Where I (got an offer!) am headed to the other side of CONUS
It's been madness since I received a much anticipated, oft deliberated, and oh so hoped for email from the Registrar. Something about my Registrar including a little "Congratulations, Ms. Tea :)" in the body of the email just made it all the better. The last week and half have been scurrying around finding housing in DC, putting my place in LA up for rent (anyone want to live near the ocean? anyone?), trying to figure out what I need, don't need, will need but most likely will forget and result in a massive collection of Amazon boxes, and rinse & repeat. Crazy probably doesn't even begin to describe it, more like surreal. Some days as I'm sitting at work (counting down those days when I leave), it still doesn't seem real. Am I really packing up my life and jet setting for 3 months to 1 year of training in our nation's capitol (and it's next door neighbor of Virginia)? Could I possibly be here or here or even here in a year? Will I be able to take my monstrosity (also known by her official name of Kiwi the puppy)? Or will Coffee finally be asserting his joint custody opportunity? How in the world am I going to lose the weight necessary to fit my suits in less than 30 days?
All madness aside, one thing I did not anticipate is how much all this costs before you ever receive your first paycheck. Prepping, moving, getting new luggage (State authorizes two 50lb check ins for your move to DC), all of this is stacked up with wanting to go out and spend time with your family and friends. Will this be the last time I celebrate my brother's birthday with my family? Will my parents be alright when my mother needs someone to find her a 24 hour steak and eggs restaurant at midnight? Will someone remember to feed my fish?
Yes, my life has been one mental cyclone of way too many questions and way too few answers. A big part of me will always love and miss Los Angeles, this city that I grew up in so many ways, that allowed me to feel that diversity is not a weakness but a strength and that yes, I have the occasional road rage but I'm much better now, thank you very much. I will be leaving my clunker of a car Benji here with my dad to drive until it croaks. Once I have a better idea of where I'll be posted and how long I can expect to be in training, I'll be able to decide if I should buy a car for DC and post. Decisions, decisions. Questions, questions.
I have already heard from some friendly colleagues. A lovely woman that was part of the Skype group I practiced Group Exercises with had been part of a class last year and her husband was a member of the January 2014 class (which will be sponsoring my class). She was nice enough to reach out and offer her congratulations. Just knowing that not everyone will be a stranger is an amazing sense of comfort. Likewise, one of my fellow Oral passers had been part of the Jan 2014 class and also emailed me. Obviously all of their good luck rubbed off on me. Let's hope some of their smarts did too.
Coffee is coming back home from his own job out of state to help with moving and spend some time together before my pack out and flight. We plan on visiting some of our old dating locations and maybe taking some pictures for memories sake.
Here's to new adventures in the May 177th A100 class!
All madness aside, one thing I did not anticipate is how much all this costs before you ever receive your first paycheck. Prepping, moving, getting new luggage (State authorizes two 50lb check ins for your move to DC), all of this is stacked up with wanting to go out and spend time with your family and friends. Will this be the last time I celebrate my brother's birthday with my family? Will my parents be alright when my mother needs someone to find her a 24 hour steak and eggs restaurant at midnight? Will someone remember to feed my fish?
Yes, my life has been one mental cyclone of way too many questions and way too few answers. A big part of me will always love and miss Los Angeles, this city that I grew up in so many ways, that allowed me to feel that diversity is not a weakness but a strength and that yes, I have the occasional road rage but I'm much better now, thank you very much. I will be leaving my clunker of a car Benji here with my dad to drive until it croaks. Once I have a better idea of where I'll be posted and how long I can expect to be in training, I'll be able to decide if I should buy a car for DC and post. Decisions, decisions. Questions, questions.
I have already heard from some friendly colleagues. A lovely woman that was part of the Skype group I practiced Group Exercises with had been part of a class last year and her husband was a member of the January 2014 class (which will be sponsoring my class). She was nice enough to reach out and offer her congratulations. Just knowing that not everyone will be a stranger is an amazing sense of comfort. Likewise, one of my fellow Oral passers had been part of the Jan 2014 class and also emailed me. Obviously all of their good luck rubbed off on me. Let's hope some of their smarts did too.
Coffee is coming back home from his own job out of state to help with moving and spend some time together before my pack out and flight. We plan on visiting some of our old dating locations and maybe taking some pictures for memories sake.
Here's to new adventures in the May 177th A100 class!
Comments
Post a Comment