I just had a wonderful surprise. I love working with USAID. It is not surprising that an organization who's entire job is to care about others would be full of caring people, but it still brings daily delight when their caring is expressed. Today that caring was directed toward me. It is my birthday. All my family and friends were wondering what kind of birthday I would have in lock down on an embassy compound. So far it has been lovely. My kids called this morning to wish me a happy one. My husband gave me a beautiful Boluva watch before he left for work. I was called to a planning meeting and when I arrived there was a gorgeous chocolate cake with my name written in Arabic and everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to me including the director. I almost cried. My dear Iraqi coworker brought the cake in with her to work this morning. Coming to work entails dropping off her child before 6:00 am and driving through check points to arrive at the Embassy at 8:00 am. The check points are a few 100 meters apart. At each check point she has to stop her car, roll down the windows, open the trunk and hood, get out and step away from the car. During the election season it was taking them sometimes 7 hours and they wouldn't make it in to work before the end of the day.
I just had a wonderful surprise. I love working with USAID. It is not surprising that an organization who's entire job is to care about others would be full of caring people, but it still brings daily delight when their caring is expressed. Today that caring was directed toward me. It is my birthday. All my family and friends were wondering what kind of birthday I would have in lock down on an embassy compound. So far it has been lovely. My kids called this morning to wish me a happy one. My husband gave me a beautiful Boluva watch before he left for work. I was called to a planning meeting and when I arrived there was a gorgeous chocolate cake with my name written in Arabic and everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to me including the director. I almost cried. My dear Iraqi coworker brought the cake in with her to work this morning. Coming to work entails dropping off her child before 6:00 am and driving through check points to arrive at the Embassy at 8:00 am. The check points are a few 100 meters apart. At each check point she has to stop her car, roll down the windows, open the trunk and hood, get out and step away from the car. During the election season it was taking them sometimes 7 hours and they wouldn't make it in to work before the end of the day. 
My name is the squiggles you can see at the front of the cake. It reads from right to left.
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