Arlington Interlude

After what feels like only two shakes of a lambs’ tail (to quote Mia Wallace), our time in the DC area is quickly coming to an end. While we don’t depart for Guatemala until mid-October, we are already planning our exit from Virginia. Eating through our cabinets, selling unwanted items on Poshmark or Facebook marketplace, saying our final goodbyes to local friends. FSO’s and those who move often know the drill. Although moving this often can be stressful, it’s hard to complain when my sugar-mama’s job allows me to go 6-plus months without working.

I try to avoid appearing boastful when I post about our worldly travels. Sometimes I wonder if anyone really cares enough to read 1000 words about a weekend vacation we took. At the end of the day, I enjoy writing. If others enjoy it, too, well that’s just a bonus. That being said, allow me a moment to recap the 5.5 months since we made it back to the US.

Shortly after our return, I flew back to Massachusetts to spend a few weeks with friends and family. I made it two Celtics games, including the game where my childhood idol, Kevin Garnett, saw his number raised to the rafters. A month or so later, after being told that a friend had secured free tickets to a first round playoff game, I found myself in a rental car until 1 am for a game 14 hours later. It was completely worth it, as the Celtics won on a buzzer beater.

We then spent Memorial Day Weekend in San Antonio. We updated our driver’s licenses (where the eye test made me realize that I needed glasses) and spent some time with Misha’s family. Her mom generously let us borrow her Mustang, but not before chastising me for removing the eyelashes from the headlights (I mean, come on!). Misha had to fly back early to get to Spanish class on time, so Mochi and I road tripped, making stops in Arlington, TX, Memphis, TN, and Asheville, NC. Along the way, I went to a Rangers baseball game, ate plenty of great BBQ, saw a few live bands, and drank some great craft beer. Also, Mochi fell asleep sitting up because she refuses to lay down in a car for more than 5 minutes.

In late June, we went to a wedding in the Finger Lakes, where we would definitely consider buying a house if we ever do settle down. For America’s birthday, we spent a weekend at a beautiful restored log cabin in the woods of western Virginia. We visited a few craft breweries (some good, some not so good), including the unfortunate closing of 3 Stars, where I worked last time we were in Arlington and even wrote a blog about. We also made it to a few concerts, though not nearly enough to satiate our craving for live music. All the while, Misha has been learning Spanish so we can hit the ground running in Guatemala just two short months from now.

I haven’t been completely useless in my time here. I started Spanish in July, and will keep at it until we leave. Additionally, I passed all the interviews to become an Office Management Specialist (OMS), which I wrote about last August. You can read more details about the job here, but essentially the position works alongside Foreign Service Officers like Misha. All that’s left is a background check and some clearances. I’ve already acquired these for previous jobs, so I don’t expect it to take long. I’m only allowed to say so much about the process, so for now I’ll just say that I’m not quite across the finish line, but I’m in the home stretch.

While this will certainly complicate our lives, Misha and I are excited for the opportunity to finally fully immerse ourselves in the DINK (Dual Income, No Kids) lifestyle. It’s very common to see what are known as “tandem couples” in the State Department, where both spouses have overseas assignments. They aren’t always able to get assigned to the same country with ideal jobs (meaning sometimes you may have to take a job lower than your experience calls for), but it’s definitely doable. We are going to do our best to time up our bidding schedules so we can maximize our chances of sticking together. For now though, I’ll be in Guatemala with Misha for the majority of the tour at least.

Next up, we’ll be road tripping together back to San Antonio, with stops in bourbon country, Memphis again, New Orleans, and Houston. In September, we’ll spend a few weeks in the Pacific Northwest. Finally, it’s back to Texas one last time before we officially begin our second tour as diplomats. It’s a lot of moving around, but it sure is fun!