*your office is bigger than your living space
*you wonder if the loud noise you just heard was your neighbor slamming their door or incoming, and if it is the latter would it be worth getting out of bed?
*you know it is the weekend because you can wear capri's to work
*after one luke warm shower too many you begin dreaming about a new hot water heater
*if you spot Lucky Charms in the DFAC (dining facility) and can get to them without losing your dignity you know it is going to be an awesome day, if you lose your dignity....well it will be just one of those days!
Just a few observations as my one week anniversary is upon me! I arrived in Kabul last Sunday with much less fanfare than Secretary of State Clinton. But I digress, I left Washington DC after a couple of great weeks. I got to reunite with my fabulous high school prom date and had many a fun evening reliving the good old days. Jolynn came to visit and we were proud Americans and sat on the steps of the National Archives to listen to the Declaration of Independence being read (goose bump inducing). We topped off the 4th by watching the fireworks over the Washington Monument. After finish my final training I headed out to Dulles airport with 2 of the worlds heaviest bags. Luckily the nice lady at the gate took pity on me and upgraded me to business class, as the flight is 14 hours and Afghan air was in my near future I was practically giddy. Once I had boarded I tried out all of the cool gadgets unique to business class and promptly fell asleep in my reclining chair. Upon arrival in Dubai I headed over to the Raffles-after all I needed one last night in luxury! The Raffles was AWESOME. The floor had its own butler and a bathtub almost big enough to snorkel in (and the thought did cross my mind). After a rather sleepless night I was ready for the next step in my latest adventure. It seems as though Safi (Afghan Air) has a very stringent excess bag policy and I had to pay a pretty penny to be able to even check my bags. A rather auspicious start to the day. I was glued to the window as we flew over Afghanistan-I have to say it is a rather dull landscape-pretty much brown land next to brown mountains. Upon arrival we cleared customs and headed out to baggage claim-my bags were the LAST off the plane. After paying a kings ransom to get them on the plane I would have not been happy to never see my only possessions ever again. Once through an additional security check (still don't quite understand why it is necessary to go through security to arrive in Kabul...one of lifes unanswered questions) it was into the reality that is Kabul. There was an Afghan gentleman with an American flag standing just outside the gate-so pleased that we are keeping a low profile. After blindly following him to the car I realized anyone could be standing there with a picture of an American flag! I was rather surprised as we piled into the car and headed out to the Embassy. We drove right through down town Kabul-and I have to admit not much could have prepared me for life on the mean streets of Kabul. It is chaos-makes Cairo look like a small midwestern town. Goats in the streets, kids riding goats in the streets, motor bikes, bikes, other cars, a round about in which there are NO rules and everyone wants to be somewhere else and doesn't know how to get there, women in burqas, carts being pulled by mules full of watermelon. It was absolutely amazing. I felt very safe other than the fear we were going to hit a goat (and then the fear it would be dinner). We arrived safely on compound and I was very pleased that the HR folks were there to greet me and carry my excessive baggage home.
More later-still trying to recover from the 8.5 hours time difference, the 6,000+ altitude and working 12 hour days (continuing to save the world one HR problem at a time...)
Thanks to Shannon for the gentle nudge reminding me to write!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Kabul or bust PT II
Getting ready to move to Kabul takes some special preparation and training. It is recommended that we all have a "GO" bag. A bag that you have ready in case we need to "GO" quickly. Of course this is causing me some consternation. For those of you that now me-I can't make it to Paris (after months of preparation) for the weekend with both my tooth brush and tooth paste how am I going to be able to leave on a minutes notice???? So I am trying to prepare my "GO" bag early. So far my "GO" bag list has the following essentials (according to Jamie): BIG XII football schedule (which of course will be updated to the BIG XII basketball schedule depending on the time of year, a girl has to be prepared). twizzlers (after all they can be either a straw or a snack), money (a girl has to shop-even on the go), ID, a 2 liter bottle of diet coke and either a tooth brush or tooth paste (I don't think I have ever managed to make it on a trip with both so I figure why start now??)
Last week we had a week of intense training to help prepare us to work in austere conditions. Some of the topics we covered: medical training (if conducting CPR make sure you are compressing to the beat of "Staying Alive"), how and where to place a tourniquet, how to pack a wound, please note I learned all of this before lunch. We got to practice in full battle rattle-a helmet and PPE vest. I thought it was impossible to have more fun than learning to save limbs but the fun was just beginning. We loaded up and headed out of town to familiarize ourselves with guns and learn defense driving. I was very relieved to have learned first aid before heading to the gun range. I have to say much to my surprise I loved the gun range. Two years of tensions relieved in a matter of minutes! I do want to put your fears to rest, I will NOT be packing heat while in Kabul. After shooting 3 hand guns and an AK 47 I was exhausted and bruised! The recoil on the AK 47 was impressive-this helped to realize I am more of a Glock type of girl. I wonder if they come in pink?? Once again the fun was only just beginning-stay tuned for further details......
