For years, my dream was to live overseas. I was obsessed, it was all I wanted to do. Live outside the US. "I don't care where. Anywhere!" When we were in Portland and Peter got in with the State Department or should I say, when they snatched him up, we were told we would get a direct assignment. That means, we would be assigned a place they couldn't coerce anyone currently employed to go to, some garden spot. I was pleasantly surprised when we were given a short list to choose from rather than just handed an assignment. That list: Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, some Ickystan I honestly can't remember the name of now and Niger. "I don't want to go to any of those places!" I moaned.
Our bid list last time was pretty darn sweet. It was easy to come up with six places we wanted to go after Niger. The list this time is ten times longer than our first-ever list--although not really if you take Baghdad, Islamabad and Kabul off the list--and I'm having the same reaction I had back in Portland. There is no Sofia, Bulgaria, no Budapest, no Romania, no Poland, let alone London or Vienna or even Prague. No Tokyo or Bangkok. No Tunisia or Morocco. And now I have to consider that this is where Camille will go high school in the fall of 2011. So a potentially sweet little post like Moldova isn't an option. As usual, there are tons of African posts, I mean, Ghana! Harare! Madagascar. I love Africa but it is so. far. away.
Peter is trying to talk me down out of my tree, "You loved Niger!" My head is swimming. Okay. Breathe. Kyiv is good. How about Kathmandu?
Oy. Suddenly I love Moscow so much, I'm hugging it hard.
Oh...bidding time is so hard. All the people we served with in Kyiv that had previously served in Moscow seemed to love it that much more. If that helps at all.
Posted by: Jennifer | October 23, 2009 at 05:06 AM
What about any where in South America?
And Kyiv sounds like a good top choice.
Posted by: Melissa | October 23, 2009 at 08:01 AM
This is very hard, and everybody has an opinion. I miss Moscow very much, first hand. we'll be back, I need to miss it more.
Posted by: mc | October 23, 2009 at 09:20 AM
Ickystan? LOL. That's great.
We seriously looked a Kyiv a while ago. I could do Kyiv. I think it would be Moscow Lite.
I felt the same was about Bratislava. BRATISLAVA, people! when we first thought we would have to leave there. BRA-TI-SLAVA. Never thought I would come to miss it, but I do. I'm not feeling that way about Moscow yet. But who knows. Stranger things have clearly happened.
And, yeah . . . no South America?
Posted by: The Expatresse | October 23, 2009 at 12:10 PM
I have to admit that I didn't even know a few of the places. Are you only there for 2 years?
Posted by: Tina | October 23, 2009 at 02:53 PM
Oh my, oh my,
and I thought I had it bad living in three time zones, one is mine and two are of my children (5 hours and 15 hours away from mine).
I remember that I liked Bratislava when I visited it long time ago, but not as much as Prague.
Kiev is really pleasant and pretty city, again only was there as visitor.
Moldova used to be lovely, and Kishinev is very southern: white walls and a lots of small tree covered streets. Have no idea what it is now.
Good luck.
And you better get down from that tree!
Olga
Posted by: olga vladimirsky | October 23, 2009 at 05:54 PM
Kiev? (I certainly do not like that icky spelling. Kiyv? Come on, it's KIEV.) KIEV is the birthplace of Russia; it's more Russian than Moscow. Whatever. Good luck, my dears!!!
Posted by: MamaLana | October 23, 2009 at 06:01 PM
I don't like spelling it KYIV either, but, as I learned, this is how it is transliterated when it has been spelled in Ukrainian.
Posted by: The Expatresse | October 24, 2009 at 11:10 AM
If you don't like any of the places on the bid list and you do not want Camille to attend high school in these locations...
Why don't you just return to Portland? Portland is a great city!
Posted by: Anita | October 24, 2009 at 10:57 PM
Oh... I had thought you guys hoped to stay longer in Moscow. Not an option? Kyiv would be nice... How's the American school in Madagascar? The French School could be an option there again... Seriously: Baghdad, Kabul and Islamabad? I don't think so...
Now that you're already thinking of the next move, it highlights how we HAVE to get together. I'm off to Scotland with my students this week until Nov. 8th. Let's plan something for after that!
Posted by: MoscowMom | October 25, 2009 at 06:09 AM
Madagascar sounds nice although I have only seen it in cartoons. There is a guitar style and good music coming out of there but I don't know much about the high schools. If you are thinking Africa again, I am in contact with a prince in Nigeria who I sometimes send funds to.
Posted by: JMc | October 25, 2009 at 07:01 AM
Yeah Jim. There's a bank there who's ad says, "Most trusted bank in Nigeria." Ha ha.
Posted by: Dina herself | October 25, 2009 at 10:15 PM
It must be so strange to have to think about this now. I think I am panicking with you. But wherever you go will be wonderful because it's you and Peter and Stefan and Camille and your family brings so much love with it. Of course, *we* wish you'd come back to Oregon!!
Posted by: JenniferMargulis@jeffnet.org | October 30, 2009 at 09:54 AM