I am officially done with A-100 (my initial training). On Friday we had a formal swearing-in ceremony, which was very nice and dignified though a little bit sad because it was the last time my classmates and I were together before we scatter all over the world. We had a happy hour and chatted about our posts and the future. We promised to stay in touch. Many of my classmates have months of language and functional training, so they’ll be around FSI for a while but I am one of the first people to go, so I am not going to get to hang out with them much.
I still don’t have a departure date because my passport and visa are not ready but I am guessing it’ll be in the next two weeks.
So, with that in mind, I have started to prepare. I’ve made the mandatory pilgrimage trip to Costco, where I bought as much stuff as I could stuff in one cart. And yes, I did lug the cart the two blocks to my apartment. Don’t judge me, I am carless. Plus, I returned the cart when I was done. I had a long list of things to buy compiled ever so lovingly by Paul and Nia. I couldn’t find everything, so my mission is not yet complete but I did my best. I almost had a heart attack when I saw the total at the end of the transaction but kept telling myself that I am actually saving the family $$$ because I only bought things that are unavailable, poor quality or more expensive in India.
We’ve also started the “one-last-time” ritual of eating favorite foods. Today, we had Chipotle. Nothing special, you would say but there ain’t Chipotles in India, so we had to do it and we enjoyed it tremendously, especially Chutney. It was actually his first time eating Chipotle (not counting the many times he had it in utero). Here he is eating a burrito like it’s going out of style:
We also had Cold Stone Creamery ice cream. Too expensive, I know but so worth it if you have it once every two years. I had Berry, Berry, Berry Good, my favorite flavor and it was so yum, I almost forgot it’s got eleventeen gazillion calories, which will go directly to my, ahem, badonkadonk. Don’t you wish that stuff went elsewhere? Ah, a girl can dream…
Methinks those nut clusters are never going to make it out of Crystal City ...
ReplyDeleteWe may be overweight and then something may have to go, if you know what I mean...
DeleteI,absolutely love and miss Chipotle. It will be one of my first stops when we go back to the States.
ReplyDeleteHa, Emily, now you're making me wonder if we shouldn't go back there one more "one last time."
DeleteOhhh Chutney is so cute! I love the chipotle run, we did plenty of those too.
ReplyDeleteI think I gained about 10 pounds in the weeks leading up to our leaving DC for post because I justified every meal/dessert/calorie by saying, "Oh, it might be the last time I have it!" Except you can get basically everything in San Salvador that you can in America. Haha.
ReplyDeleteOh my Chipotle and ice cream in the States has to be the best combo. I would give my right arm for a Chipotle pork burrito with guacamole right now. Did you ever eat at Maggie Moos in Arlington, I think they are out of business now but oh man that was the best and priciest ice cream I've ever had. Enjoy America before you get back home!
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