Yesterday's 4th of July celebration at the US Embassy in Angola went off without a hitch.  Decy and I, two of approx 500 guests, were allowed in without all the normal security and ID checks.  I found that rather odd (all we had to do was show the invitation) but ok given that we were surrounded by marines and other security folks .... but ... one never knows.

As for the celebration event, it was basically a giant outdoor cocktail hour (3 hrs to be exact) .... we were greeted by the US Ambassador and other dignitaries.  As for speeches, the US Ambassador used her best Portuguese to give a 10 minute speech.  I give her an A for effort and C for quality.

I found it interesting that Decy and I knew (between the two of us) about 40 of the folks attending.  Didn't realize we has so many friends "in high places". 

Went home after the event, and enjoyed the early evening with my Decy, Thasya, and Chely.

Here in Angola, it is a normal workday.  BUT, I happen to have a special event this afternoon.  Decy and I are going to meet the US Ambassador to Angola at a special (by invitation only) 4th of July celebration/reception.  Should be interesting (I hope) and just not a bunch of overstuffed govt dignitaries.  My good friend George Amaral, a retired US Diplomat, arranged for the invitation.  Thanks George !!

Stay tuned .....

Had to work a bit on Sunday (real work, not relocation work). So, I'm in the office at 9am; Decy and the girls are to pick me up at approx 230pm.  Plan was to go out on the Ilha (penisula) to the Coconuts restaurant and have a late lunch; then go home.

Get to Coconuts (which is an outdoor restaurant) and they are full up. Do you think they would offer us a chair to sit in while we are waiting for a table to open up??? Noooooo ... finally 15 minutes later we have a chair.  30 minutes later we have a table.

After thoroughly reviewing the menu, we pick our foods.  When the waiter comes .... seems everything we want they are out of.  So, we have to cycle, recycle, and re-recycle.  Get through the order process, food comes .... for the girls, theirs came all at once.  For Decy and I, the vegetables and rice came 10 minutes after the meat .... meat was then cold.  Got thru the meal, almost done, order a kilo to come pick us up.

We end up waiting an hour for a kilo (which was stationed only about 2 miles away from us) ... frustration and anger abounds ... especially after having gone thru the same ordeal on Saturday.  Ok ... time to get off the Ilha .... TRAFFIC !!!!  urrrggghhh .... 1 hour later (no joke) we have travelled 2 miles ... to where the kilo was originally stationed ... only to be told that "shift change" had occurred and we needed to change drivers.

So .... at 4pm we called the kilo ... at 615 pm we do the driver change out ... total travel time 2 miles ... remaining distance to home - - - 6 miles.  I think we could have walked faster ... it certainly would have been healthier !!!

ciao ciao 

Ok, here we go again. On Friday AM we arrive at the hospital so they can read the results of the tuberculosis tests made on Tuesday.  We already know (from our own visual observations that something isn't quite right).  Hospital checks Chely and I ... all clear.  Hospital checks Decy and Thasya ... hmmmm 15 millimeter reaction.  Not good (10 mm is the limit for the "alarm"). We show the results to the ISOS Dr. He promptly orders x-rays for D&T.

We go to the lab.  Hmmm.  X-ray machine is broke.  Q:  When will it be fixed?  A:  In a week or two?  Q:  What do we do?  A:  Call us in a week or two to see if it is fixed.  MY THOUGHTS - UNACCEPTABLE !!!!  I promptly call our company Dr explain the situation ..... they advise us to immediately come to the office.  A couple of quick letters later, and a personal escort from one of our portuguese speaking (only) medic results in an emergency xray from a different clinic.  We rush the xrays back to the ISOS Dr.  - quick review ... ALL CLEAR, NO TB.

So what was all that about?  Well, apparently D&T have been "exposed" to TB and have built up an immunity, which is why they had a reaction to the test.  As for Chey and I, well we had no reaction, which means we have no immunity.  So, who really is at risk here?  Total time on Friday:  6 hours.

SATURDAY - Ok, during all the hassle/stress on Friday we were advised to be at the hospital on Saturday at 10am for our eye exams (instead of waiting until 12-Jul).  830am we leave the house. Get to the hospital, they have no idea what is going on.  10am, no Dr, no confirmation of appointment.  11am no confirmation, no Dr.  1130 am, confirmation but no Dr.  1200noon have 4 five minute exams ... and we are released.

