R&R

After 3 and a half-months of being in Baghdad, I finally got to come home for my 2nd R&R.  I got into Chicago and missed my connection (due to the airline being two and a half hours late out of Amman, Jordan) so I had to stay overnight in Chicago because there were no more flights to AZ that night.  I stayed in Arizona for a couple of days and then went up to Oregon to visit Vonda and her family.

 And I happened to be there on Vonda's birthday.  Us sisters have got into a tradition of taking each other to lunch on our birthdays (or having a tea party).  So I took Vonda out to lunch!  We had nachos (they were really good) and it was nice to spend the day with her on her birthday.

RSO Soccer

So I know I've not been so good about keeping my blog up-to-date.  Its been busy and we are limited in our picture taking, for valid reasons.  However, since working here I've become good friends with some of the Diplomatic Security agents (who man the Regional Security Office [RSO]).  And a couple of them play soccer.  So...since I make friends with people from other embassies I've arranged some soccer matches between the two.  I have permission to take limited photos, so when the Dutch players were here I took photos.  This photo was taken by Arie, who is one of the FSN-I (Foreign Service National Investigator), who is from the Netherlands (Dutch).

It's official!

On Friday I received an official offer for my next post.  I'm going to Wellington, New Zealand!!!! WOW, can I just say, Wow!  I'm SO excited!  I've NEVER been to this part of the world and for the next 3 years, I get to explore New Zealand and Australia.  Plus go to perhaps Thailand and other locations.  I didn't think that I'd get this posting.  There were quite a few other bidders on it, but the fact that I volunteered for Iraq, plus a good "corridor reputation" meant that I was the lucky one chosen!  I am supposed to report to post in August 2012, which means that I will probably be in Iraq until the middle of July.  But that's ok!  Knowing where I'm going next is a relief.  There won't be any training, just home leave before departing for post.  Everything happens for a reason, and I'm looking forward to my next adventures in the South Pacific! :D

Me and my Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

This was the PPE that I used since I came to Iraq.  I had to get new when I came back from my regional rest break.  Glad I never really needed it's protective powers! :)

Halloween in the IZ

On Halloween night, a few of us girls walked over to Union 3 to see the underground part of one of the palaces.  We were told it was a torture chamber/holding cells.  I'm not sure if this was told to us to make us scared or what.  But it was pretty clear to me after a short bit that it was definitely a bomb shelter.  They may have kept prisoners there as well, but if necessary, they'd be able to survive a nuclear attack. 

The reason I realized this is because it's very similar to the Soviet bunker I visited while in Latvia!  So now I've been in a Soviet and an Iraqi bunker...wonder what kind of bunker I'll get to visit next! :)

DJ Brew

Since coming to Baghdad I've discovered another talent...being a DJ! :)

People said I did a good job and everybody danced and had a good.

Regional rest breaks...

As many of you know, I elected regional restbreaks to take advantage of travel while I'm in the region. My first was Jordan, and I'm on my next one. I went first to Turkey and now I'm in Dubai, UAE. Here is my first picture from Dubai

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