A Long Absence

It's been a very long time since I posted to this blog, and I really need to get back on it.

The Right Turn at 40 was nothing compared to the turn at 41. After 19 years of marriage I am getting a divorce. My ex and two of our daughters are returning to the states and our oldest will at least finish the school year with me, in Jakarta. ife never seems to go the way it is planned. Yes, that is a very brief way of encompassing yet another life-event but that's about all I will ever say about it in this forum.

So enough of that.

Most everyone I know is aware of the saying "thrown into the deep end." As a former swimming instructor and Lifeguard, I know exactly where the saying came from and how hard it really is. At least so I thought.

Back in October I posted about having my assignment changed while still going to the same post. What I didn't say was that I had been assigned as Deputy human Resources Officer (HRO). What I learned after I got to post was that I would in fact be the Acting Senior HRO.

In a Mission with ~1500 employees.

For 10 months.

That's right, the deep end called and said it wasn't deep enough, and the shallow end was too close for comfort, so please just go ahead and drop him in the middle of the Pacific with a couple of arm floaties.

I survived! What an adventure that was!

I learned more about what I didn't know than I knew I didn't know. And the list of what I don't know keeps expanding. *sigh*

But in November, I finally began the job I was supposed to have and let me tell you, it is fabulous. I finally get to learn all the little State Dept. secrets and procedures and practices and peculiarities, and culture from a senior officer instead of having to run face first into them like I have been. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed myself and have a wonderful staff that helped me through, and great support from the rest of the Mission, but that doesn't change the fact that I was learning a new career and job three pay-grades above mine.

I am really looking forward to this next year, but also to finding out where my next post will be. My bid list is due in 24 hours and then I get to wait for word on where I'm going and what language I'm learning. I know the job, Consular!

So, that's it for today. But I'm back, so will return to boring all of you with my thoughts.

Be well, Neighbors.