During this time of isolation, snail mail has taken on new meaning and I've enjoyed having the time to read and respond to handwritten notes and letters. Last week, some of the staff still working in the Consulate in China sent us a package of beautiful handwritten notes and cards encouraging everyone evacuated in D.C from afar. One of the notes read, "There is a Chinese idiom 见字如晤 which means seeing your handwriting is like seeing yourself. I think that is the reason why I really like handwriting postcards so much" and I couldn't agree more. Sean and I like to put the cards we receive on the fridge to brighten up the generic hotel room decor a little bit.

Are you writing to anyone these days?

What I'm listening to:

The Dream podcast - Hosted by an alum of This American Life, this podcast is described as a "vibrant and sustained inquiry into various systems of capitalist exploitations." I am loving their first season of episodes on MLMs.

Last weekend I attended my first wedding online; a bunch of us dressed up and joined a Zoom call to watch as a few family members streamed a live ceremony of a friend and his new wife in Michigan. The Coronavirus has certainly pushed love to its limits but it hasn't snuffed it out entirely. Instead, we are learning to love in new and different ways.


More than ever, I'm grateful to be quarantining with Sean and it makes me think of having had to go through training and the government shutdown alone in the past which was really tough. A couple of things have helped us to try and enjoy this time together rather than go crazy. Here are a few:

1. Our hotel suite has one bedroom with TVs in both the bedroom and the living room. Although it's fun to watch a movie together, sometimes we shut the door and do our own thing and that's ok.

2. We maintain connections with our own friends. Sure, we do the group internet happy hours and group game nights, but we also shut the door and call our own, individual friends as well.

3. We get out and walk together every day. This is something we look forward to and an activity that we enjoy doing as a couple.

4. We plan little events to look forward to every weekend and at the end of the month. Maybe we pay to rent a movie we've been wanting to see online, order takeout, map out an interesting hike or sleep in and cook a big breakfast. Whatever we do, it's fun to have shared things to look ahead to in the future.

5. We dream together. Lately, we've been making lists of what we want to do and where we want to travel when we return to China and when we'll be back in the States on home leave. We've also talked about bigger dreams in a few years like maybe taking leave without pay/time off from work and doing a long thru-hike or working for the National Park Service.

6. We help each other. Sean and I have completely opposite skill sets and swapping them to help the other comes both as a challenge and a comfort. I'm helping him with his online graduate school assignments and he's coaching me through getting back in shape.

7. We hold each other accountable for goals and follow up with rewards. At the beginning of April, we outlined a few things we wanted to accomplish each day and made some charts to hold each other accountable. This works for us because if I don't make it, I'm not just letting myself down, I'm letting Sean down too.

Is everything perfect? Not at all. In a tiny hotel suite we easily drive each other nuts. I'm messy and moody and I get annoyed when Sean gets to sleep in but I have to get up and log on to work. We don't like the same movies and TV shows. Sean gets frustrated when I buy too many things online or when I'm on my phone too much. It goes on and on. But love in the time of Corona has given us a chance to slow things down, focus on what works and accept the fact that when things aren't working, we can step back, shut the door and retreat into our own spaces for awhile. More than anything, however, I'm grateful for his company and companionship; without a doubt, all of our time apart has made us appreciate the gift of being with each other, especially during self-isolation in a global pandemic.

What we're watching:
McMillions - a docuseries on HBO about the corruption and scandal the FBI broke about McDonalds Monopoly game. Although it's about one episode too long, we really enjoyed the program and looked forward to watching a new episode each night.

How are you spending your time while staying at home and social distancing? I know that this time is incredibly challenging for many people because of losing a job, having to suddenly work at home while also teach children and losing in-person support networks because of the need to self-isolate. For me and Sean, this time together has been a much-needed pause button on life. We feel grateful to have a job, a place to live (that supplies us with toilet paper) and each other while getting through this crisis. To be honest, although it's been strange not to be able to go out and socialize, we are the most relaxed and happy that we've been in a long time. I think this is because we don't have the rush and stress of hurrying to be anywhere, we're getting enough sleep, we're eating healthy and not going out to eat and drink in restaurants, we're going out to walk and run together (following social distancing rules) and most of all we're spending time just enjoying being together while playing ping pong, card games, doing puzzles or having fun with Google 3D animal images.


I talked to my sister yesterday and she mentioned that she felt like she suddenly had energy again to plan events (albeit virtual ones), be creative, connect with others and think up future projects. She thinks this new-found energy is because she's able to work from home and take a break from life's pressing obligations and the stress of the normal daily grind. I completely agree. Here's some of the things that Sean and I are enjoying during the stay-at-home order when I'm not teleworking:

• Cooking
• Playing ping pong
• Doing the NYT crossword together every day
• Watching streaming services (the hotel provides Netflix, Showtime, Prime and HBO)
• Going out for walk or a hike
• Writing letters and postcards
• Taking online classes (Sean's working on an MA I'm working on a PhD)
• Connecting with others via social media and FaceTime
• Talking on the phone
• Taking long showers or baths
• Playing cribbage and other card games
• Indoor camping
• Taking naps
• Reading
• Listening to music
• Studying Chinese
• Doing yoga
• Listening to podcasts
• Journaling
• Doing puzzles
• Planning future vacations

What are you doing to stay survive and thrive during COVID-19?

