Northern Virginia

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In and Around DC: Activities Autumn 2025

I do love the changing of the leaves in Northern Virginia

Being posted to Washington, D.C. has been a different kind of Foreign Service experience for us—one rooted in home, routine, and the chance to enjoy experiences we often miss while overseas. I packed this September and October with outings and activities that maximized the season and kept us very busy.

I kicked off the season with a visit to the George Washington University Textile Museum, a team outing my office director organized as a bonding activity. As Foreign Service Officers, we’ve all lived in various countries and many of us have collected meaningful textiles along the way. We began by sharing a textile of personal significance and telling its story before heading into a guided tour of the museum, just a few blocks from our office. The galleries were filled with stunning pieces—carpets, tapestries, kimonos, and intricately decorated clothing. It all reminded me of my own travels and life abroad—and of the (much more modest) pieces I’ve picked up along the way. Our guide—a former Foreign Service Officer herself—made the tour especially engaging and relatable.

Amazing acrobatics, stage presence, and storytelling of Cirque du Soleil’s Luzia

Our next few outings were all performance-related. I had been hoping to take C to a show at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, but hadn’t yet found the right performance. I have fond memories of Wolf Trap, as my family went a few times when I was a child, and I spent a summer in college working at the concession stand. When I learned that Cynthia Erivo would be performing there, I tried to get tickets, but they sold out quickly. As luck would have it, friends of ours were unable to attend and offered us their tickets! Cynthia Erivo was wonderful—so interactive with the audience, engaging and funny, and her voice is absolutely stunning. It was truly one of the best performances I have attended.

C had also been eager to go to a concert, so when two of her favorite artists, Hozier and Gigi Perez, announced a show in Virginia, she begged to go. Even though it fell on a school night, I said yes and bought lawn seats, imagining a perfect September evening. Instead, it was cold and rainy, but armed with ponchos and surrounded by thousands of equally soaked but cheerful fans, we made the best of it—and both artists were fantastic live. And to round out our performance streak, we kept a tradition going and saw Cirque du Soleil for the third September in a row.

Greetings to the Maryland Renn Faire!

We rounded out September with a visit to the Maryland Renaissance Faire with my sister and her family. I had long heard of the festival but had never been, and I thought it would be a great experience for C and me. Good thing we went with my sister—a seasoned pro who has been more than a dozen times. Now in its 49th year, the Faire is well-established. It’s set in a fictional 16th-century English village called Revel Grove and spread over 27 acres in Crownsville, Maryland. C and I were unprepared for its size and the sheer number of performances, activities, food options, and shops. We made it only half the day before we were worn out. Next time—and C definitely wants to go back—we’ll need a better game plan!

As we moved into October, things slowed down a bit. I’ve always enjoyed this month—my birthday falls in October, and I love the changing leaves in places with four seasons like Northern Virginia. After such a busy September, I didn’t have many firm plans lined up, and when the federal government shut down, it made the month feel even less predictable.

To celebrate my birthday, I took a day off work that lined up with a day C had off school, and I booked us tickets to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore—plus a penguin encounter! C and I have seen penguins before, including at Boulder Beach in South Africa, but the chance to be up close to them (and maybe even touch one) felt like a special treat.

Montage of the Maryland Zoo, including the friendliest penguin Ambassador, Olive, and the wonderful zoo enclosure with rhinos, zebras, and ostriches

We arrived at the zoo about two hours before our penguin encounter start time, so we had ample time to check out the rest of the animal exhibits first. I was surprised by how great the Maryland Zoo is! I grew up outside of Washington, D.C., and had many visits to the National Zoo with my family and my school or Girl Scout troop. Yet we never once visited the Maryland Zoo. I did not even know it existed until I chanced upon an advertisement for the penguins. Open since 1876, it is the third-oldest zoo in the United States. I found the layout inviting for visitors with plenty of nature, and its enclosures large and well-designed for the animals. And they had an okapi, an endangered animal of the giraffe family that looks part giraffe and part zebra, and also happens to be one of my favorite animals. We then had a magical small-group experience with a group of penguins specifically selected as ambassadors for their species. They were largely uninterested in us, but a few brave souls got close enough to touch.

My sister as the terrifying Igor

We next attended another of my sister’s interactive theatrical performances by Naut Human Productions at Dodona Manor in Leesburg, Virginia. Following last October’s Halloween-themed Dracula, this year’s spooky offering was the Frankenstein Experience. Unlike in past years, when she has usually had a more glamorous role, this time she appeared as Igor—the first of Dr. Frankenstein’s attempts to bring a human back to life using rat DNA—and she was far more frightening. There were plenty of jump scares and screams throughout, and Igor was undoubtedly the star of the evening.

When the federal government’s funding lapsed on October 1, I was notified that my position was considered “non-excepted,” which meant I would be furloughed and unable to work. During a shutdown, most federal employees—whether “excepted” and still working or “non-excepted” and sent home—don’t receive pay until the government reopens, which can make things a bit uncertain. As a single parent with one income, the prospect of going without a paycheck made me grateful that I hadn’t planned much for October, and I knew I’d need to keep a closer eye on my budget. I spent the first week tackling long-overdue items on my to-do list, catching up with friends, and enjoying the still-pleasant weather on long walks.

Some of Hillwood Estates autumn beauty in the Cutting Garden

A friend of mine—who used to work in the federal government and knows how much I love gardens—sent me a notice that Hillwood Estate was offering free admission. So on a beautiful autumn day, I headed to the gardens at the former estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post. Post purchased Hillwood in the mid-1950s and transformed it into both a home and a showcase of her interests, including exquisite gardens and an impressive art collection. I wasn’t looking to tour the manor that day; I simply wanted to be outdoors. And since I went on my own, I could wander at my own pace without worrying about a teenager growing bored. Two of my favorite spots were the Japanese Garden and the Cutting Garden—the latter especially, with so many unique and colorful flowers in bloom.

Later in the month, C was working on the Bird Study merit badge for Scouts, and one of the requirements was to identify birds in the wild. I searched for good birding spots in Northern Virginia and came across Huntley Meadows Park, so we headed out on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The park was stunning, and the boardwalk trail through the wetlands was spectacular—but we saw far fewer birds than we expected. Back at the visitor center, we asked the staff for advice, and they told us about a birding group that meets on Monday mornings at 8 a.m.

A stunning autumn vista in Fairfax County’s Huntley Meadows Park

Since I was still furloughed the next day and C happened to have (yet another )Arlington school holiday, we decided to return. It turned out to be a gorgeous autumn morning, and the birding group could not have been more welcoming. They were delighted to hear about C’s merit badge and helped us spot and identify birds, use our binoculars properly, and even try out their much more advanced ones. To my surprise, one of the birders was a retired Foreign Service Officer—and a former Ambassador—which made the outing an unexpected full-circle Foreign Service moment.

We wrapped up our autumn adventures with the Monster Mash 5K—our third mother-daughter race since July. Well, “mother-daughter” was a bit of a stretch this time, since C invited a friend and the two of them dashed off together, leaving me in their dust. And with that, our busy fall came to a close. Now we turn toward our third full winter in Washington, looking forward to the next adventures.

