settling down and in

I had a dream last night that I adjudicated a visa for Debbie Gibson. I realize that as an American citizen she would never show up at my visa window but since my mom answered some strange question on facebook "What is Becky dreaming of?" by saying I was dreaming about her arriving in Chennai I thought I would set the record straight. Lately I've been trying really hard to make sure I get enough blob out and do nothing time...I have a lot to catch up on after crazy October.

Last Sunday Natalie and I wore saris and attended another wedding. This one was for Nithya who works in the commissary. However, it was totally different from the last one. The ceremony had been at 7 in the morning but the reception that we attended was in the evening. It was a love match so the crowd was very small, it seems her family was not in attendance. There were "thrones" on the stage and lots of picture taking and buffet eating and staring at each other in our awesome outfits. But it was a bit strange that the Americans were the major group of guests.

This past week was my birthday. There was a high level visitor in town though and I was in charge of putting together a lunch at the CG's residence with university leaders for the visit so my actual bday consisted of just being exhausted. But since the 11th was a day off we went out on the 10th...after the lunch and then the ELO dinner at the CG's residence. We were supposed to go to Salsa at the Park but Salsa at the Park is no more...so we had drinks at the Leather Bar...and cake. It was fun to hang out with everyone although what I had really wanted was to see and talk with my niece and nephew. I did call them but Allie was out at day care and Luke was down for the count with Swine flu. I need to figure out Skype so I can see and talk to them.

Bollywood classes are back! We had a bit of a break as our teacher went to Thailand. Yay dancing!

It is raining. A lot. At one point during Diwali I remember thinking how can there possibly be any more fireworks left? They must have set them all, all the fireworks in all the world, off already...I feel the same way now about the rain. It is insane. Many families have been finding worms and tadpoles in their water. Not me yet. But I am terrified everytime I take a shower that I'm going to find worms. EEEEEEEEEkkkkkkk.

Bollywood dancing and a wedding

Natalie and I are taking Bollywood dancing lessons. With Chennai Man 2008, Jodi No 1 (the Indian version of either Dancing with the Stars or So you think you can dance?) winner Sanjay. Boy that man can moves his hips. And his shoulders. Along with Natalie and me, two others from the consulate, an Indian woman, a French woman, a British woman and a 12 year-old Indian boy hang out in a small room and bumble through his choreographed fun. I have to admit I was curious about Sanjay, especially after he was telling us that he would be on T.V. the next day. I don't have a T.V. but I do have You Tube. So I watched my teacher rock out to Bon Jovi on the Chennai beach with some little kid. Yes I did. We won't talk about it again. The first song we have been learning is Talli Main Talli Ho Gai which apparently means I'm so drunk. At many points in the song our hand motions are supposed to represent doing shots...I've never popped my hips so much while doing shots but whatever. I look like a epileptic spider on crack who just had vodka sprayed on her and fell into a blender that happens to have been slung down a slip and slide while trying to do the dance. Natalie looks flawless. I want to take a video of her and post it so people can have an idea of what I am SUPPOSED to be doing. But it is a ton of fun and next family wedding Natalie and I will totally rock our new dances. We are working on Jai Ho now. I've downloaded the songs and due to the monsoon making running impossible, Natalie and I just have Bollywood dance party in the apartment instead. Life is good. Some of the moves though are very counterintuitive. Sanjay gets a little fed up with the class's general lack of ability to do his crazy moves but he tries not to show it. Usually he starts showing us something insane which seems simple enough when shown slowly but becomes impossible to do at the speed of the music. After we try it with music he tends to sigh and then just tell us to shift from foot to foot and pump our arms. When the french lady kept saying "but my arm wants to go here not there" he took a deep breath and told her to "use your head". Heart.

Last weekend I went to my first Indian wedding. It was the pinnacle of efficiency, an economist's dream. We arrived slightly late having gotten lost (I suppose we should have turned at the cow in the road but we went straight). I sadly did not have a sari to wear as my sari shirt had not been made yet, sigh. Oh, I forgot to say whose wedding it was! Balu, a cutie who works in the consular section with us! He has the most rocking glasses. Anyways, we show up late and go up to the third floor and people usher us forward saying please come and then put up chairs in the front row for us to sit and give us diet cokes. Kinda felt bad ruining the view of the super cute kids who had heretofore been the front row. Balu and his bride and family members were on stage. As were bananas and flowers and things that were making smoke. A whole lot of photographers were at the foot of the stage. A heck of a lot of people were in the audience...hundreds and hundreds. I didn't really understand what was going on but jasmine was pinned in the bride's hair and the cords were tied around the neck and some rings were exchanged and then Balu and his bride walked around the alter and then walked around it with their family and then it was receiving line time. Everyone (yes EVERYONE) took off their shoes at the foot of the stage and worked their way up to say congrats and have a picture taken and then collect shoes and then were herded to the second floor. The second floor had eight rather long tables which probably fit about twenty people on a side. The room was arranged in sections of two tables with chairs just on one side of each table and an aisle between each pairing of tables. As guests sat in the chairs, waitstaff went down the aisles b/w the tables and rolled out new paper, then a waiter went down the aisle and gave each guest a fresh banana leaf and bottle of water, then a whole slew of chefs with their own pots walked down the aisle and loaded the banana leaf with all sorts of deliciousness (especially the pineapple wonder). People ate and if they wanted more they folded the leaf one way and when finished folded it the other. And then the waitstaff just rolled the paper and leafs back up which was our cue to move so that the little kids stalking our chairs could sit and the process could be repeated for the next batch of guests. We then left. Overall, ceremony plus meal took about an hour. Beautiful! Tonight we are invited to a wedding reception. My sari shirt is made but the tailor didn't open yesterday due to monsoon. I might just wear my sari with a tank top and tuck it into my workout shorts since I don't have a petticoat.

