Yes, yes, I know, my once a week promise has become a once a month posting. I'm working on it. No complaining, because I assure you that when we get to Venezuela it will probably be a once a day posting for a while. We will have lots to share.
We have had visitors the past couple of weeks. My sister came and spent a couple of weeks with us and most recently Brian's sister and her family came to see the city. We had a blast with all of them! I can't tell you how fun it was to just have the time to hang out and visit. I think some of my favorite moments were sitting in the hot tub and taking the kids to the pool. It was great!!!
Today is a huge day for Brian. As I am writing this, he is taking his Spanish test. I am so excited for him to have this day behind him. I know from talking with him (yes folks, he is fluently speaking another language after only 16 weeks of training) that he is at the level he needs to be at, but I am still very nervous for him as it is a formal test. I can't wait to hear from him in a couple of hours and have that stress behind us. I am sending good luck vibes his way. I'm sure he will be blogging soon, so you can all hear about what's up next for him.
Our departure date is coming up quickly and we are in full force with logistics. Brian and I each have a notebook that we carry around to jot down the random thoughts that pop into our heads for the to do list. I am tracking consumable products that we want to take with us including toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, hair products, hand soap and various other random things on a calendar so that we can have a rough estimate of how much we will need for two years. I realized that Brian and I have been talking about this a lot and probably haven't explained why we would bring those things with us. After all, they do sell shampoo and hand soap in Venezuela. Yes, they do, but there are a few issues you can run into. First, there is a problem with rolling shortages in Venezuela. On any given day you might go to the store only to discover that there is a shortage on toilet paper and you may not be able to find it again for several months. Secondly, even when you can find things like shampoo and hand soap, they may be very expensive. Most products in Venezuela (with the exception of gasoline) are imported and are much more expensive, particularly if you're looking for a specific brand. Finally, you may not be able to find the brand or quality that you are used to. This doesn't mean that we will be transporting everything we own in mass quantities overseas, but rather that we are choosing things that are important to us and make us feel at home that we'll need and stocking up on those. That is basically what life is like for us right now. The job search is currently on hold as I sort through what the reality of my options on the ground are and explore some options at the embassy.
I just finished ordering a "Magic Jack". I'll give you the full review once it gets here, but I'm excited to try it out. Can't wait to see some of you soon on my trip to MN!! Brian and I plan to make ourselves sick by eating two years' worth of fair food in one day. Pronto pups, mini donuts and cheese curds for all!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
He Said: Reality Setting In
Well, I just realized that it has been four weeks since my last post. I think I've said this before, but it's almost surreal how normal life here in DC has become again. Steph and I were driving down Route 50 the other day after running some errands on our way back to Rosslyn. I mentioned to her how strange it was to be exiting at Rosslyn to head home, but yet then again, how "normal" it felt. So strange to think that you could live in the same place twice but have such a different experience each time around. I guess that's the way we're always going to feel as we move through this career, as we'll have to return to DC each time between tours, and of course the impending "DC tour" where you work a position here at "Main State."
I really can't believe that it's been a month since I last posted, but to be completely honest, in my mind it feels as though it's only been about a week. In the past four weeks I've definitely felt a huge progression in my Spanish skills. I've been working about 8-9 hours a day (including class time) to keep moving forward, and Steph and I have implemented a "mandatory" Spanish hour in our apartment to give me just that much more practice. My final examination for Spanish is coming in two weeks, and I can definitely feel the pressure now. 18 weeks is pretty quick to "master" Spanish, but I think I'm going to be able to do it. Additionally, to make things interesting, I had a terrible evaluation about a week ago. My performance definitely did not reflect my true ability, but I took a huge confidence hit when my learning consultant told me his perception of my Spanish skills. Thus, I put in the extra effort this week and had a mini-session with my learning consultant yesterday. He told me, "Usted ha mejorado claramente" (you have clearly improved), which was exactly what I needed to hear. At this point, it's almost unreal to think back to where my Spanish was 16 weeks ago (almost nonexistent) and where I am today. I was a little shocked a couple days ago when I watched an entire speech given by Hugo Chavez and understood about 90% without Spanish subtitles or English translation... now if I can just communicate face-to-face. It will be interesting to use a language full time for the first time ever. In the past, I've only been able to live vicariously through Steph's experiences, so I am definitely looking forward to being able to share this with her for once.
