A New Adventure

If you've followed our journey long enough, you'll know that 'Tis The Season to be Jolly Anxious Excited Irritated on pins and needles.  For bidding time has come and gone.  While the stress of bidding usually comes around every few years for "normal" State Department folks, we have had the luxury of bidding on a new position every year for the past FOUR years.  Aren't we stupid special ....

Since we left India back in 2010 I haven't bothered to look at the available positions.  We knew we were going to stay Stateside for a few years (or at least the family would be).  We knew we were going to be settling in Northern Virginia.  We had a plan.

But in true DS fashion, nothing is ever set in stone. 

About six months ago, just prior to Matt leaving for Afghanistan, I told him that I wanted to reconsider our options.  I was getting that overseas 'itch' again.  I was feeling the travel bug hit ... hard.   So when the bid list came out several months ago, I must have perused it for hours.  Okay, several days.  All right ... many weeks.  But I wanted to make sure that I was comfortable with the places we were going to put on our list, for as everyone knows, we curtailed our final year from post in India.

Things have really changed since our last "BIG" bid season in 2007, when Matt was an ARSO in Tel Aviv.  When overseas positions were plentiful and communication was relatively decent.  Now?  There are FAR more agents than available posts.  And there's NO guarantee that JUST because you do an unaccompanied post that you will be rewarded with something decent.  Frankly, it's all about who you know, rather than what you know.  What's worse is the higher you climb within the organization, the fewer the overseas opportunities.  And if you're not able to make a "drug deal" and pimp out your six unborn children, chances are you're not getting anything .... even RSO Antarctica.  It's a broken, broken system.

I haven't told anybody, but I've been on edge for the past three months since we turned in our list.  While Matt has done TWO unaccompanied tours, a hardship tour in India, and worked a high profile job at DS headquarters, he isn't owed anything.  HE ISN'T OWED ANYTHING!!   And. It. Just. Plain. Sucks. 

Like all good DS agents, we played the bidding game well this year.  We turned in our list.  We lobbied.  We kissed tush.  We went through the consultative process for the VERY few positions that we were willing to take.  And all looked great.  GREAT.  GREAT. GREAT!

Until September 14th.  When one of our top positions suddenly left our list.  And our dreams for our next four years slowly faded away.  I can't and won't go into any details.  For they're irrelevant now and some things need to be left unsaid.  Discretion is the better part of valor, right?  Even if ...

But it hasn't been easy.  I've been on virtual pins and needles waiting for "the email."  The one that determines our new fate for the next four years.  Every time the panel in DC met, I was a wreck.   And I'm honest enough to admit that I felt a small sense of entitlement.  Friends overseas would post updates on Facebook and let us know what was assigned.  Three rounds of it went by before we heard anything ourselves. 

That is ... until last night.  When Matt finally got his email.  And we got one of the only 6 places that we put on our list! 

I needed time to process.   To finally talk to Matt about our future.  And after a long few months I am relieved to announce that the Perlman family will be moving NEXT summer.  In 2014.  Back overseas.

We will be going to ...

San Salvador, El Salvador

San Salvador filled ALL of our requirements.  It's a family-friendly post.  It's language designated (where Matt and I will BOTH be taking Spanish next year at FSI).  And it's a 3-year tour ... with R&R's. 

Oh yeah ... and it has a Starbucks too! 

So ... who's coming to visit?

All In The Family

JUST like his older sister, who had her first rock climbing experience at the VERY same age ... Grady hated it.  HATED it.

Sure, he has that sh*t eating grin on his face in these photos.  But after climbing up a few feet, he realized how high he was.  And. That. Was. It.

Hello meltdown!  Aren't you glad mommy caught this on video?

But it's Uncle Randy's "thing" that he does with my kiddos.  After introducing them to the sport back in 2008, he's taken them climbing almost every time we've seen him.  

As for the girlies?  They had a BLAST.   This was the highest wall they've climbed.  And they truly did rock it!  Pun intended.

