WoodLand Travels

2012-01-02T02:46:00.000-08:00

Camp Nathan Smith (CNS), home to the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (KPRT), is located in Kandahar City itself. You can see, hear, and smell the city easily from our location, unlike Kabul where you easily forget you’re in Afghanistan while living in the “Ring of Steel”. One of the sounds is the call to prayer from one of the several mosques that are near CNS. Five times a day. Every day. Starting at 5am. It’s a problem here for a couple of reasons that I’ll get into in a moment.

First of all I need to say there is obviously nothing wrong with the call to prayer itself. I first heard it in Southern Serbia (which has a significant Muslim population) and again in Egypt (which also has a significant Muslim population – in case you weren’t aware). In both instances they were what I’ve called hauntingly beautiful. In fact, I was moved to tears in Cairo the first time I heard the call to prayer broadcast near my hotel. That’s pretty powerful for a non-believer to admit. The Imam singing had a rhythmic melody that conveyed both his devotion to his religion and his pride in knowing he could rock the mike. That’s not the case in Kandahar.

The mosques near KPRT are very loud. They in fact have been equipped with high-tech PA systems bought by the Canadians when they ran CNS. The mosques gratefully accepted these pimped up public announcement systems and the next thing you know it’s Karaoke night in Kandahar – five times a day. There’s one guy that sounds like Carol Brunette doing her famous Tarzan yell, only I don’t think he’s trying to be funny. We laughed at first, now we mainly howl in response to his particular call.

In addition to being very loud the various Mosques are also not beginning the call to prayer at the correct time of day (some start at 4:30am) nor are some singing the correct prayer. That’s what a leading Imam who visited KPRT told recently told us. And of course he reminded us that we (the internationals) created this problem by handing out all those high fidelity systems, once again proving that the road to hell is indeed paved with good intentions.

That’s all from KPRT. I had a great Christmas and Solstice with some great friends and I’m about to celebrate New Year’s Eve with them now. Happy New Year everyone!

Love and respect,

Billy.

Next Stop: Lincoln Park Zoo

2011-09-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

It's

been almost two months since Billy left Chicago for Afghanistan. In fact, we are nearing our ninth wedding anniversary and for the first time since we married, we'll be spending it half a world apart. He'll be gone for one year. And then he'll come back. At least that's what he told me. He appears to be doing good work over there. I'm daily proud of my ever loving, brave husband.

I hope he'll post a blog about some of the experiences he's having meeting Afghans, and going outside the base and speaking with government officials. He has rich stories to tell already.

Meanwhile, we are re-adapting to life back in the States. No more bustling outdoor markets, but libraries galore. No more Ada, the recreational island that we so enjoyed in Belgrade, but also no more small cars on the bike paths! There are endless pros and cons to both worlds. We are fortunate that we experienced the rich, Serbian culture and met such warm, kind people. And we are lucky to be home, near friends and family who are helping take care of us during this time of adjustment without Billy/Daddy.

I think I found the last parking spot available in the City of Chicago on Sunday when I took the boys to the Lincoln Park Zoo. The gods were looking down on us. These are pics from last week and earlier this summer.

Gabriel's Serbian Song

2011-09-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

This video was made before we left Belgrade. Gabriel's nursery school was preparing for their class play, and this was one of the songs they all learned.

click on link below!

www.youtube.com/reginalandor65#p/a/u/0/K7OkEQdRN9M

Reflections

2011-05-15T12:25:00.000-07:00

I'm posting a few pictures today of some significant events for me. The one on the bottom is of me celebrating my 46th birthday. It's remarkable to think that 10 years ago, I celebrated my birthday also in part of the Former Yugoslavia - on a roof-top in Macedonia - and that here I am again in this part of the world, under such different circumstances, not as a lone volunteer, but as a spouse and mother. I feel I have come a very long way.

Both birthdays represent a beginning and an end. When I was 36th, I had just entered a new life in the Peace Corps, and didn't know it at that celebration, but that life was to end so abruptly. And a new one was to begin. And now, at 46, I'm beginning to wind down my two years in Serbia and say goodbye to a new set of people whose lives I've been so entwined with. I have been lucky to cross paths with many beautiful people here. I have some idea of what my new life will hold this year - going back to the States, being close to the comfort of family and friends - but don't know what's in store for us after that.

I will miss sitting down with a cup of Turkish coffee, which you see me doing in the picture on the top. I will pack some in my suitcase and I will bring my copper zesva (the coffee pot) and cups and tray I bought in Sarajevo, but drinking Turkish coffee in America will not be the same. Ask my Chicago Bosnian friends. They understand. In this picture I'm pouring myself a cup of Turkish coffee at The Question Mark Cafe (one of the oldest cafes in Belgrade), which is brought to the customer with their own little pot, cup, and side of Turkish Delight. My friend Sarah and I sat here and drank coffee recently.

I read a quote today in a book by our family friend, Linda Parks. She has many wise things to say, and one of the quotes she uses is from Aldous Huxley who says, "There is only one corner of the Universe you can be certain of improving, and that is your own self." I am working on it, daily.

Zemun

2011-05-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

The boys were in school and I went to Zemun. My friend - of 27 years -, Sarah, is visiting. She must really like Belgrade. This is her third visit. We're delighted to have her though, especially as Billy is away and the boys are missing their Daddy. Sarah is wonderful with the kids and is great company for me. Having visitors is a great excuse to go off the usual, beaten track, so we went to the old city of Zemun, and happily, my neighbor, Tanya and her baby Viola, joined us. We took a walk up to the tower where we could see the red roof tops below, and Belgrade in the distance, along with the confluence, where the Sava and Danube rivers meet. We ate grilled squid and drank a beer sitting by the water. The sun was peeking in and out, offering warmth in its presence and a real chill in its absence. The kind waiter brought us each our own blanket. He even tucked it around my lap for me! After lunch we took a walk along the river, admiring the Zemun Quay.

Macedonians Revisited

2011-04-28T05:54:00.000-07:00

Serbian Country Restaurant

Watching the chess players in Kalemegdan.

I was finally able to return some hospitality to my former Macedonian host family whom I lived with for three months, ten years ago. Frosina, my host sister, and her husband, Goran, and their three children (including their one-year-old, Philip) crammed into their lime-green Fiat and drove up to Belgrade for the first time in their lives last weekend. Even though Belgrade was the capital of the former Yugoslavia, which Macedonia was a part of, they had never been here before, so I felt responsible for showing them the highlights of this vibrant city.

Ethan and Gabriel and Bojan (who doesn't know English) got along famously. Most of their communication involved playing tag, which they did all up the walking boulevard, and on the grounds of Kalemegdon, the fortress - Belgrade's prime attraction. Marija, their 14-year old daughter, adored Gabriel.

We also spent a day on Ada, the recreational island, the boys on bikes and scooters, and the rest of us walking around the 5 mile stretch. They loved everything we did, including the country restaurant I took them to, about 30 minutes outside of the city. We ate traditional food - lamb cooked in a ceramic pot over a wood-burning stove - and toasted to such a long-lasting friendship.

I think they were so used to taking care of me when I lived with them, that they were amazed to find that I can cook! I wanted to prepare food that they would not be accustomed to, so I made my mother's Chicken Terriyaki one night, and spaghetti and meatballs another. Blueberry pancakes were a complete wonder to them, as were the waffles and chocolate chip cookies. I wanted to give them a taste of something typically American.

They also brought food with them for me. Jars and jars of preserves, like they were afraid I wouldn't make it through another winter. Valika, my former host mother, sent them with jars of her own peaches, homemade wine, ajvar - a red pepper spread, and a large jar of smokve - sweetened figs from her own garden, which I had watched her make on her stove-top so long ago. I remember being told when I was in the Peace Corps that smokve is served to guests of honor. That was the first thing they gave me when I arrived in their home, with my big suitcases, wide-eyed and filled with the expectation of new things to come.

Spring!

2011-04-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung in the Balkans. We had a gorgeous afternoon. First, I got to fulfill a long-standing girlhood fantasy: I went horseback riding in the woods near our home. I've taken a few lessons over the past few weekends, and today I and two other Serbian women went for a ride away from the arena. I understood about every third word of their conversation. Can't quite string the sentences together yet. The buds on the trees in the park are just about to burst into bloom, the sun was out, it was warm, and I felt like I was riding on a cloud - that big, powerful beast carrying me along.

Later in the day, I rallied the troops together at home and we headed to Ada Ciganlia - the recreational island near our home in Belgrade. Gabriel rode his bike; Ethan was on his scooter. There were lots of people out today. All the restaurants and cafes were hopping, the roller bladers were speeding by, the bicyclists, the strollers, the fashion queens in mini skirts up to there. A festive sight. We got to Sunset Cafe where a string quartet happened to be playing - and sat right in front of them, enjoying the people-watching, the sun on the water, the iced coffee. Ethan paid particular attention to the music - he was disappointed when they stopped. He's just started taking violin lessons and was very interested in watching and listening. After a meal of (what else?) grilled meat, fries, cabbage salad, and a beer, the boys threw stones in the water and then had an icecream. They raced back to the car on their bike and scooter. After Billy read them a bedtime story, they were both snoring before I got to the room to kiss them goodnight.

Above are a few pictures of our day, one of our last together before Billy leaves for the States.

Our Boy Ethan

2011-02-27T11:37:00.000-08:00

Ethan will be seven years old on Tuesday. We had a party for him today at "The Jungle," a play cafe with a large "jungle" for the kids to romp and swing around in. Great fun, music, and "firecracker" candles on the cake - a Serbian tradition - and of course, "Happy Birthday" in English and Serbian. Friends from the neighborhood and his class came. He received many gifts and was very, very happy. Except at the end of the day when he wanted to put together the legos at bedtime and Mommy and Daddy said, No. Within a minute of the lights being turned off, he was snoring. Darn good day. Happy birthday, dear angel.

Proof that travel is still possible!

2011-02-14T06:08:00.001-08:00

After my last post where it seemed the boys had defeated all possibilities of enjoying travel ever again, we got back on the horse and ventured out one more time, to Bled, Slovenia. What kind of trip to take with children makes all the difference. We can almost time it to the quarter hour when Gabriel is going to start making a fuss. He was great the whole way, and just as we were pulling into the capital, Lublijana, he kind of fell apart. Fortunately, just next to where we parked our car on the sidewalk there was a statue of a child, naked and with an erect penis. I kid you not. Those are the kinds of little details that are important for added levity. Somehow, after the statue, we were all in a good mood. Lublijana is a beautiful town. We stayed for about an hour, walking through the cobblestone squares and by the river and bridges, then continued on to Bled.

