The Two Crabs are now officially in Canada!  We arrived in Calgary in mid-July after a month of Home Leave. We haven't been here long but already loving our new job and home at the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The Two Crabs have already been camping a few times in Banff and Jasper National Parks, exploring some of the countless hiking trails, and sampling local cuisine like poutine, bison, elk and Canadian beer (NOT Molson). 

It's been a busy summer between pack-outs, travel, training, consultations, visits with friends & family, arriving and in-processing at our new Post. To make it even more challenging, this is our first experience with serving in an "LQA" (Living Quarter Allowance) Post; at most US Embassies and Consulates around the world, Foreign Service staff are assigned to housing; at LQA Posts, FS employees must go out and find their own housing -- a time-consuming process but with the benefit that you can find a home that's right for you instead of a one-size-fits-all model. 

I'll post more later, and I still owe you a "Best of Seoul" report! But here's a few photos from our Home Leave and our first month in Calgary.

Biggest reverse culture shocks from our first 24 hours back in DC: 1) The diversity of America, or, Fifty Shades of Brown. As a "minority," this was especially noticeable after 2 years living in Korea, one of the most homogeneous countries in the world. My taxi driver from Dulles is a recently-naturalized US citizen from Morocco. Our waitress is Korean. The Target cashier was Somalian. The bartender is from El Salvador. The U.S. remains the melting pot that attracts people from around the world chasing the American Dream. 2) Choices! My jaw dropped when I walked into the new Fairlington Safeway on King Street, Alexandria. It is about 3x the size of our old Yongsan commissary with FOUR aisles of beer and wine. 3) Tipping. After two tours in countries where tipping is not common or expected, I forgot that tipping has become ubiquitous in the United States. 4) Cost of living. A Korean BBQ dinner for six was $130 including $20 in tips. The same group meal would have been about $70 in Seoul with no tipping required. 5) Customer service. Although this seems to be a dying art form, American customer service is still light years ahead of most countries. Even our United flight attendants were surprisingly chipper. On second thought, Maybe there is something good to be said for tipping!

Yes I'm guilty of not blogging. 2015 has been a very challenging year, between bidding and now scrambling to pack-out with only 2 months notice of where we are going (Canada). Our pack-out is tomorrow, and I'm about to lose internet access. I absolutely LOVE Korea and will greatly miss all our friends and colleagues in Seoul. This was also our first experience living in Asia. We've had the opportunity to travel to some awesome places over the past six months. A quick recap of where we've been:

New Zealand (south island) - November 2014:

Hong Kong - November 2014:

Macau, November 2014:

Melbourne, Australia - November 2014:

Brisbane, Australia - November 2014:

Kauai and Oahu, Hawaii - January 2015: 

Skiing in Niseko, Japan - March 2015:

Hoi An, Vietnam - May 2015:

Siem Reap, Cambodia - May 2015:

Home: Seoul, Korea! (This is a temple in Bukhansan National Park) - May 2015:

More than 9 1/2 months ago, Mr. Crab began the long painful task known as mid-level bidding. To recap: a Foreign Service Officer's first two tours are "directed assignments", which is a nice way of saying you go wherever the Department sends you (needs of the service). Mid-level bidding is a whole different beast; you're essentially responsible for finding your own onward assignment. This has been made extremely difficult by a staffing situation dubbed "The Pig in the Python" 

For Mr. Crab, this process began in early June 2014 when I first threw my hat into the ring for PSP - Priority Staffing Post (aka Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen and Libya). No dice, so I moved into the regular bidding cycle where I competed against hundreds of my colleagues for an assignment. Most officers learn their onward assignment on handshake day in November. But November came and went. That's how I ended up in a limbo state, like Dr. David Banner roaming the Earth looking for purpose. Every few weeks new jobs would pop up on the bid list, I bid, interviewed (some begging and groveling was involved), waited, then began the process all over again. I bid or expressed interest in no less than 50 jobs located in all corners of the world. 

A few weeks ago, a bunch of new jobs suddenly materialized on the bid list. Again, I threw my name into the hat. This time was different. I got a few nibbles, then bites, call-backs, interviews. I was horribly sick this past week, but I managed to find the strength to conduct two phone interviews from bed. I slept most of Tuesday, so of course I woke up at midnight, got up and checked my e-mail. And there it was...

Subject line: "HANDSHAKE: CALGARY"

The Two SKIING Crabs are moving to Canada!  Boom goes the dynamite!

It's been a while since my last post so I'll give a quick recap: In November we went on R&R to Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. In January, we went on a one-week trip to Hawaii with family. The Two Crabs have done a lot of skiing this winter throughout Korea including President's Day weekend trip to High 1 Ski Resort (best ski resort in Korea!).  

