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| The Countries of the Middle East |
That is the question Mary and I often face from Anne. Sometimes I guess we are just hard to figure out. So, I guess some of our family and friends often have the same question for us as some of you catch wind on what we are up to, or where we are going, so with this first post, I thought I should provide some sort of FAQ to clarify. Here are some of the most common questions we are asked.
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| The Countries of North Africa |
1. What are you guys even doing? I have switched career paths in the Army from a Logistics Officer to become a Foreign Area Officer. Our 'Foreign Area,' to which we have been assigned is North Africa and the Middle East, as such, the first stop on my training pathway is a 64 week stop in Monterey, California in order to learn Modern Standard Arabic, the language of the Middle East and N. Africa, hence the strange squiggles you see in the title of this blog. Our next stop will be a year living in the region, specifically in Kuwait, and travelling and immersing ourselves in the region, and its culture and language, finally we will return to the US in order for me to pursue a Masters Degree in International Relations at a university as yet to be determined. Clear? مفهوم؟
2. Aren't you scared to take your family to the Middle East? Short Answer: No. لا Longer Answer, Still No, but it isn't as if the thought of living abroad, or more specifically taking two blond haired fair skinned women to countries who, to put it mildly, don't put the same value on women's rights as we do hear, doesn't give me a fair bit of pause. But, that being said, among the people of the region, family is of the utmost importance. Families live in the region. American Families. With blond hair. Obviously it won't be easy, but that doesn't mean it won't be rewarding. I don't discount the potential for dangerous situations in the Middle East, but I think by taking the proper precautions, we will be safe, or as safe as can be. I don't think where we are going will be any more dangerous that some of the things we do here everyday, and don't think twice about.
3. What does Mary think about all this? Probably the question I get the most. And hopefully she will write something here to shed some light on her thoughts. I won't put the words in her mouth, but will only say this. I can't imagine anyone else better suited to take this adventure with. I can't imagine in 15 years we will look back on taking this opportunity and regret it, or think it wasn't worth the challenges we faced.
4. What is Anne going to do when you are in Kuwait? There are a number of excellent American Schools in Kuwait City (rich oil guys like their kids to have good western style educations). Anne's school will be funded by the government, so we will most likely enroll here in kindergarten, however as we travel throughout the region, we will take Anne with us and out of school. I can't imagine it will be better for her brain to sit in school rather than taking a cruise down the Nile through the Valley of Kings, or see the ruins of Petra, or the Dome of the Rock. I think of it as the ultimate field trip.
5. What does a Foreign Area Officer Do? Good question without a concise answer. Foreign Area Officers work for the Department of Defense at the Embassy Level in countries throughout the world. The Defense Attache, the senior defense official, is the primary defense advisor to the ambassador, and is often a FAO. FAOs advise foreign government's on defense and military issues. FAOs facilitate Foreign Military Sales. FAOs advise regional level commanders (I.E. CENTCOM, EUCOM, AFRICOM) the details of the region or country of which they are an expert. FAO's put on their fancy uniforms and go to fancy parties and show of their beautiful spouses in fancy dresses.
