PROBLEM: there is a mosquito in my room, which has bitten me twice so far while I am sleeping.
DETAILS: -It's December 09th. Should it be dead by now? -Outside temperature does not crack the 50* mark. -Room is not that big.
SOLUTION: Impossible to find the sucker during the day. I ended up deciding to freeze him to death - I would turn off my heater, open both windows and make sure I was covered up nice and toasty. This was last night.
OUTCOME: No nighttime bites, slight case of the cold-arms-and-upper-tenth-of-body in the morning, but no worse for the wear.
Quoting from the source: “Good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after two days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever. Great stories. But two things made me take it down.
First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by.
Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn’t realize that it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was one of the many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn’t take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard.”
I had my final meeting today at the US Consulate in Amsterdam, with the US Consul General there. It was a great meeting; she is a wonderful person with a wealth of experience. We just talked about consular life, and what kind of things go with a life dedicated to the US Foreign Service. On the way home (train to Den Haag from Amsterdam) I wrote down some of my thoughts, and I'd like to share them:
-Nice She is absolutely a sweet person. She's done mostly consular work her whole career (around 18ish years), and genuinely loved the work - something inspiring to see no matter who it is. -World Traveler She traveled the world at a very young age, and adjusted to the climate that goes with that naturally. This position offers the opportunity to travel the entire world; see different areas 2-3 years at a time, from Washington D.C. to Skopje to Minsk to Lima and beyond.
-Must be OK with being unsettled This was a big take-away for me. The position is predicated on the intrinsic knowledge that you will not be settled very long. Driving may not happen frequently; licenses, etc. come and go. Cell phones come and go. Houses, friends, anything that goes with a somewhat permanent area no longer applies. You may be in an area that electricity is infrequent, as are other conveniences. I really struggle with this, honestly, because I seek to establish a home. While I love change and seek it out, I need a home base to constantly improve; I want to come to a home, not to a temporary space. The unpredictability would be extremely difficult. I want to change residences and locations on my terms, not necessarily on a preset schedule.
-Know thyself This was stressed. Knowing what I like and what I don't, and what I can handle. Probably the one biggest factor in determining success in and outside of the US Consulate.
-The Perks / Rockstar lifestyle It does have its advantages. You get put up in housing for free; often, you don't need a car or otherwise. There's a student loan repayment program, and all of your utility bills are taken care of. Besides food and cost-of-living, you are set, so to speak. You also visit some of the most beautiful and intriguing areas on Earth; meet some of the most interesting people.
-Being a tandem This was another area of concern for me. Spouses and family members often struggle at assignment, and it really is a situation in which the other person must be willing to go along with it. That may mean being away from family for long periods of time, or worse, not being together for a year at a time (hardship posts). I've already determined that I want my significant other to have her own profession and passion in life, and not to simply go along with whatever I do. The service, however, seems to breed that sense of go-with-the-flow, purposefully or not.
-Missing home and what goes with it I must admit, for all that I've said I hate my hometown, I don't hate Indiana. I don't even hate Speedway. I was miserable growing up there, but that was largely due to the people around me, not the place. I love my family. I love Indianapolis, although I think I need something more. The service would place me far away from that, sometimes without the easy option of going back - not something I'm a fan of. Even though I may reside in a different state, that still allows for easy travel back home; in a different country, not so much.
-Tangible impact The consular officers have a real impact on The United States. Every day, they determine who enters the US via Visa, and also help Americans abroad who need it most; from losing a passport to getting in trouble to just needing directions. Reminds me of time spent in orientation and admissions; every day, truly helping someone through something that seems difficult. Although, they also deal with the ones who manipulate the system, the ones without respect, and genuine American troublemakers; the good, bad, and ugly so to speak.
-Language skills Consular officers often get better language skills than others, as they are front-line; every day they are using and improving language skills while embassy personnel speak English to each other. Small, but definite plus.
