Water, Water, Water!

I am not much for counting the days but I am amazed that I arrived only eight days ago. While much of this journey has been physically and emotionally challenging, this past week has been mentally exhausting. I am "enrolled" in what feels like a graduate level crash course in all things water. The officer I am relieving has a PHd in Chemistry and finds comfort in things technical in nature. Lucky for me, he also has experience as a college professor and has patiently taught me this week. Inevitably my eyes glaze over and it is a pretty clear indicator that I have reached max capacity. It is not just the amount of information that I am trying to absorb but the amount of time spent learning. I am normally in the office at 7:30am and not "home" until 10pm or later. I am dragging though and eventually I will have to adapt my schedule to something more reasonable. I have gotten a few work-outs in and know that they will be my ticket out of the office. Many of the guys take an extended dinner, leaving between 4:30 and 5:00 and then returning about 7:30 after a workout and chow. The break will make a few more hours in the evening manageable but I am thinking 9:30 will be about it for me. We do get 2 half days a week meaning we come in at 2pm. I am looking forward to building them into my schedule but that has just not been possible during this critical turnover time.

As Strategic Water Officer I am tasked with working with my US Embassy colleague, a Foreign Service Officer, and liaising with Iraqi officials to help ensure that we are supporting the Government of Iraq's efforts to sustain and maximize one of their, and the regions most precious resources- water. This has meant learning a complicated flow chart that diagrams the sources of water, the various dams and canal systems and developing an understanding of the demands for water. Flow rates, dam levels, salinity levels, irrigation systems and why and how water is used to get oil out of the ground- all part of this crash course. Being in the cradle of ancient civilization, I started with a familiarity of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers but the rest is new. What was initially incredibly daunting is starting to make sense, a credit to my teacher and perhaps inevitable with the time we are spending on water. Kind of makes me long for the simpler days lugging around a M16. OK, not really, but I will be happy when I do not feel so mentally taxed!

This week marked a milestone in the war as the last combat brigade departed Iraq. I welcome the next phase, Operation New Dawn, and think it is a symbolic and important step for us and the Iraqi people but also understand that many of the same challenges and dangers exist. We receive regular e-mail blasts highlighting national (Iraqi and American) and international media articles and I thought I would offer a link to one that I felt really captured how it feels to me on the ground. Unfortunately, you will have to cut and paste since I am having trouble with the link function.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/19/AR2010081905642.html?hpid=topnews

Certainly not required reading! For now, I am the one in school...

On a lighter note, I now have a roommate. Raina is an Army Major who is a Public Relations Officer. She is also on her first deployment to Iraq so I have someone to commiserate with as we adjust, and hopefully laugh with in the near future. We spent a little time, before heading to work yesterday morning, moving the lockers around and have divided the room to maximize privacy. I have the sought after back section, meaning I do not have to put up with anyone walking through my section to get to the door. I promise pictures of the CHU soon. If making my bed counts, then the decor project has started. My pre-packed box arrived yesterday and I am thrilled to be sleeping in my new sheets (thanks Cathy!)and under Amelia's old quilt. I also rest my head on MY pillows, and on the sweetest pillow case that Amelia and Mabel made and packed in my first real care package. Speaking of packages, thanks for all your offers. I am honestly not in need of anything. Between the DFAC and the mini exchange on base, I am in really good shape. We do have a shelf in the office that gets restocked as the care packages come in, and I would love to contribute to that sometime but know that I am just fine. If you really want to put something in the mail, a post card or letter would be great. I have designated a "happy" wall in my CHU and would also welcome artwork if your kids, or you, feel like drawing! The walls are all magnetic so it makes it very easy to stick things up. And of course, I continue to appreciate ALL of your prayers, e-mails and blog comments. I wanted to feel connected to home and I really do. Thanks so much. Speaking of home, Noah blew out candles on four separate occasions for his twelth birthday. It pained me to miss it but was so touched by everyone's efforts to make it special.

For security reasons, we are not able to take pictures on the Embassy Compound until applying for, and receiving, a 24 hour photo pass. I have not done that, but I still have a few pictures to share. I am really pleased to post the second picture in the Jones-Henningsen household's Navy Flag series and am also posting a shot of my "Dang it Doll" as requested by Amelia. I threw in a picture of my two favorite battle buddies from Camp McCready, Chief Q and my friend Jason. We were all last together at Camp Victory but this picture was taken on our last night in Kuwait.

Love to all,
Krista