Hyderabad

The newest consulate in India is Hyderabad and since it just started adjudicating visas this year many of its ELOs have come to Chennai to do some training. Being plain awesome, they decided to invite all of us from Chennai to go visit them. Ten of us accepted including me and Natalie. We left right from work, fitting five of us in my hatchback with our bags and my driver to get to the airport. Tiny little plane, Nat and I seated in the very front FACING some nervous looking couple. Oh, I forgot to mention that it was Kingfisher Airlines (yes the country's equivalent of Budweiser has an airline...classic). The meal consisted of a cole slaw sandwhich and strangely cut up potatoes that pretended to be applesauce, dismaying Whitney. We arrived and were amazed by their beautiful, clean, orderly airport. You feel the high tech wave as soon as you get off the plane in Hyderabad.

We go to dinner at this peaceful restaurant with a Buddhist theme where I got myself a beautiful, juicy, heaven-tasting steak. The difference in the experience all had to do with the small details that for some reason they can't figure out in Chennai - the music was in the background allowing conversation to be in the foreground, the waiters are trained to not put their hands in your food or to rub their hand all over the rim of your glass when putting it down, we all got our own menu, they actually had the wines on their wine list, waiters walk around instead of reaching over people...it is amazing how much of a difference these little details make. Dinner ruled. So did bed. We stayed with Janice and Jerry and Abbie(Janice is the ELO, Jerry captains a ship in 3-month on, 3-month off intervals and yes he has dealt with pirates!!!!!, Abbie is the beautiful golden lab). They have a great apartment on the first floor but also have a "rooftoop palace", a little apartment on the roof!

My morning was so great. I woke up and watched the sunrise from the rooftop, going downstairs to make coffee by boiling water and putting it through a paper towel with coffee grounds...yum! Finally got to do some reading on Ghost Wars. Gotta stop and talk about something I read here. This is a quote by Ronald Reagan:
"My problem with Bill was that I didn't understand him at meetings. Now, you can ask a person to repeat himself once. You can ask him twice. But you can't ask him a third time. You start to sound rude. So I'd just nod my head, but I didn't know what he was actually saying."
He is talking about Bill Casey, the CIA director at the time. Seriously, if you are the president and it is your CIA director and the Cold War is going on...YOU CAN ASK AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT!!!! This both made me laugh and cower in fear at the same time. So Reagan really wasn't lying when he said he did not recall...except maybe it was that he never actually heard. WOW.

The rest of the weekend was pretty sweet too. We saw beautiful old buildings and palaces and arches. The town is much more Muslim and the architectural style reflects that. The city is old and walking around the streets has a real charm. Chennai, being the Detroit of India, appears to not have as many older buildings, most are more or less big concrete blocks, at least in the neighborhoods we are mostly in. There is a large stone Buddha statue in the middle of their (stinky) lake. Originally when they tried to take it out the barge sunk and many people died. It stayed on the bottom of the lake for I think 20 years before they raised the money to raise it out of the water. I got pics. When leaving the lake, there was a crowd staring over the side and a police van. The driver told us that they are fishing a corpse out of the lake. Huh. We ate at a Bollywood themed restaurant and I couldn't tell the wax people from the real ones. When we went to brunch at the Marriott the waiters did a choreographed line of cakes that they brought out to us (still don't know why). My favorite part was the confusion they had after depositing the cakes...they all kinda looked at each other like "Now what?" and then ran into each other trying to slink unnoticed back into the kitchen.

All in all a great time. Oh, when we tried to go home, the check in lady informed us that Kingfisher had sold us a flight that did not exist...maybe they had been sampling too much of their other product? So we spent a lot of quality time at the airport. Difference with the US? The airline offered nothing for the inconvenience - no free flight, no meal voucher, not even a bottle of water. Nothing. Oh well, I made it home.

diwali

Diwali ruled.
I am fortunate enough to live in an aparment that was relatively quiet...colleagues kept posting on facebook about not being able to sleep and wailing dogs but I came through pretty unscathed...only one time did I feel like I was under siege in my apartment.
For those who don't know, Diwali is when the entire population buys a crapload of fireworks and then lets little kids set them off for about three days straight with no supervision. It is loud and bright and kind of fantastic. Except when trying to walk to Yomaris' house for the party...then the indiscrimnate firecracker setting off on the street really does seem a personal hazard...but we all got through okay. After some imbibing we went on the roof armed with firecrackers...the entire sky of the city in every direction was lit up with constant blitzes of color...we just took in the sights and made our contribution (thankfully with no injuries despite our lack of pyrotechnic skills and the plethora of exposed wires on the rooftop).
Diwali ended for me at the Hash. The Hash goes on around the world and finally Natalie and I tried out the Chennai one. What happens is people ahead of time plot a running course but those behind have to find it and there are plenty of false routes along the way. It was really cool and we wove through busy streets, a cricket field (with a game going), temples, the beach. People kept asking if I was a virgin and while at first I thought it might be an uncomfortable conversation explaining the differences in cultural norms between our great nations really they just meant if I was a first timer to the Hash. After the run there is beer and food and ice blocks. Big ice blocks. Natalie and I had to sit on the ice blocks to get introduced...and right after we sat a bunch of kids started setting off a whole bunch of firecrackers in a corner, thus delaying our ice-sitting time...when finally we were introduced I was explained as Becky with the U.S. government and Natalie as my sister who bought a one-way ticket because she is looking for a mate.
Fan freaking tastic!