Did you know I need glasses so I can read this "very tiny print at 18 inches"?  DUMB. Actually I can read the above without glasses (which is 1 font).  They must have given me 1/2 font .... thank God this was the last test. Now, I need a wrap up appointment.

Adding insult to injury on Friday ... had to wait an hour for a kilo.  Seems the dispatcher decided to ignore our request until our third phone call ... made it home at 2pm.  Total time: ~ 6 hours on MY Saturday.

ciao ciao

Not much happened on Wednesday on the "moving front".  Sent a 20 page packet to the S. African Embassy to apply for VISAs for Decy, Chely, Thasya to S. Africa ... and sent the audio exam results to the ISOS Dr.  I took a sneak peak at the results .... oddly (ahem) each person's results looked nearly identical to each others ... guess we could all hear the "baseline" auto traffic from outside.  hmmm, I can almost imagine the "beep, beep, beep" I still can't hear.

RE work, what a mess. Trying to dig out and not fall too far behind.  July and August will be killer months due to our "annual planning cycle".  Its tons of work, long hours, much frustration.  All at a time, when I am a "short timer", trying to pack up, and say goodbye to all my friends.

RE the continuing mega-saga on the relocation to Indonesia ...on Tuesday Decy, Chely, Thasya, and I received our TB tests.  Initially we were told to return to the hospital on Thursday, so they could observe the results. Then we were told to return on Friday.  We will return on Friday ... but I wonder which one is really correct .... because I understand that the results are supposed to be reviewed at 24 hours and 72 hours.

Decy collected the audio exam results Tuesday PM.  Today (Wednesday) I will have them courriered to the ISOS Dr.  When the tests were conducted the results were scribbled on scrap paper.  I wonder if they were "properly transcribed" to the official format.

Still working on a variance for the eye exam.  I think we will get that.

>>> Other relocation related news ... Decy and the girls now have their one-way, business class tickets from Luanda to Jakarta.  Singapore Airlines is fantastic ... and their business class is even better; they will enjoy that.

Also, today (Wednesday) I will submit Decy's and the girls applications for S. African VISAs so they can overnight in Johannesburg while in transit .... step by step.

ciao ciao 

As some of you have learned from previous blogs, driving (and riding in kilos) in Luanda is challenging, frustrating, and dangerous.  I received a call at work last night (7pm) that Decy was involved in an auto accident.

First, thankfully, nobody was seriously hurt.  Seems the kilo driver decided to suddenly change from the right lane to left lane to pass a vehicle.  Unfortunately (and is often the case) there was another vehicle in the left lane (which is usually not a full lanes width).  The left lane vehicle rear-ended Decy's kilo.

Police reports had to be completed so Decy held a brief interview in Portuguese, then she was whisked away in a substitute vehicle; followed by a quick medical check up.

.... this is the second collision for Decy in less than 1 year.  Thankfully, no serious injuries.

One key step to being relocated to Indonesia is for me and my family to obtain "medical clearance" to travel there.  Now, quite frankly, this is a bit of an oxy-moron ... because one of the key aspects is to ensure that we don't have any medical conditions that would put us at risk due to the "lack of adequate medical facilities in the host country".

So, what happens if we DO have a medical condition?  Does that mean we can't transfer to Indonesia and we must stay in Angola?  Presumably not, the medical facilities here SUCK (sorry for the strong language ... but you will understand later).

And, is the company really going to tell my Indonesia wife and step-daughters ... "sorry, hubby/daddy can go to Indonesia but you cannot"?  I think not !!!!  So why are we going through the ordeal of a medical release?  Because its a REQUIREMENT.

Read the story below ... and remember much of the below happens with folks who do not speak English.

About 10 days ago I get about 40 pages of paperwork to fill out and take to the Angola hospital.  I fill out my portions of the paperwork.  Then find out that the appt's are on Monday at 10am.  Ok, all set.

Monday at 8am, I get a phone call from our company medic, wanting to review my paperwork .... so I show her ... gasp, my forms are not her forms .... (even though my forms were given to me by the same medical department) ... and I must use "their" forms.  So, I rush to recomplete all the pages.

Get to the hospital at 930am with the family.  Am handed another 8 pages of forms to complete .... 90% of which is redundant to the forms already recompleted.