Weeks on end of self-isolation due to COVID-19 seem like the perfect time to return to blogging. I've missed writing a lot and there's been several times in the past year or so when I've tried to remember what Sean and I did or recall where we went and was disappointed when I realized that I hadn't documented it so there would be no reference to check later. I'm looking forward to sharing about life in the Foreign Service in future posts but until then, let me catch you up on where we left off:

June 2018 - I finished my first year of the English Language Fellowship in Mbarara, Uganda and returned home to spend a glorious summer in Michigan going to the beach, eating ice cream, sailing (thanks, Mindy!) and seeing family. One of the biggest highlights was buying a small house in Holland with Sean and his sister, Jen.

August 2018 - I attended the English Language Fellowship orientation in Washington, D.C. to prepare for my second year as a fellow - this time in Entebbe at a different university - and the highlights were seeing other ELFs there for their second year as well and having the opportunity to speak to the entire group about social media engagement during the fellowship as a program alumna.

September 2018 - I returned to Uganda (Sean followed about two weeks later) and spent the first week or two finding a place to live, getting a car, and figuring out my role and work responsibilities at Nkumba University.

October 2018 - The day I received the formal invitation to join the Foreign Service was the same day that Sean departed for Antarctica to spend 5 months there during the summer season as a dishwasher. I ended my fellowship, returned to Michigan and spent a very busy and stressful two weeks packing up my and Sean's lives for training in Washington, D.C. followed by a career abroad. There was so much to do and I felt completely overwhelmed during this month - there was no way I could have done this without the help of my mom.

November 2018 - I started "A-100" which is the name for the first six weeks of training for the Foreign Service. The month and a half was an extremely intense, challenging and social time where we learned about the Department of State and got to know our fellow officers as we prepared for a life of service around the world in embassies and consulates.

December 2018 - A-100 concluded with "Flag Day" when I found out that my first assignment was in China. Then I had two weeks of "Area Studies" training followed by spending the holidays with my family in Michigan.

January 2019 - The government shutdown occurred during which I entertained a lot of visitors in D.C. and Skyped with Sean as much as I could while he was in Antarctica.

February 2019 - I started Chinese language training at the Foreign Service Institute.

March 2019 - Sean returned from Antarctica and also started Chinese language training.

April - October 2019 - Our lives were filled with Chinese language training, which was enjoyable but stressful because we knew we had to pass the final speaking and reading test.

November 2019 - "ConGen" training was offered for both me and Sean when we learned about U.S. immigration law, visas, American citizen services and crises management.

December 2019 - We moved to Shenyang, China where I started working at my first post, the U.S. Consulate in Shenyang.

January 2020 - Sean and I returned to the U.S. for a week of required training and got "caught out" from Post. This means that while we were abroad, the U.S. Ambassador to China issued Authorized Departure due to COVID-19 so Sean and I were not allowed to return to Shenyang.

February-March 2020 - Sean and lived in a hotel in Arlington and I reported to work every day in one of the HQ buildings of the U.S. Department of State doing a new "bridge" or temporary assignment for Consular Affairs.

April 2020 - We're in the same hotel, but now I am teleworking (working from home) and we are self-isolating because of the spread of the Coronavirus.

Whew, that was a lot to catch up on and I regret that I hadn't kept up with this blog because so many interesting things happened in our lives. I know I will wish for that digital memory in the future when I can't remember details of those events.

I'm looking forward to writing about a few of the events I mentioned and about life in China while the stay-at-home order has hit the pause button on life and allowed me to slow down, take time to write and read, and get plenty of sleep. Thanks for following along and I hope your quarantime is just as relaxing!

It has been a crazy last couple of months and a lot of changes happened in a very short amount of time. I received an offer to become a U.S. diplomat while I was in Uganda, moved back to Michigan to pack up, relocated to D.C. to start training and Sean moved to Antarctica for a seasonal support staff position on McMurdo Station. The last few months have been so busy and a bit stressful that I feel like I've barely had a moment to breathe, but with the government shutdown I am enjoying the time to relax and the feeling that I have a bit of my life back (while also worrying about not being paid).

I'm looking forward to updating this blog not only with current goings-on but also with narratives about the process of becoming a Foreign Service Officer. Reading others' experiences certainly helped me in my journey and I'm hoping to pay it forward. Thanks, as always, for following along and happy new year!