i suppose i lied

just read the end of my last post where i said i would nap and finish the thailand story tomorrow...i did nap!
Okay a quick recap of the rest of thailand because alas i waited too long...check out the pics on facebook, says so much...Dinner at the hotel, yummy pizza, signed up for two tours to maximize the use of our time. The next day we got a van to ourselves and a tour guide drove us about 1 1/2 hours outside of bangkok, with stops to see coconut cutting, scraping, boiling, making along the way. We got on a long skinny motorized boat and took off down the canals, ending at the floating market. At the floating market I bought a sweet purple hat that doubles as a fan. Then we got on a paddled boat and checked out the market...I found the beer here boat that floated past and was super happy! (Shhhh, it was after noon SOMEWHERE). On the way home we stopped and took elephant rides...again the pics explain more. The driver sits on the elephant's neck and "steers" by using his feet and tickling behind the elephant's ear. Natalie and I were on a carriage thing on the elephant's back. So fun.
When we got back to the hotel, Bridget and Holly took off for McDonalds. Natalie and I went into a little hole in the wall restaurant. The kind woman standing above much broth and various types of balls of meat didn't really speak english so after trying to discern what is on the unpublished menu we just sat in chairs and waited. A bowl of noodles with awesome yummy meat balls showed up...the one meat ball was some sort of shrimp and cinnamon. It ruled. And it was 30 baht, less than a buck. The next day we saw a bunch of temples that really were mindblowing but again I am not a describer of visual beauty so check out the pics. Oh there was a ferry and two massages...the thai massage reminded me of a book I have with the title "Yoga for People Who Can't Be Bothered to Do it".
Okay it was maybe three weeks later but I did in fact talk about the rest of Thailand!

Natalie is here!!!!

Natalie arrived three weeks ago...and it feels like forever and only a second at the same time. She hit the ground running for sure! Two days after she arrived she came along to help out on her first service project. The Consulate was doing its Day of Service in honor of 9/11 and Gandhi's birthday. I was fortunate to be chosen as a helper with some of the planning and got to spend the day at the project. We went to a Muslim school for girls run by the Indian government. The grounds had formerly been a palace but the yards were very overgrown and the buildings were in need of help. Along with over a hundred volunteers from local colleges and schools, we cleared the field (using blades, no really) and painted the stage. The schoolgirls were adorable and at one point Nat, Whitney (the intern) and I toured the grounds with them. They were incredibly proud of their school and fascinated by us. All along the walk the three of us were swarmed by the smiling faces shaking our hands and asking for our autograph.
That weekend I took Natalie down to Temple Bay where we got to walk along the beach in between cows and see the temple. That Sunday we participated in a Breast Cancer walk along the beach. While I was working that week she got out and saw two orphanages and found an organization to volunteer regularly with where she can help children with disabilities. All in all a productive first week for the Natalie!
The next weekend which was last weekend was Thailand! By Friday night I still hadn't packed and we had signed on to go to a presentation at Global Adjustments about Diwali where we got to see an amazing dance performed by two guys in makeup and jangles. Dancing here is storytelling and one was the good god and the other the mischievous evil god...the dance culminated in a wonderful fake sword fight...the music was live...all in all incredible! We went home to pack but there was a lot of noise outside so we hurried up to the rooftop to watch the fireworks!
Finally I packed and we headed to the airport after picking Bridget up. The flight was not at all terrible and at the end...I was in THAILAND!!!!! After waiting for Holly to show up we got into a rented minivan shuttle and headed out into the 7 a.m. Thai day...I've never been so happy to see cars actually driving in the lanes!!!! Yes, imagine that, the roads have clearly marked lanes and people actually stay in them! And it is so CLEAN!!!! Heavenly.
Our hotel is amazing and since we are trying to check in so early we end up with one room instead of three....except that the room is an apartment as big, probably bigger actually, than my huge government apartment that I have now. And we have three balconies and amazing views!!!! We order room service and nap.
After napping and hitting Starbucks we take off to the Sky Train which delivers us to the weekend market, aisle after aisle and row upon row and tiny little side alley upon tiny side alley of vendors of all sorts of stuff...of course I mostly focused on the street meat and other food!
There was so much food on the street! Getting off the train I got a sesame and salt waffle, then Nat picked up the green mango with chili in a bag then I got the coconut pancakey things and then we both got coconut ice cream...we really just ate our way through the market...and shopped...yes even I bought stuff...two skirts and two shirts and an awesome pink headband. We did in fact find another bed restaurant for dinner! Must go nap, will finish tomorrow.

time is really flying

originally i had as a goal to post once a week so that i could keep a record of what the heck is going on...does it count if the past month has flown by like a week? Even though it had enough packed into it to be a year? My little sister is on a plane right now and when I sign off I'm going to go pick her up and for some reason that put my butt in gear to finally write something.