Riley climbing

Sheridan climbing

The 2012 Obligatory Halloween Photos ...

... for Matt and the grandparents of course!

Here they are in all their glory ... The Pirate, the BatGirl, and the CRANKIEST BatBoy you've EVER met!  No seriously.  It took SEVERAL minutes just to get him calmed down enough to snap these two photos.  I mean, really?  Who cries over getting FREE candy? 

 

Batman was apparently THE costume of the night.  I'd say you couldn't tell the boys apart, except mine was the one whining over absolutely everything.

Several of the neighborhood kids. 

In all, another fun night.  Thankfully I walked around with a large, red SOLO cup, and was able to get it "filled" at several houses along the way.  When you're out in mid-40 degree temps, you gotta love the "treats" for the parents as well! 

The Sun Is Shining. The Birds Are Singing ...

... and you know what that means, right?  My in-laws are going home today.  It's Halloween.  The kids are all FINALLY back in school!

Yup.  They've been stuck here at home for the past two days.  Wreaking havoc.  Causing mayhem.  Annoying the ever-loving cr*p out of me.  My very OWN perfect storm.

We weathered the hurricane just fine ... with only one major leak.  Of course, it's in the same spot as the leak I had LAST year ... that they apparently didn't fix.  Go figure!

It started when the water came in through the roof, in the front of the house above Sheridan's room.  It dripped out the vent from her ceiling as well as behind her wall, causing the baseboards and the carpet to become drenched.  It then made its way down to the first floor, where it did the exact same thing (soaking the ceiling, walls, and hardwood floor).  And then it went down one more level into the basement. 

Looking on the bright side, if there was ever a good thing that could come out of this ... it's that it's a recurring leak.  Which means that the builder is responsible to fix it, not my insurance company, since we are far past our one-year warranty.

Thank goodness for small miracles.

Send Us Love. Send Us Sanity. Send ME Wine!

We talk all the way to the airport.  About the kids.  About our time together.  About our next visit.  Though unlike last time, the drive is much shorter.  As we go through the Toll Booth, and on to the access road of the airport, I feel the first twinge in my nose.  I usually scrunch it up and pretend all is fine.  That is, until I make the final turn and drive up the ramp to the Departure area when the lump in my throat makes it difficult to swallow.

We've done this before.  Six times to be exact.  And while I would like to say it gets easier ... it never does.  How could it?  When you put the love of your life, the father of your kids, your best friend back on a plane to fly thousands of miles away while you virtually miss a year of your life together.  Or two if you're really counting ...

But the known IS better than the unknown.  You HAVE done this before.  Six times, remember?  You know that in a few days both of you will get back into a routine.  He will get over jet lag.  The kids will get back onto their schedule.  That despite the tears.  The sadness.  The longing that we all have for each other ...  we are all going to be okay.  Yes, we will eventually be okay ...


Of course, one might be a wee bit better when their in-laws, who have been here for 6 days (two of which were spent with their son, who they hadn't seen in a year) weren't stuck here, IN the house (due to canceled flights) for an additional three days thanks to hurricane Sandy.  Oh, and if their father-in-law didn't have a severe case of shpilkes in tuchis ... also known as "ants in the pants". 

We're laughing about this now ... but talk to us all in a few days.

Whoever Said That R&R's Were Supposed To Be Relaxing ...

... has probably never been on an R&R with three kids.  In fact, if up to Matt, I think he would probably re-name R&R to stand for Running & Ragged.  Or Ridiculous Routine. 

There has been absolutely no rest for the weary here since Matt surprised the kids two weeks ago.   In fact, he sincerely believes my weekly schedule is insane.  For the most part, I'd agree.  But I like keeping busy as it makes the time fly by.

To bring you all up to speed, here's how we've whiled away the past fifteen days ...

