Wow!

It was a whirlwind tour. A long three weeks which undeniably flew by very fast. So much has happened. I find myself in that metamorphic state. Caught between the past and the future. Things are changing but I still need to do what I’ve always done.

After my little family dropped me off at the airport and drove off, I fought back tears as I walked through those revolving doors. I wondered if I might get caught in one and never be able to exit. Once inside I discovered that there had been a glitch with my ticket and I missed my flight to Washington DC. Dina rescued me by making all the appropriate phone calls and I managed to get on a flight to DC via SF. I got in to Dulles around 10PM and by the time I got to the Washington Suites it was after 11PM. The room key let me in to what would become my one bedroom apartment on the tenth floor overlooking residential and commercial buildings of Georgetown and a shimmer of the Potomac River in the distance.

Early the next morning, I waited in the lobby in my black suit for my pen pal, Dr. Ed Miron, whom I had never met in person but had established an correspondence with over the internet. We both were in the Foreign Service orientation together and he was kind enough to drive me in since he had a vehicle.

Over the next three weeks, I became close to my colleagues, the 89th FSI orientation class. We learned about the paper work and how the embassies operate and the many roles its employees perform. I was most impressed with the brain power and accomplishments my classmates had. A very ambitious group. All with degrees, language skills, and experiences unique and exciting. High achievers I would say. Office Management Specialists (OMS), Diplomatic Security Agents (DSA), Diplomatic Couriers, one English Language Officer (ELO), one Construction Engineer, and three of us from MED. Dr. Rajesh Vyas is assigned to Islamabad, Pakistan and Dr. Miron is going to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Both are one year unaccompanied posts so they will leave their families behind.

My first weekend was spent in Georgetown. Rajesh came over after class and we connected with Ed and his wife Cyndy. We went out to eat at a nice restaurant on the waterfront. Ed and I had the cioppino and we all shared a nice bottle of cabernet. I thoroughly enjoyed their company. Both Ed and Rajesh have such interesting backgrounds. Rajesh worked at the VA in New Orleans and was evacuated during hurricane Katrina to Portland. He loved it so much that he and his wife bought a condo there. He generously offered his place when Dina and I come back on home leave to Portland.

Saturday, I spent walking Georgetown, admiring the old architecture and monuments and amusing myself with the shops and people walking the streets. Dinner was in my apartment. I had discovered a small farmer’s market at Georgetown University and sampled local cheeses, breads, sausages, and fresh strawberries with a crispy french cote de Rhone rose.

On Sunday, I had been invited to a party. One of our OMS was having her 30th b-day and invited the class. It was in Virginia and her apartment is a high rise overlooking the greater DC area. Some of our classmates were there and it was good to socialize and get to know them better.

We had an off site team leading training session out in the woods. It was beautiful there. During the bus ride out, we passed large estates and an old cemetery dating back to the civil war. We were greeted with breakfast and divided up into two groups. We spent the day playing games with lessons we could apply to our jobs working with others in the embassy. I felt closer to some of my classmates and made new friends that otherwise I might not have connected with.

The following weekend was predictably stressful. Initially, I was going to fly to Seattle and celebrate Milla’s 50th b-day but since Nina was dying and wanted us all to meet her sons, we changed our plans and I was headed to Idaho to Papa’s. It was a laborious flight from DC with connections in Chicago and Denver to Spokane. Then a car rental to Bonners Ferry. I was the last to arrive. Alex and Brian were cooking gourmet in the kitchen and the table was set with flowers and balloons. Nina was lying in her bed in a colorful gown. A Russian Orthodox cross around her neck. I kissed her and whispered in her ear that her 5th son had arrived. She smiled and opened her eyes. “How nice,” she said. “you are all here then.” This is what she was holding on for. She slowly detached herself from consciousness. We took turns sitting around her bed, sharing childhood memories and reminding her that we loved her. Papa was somehow able to keep it together and tolerant of the activities going on around her. The door was kept open and she was able to hear the sounds of a party going on around her.

The evening went well with us siblings and Nina’s sons present to celebrate Milla’s B-day. The dinner was fabulous with a delicious roast, garlic prawns, potato salad, beet salad, and crisp asparagus as the main course. There were deserts and needless to say, my family is known for taking part in good food and drink. There was scotch and vodka and fine wines and beer.