The work is challenging. As much as people made cracks about how most consular toured officers are well overqualified for the work, I can see absolutely the logic in starting out here and getting the lay of an overseas tour land. No one part of the job is terribly difficult but there is a constant barrage of tasks to be juggled, a ton of detail and lots of judgment calls along the way. They really did hire us for our judgment...uh oh me.

Being in a post with so many ELOs is wonderful because I can draw on their help and have a built in social network but it also presents difficulties. Some really great opportunities come up and it is hard to not be chosen sometimes. There is more than enough opportunities to be able to keep constantly busy and know that I'm doing important work but because of the high stress level certain tensions arise that I overreact to in the moment. Overall though I am incredibly lucky to work with such amazing people and also lucky to have managers who make sure opportunities abound.

Life in India can also be challenging. But immensely rewarding. Again no one thing is terribly difficult to adjust to but all the little things add up. The pace of life is just different. The idea of customer service is nonexistent - oh there are tons of people milling around in any hospitality environment but none actually seem capable of listening fully to an order, asking a question if they don't understand so that the order will be correct and completing it in a timely manner. Most of the time I can see humor in it but sometimes the 30 minute wait for a drink or the 20 minutes it takes to get a spoon for the ice cream which is then melted really gets to me.

But this place is amazing. One night after dinner me and two friends decided to try out this bar called 10 Downing Street. We talked with a few different autorickshaw drivers to no avail. Finally a man on his evening stroll took pity and explained where it was. Success...until all the rickshaw drivers got up front and the three of us in back...it was one full rickshaw. When we got to the bar the manager took us right away and said "Come, come" as they are wont to do. He led us to the other table of white people and then seemed perturbed/amazed that we did not in fact know the other whities nor did we want to sit with them. We got our own table and the place was a strange and hellish version of an english pub with crazy red walls and wildly dancing men. The hell vision became clearer when people came to our table and lit it on fire trying to sell us flaming shots. Egads. On the way home we took two autorickshaws...and the friend I was with told our driver to race the other one...I had no idea those things could go that fast!!!!! Nor did I know that three wheelers can in fact take turns on two wheels.

Today I walked to the spa for a massage and a cow was in my way. A big black one just sitting taking up the road with a "You want some of this" look...sadly yes, yes I do want some of that, medium rare with some mashed potatoes...ah Thsiland I can't wait to eat my way through you. Oh which reminds me of another spa...Temple Bay is a beautiful resort with an amazing infinity pool and hammocks and a lot of beauty...just don't get a "massage". I went in for mine and was taken in a room and told to get naked. When I asked for a robe the woman looked at me quizzically. I tried to walk out but the manager told me to take a towel. Decided to give it a whirl, toweled up and went into massage room. Oh goodie look at that table. Wait why do you want me to sit on this stool? Um, okay. Eeeek why are you pouring copious amounts of burnt coffee smelling oil over my head? And just moving it around? Um, will I get to be on the table and be massaged if I put up with it? Apparently not, because the next thing the lady wanted me to do was just lay naked face up on table...and I could tell there was a lot more getting oil poured over me without any rubbing in store...I walked out. Yes, I walked out on a "massage". Sigh. Oh I better go get my Natalie!!! Yippee!

i love the nightlife

Night 1 - On the Rocks, restaurant at Park Sheraton Hotel where you get a hot rock and cook your meat and are given sauces. After dinner, try going to the "nightclub" called Dubliner...when I tried at 10 on a Saturday it was closed...such is the nightlife here
Night 2 - Party at the CG's residence...lesson learned - limit alcohol at the CG's house or else you may end up hugging important people that saner people would not be hugging...oops
Night 3 - Going to see the musical Chicago, huge auditorium with unassigned seating. Pre-show there are shirtless men in tight red sequined shiny pants walking around the aisles...ummm...the mc talks FOREVER telling what i think he thought were jokes...the play starts out being amusingly bad (kinda like Mariah Carey's Glitter) then turns downright painful...driving the need for a post-show drink...we go to "Bikes and Barrels", a cowboy-esque loud bar. Here I learn the segregation policy. All the poor blokes who couldn't scrounge up at least one girl have to go hang out in an upper deck, staring down over the balcony at the less pathetic people. The balcony has a net...in case a guy wants to jump? The music is loud loud loud and the Tamil rap dancing is pretty sweet.
Night 4 - Happy hour at the Leather Bar, yeah that really is its name, but no there are no leather daddys...darn false advertising
Night 5 - Meet for drinks at one of the Taj hotels at a bar whose name I forget. Wait the requisite 1/2 hour for drinks to be made by the 6:1 ratio of bartenders to customers...watch how excited the waiter gets that my friend orders a flight of martinis...apparently they don't understand the concept of a flight and the glasses are not any smaller...loud loud loud music as always...highlight of evening absolutely the guy who tried to sexily dance through the gold bead to make his grand entrance and got himself all tied up and almost choked. Moved on to try Dubliner again and this time it WAS open on Saturday night...imagine that! Danced a lot, met some Swedish guys, my Swedish guy (who was actually Finnish apparently but all I know was there was blah blah blah not about me) told me his hobbies included drinking but that he also cooked a lot and from that moment became to me the Swedish chef and all I could hear was muppet voice from him...then we went and played Rock Band...very poorly...and then walked home, getting very lost late at night. Monday morning found out that the Regional Security Officer had gotten updates about our evening from the local police, the hotel security guards, the residence guards...geez don't like knowing I'm being watched...
Those are the weekend nights, weekday nights have included learning to play bridge, book club, representational events, Salsa...two more years to go...

