Song_Liling's Xanga

Monday, October 05, 2009

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:50:43 GMT

In summary, places I've visited this past year:

Damascus
Lagos
Accra
Jordan
Monterrey
Vancouver
Las Vegas
Houston/Dallas
Cyprus
Israel
Palestine
Istanbul
Medjugorje

One more year in J'lem before heading to Toronto. There are TONS more in the region I was to visit... Athens, Santorini, Dubrovnik, Cairo/Giza/River Nile, Bucharest, Kiev, Moscow, Dubai, New Delhi... Not enough vacation days or money for it all, though... and I haven't done all of Israel/Palestine/Jordan yet...

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:35:39 GMT

Middle East peace?

Haha.

Whatevers, I'm going to Toronto next.

Friday, October 02, 2009

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:09:44 GMT

We're Toronto-bound, 10/2010!

Yom Kippur

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:40:02 GMT

It's that time again--time to right all your misdeeds in hopes of getting written in the Good Book before it closes.

I will be spending this year's Day of Atonement indulging in vices in Istanbul.

Chatima Tovah!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:56:48 GMT

My baby sister just started her freshmen year of college.

Baby sister: Hi big sissy
Me: How were classes?
Baby sister: I have three tests coming up
Me: Sucks.
Me: Go run.
Me: Seriously. I'm not kidding. Avoid the freshmen 15, that shit creeps up on you. You don't think so, you think you're fine and the next thing you know, you're 3 sizes bigger.
Baby sister: Oki doki
Me: Oh, and carry mace. Be safe.
Baby sister: Oki
Me: Go run now.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:39:05 GMT

I've hit my one-year mark in J'lem. Meaning, it's time to start bidding on my next assignment. Bidding is a complicated process of timing my departure date from my current post with the arrival date of my next post to allow adequate time for necessary training. There are other factors involved like how much equity points I acquired from my current post (equity points is a combination of danger + hardship level. Ironically, the danger points for J'lem was recently assessed by D.C. and reduced by 5 points. The notification of our decrease came out the same day Hizbollah rockets fell upon N. Israel), my current languages and levels, and my previous work experience. Additionally, I rank the jobs according to my preferences to location and positions.

So... I've been working with my Career Development Officer on my bids, and you guys, this is what it's realistically looking like...

1) Toronto, Canada
2) Tunis, Tunisia
3) D.C.
4) Nassau, Bahamas
5) Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
6) Bridgetown, Barbados
7) Praia, Cape Verde
8) Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
9) Asmara, Eritrea
10) Gaborone, Botswana

...

So, I'm not very thrilled about Toronto or D.C. I rather stay abroad a bit longer. And, I'm afraid that if the first four jobs get filled up by other folks, I might be going to my next posting as a divorcee....

What the fuck is K--- gonna be doing in Ulaanbaatar for two years? I'll be living in a bear suit, that's for sure.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:32:23 GMT

The neighbors across the way.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:30:13 GMT

My perch when the weather is nice, which is quite often here.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:48:50 GMT

A gazillion things need to be done for work and the home but all I've been doing all day is browsing shoes online and gossiping with coworkers about other coworkers. (OMG, Coworker Crazy told Coworker Drunk last night that she's ready to marry him and have his babies. And they've only been dating one month. She's dead serious--she wants babies now. We told Coworker Drunk he better double up on protection--Coworker Crazy is 32 and her biological clock is ticking.)

Yeah.

But I'm still on the lookout for the perfect pair or Coral / Orange / Gold wedding shoes.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 19:46:21 GMT

Tel Aviv