Sand Through My Toes

Six Months……Bitter Sweet!!

Holy Head!  YES,  I have been here for six fantastic months and have six more to go, but really let’s call it 5 months and 1 week because I still have my rest and relaxation  (R&R) time!

After being in the sand for this long, I have learned how to repeat the same outfit in a two-week period, to bite my tongue and just go with it, that the DFAC is truly the Dining Facility and yes, it does get tiring having someone else make your meals for you every day.  There is a huge difference between a teacher and an instructor and I have learned to appreciate the green around me (which are the uniforms of those protecting me) b/c the only color here is beige and then some more beige!

Being here with the same great girl to experience all this with has been another plus!  To be able to development a lasting friendship with another person, who happens to teach in Korea, has made the first six months (plus one month of training)  fly by!  But now the time has come for her to move on to another site and touch the lives of those just beginning to learn how to speak English!  Yes, Francine will be moving on Friday morning and I will miss her being here with me!  Although it will be quite the adjustment being the only girl on staff, I am positive that I’ll have some of my military friends in the compound drag me along to dinner with them!! 🙂

I haven’t forgotten where I come from with the help of my wonderful friend Laura — thank you for  your patience and skills — and making me smile every day  as I proudly  display the American flag!  Miss you all and can’t wait to see you stateside in 6 months or back “home” for the wine fest — ah, to have a beverage!  I believe my body just shook from withdrawals!!  🙂

Alright, Alright

I have learned my lesson and won’t post boring pics of a “Grand Opening” sign.  I do have to say that it was hot news around here and talk of the town, so I figured it was an interesting pic b/c the beauty shop is inside a trailer surrounded by stones and hescos (barricades).  

Although I don’t respond to many comments that are posted, I do read them all! SO, here is a pic of my eyebrows — a week later.  Be kind when posting your comments about the look!  By the way, I will take string any day over duct tape!  Duct tape is powerful and my gosh, painful — not nice PMS!  

Patience, Daily Dose Necessary!

Patience is something that you have, that you don’t have, that you are constantly trying to obtain or better yet, realizing what it takes to extend the length of it in your own mind! Let it be from the mice running around the office, to understanding the leadership abilities of some,  or the incompetence when it comes to splicing together internet cable lines that were inadvertently cut!! Yes, for a whopping eight days, internet was down here at our compound — not the gvt. internet, only for all the folks in their private quarters. SO, do you go into the office at night, put your feet up and try to ignore the sounds of little feet scurrying about while avoiding the peanut butter filled traps, or breathe deeply and know that some day soon I’ll be able to update my blog in the privacy of my own room?  I chose the latter and am happy to report that the internet is now up and working 🙂

There are many changes taking place here around the compound and one of those is the addition of a beauty shop!  Yes, a beauty shop that offers mani/pedis — for a whole 20 bucks for both, more if separate; massages, facials, hair cuts, hair coloring/highlights (and boy do I need some to hide some grey but am a bit apprehensive), eye brow shaping — not with wax, but string — 5 bucks!  I have to say that I believe I lost a pound when I went and had my caterpillars tamed!  Francine says they look nice and I too think so but they are a bit too thin.  After talking about the string and wondering if there was anything tacky on it to stick to the eyebrow hairs or does the string just rip the hair out of its follicles, we both decided that  yep they are a bit thin for my face.  For now, glad to have lost a pound of eyebrow hair and for the cheapest I have ever paid to have them maintained — 5 bucks!!

Ringing in 2013!!

Well, 2013 was rung in quite differently than any other new year in my life —-except when I was a small child, for sure!  Francine and I made the best of our situation by only briefly thinking about New Year’s Eve.  To us, it was just another day in the sand!! Having to work today, we toasted to our health, our family and our loved ones, and were snug under the covers and asleep by 11:00.  Yeppers, very different from years past!

Where ever the New Year found you, hopefully you were able to get in a great hug and a kiss on the cheek!! Here’s to a healthy, prosperous and loving 2013!  I do have to say though, watch out New Year’s Eve 2014 — I won’t be in the sand!!

PS:  Don’t be jealous of our beverage!!