Chillin’ in Bahrain

In all honesty, sort of bored, actually.   Am enjoying being back here – much more convenient than living in Sana’a, and my 15 minute walk to / from work is a relaxing break instead of the 30+ minute stressful commute.  And oh my goodness, the choices in food – within 100 or so yards of the HQ is the ‘Freedom Souq’ – a building containing about every fast food place known to man, a small grocery store, a package store, a Target-like store, a gym, a barber…  And if the food choices there are not enough, just off base is a street full of restaurants, a STARBUCKS!!!, and then about all US chains are here (Chilis. TGIF, Bennigans).  I cannot say I have been eating healthy, but I have been eating well!

Of course, to balance it, I have been running a lot – ran almost an hour last night, then got up and did a 3K fun run at 6:30 am today.  Nice being able to run outside – at the embassy it is either a treadmill or laps around the compound – 2 laps to the mile.  Since the compound is on the side of hill, you are always either running uphill or downhill… 7200 foot altitude makes hills a challenge.

All that goodness aside, I am bored at work – staff work is dull now.  But, have a new perspective – the job I do here has little if any impact on my future.  From a Navy perspective, in five months I become a reservist again and this year interlude will have little effect.  The two normal measurements of a tour’s success, the evaluation (FITREP in Navy jargon) and end of tour award will likely be average unless I either kill somebody or save somebody’s life.    And, since I work in podunk Yemen, far away from the HQ, I am not on the Admiral’s radar screen, so expect both actually to be slightly below average – just the way it is.  So, I will work hard and do my best, but will not kill myself.  Instead, I will have some fun and improve myself (education, fitness) .

And, this year is basically a year off the corporate ladder – though I am not 'in play’ and losing ground slightly to my peers, I do have a pretty good excuse and it should not be held against me.  Basically, this is a year break from the rat race.  Mind you, that is me straining hard to find a silver lining to this – on the other hand will have missed 1/3 of youngest daughter’s life to date.  When I left, she was sleeping in a crib and wearing diapers –now she is potty trained and sleeps in a bed.  Amazing how fast they change at that age…

Finally, a couple of Bahrain pics – nothing exciting.

The skyline in Juffair, near the base, looking to the north.  Note there are at least five cranes visible, and the dark building on far right is also under construction.  Oddly enough, the gas station in the foreground has been ‘under construction’ since I arrived here in April.   There are only a couple of gas stations in Juffair… sort of a pain.  Also, I used to live back in this area – if you look closely in the center there is a sign for ZUBARA PLAZA II – I lived next door to that for about 4 months.  Less than 10 years ago, this was all ocean.

Turning around, looking to the south – mostly completed buildings.  ‘American Alley’ is about a block in that direction, then the base.  Mostly apartment buildings. 

The ‘Donut of Despair’ – a graphical depiction of my time complete and time remaining.  Not quite 2/3 yet, but getting close.  NOT that I track this in Excel or anything…  After tomorrow is done, I will have completed EIGHT months of the deployment, with 4 1/2 to go.