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......