Paneled for Bamako

I got my TMOne. Have no clue what that means? Welcome to the State Department, where we like to make up fun names for everything. TMOne means my next assignment is official. TM means Travel Message and One is...well...1. So, a TMOne is cable number one in all the fun messages that will move back and forth for my next (and subsequent) assignment. And I don't just get assigned to a post.  A whole committee - a panel - meets to decide that it's OK for me to go to Bamako, hence being "paneled" for the next assignment. And this whole thing about how emails are still affectionately called cables - just precious.

I will get nearly six months of French language training. My tentative departure from Charleston is the last week of April, 2017, six months in DC, then on to Mali.  Not that I'm not enjoying my time in Charleston, SC, but I'm ready (and I think Mark and Cosmo are, too) to get out into the world. Although, I think it's awesome that I'll actually get paid to learn a language!  Ask me how I feel around mid-September next year...

Just a quick update to say that it's official that we'll be going to Mali.  Now I have to pack some things since I'm heading back to Boston and Mark and Cosmo for Labor Day weekend - woohoo!

Here's a preview of Bamako:

Next Assignment...

Yesterday, I got my assignment for summer 2017:

Bamako, Mali

So, not first on my list - but not last, either.  It won't be truly official until I get paneled (which is officially slotted into the FMO position by HR) and then get my assignment cable*.  But, barring unforeseen circumstances, this time next year should see Mark and I getting ready to head to Africa (or to DC first and then to Africa).

Yes, I do imagine Oprah welcoming us...

The position is listed as language designated:  French 2/2 (which means level 2 in speaking and level 2 in reading - for what the levels mean, see this).  So, hopefully I will get some language training before heading out.  We also get to take the FACT course (aka "Crash & Bang"). Maybe Mark can take a Consular course, as well.

Oh, and it's a 2 R&R post with Paris as the designated R&R point.  Bonjour, Paris!

*They aren't really cables anymore.

Bid List Submitted

Just a very quick post today.  I turned in my second-tour FMO Summer 2017 bid list last Friday.  Now it's just a waiting game to find out where in the world we will go: Europe, The Americas, Africa, Asia, Oceania?  We should find out by July 8 (but maybe before then).  I'll post again once we get our next post.

In the meantime, watch and enjoy:

Longest Week Ever...

OK, maybe a bit melodramatic.  It is going to feel like a very long week, though, and not just because I have two days of mind-numbing ISO-9001 internal auditor training.  Oh, yes, you heard that right...can it get any more exciting than that?

It can.  I'm also waiting for the FMO second-tour bid list to come out next Monday.  Even though I have more than a year left in Charleston (sigh - read into that whatever you want) it's already time to start working on the next assignment.  Of course my colleagues and I have been guessing and second guessing what's going to be on the list.  One or two of us think they have it figured out; I'm not one of them.  It could be anywhere* and while it's fun to dream of life in Barcelona**, Buenos Aires**, or Brisbane** we just have to wait and see what shows up on the list.

That's why it's going to feel like a long week...until the ten days to wait from turning in the list to finding out the next assignment.  Yeah - that will feel like an eternity.

I went home for Memorial Day (home leave?), so here are some pic while we wait for the list:

Cosmo!

mmm, a Propah Lobstah Roll!

Mark and David with Samantha (Bewitched)

Mark has learned to cook in my absence (and well, too).

Mark in Ogunquit, Maine

That's me, in Portshmouth, NH

Look at this church tag-sale find from Portsmouth.  All four records included.  Only $1!

So long, Boston.  See y'all later.

*Not, technically, anywhere.  It will be one of probably twelve US embassies that has given its FMO position to entry-level specialist career assignments.

**Won't happen (at least not this go 'round).

Happy Spring!

Happy Vernal Equinox!  Spring has sprung in the South Carolina low country.  

Actually it sprang a few weeks ago, as evidenced by the proliferation of greenish-yellow tree pollen that started covering every surface and inflicting allergic reactions to a majority of the population down here.  Me...not so much, although daily Zyrtec helps bunches.

With Spring has come quite nice weather, we just had a nice long run of 80 degree weather.  I got my bike out twice last weekend.

Here are a few pics from the West Ashley Greenway:

Today, though, on the first day of Spring, it's a bit cool and rainy.  Oh well.

I've been able  to get my porch gardening going.  Three weeks ago I started lettuce and spinach.  Last weekend I started herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.  Things seems to be coming along nicely.  I hope I can get lettuce and spinach before it gets too hot, though.

Lettuce (on the left) and spinach (on the right)

Cucumbers, tomatoes, and herbs coming up:

 

Work has been going just fine.  Our rotation program has changed slightly and I get to stay in my first rotation area (Post Support Unit) until the end of April.  That's good because I really like PSU and feel like it will the the most "post-like" assignments while I'm in Charleston.  Next up will be Global Compensation in May.

