Diplo-travel tales: Adventure in Morocco

The first day of the trip seemed to be going off without a hitch. I was late to the airport but knew that I’ll make my flight on the nick of time. Security was not too bad and they passed me through without hassle. I’m now just hanging out in the lounge, playing with my laptop, passing the time until my flight leaves. I love to people-watch whenever I’m in a public area. Maybe it is part of our training or simply out of habit borne of a curious mind; my husband and I are always aware of our environment wherever we are. There are three shady looking men who seem to be staring at me as I type. I’m a woman and I travel alone, maybe they find that strange. I would love to send you pictures of those people, but that would probably have been weird and would have drawn more attention to myself if I just popped out my blackberry phone camera to take snapshots of strangers.

Rooftop of Palais Namaskar

It might be a bit difficult to capture all of life’s realities while on a trip, but I know I can at least capture my own experience. A small comfort for me is that in my quest to contribute to society, I am not betraying anybody by trying to use them as a case study without their knowledge. Hopefully, somebody will read this and if one person’s mood can be brightened by my musings, then this is all worth it.

I don’t really have a poignant reason for penning this memoir; I just want to do something therapeutic for myself while leaving a trail of words that somebody might find entertaining.

One thing I’m sure of is that it is exciting for a woman to travel alone. It is a wonderful feeling having the sense of independence that travelling alone gives us, even if it is just going to a spa for the weekend. It doesn’t matter how far the destination or how mundane, when you travel by yourself as a woman it gives you an amazing sense of independence and everything tastes sweeter and the air feels nicer. I do have to say though, that the more unfamiliar the place, the more of a thrill it is. When you travel to a far land alone there are so many adventures to have, so much to add to your life’s notebook of experiences. The more confidence you show, the better the time. It truly matters what kind of attitude you take with the experience. The more courage you exhibit with each new experience, the more badges you allow yourself to wear. Every single trip that I take alone continues to feed my motto of ‘living on the edge,’ and I revel in it.

Being assigned at Washington, DC was an amazing experience.I have travelled with no problem through large parts of Europe and those little nooks included in travel warning advisories such as Cuba.

At the moment, I’m now at Reagan National Airport waiting for my flight to Morocco via Royal Air Maroc. Yes, I’m on my way to Morocco as I decided to take things up a notch. The spontaneity of not knowing exactly what the next destination holds can be sublime. I know I’m going to Morocco and I have an idea of the places I want to visit but there is no definite schedule and I am always open to experiencing everything the country has to offer.

Whenever I think about the passing of time that I can’t control, taking a leave for a trip alone can be very therapeutic. It can be just the thing to help me find myself and who I am becoming with each passing day. Women can get so caught up in being the caregiver; the mom, the doting wife, the career woman who keeps the office together, etc. There is another identity underneath all that, our own identity; our identity as independent women who have much to contribute to the world besides being all of those mentioned above.

Marrakech Downtown. I'm not good in taking pictures.

More women have found how healing travelling alone can be. It lets you relax and take everything in. It takes you away from making sure everybody else has everything to just making sure that your own needs are met. It lets you be more open with people and allows you to express yourself - it reacquaints you with you; who you are underneath all of the labels. To any woman who reads this, please remember that though reconnecting with yourself and finding your independence is a wonderful experience, it is not one to flaunt in every part of the world. If you familiarize yourself with the rules and traditions of your destination, then you can enjoy your independence with safety. Before embarking on an adventure, do check the travel.state.gov’s site for the latest advisories and that includes necessary health information, required vaccinations, customs and traditions; and do’s and don’ts.

to be continued…

Nanny in a Coma - Motive in Killings Remains a Mystery - NYTimes.com

Nanny in a Coma - Motive in Killings Remains a Mystery - NYTimes.com:

Scary and troublesome. We experienced our 2 1/2 yr old son abandoned by his nanny in our apartment in L.A. with the door unlocked. Our prayers to the parents of these kids.

