Finally, it’s my turn to write one of these. Since moving to Mauritania, Nick has gotten to go on half a dozen work related trips (also known as a TDY-Temporary Duty). I am not going to lie, it has always made me a bit jealous seeing him go to all these far flung places across multiple continents, even if it is for work and not pleasure, so when the opportunity came up for me to take a similar trip, I pounced on it.
As we are in the middle of summer transfer season, several staffing gaps have arisen, and I was asked if I wanted to go to an office management specialist training course in Washington D.C. to help temporarily fill in some of the staffing shortages in various sections. Although it really isn’t related to my work in the general services office, I was more than agreeable, as these trainings are great resume builders, and just add to my versatility for future assignments we might take. Plus, an all expense paid trip to D.C. with per diem is a nice little carrot.
Literally 2 days after I got back from our 3 week R&R, I was D.C. bound. Nick made the recommendation of staying in the Ballston area of Arlington, Virginia, since I could walk to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) where I would be working. He couldn’t have picked a better spot for me to spend a week. Tons of shops, restaurants, and things to do, all a stones throw away. I definitely get why Nick raved about Arlington/DC as a whole when he did his 3 months of training here last year.
The work week was quite interesting, and it offered me a much better view into the machine that is the Foreign Service. FSI is also a fascinating place, basically a college campus where diplomats and other individuals across various organizations come together to learn foreign languages or get specific training for their jobs abroad. It was really cool to see and be a part of it all, and learn from some of the most seasoned diplomats/experts our country has to offer.
Outside of the work week, I had the great pleasure of hosting a cousin and her spouse from New York for a few days, and it was lovely to be able to catch up with her and see some of D.C. Of course we went to sing some karaoke, a Filipino tradition.
Of course, no trip abroad is complete if you aren’t stuffing your hotel fridge full of meats to bring back to Africa, and I can safely say, mission accomplished. With this being my last time in a Western country for the foreseeable future (likely until we PCS back to Texas next summer), I brought a few extra bags to make sure we max out our freezer in Mauritania. This, combined with the hefty amount we brought back from our R&R should hopefully hold us over for a good while.
Overall, it was a nice little getaway back to the U.S. for a brief period. I got to see family, expand my working knowledge, enjoy some great food and culture, and Sherpa back some essentials to the family. A wonderful trip. -Angeli