* Matt got a haircut
* Grady got a haircut
* Matt went to the dentist
* Carpooled to the kids activities ... softball practice (twice), dance for each girl (twice), Hebrew   School, Sunday School, gymnastics (twice), and Girl Scouts. 
* Two softball games & softball lunch
* Volunteered in Sheridan's class twice for Word Study
* Spent two mornings "greeting" at the elementary school
* Had Riley's parent / teacher conference
* Schlepped Matt to a teacher appreciation committee meeting and various PTA meetings
* Had lunch with each of the girls at school
* Went to a doctor's appointment with Sheridan
* Took both girls to their orthodontist appointment
* Went to the mall and bought Matt new clothes (as he only came with 3 shirts and 1 pair of pants!)
* Hosted a cocktail party for Sheridan's teacher, principal, and 3rd grade parents
* Hosted a DS Spouse get together
* Hosted a dinner for friends from previous posts
* Got a babysitter and went out to dinner three separate times
* Went apple picking
* Hired a professional photographer and took family photos
* Sent ALL the kids to a friend's house for a sleepover
* Drove to DC where Matt and I both had meetings at State Department Headquarters

On the fifteenth day we rested.  Almost ...

 

 

 Well, at least we got pedicures!  Matt chose purple.  He wanted to surprise his girlies.  

He'd do ANYTHING for his girlies.

And a few more gratuitous photos of our insanity over the last few weeks ...

  

 

 Apple Picking in Purcellville

 Pictures taken with my iPhone in between takes with the professional photographer.  

Let's hope hers come out even HALF as cute as mine did! 

I told Matt that by the end of his visit I wanted him to appreciate all that I do and acknowledge that I'm not sitting around eating bon bons.  Thankfully it took him only a few days to concede that it's FAR easier to protect his post from terrorists than it is to be a SAHM. 

I'm sure he's looking forward to going back to Afghanistan for a break ...

Everyone Needs One Good Surprise In Their Life ...

... and today was the day for my kids.

It's been twenty weeks since Matt left for his training in Indianapolis and then his tour in Afghanistan.  Twenty relatively easy (but busy) weeks.

Based on our last unaccompanied tour, we decided again to have Matt settle in and stay at post as long as possible before his first R&R.  This way when he'd return back to Afghanistan he wouldn't have more than 8 - 10 weeks away from us in between his second and third R&R or his final move home.

While the girls knew that Matt was due sometime in the near future for his R&R home, we never told them exactly when he was coming. 

So imagine their utter and complete surprise at seeing Matt sitting at the breakfast bar this morning when they woke up ... which of course, I captured on video.  Simply.  Priceless.

Quality family time going on in our house for the next few weeks.  Don't mind us if there's a bit of radio silence.  We've been looking forward to this visit for a long time!

Webster's Definition of DISGUSTING ...

He hopped on the potty.

Grabbed both sides for dear life and pushed out the poopies.

Before I could even wipe his butt, he sat up and popped that thumb right in his mouth.

In the PUBLIC restroom.  The grocery store restroom.

And yes, I took a picture.  He's finally sitting the "right" way! 

But, who has a vat of sanitizer to lend me for the future?

FS BRU ... Where You Show Us Your John Hancock

In every Foreign Service chat group I belong, there's a specific way we sign our names to our messages ...  first and last name, along with our current and previous posts.  I love it!  Because you can see where everyone is and has been ... and decide, based upon where someone lives, whether their question, answer, or opinion really pertains to you.  

As many of us are in the midst of bidding season, preparing for holiday vacations, and attempting to reach out to our friends who are in high threat posts, I thought that now would be a good time to publish our FS Bloggers' signatures.  Most of us know where each other currently reside.  But some of us have been in the Foreign Service FAR longer than we've been blogging ... and our previous locations may not ever have been discussed. 

With this handy guide you can now reach out and ask someone about a vacation spot, future assignment, or check that a favorite restaurant from 10 years ago is still open!  You also know whether or not to take what someone says with a grain of salt ...

My request in the previous FS BRU, was to send me names / links of your blogs, how you wanted to be addressed (or if you wanted to stay anonymous), and your previous postings along with the years you served. 