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In and Around DC: Activities Summer 2025

Double rainbow over Nationals Stadium in June

I’ve always loved summer — the warm weather, the long days, the feeling of freedom. While my own long breaks are behind me, having a daughter in secondary school still brings a welcome shift in pace each year. This summer feels especially meaningful, as I’ll be bidding for my next assignment soon, and it could be our last full one in the U.S. for some time, so I was determined to make the most of it.

C sparkles on the ice during her June Ice Show performance

We kicked off the summer with an unexpected event: an ice show. Last year, my daughter began figure skating lessons and quickly advanced through the Learn to Skate levels. By spring, she had progressed enough to participate in the seasonal performance — a proud milestone for both of us.

Much of her early childhood was spent overseas, in places where extracurricular opportunities were limited. Even during our year back in the U.S. for my French training, pandemic-related restrictions curtailed many activities. So, this felt like the first time she could truly take advantage of the wealth of options available in Northern Virginia — a region teeming with opportunities beyond the usual suspects like soccer, ballet, and Scouts. Here, she could explore Irish dancing, field hockey, archery, fencing, or, of course, ice skating.

Though I grew up in this area, I never knew anyone who skated. So when C chose an ice skating party for her birthday in January 2024, I was stunned to learn that eight of the twelve kids she invited had at least a year of skating experience. It struck me how much had changed — and how fortunate she was to grow up in a place where these experiences were within reach.

Watching her glide across the ice during the two-day show, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with pride.

My sister greets guests to the Great Gatsby’s big party at Dodona Manor

We followed up my daughter’s performance by attending another of my sister’s. Over the past two and a half years, we have had the opportunity to see her in several stage productions. Last fall, she participated in an interactive performative experience of Dracula at the historic Dodona Manor in Leesburg. This year, she played Catherine in a Great Gatsby experience, also at the manor. It was fun to wander the grounds, watching short scenes and interacting with the characters.

To satisfy our sports-watching appetites, we were invited to a Washington Spirit game by my daughter’s friend and family. Although the Spirit lost, it was an exciting match that kept us on our toes. Then we caught not one, not two, but three Washington Nationals games through the summer – one each in June, July, and August. We had our first-ever rain-postponed game in June, which delivered an amazing double rainbow over the stadium. We brought friends to the July game that ended in a spectacular win for the Nationals and evening fireworks. The Grateful Dead-themed August game ended in another loss, but we left with fun souvenir shirts. Win or lose, my daughter and I enjoy an evening at Nationals Park.

C readies for her first 5K

In mid-June, I invited my friend JK1 (who I served with in Ciudad Juarez and visited in Thailand and Zimbabwe) to see British comedian Sarah Millican at DAR Constitution Hall. We had enjoyed a holiday lights display with JK1 and her family the previous fall at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, but their time in DC had grown short as JK1 wrapped up her language training and they moved to Laos. I had discovered the award-winning raunchy and hilariously funny Millican about two years before; as soon as I learned she would be touring in the U.S., I bought two tickets. A great deal had happened between my purchase of the tickets in early fall 2024 and the show in June 2025; with the administration’s military parade in the capital the day after, concerns arose that the show could not go on as planned. Thankfully, Millican’s team was in touch with the powers that be and her performance was given the go ahead. JK1 and I had dinner downtown beforehand, and then laughed and laughed through the show. How I had needed that!

On July 4th, C and I ran together in a local 5K. It was C’s first and my first in a long, long time. Back when I started this blog (11 years ago now!), I used to run regularly, but I had stopped when we moved to Malawi in 2017. C had asked me recently to show her my race tees and medals and asked that we run a race together. I suggested a fall run, but she wanted something much sooner. Against my better judgment, I signed us up for one only a few weeks ago. Unsurprisingly, we were slow. But we did far better than expected, and we had a good time.

C then headed off for two weeks of camp in Pennsylvania while I held down the fort with Ramen the Cat. The day after C returned, we headed to the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens to attend the annual Lotus and Water Lily Festival. The park, located in the northeastern corner of Washington, D.C., was originally planted with water lilies from Maine by a Civil War veteran in the 1880s. He and then his daughter commercialized the venture when the lilies thrived in the marshy environment. In 1938, the government of Washington, D.C. bought the land to establish a park, and in 1976, the National Park Service took over its administration and started the yearly festival.

A snapshot of the beauty of the lilies and water lotus at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

The festival takes place each July during peak bloom. The weather was hot and humid, and the park crowded with flower enthusiasts. There are many activities available over the course of the three days from painting classes and yoga, but C and I stuck to what the majority of visitors appeared to be doing: soaking in the atmosphere and taking photographs. We spent nearly two hours there.

At the end of July, C and I made our way to the National Theater to see the Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I’ve been enchanted by the Harry Potter universe since 2000, when a fellow traveler at a youth hostel in Vienna, Austria, passed along her copy of the first book before she flew home.

When we arrived to take our seats in the balcony, we were surprised with an upgrade — something that had never happened to me before in any theater. Our new spots were in the left orchestra section, barely 30 feet from center stage. Part theatrical drama, part sleight-of-hand spectacle, the performance was nothing short of mesmerizing, leaving us and the entire audience spellbound.

Before heading out on our summer vacation, C and I got in a bit of volunteer work at a local farm. Nearly two years ago, my daughter joined an all-girls Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts) troop. This past summer she worked on the Eagle-required Citizenship in Community merit badge. As part of the badge, she needed to volunteer at least eight hours with a charitable organization that supports the community. C chose to volunteer with the Arlington Food Assistance Center. For six of her eight hours, we went to JK Community Farm in Purcellville, Virginia on two Saturdays to pick fresh vegetables. I figured if C were going to do it, I should too.

Just some of the bounty we picked at JK Community Farm

It was hard work! We pulled and cut weeds, and harvested eggplant, cucumbers, yellow melons, tomatoes, and a variety of peppers — including bell, banana, and jalapeño. On the first Saturday, the temperature soared into the upper 80s under a relentless, beating sun. I sweated profusely, and my back ached for most of the following week — to the point where I wasn’t sure I could make it through a second Saturday. Nevertheless, we were there, and my sister and her two kids joined us. However, it was a great experience for us all, to see the kind of work that goes into growing and harvesting our food, and the importance of generosity and assistance to those in one’s community who need a helping hand.

It was another magnificent summer in Northern Virginia. It was not quite over as we had two weeks holiday overseas yet to come, but I think we once again made the most of our time posted to Washington, D.C.

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In and Around DC: Activities Spring 2025

Plentiful in a northern Virginia spring, the Dogwood is both the state tree and flower of Virginia. Once my favorite flower, until I traveled and discovered the frangipani.

Another Spring in Washington, D.C. It is now our third consecutive year, and thus the longest I have lived continuously in the U.S. since August 2003 to January 2007. Although during that time I lived in four separate locations around the country (California, Hawaii, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.). I am not accustomed to staying in one place. I will be honest, I am developing some rather itchy feet.

