.  I’m getting pretty well settled in, and so far, so good.  The training days have been pretty long and filled with lots of information to absorb and things to learn, so that has been keeping me busy.

Andrew joined me here last Wednesday.  He has been taking advantage of some of the classes that the Foreign Service Institute offers for family members.  He’ll head back to Portland on Monday to get our house packed up (which we are renting - we had tenants lined up within two days of the rental being advertised) and then come back to DC permanently in a month or so.

Last week, we got a list of possible posts where we could be assigned, and we’ve been doing lots of research on all of them.  Not a lot of garden spots on this list, but if you like malaria and Mexico border towns, we have got some great options for you!  They let us rank all of the options as high, medium, and low, and those rankings are due on Monday… but ultimately, we go where they tell us to go.  On May 6, we’ll find out where we’re headed and when we’re headed there.

My fellow classmates are a really interesting group of people.  Lots of younger mid-career types, but also, lots of second career types, like myself.  Retired military personnel, recovering lawyers, PhDs… you name it, they’re in this class.  We’ve been getting to know each other through a multitude of after-hours events that have been planned – happy hours, museum trips, even a wedding reception!  Yes, one of my classmates got married today and has invited all of us to a “reception” they’re having at a bar on the waterfront.  We're heading there later this afternoon. 

Andrew and I have been having fun exploring our new (temporary) city together in the evenings and on weekends.  We were able to get together with long-time friends the Culvers who were in DC for spring break last week.  We’ve taken lots of walks through the monuments and a couple of the museums in DC.  We even happened upon a filming for NCIS in front of the White House!  The cherry blossom festival has been going on for the last couple weeks, and even though the cherry blossoms are a bit past prime now, there are tons of other flowers in full bloom.  The weather has been amazing this past week – true spring days – and we’ve been making the most of our free time outdoors before the heat and humidity of the summer arrives and forces us inside.

Heading out now to enjoy some more of the beautiful weather and rest up a bit before the frenzy of training starts up again on Monday…

The Capitol with tulips in their full glory

The "Castle" (The Smithsonian's visitors center) with its gorgeous garden

Inside the Library of Congress - one of the prettiest buildings in DC, I think

The reading room at the Library of Congress

The Washington Monument - and tons of blue sky!

Mark Harmon!

Us!  (And the White House)

GREETINGS FROM WASHINGTON, DC!

I was fortunate to be able to spend the month of March doing many of the things I love to do in Portland with many of the people I love doing them with.  I revisited favorite restaurants and bars, played (and won!) pub trivia, karaoke-ed, hiked in Forest Park and the coast, and made a dent in our wine inventory – all while spending time with the fantastic friends I made over the last 12+ years in Portland.  It was a great way to say goodbye (for the time being) to Portland and all the people – and dogs! – I love there. 

Trivia champions!  Ironic... since our team's name was "We Are Number 2"

Andrew busting out a karaoke tune

Towards the end of the month, movers came to pack up most of my clothes and personal items for the apartment in DC, and I packed up what was left last week.  (Not an easy task, and it required some furious last-minute repacking at the airport to stay in the checked bag weight limits.)  I had breakfast at the airport with Andrew (who will join me in DC next week) and my parents before boarding my one-way flight to DC on Friday morning.  Waiting in line for security was the first time I’d gotten a lump in my throat all month.  But it really was fleeting because (1) I know I’ll be back to Portland, (2) I know I’ll keep in touch with my friends there, and (3) I truly am excited to find out what lies ahead for us here in DC and beyond!

Mts. St. Helens and Adams sent me on my way to DC...

...and the Washington Memorial greeted me.

Everything has gone amazingly smoothly so far (knock wood!)  I was checked into my new “home” in DC (or, actually, Arlington, VA) less than an hour after landing at the airport, and I spent the evening unpacking and settling in.  It seems to have everything we’ll need to be comfortable while we’re here, and it is in what seems to be a very handy location.

View from our balcony!

Yesterday, I tested out the Metro, checked out the Lincoln Memorial (and some guide dog puppies who were training there), happened upon a free National Park Service tour of the Jefferson and Roosevelt monuments, and walked back to the apartment via Georgetown.

My new office.

The Lincoln Memorial... and guide dogs in training.

The cherry trees are just past peak.

A happy hour has been organized for the incoming class this afternoon.  I love that.  First things first: happy hour.  I’m looking forward to finally putting faces to the names of the folks I’ve “met” through the google group that was set up for our class.  Tomorrow is a day of intake and processing at the main State Department building in DC.  After that, I’ll spend most of my time training at the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, a few miles – or a short State Department-provided shuttle ride – from my apartment.  Easy peasy.

All in all, everything is off to a great start here!  Fingers crossed for more of the same during the next steps…