I still exist!

Work is good. I continue to learn new things everyday and eventually I will feel on top of everything. However, I don't think it will take the several months I was originally told it would.

But there have been fun adventures the last few weeks!!

That look

Its week 3 of my DC job, and its a lot like A-100. Everyday I know a vast amount of information I did not know the day before. Only this time, its serious stuff. Like arranging high level meetings and going to meet people who actually make those really important decisions. Its not like I didn't know this is what people in the State Department do, I just can't believe I am a part of it.

I saw the latest A-100 class as they were entering the building this morning. I stopped to talk to them for a moment and the two I spoke to stared at me with a look of bewilderment and confusion. I remember that look. I remember that feeling; just two short months ago I was in their shoes. Walking into the building on my first day was overwhelming. Did I go through the right door? Is this where I am supposed to be?

Talking to them made me realize I used to have look. I don't anymore. I now have a completely different look of confusion on a whole other level. I just hope I am keeping it in check when I need to!

Labor Day Fun!

To begin with, my first week of work is over. What a week it was. I am excited, I am confused, I am overwhelmed, I am a lot of things everyday. So far, I enjoy the work but I know it is going to take some time to get up to speed. From what I have been told it does not happen quickly, and after this week I can believe it. I know I am really going to enjoy the work but I know I will enjoy it much more after I feel like I am on top of my subjects. But in this is where I will excel. I am an historian; I strive to become the expert in a niche topic. In this job, my niche topic will simply be an entire country!

On my first weekend from my new job, we decided to take a trip to Boston!

Actually, we had the trip planned months ago in celebration of our wedding anniversary. We were hoping that no matter what happened with my training we would have the weekend available and that was the case!

Getting to and from Boston was a little adventure in itself. We decided to take the Amtrak to Baltimore and fly out of there. Union Station in D.C. was crazy full of people and yet the train had plenty of open seats. It occurred to us that this was probably the first time either of us had taken a train in the U.S. It was a nice experience. I just wish traveling by train wasn't so cost prohibitive. I am heading out to Boston again in the next few weeks and I would take the train all the way there except that it is less than half the cost to fly. That is just silliness. The trip home was another experience all together. We were waiting on the platform until midnight getting stared down by a praying mantis. It was intense.

I did not exaggerate. This was a serious stare down.

Boston was great! Neither of us had been before and there was the added joy of hanging with my Peeps while we were there! Peeps and soon-to-be Mr. Peeps hosted us at their amazing home and showed us all around the city. Once I get the pictures downloaded I will have to put some up.

My amazing lobster dinner! 

Thanks to the incredible hosting qualities of my Peeps and almost Peeps-in-law we saw all the historical highlights of Boston including a personal guided tour of the Freedom Trail, site of the Boston Tea Party (which was a little ridiculous), MIT and its tunnels, Harvard Square, and many other worthwhile sites. But the best part of the weekend was spend chilling with my Peeps. This trip has been seven years in the making (we talked about my coming out to Boston ever since we were at Oxford together) and I sincerely hope it will not be so long before we can make a trip out again. Although I will be there in just a few weeks for the wedding of my Peeps and Mr. Peeps, we need to make another extended stay after their splendid day :)

Peeps and us at MIT!

And so begins week two of the job. I'm looking forward to it!