It’s been a little while since we’ve done an edition of the Diplomatic Notes but now that we’re head into fall and into the swing of things, I thought I’d share a few thoughts from the FS blogging community on what exactly fall means in their little corner of the globe. From mangoes to fireworks to celebrating cool tap water to celebrating a bit of normality, here’s what fall brings for this diplomats:
“What is this “fall” you speak of? If you mean the dry season (which is itself a misnomer, as it didn’t rain hardly at all this rainy season), I think it means the mangoes will be back soon. There’s about a month or two when you can’t get them. Otherwise, it’s ALWAYS the same here–hot.” David, Lome, Togo. Freelancing Researcher
“For me, it’s what I’m not seeing and personally, it’s made me so happy. No fall colors [on the downside], but so much less pink (er, awareness that made me crazy, especially considering my past few years). Very happy to have a normal October for the first time in years…though we do miss the pumpkin patches, etc. back home. And, yes, I realize not probably on the surface the cheeriest of posts, but after what happened 3 years ago, I finally feel back to normal again and it’s nice not to have the constant reminders of what went wrong staring me in the face”. Jen, Mangua, Nicaragua. Dinoia Family
“Asian pears, huge green pumpkins, an international fireworks festival, an international drumming festival and a frenzy of pre-winter preparations.” Lauren, Seoul, Korea. Adventures In…
“November will bring an end to the rainy season and we’ll have a few months of relatively “cool” weather. We’ll spend a weekend or two somewhere north of the city seeking shelter from the heat but our sun will be shining, our tans never fading and an unlimited supply of natural vitamin D will be just outside our front door. We won’t spend days inside with bones aching from the cold nor will we be faced with treacherous icy conditions [not that driving here is a walk in the park without ice!] Life is about tradeoffs, these are ours and when I stop to think about it, I won’t complain.” Alison, Manila, Phillipines. Good Morning, Clementine
“Fall brings the sunshine…” Sara, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Our YuppieLife
“Cooler tap water. Temps drop below 100F at night for the first time all summer in Kuwait and the roof tanks have a chance to cool off…Also, back to school. Halloween parties. Thanksgiving. The weather doesn’t seem like fall. On the contrary, it’s more like ‘spring’… cooler temps, more humid, planting season begins, etc. but the celebrations are ‘fall’.” Connie, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Whale Ears and Other Wonderings
“We are at our SMA location and I am enjoying my first New England fall in nearly 20 years. It’s my daughter’s first “real fall,” and I’m loving her reactions to the pumpkins, apples, changing leaves, and chilly weather.” Stephanie, Rhode Island. Where in the World Am I?
(note to readers: “SMA” is separate maintenance allowance – it’s when spouses and family members head home to their own states while the diplomat in their family heads to an unaccompanied post, usually designated as such because of dangerous or extremely difficult conditions)
“Chestnuts roasted in giant barrels on the city streets!” Michelle, Chengdu. In Searchof the End of the Sidewalk