Other than continuing to progress in Spanish, the thing that has changed for me the most in the last month is the feeling that our adventure is becoming real. This month we picked up our diplomatic passports. That was the one thing that really hit me, when I opened up the envelope and read the stamp that said I was traveling on "official US Govt business" I almost got butterflies in my stomach. To top it all off, Steph and I have re-entered the world of logistics to get ready for post. When I was living out here and Steph was still in Minnesota, I think I mentioned in the blog the crazy amount of logistical things that had to be done just to get her to DC. Well, at the 3 month mark the clock began again, and a new to-do list was formed. Lately we've been tracking our toilet paper use, the non-perishable foods we eat on a regular basis, and the personal products we use regularly. Steph even bought a calendar just for this. To think that we're getting ready to buy and ship a year's worth of stuff is almost uncanny, but such is the life of an FSO.
This week we also attended yet another "wheels-up" party to say good bye to my classmates that are leaving in August. One of my friends leaves for Caracas this month. It was so strange to not have to say good bye to him, but rather "see you in a few months buddy." The reality that we would not only be meeting on the flip-side, but also that the flip-side will be Venezuela hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm getting excited, nervous, anxious, and a whole mix of other emotions. All in all, I really think that we're just getting ready to go and that both Steph and I want to get out of DC. We've really been enjoying a little bit of "normalcy" (depending on your definition), but it's time for this adventure to continue.
Brian
I really can't believe that it's been a month since I last posted, but to be completely honest, in my mind it feels as though it's only been about a week. In the past four weeks I've definitely felt a huge progression in my Spanish skills. I've been working about 8-9 hours a day (including class time) to keep moving forward, and Steph and I have implemented a "mandatory" Spanish hour in our apartment to give me just that much more practice. My final examination for Spanish is coming in two weeks, and I can definitely feel the pressure now. 18 weeks is pretty quick to "master" Spanish, but I think I'm going to be able to do it. Additionally, to make things interesting, I had a terrible evaluation about a week ago. My performance definitely did not reflect my true ability, but I took a huge confidence hit when my learning consultant told me his perception of my Spanish skills. Thus, I put in the extra effort this week and had a mini-session with my learning consultant yesterday. He told me, "Usted ha mejorado claramente" (you have clearly improved), which was exactly what I needed to hear. At this point, it's almost unreal to think back to where my Spanish was 16 weeks ago (almost nonexistent) and where I am today. I was a little shocked a couple days ago when I watched an entire speech given by Hugo Chavez and understood about 90% without Spanish subtitles or English translation... now if I can just communicate face-to-face. It will be interesting to use a language full time for the first time ever. In the past, I've only been able to live vicariously through Steph's experiences, so I am definitely looking forward to being able to share this with her for once.
Other than continuing to progress in Spanish, the thing that has changed for me the most in the last month is the feeling that our adventure is becoming real. This month we picked up our diplomatic passports. That was the one thing that really hit me, when I opened up the envelope and read the stamp that said I was traveling on "official US Govt business" I almost got butterflies in my stomach. To top it all off, Steph and I have re-entered the world of logistics to get ready for post. When I was living out here and Steph was still in Minnesota, I think I mentioned in the blog the crazy amount of logistical things that had to be done just to get her to DC. Well, at the 3 month mark the clock began again, and a new to-do list was formed. Lately we've been tracking our toilet paper use, the non-perishable foods we eat on a regular basis, and the personal products we use regularly. Steph even bought a calendar just for this. To think that we're getting ready to buy and ship a year's worth of stuff is almost uncanny, but such is the life of an FSO.
This week we also attended yet another "wheels-up" party to say good bye to my classmates that are leaving in August. One of my friends leaves for Caracas this month. It was so strange to not have to say good bye to him, but rather "see you in a few months buddy." The reality that we would not only be meeting on the flip-side, but also that the flip-side will be Venezuela hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm getting excited, nervous, anxious, and a whole mix of other emotions. All in all, I really think that we're just getting ready to go and that both Steph and I want to get out of DC. We've really been enjoying a little bit of "normalcy" (depending on your definition), but it's time for this adventure to continue.
Brian
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