Once again the days have seemed to fly by. I can hardly believe that our lives will turn upside down and splash us into an entirely different way of life in mere weeks. Legs, Grandma Mir Mir, and I are all reading different books about India and people's travels through India. It's almost comical how one story will frighten me into thinking we've made a huge mistake in our choice to bid India so high, and the next will make me feel so passionately about exploring this new and exotic place.
Ultimately, I am ready for this adventure. I am excited to once again board a plane not knowing what to expect when I step back outside. To this day, I vividly remember stepping off the plane in Kuwait around 4 or 5 in the morning, and seeing the sun peek over the horizon as a blast of humid and musty 90 degree air welcomed me. The smells, the sounds, the feel of the air on my skin; everything about it felt different from anything I'd ever experienced, but beneath it all was a moment of exhilaration. I couldn't wait to see what else was different. What lay to the north? What kind of animals live here? What are the people like? What will the language really sound like, when it's not spoken by an American? Perhaps every story I'd heard about the Middle East just wouldn't do it justice; like someone describing the Mona Lisa. When you see it in person you realize that all of your expectations were completely and utterly wrong. I felt like an explorer with a deep yearning to see things for no other reason than I had never seen them before. I am feeding that same desire by traveling to India, and embracing the culture of the people there. For two years we will do as they do, and see what we learn about ourselves in the process.
We have been working extensively to arrange our trip to India, mostly working on Bambi's trip, and frequently contacting the handful of people whom we already know serving at the consulate. We were very pleased to find out that we've already met our soon-to-be neighbors. In fact, we were neighbors here in DC. They have a little girl who is close in age to Thumper, and we were fortunate enough to have play-date while they were still in the US. Her and Thumper got along swimmingly! They are wonderful people and we are very glad we will be living near them.
Christmas is getting close and boy does Thumper have a LOT of presents under the tree! There are a couple for Legs, Grandma Mir Mir, and I, but Thumper won the 'most presents' contest hands down. We are so happy to have Grandma Mir Mir here for Christmas and New Years, and to see the bond between her and Thumper grow by the day. She truly enjoys caring for children, especially Thumper, and it shows in everything she does. This has been a wonderful holiday season, and we've been very lucky to have so many visitors come to spend a little time with us before we leave for India.
Happy Travels!
Pancho
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Grandma Mir Mir
This week we are lucky enough to have Grandma Mir Mir here for a visit! Thumper was so excited to see her that he ran through baggage claim to meet her when he saw her. It warms our hearts, and I'm sure Mir Mir's as well, that Thumper recognized her after only seeing her face on a computer screen for the last 10 months. There is some special power that a grandmother possesses, which allows a grandchild to instantly make them their favorite person in the world. Thumper already screams in panic when Legs or I need to take him away from Grandma Mir Mir for any reason. It's both a little sad, that we're not his only favorite people anymore, and also very moving to see the bond he has with his grandma.
I think there has been a bit of culture shock for Mir Mir coming to the big city, leaving behind a small, rural farm town in the Northwest, but she's adjusting quite well. We've got her riding the Metro, and looking almost like a local :-) Mir Mir isn't exactly the tourist type, so we likely won't be rushing from one monument to the next, or spending hours in the Smithsonian Museums. She is, however, a very proud and attentive grandmother, and she has been helping care for Thumper tremendously. This is great because it is allowing me to get so much more done in preparation for our move to India.
On top of completing the seemingly endless slew of tasks to be finished prior to our departure, I will be taking the NERC certification test in January. This is a very difficult and technical test, which roughly 60% of test-takers pass, that will certify me to work as a system operator in the North American electrical grid. Even if I don't begin working as a system operator immediately following the test, I will be able to maintain my certification with annual "refresher" courses, and this could prove very useful to me when I decide to return to work or if I apply to a master's program at our next post.
It seems that time is really flying by now. For months we were here in Arlington thinking about our move to India as if it were years away, and now here we are leaving next month! We are excited, scared, nervous, proud, and also a bit overwhelmed at the moment. We are truly happy with the choices we've made at this particular point in our lives, but it doesn't completely remove the fear of the unknown. No matter how many Foreign Service Officers we talk to, how much internet research we do, or how many things we bring with us from the U.S. we won't know what it is like to live in India until we are in fact living in India. It will present many unexpected challenges, but also, if we are willing to see them, many unexpected rewards. Overall we are most excited to simply see what life has to offer.
Happy Travels!
Pancho
I think there has been a bit of culture shock for Mir Mir coming to the big city, leaving behind a small, rural farm town in the Northwest, but she's adjusting quite well. We've got her riding the Metro, and looking almost like a local :-) Mir Mir isn't exactly the tourist type, so we likely won't be rushing from one monument to the next, or spending hours in the Smithsonian Museums. She is, however, a very proud and attentive grandmother, and she has been helping care for Thumper tremendously. This is great because it is allowing me to get so much more done in preparation for our move to India.
