So today the last of my 119th Specialist Class OMS friends left for their posts. Already we're getting word back from those who left before the long weekend about their first days. It seems nobody was forgotten at the airport with all their belongings; nobody has received a security violation for leaving the safe open; and everyone is starting to settle into their new homes - albeit mostly their temporary homes. Some are wondering what the heck they're supposed to be doing, and some have already attended high-level receptions and translated Dip Notes into Spanish.
Meanwhile, I came home after FSI today to find a box of extras from one friend's kitchen sitting outside my front door. She shipped out to Jakarta and left me with all sorts of bottles, cans and boxes of things that she couldn't take with her. It seems like just last week we were on the phone in our respective home states, griping about whether or not we'd received our job offers via FedEx, and now I come home to find just a box of her left-over peanut butter, hand cream, microwave popcorn and US coins she won't be needing for quite some time. I have friends in two different airports as we speak: one who was derailed last-minute from a post experiencing major civil unrest to a more stable temporary one; and one hoping to get her dog on the same flight to South America tonight. Another friend left for Jamaica while I was simply conjugating "Ayer, yo tuve que trabajar; tu tuviste que trabajar..." in class this morning.
I'm the only OMS left, and there are two months to go. So far my career has been purely in the theoretical. By the time I get to post as a newly-minted OMS, I will have been out of OMS training for over three months. I'm not sure I'll remember a thing about what to do. I recall something about cables and passwords and safes and, and, good thing I have a huge binder full of materials to refer to.
And eleven amazing friends with two months more experience than I to rely on.
I miss you guys already.
Thanks to my FM and GSO buddies for befriending this orphan!
I miss you Don't worry, you'll be fine.
ReplyDeleteIt sucks being the one left behind. But two months will go by quickly and you'll be able to glean some wisdom from those who just took off. Enjoy your favorite foods, every day freedoms, going to the movies, and talking with family and friends easily. Your blast off time will happen before you know!
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