A Visit Home

It is hard to believe that it was only a week ago that I last wrote about my first day in Amman. Since then, I spent another day touring the city, travelled to Chicago, spent four days in West Palm Beach and have now enjoyed an afternoon in Nashville, Tennessee. It certainly feels much longer than a week!

The second day in Amman was as enjoyable as the first. Anne and I headed out early to tour the Roman Ruins at the highest point in Amman, this area had been inhabited from the earliest settlers until the late 1950's so we got to see remnants of all periods. The sun was getting hot so we began our descent down winding side streets, and nearly hidden steps, to a wonderfully preserved Roman coliseum at the bottom of the valley. A busy street runs in front of the coliseum and we decided to explore for a bit. We came upon a wonderful market in full hustle and bustle. Vendors called out their wares and we were greeted with "welcome to Jordan" as strangers caught our eyes. The guidebooks had said this would happen but the welcomes still took us by surprise.

The market had pretty distinct areas and as we wound through the stalls, we came upon produce, household goods, and my favorite- spices, beans and grains. I have always loved a market, but more than that, it was the type of authentic experience I crave when visiting a foreign place. We then hopped a cab back to First Circle in search of a cafe recommended in a book. No luck finding it, but we did end up having a wonderful lunch at the Nature Cafe. We intended to cab it back to the hotel but the traffic seemed backed up so we just started walking. What was meant to be a little walk until traffic eased turned into a pretty challenging walk to our hotel at Fifth Circle. There is a slight incline the whole way, uneven pavement and curbs well over a foot and a half; we arrived at the Four Seasons drenched in sweat and confident that we are probably their first guests to make that walk. Frankly, we are lucky they let us back in! But we cleaned up a bit and then headed to the pool for some well earned relaxation before our fast approaching travel day.

Anne and I parted ways at the airport. I met up with my Iraqi delegation just before departure. The eleven hour flight was direct to Chicago O'Hare, we arrived late afternoon and finally settled into our hotel rooms just before seven. I struggled to keep my eyes open and quickly feel asleep before being awakened by a banging on the windows that made up two walls of my corner room at the Airport Hilton. A fierce storm had arrived- both wind and rain pelted the glass in such a way that I turned on the news and considered closing myself in the bathroom. Fortunately it moved out as fast as it had arrived and I quickly settled back to sleep.

The next morning I learned that hundreds of flights had been cancelled and passengers had been shepherded to the underground tunnels as winds as high as 86 mph ripped across the airport. It was quite a welcome for my foreign guests. Nonetheless, they were happy to be in Chicago and have been pretty taken with their surroundings throughout the trip. One told me, "Madame Krista- one set of eyes is not enough, I need a set to put in the back of my head so I do not miss anything." It has been a privilege to witness their sense of awe and curiosity. Between frequent stops for pictures and smoke breaks, it has been a challenge to remain on schedule but we are managing!

The trip to West Palm Beach was to see the ongoing construction at Herbert Hoover Dike. Cut-off wall construction is the primary focus of this technical exchange and we were able to tour two sites utilizing different methods to accomplish the same end result. The group was enthusiastic and fully engaged with the on-site engineers and project management. The heat and humidity made for a very long day but it was just the type of exchange of information that I had hoped for. We concluded the briefings on Friday evening and that left us with Saturday open for a bit of touring. With the encouragement of our USACE senior engineer, we made our way along the ocean, and then I-95 for a walk on the beach and lunch at South Beach, Miami. The amazement this time was at bikini engineering, but it was also a chance for them to roll up their pants and dip their feet in the Atlantic Ocean. As a group, I am sure we were quite the sight ourselves.

And finally, we flew and arrived in Nashville just before noon today. Tomorrow morning we will head to Wolf Creek Dam on Lake Cumberland in Kentucky. Everyone got to stroll around town today, and I even managed a run through the historic district, across the pedestrian bridge and around the Tennessee Titans stadium. It is a neat city, and my first visit. I would love to come back and spend a bit more time here. Another time. Next up is an early departure in the morning and a pre-planned breakfast stop at Cracker Barrel. Kitschy Americana at its best, and my personal favorite- Momma's French Toast Breakfast await. Welcome home Krista! The day holds even more promise- a visit with Adam, Noah and Amelia who will join me at the State Lodge for two nights .

