One year and counting...

Today is August 1.  One year ago today (in fact, in 2 hours it'll be exactly one year) we arrived in South Africa after a 17 hour flight from Atlanta.  It wasn't a bad flight (certainly it could have been a lot worse) and we were excited to be there.  Also, wary of our arrival in what is billed as a "Critical Crime Threat" of a country.

After going through passport control, a man that looked like a porter grabbed a cart and said he'd help us out.  (After going to grab another cart with me, he asked me for a few hundred rands which is something they do to shake down new arrivals.)   When i didn't give him any more money to "help us" through Customs, he left our cart in the middle of the walkway and left.

Interesting start, don't you think?  Since then, though, it has been a pretty darn good tour.  1/3rd of the way through, we've had some good times, some bad times, some great weather and met some great people.  Lovely Little Girl has started to really thrive at her school, and next week she starts at the International School, something we never thought would happen.  Crazy Little Man started soccer, and stopped just as fast.  He's also started conversing better, and enjoys being a pest to his big sister.  He makes us laugh and drives us crazy with his antics.

South Africa has given us an opportunity to actually go out with our kids for dinner in places other than Wimpy's and McDonalds.  The country is very kid friendly, and very happy to be around kids.  Yeah there's crime, but we've been terribly lucky so far.  (knock wood.)

Lovely English Lass got involved in a charity, and then started work here at the Consulate.  She's doing a bang up job, which those of us who know her knew she would do.  I've overseen a large conference of Management Officers, a gathering of Ambassadors, a soon to be big visit, and a large move of people to our mission that will double our size in less than 2 months.

We've bought a lemon of a car, gotten into a large argument with a Customer Service Representative from our Bank, traded in the lemon for a good car, and moved forward.

LLG started swimming and hasn't wanted to stop since then.  She's definitely got her own style in swimming, but is very graceful in the water.  Swimming is one of the things that makes her feel right, and we'll continue to let her do it no matter the cost.

Last December we went and stayed at Sun City, made famous by Little Steven from the E Street Band.  Interesting place.  I also got to play golf at 3 different golf-courses and enjoyed every minute of it.

Johannesburg is stuck in the 1990s musically, but Kwa-Zulu Natal is stuck in the 1980s music wise.  I kind of dig that about this place.

This time next year I'll be searching for a new job.  I already have someone reaching out to me to ask about my job, which I don't leave until 2014.  When you're on assignment overseas, time can move very fast.  Hopefully it doesn't move too fast, as we kind of like it here.