This is us.  The one showing lots of shoulder (in her Chengdu, China Marine Ball ball gown!) is the EFM who writes this blog. The one wearing a tux (James) is the employee who moves her (and their two sons) around all over the world. The red link, below, is how you can get in touch with me...

The time in Chengdu, China

Chengdu: city of fabulous food and beautiful Buddhist monasteries!

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Yes, Beijing's Forbidden City (pictured, above) is really pretty and all, but I like Chengdu much better than Beijing!

In Our Same Boat (with State)

  • Beyond the Cornfields
    Brand-new State Department family in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Love their two little girls (she just recently had a baby while being posted in Dhaka), horticulture, traveling and adventure!
  • Email From The Embassy
    State Department family formerly in Beijing, China, and recently posted to Amman, Jordan. A trailing spouse, she's also a writer, and frequently publishes articles with major news sources. A very experienced State family, this new post is something like overseas post number six or seven for them.
  • Just US
    A beautiful family of seven - they have arrived at their new post: Jerusalem! They just finished off an unaccompanied tour to Iraq and are very much looking forward to sightseeing around the middle east.
  • Our Life
    State Department family on their second post...Tijuana, Mexico. It's their first overseas assignment and they have two little boys. They love Tijuana so far and post pictures frequently! They also get to enjoy the best of both worlds for they can sneak over the border into San Diego when they want to!
  • The Dinoia Family
    State Department family formerly in California, now in DC for a DC tour. Next, the husband will do a one year unaccompanied tour. A very experienced State family (formerly in Iceland and Caracas) with a blog that has been around quite a while and has great archives. Jen has a sweet heart and a lot to give!
  • The Perlman Update
    State Department family formerly in Chennai, India, who then did a year-long unaccompanied tour in Iraq. They are now on a DC tour and after that will do another unaccompanied tour (Afghanistan). She totally tells it like it is and doesn't sugar-coat what life is really like. Witty, snarky, funny and down-to-earth. Look elsewhere if you want fake. Read if you want REAL.
  • Where in the World Am I?
    State Department family formerly in Bujumbura, Burundi and now in Hyderabad, India. They just had their first baby this summer - a beautiful little girl- (there's a separate blog about this) and she also eats gluten-free (with a separate blog, also).
One of the most intriguing things about Chengdu is that it is a seamless blend of ancient and modern... all together, side by side.

Can't Live Without (non-State)

  • Crass-Pollination: An ER blog
    The best ER nurse blog EVER!
  • Doctor Grumpy in the House
    The best doctor blog EVER!
  • In Which...
    My IRL friend, a stay-at-home, homeschooling Mama of seven. Her darling daughters are, goshdarnit, probably too young to be hoped for as my future daughters-in-law.
  • The Crib Chick
    My IRL friend, a stay-at-home, homeschooling Mama of five. Hopefully two (Any two! I'm not picky!) of which are my future daughters-in-law.
  • the underwear drawer
    An anesthesiologist who is possibly the most talented & entertaining writer ever. I've read her blog ever since she started medical school. No, don't know her in real life. Wish I did.
  • The Bloggess
    This blog is both hysterically funny and hilariously irreverent. I actually let my 17 year old son read it (who loves it as much as I do!), but wouldn't even CONSIDER letting my 12 year old son read it. Which is about all the description it needs!
The grounds of Chengdu monasteries can be very, very peaceful...even though they are smack dab in the heart of a city of millions of people.

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Yes, there are Starbucks in Chengdu! All over the place, in fact. So much so, Starbucks even crafted mugs for Chengdu stores!

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Texan bluebonnets. Because I learned during our very first posting (Houston) that there's nothing prettier in the spring than the meadows of Texas.

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« In Which James Isn't Laughing or Smiling. AT ALL. | Main | Friendship, Expat Chick Style »

10/29/2012

Now Why Didn't *I* Think of That?!?!


You guys, this is BRILLIANT. I wish I could take credit for it, but I cannot. 


If your R&R from your overseas post is back to the States anytime in September, October or around theres, this is the PERFECT way to go about getting cheap (almost free!) and easy Christmas photos of the family. Bonus: After you take the pictures, you can have them printed out there, too! Then it's just one-stop shopping at its best! 


Gotta love stuff that makes your life easier, you know?


                                             ~   ~   ~


As for us, people keep asking about how bidding is going.


Ha ha ha!


Look, folks, this is DS. Seriously. And if nothing else, DS bidding is fodder for some awesome gif usage, if I do say so myself.


Check it, mah peepz:


Tumblr_m5vhfuJfml1rpw4xk
I would say that, if you want to go overseas, DS bidding is like the Hungry Hungry Hippos game, except the marble-to-hippo ratio is WAY too high here. Maybe if there was just, say, ONE marble (overseas post) to four hippos. That would be closer. Unless, of course, you're DS bidding on DC jobs. Then there are four hippos and eleventy zillion marbles.

 
So, you know. The whole trying to stay overseas thing. Wish us luck.


I actually have DS friends who were summer bidders in the past (like we are now) and who bid in September/October (just like we did) but then didn't get their assignments until that next March or April. OR MAY. It happens. I'm being realistic. I'm prepared for the wait.


You'll never find ME with a bad attitude!! You'll never hear ME being all:


Tumblr_lr8neikPuo1qbkkwqo1_250


NOPE! I'm going to be A Good Foreign Service Wife. I'm going to be patient and I'm going to just sit back with my good attitude and be all gracious and stuff. 


Because that's how I roll.  


SHUT UP, IT IS TOO. 

 

Posted on 10/29/2012 at 04:29 AM in Bidding, Complaining, James - State Department, Kill Me Now |

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Jordan

This is the most brilliant DS-related EFM/trailing spouse blog entry that I've ever read. My husband is also DS and I can relate to EVERYTHING you said (I showed him your hippo analogy and he cracked up). I started out trying to meet my social needs through the Embassy community and couldn't figure out why it just wasn't cutting it. Now the majority of my social circle is made up of some wonderful non-State American expats and my closest friend is from the country we are posted in. What a difference!

Posted by: Jordan | 11/08/2012 at 12:37 PM

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James loves me. And our sons. And his job. But not having his picture taken. In 2011 he finished up over a year and half of training, and in the fall of 2011 we got to our first overseas post - Chengdu, China!
Mao says hi! Because Chengdu is one of the only cities in China with a Mao statue.
Flowers are like friends. Each one is unique. Each one is beautiful. They brighten up everything around them. And you can never have too many. 

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2012 is the Year of the Dragon, y'all! Talk about the ultimate in good luck! This kinda party only comes around once every twelve years!
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Colorful! (Inside a Chengdu ancient Buddhist monastery.)
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