Our class spent three days this week at The Woods, a rustic resort in West Virginia, for team-building (exercises involving things like teeter-totters, ropes, etc. and lots of alcohol at night). John and I were split up into separate groups, which included separate rooms (I was in a house with 7 other women), separate dining schedule, etc. It was a great time to spend time with some classmates we hadn’t really had a chance to talk to yet.
We had a reception the first night where we practiced going through a receiving line, mingling, etc. The second night was lots of fun – our Follies Committee put on a show. John had been working on the Follies for many nights since we’ve been here and the show was a big success. He had a solo singing about the trials of coming in mid-career, sung to the tune of “Send in the Clowns.” His prop was a box of brown hair dye. He really did a great job!
Both nights there were after-parties – this is definitely a fun-loving group! I left before the dancing started, but heard reports that John was a big hit on the dance floor.
Last Saturday, we went to brunch at Kramerbooks with some classmates, then took the Metro to Union Station (beautiful). We walked past the Capitol and on down the Mall, spent some time at the National Archives, and topped everything off with a drink before heading home.
Sunday morning, Chris Karber and his wife Ahyung took us to brunch in Georgetown. For family members, Chris is Donna’s son – he is also a Foreign Service Officer, currently assigned to the Angola desk in DC. I hadn’t seen him since he was 6 years old or so – it was great getting acquainted with him and his wife, plus we got to pick his brain about the Foreign Service. Hopefully we will get to spend some more time together while we are both here.
Sunday night was a cookout with our classmates who are staying here at the Oakwood with us, which is becoming a weekly tradition for us.
A couple down the hall from us fed Noodle and Flavia while we were gone – I think the cats were glad to see us when we returned. Flavie seems to be getting out a little bit more, thank goodness.