Relocation ... x2

I've heard rumblings of some complaints about infrequent blogging lately, and truth be told, it's time for an update.

Remember how, when I took this job, I thought I was going to be living on the Basrah military base? Well, after seven months, guess where I've moved to? We decided we needed someone based here - really the hub of all things humanitarian aid and oil company in South Iraq - for donor relations and fundraising. Turns out that someone gets to be me, which suits me just fine ...

... why, you might ask? Well, I guess it's time to fess up that I have a boyfriend down here. And have had, for four months. I found him (well, technically he found me) on Thanksgiving at a party back when a few of us were on the base for a week. After a few months of seeing each other when we were able, it's pretty nice to be in the same neighborhood. He's British, an international development consultant running a youth employment program in Basrah for the British equivalent of USAID, and pretty great. So great, in fact, that we're off on leave to Malaysia together for a week, starting Friday. More on that in a minute.

So, life on the military base. It's quite a trip. I think there are about 5,000 troops stationed here and it's pretty interesting to be in the middle of an operation like this. The base is all dust and dirt and concrete and metal buildings. I live in a trailer in a compound that houses mostly private security companies, with a few other NGO workers and some oil company folks. I think there are maybe 75 people who live in the compound and I think about four are women. Good times. My trailer is pretty simple - desk, double bed, wardrobe, small fridge, couple of chairs and - the one great addition - a 32" flat-panel TV. It has its own little bathroom and, all in all, isn't too bad. The compound has a small gym and a communal dining hall. I haven't made too many friends in here yet, so end up spending most of my meals sitting alone with people staring, or trying not to stare. Getting used to that part.

It's nice to be able to run outdoors - for the time being, anyway, while it cools down to 80 degrees or so by 6pm. Yep, it's early April and the weather has already hit 100 a few times in the past couple of weeks. I barely notice anymore. On the odd weather front, we had quite a sandstorm this morning, and the heavy winds rattled my trailer like crazy - thought I was about to have a "Wizard of Oz" moment a few times. When the sand kicks up the insurgents usually start firing off rockets at the base, so the morning was filled with alarms and loudspeaker announcements - fortunately my trailer is under a foot and a half of reinforced concrete. Everyone else gets 30 seconds to run to a sandbag bunker.

Besides working and working out, hanging out at the British Consulate isn't a bad gig. The folks over there are all pretty great - so is the bar, coveted by many and frequented by few. It's nice to be part of a community around here as opposed to being sequestered in the house - I've made friends from the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Serbia, Jamaica, Lebanon and India - kind of feels like what this line of work is supposed to be about. Seven months in the house really started to take its toll, and the improvements to my lifestyle are feeling slightly recuperative ... emphasis on slightly.

Right, so in addition to relocation #1, temporary relocation #2 takes place on Friday. I extended my leave by four weeks (yep, that's 12 weeks in country, which is mildly insane but I've somehow managed not to hit the wall) so the boyfriend and I could take a little vacation together. We'll go from Kuwait to Kuala Lumpur (via Abu Dhabi), spend two nights there at this fabulous hotel and then hop on a one hour flight to this resort for six nights. Don't worry, there will be lots of photos of white sand, blue water, brightly colored fish, fabulous bars and restaurants, etc.

Not that anybody was wondering about work, but ... work is work. Nothing much to report. And I think that sums up my feelings about work as well.

You Portlanders can start getting excited for the fact that I am planning to be home around 15 July. With Brit in tow. To the Bay Area Californians, I'll be down in Healdsburg and environs around the 24th for a wedding and look forward to a few get-togethers. That's about it for now - lots of love to all.