And here's what we all said ... along with a mini acronym guide:


* UT = unaccompanied (without your family) tour
* ISMA = Involuntary Separate Maintenance Allowance (one gets this when their family is at an unaccompanied tour)
* SH = Safe Haven (when one stays at their overseas location while their spouse is on a UT)
* Bidding = the painful, stressful, ridiculously long wait to find out if you've kissed enough tushies and where you will arbitrarily hopefully be sent ...


The Perlman Update
Jill Perlman
NYFO (2000 - 2003), Muscat, Oman (2003 - 2005), Tel Aviv, Israel (2005 - 2008), Chennai, India (2008 - 2010), Baghdad, Iraq / ISMA in CA (2010 - 2011), DC Headquarters (2011 - 2012), Herat, Afghanistan  / ISMA in DC (2012 - 2013) and bidding ...

Sadie Abroad
Sadie
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (2010 - 2012), Kampala, Uganda (2012 - 2014)

Rambles and Ruminations
Linsey Crisler
Lima, Peru (2006 - 2008), Caracas, Venezuela (2008 - 2010), DC (2010 - 2013), Beijing, China (2013 - 2015)

Fabling
Sunny
Manila, Philippines (2008 - 2010), Brussels (2011 - current)

Email From The Embassy
Donna
Moscow, Russia (1999 - 2001), Yerevan, Armenia (2001 - 2002), Almaty, Kazakhstan, (2002 - 2004), DC (2004 - 2007), Beijing, China (2007 - 2010), Amman, Jordan (2010 - 2013), bidding ...

Well, That Was Different
Kelly
Africa, Latin America, one UT, Prague, DC, currently in Vienna

Our American Family
Lisa
Manila, Philippines (2004 - 2006), Santo Domingo, DR (2007 - 2009), Taipei, Taiwan (2010 - 2014)

wife-mommy-woman
Sara
San Jose, Costa Rica (2010 - 2012), Manila, Philippines (2012 - 2014)

Just Us
Melissa
NHSO (2007 - 2009), Baghdad, Iraq (UT) (2008 - 2009), Jerusalem Israel (2010 - 2013), Kabul, Afghanistan / SH in Jerusalem (2012 - 2013), bidding ...

Tuk & Tam
Daniela
DC (2010 - 2011), New Delhi, India (2012 - 2014)

The Globehoppers
Michele
Manila, Philippines (2003 - 2005), Lome, Togo (2005 - 2006), Chennai, India (2006 - 2009), DC (2009 - 2012), Amman, Jordan (2012 - 2015/6)

The Briden Bunch
Crystal
Kuwait City, Kuwait (2009 - 2011), Bamako, Mali (2011 - 2012 authorized departure), Santiago, Chile (2012 - 2014/5)

Like Nomads (but with more stuff)
Lynne
Valletta, Malta (2007 - 2009), St. Petersburg, Russia (2009 - 2013)

Sherwood Family Nonsense
Ashley Sherwood
Cairo, Egypt (2009 - 2011), Baku, Azerbaijan (2011 - 2014)

kitchen cables
Sarah
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (2011 - current)

Mom2Nomads
Heather Harper-Troje
Guinea (2005 - 2007), Malta ISMA (2007), Dublin, Ireland (2007 - 2010), Baghdad, Iraq / UT (2009 - 2010), DC (2010 - 2011), San Jose, Costa Rica (2011 - 2014), bidding ...

The Wandering Drays
Heather
LAFO (2009 - 2010), Baghdad, Iraq / ISMA in Ohio (2010 - 2011), Cairo, Egypt (2011 - 2013), bidding ...