We had weather on our side. And our hotel was just this side of communist era decor. It was on the lake, with a big indoor pool and a giant slide. The afternoon after the day we arrived, we walked around the entire, 6 k lake (about 4.5 miles). The boys did great. There is an island in the center of the lake with a church in the middle and a castle on a hilltop across the lake, which we eventually passed. We stopped for hot chocolate along the way, threw stones in the water, and walked briskly in the cool air, below sunny skies. We swam in the warm pool when we got back from our walk. This is the kind of holiday that we'll take again: one that's active and that has no window shopping in sight, and preferably no Christmas markets.

We are beginning to wind down our time in Belgrade, Serbia. In June, just a few months away, we will say goodbye to the friends we've made here, to the schools and to Billy's job, and head back to be closer to family. Billy will have his own adventure. He'll spend a year in Afghanistan, working on a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT). He'll be driving around with a team (including military personnel) and helping to deliver services to small villages around the country. Brave man, Billy. He's actually looking forward to the task, getting out from behind a desk, and working with people again. He's reading as much as he can about Afghanistan, and is fascinated with the history, and the job that awaits him there. He'll have three home-leaves, so we'll see him every three months or so. He's growing his hair (because no one is stopping him) and the beard comes next. His colleagues are giving him a hard time over this (in a friendly sort of way) but I'm proud of his non-conformist ways.

We weigh the pros and cons of a nomadic life relentlessly. I've just recently read an article in the New Yorker about social consciousness, and how research says that "happiness" is found more in a life that is consistent and stable, rather than one that is constantly on the move. The writer says that of the two ways of being, "On the Road" or "It's a Wonderful Life" it turns out that "It's a Wonderful Life" is right! These days, thoughts of staying put, by the fireside and the hearth of family and a stable home, seems very appealing. We'll have a whole year to decide what's next.

Cookies and Christmas!

2010-12-26T13:15:00.001-08:00

Ethan in Vienna with his new hat!

Ethan performing from his new Magic Set, a huge hit. Owen, Michael & Tanya, our neighbors and guests for Christmas dinner, were a great audience!

Vienna, Or What Were We Thinking?

2010-12-24T12:38:00.000-08:00

We just got back from three nights in Vienna to see the Christmas markets, and one night in Budapest on our way back to stay at a water park hotel. We're glad we did the water park. We swam, went outside in the hot water, slid down slides, and stayed in the pools for hours. On our first day in Vienna we realized pretty quickly that this is not the kind of "holiday" we can take with our kids. Kids are basically not interested in architecture. They don't care about palaces. They don't like walking across vast city landscapes. And they really don't like walking through snow that they can't just play in all day. We know this. We knew this before going, but somehow the allure of a Western city, and admittedly the words "Christmas market", were too appealing to resist. By about the middle of our first day there, that list of "Top Ten Things to do with Kids in Vienna" seemed aimed at parents who had no other choice but to spend two days in Vienna with their kids.

When travelling with children in a large, metropolitan city the only real thing that the parents are concentrating on is how to keep them contained: not letting them walk into traffic, not letting them bump into every third person, not letting them grab things from the Christmas market booths. It's so exhausting that the only real remedy to numb the pain is another glass of glugwein. But the trick is not to let yourself get too numb so that your back is turned for any great amount of time, or even for one second. This happened to me. I let the littlest one out of my sight and he promptly walked over to a Christmas market booth, picked up a lovely, little glass snow ball - the kind you shake and it snows - and dropped it. I couldn't look the woman in the eyes when I asked her how much that cost. Twelve dollars later, we were leaving the Christmas market and trying to decide how else to spend the hours that stretched before us.

We found the butterfly garden in the Hofburg Palace. Kids also could care less about exotic butterflies, by the way. But they loved the tunnels, the stairs leading up and over the bridge, the waterfall, and the two Austrian little girls they were chasing. The boys built up a sweat running around, while Billy and I sat slumped in our chairs, an occasional butterfly flitting past, and talked about where we went wrong.

It all felt so hard. Running around in this humid greenhouse was the most fun they'd had. Vacations where they can run around, play with other kids, be in one place the whole time, that's the kind of holiday that makes sense. But right now we had to drag them on to the next place. We went into a gorgeously decorated Italian restaurant where we waited for almost an hour for our food. Ethan started whimpering, he was so hungry. He gobbled up his pizza then fell asleep while we were still waiting for our food! I was a grown-up regressing to my inner-toddler, and I almost started to cry, too. Finally, finally the delicious, mushroom-stuffed ravioli came. By the time I was finished eating, Ethan was leaning back in his chair and snoring. The waiter who came to clear away the dishes started laughing so heartily, that we couldn't help laughing, too, in a slap-happy kind of way.

Finally, back in the hotel, the boys in their bed at last, I climbed into bed myself, uncomfortably full, and read some more of the book we're reading for our book group: Oliver Twist. And then I did cry, reading about those little boys in the orphanage literally starving to death.

And this is where I start counting my blessings, one by one. Alright, I won't list them all here. And I guess there are too many anyway and I wouldn't know where to begin or end.

Our vacation wasn't perfect, but we definitely learned some things. Actually, the second day turned out better than the first, partly because we were more prepared. We spent the entire day at the Shonbrunn palace where we saw a marionette play of The Magic Flute, in German, true, but the boys did enjoy it. They played dress-up in the children's museum, and there was less complaining and moaning. We timed things better and ended the day happily. We walked into a Mexican restaurant where we could tell almost right away that there was some kind of family dispute going on. Weirdly, that felt comforting. The food was so authentic and spicy and good. The family who owned the small, two room restaurant had four kids who were running around. One of the little girls started pulling Gabriel's hat over his head and hugging him. They brought out a cake for the one-year-old's birthday with an enormous candle where they celebrated in the back room and brought a piece for Ethan and Gabriel. When we left the restaurant, this time the boys were up for walking down the streets a bit, right under the giant blue Christmas lights.

The stockings are stuffed and the boys are dreaming of sugarplums, I hope. I also hope the spirit of Christmas, the light, the hope, the love fills all who have managed to read to the end of this post! "God bless us, everyone!"

Thanksgiving

2010-11-29T11:43:00.000-08:00

Lucky us, we got to eat turkey for Thanksgiving. Not only that, we escaped the commercialism of Turkey Day where in E. Europe there's not a paper turkey in sight. We drove to Skopje, Macedonia to celebrate with another American couple and their 2 year old daughter. Ethan and Gabriel preferred standing on their heads (a new trick Billy just taught them) to eating. Most of the way down, we got to listen to Ethan and Gabriel playing a game they invented called the "Pass Gas" game. I'm not really sure what the rules are, but it has something to do with other cars on the road, and other things. How did I end up with three guys and a male cat?

Following Thanksgiving Day, where we reminisced about past Thanksgivings including a favorite of mine where Billy and I took a long, wintry bus ride north to spend it with Larry and Monica in Zalau, Romania, we drove the 2 hours southeast to Lake Ohrid. I've been hearing about Lake Ohrid since my Peace Corps days. The town is referred to as "the jewel in Macedonia's crown." And no wonder. We got there in the pouring rain. We found Ben Ten and Spider man umbrellas (no, for the boys) which made us all happy. The next day, the sun came out, colored the sky a deep blue, and allowed for pretty pictures of the red and yellow Macedonian flag above the fortress. The town is ancient, cobble stoned, steep-hilled, and scattered with 365 churches all tucked in between the roads, trees, old houses, markets, and shops.

We drove back to Skopje mid-afternoon, having previously arranged to meet my former host family along the highway (they assured us we would see their bright green car on the side of the road - and we did!) to have a meal at a roadside restaurant. We sat for a few hours eating fried trout, drinking beer, and catching up. Lots to be thankful for.

Gabriel's Serbian Nursery Rhyme

2010-10-30T03:07:00.000-07:00

Secretary Clinton and Team Luggage!

2010-10-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

Secretary Clinton breezed through Serbia a few days ago. As we had a household of sick people, I did not get to see her myself, although there was a spouse/family "meet and greet" held at the Hyatt where she was staying the morning before she left. But unlike my last blog entry, I'm not the star of this post. Not unlike a speed-dating venue, Secretary Clinton went from table to table around a room meeting various members of Serbian Civil Society Organizations. Billy was responsible for the introductions, helping to initiate a discussion between her and six people that represented vulnerable and minority populations, and then to get out of the way! To carry on the gay theme here, one of the individuals was from Gay/Straight Alliance that helped organize the Gay Pride Parade.
Here's Billy to describe the experience:
Upon entering the room Secretary Clinton apologized for running late and then US Ambassador to Serbia, Mary Warlick, made some opening remarks and formerly introduced the Secretary. As the Ambassador was speaking, Secretary Clinton stood behind her looking kind of statuesque. It's always surreal when I see a famous person. My first thought is, Wow, they really exist. The Secretary looked like a caricature of herself - steely-faced, looking very much the part of the calculating politician. And then, when she stepped up to the microphone it was like a light bulb went off. She spoke eloquently and made a real connection with people in the room.
Like any State event, it was scripted to the hilt. And like any plan, it didn't exactly play out like we had thought. Nothing major, just human nature. Secretary Clinton approached my table and the Ambassador introduced me. She shook my hand and then began introducing herself to the participants at my table, instead of waiting for me to do so. After she shook the last person's hand she turned to me, smiled and waited for me to initiate the conversation. I think I remember clearing my throat and saying something along the lines of "Madam Secretary, our table has six people that are dedicated to improving the lives of the vunerable and minority populations in Serbia." I then took the liberty to say that I thought this table was the most relevant group here due to the weekend's Pride Parade. At that point I stepped aside and let the Secretary discuss the weekend's gay pride march and other topics with the panel members. It was over in about eight minutes. And it was very cool.

Furthermore, there was the business of the luggage. Regina here. Billy was also in charge of watching her suitcases go from the porter's hands into the hotel room. Mission Accomplished!

Gay Pride Belgrade!