I have to keep reminding myself that any travel, even local, is travel, and my daughter C and I can have adventures anywhere. These past several months have been hard, both personally and professionally, but I have tried to keep in mind that such times make it all the more important to find joy wherever you can.

We kicked off Spring with an early-season game of the Washington Nationals. The longer we stay in Washington, the bigger the baseball fans we become, and the more we associate the arrival of warmer weather with an afternoon or evening at the ballpark.

Checking out a Washington Spirit game at Audi Field

Continuing our streak of attending professional sports events, we went to our first Washington Spirit match in May. The same college friend who took us to a Capitals game last fall is also a Spirit season ticket holder. He and his wife couldn’t make one of the matches and were kind enough to offer their tickets to C and me. We were able to enjoy premium seating with free food and drinks throughout the match and seats close to the goal line. It was an exciting game, though the Spirit lost. The whole atmosphere of a Spirit match is infectious; we will definitely make attending more Spirit games a priority!

Not only did my sister perform in the show—she also designed this advertisement.

Also in May, we drove out to Purcellville to watch my sister perform in another local theater production. Being back in the U.S. has had many benefits, and getting to see her pursue this new passion has been a true highlight. This time, she played Miss Scarlett in Clue—one of my all-time favorite movies and my daughter’s favorite board game. I have a fear of public speaking, and my single attempt to try out for an improv group in college was a resounding failure, so it never ceases to amaze me that my sister does this so well.

In May, we also visited the Washington Monument. I grew up just outside of Washington, D.C., and have lived in the area several times as an adult, but I had never been inside the iconic memorial in our nation’s capital. In my defense, it has been closed to the public several times: about six months after 9/11, for over two years after the July 2011 earthquake, about three years between 2016-2019 for security upgrades and repairs, and at least six months during the COVID pandemic. With it currently open, I was determined that C and I would see it while we are living here. However, ever time I tried to secure the free tickets, they were snapped up as soon as they were released online. Unwilling to wait any longer, I booked through Viator. $25 each seemed a small price to pay to finally check this off my list.

Left: Bronze plaque found in the Washington Monument vestibule featuring George Washington and freemasonry symbols; Right: A view of the Tidal Basin from the Monument’s observation deck

In 1833, a society began collecting funds to build a monument to the country’s first president, George Washington. This would be the nation’s second monument to President Washington; last year I visited the first monument in Boonsboro, Maryland, built in 1827. Construction on the Washington Monument began in 1848; when it was completed in 1884, it was the tallest building in the world at 555 feet, 5-1/8 inches.

We lucked out with the weather during our visit to the Washington Monument. May turned out to be a chilly and rainy month, leading me to dub it “Mayvember,” but we had warm and sunny weather, despite a strong wind. It was, frankly, perfect for the incredible views from the observation deck at 500 feet.

Left: The Military Women’s Memorial; Right: A sentinel marches in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Later in May, C and I visited Arlington National Cemetery. Despite all my years living in and around Washington, D.C., I can only recall visiting once before—around 2006—and even then, I only toured Arlington House. I very much wanted my daughter to see this extraordinary place; I thought this was especially important before more information highlighting certain heroes might be removed. In March, during a process reportedly conducted to comply with a presidential executive order, some material about black, Hispanic, and female veterans was removed from the cemetery’s website. Given the incredible history of the cemetery–built on land seized from the family of Confederate General Robert E Lee and his wife, Mary Custis, the great-granddaughter of the nation’s revered first president, George Washington, and located in southern confederate territory but on the doorstep of the northern capital — it is the final resting place for some 430,000 American soldiers from all walks of life.

For a Scout merit badge requirement, C was in charge of our visit and she made sure that we saw the highlights: the Military Women’s Monument, the eternal flame, Arlington House, and the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The incredible expanse of Elizabeth Hartwell National Wildlife Refuge

C and I wrapped up our Spring 2025 activities with some short nature walks at the Elizabeth National Wildlife Refuge in Lorton, Virginia. The refuge, established in 1969, was the first federal reserve created expressly to protect the bald eagle. At the time of its establishment, bald eagles were on the national endangered list with only a few breeding pairs in the area. Today, in a large part due to the Refuge, the Chesapeake Bay area, particularly around Mason Neck, is the home of the densest breeding population of the majestic birds outside of Alaska.

We brought binoculars on our walk and were lucky to observe several bald eagles flying and fishing in the area over the Potomac River. I found it so extraordinary that just 40 minutes outside the urban environment of our nation’s capital is so much protected land.

Once again, my daughter C and I made the most of our time posted to visit and experience the wonderful places and activities on offer in the Washington, D.C. area. We are incredibly lucky to live here.

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In and Around DC: Activities Winter 2024-2025

The frozen Potomac River from Riverbend Park in Great Falls, VA in January

I am continuing to write of my daughter C’s and my activities and adventures while make the most of our domestic posting to Washington, D.C. Lately, I have found it a bit harder to write about what we have been up to here in the United States. While I rarely discuss politics in this blog, I feel I must acknowledge the impact recent political shifts have had on myself and how they color the way many of us experience places and travel. The activities in this post start at the end of December, before the change in the government, and end in March, a few months into the new administration. Through it all, I continue to place great importance on meaningful experiences—time for my daughter and I to be together: to be entertained, to witness great performances, to explore historical sites, and to simply have fun.

Winter is my least favorite season of the year. I often plan a getaway to a warm (or warmer) destination around the holidays, and otherwise just plan to get through the chilly days. This year, I wanted to be a bit more intentional with indoor or seasonally appropriate activities that would make it pass a bit more pleasantly.

We started our winter activity extravaganza just after our return from our winter cruise with tickets to see the award-winning Broadway production of the Life of Pi at the Kennedy Center. I read the book some 20 years before and it had such a strong effect on me I recall where I was when I read it: in Hanoi during a trip to attend a conference. I had the book with me when I went out for an evening dinner and happened to sit near a table of U.S. diplomats. As luck would have it, my daughter C had selected the book from a pile of freebies at the end of sixth grade. I knew we would both enjoy the Tony award winning play with it’s power story by actors interacting with amazing puppets. I managed to get us second-row seats and it truly was a great night out.

At the very end of December, I booked us a tour of the U.S. Capitol and the Library of Congress. C has joined an all-girls BSA Scout troop here in northern Virginia and one of the requirements for the Eagle-required Citizenship in the Nation merit badge is to visit one’s state capitol or the U.S. Capitol. I had not toured the Capitol for at least 20 years and loved the idea of visiting again with C.

No matter the weather, the U.S. Capitol building is historically and architecturally phenomenal

All visitors to the U.S. Capitol are whisked through the public areas of the building with quick precision. There is a 13-minute introductory film and then each group is taken to the crypt, the rotunda, and statuary hall. Sadly, the public tours do not visit either the Senate or House galleries or climb up into the dome. I was surprised by the crowds on the last Saturday of the year. The rooms are so visually rich, I wanted more time to drink it in, but we had only so much time in any given spot before we had to move along.

