Fun With Dad

Dad is home and we are having so much fun together! The first day I came downstairs and he had cereal laid out and a cup of hot tea waiting. No one makes tea quite as wonderful or sweet as he does! It was a relief to not have to carpool to the embassy since dad took me. He even managed to swing by my office and get me out of work early. We drove home and relaxed for a little bit, then dad took me out to eat. He took me to Applebees and it was wonderful to have someone to talk to! I mean, I could talk to my cat Pebuh, I could chat with family on the phone if I could catch them, but my best friends are in the states and most everyone has left by now. It was a little bit of a lonely existence this past week. I’d been okay before because there had been plenty of people around, but as the summer continues the heat rises and Kuwait empties.

We talked over our salads and then went home to start Desperate Housewives. So it may sound a little weird, but yes dad and I watched Desperate Housewives. It became our “thing” for the summer. Every night after work we would watch two episodes together and sometimes share a bottle of wine. Desperate Housewives was fantastic, but I must admit that watching dad watch Desperate Housewives was funnier than the show. We loved the quick wit and banter and talked and laughed through each show.

So even though we could have ordered our dinner online dad and I enjoyed cooking together. Our favorite meal was sautéed vegetables. Dad would chop an onion, I’d slice some peppers, add some tomato, cheese, garlic and whatever else was in our fridge and we had a wonderful dinner. Of course we also enjoyed the range of desserts in the freezer, but a favorite was the peanut butter ice cream sandwich.

Dad and I had about 4 days to ourselves before Venge and Ana, our next door neighbor’s maids came to stay with us. They were cozy in the living room with a selection of dvds and cable and found ways to busy themselves around the house. All I know is that dad and I would leave for work at 7, come home around 5, find the house spotless, and go to the gym. I loved having transportation and not having to rely on a taxi, so going to the gym was fun. And of course it wasn’t just the gym, it was the Raddison SAS. Nothing quite compares to waltzing into a health club on the beach and being handed towels and utterly pampered as you exercise with the fancy equipment and tvs overlooking the ocean. By the time we came home from the gym the house would be smelling fantastic and dinner would be on the table.

Venge is an amazing cook, and knew exactly what we loved. She’d make lentil soup, a creamed fish, perfect rice, chicken curry, fried chicken, salads, a creamy spinach and rice dish, and a thousand other fabulous dishes.

So maybe dad and I were a little pampered, but they were happy to do it. We gave them freedom, took them to church, made them eat at our table as equals, and listened to them. Ana called the neighbors place “a jail,” but our house was their vacation and a little piece of heaven. The sweet women were a delight to have around and it was great to make a little impact on their lives.

As soon as dad and I had a free night we had our driver take us to some of the local tailor’s shops. The driver interpreted and requested scraps of fabric for Operation HOPE so that the women could make rugs. Most of the tailors knew us or mom already, but the others were happy to donate. We went home with huge bundles of fabric to a delighted Ana and Venge. They washed and sorted the fabric and quickly began making rugs. After they each made a brightly colored random color collage of a rug I commissioned them to make one for me and my best friend. We chose colors that would match our bedspreads for college and slowly watched them form over the weeks.

When Venge ran low on complimentary colors dad decided to take us to the Friday Market. As always there were tons of people, it was very hot, and the variety was overwhelming. Ana and Venge bartered for us and refused to let us purchase anything unless it was a bargain. Our bag was soon overflowing with meters of fabric to finish my rug and make several others.

Over the time they stayed with us Ana and Venge made rugs for: my college dorm room, my roommate, Emily’s room, a gift for mom’s friend in Tucson, and my friend Julie’s dorm room. They couldn’t believe their rugs were going to college and were overwhelmed when I paid them. Ana and Venge cried and hugged me, and tried to give them as a gift, but I felt blessed to help them. The women are saving up for when they return to the Philippines. They want to start a business together and buy a truck so that they can transport fish from the local town to the market. I can’t wait to watch their dream grow!

Alone No More

I am so excited! I was at work today and got a “surprise” message from dad that says he is coming home early! He said he had to come home to help out with spider duty and so I wouldn’t be alone. I guess my “I am going crazy” text yesterday had an impact. Oh well, all I know is dad is coming home a week early and I can’t wait!

Molly's Terrible No Good Very Bad Day

So it’s been fun being alone this month and being able to roam free, but it can get kinda lonely and a little stressful taking care of a huge villa all by yourself. I sent a I'm going insane text to dad yesterday, I hope I didn’t freak him out, but it was a crazy day.

It all started when I woke up and went to get myself some breakfast and discovered that there were ants in the cereal and all over the counters. So I walked around and followed them out the kitchen door to their hiding place. The crevice was nasty, soo many ants. Sadly while I was outside I discovered hundreds of spider nests and spiders eggs along the walls of the house, and I went insane. All I knew was that I did not want them hatching with me home alone. I did the only logical thing to do, hauled the hose around the side of the house, and started spraying the walls down. The water instantly turned to the mud thanks to the sand coating the house, and the several centimeters worth on the floor, I kept sweeping the water out and down the street, hosing off the house, filling up buckets and splashing the walls past the hose’s reach, and finally trying to drown the ants out of their home. I looked like a maniac. A crazy western girl running around outside in shorts and dripping wet, where is her maid?

Well I really aggravated the ants and they wouldn’t all die, so I sprayed the hole with nasty deodorant spray, it killed some, but made a mess. So one more time I hauled water to the top of the steps, dumped it down the alley way and swept the mud, ants and spider eggs out into the street.

At this point I was emotionally and physically a mess. I did the only thing I know how to do in a situation like that, shower, then bake. I came downstairs to bake and discovered ants in the flour and oatmeal I needed to cook with. After emptying my cabinets and making a grocery list I called up my faithful Hamid and requested a taxi.

I changed out of my shorts into a long skirt and loose blouse and climbed into the taxi. Calais “Where do you want to go madam?” Molly “I dunno… I just need a good variety of fresh vegetables, and well, lots of American food.” Calais “Okay, no problem, I take you.”

And twenty minutes later I found myself at a Sultan Center on Gulf Road surrounded with American ingredients. I wasn’t willing to pay $9 for coffee creamer to spice up my oatmeal, but I did find chocolate chips, butterscotch chocolate chips, fake vanilla, corn syrup, flour, sugar, brown sugar, and several other American ingredients. The produce selection was huge and I decided to satisfy my craving for guacamole and ignored the price on the avocadoes. I paid an outrageous amount for my groceries, but was a little more sane when I climbed back into my taxi. It was over 120 degrees outside, so I passed Calais a cool coke and sipped my drink in peace.

I returned home, Calais unloaded the groceries for me, and then I cranked up my music and went to work. I think I went a little insane with the baking. I did little but bake for two days and made a couple hundred chocolate chip cookies, a double batch of no bake fudge cookies, butterscotch cookies, butterscotch and chocolate cookies, oatmeal cookies, oatmeal chocolate cookies, peanut butter cookies, snicker doodle cookies, 5 loaves of chocolate chip banana bread, my own version of key lime pie but with fresh lemons, a berry cobbler coffee cake, toffee topping… I baked my stress away and filled the freezer. I wanted not only dad to enjoy the goodies when he came home, but I wanted to be part of events in the fall when I was at college. I might not be on the same continent, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make dessert for a dinner party.

Honorable Mention, Foreign Service Youth Foundation

This article was in the Foreign Service Youth Foundation newsletter and sent to all State Department Employees.

Molly Spessert, age 18, was awarded an honorable mention for her work in community service. She is the daughter of Robert and Cheryl Spessert, currently posted to Kuwait. Molly graduated from ACS Hillingdon International School, London, UK, one year early in order to pursue her community service work in the Middle East. Since November 2009, Molly has worked for Operation Hope Kuwait (an organization providing humanitarian relief primarily to expatriate laborers in Kuwait). In her role as the Student Ambassador, Molly coordinates with local schools to organize clothing and supply drives for the needy third country nationals. Molly leads approximately 20 other teenagers in managing a weekly clothing locker. This service provides critical clothing protection to 5,000-plus workers who face grueling work hours, in heat, cold, wind and sand. She has also designed the new website for Operation Hope. Orphans are at the center of Molly's heart and she has worked with them in Bulgaria, Macedonia and South Africa. When she is not helping others, Molly's hobbies include photography and traveling. This fall she will be attending the University of Elon and will continue to pursue opportunities to serve.

Everyone associated with the Foreign Service Youth Foundation, the Family Liaison Office and the Department of State congratulates the 2010 community service award winners and nominees. These outstanding U.S. Foreign Service youth demonstrate the generosity of spirit that is truly American.