Where we talk about people and art

April 11, 2015

Where we talk about people and art

Lately there's been the loveliest day of spring in the land of pandas so far. The sun, the bare skim of haze over a washed out blue sky and even the temperatures up to 70 degrees. K and I enjoyed one of our random Sunday brunches out on the patio cafe near home. Between wasabi (spelled wasbi on the menu) crab eggs benedict and jambalaya, we sipped our beverages of choice and griped about the obstacles between supposedly "normal" lifestyles (and relationships) and those that befall the globe trotting and needs-of-the-service diplomats that work for the department.

But even complaining about things like plane tickets and time differences could not bring us down all the way- the lovely sunshine that graced us was hard to ignore. There were a lot more people wandering the streets now that it was warm enough to be out in just a flannel and no jacket. (I love flannel.)

It all looks so...comfy and Murica.

With spring seems to come a huge turnover. A wave of officers are departing post in the next few months, heading off to the exotic and also not so exotic (e.g. DC). It's a rather saddening reality that we all must face in our job- the great friendships, the bonding on and off the line, and the realization that one day you'll be the most senior at post and all those that taught you have left and gone on. I can honestly say that the slightly nutty crew here at post has made my experience so much more fulfilling than I would have thought possible. I will miss them all, but wish them the greatest happiness.

Sob, all the feels

But on the flip side, I am finally seeing some of the A-100 classmates I left in the not so long ago fall. So many have been in language training and only now broken out from the fetters of Community College of Diplomats F.S.I to arrive at post. One of my classmates arrived last week and it's amazing how it brings back memories of first arriving at post and knowing...well, basically nada.

My powers of faking it till you make it.

One of my closest friends from A-100 (A who used to live down the hall during training in Ballston) has also arrived in Mission China! She used to help me chase the puppy up and down the halls of our apartment for excercise on rainy days (yes, that is indeed an orthodox way of excercising your dog) and was always up for late night chit chats. (I try not to hold her being a vegetarian against her too much.) We are excited to be in the same country and are already discussing plans for traveling in the summer- perhaps to visit some other classmates in south east Asia. The summer is expected to be our high season, which means a ton of work, hours on the line, and the possibility of overtime and long shifts; the perfect justification for escaping to delicious food, interesting cultural sites, and friends. Congrats to everyone from 177th who recently passed their language tests and good luck to those getting ready!

A non-consulate friend asked yesterday exactly what diplomats are up to on the weekends and I thought I would just share some random happeneings. In the month of March, we've had a 15 hour extended edition Lord of the Rings marathon complete with 6 Tolkien themed meals (elevensies, 2nd breakfast). There was the New Orleans themed murder mystery dinner (where I played the bereaved yet trampy Vegas widow of the recently deceased complete with fur shawl and giant jewelry), home to some of the most outrageous renditions of a southern bayou accent I've ever heard. (When in doubt, the TDYer always did it, by the way.)

E made elven bread...delicious.

Crockpot magic for Lord of the Rings dinner. We also had Rivendell juice and ale.

French Toast anyone? Star Wars marathon was a breakfast theme.

Magical food delivery powers of Sherpa means never having to leave the house on rainy days.

One Saturday had a two hour tour of the Shanghai biennale contemporary art show at the Power Station of Art. It was one of the best guided art talks I've ever had thanks to our guide Julie from the Royal Asiatic Society, who has more energy than a six-year old on birthday cake. She provided some great instructional insight on seeking out the curator's theme for shows and questioning the pieces' strengths both in cultural context as well as tied into the theme. Although we did a lot of walking quickly, I felt like I was able to absorb in a lot more of contemporary art than my usual "...hmmm....there are....colours?"

HARO

They're an acapella group singing the news.

Not to mention, if you make it up to the 3rd floor of the Power Station, there is a huge wooden deck by the cafe for you to sit and take in the beautiful view of the city. A few of us relaxed there, resting our feet, taking in the warming weather, and answering life questions like "What is your theme song?"(Mine is Shake it Off by Taylor Swift.)

Our classy collection of afternoon drinks of choice.

The singles at post sometimes even get adopted! One of our good friends invited a few of us to a REAL family dinner (with real plates and cutlery and everything) and then a late night Settlers of Catan match. I got longest road, but D is on my poop list for blocking every possible route to build a settlement. (I NEED BRICK!)

Oh my god, there's placemats.

Okay, I really have to finish my taxes now. Next post I promise stories of attending conferences in Beijing, getting my jian bing paid for by my UBER driver, seeing N. Korea in a distance, and karaoke dance parties. Peace out, ya'll.