Although I'm very grateful to have a second opportunity to be an English Language Fellow (ELF) in Uganda, the time between the two contracts was very limited which made the vacation I was able to spend at home much shorter than I would have liked. Because of this, I packed in as much as I could and saw as many family and friends as possible which made the break in Holland fun but certainly not relaxing.

During the first week, I enjoyed a lovely sail with Mindy and an evening with Emily as well as a visit to Coppercraft distillery with Susie, Al and Marcus. On Friday, I spent the day with Al and we had fun exploring the Tanger Outlets and going out for lunch before we met up with Susie, Marcus and the rest of their gang to hit up Food Truck Friday and then Movies in the Park in Grand Rapids. Susie and I had planned a sister's weekend and spent Saturday at the Farmer's Market, Art in the Park, lunch at Big Lake Brewing and the afternoon at the beach topped off by an obligatory visit to Captain Sundae.



The first week at home flew by and before I knew it I was boarding a plane for Washington D.C. for a week of English Language Fellowship training and professional development. As a "Renewing Fellow", I had a lot more responsibilities than last year including a presentation on using social media as an outreach tool for the big group and several smaller presentations about challenges and successes of my first year during the Africa ELF breakout sessions. The best part about being in DC was seeing all of my ELF friends that I had made during my first year but hadn't seen since the mid-year seminar. It was also nice to see the faces of the program administrators with whom I communicate via email constantly but have never met in person.




From D.C. I flew back to Grand Rapids where I met Sean who had just flown in from Oregon where he finished his summer as a Trip Leader for Adventure Treks. We drove to a hotel in Grand Rapids to celebrate our 7th anniversary and catch each other up on the adventures of the past three months. Staying downtown GR was a blast and we enjoyed walking to check out Brewery Vivant and Founders Brewing Company throughout the weekend.



After we returned to Holland, the focus was on family and we both had several events lined up. The first was Sean's dad's retirement dinner at Marigold Lodge which was made especially enjoyable by the fact that everyone was in town to celebrate, including Jen (teaches in Saudi Arabia), Kate (works in Hawaii) and Jess (studies in Florida). Other family highlights included a picnic with my birth family, a family breakfast and hang-out day with my cousins Craig and Dave and pizza at the beach with Mom, Dad, Susie, Marcus and Sean.



The other thing that kept me busy was preparing our newly purchased house for renters. Back in May, Sean, Jen (Sean's sister) and I pooled our funds and bought a small house on the south side of Holland. Since we all teach abroad, the plan was to live in it during the summers and rent it out during the year. The amount of paperwork that was required to purchase a house and then obtain all of the proper documentation to rent it legally was extremely time-consuming and a steep learning curve. I hope our new renters enjoy it as much as we have!



This week I've returned to Uganda and am working on getting settled in a new university and in a new apartment. Sean arrives this weekend and will stay until the end of September until he moves to Antarctica for a seasonal job, but more on that later. Thanks for reading and following along!

The blog has taken a backseat to life as an English Language Fellow (ELF) so let me share some updates on how this summer is going while I have a decent internet connection.



Sarah

I am finishing up the last two months of my English Language Fellowship in Mbarara, Uganda. Classes ended in May and I finished giving and grading final exams right before taking off to Michigan to attend two weddings of good friends (Congratulations Jenna and Brian and Arun and Connie!). Also, Sean, his sister and I pooled our money to buy a small house, which has been an exciting new venture. After a quick trip home, I returned to Uganda and have been working on some projects now that things at the university are pretty quiet. One big project was a weekend teacher training workshop with the Ugandan National English Language Teaching Association (UNELTA) which took place last weekend. We're working together on equipping English clubs with entrepreneurial and business skills so students can make a little money, learn how to run a small business and practice English in an authentic way. Another big project was working with Rotary International and the American Refugee Committee to put together some events at Nakivale Refugee Camp for International World Refugee Day. The next big event is in Tanzania which is a collaboration with several other ELFs. We are hosting a two day conference followed by a five-day training for 50 English teachers coming from all over East Africa. After that, I only have a couple of weeks before I fly back to the U.S. on July 29 - can't wait! Besides training in D.C. from August 6-11, I'll have some time at home before returning to Uganda on August 24 for a second year of ELFing.




Sean

Sean left Uganda in early May to get ready for his first summer of being a Trip Leader with Adventure Treks. He will be leading trips in the Pacific Northwest July and August and will return to Holland roughly the same time I get back from D.C. I'm following along with his summer trips on the Adventure Treks blog, which has been a lot of fun. Sean has his annual Labor Day trip with friends along with an additional backpacking trip to Isle Royal before, which he has been looking forward to.

I'm looking forward to some time in Holland to see Sean, friends and family and soak up some Michigan paradise before heading back to Africa at the end of August. I wish it were longer than two weeks, but I'm grateful for the break before starting a new contract at a new university and in a new city. Fingers crossed that I'll have better internet to update this blog in Entebbe compared with access and connectivity in Mbarara. Thanks for reading and enjoy your summer!