So much to share thsi week but I am fading fast. Five more days to enjoy. It is great to be stateside but I also know that my real return home will only come after I get back and finish up in Iraq.

Love,

Krista

p.s. I wish I could share pictures of my group, but for their security, I am not comfortable posting them on the web. Pictures include the market and ruins in Amman, me above the Cumberland River in Nashville and our two site visits to Herbert Hoover Dike.

Ahhh Amman!

I am switching things up a bit this week and typing my blog post up from the comfort of a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel in Amman, Jordan. CHU 8 is great, but this is a welcome change of pace! So why I am I here? My job as Strategic Water Officer is ending with a real bonus; I am escorting five Iraqi engineers to the states for a 9 day technical exchange at three United States Army Corps of Engineer sites. Because this trip involves quite a bit of travel it quickly became apparent that having an Escort Officer from beginning to end was pretty essiential; I was a willing volunteer and have enjoyed coordinating many details of the trip. A special bonus is that I do not actually meet my delegation until just before the flight stateside so my time here in Amman is mine. A limited flight schedule out of Baghdad meant arriving two nights early. The Four Seasons was kind enough to honor the government rate and then kindly upgraded me to a suite. Life is good.

Even better, I am here with my friend and running partner Anne. By crazy coincidence she just spent a few days with her husband at a resort on the Dead Sea; he left today but she has until Tuesday before catching a flight back to Baghdad. When discussing my trip at our last movie night, we quickly realized we were both solo in Amman over the same two nights. We met up at the airport this morning as she dropped her husband off and are now enjoying our Four Season stay in downtown Amman. The only thing that could have made this deal better was if we had Candace along, she is a normal part of our exercise trio and we miss her.

After an early check-in we strolled the area around our hotel. Amman is a pretty modern city that is divided up into districts that are referred to by what circle they are near. We are staying just off the Fifth Circle, literally a round-a-bout that you can view from the hotel balcony off the lobby. Referring to our first venture as a stroll is a stretch, this area is not very pedestrian friendly. But it felt great to be out walking without the limits of a wall. We picked up some hummus, fresh flat bread and strawberries along the way and enjoyed a little picnic before heading to the pool.

The pool is gorgeous; it sits two floors above the ground and is quite a serene setting in contrast to the hustle and bustle of the Fifth Circle. I have to say, my time in Baghdad has taught me to enjoy relaxing in a way that I could not before. Normally I am the cabana girl- up and down, struggling to sit still for too long. Not anymore, now I can let a few hours go by and it feels very carefree and wonderful. Of course the fact that we had the nicest pool attendant today to bring us complimentary bottled water and ice did not hurt; he said it was his pleasure to serve us in anyway, and he said it with genuine sincerity. At least I thought so, and it only added to our enjoyment poolside!

Late afternoon, we hopped a cab to the First Circle and enjoyed a walk around. Our destination was a small shop written up for the best falafel. A gentleman scoops it up and cooks it right at the front of the small shop. They toast a delicious sesame dotted bread in a pannini press and then fill with fresh falafel, a few pickle slices and a light yogurt sauce. It was delicious, and only 650 dinars- the equivalent of just over one dollar. I don't quite understand how the money works but it seems there is 1000 units to one dinar- so it was 650 of whatever those units are called, not actually 650 dinars. We settled on a bench just across from the little shop and enjoyed an early dinner. As I waited for our sandwiches to be prepared, he kindly handed me one hot falafel ball to enjoy while we waited. We walked around the area a bit more and then headed back towards the hotel, but not before picking up a few sesame cookies and a stringy wheat something dripped in honey. One dinar for dessert; both Anne and I commented that Amman would be friendly to a student's budget. We got to the third circle before hopping a cab to the fifth. The seven circles are in somewhat of a line but a slight curve in the street off of the third circle had us a little perplexed. A quick cab ride was a fine, and easy, ending to a really nice day.

Tomorrow we will do a walk that is recommended in one of the guide books we brought along. It will take us up to the Roman ruins I caught in the picture above. And, more pool time, but not to worry- I will be under the umbrella or covered poolside lounger. Having a full two day vacation is pretty significant relative to my Baghdad schedule. I will make the most of it and then look forward to heading stateside before finishing up in Iraq.

