I have to learn a new language, it is the language I call "Embassy Speak". As I talk to different people, they use acronyms that I am not familiar with and talk about things I have no idea about. I have to go around the Embassy and introduce myself and meet and talk to people in every department. One guy from the military asked me, after he had given me a briefing on his department, if there was anything else I wanted to know. I just told him "no" that I could hardly understand what he was talking about and probably wouldn't remember anything anyway. I think that gave him pause.
My job does seem a little overwhelming. There are just so many different responsibilities. It almost seems impossible to handle, but I guess I will just have to give myself some time.
I have met so many nice people. I went to someone's home, where I played Bunco with 10 other ladies. Lots of fun. Went to lunch today with a group and I am actually getting to know who these people are. There is a big turnover happening at the Embassy so many people are getting ready to move on to other posts and a whole new group will be coming in. We have been given sponsors, Ann and Charlie, who have been absolutely wonderful to us. Ann is going to drive me all over town again tomorrow so that I can get a new curling iron to replace the one I melted because the one from home, even with a converter, couldn't take the change in currents.
The hotel is marvelous. A funny thing happened. All of our pillows started to disappear. I asked our maid if she knew where they were. She had no idea. Then our butler came and looked and couldn't figure it out either. Eventually, they brought them back from storage where they had put them because the maids found them on the floor and thought we didn't want them. Now I ask you, how in the world can you sleep with about 5 pillows. I told the butler that we liked them on the bed for watching TV and reading but we didn't sleep with all of them. Crazy!!
We had a steak dinner tonight that was the absolute BEST. We had appetizers, soup, salad, the main course and dessert all for about 250 Ringets that come to about $75. for both Scott and I. It was soooooo good, every course and the steak was the best steak I have ever had. So far the food has been delicious. The funny thing is that I am still losing weight. This may change if I keep up all this eating, but what a treat. We end every night with a dessert left at our beds.
I am so glad it is Friday, and I have a whole weekend off.
Wow, what an adventure!
ReplyDeleteI can't belive you have been gone for so little, I feel like I haven't seen you in like forever...
While I was reading all the stuff that you have to learn at work, and how difficult it is to remember everything, etc, I remembered when I was learning how to drive. I wasn't able to go to the classes and I had to change it to home study, but the thing was about to expire, so I had to learn everything and do the whole book in just one week, and often going to bed very late at night to be able to study without interruptions. I remember feeling so overwhelmed by all the things I was supposed to do: check here, look there, turn like this, don't turn there, this sign means this when you make a turn you have to do all this stuff,the SMITH thing, park like that, and all this while moving, never stoping to check on what I was supposed to check, and always having to remember everything because every little step is crucial... one day, my brother danny came to visit and he saw the book I had to study, and I let him read some of it, and I was expectig him to say something like "don't worry, all this things in the book, you really don't do them while you drive, it is a lot more simple than this" but what he said was "hahaha, this is funny, you really do all those things while you drive, and here it sounds so complicated, but when I drive, I don't notice that I'm doing all that, ebcause I'm used to it, so now I do it without thinking".
Ok, that was long, but what I'm trying to say, is that "this too shall pass" and there will come the time when you do all that without even noticing.
I love you and miss you both more than I can say, and you are in our daily prayers (even Leah's prayers) and I know the Lord will help you thru theese difficult times as he is helping us here.
Lots of hugs and kisses!
So glad to see your blog, I will look forward to reading it whenever you update. What a busy first week. Just hang in there.
ReplyDeleteI think we have our sound and picture fixed in Skype so will have to try again.
Love you.
I love hearing about your adventures! How cool to have a butler....and dessert by your beds EVERY night! One could get used to that! : ) Good luck with the job and learning 'Embassy talk'!
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