2010-10-10T08:02:00.001-07:00

St. Sava

Gay Pride!

2010-10-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

Standing in Solidarity

2010-10-10T06:11:00.000-07:00

Today I stood in solidarity for my gay brothers and sisters in an historic Gay Pride Parade in Belgrade, Serbia. It was the very first time in history that a pride parade was held in the nation's capital. Last year there was an attempt, but the protesters threatened to attack the police, the government said they could not guarantee the safety of the marchers, and a permit was not granted. This year, 5,000 police were on the street ready to protect. (No doubt, politics were behind this, as Serbia is still not a member of the EU.) Despite serious warnings of violence from the embassy (through the State Dept.), I decided that I wanted to go. (A soccer match, on the other hand, forget it.)

Let me just say, it was an experience that I would not have wanted to miss. For the first time since our 14 months in Serbia, I felt like I was a part of something huge, a part of a monumental event helping to shape this city, and not secluded in my safe, suburban neighborhood.

I really didn't know what to expect when I got on the bus at 9:00 this morning, but I felt glad I was doing it and glad that I had Billy's support. The first sign that I knew the day would prove to be eventful was when the bus did not take its usual route. Police were blocking the exit onto the main boulevard. I knew where to go from the embassy, and the bus driver let me off somewhat near it, but the road was blocked by a barricade of policemen. In fact, police were everywhere, and the streets were eerily quiet. I sort of knew where the park was, but the police wouldn't let me through! I was sent in the wrong direction a few times, until finally when I told a policeman I wanted to march, he let me through after looking at my ID card. Other plainclothes police looked at my card, spoke to someone else, then I was escorted a block and a half away to the park. The park was also barricaded. I had to wait until exactly 10:00 before I was allowed to enter. I saw some balloons in the park. I saw a few people running around, organizing. I saw a small table w/ stickers and buttons. But hardly any people! It was so weird. I took a picture of the empty park, thinking that people are probably too afraid to show up. Or there are no gays in Belgrade. Doubt that! In fact, I learned a new word today. "Cvuda." Everywhere. As in "We are Everywhere."

My bag was completely searched, my water taken and my hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer? Once inside, an organizer for the event gave me a badge and pink sticker and a tall man with a long, black, velvet coat said, "Have a great party!" And I walked into the park, where there were only about 10 other people. I walked around taking pictures of the statues, the posters on display on the ground, the rainbow umbrellas, the stage w/ the balloons. I kept thinking, This is so weird. Where is everyone?

Slowly, that changed. As if people were emerging from an invisible closet, they came out. Like the sun that started to shine brilliantly down on the park, they came. And it became a party. I talked to a few people, moved a bit to the music that was playing from speakers, took lots of pictures, and just enjoyed mingling, being in that vibrant atmosphere. There was no sense of fear. We were so well barricaded anyway. There's no way that any protesters could have come near the park. A journalist came up to me to ask me where I was from. When I told her she said that Silvia Pajoli from NPR was here. Then, suddenly, I was standing next to Silvia Pajoli's husband, a tall man with long white hair and a thick, Italian accent. So nice. We talked a bit, then his wife came up to us and I shook her hand and took her picture. She wanted to know if I knew any gay people here. It was a strange question. She said that she thought that most people were either journalists or there for solidarity. It's true there were straight people. But lots of gays, too! I was trying to find the guy who was holding a rainbow umbrella a few minutes ago and jumping up in the air posing for a picture. That guy wasn't straight. A really great speech was made in English by a woman from the EU committee, saying that this is the only way that change can occur! And that it takes brave people like you, she shouted, pointing to the crowd. A spokesman for the Serbian govt was booed.

After the speeches, the crowd started walking out of the park. I turned to someone and said, "This is where it gets interesting, right?"

Hundreds of people had joined the crowd by now and were beginning to march down the main boulevard toward the city center. Police were barricading every conceivable entrance to the street. Every intersection was blocked. We marched about half a mile. It was beautiful. Lots of rainbow flags. Passing the bombed-out buildings with rainbow flags waving in front of them. A sight. We ended by the student center. The parade was over. Time to take off the gay paraphernalia, stuff it in my backpack, and try to make my way home. It wasn't easy. There were no buses. I walked in the direction I knew, toward where I thought I'd be able to get a bus. Unbelievably, I ran into another American friend who was w/ her dog and Serbian boyfriend. We were near the Parliament building, which was also barricaded by police. Down the street, a ways off, I heard shouting and fighting. We talked in a park for a few minutes, then I said goodbye. I started walking the way I knew, when I suddenly felt a burning in my throat and eyes. A rush of people, including police, were coming toward me. A civilian guy said to me, "You can't go down there!" I could smell the teargas. Fortunately, I was able to find my friend again. I decided to hang out with them. We walked, found our way out of the mess, got through the barricades, and ended up by a cafe near the embassy. Forgot to say, in the park by the parade, I saw the American Ambassador, shook her hand (don't know if she recognized me) but another top woman at the embassy called Billy while I was at the cafe w/ my friend and told him that they were going to send a car for me! No! I didn't want that! My friend (who's not connected to the embassy, wanted to know if they were sending a car for her, too...we had a good laugh over that.) We sat in the cafe, drinking coffee and watching the terrible news. Fifty people had reportedly been hurt. A building was on fire. A wedding was trying to proceed. The city looked like it was in ruins.

I got in a taxi and went home. Back to my safe neighborhood. Back to the reality of my secluded life, where, without local TV, one would never even know that Belgrade just made history.

Explosion of Color

2010-09-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

I took my camera to the piatza today. The market is exploding with color. All those red peppers are back! People were friendly as they saw me taking pictures, even though I felt awkward doing so. The watermelon guy on the phone wanted to pose and wanted to know if I know any women in Chicago. (Claire? Susan? Irena? etc.!) The guy sleeping on his potatoes was awoken by a friend telling him he was about to get his picture taken! Here are a few of the shots I captured.

Tara National Park

2010-09-07T12:06:00.000-07:00

The Sargan Eight

We got to see some mountains this weekend. We drove to Tara National Park in south west Serbia for a weekend and stayed in an "ethno" cottage. Apparently, I'm the fire keeper in this relationship, but it works. I kept the fire going (I'm speaking literally, here, I swear) for two nights in a row, as the wood burning stove was the cottage's only heat source. Glad for my Girl Scout days. The four of us were toasty-cozy in our little living room. We took an exciting and somewhat dangerous train ride in the afternoon. The train rode a figure eight alongside a mountain. For some reason (adventure? daring? just because we could?), we allowed our children to stand with us on the outside of the train on the platform between the cars. Speeding through the dark tunnels I wondered why I was doing this. Only in Eastern Europe. I thought about the precautions the station master took in Rockville, Maryland while slowly riding the gentle, little kiddy train through the woods of the park there. What would he say about my children on the outside of a train on the side of a mountain?

Ethan and Gabriel Dancing

2010-09-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

Video we took of the boys at Gabriel's nursery school play. After Gabe finished his bit on stage, he and Ethan started dancing to the music in the background while eating cherries from a tree. Total spontaneity. Check 'em out at youtube, just follow the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sbCP3Ncfu8

Putting it out there...

2010-09-01T00:09:00.001-07:00

Someone said that the piece I wrote below was "interesting." It really wasn't meant to be, and I don't even think it is. What is interesting, however, are the differing responses I got to it. Someone peed in her pants laughing so hard. Others found it "funny", even "hilarious" and "brilliant." That later comment may have been stretching things a bit. Some people didn't get it at all. Some people don't get, or like, sarcasm. Way out there in left field was someone who said she thought I sounded "bitchy." Weird.
I guess that's the risk I take when I put my stuff out there. Bottom line: It still makes me chuckle when I read it. I like it and I still do. So there!

Before you pick up that phone...

2010-08-28T23:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Loving Family,
I was reminded recently by a shrill ringing of my telephone at 3:00 in the morning that we are all due for a little refresher course in world time zones. I'm not going to name any names here, but the person on the other end called to ask me how I was doing. Not to worry if you are that person. We all get a little muddled every now and then. Even I, world-weary traveler that I am, called my niece at 5:00 in the morning not long ago to wish her a happy birthday. She didn't sound that happy.
I know you've all been reading my blog and know of my whereabouts, but just to review, my husband, our two children, and I live in the country of Serbia, an Eastern European country not to be confused with Siberia which is part of Russia, a country above China where at least one member of our family thinks we live. To clarify, that person is on my husband's side.
As far as time changes are concerned, it all boils down to where you are calling from. If, for example you live in Chicago where most of you do in fact live, there is a seven hour time difference. Now, it is important to remember what that difference means, if it's earlier or later. In this case, you are earlier. Or in other words, we are later.
Let me give you an example. Say it's 3:00 in the afternoon in Chicago. In Serbia that means it's seven hours later, or to put it in another way, it's 10:00 at night. Here's another one. It's 8:00 at night in Chicago, a time one would normally enjoy picking up the phone and calling a family member to see how they are doing. But remember the seven hour time difference thing? When it's 8:00 p.m your time, it's 3:00 a.m. my time. It's hard, but in time, or over the course of a twenty year career in the Foreign Service, I promise you will get used to it. Naturally, we will be changing countries every few years which may present itself as a mild inconvenience because, yes, the times may be different if we move. But more on that later.
There is also the issue of Daylight Savings. This is where it gets tricky, so stay with me. You are still earlier and we are still later, but it's off by one hour. It could be six hours or it could be eight. I can't even figure that one out. This year, Serbia was off by an entire week. So if you're as confused as I am about Daylight Savings, best just not to call for a week or two after you change your clocks.
Just to boost your confidence on your comprehension of all this, I put together a little quiz. Take it at your leisure. And circle all that apply.
Situation: It is 7:00 in the evening, Chicago time. You want to chat with a family member and feel the urge to pick up the phone and call Serbia. It's so easy because your family in Serbia has a Vonage phone and the call is free! However, just before you pick up that phone, you pause and remember there is a reason you should not call. Is it

a) Because you would be interrupting your dinner?
b) Because it's 2:00 in the morning in Serbia?
c) Because you would be waking up your family member in the middle of the night?