The New Diplomat's Wife
Ania Krasniewska Shahidi
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia / ISMA in DC (2006 - 2007), Vienna, Austria (2008 - 2011), DC (2011 - 2013), Copenhagen, Denmark (2013)

Where in the World are Luca & Juliana
Nicole
Sao Paulo, Brazil (2010 - 2012), Vienna, Austria (2012 -)

The Dinoia Family
Jen Dinoia
WFO (1998 - 2000), Caracas, Venezuela (2000 - 2002), DC (2002 - 2005), Reykjavik, Iceland (2005 - 2008), SFFO (2008 - 2010), Bagdad, Iraq / ISMA in DC (2010), DC (2011 - 2012), Kabul, Afghanistan / ISMA in DC (2012 - 2013), Managua, Nicaragua (2013 - 2016)

Pryor Adventures
Vientiane, Laos (2011 - 2013)

Something Edited This Way Comes
Zoe Friloux
Port of Spain (2007 - 2009) Milan, Italy (2010 - 2012), Kabul, Afghanistan / SH in Milan (2012 - 2013), London (2013 - 2016)

Novakistan
Sarah Novak
Manila, Philippines (2009 - 2011), DC (2011 - 2012), Lima, Peru (2012 - 2014)

FiveGs
Narra
Guadalajara, Mexico (2011 - 2013), DC (2013 - 2014), Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina (2014 - 2016)

Cyberbones
Shannon Mullins
Jakarta, Indonesia (2006 - 2008), Frankfurt, Germany (2008 - 2010), Lilongwe, Malawi (2010 - 2013) bidding and praying ...

A Sojourning Life
CC
Recife, Brazil (2012 - 2014)

La Vie Overseas
Natasha Padgitt
San Salvador, El Salvador (2012 - 2014)

AdventuresIn
Dhaka, Bangladesh (2010 - 2012), Seoul, South Korea (2012 - )

Carla Runs the World
Carla Reinisch
Manila, Philippines (2011 - 2013), DC (2013), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2014 - 2016)

Schlink Attack!
Emily Schlink
Bucharest, Romania (2011 - 2013)

Here, There and Everywhere
Lydia Penrod
Cairo, Egypt (2005 - 2009), Baghdad, Iraq (2009 - 2010), Manama, Bahrain (2010 - 2013), bidding ...

Hot Pot
Dani
Chengdu, China (2010 - 2012), New Delhi, India (2012 - 2014)

SubjectVerbObject
Theresa Sondjo
Freetown, Sierra Leone (2012 - 2014)

A bit of trip
Becky
Nuevo Laredo, Mexico (2009 - 2011), DC, (2011 - 2012), Taipei, Taiwan (2012 - 2014), Beijing,  China (2014 - 2017)

Erica J Green - Navigating Wonderland
Erica Green
Belfast, Ireland (2000 - 2002), DC (2002 - 2006), Adana, Turkey (2006 - 2009), Moscow, Russia (2009 - 2011). Reykjavik, Iceland (2011 - current)

from the back of beyond
Eve Josar
Luanda, Angola (2011 - 2013), Santiago, Chile (2013 - 2015)

Bfiles
Santo Domingo, DR (2011 - 2013), DC (2013 - 2014), Guangzhou, China (2014 - )

views from a yoga mat
Tiffany
Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina (2012 - 2014)

Pulling Stakes
Kate
DC (2010 - 2011), Brasilia, Brazil (2011 - present) 

Peeps From Abroad
Jessie Bryson
Guangzhou, China (2010 - 2012), DC (2012 - 2013), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (2013 - )

3rd Culture Children
Raquel Miranda
Maputo, Mozambique (2006 - 2008), DC (2008 - 2010), Recife, Brazil (2010 - 2012), La Paz, Bolivia (2012 - 2014)

inAnkara
Miranda Zolot
Ankara, Turkey (current)

Poppies and Polka Dots
Angela
Bujumbura, Burundi (2008 - 2009), Baghdad, Iraq (2010 - 2011), Madrid, Spain (2012)

Wanderings of a Cheerful Stoic
Meredith
Conakry, Guinea (2011 - 2013), Dublin, Ireland (2013 - 2015)

