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Sunday, January 9, 2011

Hasta La Vista...Iraq

I am sitting at the travel center waiting on my bus to the airport on my last few hours in Iraq. 

Yesterday I finished up my work and said goodbye to all my friends.  I guess it really hasn't sunk in yet that I am leaving Iraq FOREVER!  It feels like I am just going out on RR and it's no big thing.  Maybe I would feel different if I was going directly home but instead I am headed for a great vacation in Egypt. 

I will let you know how I feel when I am sitting in Dubai after returning from Egypt waiting on my flight home.  I look back 2 1/2 years ago and look at the little girl who came to this country and then I look at myself now and see a woman getting on that plane.  I have grown so much and like I said in my farwell speech thingy on Saturday during the weekly staff meeting...I have really enjoyed my time here and I have learned so much not only professionaly but also personally.  I will close this chapter in my life truly changed forever and definitely for the better. 

I am off to walk like an Egyptian!

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!!!!

It's snowing at home in Texas.  My mom sent me this video and look at how hard it's coming down.  I hope it will snow more once I get home in a couple weeks.

Friday, January 7, 2011

New Look

Ok I know this may seem like an obvious post but not if you're like me. 

I have changed the look of my blog and I LOVE IT!!!! 

I'm telling this is for two reasons.

1. Because if you are anything like me then you check on all the blogs that you follow by going to Google Reader.  Of course that's the easiest way I can read everyone's posts in one spot but the majority of the time I don't acutally go to your blog.  So get off Google and go check out my awesome new design.  I worked with Krystyn for about a week and it turned out just the way I wanted it.

2. and of course the second reason is to brag on Krystyn.  She is so easy to work with and does such a great job.  Go check out her portfolio here and see all the other awesome things like announcements she does too. 

Refreshing

Last night as I was sitting in my room not really doing much and I started thinking about the past couple weeks and how refreshing it was to meet and get to know someone new. Now as we already know, NOT EVERYONE is refreshing but the person I met and have gotten to know is very refreshing. Just a few positive characteristics this very handsome person has are maturity, open mindedness, southern, passionate, talkative, very polite, considerate, well traveled, laid back, responsible, smart, and adventurous. Ok so that might have been a few more than a few but I got on a roll and they are some really great qualities for a person to possess.

We talk for hours about all sorts of different things and never run out of things to say. Of course there are surprise conversations when we got to see the passion one holds for politics and how their views are a lot different from your own. It is nice to have an intelligent conversation with someone your age and know that it’s ok and even fun to have different opinions. It is also especially nice to have a conversation where you can express your views without being pressured to conform to their own beliefs. I would never want to be with someone who pushes their beliefs on me. It is ok to have a different opinion that is what makes life interesting and keeps things alive, plus what fun is it to have someone EXACLTY like me. I mean I love myself but if I wanted someone like me I would just be alone with no variety.

Along with surprise conversations that show us how we are different there are those conversations that show how we are alike in some ways: our love of traveling and the dreams we would love to make come true before we are old and settle into a more permanent lifestyle like kids and things, how we plan to make these dreams come true, and similar backgrounds that make it easier to relate to each other and sort of understand what each went through.

Then there are those little things that are just fun to talk about when you are learning about someone like food, music, home, favorites of this and that and just regular life facts.

I hate that I am leaving just when it’s getting good but that’s ok because we will keep in touch and I love reading his emails because I catch myself smiling the entire time I read them. If anyone is watching me I am sure they think I am a complete lunatic. Hahahaha

Anyways, I am refreshed all the same and plan to stay in touch with this super special person and keep on being surprised.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

3 Strikes and....Oh Wait

that's baseball and I need to be talking about bowling!!!


I have mentioned maybe once before that in the past year we have gotten a bowling alley.  Yes, in Iraq!!!  I have only been twice and that was in the past month or so and it's a great way to just have a little fun for a night with friends.  The first time I went I didn't bring my camera but this past Sunday when I went I made sure I had it and a full battery.  I knew that since I am leaving in what is now 4 days that I wouldn't be back out there and for sure wanted to capture some great memories.

                   Me               Vilera           Emma           Chris
                                   
                                 Emma                          Vilera            

I am not the best bowler and I don't foresee myself getting any better, bowling isn't really a hot activity in East Texas. HaHa  I would get lucky every once in a while and get a strike and that made it fun.  Of course everyone hates bowling shoes and to give mine that added touch of awesomeness I rolled my pants up and rocked the 1950's look.

 All in all it was a great night and I had a lot of fun with Darick, Chris, Vilera, and Emma.

Rising Tide

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Tuesday's Travel To Do- Vietnam

A few months ago when I was debating on where to go on my next trip I had a few ideas. My first thought was Curacao but I nixed that idea after I thought…. “Why travel all the way to the Caribbean for a vacation that will no doubt cost me more money when KBR will PAY me 10 days of vacation and my flight as long as my ticket cost less than $860? I can always go visit all the Americas and the Caribbean once I am back at home but for now I need to take full advantage of the great travel opportunities that this job has put in front of me.”

My next thought was Asia . It is super cheap and I really enjoyed Thailand so I started researching Asian countries that I thought I would enjoy. I decided on Vietnam . I had my whole trip pretty much mapped out and I was getting ready to turn in my paperwork when my Mom brought up a visa issue. Something that I didn’t know and never thought to look into was if I needed a visa or not. I usually forget about these pesky little papers because MOST of the time when vacationing a U.S. passport will get you into anywhere without anything else needed as long as you don’t stay over 30 days. WRONG this is not the case going to Vietnam or Egypt for that matter but Egypt visas are very easy to purchase at the airport. Anyways the US government travel website said that I could mail in my passport to a Vietnamese embassy to get my visa and then they would send it back. I wasn’t at all comfortable with this idea, I mean I was freaking out when I had to send my passport to the American embassy in Baghdad so in the end I decided against Vietnam, at least until I am in a place that I can actually visit the embassy and take care of the visa issue myself. As you all know I chose Egypt but more on that when I get back. Even though I am not going to Vietnam right now doesn’t mean that I am not COMPLETELY sold on going there some day, hopefully in the near future. I figured since I had done the leg work I might as well share some of my travel plan with you guys and maybe you will get inspired to visit this amazing country too. So without further ado…..this week’s TTTD is Vietnam .