Congratulations if you circled b & c! You are tracking! If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call. You may want to review this document first. Thank you and have a nice day.
Love, Regina

Camping in Serbia

2010-08-22T23:05:00.000-07:00

I love to go camping. Billy is more reluctant. "Why would I go camping? I live in a house." Thankfully, he came along anyway which is good because it's always nice to have a guy around for things like hammering in stakes and hauling stuff.
I love sleeping outside, looking up at the stars at night, building a fire, listening to the quiet...
The boys love camping, too, and I wanted them to have one more outdoor experience before school began.
After research and unsuccessful phone calls (I either got no answer or no English), we did manage to locate a campground about one and a half hours east of Belgrade, on the Romanian border and by a lake. Sounded perfect.
For the past week since our return from the States, I've been thrilled with everything Balkan: the weather, the food, the atmosphere in cafes & restaurants - they really know how to do so many things well here. The campgrounds gave me reason to pause, however. It looked like a dumping ground for camping trailer's that had been left there since in the 1950s. People had set up house in them, with TVs inside, tables outside. We figured people rent the campers and stay the summer. The campers were set up so close together, we wondered where we would pitch our tent. A space by the side of the dirt road that looked out onto the lake would have to do.
We went swimming. Perfect temperature in the water. We ate. The restaurant was just down the paved walkway from our tent. We sat on a wooden porch next to the lake and ate grilled fish while the boys played in the little park next to the restaurant. The sun lowered in the sky and the waiter raised the bamboo screens to reveal a lovely view of the water.
The boys were begging for a campfire. Where to find wood? We had no idea, but I'd passed a deserted-looking shack that looked like there may be a small stack of wood under a rusted-out boat. I confess, I took a very small log or two. If there even was someone whose wood that belonged to, he was Serbian and he would know where to get more wood. He'd even know the word for wood. So, I didn't feel too badly. Plus, we had a great fire and roasted marshmallows and we were happy and it didn't even matter that the marshmallows were stale.
When we got into our tent it turned out that we wouldn't need a flashlight: a floodlight for the road beamed down right into our tent. The Gypsy music that was playing nearby and that we were enjoying while sitting by our campfire now would not stop. When it did stop, the disco tech music started. When that stopped, the Gypsy music started up again.
Finally the music stopped. But then the campers next to us started up with the talking and laughing. With my eyes closed it sounded as if there was a large Serbian family with a bottle of whisky in my bedroom.
What I thought was Gabriel snoring at one point turned out to be a stray dog who'd come to lean against our tent. What if my kids have to pee during the middle of the night? I started planning my strategy: send Billy out with them. Billy told me in the morning that the dog had planted himself next to Billy and was actually leaning against him all night.
Thank God the morning arrived. We found breakfast and coffee. We went back to the tent and Billy let me sleep while he watched the boys. I heard him outside reading them a story. He was being a great dad. It was a beautiful nap. We switched turns. He took a nap and I took the boys back for a swim in the lake. We bought grilled cheese sandwiches and palicinke, a Serbian sweet pancake.
We were tired with the swim, the outdoors, the lack of sleep. But it felt glorious to lie in the shade under a tree with my boys, looking at that pretty lake and feeling the soft breeze and feeling good that we had made one more good experience before the start of the school year.

Home Again

2010-08-18T15:08:00.000-07:00

After five weeks in the States, we are finally home. Belgrade, that is. It was a tough trip back, and before I left I wrote a letter to my siblings highlighting some of the reasons why. For one, we returned with two mouths full of cavities which meant that between all of us we took 12 trips to the dentist. I swear we floss and brush our kids' teeth, so I'm blaming the lack of fluoride in the water in Serbia and bad teeth genes. There were some difficult family dynamics going on which, thankfully, have been restored. Then, I went shopping like a mad woman - for things like books, winter clothes and boots for my kids, and a pair or three of shoes for me - and it left me feeling like a crazy, dirty consumer, like I couldn't get enough before going back. Finally, my mother had surgery just before we left and we had to leave her on that side of the ocean while she was still recovering.
In my cascading list of woes to my siblings, I neglected to mention the good things that happened. I regret that, because there were so many. My brain is still on Chicago time, it's midnight in Belgrade, so I'm just going to take this sleepless moment to recap some of those really good things.

I went to the Michigan Womyn's Music Fest with almost ALL the women in my family. (Raissa and Mom plan to go next time.) Fabulous having Rebecca, Celie & Lydia there for the first time.
I saw a beautiful slide show of my niece, Shoshana's, trip to Africa where she learned about being a mid-wife.
Went to see improv with Sarah. Funny & fun!
I met my brother's new friend, Heather.
I heard some of my niece, Lydia's, new songs.
I met my beautiful, new nephew, Noah, and he and Ethan & Gabriel became buds.
Ed gave Ethan & Gabriel an old set of toy pirates, a castle, and a boat providing hours of entertainment.
Amiel, Billy, mom & I ate and talked at Walker Bros.
Savi & I ate and talked at Walker Bros.
I had an afternoon with my Bosnian friends, Irena, Sanja & Buco and told them all the details that I could remember about our trip to their city, Sarajevo.
I got to admire Celie's artwork and wish her well on her upcoming trip to college.
I took my kids to see the musical/play of Pinocchio. It was magical.
Went to Claire & Susan's beautiful wedding. Never laughed and cried so much at a wedding before!
All the hugs, good conversations, walks by the lake and details that are too many to list.
Finally, we went back to our old town, Peoria, where we lived for five & a half years before beginning this adventure. We had a bbq and saw many old friends. That was just fantastic. It kind of confused me, too. It felt like I was coming home. But Chicago felt that way, too. But our things are in Belgrade and so is the house we live in and the schools my kids go to. I said to my friend Beverly, I don't know where home is right now. And she said the wisest thing anyone could have at that moment: Home is wherever you are.

It was a beautiful, summer day when we landed in Belgrade. I was so happy to be back I started questioning my very being: were my ancestors really Balkan? Was I an old, Balkan baba in a past life? Whatever the reason why, it is a great feeling to be home again.

Bumper Cars

2010-06-04T13:38:00.000-07:00

We had a recent visit from my old friend, Michael, from my St Andrews days. We gave him the tour of Belgrade which included watching Ethan and Billy zoom around on the bumper cars.

2010-05-29T14:20:00.001-07:00

His Serbian is Better Than Mine!

2010-05-24T13:05:00.000-07:00

Video of Gabriel talking and singing in Serbian

2010-05-20T05:29:00.001-07:00

When asked if the tooth fairy came, Ethan will tell you that she did and that he got money and that it was rectangular (as opposed to the round, metal money). He learned about the tooth fairy from his friend, Rachel, who told him that she always comes at 3:00 in the morning. (That's not what time she came.) He also wanted to know if I learned if the tooth fairy was real or not in college.

With his money, Ethan bought a bag of dinosaur-shaped chips for himself, and a bag for his brother.

Missing Tooth

2010-05-20T05:10:00.000-07:00

Serbian Farm and Restaurant

2010-05-02T13:38:00.000-07:00

Zornic Kuca, a farmhouse restaurant, south of Belgrade.

Beautiful Weekend

2010-05-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

We were so happy to have Billy return home on Saturday after five weeks away. We hung out around the house all afternoon, just being together as a family again with tea and cake in the garden, all the boys playing soccer, lying in the hammock, talking, and having a meal together in the evening.

This afternoon we hooked up the bikes and went out for a ride around a lake near our house, a picnic under a tree, and stopped by a cafe for an iced coffee while the boys played in the park.

For dinner, we had plans to go to a restaurant on a farm that we'd heard about from another couple. We took a road out of Belgrade that we'd never been on before and were surprised by the rolling hills and this countryside that we'd hadn't seen up until today. The farm was only about a 30 minute drive. And when we got there I was reminded again why I love living here: we are constantly discovering new and wonderful places in our backyard. Tables were set up on a large patio with burning stoves outside, animals in pens all around the courtyard, a large park for the children to play in, and a beautiful setting, a replica of an authentic Serbian village or farmhouse. The food was great: grilled meat, fresh cucumber, tomato, feta cheese salad, bread, beer. The hospitality is also a Serbian specialty. We are always made to feel so welcome in restaurants here. This was no exception. They were so warm and inviting.

A beautiful weekend. More to come, with this gorgeous, Balkan weather. I'm looking forward to being a tour guide for friends who will be visiting us soon. I'm telling you, put Belgrade on your calendar, my friends...

2010-04-09T07:03:00.000-07:00

Gingerbread from Grandma Mimi.

Ethan and Oliver

Sleeping Beauty / My Sleeping Beauties

2010-04-09T06:30:00.000-07:00

Last night I took our boys to see the ballet "Sleeping Beauty" at the baroque style interior of the Belgrade National Theatre. With tickets priced at about $7.00, when would we ever have a chance to see the real deal like this again? (Many of the dancers have trained at the Bolshoi Ballet.) We prepared oursleves before going: I had on CD Jim Weiss telling the story of Sleeping Beauty, and they've listened to it many times, mostly in the car, so they knew the story well. Before going, I also told the boys that when people go out to the ballet, they usually dress up. For Gabriel that meant wearing his Spider Man costume. So 15 minutes before we were supposed to pick up another family who were coming with us, we had a clothes melt-down. I managed to get him into a pull-over sweater. (Mistake!)

It was so exciting showing up in front of the theatre. Other families from our neighborhood and their little girls met us. The girls were wearing their pink finery. It was a warm, spring evening and people were spilling out of the the cafes around the theatre, and the square we crossed was abuzz with life.

Once inside and at our seats, we had a good look around. Gabriel was sure the heavy, black lights aiming down at the stage were cannons. So there was some dispute between him and Ethan about that. With great seats not far from the stage, we had time to go look inside the orchestra pit and all the instruments and the musicians warming up. Then it was time to take our seats.

At the first thunderous sound of the orchestra, Gabriel pounded his fists in the air. He was squirmming with excitment. It took a while for the evil fairy to appear and he got a bit impatient, but they were both on the edge of their seats when she finally danced on stage with her attending rats.

By the second act, Gabriel was so hot in his pull-over sweater I just let him take it off. Fortunately, the woman sitting next to me had a sense of humor. She looked down at him to find a half-naked boy next to her. She looked at me, I shrugged, and we both laughed (quietly!)