Last week we had a week of intense training to help prepare us to work in austere conditions. Some of the topics we covered: medical training (if conducting CPR make sure you are compressing to the beat of "Staying Alive"), how and where to place a tourniquet, how to pack a wound, please note I learned all of this before lunch. We got to practice in full battle rattle-a helmet and PPE vest. I thought it was impossible to have more fun than learning to save limbs but the fun was just beginning. We loaded up and headed out of town to familiarize ourselves with guns and learn defense driving. I was very relieved to have learned first aid before heading to the gun range. I have to say much to my surprise I loved the gun range. Two years of tensions relieved in a matter of minutes! I do want to put your fears to rest, I will NOT be packing heat while in Kabul. After shooting 3 hand guns and an AK 47 I was exhausted and bruised! The recoil on the AK 47 was impressive-this helped to realize I am more of a Glock type of girl. I wonder if they come in pink?? Once again the fun was only just beginning-stay tuned for further details......
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Kabul or bust!!
A couple of points I have realized and need to point out before I start on the latest and greatest of my adventures.
A) Roberta (my sainted mother) was right....keeping this blog is a great diary and I should have been more diligent in the writing of my "Where in the World is Jamie Blog."
B) My 4th of July resolution is to keep up with my blog-and of course this will also make Roberta happy (another goal in my life-did I say she was a saint?)
C) I have horrific grammar....and spelling....and need a thesarus....other than that I feel a pulitzer in my future.
Where to begin?? As many of you know I am on my way to Kabul to serve as one of 3 HR officers in the ever growing Embassy. It will be a one year tour, this also means as soon as I get there I will "get" to start bidding. My dream posts are: Tripoli, Damascu, Khartoum (did I mention my mother was a saint-she is willing to keep me supplied in pickled okra and grits at any and all locations).
I arrived in Washington DC last week after a FUN filled 5 weeks in Stillwater. I HEART Stillwater. My favorite place in the world, I believe the availability of orange, grits, good friends, pickled okra, Sonic, Target have a lot to do with it. It was very much a "this is your life" vacation. I got to reconnect with High School friends and we ALL look fabulous and 29! It was great to be able to pick up after ** years of having not seen each other. There was a lot of.....and I had a crush on him, oh he was so cute and did I REALLY wear that???
I lost my cool kids card when I attended my parents high school reunion in McAlester. A couple of things everyone should know about McAlester, it is home of the state prison and "Sparky" the electric chair. You NEVER pick up a hitch hiker when leaving McAlester. However, no one came up to me and said "my you look so long for having graduated in 1960 (I would have had to go sit in Sparky had that happened.....) and I got to see my cousin Carrie! You can tell we are related-I don't think either of us paused for a breath the whole time we were together. Following the reunion we headed to Texas to do some shopping and pick up another dog to add to the Armstrong clan. (I have long ago come to terms with the fact that Bill and Roberta like the dogs better than Bill or myself...sigh). I took my shopping very seriously, when purchasing shoes (and lots of shoes were purchased) I started with two conditions: Can I outrun the Taliban in these shoes? Do they make my butt look big? Then I had an "a ha" moment....I don't need to outrun the Taliban-but rather just one other person. So needless to say the 3 inch faux alligator pumps made the cut.
Upon returning home with aforementioned alligator pumps, 2 pairs of wedges and a years supply of q-tips it was time to prepare for Thanksgiving in June. When Kathryn and I SKYPED with the family (everyone from St. Andrew's is family) last Thanksgiving I realized how much I missed a true Thanksgiving and after all in 2010 I am going to be in a war zone (my oft repeated favorite phrase, sadly beginning to lose some of its cachet) so we planned Thanksgiving in June (TIJ). I must mention that during the planning for TIJ, I mentioned my love of eggnog (only surpassed by my love of cupcakes) and recommended buying some eggnog and freezing it for TIJ-however my request fell on deaf ears. Upon arriving home I enquired as to the status of the eggnog and found that there is NONE to be found. SERIOUSLY-am I the only person that feels eggnog in June would not be refreshing? I think it would be a perfect 4th of July beverage-just add a bottle rocket. I then learned (thanks to Rachel and Barbara) that one can MAKE eggnog at home. There was much rejoicing at Chez Armstrong (did I mention my mother and father are saints??). So I threw myself into researching the miracle that is home made egg nog. I found a recipe-rolled up my sleeves, cracked open 12 eggs, poured in the 2 cups of sugar and whole milk (uuummmm healthy now I know why I HEART eggnog). I diligently stirred this heavenly concoction as it began boiling, with some apprehension I scooped out the scrambled eggs that began forming on the surface of the eggnog, at this point I have to admit I began rethinking my love of eggnog. Fear not once a dash (well....two dashes were needed to mask the scrambled egg consistency) of nutmeg was added I had made eggnog!!! I lovingly placed the eggnog in the back refrigerator to cool and thicken (in hopes of hiding the scrambled egg part)....as I relaxed I heard someone (my sainted father) open the back fridge. I then heard crash, clank followed by an emphatic DAMN and my eggnog spilled all over the garage (still smells like nutmeg). Bill is sticking to his story that the fridge door broke-however I think there is more to this story than meets the eye. For those of you on the edge of your seats...I was not daunted and made a second and much improved batch of eggnog!! Thanksgiving in June was a huge success and those of us at the children's table had a fantastic time!