The extraordinary architectural beauty of the Library of Congress

After the Capitol tour, our guides led us along the underground passageway to the Library of Congress. I had only visited the building once before; while working at the Defense Department, I went to the reading room in search of one particular book or article. How I could possibly have forgotten the astonishing grandeur of the library, I shall never know. But, my goodness, the Library is a feast for the eyes and a bibliophile’s dream. Again, the tour just scratched the surface. Unlike the U.S. Capitol, a visit to the Library is self-guided. C and I enjoyed the information, delivered with a comedic touch, of our guide, but I surely could have spent at least another hour languidly exploring the rooms. C, perhaps not, but she did like the Library portion of the tour better.

For our January outing, we lucked out with an absolutely glorious winter’s day to head to the Building Museum in downtown Washington, D.C. Like so many other places on my list of places to drag my daughter to, I last visited the Building Museum some 20 years before. One of the best parts of the museum is its location, housed in the gorgeous former headquarters of the U.S. Pension Bureau. Its distinctive red brick exterior is very attractive, but it is really the interior, with its Great Hall complete with eight massive Corinthian columns, that sets the museum apart.

The stunning interior and exterior of the Building Museum

The museum educates the public on the impact of architecture, planning, and design on our everyday lives and how it can transform communities. When C asked me where we were headed, she expressed skepticism that the visit would be of any interest to her. However, she loved the Great Hall and the exhibits. The “Mini Memories” exhibit featuring souvenir buildings from around the world was right up her alley. She familiar with many of the knickknacks such as the Empire State Building in NY, the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai, Big Ben in London, or the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, all of which she had visited. She really enjoyed the Brick City exhibit celebrating iconic architecture from around the world made with LEGO Bricks. And surprisingly, she also found the exhibit on Brutalism interesting, as one can find many buildings from that unfortunate period in architecture around D.C.

C made a Philadelphia Eagles player out of LEGOs and that evening we took part in one of the most Americana of winter activities: watching the Superbowl.

The performers allowed photos during their second encore

In February, C and I returned to the Kennedy Center to see an exquisite performance by the National Ballet of China. The company reimagined The Nutcracker, keeping the beloved original score but giving it a fresh twist for Chinese New Year. Every scene was infused with rich cultural elements—from dancers wearing zodiac animal masks to a graceful crane dance, and striking costumes inspired by blue-and-white porcelain and decorative fans. Once again, I managed to score seats close to the stage, which let us fully immerse ourselves in the performance. I was not quite sure how C felt about it all, until she leapt to her feet to applaud at curtain call. (Sadly, this will be our last visit to the Kennedy Center until it is less politicized).

Nosebleed seats still give one a great view of the action on the court!

To close out our winter season adventures, we went to our first professional basketball game, cheering on the Washington Wizards as they took on the Orlando Magic. While the Wizards did not appear interested in playing defense and only found their rhythm late in the final quarter, we had a really great time. The two and a half hours flew by as we were engaged and entertained from start to finish. I have a feeling this won’t be our last live basketball game!

Winter has never been my favorite season, and, between the shifting political climate and some personal challenges, this one was harder than most—between the shifting political climate and some personal challenges. But making sure C and I carved out space for fun and good memories made all the difference. From memorable performances to D.C. highlights, we found a great mix of things to keep us busy. And now, with spring (and warmer weather) finally settling in, I’m looking forward to lighter days—both in season and in spirit.

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In & Around DC: Autumn 2024 Activities

C sits in the autumn splendor of Gulf Branch Park

Autumn is when Foreign Service Officers about a year out from the end of an assignment bid for their next position. As I had just started a new job, I was exempt from taking part, but soon I began to see a flurry of excited postings online about where my friends would be going next. I am not a fan of how we go about obtaining our next assignments (I honestly do not know anyone who is), but I do feel a twinge of envy when others are going through it. Next year I will be bidding again, and the realization made me think about how quickly the time here in the U.S. might pass. I have often been posted to places that do not have an autumn, and thus I really want to make the most of the ones we have.

I may not know much about hockey but Caps fans really love the sport and it was exciting to be there in person!

In August, my daughter C started ice skating lessons at the Medstar Iceplex, where the Washington Capitals, the national ice hockey team in the area practice. She told me she would like to attend a hockey game. As luck would have it, an old friend from college reached out to ask if C and I would be interested in joining him at his company’s box for a Washington Capitals game in early October. I have taken C to see a good number of baseball games, but never to a hockey game. I had never been to one in my life. My friend also had two extra tickets for C to invite two friends. Though it was a school night, her friends’ parents let them join us and the girls had an amazing experience that surely gained them some cool points at school.

My sister scaring the beejeezus out of attendees at the Dracula Experience

I thought I might like to take C on a haunted walking tour in the area — there are plenty of ghost tours around. She has recently told me she was old enough to do one. As I cast around for which would be the best tour for a pre-teen, my sister posted that she had been cast in a “Dracula experience” in Leesburg. It would be part performance play and part Halloween-y experience in the garden of a historic manor. We met my brother-in-law and nephew at the location to see my sister play one of the three brides of Dracula. It was spooky, corny, and fun and another great opportunity to share something with family while supporting my sister in her acting passion. These are the kinds of things we could not just decide to do while living on another continent.

Two weeks later, I returned alone to that historic manor in Leesburg for a house tour. What was this manor? Dodona Manor, a National Historic Landmark that served as the residence of General George C. Marshall from 1941 until his death in 1959. Marshall served as the Army Chief of Staff, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and U.S. special envoy to China. He was the architect of the Marshall Plan, an economic recovery act to assist with the support and reconstruction of Europe after WWII. He was Time Magazine’s Man of the Year twice and a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. It seemed weird that just a few weeks before we had been screaming in the rose gardens as we watched a spooky play and people jumped out of the bushes at us. I had grown up in this area and had not known this site existed until I attended my sister’s performance. Granted, Washington, D.C. and its environs are chock full of historic sites and the former homes of our nation’s leaders. There really is not enough time to see all that this area has to offer; we really are spoiled for choice.

Dodona Manor from the rose garden in early November

On Veteran’s Day, we joined my friend NP and her family for a hike at Gulf Branch Park. NP and her husband BP, also a Foreign Service family, are into spending time in nature and finding fun and interesting low-cost or free things to do. We love hanging out with them. They introduced us to Donaldson Run Park in September and gave us another education on the incredible local parks available in Arlington. Although by this time it was late fall, the autumnal colors of the trees were still very much on display. C needed to learn about some plants for a Scout requirement and BP, who knows a lot about flora and fauna, patiently talked to her about them while I talked with NP and their kids ran and laughed. C and I are a small family unit, just her and I, so it is fun to spend time with NP’s big, joyous family.

Later that week, C and I joined another of our long-time Foreign Service friends on an outing to Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, Virginia. Once again, I grew up in this area and had never heard of nor been to this place. While searching for something fun to do, I came across this place and read they put on a great holiday light show called the Winter Walk and I invited the JKs, who are currently in D.C. for training. The JKs served with me on my first tour in Ciudad Juarez and we later visited them in both Chiang Mai, Thailand and Harare, Zimbabwe. We had dinner with them and then headed to Meadowlark. The organizers had done an amazing job decking out the park with elaborate light displays. We stopped at a beverage stand for some hot cocoa, and towards the end of the walk bought marshmallows for roasting over a large fire. It was just the right kind of cold – chilly, but not too much so. Perfect for warm drinks and good company. I expect the park is also really great to visit in Spring and we may do that.