Papa asked that I stay with him in case he needed me and I was somewhat surprised she didn’t die in the night. We kept her comfortable with pain medicine and she slipped into a semi-coma. The next day continued with family. I shared a lot of moments with my four dearest sisters, nephews and nieces. Nina’s sons were also present and her sister Helen and nephew Victor were desired company before the day was through.

I was concerned that I would have to return to DC and leave my dad alone with Nina still close to dying and requiring care. I woke up in the early morning hour and was struggling to see my watch in the dark. It was 4:23AM and something stirred me. I knew I would not be able to go back to sleep and was contemplating getting up when I heard my father’s footsteps approach my door. He was frustrated and asked me to help him medicate her. He said that the time before was difficult and she was having trouble swallowing, then gurgling afterwards. When I approached her bedside, I saw her chest slightly rise and exhale. There was nothing more though I waited to see if she would take another breath. She did not. I told pop she wasn’t breathing. “Thank God! I didn’t want her to suffer any longer!” he cried.

Two hours later, I was driving back to Spokane. I flew back to DC. Although the long weekend was exhausting and emotional, it was good. We all had took part in her dream and allowed that closeness to blanket us and solidify the ties that bind us all.

Tuesday was also emotional. We had briefings in the morning and right after lunch, I was scheduled for my Russian language test. I was anxious because I didn’t feel prepared. Everyone said to not worry. If I didn’t receive an acceptable score, I could test again later. But I am the kind of person who wants to give it my all and I was bothered by it. The test is in two parts: a 45 minute conversational section and then another 45 minutes of reading comprehension. there were two interviewers. Both female. One gave out the instructions and the other one acted out the role of interviewer and interviewee. She was young and had a beautiful face and wore a tight suit. It was distracting but she was soft spoken and kind. The hardest part was the reading section. They were intrigued by my vocabulary. They both told me I used words that were often comical and some that they had not heard in many years. My reading was slow but they felt I had fair comprehension. They either passed me out of pity or because I made them laugh. Most likely a bit of both. 2/3+ in Russian.

I ran from there to the auditorium for Flag Day. Our names were announced and they declared which country we are being assigned to. I had already new it was Niger but most of my classmates did not. I was stirred by that Russian/Greek emotion when they called out their names and walked up to the podium to receive their flag. The couriers all got Frankfurt, Germany. The DSA’s all got domestic assignments as well as Mitch Miles, the Engineer. Elizabeth Skopowski got Warsaw. Her OMS colleagues all agreed not to bid on that post so that she could go and be with her husband. The other OMSers are all indebted to Jane Kane who got Nigeria; the only one who requested it. Rachel Martinez was also the only one to request Kuwait City. James Zillinger got Paris and Brian Woody got Beijing. Sarah Cline, who I sat next to the first week or orientation got Reykjavik, Iceland. Valerie Davis, who invited us to her B-day party got Tbilisi, Georgia. My new friend Priscilla Fox whom I had shared some good times with in class and at the team building training as well as the CIA spy museum is assigned to La Paz, Bolivia. Others got Rabat, Morocco, Tokyo, Japan, and Moscow, Russia.

That evening I was invited to a BBQ at a family’s house who is also going to Niger. Tracy and her husband Jim are a tandem couple. The guest of honor was Don Curtis who is here on R&R from Niger. We spent a pleasant evening talking about Niamey.

The remainder of time in DC went by fast. We visited the State Department several times and the CIA. We had a lunch with the Foreign Service union. That evening, Ed and Cyndy invited me out to dinner. His sister and mother were there and we went out to a very nice restaurant; Marcel’s. They served an asparagus mouse with caramelized shallots. I had rack of lamb and Ed chose a delicious Burgundy wine made from Pinot Noir grapes. I asked Ed’s sister Janet if it was surprising that Ed was joining the Foreign Service. She said it was more surprising that he spent the past 23 years in a small town in Callhoun, Georgia.