I'm not sure what to think of this right now, especially in terms of my future, but something to always remember and a wonderful conversation. Mixed emotions would be the best to describe it, but I'm leaning more towards staying stateside and taking short trips; I think that is more my preference. How that happens professionally or personally, I'm not sure, but something to investigate me thinks :) (Definitely looking for a company / place that has a student loan repayment program though ;) Also, Google Voice popped into my head as I was listening to her speak, thinking of a way to never change your cell phone number; i almost laughed out loud with how nerdy I truly am :D SMALL Moment of realization: Seriously I am a messy eater. I've never really thought about how to eat a croissant before, but today on the train I was making a HUGE mess. I then realized instead of biting into the crust, I could simply tear a small piece off and then calmly place it into my mouth like a normal human being. I laughed as soon as this popped into my head, and now smile each time I see a nice little breakfast treat :D
I also had a really cool metaphor come to me as I was riding home. I was staring out the window at the train tracks as they moved in and out of eachother, and it made me think of relationships and professions; how lines in a person's life come in and out, sometimes expecting, sometimes not. Daydreaming fun :) Lastly, I've been sampling some Hood Internet music thanks to Melanie, and this song is incredible - makes you want to be at that party in Denver :D (off their latest mixtape, Vol. 4)
I just had my going-away lunch at a traditional (home-made) Italian restaurant, and I received a certificate of appreciation signed BY THE AMBASSADOR and a bunch of thanks from my section - absolutely incredible :) I'm gonna miss them all!!
Absolutely surreal is the only way to describe this day. It feels as though I'm leaving my newly-established family...just as I was getting comfortable in my role. The most strange part is that I'm leaving to a relative unknown; I have absolutely no idea whether or not I'll end up in Russia in January. I've planned both ways out fully, but you still cannot prepare completely until it's a go. I haven't made travel arrangements, I haven't started packing (Kate clearly has a leg up on me in this department), I am not enrolled in classes of any sort, I'm not ready.
Yet, I'm smiling. :)
This has been an absolutely fantastic (albeit quite expensive) experience that I'm going to remember as long as I can. I lived in Europe for a solid three months. I maintained a residence. I owned a mode of transportation, I had a full-time (non-paying) job. I met people from all over the world. I played international league soccer, and won. I converted to a legitimate goalie. I bettered myself physically by working out harder than I ever have, and I benefitted mentally from some difficult times. I grew in faith, and grew closer to the ones I love. I found out that despite my best efforts, I still have friends who care about me; and I truly care about them. What an amazing ride.
I can't really think of a coherent way to organize some of the past week's happenings, so of course I defer to my standard list format :D
1) I had a meeting with Madame Ambassador this morning on progress made on her green initiative. When she found out it was my last day, she quietly thanked me for my service. Another cool memory :)
2) Being in a political position has given me the ability to develop my analytic skills better, and I am exposed to many more of the President's speeches. I read the entire transcript of the President's military speech at WestPoint, and here are some highlights about moving forward: "We will remove our combat brigades from Iraq by the end of next summer, and all of our troops by the end of 2011."
"In short: the status quo is not sustainable [in Afghanistan]"
"And as Commander-in-Chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home"
"I opposed the war in Iraq precisely because I believe that we must exercise restraint in the use of military force, and always consider the long-term consequences of our actions."
"If I did not think that the security of the United States and the safety of the American people were at stake in Afghanistan, I would gladly order every single one of our troops home tomorrow."
"In the least few months alone, we have apprehended extremists within our borders [referring to MN] who were sent here from the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to commit new acts of terror."
"This is not just America's war. Since 9/11, al Qaeda's safe havens have been the source of attacks against London and Amman and Bali"
"And we must make it clear to every man, woman and child around the world who lives under the dark cloud of tyranny that America will speak out on behalf of their human rights, and tend to the light of freedom and justice and opportunity and respect for the dignity of all peoples. That is who we are. That is the source, the moral source, of America's authority."
Moving stuff, indeed.