And the biggest bonus, it looks like I am all set for a quick rendezvous with Adam and the kids in Kentucky mid-trip. I will be escorting my group but look forward to introducing my family and sharing at least dinner and two nights with them before I move on to the final stop of our robust itinerary. We have Father's Day and Adam's birthday to celebrate. Both will be just a tad late but rescheduling holidays is a regular occurance in our family, particularly with Adam's ever changing flying schedule. Anyways, today is Father's Day and Adam has definately earned a special shout-out this year! He has always rocked the Dad thing, but in my absence, I am particularly grateful for his perfect balance of love and nurturing while doing the harder bits of parenting. Having him at home has made it so much easier to be away. So a much deserved Happy Father's Day to Adam.

Love,

Krista

The Boonie Hat

This past week was a bit gut wrenching with the loss of six service members and many more injured, primarily in one awful instance. The unpredictability of the attacks makes it feel very random, and with that a fear of just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The reports that I have seen are very factual but of course the reality is that there is much emotion attached to those facts.

My work is pretty steady and more often than not,the changing weeks are marked more by who is coming and going, rather than a single event. There is always a countdown going on in the office. Sometimes it is for R&R, sometimes for the end of a tour. The transient nature of life here is interesting. People come and go all the time; I have watched so many leave and now it is almost my turn. Kind of hard to believe but very welcome.

When I arrived in mid August the temperatures were steady around 115-120, but had dropped from highs around 130. Now we are on the climb and it just keeps getting hotter with the occasional respite after a dust storm. But that is not much of a break, I would take heat over dust. On the really hot days it feels like your skin is cooking a bit. To ease this feeling on my face, and ears, I have changed to the boonie hat. When I put it on, I feel like I am going fishing or putting on a shower cap. Both seem kind of silly but the wider brim offers a welcome bit of shade so I think I will be wearing it till the end.

I also continue to beat the heat and enjoy a break from my normal workdays with my regular Sunday morning visits to the pool. Candace and I not only got a chance to relax poolside today for a couple hours, we also got a generous amount of laughing in while side stroking up and down the pool. It was a great start to a new week. And with another one past, only five to go before I say goodbye to Iraq, and shortly thereafter, hello to home. Sounds so nice.

Love,

Krista

Happy Birthday Amelia!

Today is a really special day; it is Amelia's ninth birthday. She celebrated with a few good friends on Friday night. A themed movie night at Theater 1410 was orchestrated by Amelia and pulled off with generous help from Adam, Sharon, Tom, Lisa and Betsy. All pitched in to make it a memorable and happy birthday; BIG thanks from Baghdad! Adam sent me so many great pictures, compliments of Lisa, that I almost felt like I was there. No small feat when you think of the miles between us. I missed most of year eight but I am really looking forward to being home in time for most of nine!

Getting home now feels so within reach. If this were a race, the finish line is right around the corner. I feel a renewed energy and sense of optimism as I start to plan my last weeks and journey home. It is a bit of a process with a stop in Kuwait for a mandatory Warrior Transition Program. A cool down period of sorts, ironically in the desert heat, that starts the demobilization process. Then medical exams and administrative checks in Gulfport, Mississippi, and finally that last flight home around the 1st of August.

I have adjusted my routine a bit as the temperatures rise here. I stopped running a few weeks ago as the temperatures climbed and remained above one hundred. I am now hitting the pool for laps on my old run nights and am enjoying swimming laps with Candace on Sunday morning rather than laps around the NEC. Nice change, and relaxing as we drag it out on Sunday morning to include time on pool side loungers. There are a few palm trees around the pool so I find the illusive spot of shade and almost feel like I am somewhere else. I know this image of hanging out at the pool shatters most war zone stereotypes but that is life on the Embassy compound. There are reminders that it is still Iraq, for example cabanas are replaced with bunkers and helos buzz overhead, but it is such a welcome opportunity to get outside and escape the heat with the occasional dip in the pool. It feels great, and oh so normal. Normal is the best!

So on this special Sunday, thinking of my little girl, and looking forward to a family trip to the pool. Just around the corner!

Love,

Krista