Ethan dropped out during the third act and started snoring. Gabriel actually made it half way through the fourth. Then, like a ton of bricks, he was impossible to wake when it was finally over. I carried my sleeping beauty, and the other held the hand of our neighbor's grandpa, all the way through the still crowded Republik Square, back to the car.

Goodbye Billy!

2010-03-28T01:58:00.000-07:00

Billy left this morning for more training in Budapest, four hours away. He'll be gone for one month (although next weekend, over Easter, I and the boys will drive there - along w/ another couple - for a visit). He'll come back in May, then he leaves again for three weeks to the States. We may have to get more used to Daddy not being around than we bargained for. Ten years ago the life of a Foreign Service family would have been a lot harder: we are grateful for Vonage phones and Skype! Also, we have a lot to look forward to this summer: our long-time friends Pam and John and their four year old daughter whom we haven't met yet are coming for a visit. Our friend Sarah from England will also be visiting. Hopefully my old friend Michael from St. Andrews will come in May. In July, the boys and I fly back to Chicago for a month and Billy will follow. Peorians take note: we'll be in P-town AUG 14. Save the date! We've reserved the Glen Oak Pavilion and want to see all our old friends.

We went to a wine & cheese party on Friday night in our neighborhood. It was a great party - lots of interesting people I hadn't met before, including a French couple who have 10 children, their last (named Gabriel) having been delivered in Serbia. She told a horrific story of the birth. Delivery practices seem to be antiquated here, perhaps like they were in the States 50 years ago. She was a "number", as was the baby. Baby was held up by his feet to show what sex he was when he was born. Baby was taken from them for hours - she had no idea where he was - and perhaps worst of all, the father was told he had to pay 400 Euros if he wanted to be in the delivery room with them. (He cleverly pretended to call his embassy and demanded the nurses name who refused to tell him; he refused to pay until she told the embassy her name, and she ushered him in in the end.) Sadly, there is a woman in our book group (an American, but not connected w/ the embassy) who is nine months pregnant and fears the whole process. The other night she told us some of the ways she's already been mistreated, and we - a group of mothers - deeply felt her pain. We've offered to support as much as we can. But she really is on her own. I guess in the end what matters more than anything is that she has a healthy baby (and people do here all the time), but it's just sad that it won't be a good process.

So, Billy was picked up by a driver a few hours ago to be taken in a private car to Budapest. At the party on Friday, he was telling a group of people about his days in Peace Corps and how, after training was done, they waved goodbye and we were on our own! They basically said, Goodbye and good luck and get to your site on your own. How the days of traveling for Billy have changed.

2010-03-28T01:20:00.000-07:00

2010-03-27T06:39:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't you like her to be your grandma?

Meeting the Ambassador

2010-03-27T02:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I went to a spouse coffee morning (held monthly). It was at the home of one of the spouse's of a USAID employee and the agenda was the presence of the Ambassador who wanted to meet and hear from the spouses. I drove with another woman in my neighborhood and we pulled up in front of the castle-looking house beside Ethan's school. I had no idea that's where Billy's boss (the head of AID mission) lives. (Of course, it's not his house, but it's where he and his family live while in Belgrade.)

I'd met Ambassador Warlick when she'd first arrived about two months ago. (Her husband is the Ambassador to Bulgaria!) After mingling a bit, drinking coffee, and talking with the other women (and one man, my friend Dan who's wife is the embassy doctor) we sat in the living room and she told us a bit about her own life: her children, her past postings, and the events leading up to her Ambassadorship. She was very down-to-earth. Then it was our turn. Each of us went around the room, telling our name, who our spouse is, what we're doing in Belgrade, etc. As my turn approached, I started to feel my palms sweat. I really don't know why. It wasn't that I was nervous about her, but more about speaking about myself in front of a group, which I don't particularly like doing. So, right before my turn, the Ambassador looked at her watch and announced that she was running out of time. Now I really just wanted to get it over with and dreaded just blah blah blahing on about me. Gosh did I ever need a drink of water all of a sudden. Anyway, my turn came, I quickly said my piece: told about my kids, about finding ourselves surprised that after Peace Corps we were back in E. Europe, but about how much I like Belgrade, and finally about how I'm spending much of my time working on a book about our lives here. She nodded politely. End of turn. Ugh. What did I ramble on about and why did I clam up and act like I didn't know where to put my hands?

Next day, a friend of mine in the neighborhood surprised me by saying: I made such a fool of myself!! She said to me, You were so calm and great and said all the right things! This friend of mine is totally beautiful, and funny, and a tri-athelete and we both had a good laugh at how we both admired the other, but were so critical of ourselves.

2010-03-21T15:20:00.000-07:00

Finding Ways To Connect

2010-03-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

So, after my audition with the fabulous Ralph Fiennes and finding out I was not cast in his movie (another story - for those of you not on Facebook, I was called back for an audition for a movie RF is making in Belgrade and had an intimate little chat with him on his little couch in his office about the scene and it was all wonderful and he really is gorgeous and very intense and talented and nice) well, let's just say I had a crash landing back to reality. It's just that everyone around me started to seem so ho-hum in comparison. I had to do something quickly to snap back to my reality.

So, two days after the failed audition (actually, I take that back - it was not a failed experience. I gained much, especially in the area of confidence and feeling glad that I was able to just be myself), I was determined not to stay down in the dumps, tricky as that was. So I set out to do something that I've been wanting to do since arriving in Belgrade: find the synagogue and go Israeli dancing! The synagogue is in the center of the city, so in the end it was very easy to get to - just one 20 minute bus ride away. I finally tracked down the guy who teaches dancing and he told me there was going to be a party at the synagogue on Sunday. I decided to go. All I needed to do was brace myself for the awkward moments of stepping in to a brand new arena where I don't know anyone, don't really speak their language, where I'm not really sure who to stand near while waiting for the dancing to start or where to even put my hands for that matter. The dancing was in the basement of the synagogue, a brightly lit, attractive room with wooden floors and high-ceiling, arched white walls and comfy chairs around the dance space. Finally I got past the awkward stuff and then the music started. I knew the first dance really well. And all of a sudden, I stepped right into the circle with this small group of Jewish Serbians and was dancing like I was genuinely part of the clan. The dances got hard, most I didn't know, but I stayed around a while, mostly watching and enjoying the music (many familiar to me from Evanston and DC). Then I told the leader that I'd be back next week for the teaching session. That's where I was tonight.

I got on the bus and headed back. One of the leaders warmly welcomed me. A few others introduced themselves. One dancer told me how glad she is that I'm here because her English will improve. Which was funny because she taught a few dances all in Serbian and I now know a few more words, so no doubt my Serbian will improve! I danced a lot more tonight than last week. I felt so welcomed. The group started out small - only about eight of us - then grew to about a dozen (very small compared to the sometimes over a hundred people at other Israeli dances). In the end, everyone there was so nice. They were so warm and I laughed and the music and dancing gave me real joy. The people were encouraging and it didn't matter that I didn't know all the dances. They wanted me to join them anyway.

It's not always easy stepping out of my comfort zone. But I have been wanting to find ways of getting out of the American Bubble here (e.g. went to a bbq this afternoon and I could easily have been in the backyard of someone's house in Ohio). A goal accomplished.

Happy First Day of Spring.

Apple eating head bobbers

2010-02-08T12:53:00.000-08:00

Back by popular demand: the apple eating, head bobbing gypsy dancers.

Dancing to Roma Music

2010-02-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

Last night we ate at a restaurant near our home, in the woods. It used to be a ski lodge, so it's high on a hill overlooking the city. We could see the dome the church St. Sava lit up in the distance. It was a cold night and we were the only ones in the restaurant. The boys played outside in the snow while Billy and I sat indoors, me drinking a draft beer before our pizza came, watching the boys out the window. When they came inside, they started dancing to the music that was playing in the background. The waiter noticed how much the boys were enjoying the music, so he gave us the cd to take home and copy! Here are the boys, in this video, enjoying some gypsy music. (We went back to Alexander's this afternoon after ice skating for hot chocolate, sat by their cozy fire and once again, watched the boys from the window playing in the snow. Very nice.) Hope the video works...

2010-01-31T10:44:00.000-08:00

Ice skating today at Ada, near our house.

Holidays Away from Home

2010-01-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

Mironette puppets from Prague.

Prague castle.

Street in Prague.

Gabriel and David's Snowgrandma.

With troubles back in Chicagoland, it wasn't entirely easy being away from home for the holidays. But we were welcomed with open arms into the home of our old friends, Cristina and David, in Hamburg, Germany. We drove all the way. Being with friends - people we have a history with - was wonderful and well worth the entire trip. We mostly relaxed in their beautiful home, went on walks, went sledding, ate good food, and saw the Christmas story in a little church. Different language, same characters! We took our time getting to Hamburg, stopping in Bratislava (capitol of Slovakia) and Prague along the way, then doing the same in reverse. If ever in E. Europe, run don't walk - as an old friend used to say - to those two places! Our boys did amazingly well in the car. Listening to stories and music on cds saved us from potential catastrophies. (We can practically recite the hour long story of Peter Pan in our sleep.) The only real melt-down happened with Gabriel in Prague around 4:30 in the afternoon when we were all drinking hot chocolate on a park bench, in the cold, and Gabriel insisted on drinking his with the tiniest spoon imaginable. Cold and wanting to move on, we had to pry the tiny spoon out of his tiny fist, which made a bit of a scene. Other than that, there wasn't much complaining (less than expected) and they both walked a lot. Stroller days are finally over.

We drove back into Belgrade on the tenth day. Driving for about six hours, we hit traffic and painfully inched our way home for another hour and a half. Painful. But we were so relieved we made it safely "home". It feels like home being in the house with all our things, but it's still a bit strange thinking of this neighborhood as home. We know people around us, and that's comforting, but not quite as comforting as being with extended family. Right now, I guess "home" is simply where the four of us are, together.

Today is a the start of a new year. Blessings to all in this new beginning.

Gabriel's 4th Birthday

2009-12-01T23:15:00.000-08:00

Musical Follow the Leader

When we told Gabriel Happy Birthday at 6:30 in the morning...I said "You're four now!" He said, "You mean right now?" At dinner he said, "Am I still four?"

We had a great party and he loved his special day.

