Welcome to our unaccompanied tours (UT) blog, Foggy Bottom Rambles! We can share information, programs, and resources quickly with you and since blogs are a two way street, we (and the other readers) can hear from you. What's in a name you say? This blog reflects how we (back here in DC, Foggy Bottom area) provide information (rambles) to you. Find websites and information, upcoming webinars, programs and events. FLO does not endorse organizations or companies linked-to in this blog, the views they express, or the products/services they offer. Let us know what you think: contribute to the blog or email us at FLOAskUT@state.gov.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

And now, coming to you all the way from Danville, CA...

... a featured posting by a fellow blogger, Jen.  Jen's husband is preparing for an unaccompanied tour and she writes about the lessons learned when he was off on training on her family blog (which we also linked to on the left hand side).  Reading through Jen's post reminded me of the year that my fiance, JT (former resident of Danville - small world!), was at the US Embassy in Baghdad.  I was here in DC (it was our second year apart) and I certainly didn't get enough sleep or exercise, take well-deserved breaks, rid my apartment of useless stuff (well I tried when I moved apartments), and my patience was lacking at times. JT was in Iraq during some pretty rough periods and my constant news-reading and Reuters searches of "US Embassy Baghdad" were not helpful to my overall well-being.  Sometimes I would decline an invitation from a friend to see a movie or grab dinner because I would want to be available to talk when/if he called.  There are things that you can't control and I've learned now to let those things go and try not to let those things get to me too much. 

I know a lot of you readers out there have helpful advice or tips that are helping or helped you manage an unaccompanied assignment (whether you were the employee on the UT or the family member).  If you blog and have postings you would like to share, please comment or send me an email at FLOaskUT@state.gov.  Or, if you would just like to email me a story, thought, idea, or tip, please do so!

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