Thursday, May 21, the night I arrived in Uzbekistan, I heard that my UAB (otherwise known as unaccompanied air baggage, or “air freight”) had beat me here. This was totally shocking for me (in a good way), as my air freight had only been packed out less than two weeks before.
I’ve heard dozens of times from officers in all different parts of the world that it generally takes UAB at least three weeks to arrive in Customs in the host country, sometimes longer.
Thursday, May 21 was a day I intersected the sun while flying thousands of miles east. As midnight struck on the east coast of the United States, I had already set my watch six hours ahead and arrived in Frankfurt, the only time during that day that I held still for a few hours.
On the morning of Wednesday, May 20 I awoke early in my New York City hotel room. My taxi was coming at noon, and my flight would take off just before 16:00. So I set purposefully and enthusiastically about my morning: picking up my shoes from a repair shop nearby, strolling 25 minutes through midtown to get a glorious deep tissue massage, enjoying coffee and breakfast, and of course – strategically re-packing my carry-on baggage so I could have a clean outfit to wear when picked up in Tashkent by embassy staff.
I even walked to Times Square and reveled in the big lights, buying a banana from a street vendor and leaving my change to him. Walking down the street, I was all smiles.
4: Number of days in NYC
4: Number of postcards purchased
4: Number of bags lugged
49: Number of minutes it mysteriously took to check into my hotel
On Saturday, May 16, my husband I had a relaxing morning and afternoon. We went from our “hotel” (otherwise known as DOS temporary corporate housing at Oakwood Falls Church) to my favorite nail salon in Arlington. I’ve been getting my nails done there by the same person since 2006. She has always done a beautiful job, and whether it’s routine or for a special event they’re always perfect.
If someone would have told me back in the fall of 2006 when I moved to Washington, DC that I would stay there for almost nine years, I would have laughed in their face. Yet it happened just that way. Three years ago today I passed the FSOA, and yesterday I moved away.
On Monday, May 11 and Tuesday, May 12 our apartment was packed out in preparation for my transfer to Uzbekistan. Currently, almost all of my belongings (except what can fit into two carry-on bags and two suitcases) are en route to Tashkent either by air or sea.
Sometimes I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear
And I can’t help but ask myself how much I’ll let the fear take the wheel and steer
It’s driven me before, and it seems to have a vague haunting mass appeal
Lately I’m beginning to find that I should be the one behind the wheel
On Friday, May 1 I finished my sixth and final week of consular training at the Foreign Service Institute. At the beginning of the week I could clearly sense a change in the air, an upshift in gears. The renewed urgency was palpable, something I could almost taste.
My rocks are the memories from different adventures. I thought I would just leave this bag here.
A soulful explorer living an inspired life
Time for adventure
Traveling to experience places not just visit them!
Psychology to Motivate | Inspire | Uplift
My Life As An Expat Abroad
My thoughts.
Tales from a Serial Expat
Detroit --> Angola --> Chile --> Cambodia--> India
the doings of the familia Calderón
A little drama every day. ~Dramababyabroad
Wanderings & Wonderings
Inclusion Isn't Optional
two humans, one cat, and our lives together in West Africa
my travels, my way. currently exploring eswatini and the rest of southern africa as a peace corps volunteer
Foreign Service Officer and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer
Possibilities of connections and a sense of belonging.
This Blog is about discovering the magic of forests in every aspect of life from a small plant in a metropolis to the forests themselves
Chimping around the world!
We travel, some of us forever, to seek other places, other lives, other souls. – Anais Nin
A blog about health, the keto diet, weight loss, family, relationships, travel & love!
just a Rhode Island girl living in a Kazakh world
Exploring the World Diplomatically
A life well-lived around the world.
Joyce Hooley
b.a. east
Foreign Service Blog
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." - Helen Keller
just another story
Experiences of a Peace Corps Volunteer in Macedonia
My Journey to the Foreign Service
I am serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kyrgyzstan, come read about my advetures
A Diplomat's Life Abroad
40 years later, a TCK looks at the world through the lens of Embassy family life
A little ditty about our adventures in the Foreign Service
Re-adjusting to life in DC
a peace corps memoir
Two People, Two Dogs...One New Country
From travels around the world, with love..
We are a foreign service family currently posted in Windhoek, Namibia!!