Family Adventure Day

2009-11-21T13:04:00.000-08:00

Today was Saturday, so family adventure day. I spotted a place on the map, southeast of Belgrade, and felt determined to go. The guide book said there was a huge fortress there. Google maps couldn't figure out how to get us on the right road. (If google can't figure it out...) I didn't just want to drive along the highway, but rather take the old road along the Danube. We found the road, amazingly, given the challenge it is just to get out of Belgrade. We took a really nice ride out of the city, through little towns, and always past the rubble. Also, incomplete houses everywhere which Billy calls the Balkan National House. Beautiful homes, too, sitting on the hillsides, often with a trail of smoke rising from the chimnies. It was sunny and in the mid-60s. We were not in a rush. Our destination was a town called Smederevo, which even we couldn't pronounce. We came to it eventually. We tramped around the fortress grounds and kept Gabriel from falling in the moat. We walked to the center square, found a Serbian restaurant, ate, then went into the Eastern Orthodox chruch to see the icons. We made it safely home, in the dark, this time along the highway.

The quote of the day came from Billy: "You know you're in the country when you see a man walking down the road carrying a hatchet."

Along the Danube

2009-11-21T12:43:00.000-08:00

Oliver.

P.S.

2009-11-16T00:52:00.001-08:00

Mom made it safely home.

Mom made it to Belgrade, but not home yet ...

2009-11-15T07:32:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's true. Brave mom made it all the way to Belgrade. Unfortunately, she didn't make it home. Not yet, anyway. A delayed flight, an unexpected night in London, and now, we think, she's on a plane flying over the Atlantic as we speak.

Here are some highlights of her visit with us:

Ladies Night Out
Halloween party where she met a man from Austalia and asked him how long he's been here and if he's been to California or New York yet (momentarily forgetting she was in Serbia).
Kalemegdan Fortress where we saw a cool, giant, outdoor photo exhibit.
Shopping on Kneza Mihiola - The Walking Street - eating crepes at an outdoor cafe and buying a painting from a local artist.
The five of us driving to Novi Sad, seeing the fortress there and eating at a beautiful, traditional Serbian restaurant on a farm.
Bedtime stories and songs, especially In The Garden, to Ethan and Gabriel.
Playing Hot and Cold with her grandsons.
Three cathedrals.
Scary taxi rides.
Taking the local bus into the city center and no one giving her a seat because she doesn't look old enough.
Dinner together every night.
Having Grandma Mimi here.

Let's hope she makes it home so she can come back!

Returning to Macedonia

2009-10-12T12:47:00.000-07:00

Billy helping to make wine.

Deme with his grapes

Neighbor pushing Gabriel uphill!

Macedonian flag at Stobi.

Host sister, Frosina.

2009-10-12T11:47:00.000-07:00

Our house (left). Me roasting peppers (below) and buying them at the market.

Kalemegdan Fortress in Belgrade with Gabriel.

A Car, A Hammock, A Serbian Nursery School

2009-08-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

We finally got our car. Freedom at last. Now all we have to do is not crash it. People drive fast, there are scary intersections, the signs appear meaningless, people park on the sidewalks, and there do not seem to be many rules. Wish us luck.

We have a hammock hanging in our yard. It's so perfect. It was as if the trees were planted just so, so that we could put our hammock between them. Gabriel likes crawling in there with me. (See picture.) So, after I come back from a drive in our car, I plop down in that and try to recover.

We also got our shipment of stuff. Two thousand pounds. Literally one ton. When put like that, I recommend not moving. But when put in another way, it doesn't sound too bad: we were allowed to take seven thousand pounds (gulp) and most people take that much, and more. I went to a coffee morning at someone's house yesterday. She had the full china service, the crystal, the beautiful white linen tablecloths. We have an empty china cabinet and a smattering of chipped coffee mugs. I know that sounds so college. We've graduated, I keep telling myself. Time to buy some nice glasses! But I think it may be a while before that happens. It just doesn't feel like a priority. (I sort of regret leaving some nice things in storage in DC.) I have a feeling that everybody around here has really nice things. So when they come over to my house for coffee, they'll just get something a little different.

I have made a huge decision about our three year old. I've decided to enroll Gabriel in a Serbian nursery school. Most people around here choose the international nursery school. We were going to do that, too, but I changed my mind for a number of reasons. (I like taking chances and not always doing what everyone else does.) The one he will go to is a five minute walk from our house. So, no driving in the morning traffic. (Big plus.) The director, whom I spoke with last week for about an hour, speaks English. They give the children English lessons a few times a week, so the other kids are learning it. Child play doesn't necessarily require language. Gabriel may learn Serbian. What a bonus. From everything I've heard, no matter what the language a child learns at an early age, the chances of them learning a language at a later age increases. The Serbian nursery school is about half the price of the international one, which was over $500 a month. It's in a big, bright, sunny house. There's a giant trampoline in the back yard. And finally, they serve a full Serbian lunch! The director wants us to gradually ease him into the school, a little bit every day. We shall see how it goes. He starts Monday.

Ethan has begun Kindergarten and loves it.

So good to feel, at least for now, we're in the right place.

Ethan's first day of Kindergarten

2009-08-28T14:12:00.001-07:00

Around our House

2009-08-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

2009-08-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

2009-08-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

Billy's First Assignment

2009-07-16T13:23:00.000-07:00

My first assignment as a new officier with USAID is under my belt. Who knew a signing ceremony (detailing the cooperation between the Hungarians and USAID on our mutual work on economic develpoment in Serbia) could be so complicated? Not the document itself, but the required protocol that must be followed. Some of the reasons it was so complicated were due to the signing taking place at the Hungarian Embassy (not far from the American one in Belgrade), sort of like playing an away game. And the fact that our Charge de'Affairs (we're in between ambassadors right now) was asked to participate required me to follow proper procedures.

Basically, when you're asking the President's personal representattive to partake in a ceremony, you need to have a good reason and clear it through a couple of levels. All this isn't really that new to me. My job at the Red Cross in Peoria required me to clear documents through different people and I would always get an ok from our CEO, Anne Fox, before I approached our board members.

The day of the signing actually went very well. We did a walk through of where the respective three signatories would sit, which side we approach them with the documents and how to rotate the treaty books. Our rehearsal and phone calls were all witnessed and enjoyed by some local media who showed up early.

I got to be one of the treaty book holders. It was also my job to escort the dignitaries to the signing table and tell them how things would unfold. It didn't exactly unfold that way, but I'm ok with shifting and adjusting, thanks to my military training and the Red Cross. I was asked to tell the Hungarian Ambassador where he was to sit. After I told him he asked, "Are you sure?" So I told him, "I'm sure that's where I was told to ask you to sit." He simply replied firmly, but in a nice manner, "No, I will sit here and your Charge de'Affairs will sit here." To which I replied, "Yes sir, Mr. Ambassador."

My day ended with a 10 mile bike ride in Northern Serbia promoting environmental awareness. Pretty cool. And it was great to get out of Belgrade and see one of our USAID projects actually being implemented in the field. It provided a hint of some of the cool and exciting work we actually do when we're not signing documents.

Grandma, A Hotel, An Imminent Departure

2009-06-13T07:08:00.000-07:00

As we prepare to leave, we've been staying at a hotel for the past 10 days. With two boys, that has had its obvious challenges. While Billy wrapped up his time in DC with a training course all week, my mom came to help me with Ethan and Gabriel. Her companionship was a Godsend. And Ethan said he wanted to marry her. Her recycled jokes are so bad, but she came up with one that was kind of funny: when people ask her how old her grandsons are she says, The lawyer's three and the doctor is five.

Billy has been focusing on what lies ahead for him in Belgrade. He will be involved in helping Serbia continue its transition toward a more democratic and representative society. (Serbia requests help from AID and invites AID in.) He was talking yesterday about feeling somewhat intimidated by the smart people around him, also noticable in the training course he just took. But where he feels he is in his element is getting up in front of a group of people giving presentations and mediating ideas between people. He is so ready.

People keep asking me how I am feeling about this trip. I feel like I am just going with the flow but am also keenly aware that this adventure will be unlike any others I've had. We have tourist and diplomatic passports, and upon arrival in Belgrade, we will be ushered through customs by government officials, given cash (local currency) on the spot, given cell phones, and our car - which we've shipped - will have a diplomatic license plate. In other words, we will be living a priveledged lifestyle, which I must admit scares me a bit. I'm concerned about being too ensconced in an American cocoon. This will be so very different from our lives as Peace Corps Volunteers where the traveling from one place to another was an adventure in itself. I doubt I'll be taking many more bus rides crowded and hot, with the windows rolled up and people carrying all sorts of things, like chickens, on their laps and in their many bags and all my traveling companions reeked of garlic. Not that I yearn for those days. But I do hope I am not so removed from the reality of my surroundings. We depart tomorrow night. We are about to be greeted by a whole new world.

Our new address, goodbye dear friend, Hello VP - almost.

2009-05-20T18:57:00.000-07:00

Billy got his official Welcome to Belgrade cable today. Here's our new address, beginning June 14th:

Our Name
5070 Belgrade Place
Dulles, VA
20189-5070

Despite the Virginia address, we really are moving to Belgrade. No, really. When we fly across the ocean and change planes in London, I'm pretty sure we won't be stepping off the plane into Virginia. (Although anything seems possible these days.) Mail is sent via a diplomatic pouch, so it just requires a regular stamp, for those of you who still write real letters.

Today is somewhat sad for us. Another family with USAID whom we've been friends with since we moved here are on their way to their new country tomorrow. They are moving to Brazil. It has been amazingly wonderful having another family also with two kids, whom Ethan and Gabriel adored, heading on the same path as us. Nickie became my best friend here and I told her that our motto for the past nine months is "I Don't Know What I Would Have Done Without Her!" It is sad saying goodbye, but knowing them, even for the short time that it was, enriched our lives tremendously.

And lastly, has anybody noticed where Vice President Biden is today? The Belgrade embassy invited all AID and State families (including children) to meet him this afternoon. They sent instructions about where to stand, hoped that everyone gets to meet him, and told us not to bring the VP gifts. We'll be a few weeks too late...

He Did It!

