And our story begins..... Flag Day

On Friday, June 20 the 139th, A-100 class celebrated FLAG DAY!!
This is quite an exciting day for both the students and families alike.

Everyone can feel the excitement in the air. Friends and family gather in the
old gym on the Foreign Service Institute campus.

Then the ceremony begins.

Ambassadors and others from the institute, who play important roles in
the instruction and guidance of the class, come walking in with 70+ flags displayed.
Each flag represents a country where one of the students will be assigned.
At this point the entire gym erupts into loud cheers and applause.

Next, the ambassador leading the ceremony begins by holding one of the flags high
over head. The class yells out the country that the flag represents, and then they name
the city. Once the destination is established, the ambassador calls the name of the new
Junior Officer who is assigned to that post.
There is screaming, jumping, and running to the front as the new officer receives his/her
flag. Hand shakes and hugs are shared by many.

Of course, I have my cheat sheet. I have a list of the countries we have bid high. Next to
each I have drawn that country's flag. Now, I just wait. As flags are held, and officers are
called, I continue to cross off those countries which are no longer available to us.
I am becoming quite nervous. (Not many of our "high" countries are still on my list.)

After 2/3 of the class has been called, (and we are down to 1 high flag left on our list!)
FINALLY the ambassador holds up the flag for Nigeria.
The city of Lagos is named, and Dan's name is announced.

I was in shell-shock. It did not hit me until that very moment that we are now moving to
Africa. I think I am going to faint. But, all is well. We are both very happy with our post.

We have our assignment and Dan starts different areas of training right after
the "swearing in" ceremony next Friday.

We are scheduled to leave for Lagos, Nigeria in mid-September.

This will be a very busy time as we gather information, fill in countless forms for
our move, and begin shopping for all those things we think we cannot live without.
But the beauty is that I have ample opportunities to make MANY more lists!!!

Stories and updates to continue...