Author: Dom

I grew up in Natick, Mass, and was raised on everything Boston. I received a media production degree from Quinnipiac, which has gone under-utilized for years. Now, thanks to my wife, I'll be traveling the world alongside a member of the Unites States Foreign Service, beer in hand, while I finally put some of that college knowledge to use.

We Tied the Knot!

By the time Misha got the call about the Foreign Service, we had been dating for three years. We had discussed marriage on several occasions, but didn't think it was an expenditure we would be able to afford for some time. Misha is a big proponent of the FIRE movement, which means Financial Independence, Retire Early. Having a big wedding complete with a hashtag was never part of our plans, but I still wanted to do something to celebrate our love in front of our families. Balancing these factors would take a lot of effort, so it was a conversation we decided to floor until it made a little more sense. The Foreign Service life changed all that.

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MDW in the Capital

Every town and city across the country has a tradition of patriotic pride when it comes to the major holidays. Many more have their own local traditions that only locals truly understand. Growing up in Boston, this is how we feel about the Boston Marathon. It's a 26.2 mile party complete with a Red Sox... Continue Reading →

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Now What?

Woohoo! Misha is joining the Foreign Service and I'm going with her! Deep breaths. Okay… now what? Once the excitement calmed down and we came to terms with reality, we realized we had a lot of work to do. I worked as a Beer Buyer and Marketing Manager for a craft beer and wine shop in Needham, MA, so we were in the midst of the busiest season of the year. UTEC, like most NGO's, was perennially over-worked and under-staffed. Misha was the Direct of Evaluation and Impact, so she had a ton of responsibility, and often had to take on tasks that fell far outside of her job description… and far outside normal working hours. So, on top of already being overloaded at our jobs, we were facing a major transition.

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Dom and Mochi Go to Antietam

One of the cool things about living in Virginia is the proximity to Civil War and other historical sites. I come from Massachusetts, where Revolutionary history abounds and everyone who grew up there has been beaten over the head with this history from a young age. However, having only traveled to DC once when I was in high school, I never really got a chance to see much from the Civil War period. Living down here gives me the rare chance to visit these sites, and I chose the Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland as my starting point.

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The Journey Begins!

Thanks for following our adventure! Our story starts several months back on December 3rd, 2018. It's a Monday. I have the day off. Sometime in the late morning/ early afternoon I get a frantic call from Misha while she's at work. She has just received a call from the State Department to become a Foreign Service Officer (FSO), offering her a coveted spot that starts in little over one month. Holy crap...

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