I'm a Diplomat

Well, the reason that my posts are coming a little less frequently is NOT because there is less going on. I don't think I've ever been so busy. Aside from just having a lot going on with my job, I'm also acting Facilities Manager for a month while the actual FM is on R&R for a month. He actually won't be back until the day after we leave for our R&R. Add to that the fact that I'm also duty officer for a week, and I've really got my hands full. On the bright side, I figure it will make our vacation that much more appreciable. (If we get to go on our trip, that is. Stephanie and I are nervously eyeing the situation with the volcano-induced airport closures in Northern Italy).

This has actually been a big week at work. On Wednesday we held the grand opening for the embassy gym. I've been working on this project since before I even got to post. I remember first having a conversation with the Ambassador about it when I was still in training in Virginia. It's taken us 8 months to get the equipment here and renovate the space we needed to set up the equipment.

The work definitely paid off. The gym looks great and people are excited about it. That's one of the things I love about this job - getting things done and seeing the results of my work. I've also been working with our Green Team to help plan events for Earth Day, as well as continuing my

speaking tour of Tajikistan.

On Friday, I spoke at the American Corner in the town of Kurgon Teppa. Not too much different in terms of scenery, but of course I took a few pictures on the road.

There was also this car with a really interesting rear windshield.

Our driver said that was very popular during the Soviet Union - which says a lot about how old the car must be. I had lunch with our driver at a little shashlik place and then went to an education fair at the local university before heading over to give my presentation. I was warned that this group might not have sufficient English skills so I took it a little slower at first.

It turned out that quite a few of the kids in the audience understood perfectly well and were very interested in the topic (Earth Day). Here again, like in Kulob, they are now planning to do a trash pick-up to honor the occasion. Again, it's great to get out of the office here and there and also to do some actual spreading of American values. In other words, I'm getting to do exactly what I wanted to do when I signed up to be a diplomat.

On Friday, Stephanie went out with some of her girl friends, and I stayed in with a friend for movie night, being both exhausted and the duty officer. For the record, the new Sherlock Holmes movie is great.

Saturday was a beautiful day so Stephanie and decided to spend some time in the courtyard reading and admiring the first rose bloom of Spring.

Hopefully the other plants will follow. Unfortunately, that plan didn't work as I got my first real duty officer call involving an American citizen. The last time I was duty officer I got no calls at all.

Obviously I can't say anything about the specific case, but it's sure been an interesting weekend. Fortunately, a friend had us over for dinner Saturday night. We had Chinese take-out on the tapchan (a large wooden platform with a low table in the center, surrounded by cushions) in the beautiful spring evening air. The few glasses of wine with dinner really helped to take the edge off the week.

The weather today hasn't been so nice, so we're just taking it easy at home. As long as the volcano doesn't ruin everything, there's only one more full week of work between us and Italy!