2009-04-23T05:47:00.000-07:00

After a gruelling seven and a half months of studying the Serbian language, yesterday morning Billy took the almost two hour speaking and reading test. When it was all over and they told him he passed, his examiners watched him cover his face with his hands. They thought he was upset. He quickly assured them his tears were of happiness and relief. One examiner (his former teacher) took his hand and held it. Then they gave him a glowing written evalutaion that said he "demonstrated extraordinary responsibility, willpower, perserverance and persistence to achieve excellent results." A great weight has been lifted off of Billy's shoulders. Now we can all breathe a little easier. And we are so proud of him. Eastern Europe, we're on our way. Billy will be ordering at restaurants...

2009-04-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

Cherry blossoms in DC: gorgeous.

2009-03-01T19:43:00.000-08:00

Today was all about Ethan, our beautiful now five year old boy. He had anticpated this day for so long, asking weeks ago - months ago - when it would be March already. The first sound we heard at 6:30 this morning was Ethan saying to his brother, "Gabriel, it's my birthday!" Gabriel is so enthusiastic. Every time Ethan was given a present, Gabriel would shout for joy. Ethan wore his new Peter Pan costume all day, even to church this morning. He sat next to me at church as if it were perfectly normal for him to be dressed up as Peter Pan. And it was! He loved his party, pin the tail on the donkey, the pizza, the cupcakes, and the pinata. I thought Gabriel would pass out with glee when that candy came raining down. Then I thought he would pass out for eating so much of it! Tucking my boys in tonight, I sang Ethan "Happy Birthday" slowly, softly as if it were a lullaby. A smile spread over Ethan's face. He quietly said, "Mommy, sing it again." And I did.

2009-02-13T14:19:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Return trip, boys in tow

2009-01-24T16:43:00.000-08:00

I wanted to go back to D.C. to see the White House, but take the boys this time. So Billy and I packed a lunch today, dusted off the strollers and headed to the Metro. Coming up to street level, I asked the first guide we saw the directions to the White House. She pointed the way, then I asked her if the Obamas were home. She cracked UP. I think I made her day.
There was still a buzz in the air. We walked right past the viewing stand for the parade that the Obama family sat in, waving. It was being dismantled. People were taking picutres. It was cold, but we ate our lunch by a statue near the White House. Fortunately, the sun came out. We walked toward the Washington Monument and I had a memory of being there on one of our few successful family vacations when I was twelve. It made a huge impression on me, even then, because I remember so much about that trip, including the porridge we ate every morning at the Friends of the Quaker house where we stayed. Undoubtedly my parents could not afford a hotel for a week, but I'm grateful to them for finding a creative way to make it possible anyway.
Talking to Ethan, our four year old, the other day about the significance of Barack Obama being our president, I started telling him about the color of our skin. He did not seem to understand what I was talking about at all. And why should he? I don't think Ethan has ever noticed that people have different skin color. His best friend at school is Ethiopian and he has never said anything about their differences. So I cried thinking about the gulf that has divided people for centuries based on this simple fact and how profound Ethan's innocence seemed to me. I hope he stays that way forever, being able to see the soul and not just the surface.

Experiencing History, Missing the Moment

2009-01-21T13:19:00.000-08:00

The irony of my day in D.C. during the Inauguration was that we had tickets but missed just about everything. After getting off the train, my friend Meghan and I parted ways with our other friend Nickie, who did not have a ticket, but who headed to the Mall and saw it all.
For us, it was an amazing day in many ways. For Meghan and I, it was also bittersweet. We were jubilant about having a standing room ticket close to the Capitol. But as we waited in line for two and a half hours, like a black cloud descending down on all the ticket holders we were with, we realized at some point that we were not going to get in and that we would miss the music, the ceremony, the moment. I felt most sad for those who had traveled for so long to get there.
It was not as much as standing in a "line" as it was traveling along a journey with a massive body of people. There was really no "line". We were bottlenecked by the gate and the security was taking too long and perhaps more tickets were given out than should have been. Whatever the reason, thousands of people like us did not get in. Being in a crowd like that was the closest "out of body" experience I’ve ever had. My body was not controlling where I was moving. Something else bigger than me was controlling it. At times it was funny and somewhat exhilarating, at times chaotic and a bit scary (especially when the crowd behind us started pushing and I felt the potential of being crushed). Meghan and I held hands or linked arms most of the time. Once, I took a call from Billy on my phone and not realizing it, dropped my gloves. A woman behind me picked them up, thankfully, or else I may have gotten frostbite.
Except for the obvious disappointment, most of the day was really joyful. On the crowded train ride into the city with Nickie and Meghan, strangers were talking with each other, telling where they’ve come from, that they’ve stayed up all night driving, smiling at each other, laughing. After we changed trains a second time and got off, the Metro platform was so crowded, but maybe because that is what everyone anticipated, there was a levity in the atmosphere. A Metro worker with a mega-phone kept shouting, "Keep On Mov-ing!" And we chanted back with the crowd, "Keep On Mov-ing!" Meghan and I were laughing. People were video taping and taking pictures. When we finally got to the top of the stairs, Meghan took a picture of the crowd, too.
There was massive movement and chaos and confusion outside. Once we found our line, people continued talking with each other. There was joy in the air.
At about 11:15, when the line dispersed and I was still in disbelief that we were going to miss it, Meghan told me clearly and firmly that if we tried to get back in line, "Those people will kill us." That sounded more believable. So we came up with a plan B: we headed toward the Mall. We couldn’t get on the Mall, however. It was fenced off. So, at about 11:55, we just stood by a loud speaker. And thankfully for us, we heard the oath. I jumped up, clapped my hands, cheered. A couple in front of me hugged. An elderly black woman passed me, crying. There was no doubt about it, I was happy to be there. If I didn’t witness history, I did at least hear it.
Walking to the Metro, Meghan and I talked about what was good about our day, despite our own sadness: that the sky was blue, that we had great apples in our pockets, that we were with each other, arm in arm, and how glad we were about that. Then, I found a bathroom! What a blessed relief. We walked on part of the highway that was closed off and walked so far north, through Capitol Hill, that we found a Metro station that was practically empty, unlike the ones we passed where people were lining the streets waiting for a train. We collapsed in our seats, faces weathered by the wind, and slept.
In the end, of course, it doesn’t matter what my day was like. We have a new president and that is the best news the world has had in a while. And for me, it was an honor to feel like I was part of the ushering in of this seemingly wonderful family who really do seem to represent you and me.

A surprise from our U.S. Rep Aaron Schock

2009-01-17T16:36:00.000-08:00

Aaron Schock, the young Congressman from Peoria, must have been tickled (or moved, or something) when we wrote him saying that two fellow Peorians now reside in D.C. and may we please have two tickets to the Inauguration, for he complied. We are now holders of the hottest tickets in TOWN! Which means, I think, a cordoned off area near the Capitol. Several months ago, I was definately going; as time wore on and the tension mounts about the crowds, I was definately not going. Now, with a ticket, how can I not go? Billy will stay home with the boys and my friend Meghan and I will make our way into the city, early Tuesday morning. Look for me in the crowd of, gulp, four million...?

2008-12-27T18:23:00.000-08:00

Celebrating Gabriel's 3rd birthday! (Mommy made a warm chocolate raspberry pudding cake. Yum!)

A very merry and joyful Christmas in Chicago. Ethan and Gabriel played non-stop with cousins, aunts, uncle B., Grandma Mimi, made cookies, went sledding, sang carols, opened presents. We ate lots of wonderful food and laughed and loved - everything a Christmas should be.

2008-11-02T13:50:00.000-08:00

The day after Halloween, Ethan and Gabriel counted, sorted, made a long line of all thier candy, put it in their bucket, took it out of their bucket, and ate until candy juice dribbled down their chins. We had some Halloween Meltdowns with Gabriel, but they we were mostly thrilled. Holding Ethan's hand, strolling in the dark with him, going door to door, disguised in his Spider Man mask, he sweetly said to me, "Mommy, I love Halloween." Gabriel keeps saying, "Mommy, can we go trick-or-treating again tonight?"

Strides

2008-10-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

Today a lightbulb went on for Billy in Serbian class as he suddenly realized WHY they have cases in the language. So things made a lot more sense after that for him. Not only that but apparently the word for "railway" is incredibly difficult to say in Serbian (who woulda known?) but evidently it rolls right off his tongue. Even the teacher was impressed! Go Billy!

My mom is here visiting. She is absolutely loving being with Ethan and Gabriel. She also enjoys playing with the other kids in the neighborhood. Last week my mom was playing tag with the kids in the yard. After a while she came inside for a break. Suddenly, there were three kids sitting on their bikes right outside our screen door shouting, GRANDMA! GRANDMA! Can you come out and play, Grandma?!

Closing Day

2008-09-12T17:30:00.000-07:00

We sold our house in Peoria today. When I told Ethan and Gabriel that a family with two children (and another on the way) will be moving into our old home, I felt a bit saddened - wondering how they were imagining other children in their old rooms. It feels very good to be passing on our old house, however, almost like passing the torch: it's someone else's turn to live and love inside those walls that comforted us for almost six years.
And what a relief it is! We didn't make a dime - in fact, we had to pay about $800 to close - but that's insignificant in comparison to having to pay rent and mortgage month after month. It feels very good that that's behind us.

Momentous Day

2008-09-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of preschool for Ethan and Gabriel, and the first day of school ever for Gabriel. Ethan was so happy to have his old backpack, and Gabriel his first one. For the past week, they've been going to bed with their new Thomas lunch bags. As I walked them into the school, many other children were crying and clinging to their moms. As we listened to the shrieks and screams, I told them, You have to be brave. (I realized I must have been talking to myself. They were fine!) When I dropped them each off in their own classroom, they kissed me goodbye and turned to the toys. In the car, I did get a little teary talking to Lizzie and recalling the moment. And when I picked them up a few hours later, Gabriel's teacher said he was perfect. And a big thumbs-up from Ethan's, too.
It was also a big day for Billy. It was his first day of Serbian language classes! Oh wait. I didn't mean to end that sentence with an exclamation point. It was not exciting. I wish I could say it was also a cheery, toy-filled, thumbs-up kind of day, too. Not so, I'm afraid. Billy is facing a whole new kind of challenge: new alphabet, hard grammar, and the somewhat daunting realization that "I'm just not a language person..." Well, I think he can do it. The Billy we all know and love does not give up. At least not on day one. In fact, he's in the other room right now practicing the new alphabet.
We found out that we may be in DC for another nine months. I feel like that would be very good, especially for the children. But nothing seems certain...it really is an open book.