showing the flag

Sometimes when the CG is unable to attend events us entry level officers (ELOs, apparently being called junior officers was too offensive?)are asked to go in his place and be the American presence. Some are really cool, others a bit less glamorous. Regardless of the ELO perception of the event, when an invitation is given to the CG it comes from people who genuinely want to build relations with the U.S. and a lot of great public diplomacy can occur just by showing up. Tonight was my first such event. Frankly, after a full day of work and recovering from complete icky sickness the day before, I was dreading having to sit and smile all suited up. And right before I got panicked that maybe I would be expected to speak or at least mingle and say appropriate things! So I looked real quick on the internet to get talking points and catch up on recent events, printing some things out. In the car I read some of these things and got myself mentally prepared for what looked to be a few hours of sitting still and listening to speeches. Upon approaching the hotel, the car first had to have the requisite "security check". When I walked in and gave my card (yes I have cards now! english on one side, tamil on the other)I started to realize the power of being with the consulate. I was treated like someone important, escorted around and given coffee and then seated in the first row in the VIP section where everyone had their names on their chairs. Hmmmmm, a reminder that although I'm not important, the position is and the position builds bridges. The evening started with an impressive singing performance, followed by speeches, bouquet and plaque giving, videos. The winner of the award, Shri. Sunil Bharti Mittal, gave an inspiring and interesting speech. In all, I learned a lot both about the importance of showing up and about Indian industry, some of the important names as well as some of the important themes. It was particularly interesting to hear their take on the rising power of entrepreneurism in the country, especially for an economist. Oh, and I am understanding more and more that Indians love the word "august".

first impressions of chennai

Today marks three weeks in Chennai and the Consulate in all its wisdom decided I needed a day off to celebrate and contemplate. Later today I think I'm going to San Thome Cathedral but for now I'm going to take advantage of my internettedness and catch up a bit on this blog thing.

My first weekend in Chennai was really just about catching up on sleep. My sponsor picked me up at the airport late at night and dropped me at my new apartment, having left me some awesome food she had prepared. I made a great impression my first day when I got so hungry that I freaked out a bit on the RSO and then fell asleep multiple times during the meeting of section heads. OOOOps.

My apartment is HUGE. There is a lot of furniture and it is pretty nice, just not at all my style. Luckily though I will be able to have covers made pretty cheap and I will get the walls painted so hopefully by the time Natalie arrives (September 28...46 days, not that I'm counting or anything) my pad will be pretty finely pimped. Okay, I must admit that right now I am watching a show about cheese, really boring but man the cheese is pretty.

Saturday after I arrived I pretty much only had energy to walk with my sponsor to Amma Nana's, the expat grocery store. The walk was not long but frankly a bit scary, one must REALLY pay attention while walking the streets given the amount of vehicles, potholes, animals, people, whatever on the street. Seeing everything that is available at the grocery store(albeit at more American prices) I feel a little silly about how much food I packed in my household effects (HHE). Most important, there is a whole fridge of imported cheeses!!!! YIPPPEEEE!!!

That Saturday when I woke up there was a little trash fire happening across the street. Since it kind of went with the stray dogs, I took it in stride. However, later that night there was a bigger fire with an acrid chemical smell...I was very worried that it was a normal occurence but it has not happened since. Oh, and Friday evening I had a gas leak (downside, there was a gas leak, upside I totally have a gas stove/range...sweet!) which was "fixed" once and then fixed again Saturday when it leaked again....here's hoping it really is fixed this time!

Oh, my least favorite part of my apartment...the toilet seat in the master bedroom. The design of the seat different and leaves me feeling as though I may fall in at any moment. Now that I could deal with but there is also a crack so my bum keeps getting pinched...ouch. Once I figured out how to turn on the hot water, electric outlets, fans and other stuff, the rest of the apartment is pretty sweet. I keep debating about which room I want...so far have stayed in the one room because when I arrived sheets were already on the bed and I was dead tired and the bathroom shower has a full tub. However, the other room has a lacking of trees by balcony so it gets gorgeous light.

Armed with a weekend of sleep, I was ready for my first full week of work. A lot of filling out forms, meetings, training. Monday night, I went out and learned/played bridge at a colleague's home. Apparently it is a weekly thing. The bridge was fun but I was excited by my first wine in Chennai!

By Tuesday, I had my household staff in place, a housekeeper/cook named Anu and a driver named Ranjan. Both had worked for the person who lived in my apartment before me and came highly recommended. Tuesday, I was taken to work by my driver and introduced to my new car. It was a strange experience buying a car without ever driving it...truth be told I still haven't driven my car...but it is working out.