On top of completing the seemingly endless slew of tasks to be finished prior to our departure, I will be taking the NERC certification test in January. This is a very difficult and technical test, which roughly 60% of test-takers pass, that will certify me to work as a system operator in the North American electrical grid. Even if I don't begin working as a system operator immediately following the test, I will be able to maintain my certification with annual "refresher" courses, and this could prove very useful to me when I decide to return to work or if I apply to a master's program at our next post.
It seems that time is really flying by now. For months we were here in Arlington thinking about our move to India as if it were years away, and now here we are leaving next month! We are excited, scared, nervous, proud, and also a bit overwhelmed at the moment. We are truly happy with the choices we've made at this particular point in our lives, but it doesn't completely remove the fear of the unknown. No matter how many Foreign Service Officers we talk to, how much internet research we do, or how many things we bring with us from the U.S. we won't know what it is like to live in India until we are in fact living in India. It will present many unexpected challenges, but also, if we are willing to see them, many unexpected rewards. Overall we are most excited to simply see what life has to offer.
Happy Travels!
Pancho
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Yay Family!
This year, being so far from friends and family, we were fortunate enough to have one member of the clan here for Thanksgiving. Legs' cousin Golfer, son to Ms. Ravenna, was able to make it down from New York University to stay with us for a few days, and enjoy a great Thanksgiving dinner. Something about the holiday season, it just made it a little more enjoyable having a familiar face to share it with. We've lucked out with several visits from Golfer, who has always been a great house-guest and an amazing cousin/uncle to Thumper!
As many of you know, we were able to Skype with most of our family gatherings spread out across the Northwest. It certainly wasn't as nice as sitting across the table from one another, but we're truly grateful that technology gave us the opportunity to see each of your smiling, pixilated faces on Thanksgiving. It also made me happy to see so many members of our families united for a day to enjoy each other's company.
Unfortunately holidays that we will be able to physically attend will likely be few and far between given the life that we have chosen, but keep hope! Some day, a midst our travels from one post to the next, the stars will align and somehow home-leave will happen to fall on a chunk of days that contain some obscure holiday like Groundhog's Day or Super Bowl Sunday, and we will say, "Oh, you're having a get-together for Groundhog's Day? Sure, we can make it. We'll see you at 5!" For a moment, it will be just as if we lived up the street and popped by like we would on any other special occasion, until home-leave ended and our little family whooshed away on a plane set for Reykjavik, or Ho Chi Minh City, or perhaps Wellington. Not knowing what the future holds for us is part of the excitement.
Later this week Grandma Mir Mir will be arriving for a month-long visit! We're very excited to have her here, and Thumper, although he doesn't quite understand it yet, is in for a treat. Grandma Mir Mir sends Thumper videos, Jibjab cards, and they Skype often, to the point were Thumper recognizes her face on the computer screen or iPad. His "Grandma" is just sort of an elongated "Mama" but there is a clear distinction, which probably only Legs and I can hear, when he sees a picture or video of her. We're so happy that he, and us, will get this time to spend with her before we leave for India.
Happy Travels!
Pancho
As many of you know, we were able to Skype with most of our family gatherings spread out across the Northwest. It certainly wasn't as nice as sitting across the table from one another, but we're truly grateful that technology gave us the opportunity to see each of your smiling, pixilated faces on Thanksgiving. It also made me happy to see so many members of our families united for a day to enjoy each other's company.
Unfortunately holidays that we will be able to physically attend will likely be few and far between given the life that we have chosen, but keep hope! Some day, a midst our travels from one post to the next, the stars will align and somehow home-leave will happen to fall on a chunk of days that contain some obscure holiday like Groundhog's Day or Super Bowl Sunday, and we will say, "Oh, you're having a get-together for Groundhog's Day? Sure, we can make it. We'll see you at 5!" For a moment, it will be just as if we lived up the street and popped by like we would on any other special occasion, until home-leave ended and our little family whooshed away on a plane set for Reykjavik, or Ho Chi Minh City, or perhaps Wellington. Not knowing what the future holds for us is part of the excitement.
Later this week Grandma Mir Mir will be arriving for a month-long visit! We're very excited to have her here, and Thumper, although he doesn't quite understand it yet, is in for a treat. Grandma Mir Mir sends Thumper videos, Jibjab cards, and they Skype often, to the point were Thumper recognizes her face on the computer screen or iPad. His "Grandma" is just sort of an elongated "Mama" but there is a clear distinction, which probably only Legs and I can hear, when he sees a picture or video of her. We're so happy that he, and us, will get this time to spend with her before we leave for India.
Happy Travels!
Pancho
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