1015am get to see the ISOS (International SOS) Dr.  He starts reviewing the paperwork ... his response:  Wow, this is a lot of stuff, is this all required?.  My response: Don't know, these are the forms they gave me.

Power outage #1.

1030am, Dr calls company. Learns that ALL is required.

11am, all the forms and procedures are sorted out.  Paperwork is handed to a clerk, who is told to "start making appts".

1145am, get first set of blood work for all four of us.

12noon, am told our appts for the eye exams are set ... mid July ... yeah right (I will work on that later).

Power outage #2

1230pm, get into a bit of scuffle with the hospital as they are trying to give Chely a procedure that nobody else needs ... but I know (from watching the ISOS Dr that I am supposed to get EVERY procedure and the family gets the same or less ... so, if Chely has to go through it, then so do I).  I review the paperwork and it has somebody else's name on it ... requesting an HIV test.

Power outage #3.

1245-130pm, Chely, Decy and I give this HORRIBLY painful arterial blood sample .... WOWSER !!!!  Chely pretty much goes into shock.  We have to manage.  FYI, while waiting for Decy to get her shot, some laborer comes into the hospital with flipflops .... with a construction wheel barrow (covered in dirt, dust, trash, cement).  Inside is about 5 boxes of copy paper, which he carries to the 2nd floor.  Gee, that looks sanitary ... but then I forgot, the wheel barrow is AT LEAST 5 feet from the emergency room entrance where we are getting our shots and patients are wheeled around.  Rumor has it that germs, virusus, and infections cannot travel more than 3.5 feet ... so the rumor goes.

145pm, I am taken to a place where Decy and I are to get an EKG ... am told I need to come back at 6pm.  Dr explains the upcoming "stress test" and that my chest will have to be shaved (I wonder if they need to shave Decy's too).  Then the Dr learns that this is only an EKG baselines (rest test) .... quick change up of protocol, 5 minutes later I'm done ... after 5 ounces of lube oil on my chest to "cut through" the hair.  Decy's missing.

Power outage #4

200pm, find Decy at Pharmacy getting shots/vaccinations.  Well sort of, we are given the medicine and needles.  Now what?  Inject ourselves?

Power outage #5

215pm, find ISOS Dr.  He goes through the vaccines.  Hmm, some missing.  One of mine is clearly wrong.  Dr decides not to give me that one, as it would make be sick (thank God for little things).  I get my shots, then Decy, then Chely, then Thasya

230pm, Decy goes and gets EKG.

230pm, I talk to the Dr about the arterial blood. He goes ballistic.  Extremely painful he says (no kidding).  Its a long story with lots of conversation and discussiong/arguments between two Drs in a forgeign language I don't know (S. African something or other), but understand well enough to understand there was a difference of opinion.  Bottomline:  Seems the hospital doesn't have the right machine to do one kind of test.  But by taking arterial blood they can do the test on a different machine .... yikes !!!!  Glad I'm into S&M.

245pm, find out that we have to come back on Tuesday for the TB test as they forgot to do that in the morning, which is the time of day they give TB tests.  Thanks !!

300pm, rush to other side of town to get hearing test.  Office is on 2nd floor of nearly gutted out building. No sign. Garbage and stench everywhere at the entrance.  Get up to the office, its "so so".  I'm first on the test.  I'm quite sure it will be quite accurate and reflective of my excellent hearing ... because during the entire tests I could hear Decy and the girls talking and laughing in the room next door ... did anybody say "sound proof" or "background noise".

430pm. Done (for today). Exhausted. Hungry (didn't have any lunch).  Go to local pizzaria and beg for food, water, anything.

530pm, call for kilo.  Let's not go there.

700pm. Home .... exhausted ... nightey night family.  Me, I have to "unwind" a bit before sleeping.

>>> and to think we get to do more of this tomorrow.

### I feel so much healthier now ...     ; )

ciao ciao 

Ok, so I'm not a poet.  But, this moving thing from one 3rd world country to another is such a HASSLE (I have more descriptive words, but I have chosen not to use them).  Anyway, step by step ... all 135,462 of them .... key challenge is to get everything in the house straightened up, all trash and low value items discarded, each and every sheet of tissue inventoried.  And, if there is any spare time ... say goodbye to some friends that are leaving soon, and won't return before we leave.