Where in the World Am I?
Stephanie
SFFO (2006 - 2008), Bujumbura, Burundi (2008 - 2010), Hyderabad, India (2010 - 2013), UT (2013 - 2014)

Life After Jerusalem
Digger
Baku, Azerbaijan (MOH 2002 - 2004), A-100 (2004), Jerusalem, Israel (2005 - 2007), DC, DC, DC (2007 - 2011), Tallinn, Estonia (2011 - 2014)

Stumble Abroad
Ana Gaby
Frankfurt, Germany (2007-2009), Bangkok Thailand (2009-2011), Jakarta, Indonesia (2011-2014), Pleeeaseeeee somewhere in the Western Hemisphere next! ;)



If I've left you off the list, email me at thefsroundup@me.com with your information. 

The next edition of the FS BRU will be out on Friday, October 19th.  The optional talking point is ... your "dream" post.  Just as I dream about winning the lottery, most of us have also dreamt about one place we've always wanted the State Department to send us.   What's yours?

Of course, the optional talking point is just that ... optional.  Feel free to send along anything you'd like linked.  Just do so by Monday, October 15th.  Don't forget to include the one sentence blurb about your link as well.  Send it to me at thefsroundup@me.com.

Until then ...

And So, My Fellow Americans ...

We live in an insular society. Our faces, forever shielded behind our laptops, our iPads, and our smart phones. In our free time, we scroll through the news feed on Facebook hitting "LIKE" on our friend's pictures and status updates, to show our support, yet absolve us of the obligation to write a quick comment. When we do comment on something news worthy like ... a birth, new job, an illness, or death, we spend as little time as possible offering up our congrats, prayers, and blessings. Because, the reality is that we're so absorbed in our own lives that we don't notice what's going on in the world around us.

We spent the entire day Monday pontificating about 9/11/01. We remembered those who had fallen for our great Country. We told our stories about where we all were ... for most of us remember exactly what we were doing when we heard about the planes hitting the World Trade Center, or when the buildings collapsed. We can articulate how it affected us. As individuals. As a nation. It changed who many of us were.

But it's tough to care. To care means you need to put forth an emotional investment. And there's only so much benevolence to go around. We're so busy providing compassion for family for friends that to try and empathize with people we don't know in a far off land is difficult. It's overwhelming. And it's probably the reason why State Department families congregate towards each other. Like minds ...

The Mission of a U.S. diplomat in the Foreign Service is to promote peace, support prosperity, and protect American citizens while advancing the interests of the U.S. abroad. And while we all expect a certain modicum of increased security for those folks serving like my husband in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan, the other personnel, sworn in to uphold our Constitution in almost every other country in the world, well, are no less important. And as we know, in countries any less dangerous. These folks, paired with The Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS), are on the front line helping other countries while promoting America's ideals. But unlike DS agents, the FSO's are the unarmed warriors. They're diplomatic soldiers, who understand that there are inherent risks associated with the job, yet who still go out into their foreign lands to interact and try to make the world a better place.

It's been a difficult week for the State Department. From the suicide bombing in Peshawar, to the death of a DS agent's son, from the chaos in Egypt and Yemen, a recent cancer diagnosis for a colleague, to the senseless attacks and deaths of the American Personnel in Benghazi, Libya. These tragedies hit home. They affect me. They effect us. I'm mad. And I'm struggling with the knowledge that nobody else cares. Sure, those of us in the State Department do. Officers and EFM's (Eligible Family Members) alike. But if you aren't disturbed by a lockdown in your house, a revolution in your country, if you don't have that personal connection, it just doesn't mean the same thing. Despite the irony that these are the folks fighting to uphold your freedoms and civil liberties ... which would be noticed if they were taken away.

For those of us who do this for a living, we don't do it for the recognition. In fact, most people look at us like we're crazy for living and working in some of the places we do. But we do it anyway because it's a calling.

