I’ve received some, er, comments about my failure to update the internets about my life. I’ve been laying low the last 6-7 months because honestly, I’ve been struggling through my tour. Since May, I’ve been telling myself if “I can just get to ________ (the end of the month, training in DC, mom’s visit, Matt’s visit, Christmas) then I can make it through the end of my tour. I am very happy to say it is now January and in addition to all these milestones and the support of a precious few friends/colleagues here I am doing just fine, though if I never work at a U.S. mission with 25 or fewer people again I will not be sorry. I would also never wish a long distance relationship on anyone (unless, like me, you have someone who is REALLY, and I mean REALLY, worth it!) In the near future I owe you video of New Year’s Eve and also a recap of our trip to Isabela in the Galapagos.
The most exciting news is that I have made a new addition to the family…maybe not the most logical of choices, given that I will probably be paying an arm and a leg to house him in DC, BUT he has made the last few months quite enjoyable and I think he will make a very sturdy specimen to take on later tours:
It’s a puppy, of course! He was picked up from the streets by a local rescue organization that one of the local employees volunteers for. I offered to foster a dog until it was healthy enough to be adopted, so this one came to live with me after spending a week at the vet’s. When he was found, he was eating rocks to try to nourish himself. He was very scared, very hot, and very mange-y. He was on multiple vitamin supplements twice a day…and after realizing what a happy and intelligent creature he was, I knew I wasn’t going to let anyone else have him.
It’s amazing what a few months of tender loving care makes. After about 6 weeks of bathing/scrubbing and dousing him with extra strong chemicals, it looks like the mange (which is actually caused by an insect which burrows into the skin and causes the dog to scratch his hair out and eventually skin off) is all gone. For the next 4-6 months he’ll be taking supplements to help stimulate his hair growth. You can’t tell clearly from the pictures, but on his belly, haunches, and tail he is mostly bald or has only spotty hair.
The neighbors were alarmed at first (because here I was, walking around a wealthy neighborhood with a bald and skinny mutt) but I think he’s quickly become a crowd favorite. In addition to playing with a rope that Matt brought him, he enjoys chasing his Shiba Inu friend, listening to birds, catching iguanas, and eating imported dog food…hey, just because he’s a mutt doesn’t mean he can’t be spoiled!
It also turns out that dogs are useful tools for diplomacy…I’ve met more of my neighbors in the last 3 months than in the 18 months proceeding!
Happy, happy New Year, Amanda! There are lots of birds in DC/NoVA, so he’ll be all set. !Que 2012 sea fantastico para ti!
Happy New Year Amanda! Glad to see you posting again, and glad to hear that your furry friend is keeping you company. I’m sure the end will come faster than you can imagine.
Happy New Year and congratulations on making it to January at your post — struggling at a place is hard enough without it being so far from home. It sounds like you are making great strides, puppy will definitely continue to help, too. Glad you got a buddy to enjoy — they are great social opportunity makers — especially if not in a country that is mostly dog petrified. Our ridgeback that we got last year makes many scream and run just by his presence, but there are the others who flock and want to know about him and they are great to get to know too! I met my closest friend here because our dogs insisted on meeting each other during a walk and demanded play time. Enjoy what you have left – it will fly — and good luck with your resolutions for 2012. They are good ones!