Friday was our final day in class and we went to the State Department for our swearing in. The ceremony was held in the Benjamin Franklin room on the 8th floor. It was like a museum with parlors and a collection of historical artifacts and paintings. George Staples, the new Director General took Condoleezza Rice’s place to swear us in. Photos were taken and I was generously invited by both Ed and Rajesh to have lunch with their families. I know we will all stay close throughout the coming years. Ed and Cyndy both were so gracious and helpful to me during the three weeks that I was away from Dina and the kids. They insisted I use their cell phone whenever I needed it and Ed let me use his lap top on several occasions. We went out to dinner a few times and one night Cyndy invited me to dine with them in their apartment. I cannot begin to describe how fond of them I have become. Rajesh also was most kind and supportive. I had not yet met his family and accepted his invitation to have lunch. It was most memorable and I met his family and close friends. Rajesh ordered champagne and we had a toast to friends, family, and our future in the FS. His niece came from India and I sat next to his wife Ksharma and his colleague who is contemplating joining the FS. After lunch, we toured the State Department.

Saturday my plan was scheduled to leave at 6PM. I had packed the night before and went out to explore some more of DC. I walked to the Adam Morgan district and had brunch at a charming french cafe (L’ Enfant). The shops and stores around Dupont Circle were fun and I was glad to walk before my long flight home. The final ride to the airport was uneventful. I arrived to Portland at 8:30PM and Dina was there to pick me up. She was wearing a beautiful skirt and a black top. Something about that moment was monumental. All of our dreams to travel and see the world, to work and live in another culture; to go crazy together, are all coming true.

My calendar is black with commitments and prioritized lists. There’s a sketch of an optic neuritis (eye infection) I saw a couple of days ago on one corner of the page and the rest of the calendar is filled in with work schedules, itineraries, and appointments. Anyone looking at the drawing would wonder what the hell it was; a boggy balloon or maybe a donut with sprinkles. I only have two days off between now and the day I fly off to DC on May 14th.

My schedule is full and yet it still feels like I’m in control. Yesterday I gave a lecture at the Urgent Care Conference on “shoulder pain”, went directly to work in the ER and didn’t get home until 2:30AM. I had a strange dream which seemed to start immediately after I lay my head on the pillow about an African boy with a wound infection but I was treating him in secret because I wasn’t supposed to treat any embassy employees. The nurse caught me and was angry and threatening to turn me in. But it turned out to be her brother and I woke up as if I had just read a novel in which I had became the main character. It was 10AM, warm and sunny out. What seemed like a 7 hour dream was really only 10 minutes.

On my to-do list was a concern regarding housing while in DC. Our generous government provides a per diem for housing. Most new FS employees are there for 7-8 weeks but in my case I’m only there for 3 weeks and then 3 more later in July. Nobody wants a 3 week binge. But I was fortunate enough to find an apartment through another FS correspondent (Dr. Ed Miron) who will be in my orientation with me. The apartment manager had a lovely British accent and I explained my dilemma. We talked about all sorts of things and eventually she agreed to rent me the apartment on two separate stints (with and without family). A tremendous relief and a big scratch off my list.

After the first two weeks in DC, I’ll be flying to Seattle for Milla’s 50th birthday party. Then I return to Portland on June 3rd. I will hopefully see Pop soon after and continue to work in the ER and family practice clinic through most of June. Then I fly to Minneapolis, Minnesota for a Comprehensive Adult Life Support (CALS) course. That’s where they teach you stuff like how to evacuate a patient and assist in a premature delivery, etc. I will also have the opportunity to meet NP’s from embassy posts. June 30th will be my final work day at OHSU. We plan to make a trip down to California for the 4th of July, visit with family and store the Saab at Dina’s parents’ garage. A rental car will get us back here to Portland. I will probably work a few more days at the family practice clinic and the movers will come around the 13th (Stefan’s Birthday). We all fly to DC on July 16th.

I may find this boring to read in a few days but it’s actually very exciting. The thing of it is, Dina is just as busy. She has deadlines with Hanna and a huge brochure to produce for the Portland Baroque Orchestra. Camille heads for OMSI camp for 4 days with her class on the Oregon coast. Stefan says “no fair!” Despite the tight time lines, we still find ourselves saying, “Can you believe this?!” It’s important to understand and be aware that the demands made upon us now effect our daily lives. Sometimes it’s intense. I said that I feel in control but sometimes I know that I’m completely losing it.