Wednesday night was a going away party; there is a lot of turnover at the moment among entry-level officers here...a lot of us coming, a lot of them going...music, food, alcohol, the usual revelry...good times...got to see some more apartments, bridget realized she had an apartment within her apartment that she didn't know about (on one of the balconies there is a door leading to a small room and a bathroom, servant's quarters if you choose to have a live-in maid)...how nutty eh?

now online

finally got internets at home so hopefully can keep up with this whole blog thing...hoping it will be a way to keep in touch without having to write the same email to everyone!...the last post i put up i wrote in July a week after getting here...wrote on the computer but couldn't post until now...still didn't write about india yet though!...i have however posted pics on facebook, both of the pre-india journey and my first weekend day trip...

Thursday, July 30, 2009

I arrived in Chennai one week ago today. Holly arrives tonight. It all seems so strange. I want to commit to writing at least once a week so I remember things but everything is moving so fast and simply finding time to myself when I’m not EXHAUSTED is proving difficult. And now that I have taken so long to start writing about this crazy adventure I don’t even know where to begin!

I packed out of D.C. July 7. My little sister Natalie came and was a huge help, especially with the painting! I tired the poor girl out but am hoping to make it up to her when she arrives here in India! As fast as the past few weeks have gone it is crazy thinking that she will be coming here in about ten weeks. Wow.

After packing out of D.C., I went and stayed with my mom in Cape May where my Aunt Kathy joined us for a little relaxing. Mom and I then headed to Philly and finally went to James. The meal was excellent, especially my taglietelli with duck ragu and shaved chocolate. My goddaughter turned one and there was a fantastic birthday party where I got to say good-bye to a lot of family. There was a wine tour of the Brandywine Valley where I got to once again road trip with my cousin Ryan and have an excellent time with the Carr girls and our two fine drivers. Also in Philly I got to see Ross and Allison and Eleanor and have birthday cake with Buffy (and my final Pizza Box fix!).

From Philly I headed to NYC where I did the first of my consultations with DHS. It was quite amusing to see how scared my cab driver got when I asked him to take me to the immigration office…must have been the suit. NYC was full of delights – seeing my Jennifer from Arizona, meeting Finbar, eating bone marrow, having dinner with cousins Laura, Brian, Jennifer, Jaime at Perilla’s (although everything was excellent and we absolutely dined tapas style…I was surprised to find the game hen was my favorite), seeing the Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit at the Guggenheim with Maggie, getting my hair cut REALLY short (pics will be on Facebook eventually), and much more tomfoolery.

Got on the plane and left the States and realized…huh I no longer have a cell phone or computer access and very shaky plans about what I’m doing as I work my way to Chennai. I arrived in Brussels and it struck me how bizarre it was that I was about to meet the host family Natalie had a couple of years before when she was an exchange student. I worried that I would be unable to find them and unable to call them to let them know…but all was fine. Two adorable young women were waiting right after customs and after some hesitant staring we picked each other out! I got to see the Belgian Eiffel Tower (which is a huge atom…very pretty and also made for a World Expo) on Belgian National Day, had some great beers in the city and a fantastic and boozy dinner at their gorgeous home.

Then I was off to Delhi where again I wasn’t 100% sure what would happen when I landed. I got off the plane and had to take a bus from plane to terminal where I first had to get “screened” for swine flu. But I did have my first chance to go through the “Diplomats Only” line! And when I got through customs, there was a driver waiting for me with a sign. The Delhi airport is much nicer than it was just a few years ago when I was there last, a result of strong economic growth and many construction projects. Sadly, the streets had a lot less Ambassadors (the awesome Indian car, once the only car on the road) and still a lot of beggars. I stayed in a beautiful hotel on a high floor with an amazing view although all I did was order room service, drink a Kingfisher from the fridge for the novelty, watch the movie about the MIT prof who taught kids to count cards, and pass out. Well, I tried to pass out but jet lag and the strange changes in time zones caught up and I couldn’t fall asleep until after 3.

But I woke up on time and suited up and got to the embassy. Lots of meetings and then to the airport for my final flight…well after a delay in boarding due to the plane not getting in on time from its prior flight…and another delay on the tarmac due to rain…although once I was in my seat I just fell right asleep.

this is the what

bummed that ariana, the girl I me my last day at Commerce, did not pass the orals. I convinced my cousin Jenn to apply though and am hoping she gets in. She wants to be a specialist not a generalist and is super qualified but we shall see. Tamil class has gotten better, am now able to make some very simple sentences and have a tiny vocabulary. This past week I missed classes because I hurt my back....and then had to wade through the crazy health care system.

I could not get an appointment with a doctor, unfortunately do not have a primary, so I had to go to the ER at George Washington University. A) they made me take a urine test before letting me go into the treatment area, B) they had someone come in and offer me an AIDS test after I'd been laying there crying in pain for an hour and a half w/o treatment, C) they really didn't examine me, just prescribed pills....then the CVS pharmacist, a complete power-mad, obviously very tiny-united creep named Youssef Sakr, refused to fill my pain medication...he would fill 2 of my 3 scrips (all from same doctor prescribed at same time) but apparently decided I am a junkie and wouldn't fill my percocets. Even after talking with the GW ER. Ugh.