We're also working on our performance evaluations, known in the foreign service as EERs.  It's a new form this year for all foreign service employees, so I'm glad we're starting with it now -- there's no unlearning of the old ways.  It turns out, though, that my colleagues and I will probably have four EERs by the time we are done with Charleston instead of the usual two (one per year) because of our rotations and changing supervisors during our two years.  Hopefully, this will be a very good opportunity to show tenuring and promotions boards what wonderful and outstanding FMOs we are.

Also, I'm learning French (or relearning it) in anticipation of what might be on our assignments list that should be coming out in May or early June. I'm in a distance learning course through the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) which is good, but really what's helping most is French in Action, the PBS French course from the late 1980's. It's a great resource for learning the language.  We'll see if I want to test in French and get an official language score sometime before leaving for my next post.

Finally, speaking of the assignments list, I'm starting to get excited to see it.  We have a tool that shows potential positions in our grade and specialty.  There are some fascinating places that I would be happy to be assigned to:  Kathmandu, Phnom Penh, Rangoon, and Berlin.  Mind you, nothing is final and since we are considered entry-level none of those places and jobs may be on our list.  Still, it's fun to think about the possibilities...

Health and Welfare

I'm convinced that living with someone else strengthens your immune system - or mine at least.  I could probably take a minute or two to search the interwebs half-heartedly for some "proof", but I'll just choose to believe it.  

As I write this I'm in the late stage of...a cold?  a mild flu?  a respiratory malaise?  I don't know what it is.  I do know that nearly half of my office has something similar.  And this is my second "something" in this new year of 2016, along with a weekend bout of either food poisoning or a stomach bug last month.  Oh well...Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker, and all that, right?

I did have a wonderful interlude during all of this:  a long, Presidents' Day weekend in LA with my Hubby to visit our friends Jamie and Clinton.

Oh, Los Angeles, you confound me.  Could I live there?  Couldn't I?  Would I ever truly know which direction I was going?  Maybe it's years of looking from the west over the ocean to the east which threw me off.  Maybe it was the lack of familiar landmarks.  Jetlag?  Heat stroke?  Too many lemons?  Who really knows?

We did have a great time, though.  It was wonderful to see Mark since we hadn't seen each other since he was in Charleston over Christmas and New Years.  It was great to see Jamie and Clinton and their new home.  It's always fun to explore a new city.  And, well, the weather was beautiful:  mid-80's during the day and low 60's to high 50's at night.  It had even rained about a week or so before we arrived, so things were slightly more green than brown.  Perfect!


Jamie (L) and Mark (R) and some green!

We saw the ocean:





We went to the Getty Villa:





We visited the Yogananda Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine Temple, but somehow I have no pictures.

We went to the Santa Monica Pier and rode the Ferris Wheel





There was the Broad  - the newest, hippest art scene in LA.  BTW, this is a great museum and if you're in LA you should definitely go -- it's free, too!











Chinese New Year in Chinatown:









We saw the San Buenaventura Mission in Ventura







And we saw seals





I didn't see any Hollywood stars, though.  Maybe next time.

Thank you Jamie and Clinton for a great weekend!  I can't wait to come back and also to have you come visit me in Charleston.

Now, where's my old school pseudoephedrine-- the kind that actually works?

2015 to 2016

Happy New Year 2016!

Here's how my 2015 went...

January:


January 27, BTW


After the first blizzard of 2015 (which was also my birthday:  January 27, BTW)

February:


I got my Master of Science in Accounting Diploma


More Snow


And more Snow.

March:


Went on some job interviews

April:


Hung out with Cosmo

May:


I got my Foreign Service job offer!

June:

Mark and I got married!

I had a wonderful send off from Mark and great friends

July:

\
Did some gardening


Moved to Arlington, VA to start orientation and training


First Day


Wore a lot of suits...in July...in DC


Cosmo and Mark came to visit


Flag Day came...


And I got Charleston, South Carolina.

August:

Rode my bike a lot and did some sightseeing





















September:


I went home for Labor Day and got my stuff to be shipped to Charleston ready.


Took an apartment hunting trip to Charleston



October:


End-of-training and farewell dinner with fellow FMOs




Mark drove down to DC and then helped me move to Charleston.  We got caught in the record flooding and had to stay in a questionable Days Inn one night.


Getting the porch setup...




Found some bike paths to ride

November:




Got some holiday lights up

Went home for Thanksgiving, but didn't take any pictures.

December:




Some Holiday Spirit


Mark came to Charleston for Christmas and New Year's


We took a pub tour


We went to Savannah


David came to visit


We did a history walking tour






We went to Fort Sumter


Some shopping


Some Sparklers


Happy New Year!

Here's to a fun, healthy, and happy 2016 and beyond!