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens puts on a lovely lights display

On that weekend, I took C and her friend AH to an archery merit badge class at Burke Lake Park, a local park in Fairfax, VA. As the girls did their course, I took a long walk. It was another gorgeous fall day and the park, another in the area that I have no memory of visiting, is a large one at 888 acres. I read that the land was originally set aside for an international airport but then another site was found in neighboring Loudoun County for Dulles International Airport. And Burke Lake, with its golf course, hiking trails (including nearly a 5-mile one around the lake), playgrounds, picnic areas, fishing pier and marina, and mini train, became this incredible public park. With the weather as good as it was, golfers, walkers, joggers, cyclists, archers, ultimate frisbee players, and families were taking advantage. Yet, though there were many people, I still felt I had space to enjoy it on my own, and I enjoyed a good two hours of walking meditation and forest bathing.

Burke Lake Park – fantastic for autumn forest bathing; C and her friend practice archery at the park

C and I wrapped up our fall activities with a magic show at the Kennedy Center. I think we managed to do a little bit of everything from sports to art, history and nature. It was a great fall. I hope others take advantage of and not take for granted the amazing wealth of activities available in the Washington, D.C. area.

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In & Around DC: Sights & Activities of August 2024

August was a busy month for C and I what with my starting my new job as an entry-level Career Development Officer at the State Department while managing C’s final three weeks of summer camps then the start of seventh grade, and C pursuing several merit badges for Scouting. It still sometimes feels a little strange to me to be posted to Washington, D.C. and to have so many activities at our disposal. Had we remained in Guinea we would have had one more year left. There would have been no summer camps and we would have had only a fraction of things to see and do.

Our first activity of the month (actually the tail end of July), was a visit to the Flying Circus Air Show in Bealton, Virginia, about an hour southwest of DC. One of C’s merit badges, in Aviation, had a requirement to either tour an airport, visit an aviation museum, or attend an airshow. In Malawi, C had a tour of the airport and control tower for a school field trip and we had been to the National Air & Space Museum a few times, so an air show sounded like something different to do. A quick Google search brought me to the Flying Circus. How lucky that there was an air show every weekend throughout the summer within an easy drive. Of course there was. I wonder sometimes if there is anything this area doesn’t have?

Photos from our afternoon at the Flying Circus

C and l located our lawn seats, last used when C was a toddler, and headed out to the air field. It was a real hot and muggy mid-summer day, perfect for grabbing some food truck goodies and hiding in the shade of one of the free trees to watch the aeronautic acrobatics. These daredevil pilots go up in their WWI replica open air planes every weekend to demonstrate the barnstorming tactics of the early airmen and women. Pretty fantastic stuff.

Gunston Hall from the garden

Three weeks later C had her merit badge event in Lorton, Virginia, on the expansive grounds at Gunston Hall, the residence of U.S. founding father George Mason. As C would be there a good eight hours, I decided to make excellence use of the time and do a little sightseeing. I had not visited Gunston Hall before, so I booked myself a house tour with access to the gardens and grounds. As luck would have it, I was the only person on the tour that morning; I very much enjoy historic home tours, especially when I get the guide to myself.

Gunston Hall sits on a plain overlooking a slightly over a half-mile tree-covered slope down to the Potomac River. It’s a grand location about eight miles south along the Potomac from George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon. Though river travel was the way to go, Mason didn’t like to do it much as his father had died when his boat capsized on the same river and I learned he was a bit of a homebody. I suppose with an estate like Gunston Hall (and the wealth and privilege it conveyed) it was not so bad hanging out at home. I enjoyed the tour and a little meandering outside before heading over to the small historic town of Occoquan for lunch.

A colleague recently told me how much she enjoys walking in and around Occoquan, with its lovely location alongside the Potomac tributary of the same name. I found a nice table at a restaurant on the water, to enjoy a delicious meal and take in the view. Boats of families were coming and going in the small marina, and visitors were kayaking or stand-up paddle-boarding. After lunch, I took a long stroll through town, including a loop using the footbridge across the river, up back to the highway, and then back over the pedestrian sidewalk on vehicle bridge, ending with a big cup of frozen custard. I spent the last bit in the small local museum and a riverside park. The history of the town, established in 1804 but with colonial tobacco warehouses and mills set-up as early as 1734, is well worth a stop. I would have liked more time to visit both Occoquan, maybe getting out on the water, and Gunston Hall, where the numerous trails on the property beckoned for a long walk.

We wrapped up the month of sightseeing with a visit to the George Washington Masonic National Memorial located in Alexandria, Virginia. I remember in the early 90s dropping off a boyfriend at the Amtrak Train Station across from the memorial and thinking, I really ought to visit there someday. I grew up in northern Virginia and spent several parts of my life here, but it took until now to finally visit this extraordinary memorial to both masonic traditions and the first president of the U.S.

The fantastic George Washington National Masonic Memorial– left: the grand hall; center: the view; right: the memorial itself

In the early 1900s, American freemasons decided to build a monument to George Washington, not only the country’s first president but also a prominent freemason. They hired a famous New York skyscraper architect, who went on to also work on 30 Rockefeller Center, and its rumored the building is at least partially inspired by the ancient lighthouse in Alexandria, Egypt. Work began in 1922 but was not completely finished until 1970; in 2015 it was designated a National Historic Monument. Sitting on Shuter’s (or Shooter’s) Hill, the 333-foot tall building is at once both imposing but also seems smaller than its true size. Standing in the grand hallway, with its 40-foot high columns flanking either side and a much-larger-than-life statue of Washington at one end, the place feels so much bigger than expected. The tour took us to the replica of the Lodge room where the freemasons of the area would have met (Washington was often too busy being president to attend), including a chair of Washington’s. On other floors we could visit a chapel, a small museum to freemasonry and other related fraternal organizations, and to a platform on the top floor allowing 360 views of Alexandria, the Potomac River, and off into Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

C sporting her new nationals football-style jersey at Nationals Park

But that is not all! Oh no, we really had a very full month. We also caught another Washington Nationals game. C and I love to catch a game at Nationals Park and we try to go to 2-3 a season. C especially likes to go on promotion nights. We also attended a performance of MJ the Musical at the National Theater, where each season they bring Broadway blockbusters from New York. MJ is a biopic about Michael Jackson told through his songs and music. There are several of these types of Broadway plays out there such as about Tina Turner, Britney Spears, Neil Diamond, and the show We Will Rock You, which uses the music of Queen and we saw on our cruise ship to Norway last year. I don’t now how many of those C would like, but she lists “Smooth Criminal” among her favorite songs of all time, so I figured this would be a hit, and I wasn’t wrong. At the end of the month we also took in the Cat Video Fest at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Crystal City, Virginia. The film was just 90 minutes of video clips of cats. Like watching one really long YouTube Video. BUT, the money goes to support shelters and other cat support organizations. We went with Foreign Service friends we met the year I was here for French training and who have just returned to the States for another year. It was an hour and a half of wholesome fun in comfy theater seats and yummy, not-all-that-healthy food.