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Book Review of Diplomatic Baggage by Brigid Keenan

Diplomatic Baggage by Brigid Keenan is a popular travel memoir.  It will help you to understand the human psychology and condition of living in a foreign land and the process of adaptation to the unique cultural aspects and socio-economic conditions of various countries which the author has found herself during postings of her diplomat spouse. 

The story is written in the style of a narrative, like sitting down with a friend who tells you all these fascinating stories and adventures in relation to her travels and life in various countries around the world.  Diplomatic Baggage is the story of a newly married wife, who never found stability in her life due to constant relocation whenever her diplomat husband is posted to different countries in a cycle that occurs every four years. 

Through this book, Brigid Keenan shares the remarkable experience of her life, and at times, makes a parody of it.  An immense number of funny incidents take place as the story moves on that keep the reader captivated with her story.  She explains how uncomfortable she actually felt while flying and how she managed to deal with different kinds of dinners; formal, informal, official, unofficial, personal, etc. Her experiences with bad roads, relentless fear regarding mudslides and earthquakes definitely help the reader to get a little taste of how we react and adapt to different kinds of external stimuli and new, unfamiliar environments.  

The traveling experience explained through this book is quite a rollercoaster ride.  She details her experience of life from a diverse range of countries and cultures such as Brussels, Syria, India and the Republic of Kazakhstan.  It is one of the popular travel books available these days because it gives a good overview of the cultural aspects of different nations from a firsthand account of someone who lived in those countries for some time. 

It is a good read for those who wish to know how life is like in exotic surroundings and the challenges involved in bridging the cultural gap. The book also has valuable insights that can help you in adapting to life in a foreign land should you find yourself in a similar situation.  For instance, her husband has been supportive and has been helpful to her in numerous ways during the whole experience.  It clearly shows that if there is definite support from the side of your loved ones, it will not be hard for you to endure and cope with the disruptions caused by having to uproot and relocate every 4 years. 

While going through this travel memoir, we can easily observe that in many cases things never went the way the author anticipated and she comes out with a completely different picture in her memory. 

If you are fond of reading popular books that are dedicated to the travel memoir genre then Diplomatic Baggage by Brigid Keenan will be a very good choice for you.  It provides us a spellbinding picture of the temples, souks, mosques, and different types of trade markets in various parts of the world.  It is truly worth reading for those who are away from their home and like to adapt to their new home and make the most of the experience of living in a foreign land and its unique culture. 

2011 Moira G Gallaga©

Diplo-tales: Dupont Circle Roundabout - Merry-go-round from Hell

After three years driving the same roads every week you would know your way around, correct? Well, I don't.

Like I need any more “idiot me” moments, right? However, in my defence, I'm referring to a particularly nasty piece of road (hehe) known as Dupont Circle in Washington D.C. Anyone who has ever driven in it would probably understand where my confusion and distress comes from.

Whoever decided that a roundabout with ten—read that, ten!—exits was a good idea should be back in school, relearning how to design roads, hahaha. There are also two segregated lanes in the roundabout, just in case you decide you don't feel like getting off the Merry-Go-Round for a while and instead want to kick back, relax, and listen to the music.

If that weren’t confusing or challenging enough already, the centre of the roundabout has a nice little park with trees and a fountain. It is also full of people and has got a number of crosswalks. So while navigating the maze that is Dupont Circle you must be on the lookout for pedestrians as well as your intended exit of that roundabout. I get this sense that in their eyes are looks of mirth, as if they know I've travelled this road every week and still have to call my husband for directions because even my GPS is befuddled by Dupont Circle. At least I'm not the only one.