Ciao ciao.

International relocations ... such a trauma

Each and every step ... such a drama

Nevertheless, I walk forward each day .... looking for the right path along the way.

No doubt, Chely & Thasya will be flipping out happy and flipping out sad.  So many kids are leaving this year and never returning. Of course, C&T are not returning either ... regardless, saying goodbye is difficult.

As for me, my butt is dragging. I am so tired, especially after working until 1215am the other day. Can't get my groove back ... so I will just drag myself through Friday .... have dinner at Bahia (means bay in Portuguese) tonight with my lovely wife and then come home.

Ciao ciao

Moving = frustration and tons of work

World Cup (at least in Angola) = lost productivity, disruptions, and "take work home"

>>> had to go home early yesterday, for security reasons, because Angola was playing Iran in the WC.  Of course, had to continue working from home ... last communications with the office in Houston was 1215am this morning ... alarm went off at 345am ... nothing like a good night's sleep to be fresh and alert for today's challenges.

I love this job. My mother loves me. I am tired.  Have you ever played "two truth's and a lie"?  Can you guess the lie.

ciao ciao.

Ok, so today, Decy needs to go to the US Embassy to get a US VISA renewal.  They only allow applications between 8-10am on Mondays and Wednesday.

Challenge:  Because so many of us "hard working folks" need kilos to go to work, "non-working" spouses are not allowed to use the kilos in the morning ... until 830am.  BUT, over 50% of the time an "830am kilo" does not arrive until 9-930am.  And, given the Angola traffic difficulties associated with travelling a whopping 6 miles (10 kilometers) ... more than 50% of the time a morning run to town takes > 1.5 hours.  With that math in mind, you can see it is virtually impossible for my lovely wife to get to the US Embassy ... unless she overnights in a hotel (if one were available) to avoid a 6 mile commute.

Contingency plan, stage right.  Lovely Wife can ride with me to work then take the kilo.  Of course, my kilo leaves at 5am, which means she is up at 4am ... only to wait at the office until approx 8am ... then wait 3 hours for a 5 minute interview at the US Embassy.

However, "rumor has it" her new US VISA will be ready tomorrow morning.  Although very tiring and frustrating, it beats the 3-4 month ordeal it takes to get a US VISA while in Indonesia .... now ... you go do the math.

ciao ciao

Relocation .... take 2 .... we are now into the "hurry hurry" mode.  After being treated like a mushroom, there is now a flood of information, inquiries, requests, and other asundry things associated with the move to Indonesia.

Most important thing, is that I now must rush to put everything in place for Decy and the girls to leave on 29-July.  I "think" I received approval for that yesterday.  Now, on to reservations, VISAs, packing (2 suitcases, 1 carry-on, one 104 lb special box) ... each per person.

At the same time, we must complete the shutting down of this house and inventorying/valuing everything in the house (so how many rolls of toilet paper do we have now? and how many do we think we will have the day the packers come?) ... and arranging for the packers to come ... as well addressing the handling of certain things I have in storage in Houston.  However, the packers won't come until the end of August ... but all arrangements and inventorying have to be done before Decy leaves.

If the above isn't enough, I must also arrange for physical examinations for all of us ... guess that will be Monday or Tuesday after school lets out this Friday.  This should be fun ... in Angola.  I understand we will have to go to the local International SOS facility.

... oh, did I tell you I am still hashing ... and trying to do my daytime job.  uuuurrrrgggghhh ... this is enough to drive a man insane .... oops, already there.

ciao ciao

So, last week I started fleshing out all the logistical plans on package, moving, and gettting the family from Angola to Indonesia.  I picked out flights and itineraries going both east to west, and west to east, so that I would be "ready to go" once I got the clarification from our Expat Center which direction we needed to travel.  Bet you can guess what happened .... here's the story ...

Given that schooling for Chely/Thasya is "important" it was the first thing I started working when I heard about the move.  Our first choice was Jakarta International School (JIS).  In May, we filled out and submitted the paperwork (hundreds of pages when you include transcripts). After being told in May there were no vacancies, we found an alternative school (Australian International School, AIS) ... and we started the enrollment process there too ... filled out and submitted more paperwork in May ... so ... we were progressing both AIS and JIS at the same time ... just in case, for contingency planning.  BTW, had to pay $150 application for each of the girls at both schools ... 4x$150 = $600 ... easy come / easy go. 

