It's hard to believe I have only 40 days left of my first Foreign Service assignment in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Time flies. Or, as the locals might say in Russian - время летит. Or, perhaps in the language of my next assignment - o tempo voa!
Where is my next assignment?
Sao Paulo, Brazil!
In just 40 days, I'll head to Florida for home leave for a month, and then I'll be in Washington for five months for Portuguese language training. And in September, I'll head to Sao Paulo.
The question on my friends', family's and colleagues' minds? "Are you ready?" Yes and no. I'm definitely looking forward to the changes, but I'm not yet organized. I have a lot of work to wrap up, and the pack-out planning is forever a work in progress!
I'll be writing a little more about Kyrgyzstan before I leave and probably more upon my return to the States. In brief, I've learned a lot both personally and professionally during this assignment. It was a good place to land for a while. I'm leaving during winter, which is bittersweet. It will be nice to head toward the warmth and away from the cold, but I'll miss a couple of things about Kyrgyzstan: the fresh fruits and vegetables the summer brings and going to Issyk Kul.
Looking forward.