We are alive!
Our internet is iffy, we only have wifi with an antennae right now like Kigali. But the fiber optic cable is supposed to be here within 6 weeks, or so they say. I am loving the pool, it even has a little waterfall in the corner. I have swam almost everyday. It has been overcast and rainy off and on. We are coming into the rainy season. The house is nice, but there is no guest bungalow, :( All the bedroom are in one hall behind a safe haven door. Eric's ARSO, Lynn Wells, is great. Her personality is perfect for Eric. She is smart, capable, and a self starter, but she is also nice, easy going, and friendly. Her brother is LDS, he joined the church when he was a teen. She grew up in Santa Maria, my first area on my mission, small world. She is letting me use her car until ours gets here. I even went to the grocery store and the embassy by myself. I have to say things like "now I am going to make a left hand turn, right handed." I only panic when no one else is on the road and I can't remember if I am on the right side or not, haha. We have had workers here all week painting. There was a face in every window until Thursday. I have officially been offered the CLO position, now we have to jump through all the DC hoops and such. Don't know how long it will take, but I am glad I have been able to be here through all the work and hook ups.
An easy way to describe what A CLO does is I am the Relief Society pres. of the embassy. I work with the assistant ambassador to make sure the people are happy and doing well. I keep him informed if there are illnesses, problems, or concerns among the people and families. I plan parties and other social events for the embassy community. I liaison with the schools to make sure there are openings for incoming students, work with any needs the school may have, and work with school administration if there are any problems. I am also a part of the emergency action committee. If there was an emergency, I represent the needs of the family and communicate any instructions back to the families. I am also a listening ear to anyone who needs. My other hat is cruise director. I plan parties and events to keep people happy happy happy.
We went to dinner at the DCM's (assistant ambassador) house. It was our first social outing.It was nice. I really like everyone I have met so far. So much more personable than either Baghdad or Belgrade. I was ready to go home before Eric. Usually, he dreads these things. Eric seems to really like most of the people he is working with. They seem to be good eggs.
Our things should start arriving in the next couple of weeks. It will be nice to settle in. I am already thinking about where I want to put things. We have three fireplaces. One in the living room, family room, and the den. They just remodeled the kitchen and the two bathrooms. They are really nice. We have hardwood floors and a front porch and a back veranda as well as a huge built in barbecue with a patio. Yesterday I strolled around the yard. We have a mango tree, a mulberry bush, a grapefruit tree, a papaya tree, an avocado tree, and a banana tree! Very excited. We also have a large garden that we will need the gardener to replant when he gets here next week. He is in South Africa right now. This is the nicest place we have lived.
We went shopping Saturday. They have really nice shopping here. We even found the Gouda cheese we liked in Rwanda. Eric bought him some running shoe. It is strange to be in a country that speaks English and uses the US dollar. We went to a store that was really cool. It is called Finnerday's. It was established over a 100 year ago by white Zimbabweans. It is a hunting, fishing, safari gear store. Really cool stuff they even have their own shoe line with shoes made of water buffalo and some kudu, a type of deer. Eric wants the kudu shoes. I told him if he uses his running shoes three days a week for three months he can buy them. He was thrilled with the idea, haha. The manager's name is Petah (Peter) and he couldn't be cast better if Hollywood did the casting. He has a long ponytail, sideburns, a shirt unbuttoned enough to know he has a really hairy chest, and he knows his stuff.
We finally located our housekeeper. She had been the housekeeper of the previous RSO. We had agreed to hire her, but with us arriving so late and having our house changed at the last minute, we couldn't find her. Eric had his local investigator find her. She has been working for embassy families since 1985! She has been the housekeeper for the RSO for 20 years. She is getting older. It is probably a good thing we don't have kids with us. I don't think she could handle the work load. She starts Monday. It is different here we have maid/gardener quarters on the property. It will be strange to have them living here.
Internet still hit and miss.
Love,
Kathy
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Downtown Harare
Those beautiful flowering trees are everywhere and they smell wonderful |
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