The thing is, I work at the Philippine Embassy, WDC. As if I’m not already late enough, this is a job of responsibility and I can't even navigate the roads outside the Embassy. There’s this one time I saw Resty, a colleague of mine, and then I realized "Oh, God! This is already near the Ambassador’s residence." A second closer look at the surroundings confirmed my belated realization, this was the other side  of the diplomatic enclave called Embassy Row. Our Embassy was in the opposite direction across Dupont Circle. I was supposed to exit Dupont Circle towards the South but ended up going North, the merry-go-round had got me disorientated again. Needless to say, I don't tell my colleagues about my fights with Dupont Circle. I'd never hear the end of it. The forthcoming jokes would have been relentless.

My husband offers a chuckle every time I call him. Those chuckles were sounding a bit forced after a while, but there's nothing I can do. When my mechanical GPS fails me I must turn to my human GPS. He's gotten used to it, and he would say the same thing every time. I think he had the directions written down, a little sticky note in his wallet. It's a good thing he’s a Consul. He's used to communicating with people, being patient as he tries to reach a consensus on difficult issues. In this case, garnering his wife safe passage to work.

While I'm driving in circles trying to figure out the right exit again or how to get back to the proper lane within the roundabout, peering at the roads that all look the same with their asphalt and sides of buildings and trees and cars my fingers hit the GPS speed-dial. My husband had learned to anticipate my calls in that he always picks up on the first ring and automatically asks which building I'm near at to serve as a reference.  I describe it and he tells me the next time I pass it to go so many exits more and take that one. I haven't the faintest idea how he knows which exit I should be taking by my less-than-impressive building descriptions. I have a hard enough time recognizing the building for my next loop around the Merry-Go-Round.

My human GPS though, he has the perfect photographic memory and I always make my way to 1600 Massachusetts Avenue just in time to walk through the brown double doors seconds before I'm due.

I don't know how Washington D.C. locals do it. Dupont Circle isn't the only roundabout in Washington D.C. It is the worst though. I guess once you've conquered the worst of roundabouts the others are like mere pebbles on a pathway. 2011 Moira G Gallaga ©

Negotiation: Using the Diplomat's Weapon

Negotiation: Using the Diplomat's Weapon:

by: Moira G. Gallaga

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Who are Diplomats? | Diplobugs

Who are Diplomats? | Diplobugs

Diplomat

Diplomat

Welcome to Diplobugs!

I started Diplobugs a few months after retiring from the Philippine Foreign Service so I can share our life with others and to express my opinions. I have served 3 Philippine Presidents as Presidential Protocol Officer and now enjoy being a freelance writer and doing consultancy. In addition to my experiences working for government, there’s my husband’s journey as a diplomat and our son’s efforts to understand the ever-changing world around him.

And…herewith is my invitation to all of you out there to share with me here on Diplobugs your heartfelt experiences, opinions and the wisdom that those experiences gave birth to. In return I would like to share my many life experiences and thoughts with you.

I believe one of the reasons for our existence is to become more whole and expansive through the sharing of our own adventures on the path of Life with our fellow travellers.

I have a vast interest in many things, to start with here are a few of them I would love to share, in no particular order:

• my travels around the world, as well as those remote little spots I had the privilege to see
• sport; just to mention one ~ my love for that beautiful game called Soccer
• fashion, the textured and playful art of adorning the body
• words; writing, musings, poetry, especially those writings that make you sit up and take note
• food, the taste and sensations of creative concoctions shared with fascinating people
• the arts, paintbrushes of the soul, musical strings of the heart and theatre
• ways to step softly on Earth; our sole provider ~ finding ways to live green and sustainable practices
• alternative therapies; a holistic and balanced approach in a Western Society
• new ways of thinking; the power of thought and the power within you
• out of the box solutions to address important global issues, particularly concerning our children and our elders

So come along with us on our journey. Learn about our native country, the Philippines. Explore the world with us and our young son as we travel to new and exciting places and as we deal with everyday life and its challenges. I also trust that you will see this invitation as being part of our global village’s metaphorical ‘sitting around the fire’, partaking in the diversity that surrounds us.

Welcome and thanks for spending time with us and sharing our ever exciting and always challenging journey.