More to follow-I haven't had a cupcake in a matter of hours and I am beginning to feel a little light headed!
A) Roberta (my sainted mother) was right....keeping this blog is a great diary and I should have been more diligent in the writing of my "Where in the World is Jamie Blog."
B) My 4th of July resolution is to keep up with my blog-and of course this will also make Roberta happy (another goal in my life-did I say she was a saint?)
C) I have horrific grammar....and spelling....and need a thesarus....other than that I feel a pulitzer in my future.
Where to begin?? As many of you know I am on my way to Kabul to serve as one of 3 HR officers in the ever growing Embassy. It will be a one year tour, this also means as soon as I get there I will "get" to start bidding. My dream posts are: Tripoli, Damascu, Khartoum (did I mention my mother was a saint-she is willing to keep me supplied in pickled okra and grits at any and all locations).
I arrived in Washington DC last week after a FUN filled 5 weeks in Stillwater. I HEART Stillwater. My favorite place in the world, I believe the availability of orange, grits, good friends, pickled okra, Sonic, Target have a lot to do with it. It was very much a "this is your life" vacation. I got to reconnect with High School friends and we ALL look fabulous and 29! It was great to be able to pick up after ** years of having not seen each other. There was a lot of.....and I had a crush on him, oh he was so cute and did I REALLY wear that???
I lost my cool kids card when I attended my parents high school reunion in McAlester. A couple of things everyone should know about McAlester, it is home of the state prison and "Sparky" the electric chair. You NEVER pick up a hitch hiker when leaving McAlester. However, no one came up to me and said "my you look so long for having graduated in 1960 (I would have had to go sit in Sparky had that happened.....) and I got to see my cousin Carrie! You can tell we are related-I don't think either of us paused for a breath the whole time we were together. Following the reunion we headed to Texas to do some shopping and pick up another dog to add to the Armstrong clan. (I have long ago come to terms with the fact that Bill and Roberta like the dogs better than Bill or myself...sigh). I took my shopping very seriously, when purchasing shoes (and lots of shoes were purchased) I started with two conditions: Can I outrun the Taliban in these shoes? Do they make my butt look big? Then I had an "a ha" moment....I don't need to outrun the Taliban-but rather just one other person. So needless to say the 3 inch faux alligator pumps made the cut.
Upon returning home with aforementioned alligator pumps, 2 pairs of wedges and a years supply of q-tips it was time to prepare for Thanksgiving in June. When Kathryn and I SKYPED with the family (everyone from St. Andrew's is family) last Thanksgiving I realized how much I missed a true Thanksgiving and after all in 2010 I am going to be in a war zone (my oft repeated favorite phrase, sadly beginning to lose some of its cachet) so we planned Thanksgiving in June (TIJ). I must mention that during the planning for TIJ, I mentioned my love of eggnog (only surpassed by my love of cupcakes) and recommended buying some eggnog and freezing it for TIJ-however my request fell on deaf ears. Upon arriving home I enquired as to the status of the eggnog and found that there is NONE to be found. SERIOUSLY-am I the only person that feels eggnog in June would not be refreshing? I think it would be a perfect 4th of July beverage-just add a bottle rocket. I then learned (thanks to Rachel and Barbara) that one can MAKE eggnog at home. There was much rejoicing at Chez Armstrong (did I mention my mother and father are saints??). So I threw myself into researching the miracle that is home made egg nog. I found a recipe-rolled up my sleeves, cracked open 12 eggs, poured in the 2 cups of sugar and whole milk (uuummmm healthy now I know why I HEART eggnog). I diligently stirred this heavenly concoction as it began boiling, with some apprehension I scooped out the scrambled eggs that began forming on the surface of the eggnog, at this point I have to admit I began rethinking my love of eggnog. Fear not once a dash (well....two dashes were needed to mask the scrambled egg consistency) of nutmeg was added I had made eggnog!!! I lovingly placed the eggnog in the back refrigerator to cool and thicken (in hopes of hiding the scrambled egg part)....as I relaxed I heard someone (my sainted father) open the back fridge. I then heard crash, clank followed by an emphatic DAMN and my eggnog spilled all over the garage (still smells like nutmeg). Bill is sticking to his story that the fridge door broke-however I think there is more to this story than meets the eye. For those of you on the edge of your seats...I was not daunted and made a second and much improved batch of eggnog!! Thanksgiving in June was a huge success and those of us at the children's table had a fantastic time!
More to follow-I haven't had a cupcake in a matter of hours and I am beginning to feel a little light headed!
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