Another stamp in my passport….

Last night at 8:30 p.m., I stepped into the house with three full suitcases, after being greeted by the dog (who I think thought I completely abandoned them) and one very happy husband after a 3 week absence. Not R&R (yet, that's coming soon!), but an opportunity to take a temporary duty assignment in a consulate in China. It was a fantastic opportunity on sort-of short notice, and not something I could dream of turning down.

In late March, I heard about a TDY program for EFMs in China. After securing the proper permissions, I put my name forth, assuming many others would do the same, and not necessarily assuming I would get a nod.  Two days later, I received an invitation to work at the consulate in Guangzhou for three weeks in May.  Barring anything unusual cropping up, it looked like I would be headed for China (a heretofore unexplored continent by yours truly) in early May.

A few things did crop up, but really just the delays that happen with travel preparations. Nothing that would cancel the trip, though it did end up being delayed by a week.  So, on Friday, May 8, after weeks of paperwork and work-related prep, and a night of furious packing, I headed out the door at 4:40 a.m. to the airport…and I will admit, there were a few tears.

You see, Peter is the one who normally travels like this. So much travel during his time in the field offices, two unaccompanied tours, and three years on Secretary's Detail, so now it's my turn, right? Fabulous, except that I didn't realize that the travel, jet-lag, and separation would cause me a tiny bit of stress.  Though, as it turned out, as it usually does, it was stress in a good way. I arrived, adjusted, even did the Pete Dinoia method of staying awake the entire day after arrival…which works very well when done correctly, I must admit!

I can't detail every single day, though I did try in my hand-written travel journal, but will try to touch on several highlights…and possibly have a few more posts on this journey.

My three weeks began with getting from the airport to the Oakwood in Guangzhou (it was overall a VERY nice stay). I had a one bedroom with a kitchen, living room, dining room, and the bathroom even had a steam shower. No tub, but having a washer/dryer (literally…the washer is also a dryer) made the choice to not stay in a hotel the right one for me.  Having a fridge for leftovers, and not feeling like I was living in my bedroom for three weeks also key to my comfort.

My fabulous sponsor spent most of the day with me Sunday. She helped me get a phone, took me to lunch (Oggi in Guangzhou is fantastic!), took me to the mall (of which there are many…they are just everywhere). I even had a Starbucks mocha, but no sippy face photo since I couldn't figure out a selfie on that phone (and, remember the jet-lag….). We finished up the day with a lovely dinner, and I headed back to the hotel by cab to prep for work.

I'm not really going to say much about the work…though it was very different from what I normally do and I really appreciated the chance to try my hand at something new. In fact, it gave me a lot more insight into what happens in the consular section…and that could come in handy in the future.

What else did I do? What didn't I do?!  

I did not leave the country…I thought about it, but realized even with being there over a three day weekend, I was just plain tired of traveling.  I realized I really simply wanted to explore Guangzhou more. I have no idea when or if I will get back, and it is a large and fascinating city.  With working full-time, I knew I would need weekend time to get out and about, get lost, and see that which I had only read about up until now….