Finally - "Home"

Again, I know it's been a while since a post - but internet access hasn't exactly been plentiful, and the past two weeks not all that exciting anyhow. But I'm dropping a line to let everyone know that yesterday while most of you were already asleep for the night we arrived at our "Home" for the next 9-10 months. The accomodations are spartan by most standards, but in reality quite nice for "American Base in Iraq" standards. Each of us has our own room with A/C, an old bed (but a bed none the less), a couple dented wall lockers, and some 220 outlets. Life will get even better in about a month with the unit we're replacing leaves since I'll be inheriting all the ammenities of a guy here who used to be with our unit. He's giving me his TV, DVD Player, chairs and coffee table, mini-fridge and the few other niceties he's compiled over the past year.

Tomorrow we officially start working learning everything that the group here has been doing and finding out how we fit into the big picture of working with the team. We are going to be working as part of a Provincial Reconstruction Team, and without a bunch of typing on my behalf you can get a basic idea of what that means by checking out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provincial_Reconstruction_Team

and for our team in particular:
http://iraq.usembassy.gov/wasit.html

Well, time to log off and let someone else on the computer here. Hopefully in a couple weeks we'll actually have internet in our rooms here (one of the advantages of working for the Dept. of State) and I'll be able to blog much more often.

Take care all and have a great weekend.