The Only Thing That Doesn't Change is Change...

For some reason I remember that unspeakably cheesy line from a school play when I was younger – I can’t remember which one, though (“Let George Do It”, perhaps?). In any event – little blast from the past there.

So, it seems that people are willing to work with my schedule for the Yemen project. I have mixed feelings about that, to be honest. But I need to kind of push those aside for the moment. I told them that the best I could do would be to turn around and leave for Yemen on the 28^th of November (yes, that’s the day after I return home from Paris, giving me exactly enough time to pack, hopefully enough time to do laundry, and not much else), but that the first trip could only be for a couple of weeks, returning mid-December, and then leaving again shortly after Christmas. (Sarah – please forgive me, I know I’m already on the December tech schedule!! This isn’t definite yet, though!) It should go without saying that this isn’t what I really *want* to be doing, despite the major mileage that I’d be racking up, now that I’ve gotten over that whole “find me the cheapest flight possible” thing – forget that, I need to at least be getting some frequent flyer miles out of this or something. Besides, I don’t think too many other people worry about it when they book their travel. But as has been emphasized to me, they’re desperate, and well…that’s about it. The Senior VP in our Paris office said that he’d be happy to meet with me about this when I’m there, but that everyone has already agreed that this should be a top priority for me (??) so he doesn’t understand what these “overlapping commitments” could be, or why they’re important. Well, they’re domestic division projects, which may be why he doesn’t understand.

As I was just saying in an e-mail to my mom, I’m already feeling a little burned out with this whole “being on the other side of the world by myself” thing, so I don’t know for how many more years I can keep this up. I need a break to come up, and I just got another e-mail about a project in southern Sudan. My boss said that if we end up going, he’d ensure that none of us had to be there for too long. There are people who can just do this non-stop, but it’s clear to me that I’m just not one of them. I miss my life!

I’ve been trying to find something on the “appropriate dress” for Yemen – something my male colleagues never have to think about. I came across the following from a tour company that offers tours to Yemen. “Women can visit Yemen without a male partner, but feministic ideas are unheard of. You are advised to dress appropriately and act modestly. If you smile at men or even make direct eye contact, you could invite harassment. Yemen is not dangerous in this respect; it's simply that you should respect the country’s local culture.”

Things like this make me think some very unfriendly thoughts. Because clearly, making eye contact with a man means that I’m some kind of whore. Why is it, again, that people think I should be sent to countries like this?

I should change the subject, because I’m not likely to get more chipper about what I've been reading. Like how, showing my ankles and making eye contact with men means that I obviously don't respect myself, and it's an invitation for them to treat me inappropriately.

(deep, cleansing breath)

I need to focus on the fact that the actual work I would be doing would be really interesting, and good experience. I need to reserve judgment, because I haven't actually been there.

And I think I need to get myself a fake wedding ring.