When I was planning my trip I was going to stay in Ho Chi Minh City ( Saigon ) and then just venture out to the different destination around there and just see the sites. I was only planning for an 8 day journey and that includes flying there and back from Dubai . I will show you what I had in mind for myself and also some awesome adventurous treats for you that I just came upon today. CAVES and these are so beautiful they look like something out of Jurassic Park or Avatar, so green and big and well…just AWESOME!  The point of traveling Asia is to travel cheap and my intentions on this trip were to do it up backpacker’s style. I really want to venture out of my comfort zone and explore things on my own and stay in a backpacker’s hotel or otherwise known as a hostel. I found a really nice hostel where you can even have your own room with internet and the essentials for under $50/night. This is still probably a bit expensive for Asia you get your own bathroom and room which from what I read about hostel life is rare. Plus how often are you really in the room except to shower and sleep. Most people are out sightseeing and doing activities.

A few fast facts and recommendations:
  • Ho Chi Minh City is known to the locals as Saigon or HCMC.
  • HCMC is the largest city in Vietnam and was the former capital of the Republic of Vietnam .
  • The current capital of Vietnam is Hanoi which is in the opposite direction of HCMC and is also the second largest city.
  • HCMC is in the South of the country and Hanoi in the North.
  • For an authentic Vietnamese meal try a restaurant named Quan An Ngon
  • HCMC is broken down, like most cities, into districts.
  • District 1 is pretty much the all around district there are hotels, bars, shops, restaurants that can all be visited by walking and lets not forget the sightseeing that District 1 holds. District 1 also houses the Ben Tanh Market where you can look through all the silk shops and last the backpacker’s district of Pham Ngu Lao is within District 1.
  • District 3 is the business district and where you will find most embassies.
  • District 5 is known as Chlon or Chinatown and this district has the older temples and market area.
Now on to pictures and a few must sees.  Please keep in mind this is only from what little research I have done.  There is so much more to Vietnam that just these few realy cool things.  I would love to just pack a bagck and spend a month venturing around and exploring the different areas of this country.

Cau Dai Temple in HCMC

Cu Chi Tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War, and were the Viet Cong's base of operations for the Tết Offensive in 1968. The tunnels were used by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous guerrilla fighters. The role of the tunnel systems should not be underestimated in its importance to the Viet Cong in resisting American operations and protracting the war, eventually culminating in an American withdrawal.

If you want to visit the beach near HCMC then just hop a bus that is about 3 hours long but ONLY cost $6 to Mui Ne Beach. This would make a nice overnight trip or even a busy day trip but for only $6. I think it’s worth the time not to mention the scenic views you are sure to capture on your way out of the city to the ocean.

I didn’t research Hanoi at all but I did find some great images to give you a bit of a taste.

Also in the north part of the country but more Eastern is Ha Long Bay.

Now for the amazing caves throughout Vietnam , this article was on Yahoo today and then one of my friends sent me this link to National Geographic Magazine and it shows more of this wonder. I couldn’t copy the pictures to show you but just click here or above and it will take you directly to the beauty of this cave. It is so beautiful and makes me want to go explore all over Vietnam to see all the neat things this country has to offer. There is an extensive network of about 150 caves in central Vietnam near the Laos border. They are truly breathtaking! The below pictures are from this website about caves in Vietnam just as amazing as the article and pictures in the above links.

Pack a backpack and head out for your Vietnamese adventure….I am right behind you!

Monday, January 3, 2011

Sunken Treasure

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Going Out or Coming In with a BANG.....However You Want To Look At It

I really have no idea how this, being my hair cut, ended up going down but it did and I am pretty pleased with it.   Last night there were several MWR events but all of them were cancelled due to high threats of being hit.  So Sharon, Shkurte, and I stayed in and just had a girls night.  We went and got pizza from Northend, which sadly I will miss when I leave Iraq, set up the movies in Shkurte's rooma and just relaxed.  You know we did the regular girl things.  I painted Skurte's toe nails and while I was doing that we talked about hair and how my face is round so I always feel like it looks fat when I take pictures.  I can't even remember how bangs came into the picture but soon Sharon was telling me how I would look with bangs.  I was agreeing with her and then Shkurte had the scissors.  I am very pleased with my new addition and I will like them even better as soon as I get use to having hair touch my face all the time and I train my bangs not to part down the middle. LOL 

We laughed at Superbad and stuffed ourselves with pizza and breadsticks just in time to yell together HAPPY NEW YEAR and take a few 2011 pictures.  Soon after I took me and my bangs to bed because I have stayed up way past my regular bedtime for the past couple nights and I was wiped out. 

Shkurte, Me, and Sharon ringing in 2011
It was a great way to start the new year and I enjoyed spending some QT with my girls in Iraq before I leave in ONLY 8 DAYS!!! WHOOP

One of my co-workers sent an email to Sharon with the below pictures saying that my new hair cut looks like Michelle Phiefer's hair in Scarface! LOL

 




What does everything think?  Does it look good, bad, what......



Happy 2011!

It's here! Can you believe it? 

A new decade. 

This is going to be one of the best decades of my life.  I am going to make sure of it. 

 Here's to the next year and the next ten.


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