C and I rounded out our month with a visit to the Arlington County Fair. I could not remember when I last went to a county fair! As I try to recall, the last I remember was in Frankfurt, Germany, in the 90s. Foreign Service friends of ours on a domestic tour who were volunteering at the fair invited us to spend the afternoon with them. They had been given some ride tickets for volunteering and their eldest daughter received a bunch of ride tickets as a prize for her winning photograph. The forecast had been for a bit of rain, but the weather turned out spectacular! Carnival rides, games of chance, and fair food like corn dogs, pizza, nachos, funnel cakes, deep fried oreos, and cotton candy were in abundance. Ah, so, very, Americana!

All in all, we had a great final month of summer; we really made the most of it. As of now, the spring and the summer have felt like they have been around a long while, and I love it. The weather will remain warm for another month or so, but soon enough things will cool down. It is, I think, harder for me to appreciate being in the D.C. area when the cold of late fall and winter roll around. Still, I will continue my attempts to make the most of our domestic tour in Washington.

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In and Around DC: Escapades of May & June 2024

The National Capitol Columns at the National Arboretum

As we come up on a year and a half back in the United States, C and I are embracing living close to Washington, D.C. As I grew up and spent some of my early 30s in the area, there are places I long planned to visit, but put off doing so, figuring I would do so eventually. But then I spent so many years away, and the places I had put off until “someday” did not become a reality. Until now. By shifting my mindset to seeing Washington, D.C. as an assignment, I feel more inclined to get out and about while we are here.

I had big plans for May, unfortunately, Mother Nature had other ideas. It seemed as if the old adage “April showers brings May flowers” had been reversed. We had an April of glorious weather, then May began with lower temps, overcast skies, and scattered showers. The first weekend was a washout, so I was especially keen to do something the second weekend. We headed to the Oatlands Historic House and Gardens located in Leesburg, Virginia, about 45 miles outside of D.C. I had fond memories of Oatlands; my parents have photos of me there as a baby, my mom took me as an older child, and I am sure there was a school fieldtrip there at some point. I really wanted to take my daughter there.

Sights around the historic Oatlands garden

Fortune though was not on my side. The mansion, built in 1803 and listed as a national historic landmark, was undergoing renovations; the scaffolding made even exterior photos unattractive. We had tickets to self-tour the garden and it was still pretty beneath the overcast sky, but then my plans to stroll the grounds afterward were foiled by the cooler than expected weather. We cut our losses and went to lunch.

Strawberries galore at Wegmeyer Farm’s Leesburg location

Luckily, the sky cleared and the temperatures warmed for our next activity – picking strawberries at the Wegmeyer Farms plot just down the road from Oatlands. I had a vague memory of strawberry picking when I was a young child, and I really wanted to do it with my daughter C. It was not quite what I had been expecting; I thought there would be a farm, maybe some attractive buildings or fences, something, but it was just rows of strawberry plants. We were handed a bucket and told to stay in one assigned row for the picking. Still, we did have fun and the strawberries were delicious.

The following weekend C had a Scout camping trip so I had hoped to do some sightseeing on my own, but the weather did not cooperate. Therefore, we planned to make the most of Memorial Day weekend. On Friday evening, we had the great pleasure of seeing my sister and nephew grace the stage in a community production of Anastasia. The show was fantastic and it was incredibly fun to see our family members take part. This is something we really missed out on when hundreds of miles away overseas.

On Saturday, C and I visited the Clara Barton National Historic Site in Glen Echo, Maryland. After we had both been to Antietam, where Clara Barton ministered to wounded on the battlefield, this made a good follow-on visit. The site preserves the home where Ms. Barton spent the last years of her life and also an early headquarters of the American Red Cross, which she founded. We were able to take a very good National Park Service (NPS) ranger-led tour that covered the first floor of the home, but unfortunately, the floor was bare of any furnishings and the upper floors were off limits due to upcoming renovations.

No worries, I thought, the Clara Barton site sits next door to another NPS-run Glen Echo Park. The park started first as an educational institute for adults called the Chautauqua in 1891. From 1911 to 1968, the site served as an area amusement park and was a site of civil rights protests in the latter years. It became a NPS-managed site in 1971 and then a place for arts and cultural performances in 2001, coming nearly full circle from the Chautauqua days. C and I though were primarily there for the 1921 Dentzel menagerie carousel, a National Historic Register site in its own right. C and I have long been a fan of historic carousels (or maybe it is mostly me; see also here and here). We did ride the carousel twice; we would have gone a third time except the carousel operator gave a very generous 20 or so times around each go, which was almost too much of a good thing. We walked a bit more around the park, but we found it sadly underutilized.

Jefferson did not have to contend with warning signs and prohibitions – he could just get right up on that rock

On Sunday, C and I headed to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia with friends. I absolutely love Harpers Ferry; its preserved history and attractive location at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers just 65 miles from DC, make it a great place to visit on a beautiful weekend. And it is another NPS-managed site. With 6 kids in total, my friends and I walked the 1.6 miles from the main parking to the lower town. It was another lovely day, warm, but not hot, and the trail through the trees and then alongside the road was pleasant. We visited several key sites in the town to include John Brown’s fort and the industry museum, walked across the bridge over the Potomac River to Maryland and back, up to Jefferson’s Rock, where our third president Thomas Jefferson reportedly stood in October 1783, had lunch, and, of course, got some ice cream.

We rounded out our month-and-then-some of getting out and about with our first professional soccer match when we went to see DC United play against Toronto at the six-year old Audi Field. C and I have been to the nearby Nationals Stadium for baseball games at least a handful of times, but had never seen a live soccer match before. Our seats afforded us a great view of the goal line and several corner kicks and the thrilling penalty kick by DC United that tied up the game. I expect we will see more games in the future!

Finally, I dragged C to the National Arboretum in D.C. for some walking and photography. It’s another site in the area I had long heard of and wanted to visit and at long last got around to. The highlight of the National Arboretum are the Capitol Columns, 22 Corinthian columns which were part of the United States Capitol building from 1828 to 1958, which now stand arranged in a meadow alongside a reflecting pool. It is a popular spot for photographers, walkers, and picnickers. I managed to walk a bit with C along a pretty trail near the columns, again in the Asian collection, and then the National Bonsai Museum, but she protested any further exploration for the day.

Sites at the National Arboretum – at the Asian collection, the Capitol Columns, and a bonsai tree

I continue to be grateful to be here in the DC area, where we have such opportunities for recreation and excursions practically in our backyard or within a day’s drive. It is a great reminder that travel need not involve many hours on an airplane.

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Our Nanny Heads Home

JMC and C on the Virginia is for Lover’s Sign at Luray Caverns

Last week our nanny, JMC, headed back to Malawi after nine months with us in the United States. It was a bittersweet moment at the airport as JMC and my daughter C sobbed as they hugged goodbye just outside of airport security. We didn’t have a whole lot of time as it had taken a bit longer to check in as one checked bag and one carry on bag were too heavy by Ethiopian Airlines rules and we had to make some last minute adjustments on the floor in front of the check-in counter that ended up with JMC checking FIVE bags. There was a lot to take back home to remember this time in America by.

