The Next Chapter...

It has been over six months since I have posted, and not for lack of anything to share, but when our USO Facebook page was created, I became the admin and was focused on keeping it updated. Unfortunately, my blog sat quietly waiting for me to return. So, here I am!

Flash back to early September... I was at a point in my USO career where I felt I needed to do more for our troops who were on the front lines and not just passing through going on or returning from R&R, so I applied for a transfer to the USO Center under construction in Kandahar, Afghanistan. In less than a day, I had an interview with HR and a week later was told my transfer was approved. Then, I received an email from my future boss... he wanted to interview me for the position. Yes, I was completely confused after receiving his email, but fortunately, after a 75-minute interview, I was hired and, if all went well, would be on a plane on October 16th.

Fast forward to mid-September... everything is finalized for my transfer and I am left with only a couple of weeks to prep for my new home in Kandahar because I was leaving on October 1st for vacation to Germany. After returning from my trip, I would be left with three days to finish packing, cleaning before catching my flight on Saturday.

It is always a bit overwhelming to me knowing I have X amount of days to complete each task on my list, but I managed to get everything done before leaving Kuwait... mostly due to my previous boss not scheduling me to work after returning from vacation. (Thank you Keon!) I even had time to have lunch at the mall in Kuwait City with a co-worker before leaving for Kandahar.

Saturday, October 16th... I met up with my boss in Dubai and we flew into Kandahar together. I was glad for that since it was a new experience for me flying directly onto a base airfield instead of an airport landing strip. The flight was supposed to be about 2 hours, but it felt considerably less... probably because my boss and I talked the entire time. lol

My first impression... a huge, dusty, noisy base! Major difference, in regards to accommodations, is I have 4 roommates... plus side is that they are the females who work for the USO. Erin, Joan, Sarah Y and Sarah K... ranging in ages from mid-thirties to mid-twenties. I feel like the mother here! lol

The USO Center is huge... reminds me of Camp Buehring in Kuwait, but the colors are brighter and it looks more like home. Larry, my new boss, didn't waste any time and scheduled me to work the next day. Love it! I was also happy to see Duane, my previous co-worker in Kuwait, and meet Owen and Pennington. My 12-month commitment with the USO will end in March 2011, but I am seeing myself here longer than 5 months!