3) I saw a friend of mine commenting on a book entitled "Real Education", and he insisted that the promoter of the book was cheapening college education. Now while I think college education is absolutely vital, I don't think that learning stops there - ultimately, each person must go and make his or her own way in this world through his or her resources and practices. I do think that many people never learn this lesson, and instead think that college entitles them to something (job, money, success, etc.). WRONG. The same things as always will land you what you seek; hard work and dedication. Going to college does advance your station in life, but I think that education also happens outside of it (see also: library, life experience, etc.)
4) Tuesday night I attended the Shell World Challenge 2009 event, hosted by Shell and BBC. It was a taped awards night to be broadcast on BBC this weekend, and I represented the United States by attending in the front row of the gallery. I was pretty excited, and it turned out to be a really neat and inspiring show; I may be on television, but I don't know if I'll remember to look for it ;)
The host beginning the program
Shooting the audience :D
5) The Embassy recently dedicated some art and an exhibit to John Adams, the first diplomat to The Netherlands, and I thought this artwork was particularly neat:
6) I understand I may be a bit of a spelling nazi, but when you use the word "granted" and spell it GRANITE, we have a problem. I saw this online and was instantly dismayed. Come on now, learn the difference people :)
7) Sinterklaus came to church this past Sunday! The kids loved him and I think it's neat that they separate the gifts and religious aspects here in NL; of course, I prefer the American tradition but still neat to see.
8) No word on next semester; Russia Watch 2009-2010 has officially begun. I'll keep you posted :)
9) Other randoms:
-I met an Australian woman at Shell World Challenge who was extremely nice and referred me to her friend in Russia if I go; funnily enough, the Australian girl I met my first weekend here used to work for her! How random!
-I introduced a Peruvian diplomat to the group I play soccer with at his request (met at World Challenge), and felt really good that I was able to provide someone an opportunity just as I had been afforded.
-I attended Romania national day on Thursday, which was short but good - I got to eat Vienna sausages (not sure why those were there, and if you leave them out for long periods of time they are disgusting [LORA W.]) and cabbage with minced meat in it. Yum :)
-I finished all of my thank you cards and they'll be handed out to the mission on Monday after lunch. I'm excited I got it done so quickly this time :D
-I'm investigating international volunteering, and Habitat for Humanity has a good international program that does short-term work. Hmmm, opportunities :D (also international volunteer programs for weeks - 6 months)
RANT: I do not accept digital friends via facebook, linkedin, or any other social networking site unless I know you or have a reason to know you. We must've had some contact somewhere, because otherwise I don't view the transaction as valid. This applies to everyone - you must give me a reason to be your "friend" and it has to be decent, not simply "I'm in this group with you, therefore we should be friends"! Ugh. This all came about because I've been friended by the same person in one of my groups (not fraternity or anything like that, a social alumni group) at least 4 times, and I keep ignoring the request. Each time the person says "I'm adding you as a friend because I'm an adminstrator of a group on facebook that you belong to". Ok. I still don't know you. I'm not suggesting you aren't cool, or have an issue with you; I'm just not going to be your digital "friend" without any real life contact. RaR!
Embassy Compliment: Today I was in the cafeteria and to pass time as the chef was coming back I had a conversation with our legal counselor. We were shooting the breeze about random stuff for about 10 minutes, then I got my food and went back to my office. About an hour or so later I got a call from her asking what I was doing over the holiday period, if I could come up to work for them! Granted I said I was travelling, etc. then going to be a student, but still very flattering to be thought of that highly. I don't know that I would go up there though if offered for the Spring and everything else fell through; it's in legal (which isn't my preferred area) and I'm not sure how it would benefit me for my academic degree or personal path. But, it brightened my day, and the legal counselor is a wonderful lady who has fun (she's a Texan). Be interesting, at least :D
I love this story, not because of the science and the study behind it, but because deep down I have an innate belief that humans are basically good and want / want to help. Nice to have our assertions backed up by facts every now and then :D
