I’ve been blogging for so long now that I feel like I’ve written quite a few “And Our Next Post Is” posts. (And I have! Big reveals for Jerusalem, Morocco, Algiers). I’ve even done polls on where my blog readers think we should go. None of that this time. I’ll just come out and tell […]
Tag: foreign service
The Vulgarity of Learning a Language
It was near the end of our time in Rabat when I decided I’d make pillows out of the cool African mud cloth I’d bought in Marrakesh. I had a new sewing machine and I had the fabric. I just needed zippers and so I went in searching in the Rabat medina, a place that […]
Settling in to Life in Algiers
Hello readers! August was a slow blogging month but a fairly busy IRL month. I went home to the States for a nine-day visit with the family in Michigan, and then to Washington DC for a few days for good friend’s wedding. Adam stayed in Algiers for most of that, although he did fly to […]
Our New Home, Algiers
Bonjour and marhaba from Algiers, our city of residence for the next two years. We arrived a little more than three weeks ago and, as in times past, I feel the urge to put off a post on our new city until my impressions are more fully formed. But that could take ages. This is […]
Settling in to Rabat
We’re just over three weeks in to our Gap Year in Rabat, and already I’m thinking in percentages. As in that’s 10% of our 10-month tour already gone! First impressions: Rabat seems chill and very livable although probably not the exotic color and spice explosion I’d imagined Morocco to be. It’s modern, clean, and seems […]
A Gap Year in Morocco
I recently posted that our next post is Algiers, Algeria, but we just learned before we land there for a two-year tour, we’ll be in Rabat, Morocco for one year! And I am so excited about it. For the food, for the climate, for the chance to explore a colorful new country. And for the […]
I’ve Got a Real Pants-Wearing Job
Just when I was complaining about how lazy I am, I got the call: My security clearance finally came through and I could begin work at the government job for which I was hired ten months ago. So, last week I bid farewell to the Diplocats and the blue velvet sofa and I ventured out of my […]
And Our Next Post Is…
…Jerusalem! Surprised? Remember back when I painstakingly outlined all the pros and cons of moving to seven different cities and asked ya’ll to vote? Well, the winner, Lima, Peru, and all the rest of the places for that matter — London and Papau New Guinea among them — didn’t pan out. We were without […]
Vote on Our Next Post!
It’s Bidding Season! In Foreign Service land, this is the time of year when a list comes out with all the places Mr. Dame in Spain, and myself by association, could be posted to next. Imagine seeing a list of cities, some of which you’ve never even heard, and knowing “One of these will be […]
The Cultural Adjustment Cycle
Wednesday was a red letter day for me in Spain. I successfully asked for all of my desired vegetables in the market, got my hair cut and highlighted (and even cracked a joke with my stylist!), and, most importantly, after spending four hours over the past several days on the truly terrible RENFE website (Spain’s […]