JMC kayaking with me on Lake Malawi Sept 2020

We met JMC in the Spring of 2020 just as the pandemic was beginning. She lived with her mother (also a single mom) and her sister in the staff quarters at a close friend’s house, where her mother worked as a housekeeper and nanny. My friend had hired JMC, who was set to finish high school shortly, to start tutoring her young daughters in several subjects. When the pandemic first hit, I juggled home schooling and teleworking, but when summer arrived I hired JMC to help C with reading and preparing for the new school year. JMC and C really hit it off. Maybe because they were closer in age than most kid/nanny relationships? And JMC was also just a really good, thoughtful, and helpful person. By November JMC had finished her national high school exams (which had been postponed from the previous Spring due to COVID) so I asked if she would like to work for us full time to make some extra money until she received her exam scores and decided on her after high school plans. A few months later, I also asked her if she might be up to joining us in the US for the time I would be in training and she enthusiastically said yes.

Bringing a nanny to the US is not a super straightforward process. There are a lot of steps! Passport, visa, plane ticket, employment authorization, health insurance, social security number, payroll, taxes, and more. Sometimes the administrative parts felt overwhelming, but I felt it was worth it, and I know now how very much it was.

Celebrations on the day JMC’s US visa was approved

JMC is an extraordinary young woman. At 20 years old she agreed to head nearly half a world away to a place she had never been to help my daughter and I navigate school and home life during the ongoing pandemic. She approached absolutely everything with a positive attitude and a willingness to try new things. As we took off from Lilongwe on her first ever flight, she told me she could feel her soul leaving her body as the plane climbed to its cruising altitude. When we drove from Virginia to Florida for Home Leave at the beginning of our sojourn and I asked her her first impressions she told me that the highways of America were amazing! (So clean, straight, wide, with few potholes, and often lined with so many, many trees). At Disney World as we rode the Barnstormer, her first ever rollercoaster, she screamed in delighted terror, but never once said she wished she had not tried it. She coined what would become her signature phrase “America has done it again!”

If we went to a restaurant and she ordered a hot dog and a milkshake and they brought out a foot long dog and a milkshake a foot tall, she would laugh, shake her head, and say, “America has done it again!” When we went trick-or-treating at Halloween along a top decorated street in Arlington, where the neighbors compete hard for the biggest and best decorations, she once again said, “America has done it again!” She might say this when riding the metro (“Are you telling me this train is going under the river? America, you have done it again!”) or when she saw the swimming pool on the roof of our building or ate at a teppanyaki restaurant for the first time (which, I had to point out, was actually something Japanese).

When we moved into our apartment in Arlington, Virginia, where we would reside through my training, we discovered it was probably the most dog-friendly building in an extremely dog-friendly area. JMC, however, has a huge fear of dogs that stems from being attacked and bitten as a child when she lived in South Africa. Owning a dog as a pet is not common in Malawi and often when Malawians own dogs it is for security, not companionship. While there were some stray dogs in Lilongwe, I found it a much more rare occurrence than in other countries where I have lived or visited like Indonesia and Romania, the latter where I myself was attacked by dogs. While I am not 100% comfortable around large dogs, JMC was downright terrified. Imagine when on one day we visited my aunt out in Winchester and strolling along the walking street came across an Irish Wolfhound, a Tibetan Mastiff, and a Great Dane. Then in our building in Arlington people are riding the elevators and casually strolling through the lobby with dogs big and small. I felt badly that our building posed so many opportunities for her to feel scared. But like everything, she took it with a huge dose of humor and grace.

Strolling together in Arlington

She really was game to give nearly everything a try and to approach it with excitement and wonder. When we went to see Disney on Ice she cheered and laughed with unbridled joy (with far more enthusiasm than my daughter). In late November, we met my friend CZ and her son Little CZ at King’s Dominion on a Winterfest evening, JMC agreed to ride the Delirium, one of those pendulum rides that also spins, with C and DZ, while I sat it out with Little CZ. (I never liked those kinds of rides, ever) Breathless after the ride, her eyes sparkling, JMC again reported her soul temporarily disconnecting from the rest of her. Later when she and our kids were invited to join in the dancing of a winter parade float, JMC grabbed the proffered tambourine and started dancing while C hid behind me refusing to participate. Experiencing her first snow fall, she agreed to head out to play with C though she really dislikes cold weather. I watched them from apartment window making snow angels and throwing snowballs. She willingly tried ice skating (and quickly got good at it) and indoor skydiving (she kept trying to swim toward the exit).

JMC and C in Colonial Williamsburg (they even switched shoes as they wear the same size)

I tried to have a mix of activities this whole nine months in the states — mixing American history (the National Air and Space Museum, the African American History Museum, Mount Vernon, the National Mall, Jamestown, Williamsburg, Savannah, St. Augustine, Harper’s Ferry), and culture (Cherry Blossoms, the Nutcracker ballet, a baseball game, a small town Christmas parade), to fun activities (Disney on Ice, ice skating, indoor skydiving, the International Spy Museum, the Baltimore Aquarium) and Americana (like a massive corn maze, trick or treating, Disney) and more (see here, here, and here). It is wonderful to experience America with my daughter who has spent far more time abroad than in her home country (and this was her longest time in the States), but to experience it with JMC made it all the more special. Sometimes my daughter just took some things for granted. But JMC did not ever. She regularly reminded me of all the wonderful things that America has to offer – not by saying so, but by just living her experience to the fullest.

It feels strange without JMC – she has been a big part of our family the past two years, in both Malawi and the United States. Her departure is another reminder of how our interregnum in the US is coming to a close and we soon head off to our next overseas adventure.

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Halfway Through Our U.S. Sojourn 2021-2022

The topics that dominated my time in the US this go-round

Here we are already halfway through the eleven months we have in the U.S. between our Malawi and Guinea tours. I have been wrestling with what to write about – having already covered home leave and trying to adjust, what to say about being sort of, at least temporarily, adjusted? When overseas, especially in the often less traveled places where I have tendency to live and work, or while on once in a lifetime vacations, the stories are easier to write. Sitting in a nondescript apartment in Northern Virginia as I telework feels far more conventional, even if in a global pandemic. I have lived a little more than half my adult life outside of the United States and the other half often working toward those times. I sometimes long for something more conventional, but honestly, I don’t know how to do conventional. And even this, being paid to learn a language by the Department of State in order to assist with my upcoming assignment in West Africa, frankly, isn’t exactly run-of-the-mill either.

Language Learning in a Pandemic

This is my third go at learning a language through the Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute (FSI). I took Spanish ahead of my assignment to Ciudad Juarez and Mandarin before Shanghai, but in both cases I had the advantage of having studied the language before in high school, college, or another setting (or a combination of). This time I am learning French and have no background whatsoever in it. Though, honestly, that is a wee bit untrue. I mean, English speakers have been exposed to at least some of the language through cognates or popular culture. It is not like I am taking up Turkmen. Yet, I have no formal training and I feel the difference keenly.

