Monthly Archives: December 2013

While on my recent road trip with the ambassador, most of the photos I took were for official purposes. If you check our embassy’s website or facebook page, some of them will probably appear over the next few weeks. The photos I took on my own device were limited to landscape pictures taken out of the car window. So here are a few.

We were traveling up in the northeastern part of the country and thus, as you can see, near the mountains.

It was also very rural – we passed lots of farmland and tiny towns.

The vast majority of the houses looked like the one below – half built. Apparently people go make money doing whatever it is that they do to make money, then come build a house until the money runs out, then leave it unfinished while they go earn more money.

That’s about it; I just thought I’d share some of Algeria’s scenery. Enjoy!

Our Ambassador is very passionate about getting out of Algiers. He wants to make it clear that we are the U.S. Embassy to ALGERIA, not just to Algiers. He set a goal of getting to all the Wilayas (the provinces of Algeria) before the end of his tenure. And he’s getting pretty close. Last week, he went out to the eastern part of Algeria on a mammoth, 4-day, 5-town trip. I had the opportunity to go with him.

We went to Tebessa, Constantine, Mila, Jijel, and Souk Ahras, if anyone is curious and wants to do some google mapping.  Those towns are not close to one another, and most of them don’t have airports and/or hotels, which meant a lot of time in the car.  I was what we call the “control officer” for the trip, which means I was essentially the event planner and logistical point person for the whole thing. Overall, the trip ended up going quite well, and the Ambassador is a very smart man and good to travel with. And I didn’t do anything to get myself fired, killed, or accidentally left in the middle of nowhere, so I’m calling it a win.  It was not a perfect trip, however. Here are some things I learned for next time.

1. When traveling in Algeria for 4 days and 3 nights, do not forget your toothbrush. You will not be able to run out to the corner drugstore and the hotel will not have them at the front desk.

2. If you DO forget your toothbrush on a 4-day, 3-night Algerian adventure, brushing your teeth with your finger and fingernails using the toothpaste that you DID manage to remember is not a great option, but it will prevent fur from growing on your teeth.

3. Do not forget lotion, especially in winter. Your skin will be dry, and no, the hotel will not have any.

4. Sticking to the schedule will not happen. The events may all happen, but you will be late.  A lot.  It will behoove you to get over your general irritation with lateness as soon as possible.

5. Algerian politicians are like politicians anywhere else. They like to talk.  A lot. This is one of the main reasons for number 4.

6. In small town Algeria, the U.S. Ambassador is a celebrity/something new and interesting to stare at. In general, people will be excited to see him. You will be glad it is someone else’s job to keep the Ambassador safe. Also, everyone will want to see the Ambassador and take photos with him/of him. This is another reason for number 4.

7. Arabic is useful when traveling with an ambassador who has spent most of his career in the Middle East and speaks amazing Arabic. If you don’t speak it, you will not understand anything that happens at the meetings with government officials.

8. The local staff member who accompanies you on the trip (and helps set up all the meetings) is invaluable. See number 7.

9. The local politicians will offer to feed the Ambassador. When you accept their lunch offers, be prepared for as many as 7 courses, some of them involving mystery meat. Making lively conversation with the other French speaker at the table helps distract from the fact that there is no way you will ever be able to make a dent in the colossal amount of food you are very kindly being served. These lunches also contribute to number 4.

10. Shopping is a bfd. All the local crafts people want to see/talk to/touch/take pictures with the ambassador. They will also sometimes refuse to accept money from the ambassador when he wants to purchase something. He is legally not allowed to accept personal gifts like that. Diplomacy ensues. The Algerian vendor reluctantly accepts payment.

11. A pad and pen is essential. Even during meals. Especially during meals. Note-taking is a very large percentage of your job.

12. A camera is also essential. There will be cute children and pretty gifts presented to the ambassador that you will have to capture.

13. Also always have on hand a gift for your hosts that the ambassador can present to them. These gifts will be heavy, hardback books. Suck it up.

14. Additionally, you will need to have a hand free to take the gifts the ambassador receives from his hosts. These range from books to pottery to flowers to framed pictures.

15. It is helpful if you can grow another arm. Two more would be better.

16. Even when you think you’ve scheduled too much time for a meeting, you are wrong. You will always be running late.

17. You will encounter a variety of terrains during your trip. For instance, you may be expected to trot around on cobblestone ramps for 30 minutes in your heels while a nice Algerian lady expresses continual and extreme concern that you will face plant into the aforementioned cobblestones. You will not face plant. You have trained for this moment with years of high heel wearing.

18. No matter how insanely stressful it is to plan and execute a 4-day, 5-town ambassadorial trip in remote Algerian locales, this is the coolest job ever. You get to plan and execute 4-day, 5-town ambassadorial trips in remote Algerian locales!

19. When 4-day, 5-town ambassadorial trips to remote Algerian locales are over, you are confident you’ve earned those cocktails you’re drinking.

20. When you finally get to brush your teeth, it feels AMAZING.

One thing that will be a new annual tradition in my life if I stay in this job is the Marine Birthday Ball.  Marines are assigned to almost every Embassy worldwide, primarily to protect classified information, but they do a bunch of other good stuff too.

So, it’s the Marines’ job to throw a big birthday bash every year on the anniversary of the founding of the Marine Corps.  This year was the 238th birthday of the corps.  For those of us who are not Marines, it’s basically an excuse to dress up in black tie attire and drink with our colleagues.

This year, I ended up as the narrator for the evening’s program, which was fun.  It basically meant I read a script about the history of the Marine balls, plus a bunch of stuff about how awesome the Marines are.  In between, the actual Marines march, do their fancy flag presentation thing, cut a big American flag birthday cake, and give speeches (as did the Ambassador).  Other people from the host country and international community generally come too – it was very cool to see other countries’ military people all decked out in their versions of dress uniforms.

There’s really not much else to tell; the evening went well, the program went OK, except for some technical difficulties that ended up not being THAT big of a deal, and about 45 minutes later I was at my table with my friends.  So that’s about it – here are some pictures of me dressed up.  There’s a picture of me with Marines somewhere, but I’m not sure whose camera it ended up on, so these will have to do for now: