The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2020

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2020 47 March 29 | On the Tarmac The vibe moving from the tarmac onto the plane was polite yet hurried. Regardless of how I was feeling, I did my best to outwardly project a sense of adventure. Alex wasn’t feeling it, however. I had just crossed into the world of single parent- hood, and it was up to me to set the tone. March 29 | Last Look at Our House As the plane climbed away from Luanda, Alex stared out the window, trying to spot our house. March 30 | Houston Airport As we made our way to customs, I was in awe of how barren this usually teeming airport was. The children in our group loved having a wide-open area to race and stretch their legs. We spent the evening in Texas before continuing to our safe haven in Ohio. March 31 | Ohio Shocks After checking into the Marriott in Warren, Ohio, Alex and I set out to stock our cupboards. Empty store shelves that once held toilet paper presented a surprising photo op. We spent the remainder of the day unpacking and putting away all our provisions. The next morning, we received a call from the front desk informing us that our Marriott location would be closing. We had to repack— and find a new place to stay. April 3 | Putting Stress Aside Stressing over dwindling lodging options, I looked at Alex, who had been so patient and understanding the entire trip. I decided suddenly to put our lodging issues aside and make the day about him, starting with an activity he had been begging me to try: Pancake Art! Later that day, we found a beautiful historic home to rent.