I have been reticent about posting something about my latest adventure, but I think the time has come and anyone who reads this thing already knows what’s going on in my life most of the time anyway. Also, if I fail in my quest, hopefully none of you will point and laugh and call me a loser. And if you do, hopefully it will be for another reason, like I lost at Stump or Catan, or if I forgot to bathe the baby for the last two weeks.
I have register and am scheduled to take the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) on December 8th at 8:30am. For the last three weeks I have been studying, on and off, everything from the US Constitution, to world geography, to economics, to management theory. I have taken most of the practice exams I have found on the Internet, and probably will take some more before the eighth.
I have been making flash cards, cheat sheets and notes. I have been reading The Week, The Economist, Discover, and Spin Magazine (for the culture information.) And I have been researching anything that pops into my head as being important on Wikipedia and other sites.
In between the studying, travel for work, Thanksgiving Dinner for seven, Piper’s birthday and the general, get up, feed kids, take BB to daycare, go to work, make dinner, eat dinner, bathe children, go to bed stuff, I have been crocheting like a mad woman and have started a new blog to capture my crafting and crocheting projects. I have gotten a little obsessive about it, but am having fun. I think the crocheting is partly an escape from studying as well.
So, think about me on December 8th at 8:30am. It is a four hour exam (with breaks, I hope) and I will be ready to party hardy when I get out of there (or maybe just go back home to sleep.) Then it is 10-12 weeks until we get the results. That is the scary part. I am not scared about failing. I am scared that I might pass; and then what?
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Daycare Drama
You can’t always protect your kids against everything. I put Bronwen’s health, wellbeing and character building into the hands of a relative stranger every morning when I drop her off at daycare. And every evening when I come to pick her up I am relieved to see that she is fine, well fed, and happy. Yesterday evening was different, however, and the experience has left me a little nervous about dropping her off this morning.
I arrived to pick her up around 5pm and I walked the long hall all the way down to the end where her classroom is located. I usually stand outside the window of the door and try to observe her before she sees me. Usually, she is playing with the other kids, fighting over toys and riding around on their little kid scooters. I stood there scanning the room and was unable to find her. This is not terribly unusual as sometimes she is playing behind the changing table and is therefore obstructed from view. I opened the door and walked into the room. The woman working said hi and told me that Bronwen had been taken down to another room with some of the older kids (14-24months).*
I walked all the way back down the long hall to the first room and did my usual peek into the room. To my absolute horror, here is what I observed. Like wild dogs circling their prey, three 2 year olds were circling a seated Bronwen. Two of the kids were poking her in the eyes, and one little boy was pulling her hair. She was just sitting there looking resigned, like this happens all the time! I looked around for the teachers, one was vacuuming, hence drowning out Bronwen’s cries, and the other was straightening up around the room. The boy pulling her hair grabbed a huge handful and tugged so hard she fell backwards. It was then that I burst into the room, which made one of the teachers look over to see what was happening.
“What is going on?” I asked rushing over to pick up my screaming child.
“No pulling hair!” the lady yelled at the little boy, pulling him over to the corner, I think to avoid my question.
“All the big kids are picking on you Bronwen!” I said loudly, “let’s get out of here.”
I turned to the no longer vacuuming teacher and said, “When is Bronwen scheduled to move into this room? I don’t think it should be anytime soon.”
“No, she is far down on the list,” the teacher said looking sheepish.
“Good.”
Little kids are pretty resilient. Bronwen had stopped crying soon after I picked her up and was not injured. When we went to leave, I put her down next to the little boy who had pulled her hair and told to say “bye bye!” He seemed to be feeling sorry after the teacher had yelled at him and he was trying to reach out and pat her. She leaned over towards him and punched him in the chest. I had to reprimand her for hitting, but it was pretty great. I won’t have to worry about her too much.