And ... we started making plans for a late August departure.

Now, late Friday, I learned that JIS has openings, subject to the girls passing entrance exams (not a guarantee but things should work out).  Here's the catch ... school starts 9-Aug ... my ETA there is 1-Sep .... looks like we have a gap.  Of course, if the girls don't get into JIS ... then they go to AIS .... nothing like uncertainty ... and BTW AIS is on a Jan-Dec school year so they would likely be in their current grades another 4 months ....

So, on Friday out went a flurry of emails.  I need to see if I can get approval to send the family out a month early.  If I get approval then we have just compressed our preparation time from 10 weeks to 6 weeks.  Yikes !!!! so much to do.

If I can't get the early departure approval, I'm not sure what I will do as I cannot leave Angola before 19-August.

Worse part is, if Decy and the girls leave early, then I will be here alone for 4 weeks (which I can handle), but then I will have to work with packers (who don't speak english) by myself.  Packing is scheduled for 21-22 August; as I was hoping to enjoy the weekend of 19-20 Aug with my friends, then begin the final push to move.

Ciao ciao

As mentioned, we are in the process of moving from Angola to Indonesia.  I am (once again) frustrated with the process.  As has been the practice for 20 years, I am being asked to make key decisions for my family and me based on little or no information.

Cases in point:

I have been advised my move was approved, but have never been actually offered the position.

I have been advised my work permit will be ready by end-June, but I have not been told how much I will earn.

I have been told to schedule my travel from Angola to Indonesia, but have not been advised if I am supposed to go through Houston (east to west route) or through South Africa (west to east route) ... the difference is only about $30,000.

I have been told to prepare my lists of things I am shipping and putting in storage, but haven't been told what my housing arrangements will be.

I have been told to work the school enrollment for Chely and Thasya, but I don't know where in the city of 20 million we will live.

.... and yet, after all this ... I will be expected to show up (a) on time, (b) fully complying with all policies, (c) ready to begin work on day-1, and (d) smiling and productive.

And, oh yeah, I will probably need to buy two cars when I get there, but nobody will tell me if I am entitled to company assistance on one or two .....

.... urgh .....

... life goes on ... TGIF !!!!

As my family, friends, and coworkers know, I am very big on keeping my promises and being dependable.  I believe this is important at home and at the job.  As you can appreciate, when someone makes a promise then the "receiver" of the benefits relies on the promisor to deliver.

I can go into all kinds of examples, reasons, yadi yadi yadi, and bore you with stories.  But, I won't.  Let me just say if you are interested in seeing a true life business example of what happens when you don't deliver your promises ... just check out the latest Boeing and Airbus fiasco wherein Airbus just anounced further delays in its jumbo A380 plane program.

One day later:

(a) Singapore Airlines in retaliation/frustration (they were the first to order the A380 plane) announced a new plane order to Boeing worth $4.5G in firm purchases and $4.9G in options ..... yep US$9,000,000,000.00 .... that's a lot of dough, and

(b) the stock market increased Boeing's (and my) network by about 7% ($5G - Boeing; $xx - for me) ... while at the same time wiping out 25% of the value of Airbus

 .... ALL IN ONE DAY ...

Ouch !!!! Keep your promises.  Besides, your family and friends count on you !!! Say what you mean.  Mean what you say.  Honor your commitments ....

ciao ciao

Have you ever had to take medicine that tastes absolutely awful.  But, it was good for you ... and it made you well or healthy, as the case may be?

The stock market is like that right now.  After an  approx 25-30% run-up over the last couple of years, it is now in a bit of a funk (ergo correction).  Its down about 10% in the past 6 weeks  .... as people start worrying about inflation ... oil prices ... terrorism .... hurricanes ... yadi yadi yadi.

I hate down markets. They make me blue.  BUT, and this is a big but .... it is in the down markets that I put in place what I need to make the money in the up market.  Thus, I need "down markets" so I buy stocks cheaply ... then sell in the "up market" ... like Xerox and Lucent ... still waiting on the right moment for Union Pacific and Boeing.

So ... patience is key. Positioning is critical.  The reward will come.  Nevertheless, it still makes me blue ....

Thasya and her "painting" ...

Dona doing a dance.

Just me and George

Decy and Maya.