So, what do you think?

After two years of being a stay-at-home dad and doing various project related to our family (construction, moving, kids, new schools for kids, vaccinations, moving again, etc.), I am finally gainfully employed. Big kudos go to the Department, the Embassy, AAFSW, EPAP, and my immediate/extended family for a variety of reasons. (OK, I did have a 7 week full-time stint as a Macedonian Language Instructor at FSI, I know…).

At any rate, I am loving the first few weeks. I’m learning a lot, each and every day. And I am finally starting to contribute, at least a little bit. An equally important thing – I am starting to get my life back into balance (I am basing this on the fact I played tennis twice last weekend, and I managed to go to the CLO luncheon, sufficient early signs in my book…).

Again, I would recommend the EPAP program to EFMs looking for a professional challenge (well worth the trouble and wait)…

(I really like it when people write cool stuff in parenthesis, it makes the reading much more interesting, no?)

I will have to be a bit more careful aout what I post, though (ahem…)…

Yes – after almost exactly 11 months, I was finally notified I am able to start my new job under the Expanded Professional Associates Program (EPAP). Let me just summarize the stages I went through to get there (and how long it took):

1. EPAP call announced – early Jan 2011
2. Pre-application writing test – Jan 2011
3. Application – late Jan 2011
4. Multi-layered review process (QEP et al.) – all the way into May 2011
5. Job interview with several folks on the phone, including my new boss, coworkers and others – May 2011
6. Got an offer in writing and accepted it – May 2011
7. Started the security clearance process – June 2011
8. (started wondering if I am going to get the job in the end – mid Sep 2011)
9. Notified by HR that I can start – late December 2011
10. Start working – TDB, really a minor detail at this point

I am very, very happy that this process is over. A huge amount of people helped in the process (will not mention them here, but will thank them personally when I get the chance!)

Conclusion:

Hear ye, EFMs – definitely go after EPAP jobs, they are worth it (I am fairly certain my will be). Be ready for the long haul and the many steps it takes, though…

What’s more – it is made out of cow milk “powder”, not out of actual milk. I understand a lot of folks like and use it, but we did not plan to buy or use powdered milk – there’s plenty of it here right now!

Luckily, the good folks from the AMCOM will take it off our hands, just in time before it goes. Good save, for sure!

In any case, I’ll certainly check the expiry date and origin of the milk before we buy next time…

The place inside is as uninviting as most in AA – old rocky tables, simple steel chairs, you can almost miss the place because the entrance is not clearly marked. But the pizza is good, and certainly the best I’ve had so far in AA. Island Breeze was good too, but I had it a while back, so I’ve forgotten the taste…

Other favorites are the margheritta and the same, just with onions and red/yellow/green pepper slices…

Final score – Metro Pizza vs. Abu Goben = 4:1

Guess what? Still no milk! I mean, I don’t need to drive all the way there and back for a few kgs of flour…