Tomorrow, when the media headlines again return to political infighting, the chatter on Facebook and twitter dies down, people go back to pinning recipes and art projects on Pinterest and watching their reality TV, please remember and appreciate those of us serving in virtual anonymity in some of the farthest corners of the world, away from our family and friends, representing our country and its ideals. We do it so you don't have to ...

"Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." ~ John F. Kennedy, Inaugural address, January 20, 1961

The FS BRU ... The Submissions Were Few. But The Stories Were Grand. And Yes, There WAS Vomit!

I MUST be longing for a little bit of travel as it took me three weeks to realize that the optional talking point for today's edition of the FS BRU is quite similar to one from many months ago. I'd say, "oops", but I actually enjoy reading everyone's adventures, and living vicariously through my friends abroad ... so we'll just chalk it up to summer insanity and my head being in the clouds after my daughter's surgery.

If you've been here long enough, you know that a majority of my family's travel stories include an over abundance of pictures, utter chaos, and of course, vomit. Frankly, it wouldn't be a Perlman family vacation without it. In fact, the first question people now ask us once we return from a trip isn't, "Did you have a great time?" It's, "How many puke bags did Sheridan use?" Which, if you read my update from my latest trip to South Bend, Indiana, was only one ...

But this week, I'm going spare you my details. I'd much rather hear about YOU. And what you've been doing and seeing around the world. With this shortened edition to the round up, I hope you'll make a visit to these bloggers and enjoy a good laugh, a good cry, and a lot of head nodding ... as we can all probably relate to their stories!


Erica's work trip through a travel restricted area of Uganda did not end as expected. Ironically, it wasn't the AK-47 wielding Karamajong that were the issue. Their failed trip left her and a group of Pokot girls who had escaped a horribly cruel tribal practice extremely disappointed.

Spectrummy Mummy is going on R&R soon and hopes that they have better luck than this! For anyone flying with children, this is a MUST read ... with tissues!

Yesterday a VERY kind US Postal worker allowed my 3 year old to use the employee bathroom after witnessing him dancing and prancing around the lobby screaming, "I have to make a doody!!!" He even shut down his window (at the Dulles USPS facility, where a lot of the pouch mail is processed) to escort us. Reading this from In Flight Movie, after our experience yesterday made me crack up!

While I love my Wegman's, just looking at this grocery store in Austria has me salivating. And it isn't JUST for the espresso bar. Hello gorgeous! As The New Diplomat's Wife shows us, sometimes you CAN go back to a previous posting ...

Chela heeds her own advice while traveling through Europe with kids in tow.

And Alexis reminds us that those with kids SHOULD at some point travel solo ... to which I loudly scream, "Amen Sista!"

Being out of India for a few years helps me appreciate Daniela's travels to Jaipur ... what fun little trips down memory lane!

Kristin's list of great FS travel stories is short (uneventful), but since she grew up a bit of everywhere, her career travel story (issue) list is long!

Ever fear of being THAT ugly American? Um ... Nomads By Nature did too. And then it happened!

Traveling with kids in the FS can often be a headache ... but as we know, traveling with animals has become quite the challenge. Thankfully Sarah's dog Scarlett made it back here relatively unscathed ...

The Foreign Service sure is a small, SMALL world ... as Lynne at Like nomads, but with more stuff quickly finds out!

Kids are resilient ... and Sara at wife-mommy-woman recognizes how lucky she really is!


The next edition of the FS BRU will be out on Friday, September 21st, and the optional talking point is ... your "signature."

While many of the participants of the FS BRU are new bloggers, it doesn't necessarily mean they're new to the Foreign Service. I thought it would be fun to see where people are located now as well as where they've previously been.

Here's what I'm looking for. Send me ...

* Your blog name (and link)

* The name you want me to use in your blog. Some people are anonymous and only want their blog name, some are okay with just their first name, and some are okay with their first and last name. However you would like me to refer to you ... be specific and let me know.

* Your current and previous posts ... with the year(s) you were there

Send this to thefsroundup@me.com by Monday, September 17th.

Until then ...