Clik here to view.
100 MPH in the Wrong Direction
If you would like to read a straightforward account of combat in Afghanistan, I highly recommend the book pictured to the left. I tells the story of various units as they rotated through a ridiculously...
View ArticleClik here to view.
I Want To Be An EFM When I Grow Up
I knew the first or second time that I was referred to as an E.F.M. (Eligible Family Member) that I would end up wrestling feelings of resentment and that I would have to contend with my own desire to...
View ArticleLanguage Loser No More
Well, it's certainly been a long time since I've been able to blog! Or read a book, go to a movie, drive into the city, or anything else that was not eating, sleeping, and studying Indonesian. You see,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
It's Always the Best Ones- Rest In Peace Anne Smedinghoff
A young woman joins the Foreign Service in her mid-20's. Having just entered the service myself last year, let me tell you, that is YOUNG. Most FSO's have an advanced degree (or more), time in the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What Does a Consular Officer Do?
So, having escaped with my life and career prospects intact from Indonesian language training, I have moved on to professional training at FSI, specifically consular work.Many of my friends, upon...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Unga Bunga
Photo courtesy of Laura Kramka PetrieHappy news! I have completed the fast course for Bahasa Indonesia at FSI. I loved it and admitting that automatically guarantees me a seat at the inner circle of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ending Phase 1: Savoring DC and Falls Church, NOVA
Wrapping Up DC- Part 1We are definitely starting to feel that familiar feeling- the temporary mindset that kicks in when you are on the count down to leave a place. Sean and I will start thinking, "we...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Wrapping Up DC- Part 2
Wrapping Up DC- Part 2So, the Cherry Blossom Festival was beautiful. I'm grateful to have seen the entire area be covered in the pink blossoms. Truly glorious! But, Passport DC was by far our favorite...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ode to Oklahoma (With a Lesson in Cloud Watching)
Growing up in small town Oklahoma gave me a wonderful start in life. I love my home state because the people are friendly, gritty and they follow the Golden Rule- most of the time.But along with the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Rules For Packing Out (Without Freaking Out)
Reliving last summer's pack out nightmare is NOT my idea of a good time but it was such an extraordinary lesson in getting our crap together that I feel like one way to redeem our misery is to write...
View ArticleClik here to view.
It's Almost That Time...
With apologies to General Eisenhower's message to the troops on D-Day, things are starting to feel like that around here: Diplomats of the United States- the great undertaking for which you have been...
View ArticleClik here to view.
At Post- Hello Jakarta!
We've arrived at post! I would say things are going quite well so far. Jakarta is a very busy modern city. Getting around is tricky but there is a lot to see and do. The people are awesome, the food is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
It's Christmas in August!
For those of you readers who have been overseas for the State Department before, this blog post will seem like very old news. But, hallelujah, our UAB arrived! This was 800 lbs of stuff that we sent...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Learning Curve
I feel like the last two months I have been living way outside of my previous experiences and yet I feel oddly at ease living in Jakarta. But when I come up against a learning experience that requires...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Celebrating Three Years Of Having Three Kids
Today, the day after a very special anniversary for our family, I was invited to join some friends who were heading out to volunteer at a local orphanage. Being an adoptive parent, I am particularly...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How Did the Chicken Cross the Road?
The picture to the left is a typical Jakarta surface street on a Saturday morning when traffic is light. What the picture cannot tell you is that the speed limit here is basically, "How fast can you...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Now, That's The Stuff
We didn't join the Foreign Service just to interview people for visas and talk to people in our host country's government, as important as those things are. We also wanted to meet ordinary Indonesians...
View ArticleLong Absences and State Brain
So, obviously we haven't written in a while. Christmas Season at the house for L and Christmas travel season at the consular section for me made for a hectic end of the year. So, yes, we are still...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Home is Where the Stomach Is
One of the drawbacks of living overseas is missing all the food from back home. We are lucky and blessed to have a commissary at our post, so if you just can't live another day without your favorite...
View ArticleClik here to view.
All The Blog Posts In My Head
I have to apologize for my long silence but since I joined the "appreciating the work/life balance" crew (full time mom and full time employee) I struggle to find the creative space to sit down and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Article 2
A very McKeating anniversary: Sean and I just celebrated 24 years as married people in typical McKeating tradition- we packed boxes and were knee-deep in "stuff". Ah, the romance of a transcontinental...
View ArticleFirst Post Reflections
We are only a few days until lift off. Reflecting back two years ago I can't believe how incredibly good our tour here has been. Rest assured, "incredibly good" does not mean super easy, low stress, or...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Welcome Back to NOVA. Did You Bring Your Checkbook?
After living for two years in Jakarta, we got very familiar with insane traffic, the same weather every day, and an inshallah attitude to things that should have worked or been available but weren't....
View ArticleA Few Months Into Our Second Post- Brasília, Brazil
We feel like legit Foreign Service people now that we are on our second tour. We can use words that make us sound a little less inexperienced , such as... "I remember my first EER season" or "Before...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Not Home For The Holidays
Happy Holidays 2012- The McKeating VersionEstablishing new holiday traditions sounded like a welcomechallenge for me because for years I've gone with the obligatory flow of cook this, go here, do...
View Article
