Movin' on up...

I'm in the midst of packing up all my current belongings, because I am going to move into my permanent housing tomorrow! It is official (I wasn't believing it until the day ended and they hadn't cancelled on me) finally. I had dinner outside with my two best hotel friends, other embassy employees who are also staying here. It'll be a pretty sudden change of pace not to be around them all the time, so we've made a pact to make sure we get together outside of work. It's really been nice to have the opportunity to get to know them so well right off the bat.

Now, sentimentality aside, I can't wait to have my apartment! It will be nice to know that I don't have to pack up and move again for the next year and 10 months now, after having moved 3 times in the last 5 months. My first shipment of things (sent from Washington) has arrived in Venezuela. We are required to send an official request from the embassy asking that our things be given to us before they will consider giving them to us, then letting them sit in customs for 3 weeks, and then finally let someone from the embassy pick them up for us. So, I'll be enjoying the welcome kit for the next few weeks, which includes all the essentials. I've heard the welcome kits here in Caracas are some of the best in the state department (probably due to the fact that we are without our own things for longer than anyone else).

Wayne will be coming next weekend, so the timing on things is good. I don't know how long it will be until I have an internet connection in my apartment, but my location will be within walking distance from the embassy, so if push comes to shove I can stay late at work to use the internet there.