I will not beat around the bush: I am not a fan of FSI’s language training method. I do not think I can describe it adequately if you have never been through it or a similar program. To me, the first few months are a bombardment of vocabulary and grammar. Often we will cover a grammatical point for one hour of the day and the teacher will say something like, “now that we have learned gender of nouns or the conditional tense, we can now move forward with another topic” and I balk because I might have understood some, but I definitely have not “learned” the concept in such a short timeframe. Imagine this happening every hour, five hours a day, five days a week for some eight weeks before your first assessment? Homework certainly reinforces concepts as does the daily build on — but I can feel myself fighting it day after day. (This is not to say I don’t have fun — I laugh every single day in class!) After this, the class then pivots to regularly putting students on the spot with impromptu discussions and then short speeches on societal topics such as gender equality, climate change, or vaccination mandates. I didn’t like this method when I studied Spanish or Chinese and I do not like it now. And I was no spring chicken when I started the Foreign Service (see my complaints about being too old for language training from 7 years ago). And yet, at the end of the day, despite the method and my resistance (and it almost galls me to admit), I get to a good level of language acquisition.

Doing all the training online has taken some getting used to. I sometimes miss the camaraderie of the halls of FSI, the running into friends and colleagues from A100 (our onboarding course), past posts, or past training, and getting to know new folks as we all muddle our way through new languages. Also, since so many people – thousands – are there at any given time pursing language or functional training, the Department offers other services such as passport or badge renewals, research for next posts at the Overseas Briefing Center, a clinic to get vaccinations, a child care center (for those lucky enough to get one of the very coveted spots), a gym, and more. All of this set on some really lovely grounds. FSI is a base sorts for those that often have none, a place someone can come back to again and again where you find yourself among others who get the quirks of the job and lifestyle.

Yet, I do love my 20 second commute to my desk, the wearing of comfy pants and no shoes, and rummaging around in my kitchen for snacks during breaks. And though there are some technical challenges at times (for some reason my microphone has worked only 50% of the time in class the past week and a half) I have not felt much difference in the quality of training from my previous two times at the Institute. I have 19 weeks of my 30 weeks of training left to go, so we shall see when it comes round to testing time how well I actually do.

Milking America for All Its Worth (in a Pandemic)

Despite the intense pressure to abandon all in favor of only activities that further my French and a continuing pandemic that makes the decision to get out and about sometimes difficult, I am still trying to make the most of our time in the United States. For my daughter who has spent the majority of her life overseas and our young nanny who has not had many such opportunities, I want to introduce them to a variety of activities we could not do in Malawi and won’t be able to in Guinea.

C and her nanny JMC enjoy some time by the Reflecting Pool

One of our first sightseeing trips was down into the heart of iconic Washington, DC. Just riding the metro was a treat as there had been nothing like that in Malawi. We walked past the Washington Memorial, visited the World War II Memorial, and then strolled along the Reflecting Pool to the Lincoln Memorial. We then rented some scooters and zipped back toward the Capitol, stopping to eat from several of the food trucks lining the streets. We also popped into the National Air and Space Museum.

As the weather cooled, I took us to Mount Vernon, for a tour of the house and walks around the grounds. There is a lot of history to learn and confront at the home of our first President and we lucked out with a glorious day to do it. I also scored tickets for the Disney on Ice show — I waited until the last minute, you know, just in case there was some COVID issue. We all loved the show but I think JMC loved it the most. Her whoops of delight at every major stunt were infectious. We met my sister and her family and a family friend at Liberty Mills Farm in central Virginia to take our chances in the country’s largest corn maze. We took the trail with no map and got happily lost (and then somewhat desperately), then, once free, picked out some pumpkins and scarfed down some farm-inspired desserts. I don’t know what says fall in Virginia more than heading to a farm for a pumpkin. And I took us to a Halloween inspired light show at a nearby zoo — one I used to go to when I was a kid. Afterwards we all tried some fried Oreo. Ah, Americana.

Left: Liberty Mill Farms; Center: Confronting a massive lit-up spider at the Luminocity Festival; Right: Mount Vernon on a beautiful fall day

I found myself pretty excited that Halloween would be in-person. With the Delta wave still causing havoc through the fall, I really had not been sure it would happen and it made me a bit sad for my daughter. She had not had much experience with Halloween in the U.S.: In 2014 when she was 2 1/2 and we lived for five months in a Staybridge Suites hotel and trick-or-treated briefly in the adjacent townhouse community and in 2015 when we were in the U.S. for an unexpected medevac and I was recovering from an intense procedure. I had had maybe an hour of energy to take C trick-or-treating through our temporary apartment housing. And trick or treating in our past posts was different, especially last year. At three months shy of 10, this is the perfect age for my daughter to trick-or-treat. If we return to the U.S. for training after our next assignment, she will be 13. So, I decided to forego the likely sad trick-or-treating to be found in our apartment building and took us to the most celebrated Halloween street in Arlington for some big-time candy demanding.

For Thanksgiving, I opted for the typical non-typical American activity of dinner at a Chinese restaurant and a movie – only our second movie in a theater since returning to the U.S., the first being in Jacksonville, FL on Home Leave. That weekend though we drove down to King’s Dominion to meet up with one of my best friends CZ and her son Little CZ for the amusement park’s Winter Fest. As the weather grew colder we went ice skating at the National Sculpture Garden (the first time for C and JMC and the first time in a looooong time for me), strolled by the National Christmas Tree in front of the White House, and attended a breathtaking performance of the Nutcracker performed by the Washington Ballet company. The Nutcracker was one of the highest priorities on my “while in the U.S. bucket list” as it was the kind of performance we could not see in Malawi and will likely be limited or unavailable in Guinea. I know we have had the opportunity to see many amazing places and cultural activities in every place we have been, but I really am trying to boost our Americana while we have the chance and C is at this age. And introducing all of this to our nanny JMC is so fun as she approaches each and every activity with a positive attitude. At King’s Dominion she rode the scariest of rides and even though afterwards she said she was sure she felt her soul floating out of her body, she did not regret riding; and when a character from the parade invited her to join him in dancing she did so with great enthusiasm while C hid behind me shaking her head.

Left: C and JMC joined CZ for this crazy ride at King’s Dominion; Center: At the White House; Right: The stage set for the Nutcracker

We had a more typical Christmas at my sister’s place, a little over an hour’s drive from us, where we could also see my parents. Then C flew to see her dad and stepmom in Kentucky, the first time she had seen them in two years. One reason I had opted to bid on a language-designated position for my next tour was the opportunity to have C see her dad a bit more. We had initially planned on a visit in August but scrapped it with COVID on the rise. Things were still dicey in December, but it was too important to skip.

And now, we are in the final five months of our U.S. interlude. It will be punctuated with increasing bouts of panic on my part as my language test and our departure to Guinea grows closer. While I will still seek out special activities for us all, my to-do list has to start accommodating things like dentist and doctor visits, obtaining visas, vaccinations, plane tickets and working out the intricate requirements for international cat travel while cramming more and more French into my skull.

Here’s to the second half.