Finding the right answer to your question

I have noticed, in our very short FSO career ( March A-100) that the answer to many questions regarding ANYTHING is "it depends". The guide books help and do contain the answers to most questions but you have to know where to look. I have found that the experienced folks on "livelines" can be an invaluable asset to navigating the many, many pages of regulations. Remember though, that not all of the liveliners are in the Foreign Service. So some questions pertain to us and some don't :)
Here's an example: I had been following the thread about shipping cribs in UAB to DC for A100 training. Some people said yes, you can take them, some no. When the real answer was, "it depends". Apparently you can get permission to take a crib for your infant as long as it falls within the appropriate size, age of baby, etc. Basically they don't want you shipping conversion beds like the kind that start as a crib then transform into a toddler bed, then twin. A reasonable rule. But, you have to know who to ask and wht those rules are specifically. And, as always, the final decision is at the discretion of the tech making your orders (sigh).
Do your homework, read the manuals and ask as many questions as you want. For the most part, the FS folks are willing to help whenever they can.

Ask for everything and be specific

Learned a new lesson today about the state department. You have to know what to ask for and ask for it specifically.

If you are a spouse waiting behind to get the kids through school ( an April or May hire) you have to ask for your own separate travel orders. Make sure the travel tech knows you will be travelling separately or you will not get travel orders at all. I have been made to feel like a complete idiot by my husband's HR tech simply because I was not informed. Apparently if you do not travel to DC with your spouse, as in the same car or airplane, for training, you are not entitled to travel to DC after the fact. You are then supposed to go directly to your first post directly from your home. This would be helpful to know up front.

However, exceptions can be and almost always are made. Unless you are unlucky enough to get an HR tech who is a bully. Then you really have to advocate for yourself. If you know the rules and are given misinformation, ask someone else to help you. I don't know why it has to be this way but that's the way it is. Nice right ?

I will say that we have encountered mostly incredibly helpful and kind people along the way. My husband's CDO is amazing and cheerful, Mimi Cuff in transportation is super sweet and helpful. I'm sure I have exhausted her with my neediness. Sorry Mimi. And some random man named Damien did his best to steer me in the right direction though he did not have a dog in this fight and was probably wondering why on earth I was contacting him. But my hero of the day is Dave Anders who is a travel guru and my new Knight in shining armor.

Thanks Dave, you saved my sanity today.

2nd day of worlds best movers

I was wondering if our movers would be able to maintain my label as "best movers ever" on day two and the storage unit. Day one was easy, we essentially had clothes, a few knick knacks and stuff we needed to survive in NC for the last 6 months. Keep in mind that 90% of the furniture we have here is not ours.
The storage unit was another story. We crammed a 3500 square foot house 5 br, 3.5 baths, into a 10 x 26 storage unitl. And every square inch was packed full. Now, we moved ourselves last time so our packing skills were a bit lacking and lots of things got knicked, scratched and broken but we were prepared for that. I think the movers were expecting to just unload the storage unit and put it on the truck. Not so. We had to unload, unpack, sort and repack everything. I could tell that the jovial mood of the first day was not going to make a repeat appearance.
They did, however, remain pleasant, professional and patient with me as I insisted on going through stuff and holding them up at times. This is a big no no in the moving world but I think they felt sorry for me and let me slide.
I had to leave at one point to pick my older son up at school (45 minutes away) and some stuff got packed that I knew I didn't want but what can you do? I am a single parent for the next 6 weeks and no back up this week. I wish I knew more people in Tryon.
Anyway, big shout out to Joe & Kristin for looking after Ewan for 6 hours and feeding him too. You rock.

Wow, great movers

Though they were a bit late, I had the best movers ever. When you have to move, ask for Dave. He was awesome. Day 2 tomorrow, lets see if he can keep up the good work.
Travel coordinator at the State Department...not so much.

Moving, Renovating and Separation

Experts say that moving, renovating / building a home, and separation are some of the most stressful times for a family. Then why on earth are we doing all 3 at once?

I dunno, we seem to be a family that needs it, I would guess that most Foreign Service families are the types that thrive under these conditions. I feel remarkably calm. The only thing that has really been stressing me out lately is walking into my younger son's room. It can only be described as "disgusting". I'm not a neat freak but generally like a tidy house and I routinely straighten up the kids rooms but I have no idea how on earth Ewan can get his room so gross so quickly.

So, as I prepare for move number 30 (no, that's not a typo) I am being really choosey about what I load into boxes. It is hard to be sentimental about every art project, mother's day gift, baby clothes,etc. when you are only allowed 7200 lbs. of personal effects. I'm not giving up the giant lizard we acquired in South Dakota though, he's family.

Pack Out

You never really realize how much unnecessary stuff you have until you have to sort it and pack it. How many wallets does one person need? Note books? Wind breakers?
We are allowed 18000 pounds of personal furnishings total in storage. Of this, 7200 pounds can go to our new post along with an additional 700 pounds of "baggage". It sounds like a lot of weight but considering that we have 2 enormous dining room tables weighing 500lb each, not to mention the 1000+ books that we've accumulated over the years and it is adding up quickly.
My new rule is "if I don't LOVE it, and if it won't make me happy to find it in our shipment in New Zealand, it gets donated"! But not the ceramic ashtray :)

Wellington, New Zealand

It had been a while since I had cried tears of joy. Though, I must admit, they were mingled with tears of relief. Forty minutes into the hour long ceremony, they still hadn’t called Adrian’s name and we had seen our top 10 posts dwindle down to two. The two left being Vienna, Austria (to utilize Adrian’s language skills/ requirements early) and Wellington, New Zealand-one of the only Public Diplomacy jobs on the list. We were not holding out hope for either as they were probably on everyone’s top ten. But, the MC held up the little blue flag with the union jack in the corner and called out Adrian’s name. I cried, the boys fist bumped and hooted and Adrian looked at me like the cat that ate the canary. How on earth did we get New Zealand?
Hey, we’re not ones to look a gift horse in the mouth so –Maoris and Kiwis here we come. Happily.