But the back is getting better and will go to class tomorrow. Sadly missed the Friday field trip to see the Cherry Blossoms. Last weekend got to go home. However, rented a car...an electric blue PT cruiser....AAAAAAAH....After all my rants about my severe hatred for the PT cruiser it must be divine retribution. However I couldn't figure out how to work the window so had to open the door (after locking and unlocking it several times) to show my ID to the security guard at FSI. UGH. I also couldn't figure out how to open the trunk. So I kept popping the hood. When I tried to get away from rest stop the car started a circus...blinking the interior light and giving me a crazy message saying "GATE AJAR"...seriously pretentious PT...the PT is an AMERICAN car it should say trunk open...eeeegads.

The CLO/FLO (Community/Family Liason Officer) from Chennai sent me a questionnaire to fill out so that I can be featured in the newsletter. The first few questions asked about my kids and then a question asked "What do the parents like to do?" Apparently they meant what does the FSO like to do but it raised my ire since I am already sensitive to feeling discriminated against in the foreign service for being single. So I replied by telling them what my mom, dad, stepmom and stepdad enjoy doing. I really need to grow a thicker skin and suck more up.

I also finally got my travel orders!!! However I am going to have to get them altered b/c they do not have a layover per diem allowed....since we are not allowed to fly first class and since my back is acting up I absolutely need to take the layover day. Apparently the travel techs never put them on unless they are requeste even though if the flying time is over I think 12 hours you are entitled to one. So it is a nuisance but should be easily resolved. I also got my diplomatic passport!!!! YAY!!! And my apartment complex has put the diplomatic clause in my lease so I'll be able to get out early!!! WOO-HOO!!!

Now I just have to start tackling my three page to-do list (and still growing) in earnest. EEEK.

a month past flag day...

...and it is just hitting me that in four months I'll be moving halfway around the world. I am spending today making lists of things I gotta get done and staring at the calendar. I've been in Tamil language training for the past three weeks and have seven more left. After many Sesame Street-esque days I can now recognize the alphabet and sound out words...although I rarely know what the words mean...it still just seems like a bunch of random sounds.
I've had a lot of visitors lately and have gotten to see some new and interesting parts of D.C. A few weekends ago I had some people over for dinner and then me and one of the gals went out salsa dancing...Cafe Havana has three floors, the top two are wooden floored crowded hot sweaty places pulsing with latin music...and men...so many men. I wanted to get my bearings and decided to try to go to bathroom after the floor was decided...three guys tried to make me dance on way to bathroom. Seriously was the kind of place where you could not possibly stand alone for a minute without someone trying to make you dance....so dance I did...it was a lot of spinny spinny crazy arms around the head and spinny spinny some more. Seeing the line of well-dressed latin men along the wall I couldn't help thinking of Anthony Bourdain and wondering if when all the line cooks get off work do they instinctively know to just get dressed up and come to this place? It was nuts.
Last night I went to a place called Dan's Cafe. This was a true dive. Not only was there no lock on the bathroom door but the little waiting area between bar and closet with toilet had a wall of multi-colored chewing gum to complement the very interesting grafitti. I ordered a vodka cranberry at the bar. I was given a bucket of ice, a fifth of vodka poured into one glass, a 16-ounce plastic bottle of cranberry juice and an empty glass....the place is almost self serve...now this ensemble only cost $12 so no real complaints here...well maybe a complaint about the loud jukebox which happened to play sweet home alabama and pour some sugar on me TWICE...EACH...but never quite got to my friend Joan's friend's selections...which was apparently 16 songs in a row of Paula Abdul....hmm maybe I shouldn't complain?

going to chennai!!!

The past seven weeks have been both the longest and fastest seven weeks of my life. A-100 officially ended on Friday as my class was sworn in by Deputy Secretary of State Steinberg. My mom came to the ceremony and was as impressed as me by the diplomatic reception rooms. I must note though that this time the fancy napkins were not out in the bathroom...security must have known the dilemma I faced the last time! While last time I saw the desk on which the Treaty of Paris was signed (and the treaty!), this time I noticed Thomas Jefferson's desk on which it is believed portions of the Declaration of Independence were written (it looked nothing like the desk in the Family Ties episode where Alex dreamed he was the man....but I digress).

I had told my brother about the reception on Wednesday in the DACOR house, formally occupied by multiple Justices of the Supreme Court, the reception hosted by many retired ambassadors. The DACOR house held the desk that John Adams and then every Secretary of State until the 1950's had used. It led my wonderful brother to describe my A-100 orientation as "From Desk 'til Dawn". Sigh.

Oh, but as my post title claims, I am going to Chennai! Chennai, formerly called Madras, has about 7 million people and was one of my top choices! Monday I start Tamil language class (a fast class to teach me the basics like where's the toilet?), then I have consular training. I will be leaving sometime in July and hope to have a Camping Extravaganza before I depart!

And...my awesome little sister Natalie is going to come live with me!!! I will in fact be calling her my housegirl! he he he. She's trying to find some volunteer opportunities and I'm thrilled she'll be with me as I start this journey.

A-100 was seven weeks of finding out all about how the State Department works, the various agencies with which we interact overseas, the ways to avoid being the dumbass at the embassy, being told to play nice and share our toys, getting to know my amazing and talented classmates (there were 92 of us!), and waiting waiting waiting to find out where we are going...oh yeah and meeting a president, a first lady, two secretaries of state, two deputy secretaries, undersecretaries and many ambassadors....it was a whirlwind. There is a bit of separation anxiety now that it is all over and I know I will no longer be herded into the cramped orientation room with my new bestest buds...but the thrill of starting language training is good compensation.