2008-08-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

After the rain, Ethan & Gabriel joined the kids in a puddle fest.

Hello Mr. President

2008-08-09T12:26:00.000-07:00

President Bush recently gave a speech at the Ronald Reagan Building, my home base before we head out to Belgrade. All of the new Foreign Service officers were invited. One of my colleagues noticed that there were several seats available in the front row, so we sat there waiting for someone to tell us to vacate the area for people more important. The next thing you know an announcer is introducing the USAID Administrator and the President.

It was a strange feeling when President walked out onto the stage. It was almost like, “Wow, he really exists.” We were about 20 feet from him. His speech was announcing “Captive Nations” week. At the end of his talk he introduced several people in the audience that had escaped from some very dismal conditions in the usual places (Iran, Belarus, Cuba, etc.). The gentleman from Iran stood after the President told his story and raised his arms thanking America. It was a very moving scene.

After his speech, President Bush walked off the platform and starting shaking hands with front row audience members. He shook my hand and for about three seconds and I actually felt he was genuinely glad to meet me. I’ve always heard that President Clinton was/is very good at this. I didn’t expect it from President Bush.

It was a cool day

Our first of many moves...

2008-07-12T11:41:00.000-07:00

We have arrived in Rockville, Maryland. Gabriel cried most of the way, but never mind. It was very sad saying goodbye to much-loved friends and our cat, Rono, in Peoria and very hard explaining it all to Ethan and Gabriel. We had a teary goodbye with our family, too, in Chicago but also felt everyone's blessings as we began our new journey. When we finally got to our apartment, the children were gleeful at discovering their things - not just their toys, but simple things that reminded them of home. Ethan squeeled at seeing our kitchen step stool. We absolutely love our apartment! Billy had an amazing stroke of good luck by stumbling upon it while combing the streets of Rockville looking for a place. Our glass sliding door leads out to a large, grassy area with lots of trees and paths for the boys to ride their bikes. Connected to the complex is a fabulous park with pools, and a wonderful and safe kiddie pool. This must be the place for international workers because by the third day I still hadn't met any Americans. At the pool, three of the life guards are Serbian! Of course they insisted that I will love Belgrade. But now, I don't want to go to Serbia. I want to stay in Rockville! Well, as my sister, Raissa, said, I am thinking of this resting stop as a great summer camp. Tomorrow, we'll look for the Unitarian church. Oh yes, and the town center of Rockville is like a little European plaza - a huge square with children running around and fountains and lots of cafes and a huge library, which is where I'm writing from right now. (We still don't have internet access in our apartment.) So, if you do not feel like Serbia is your next option for vacationing, you can come to Rockville!

Eastern European Redux

2008-06-23T18:26:00.000-07:00

Regina and I have been assigned to Serbia. We’ll be in the capitol Belgrade.

We’re both very excited and very much looking forward to returning to Eastern Europe. I think I was assigned there based upon my Peace Corps experience in Romania.

The graduation ceremony itself was a fabulous event. We sat in the Administrator’s conference room and were joined by several colleagues, future bosses and many of the Assistant Administrators. After standing as Henrietta Fore entered the room (protocol for an administrator and above) we remained standing for a beautiful a cappella rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner. Administrator Fore then spoke for a few minutes and we were then called up to shake her hand and have her place a USAID label pin on us. We were then given a certificate for completing the orientation and finally we were presented with the flag of our assigned country.

The woman handing out the flags is a retired mission director who was instrumental in identifying our countries so quickly. She’s a force of nature but very soft-spoken. In fact, many of us (including me) didn’t hear our country assignment as she was handing us our flag. I think it was obvious to Administrator Fore that many of us were sitting there trying to figure out what country we were going to, along with many in the crowd. Our assignments were then read aloud.

As each name and assignment was read, we waved our flags in the air. Cheers, oohs, and aaahs filled the room as we found out where we were going for the next two years. We had more photos taken of us as a group waving our flags and standing with Henrietta Fore.

It was really a very cool day.

Job Assignment, Top 5 Countries & Big Brother

2008-06-13T20:13:00.000-07:00

Things are moving along. We graduate from our orientation next Friday (June 20th) and then move into some more specific job training. The best part is that after graduation, I fly back to Peoria to hang out with Regina, Ethan and Gabriel. I miss them so incredibly much.

I’ve been assigned to the Food for Peace (FFP) office of the Democracy Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance Bureau. FFP delivers emergency and non-emergency food aid to countries around the world. You’ve no doubt seen the USAID – From the American People grain bags on tv. While it’s not exactly traditional development assistance, it does provide much needed aid to many people around the globe.

We also were allowed to request five countries in which to deploy. After much discussion with my coach, colleagues and Regina, I listed my top five as follows:
Indonesia
Bangladesh
Ghana
Uganda
Serbia-Montenegro

We’ll see where we end up.

It was recently made known in one of our trainings that my blog site was “discovered” by the Public Affairs folks at USAID. I think they routinely troll the Internet looking for USAID Foreign Service sites. The presenter pointed out to the class that blog sites were ok as long as they didn’t begin to head down the road of criticizing the organization, reveal sensitive information or lead people to believe that my opines were official USAID policy. I and most of my classmates thought the presenter handled it in a funny manner, but a few have approached me saying how mad it made them that I was singled out in such a manner. I’m was (and am) totally cool with it, but it has made me think before I post new updates. One change is that you’ll now notice the new disclaimer at the top of the page stating that these are our (Regina and mine) thoughts and not the governments.

The next step may be to password protect the site so only our family and friends can see what we’re up to. We may head down that road if we really get the urge to write about aspects of our service that could be uncomfortable for everyone involved. I really don’t want to do that because I found several Foreign Service blog sites helpful as I was researching this career. If we do, we’ll send out the info log onto the site.

Bureaucracy, Good Deeds & an Apartment

2008-06-03T18:09:00.000-07:00

Our first week of orientation, after swearing-in, mainly consisted of paperwork. We had to complete a variety of forms dealing with which health plan to choose (we have access to over 260!), the retirement plan, a savings plan and varied and sundry other documents that HR requires. The bureaucracy truly reared its head. Fortunately I have received some good advice about how to navigate thru it and keep on top of things. Basically, we’re responsible for our own careers, but there are several people along the way (mentors, coaches and other advocates) that serve as guides.

This week we have received several briefings about the nuts and bolts of the organization. We were told on our first day that USAID is a powerful instrument of change throughout the world. The past two days we have heard first hand just how true that is. Yesterday during a panel discussion the moderator (a retired foreign service officer) told how one of the panelist (a current FSO) worked for her in Afghanistan. On one particular evening she saw him returning to work with his “lunch”. She told us that when she asked him if he ever ate lunch at a normal hour, he responded by saying “How can I leave when so many Afghani girls still can’t attend school?”.

Today we received presentations about that depths of despair for so many children around the world, particularly in Africa. The presenter gave us figures about over 9 million children dying every year to mainly preventable diseases, with over half of those dying from diarrhea. Truly unbelievable. She also gave us a variety of other facts and figures that painted a bleak picture for HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB and other illnesses. But significant progress has been made against most of these ailments and in many cases it is a USAID FSO on the ground leveraging local, national and international resources to improve the lives of children and other at risk groups. I was on the periphery of some of this work at the Red Cross, but it always seemed so far away. Not any more.

Sudan has been a much talked about topic these past two days. We learned that the U.S. is feeding over 6 million meals a day and is providing by far the largest share of humanitarian financial assistance, in fact, more than the next 10 donor nations combined. Unfortunately this is a story that the average American doesn’t know.

We also heard today about the training requirements for deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sudan. There were some awkward silences juxtaposed with heavy sighs, particularly when we were told one of the requirements is to be able to insert an IV in someone while in a moving HUMVEE. Pretty serious stuff. None of us will be directed to any of these countries for our first assignment.

And I have found us an apartment for us. We move in on July 8th. I can’t wait for Regina, Ethan and Gabriel to join me. It will be a very happy day.

2008-06-01T16:31:00.000-07:00

This is our junior officer group photo. There are 41 of us and we are joined by Administrator Henrietta Froe in the center (I’m behind and to the left of her). Other USAID senior staff in the picture are the Deputy Administer on the far left and the Counselor second from the right in the front row.

Administrator Fore was incredibly gracious in welcoming us to USAID and took the time to spend of few moments with each of us.

It was a great day.

When the First Lady calls . . .

2008-05-27T19:06:00.000-07:00

I was sworn in today as foreign service officer (FSO), along with 40 other new colleagues. Twice. The first time was only a few minutes after our orientation began. It is the fourth time I’ve taken an oath as part of a job requirement and I think this was the most emotional. It wasn’t so much the oath (“I swear/or affirm to support and defend the constitution . . .”), but the genuine outpouring of support and gratitude from the USAID staff at our arrival. During a panel discussion with four senior FSOs, two of them actually became a little emotional when welcoming us to the agency. Each one harkened back to the day that they were sworn in and the memories that today brought back to them. It was very moving.

USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore conducted the second swearing in later in the afternoon. She was scheduled to be there at 3:00pm, but didn’t arrive until about 3:20. In her opening remarks she apologized for keeping us waiting and said that she was on the phone with the First Lady. She stated that one cannot simply tell the First Lady that you have to hang up, but that she did eventually tell her that she had to go swear in the newest batch of foreign services officers.

I’m definitely not in Peoria anymore!

My fellow FSOs are an amazing bunch. In fact, I’m feeling a little unqualified. At my table alone, one worked for the World Bank, one for the FAA, another for the General Accountability Office and still another came over from the State Department. As a whole our group has lived in 40 countries, speak 20 languages and half are returned Peace Corps volunteers. We have two lawyers, and a woman who clerked for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. It’s truly a great group of people. We’re doing official introductions tomorrow.

And thanks to fellow Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Monica Termonti for attending the swearing in ceremony (the second one). It was great having her there.
That’s it for now.

2008-05-19T20:23:00.000-07:00

Our big journey is about to begin. It has been a frantic week since Billy learned of his acceptance into USAID. He's excited, scared, happy, nervous. He will be sworn in as a foreign service officer on May 27th, 2008. From time to time, check this space and follow us on our journey ahead.

2008-05-19T20:20:00.001-07:00