Paris!

Yes, we have received our onward assignment from Dhaka, and it was quite a surprise to find out that it will be the City of Light, land of baguettes and brie, and the original home of the $5 (tiny) cup of coffee.

Of course it's not for a while yet - our best guess is that we will be here another year, head back to the US for home leave in Spring '07, and then have three months in DC so that Adham can get training in his new job. We should arrive in France by the beginning of August, next year. That sounds like a lot of time, but we have lots to research and prepare for.

The great irony of course is that no one has come to visit us here in Dhaka, where we have a big house with a guest room, domestic help, and a fair amount of time that we could spend with friends or family. In Paris, we're likely to have a small apartment (bring your sleeping bags and air mattresses!), no help, and little to no discretionary income! But then again, it's Paris. Who's complaining?

Besides getting our big news, the past month has been a fairly busy one. For the past week Tasman has been off for Spring break, so Crystal has been spending lots of time with both boys, keeping them busy with projects around the house and further afield.

The US Embassy community is getting excited about the impending arrival of our new Ambassador, Patricia Butenis, who most recently served as the Deputy Chief of Mission (second in command) of our Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan. By all accounts she is a great person to work for, and we've heard she's a dog lover to boot, so we're looking forward to meeting her soon!

Let's catch up on some recent photos...