My first time...

Those words.. "my first time"... they seem to conjure up many things in your mind...the first time I ate peanut butter, the first time I heard that song, the first time I saw the sun set over the ocean, the first time I...well, you get the idea. We all have a lot of first times in our lives. One of the things they say keeps you young is to keep having "firsts" throughout your life. This is my first time venturing into the blog arena. I always thought I wouldn't have enough to say. People who know me would laugh hilariously if they heard me say that...in fact, those people are probably laughing as they read that statement. I am hardly at a loss for words.... :) But blogging seems different. More personal at times. And yet not so much more personal than posting on Facebook or another social media outlet. I feel like I'm ready for it. Or to at least try it and see how it goes. So, I'm venturing.

Before I entered the Foreign Service, I had read many blogs about the Foreign Service, about the military, about working moms, about dog rescue, etc etc. I considered starting a blog when I entered the FS, but decided against it. We had what seemed like hundreds of discussions during our FS initial training about whether or not blogs by FS personnel were bad (security concerns, posting anti-governmental views, etc) or good (educating people about the awesome work the FS was doing overseas, telling people the real life of a FS employee, etc). So I was on the fence and decided not to do one. However, I have been following several of my colleagues' blogs for the past few months and I really enjoy them. They share personal stories, they share some of the amazing stories of what they are doing overseas, and they share random thoughts. And honestly, since a lot of my friends and family are not on Facebook, sometimes I wonder how I can share all of my adventures and insights and "firsts" with them, outside of writing them a daily email (or a daily snail mail, since my Grandma doesn't believe in the internet). So I decided to jump in and try writing a blog. I figure it will be a weekly iteration to start. I feel like that takes a bit of the pressure off of me. I do worry I'll be quite boring. But I guess that is just one of the perks of throwing yourself into the blog arena :) Feedback is appreciated, because well, I really have no clue what I'm doing other than "talking"...but I do know how to do that.

A little background...

Everyone tells you to add this info to your FS blog for some reason, so here is my FSO path thus far...
Took the FSOT on 5 October 2011 (registered as a Management Coned Officer), submitted my interview questions in late November 2011, received invitation to OAs in January 2012, passed the OAs on 21 March 2012, put on the management roster on 28 April 2012 (#3 of 48), offered an A-100 class start date on May 11, 2012, and started A-100 on 16 July 2012. From my understanding, this was a lot quicker than most FSO paths...mainly because the security and medical clearances tend to take so long...so I feel incredibly blessed and happy that it worked out so well and quickly for me. This will be another post, but it seems to follow the line of thinking that I'm supposed to be here....the plan thing...

I moved to DC in July 2012 from Arizona, to start my new career in the FS. My 2 dogs (Emma and Daisy), my packed Subaru Outback, and I left from Arizona in late June and arrived in DC in early July.

Daisy the Basset Hound

Emma the Cattle Dog/Lab Mix

We made the trip across the country in 5 days (made a stop in Iowa to see family on the way). That was an adventure in itself. We just missed the horrible DC storm that took out power in the capital region for days. Luckily, there was power here in DC when we arrived, and we stayed in a really nice hotel until my apartment was ready (they even provided luxury dog beds for my girls!). But the temps were soaring at over 100 degrees (with what seemed like the same humidity) and on the day I moved what little I had into my apartment, I could have sworn I was going to die. People joke about Arizona having a dry heat...but it is real and it makes a difference, believe me, it is real. Humidity and heat are bad partners in crime. I wonder how people without air conditioning lived many years ago...?? I realize I am definitely a child of a first world country :)

So after getting settled in, and completing the initial FSO training, and finding out my first post in August 2012 (Athens, Greece...yes, I am truly very lucky!), I started language training in September 2012. The Greek language is beautiful, and a lot of fun to learn. Having incredible instructors helps tremendously! So that has been my full time job up to this point...learning Greek at the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington VA. I take my language proficiency test in a few weeks, and I'm excited for the test. It also means I'll be heading out to Greece a few months after the test. After language, I have to complete some General Services Officer training before I go. I'll be really glad when it's over and I can head out :)

Becky and the World...hoping to see all of this amazing planet over the next 25 years in the FS :)

Some challenges have presented themselves since moving to DC and starting my new life here. Unfortunately, I lost both of my dogs within a 6 month period. Emma passed away in October 2012 and Daisy passed away in January 2013. Honestly, I didn't think I would be this heartbroken to lose my girls but I am, and I miss them both terribly. I had found out in August that I couldn't take them with me to Greece due to their health issues, so I knew I'd have to find a home for them. But losing them both so close was indeed very difficult. I know everything happens for a reason, and though I am struggling with it, I know in my heart that what happened is best. I have a little shrine set up for them in my apartment now and they will be with me wherever I go. I'm just so very glad I had the time with them that I did :) Luckily I live in a neighborhood with a lot of dogs and I have volunteered to help with rescue transport, so I can get a dog "fix" now and then. Not sure if I will get another pet while I'm in the FS. Pros and cons for it, and people make it work all of the time. But we will see. Perhaps another blog post? :)

It's kind of funny because they tell you in the FS that you'll be posted in places that will challenge your health, emotional, physical and mental...smog, horrible water sources, dust and dirt galore, different living conditions than what you are used to, different cultural norms, etc. Right now I'm living in DC...not at all considered a bad place for the most part in terms of health...well, maybe except for the traffic on 395 and some of the politicians' antics. But for some reason, I have had a lot of health challenges since arriving here in DC last year. Maybe it was the long move, the death of my pups, the feeling of isolation even being in a large city, the massive change in work culture/schedule, or the stress of being away from family...not really sure...but my body has rebelled against me here. I guess you can say I have always battled sickness since I was a little kid. But it really got bad here. I am hoping it is just my body getting itself readjusted to my new life and from here I can move forward and be healthy again. So after 2 surgeries, many doctor visits and a "wake up call" from a personal trainer, plus my first session with a therapist, I am now diligently working to fix myself and get healthy so that when I move overseas, I will not be a burden to myself or others. I need to be healthy and need to be able to do my work, plus I need to be able to see the wonderful places and host the incredible people who are planning on coming to visit me. So I am starting now to get my health back in check. I keep hearing the words "it is a journey not a destination" in my head...how that applies to so many things :) And the saying by Deepak Chopra is quite applicable lately...or so I hope...

Alas, in a few weeks I will take my Greek language proficiency test. Soon I will receive my diplomatic passport and visa for working in Greece. Shortly after that, I will have my pack-out and vehicle shipment dates scheduled. I will soon have my airline tickets to Greece "in hand." And that wonderful day in July will soon be here for my departure overseas to my new home (for the next 2 years). I am so very much looking forward to many firsts in the coming weeks and months...and over the next few years :) For someone who is a bit freaked out by massive life changes, this will be a great adventure....and I cannot wait for it.

And so it begins... :)