I arrived to pick her up around 5pm and I walked the long hall all the way down to the end where her classroom is located. I usually stand outside the window of the door and try to observe her before she sees me. Usually, she is playing with the other kids, fighting over toys and riding around on their little kid scooters. I stood there scanning the room and was unable to find her. This is not terribly unusual as sometimes she is playing behind the changing table and is therefore obstructed from view. I opened the door and walked into the room. The woman working said hi and told me that Bronwen had been taken down to another room with some of the older kids (14-24months).*
I walked all the way back down the long hall to the first room and did my usual peek into the room. To my absolute horror, here is what I observed. Like wild dogs circling their prey, three 2 year olds were circling a seated Bronwen. Two of the kids were poking her in the eyes, and one little boy was pulling her hair. She was just sitting there looking resigned, like this happens all the time! I looked around for the teachers, one was vacuuming, hence drowning out Bronwen’s cries, and the other was straightening up around the room. The boy pulling her hair grabbed a huge handful and tugged so hard she fell backwards. It was then that I burst into the room, which made one of the teachers look over to see what was happening.
“What is going on?” I asked rushing over to pick up my screaming child.
“No pulling hair!” the lady yelled at the little boy, pulling him over to the corner, I think to avoid my question.
“All the big kids are picking on you Bronwen!” I said loudly, “let’s get out of here.”
I turned to the no longer vacuuming teacher and said, “When is Bronwen scheduled to move into this room? I don’t think it should be anytime soon.”
“No, she is far down on the list,” the teacher said looking sheepish.
“Good.”
Little kids are pretty resilient. Bronwen had stopped crying soon after I picked her up and was not injured. When we went to leave, I put her down next to the little boy who had pulled her hair and told to say “bye bye!” He seemed to be feeling sorry after the teacher had yelled at him and he was trying to reach out and pat her. She leaned over towards him and punched him in the chest. I had to reprimand her for hitting, but it was pretty great. I won’t have to worry about her too much.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
A Return to Lafayette, LA
The last time I was in Lafayette, Louisiana, I was working for Krispy Kreme. I came down here to help train and open a brand new store. It was located in the front parking lot of Wallmart. I was pretty sure it wasn't going to be a very successful store. It was nearly impossible to get into the parking lot, and the average Lafayattian was already buying doughnuts in the grocery store.
The last time I was here, the owner of the franchise took us to an incredible restaurant where I ate about 14 pounds of crayfish, and where I purchase a t-shirt to commemorate the event! We took a fan boat through the bayou and saw crocodiles, birds, and those incredible cypress trees. We travelled to the Tabasco Factory, and spent time on Avery Island, watching crocodiles walking around the park.
The last time I was here, I was wasn't married, I wasn't a mother, and I was not in my thirties!
Today, when I landed in the tiny regional airport (the airport smelled funny, was kind of dirty, and it took FOREVER to get our luggage) I was struck by how familiar the place was. I have only been here once, and it was probably five years ago. I remembered the Avis parking lot, the exit to the airport and the road to town.
I checked into the hotel and decided to find some place to eat. Since it was Sunday, all the good cajun, po-boy places were closed. I found an Outback, pulled into the parking lot and realized, that I had eaten in this same restaurant five years ago. Not only that, across the street was the hotel I stayed in for a week last time I was here. I guess Lafayette is pretty small town.
Tomorrow and Tuesday, Orientation, then Wednesday morning I go back home. Hopefully, the Thanksgiving travel won't be too heavy and I should be home by 5pm.
The last time I was here, the owner of the franchise took us to an incredible restaurant where I ate about 14 pounds of crayfish, and where I purchase a t-shirt to commemorate the event! We took a fan boat through the bayou and saw crocodiles, birds, and those incredible cypress trees. We travelled to the Tabasco Factory, and spent time on Avery Island, watching crocodiles walking around the park.
The last time I was here, I was wasn't married, I wasn't a mother, and I was not in my thirties!
Today, when I landed in the tiny regional airport (the airport smelled funny, was kind of dirty, and it took FOREVER to get our luggage) I was struck by how familiar the place was. I have only been here once, and it was probably five years ago. I remembered the Avis parking lot, the exit to the airport and the road to town.
I checked into the hotel and decided to find some place to eat. Since it was Sunday, all the good cajun, po-boy places were closed. I found an Outback, pulled into the parking lot and realized, that I had eaten in this same restaurant five years ago. Not only that, across the street was the hotel I stayed in for a week last time I was here. I guess Lafayette is pretty small town.
Tomorrow and Tuesday, Orientation, then Wednesday morning I go back home. Hopefully, the Thanksgiving travel won't be too heavy and I should be home by 5pm.
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