The packers came and crated up all my household items to be shipped (by sea) to Maryland and stored there until  I get to my follow-on assignment in Budapest in 2012.  I had already sorted out all the items that will be shipped by air to Baghdad so they will be there when I arrive in September.   I am entitled to ship 300 lbs to Baghdad by air, plus whatever I have in my two suitcases.  I’m tossing in my Mac, Apple TV, and Keurig coffee machine in the air freight.  They will pick that stuff up two days before I fly out.  Anything else that won’t fit in my suitcase at that time will have to be mailed.

I depart Singapore on 1 July, and fly to Washington DC, where Megan will be waiting for me.  She left her post in Fiji yesterday, as she has to attend the FACT course, like I did before I went to Pakistan.  I’m taking some classes at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) for a month, and then on August 02, Megan and I rent a car and drive around the U.S. to visit relatives and take some time to play in Las Vegas.

Map of our Home Leave route

Map of our Home Leave Route

We’ll be in training (TDY) all of July, and on leave all of August driving around the country.  On our trip, in addition to all the family visits, we’ll visit our daughter in New Mexico (C), spend some time working with the dogs at Best Friends (D), seeing some shows in Las Vegas (E) and head up to Quebec to watch the Quebec International Military Tattoo (M).   August will be a busy, but fun month for Megan and I to catch up after being apart for three years!