Now I have to figure out what to put in my consummables shipment...besides 1000 pounds of toilet paper and a long-handled broom......

lack of postings

I've been having troubles getting internets and I'm also figuring out just how much about work I can talk about....so I haven't been posting...but still plan to use this spot to keep in touch once I am away....I'll keep trying!!!

VIPs all over!!!

My class is definitely spoiled. During our second week we were told that the schedule would be changed on Thursday. When we got to class Thursday we were told to take ourselves to the buses to go to Main State because THE SECRETARY requested our presence....We got to State and went up the elevators to the Diplomatic Rooms....WOW...pretty darn posh!!! I was so busy gawking that I got a seat in the back...not a problem since it was not a huge room. We waited nervously and chatted and then the music started....and kept going...and going...we waited for a good hour or two...but then...Condoleeza Rice and George and Laura Bush came in...We watched Condi give awards to Laura and George...George calling Condi like a little sister...for one award a whole crapload of impressive ambassadors (really they are ALL impressive) were in the room, I really need to get better at knowing who the bigwigs are (at least I know when the President or Secretary are in front of me!)....then we watched President Bush give the Presidential Medal of Peace to Ryan Crocker....Bush shook hands with many of my classmates who were up front and some made it into the Washington Post picture the next day...pretty cool...I went to the bathroom twice so I could check out the rooms a bit...I went past the desk on which the Treaty of Paris was signed which had the Treaty of Paris sitting on top of it!...I had a five minute internal debate as I thought about stealing one of the hand towels, the fancy napkins people put out now had the presidential seal on it....I didn't do it but later found out that a classmate did!!! Maybe when I am back for the swearing-in...so excited to have my mom there!....
Then we went back to State and had Ambassador John D. Negroponte (then Deputy Secretary of State) talk to us...WOW...finally our class mentor Ambassador Thomas Robertson...what a DAY!!!
THIS Thursday we again were at main State....and Bill Burns, Undersecretary for Political Affairs (the P, at State those high up have only one letter to describe them, Bill Burns is the highest ranking career FSO, fourth in command) spoke to us...then hosted a reception full of high ups...and during that reception in the Treaty Room (so beautiful, the floor is so cool and it is interesting to note how the various secretaries in the paintings had posed and of course to see what books are on the bookshelves) the doors opened up and HILLARY walked in...I swear she glowed...I was pretty close but felt it would be rude to just walk right away from the bigwig I was talking to...luckily he said you need to go over there, go...so I started to do so but there are a lot of, well let's say type A people in my class who pushed their way in front of me, literally, and then wouldn't move out of the way after shaking hands...so I got really close to a handshake but wasn't pushy enough to actually get one...but I was about a foot from her...she is beautiful, much more so than I expected. She talked about smart power being rooted in smart people, said she had looked over our resumes and thanked us all for joining. It was AWESOME!!!!
and no, not every class gets all these brushes during A-100. we just RULE!!!!

first few days

I love my job.
The first two days were mostly in-processing. It was really cool to be at the Main State Department Building. I kind of wanted to just walk around with my blissed out look on my face reading all of the captions by photos and looking at the cool diplomatic gifts received - I suppose I will still have my chance but was trying to not let everyone in my class know just how absolutely giddy I am to be there!
Although I don't know why since most people I tak to are just as absolutely thrilled.
And apparently it is very common to constantly think...uh oh are they going to realize they made a mistake and take this all away?
At the meet and greet our speaker said (and I super paraphrase and misquote here):
"Half of you look around and think there must have been a mistake made but are so thankful they let you in the room. The other half think they are really great and are looking around wondering how a bunch of the others got in the room. The second group won't get far."
That was strangely comforting.
I'm a little spooked that essentially when I am overseas I can assume I am being watched by someone pretty much always but eh again it is so worth it.
My classmates are amazing. They all come in with impressive histories and bizarre accomplishments. For example, I rode the metro with someone who used to recruit priests and then had lunch with a former beauty queen and Hooter's waitress. I am enjoying just getting to know them all!
Today was the first day at the actual Foreign Service Institute. The campus is gorgeous and formality reigns. They really know what they are doing with the orientation. The information is fascinating and presented at the perfect speed.
Tomorrow we get our bid lists! Today we were told to go home, pour a glass of wine, read the guide to bidding and really think about our preferences and what we want.
Yes, my homework involves wine.
I am indeed up for that challenge!

forgot...

...that when i went to human resources to get the scavenger hunt final day form i met a woman who is trying to join the foreign service...gave her my info and hope to be able to help someone with their questions...was pretty cool!

last 36 minutes at commerce

today is my last day at commerce...now down to the last 36 minutes
i still have some regrets that i wasn't able to accomplish more and still feel bad about leaving so soon after getting here...in fact it took about 2 1/2 times longer to hire me than i stayed...and i worked with some amazing people here so i feel terrible leaving them in the lurch...if it wasn't my DREAM job and all...the decision was still harder than i thought it would ever be
but all that said...my forms are signed...which did involve going up and down what felt like every corridor of this huge building...and my stuff is out of here...wow was that hard...and now it is done

State here I come!!!