And I'm still sitting on the bleachers, looking for a dance partner. Three months since "handshakes" were announced, and we still don't have an onward assignment. Bidding has been a second full-time job. The past months have been spent searching for an assignment, sending out resumes, doing countless e-mail and phone interviews with post decision makers, etc. It's been a long, stressful experience, exasperated by the knowledge that we are scheduled to leave our current Post in a few short months with no clue where we are going. 

Many FS colleagues are in the same boat, especially those of us who came in during the hiring surge of 2009 - 2011 as part of the Department's Diplomacy 3.0 initiative. Most of us have now reached the mid-level grade, creating a huge bulge in the ranks that has been described as "The Pig in the Python." 

So, the search continues. Stay tuned...

Back in September, I submitted my bids for my next assignment. My next tour will be my first mid-level tour as a tenured Foreign Service Officer.  And with it comes a whole new world known as Mid-Level Bidding.

For your first two tours in the Foreign Service are "directed assignments". This basically is a nice way of saying that the Entry Level Officer (ELO) has very little say in where you get sent. You rank your bids and provide a wish list, but at the end of the day, you get sent based on the needs of the Department of State. But as a Mid-Level Officer, you do the Mid-Level Bidding Dance. This dance has its own beat, unique rhythm and even a secret language with terms like "air kisses," "winks," and "hand-shakes".

Bidding mid-level in the Foreign Service is a lot like a middle school dance. The boys and girls are sitting on opposite sides of the gym (globe). You flirt with a girl (post), we'll call her Xanadu. Xanadu is shy, coy with a good poker face. She won't let you know immediately whether she likes you or not. So you go track down her best friend from the same class (bureau) -- we'll call her Athena --  "Hey, does Xanadu like me? I really like her!"  The friend gives you an answer, which may or may not be coded language for "you have a chance at a dance" or "no chance, dude". So you pass notes in class to her wider circle of friends and acquaintenances. At the same time, you'll get your own buddies to pass notes to Athena, vouching that you're a swell guy, encouraging Athena to put in a good word with Xanadu. If Athena hints that you have a chance, you might get the nerves to go back to Xanadu directly and flat out ask her, "So, do you like me or do you LIKE me?" Xanadu might warm up and give you a wink and a sly smile. If she really likes you, you'll get an air kiss, meaning you're in like Flynn. But before you can get to the dance floor, out of nowhere, another girl you briefly fancied -- we'll call her Lindsey -- swoops in and asks you for a dance. You've already committed to dance with Xanadu, so you tip-toe around Lindsey and politely excuse yourself back across the gym floor and towards Xanadu's open hand. BUT, it's only 6:30pm, and the school dance doesn't officially start until 7pm. So you stand there looking at each other knowingly until 7:01pm, when she approaches you an outstretched arm, you shake her hand and lead her onto the dance floor.  And that, my friends, is Mid-Level Bidding in a nutshell.  

So where I am now? It's now 6:45pm and the dance is about to start. Most of my classmates have already received "air kisses" and joyfully congratulating each other for finding a dance partner. Other more tight-lipped classmates are keeping their kiss cards close to their vest, lest they jinx the news or upset their jealous classmates in the back of the gym. That's me, sitting on the bleachers, looking nervously around the room, straining through the crowd to spot anyone left without a dance partner. 

Stay tuned...

The Two Crabs and a visiting friend from NY recently popped over to China for a few days. Beijing is less than two hours' flight from Seoul - perfect for a long weekend trip out of town. However, it takes some advance planning as China has a complex, costly and time-consuming visa process. Once that was sorted, I turned to some first-hand advice from my A-100 colleagues currently stationed in Beijing, and some current colleagues who previously served there. Unfortunately, the week we visited Beijing was experiencing the worst pollution rates of the year. It finally cleared up...the morning we left! Oh well. Despite the hazy skies, it made for some eerie photography.

We stayed at a wonderful boutique hotel in the heart of the downtown Beijing and very close to the Forbidden City. Met some of my A-100 pals for drinks in a posh bar for a mini class reunion. The next day we hired a car & driver to take us to the Great Wall of China at Mutaniya, a beautful remodeled section of the wall. You can take a gondola or cable car up, and ride back down on a luge-style mountain coaster!

After tooling around the wall for a few hours, we headed back to Beijing and stopped at the Summer Palace. Unfortunately we arrived just an hour before they closed so we basically ran through the complex before they closed the gates.

The next day, we spent the entire day at the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. I knew there would be heavy security at the square but we were still surprised by the amount. All visitors must go through metal detectors and all bags and cameras have to go through Xrays just to enter the square or even a metro station in Beijing. For obvious reasons, there are uniformed and plain-clothes police wandering around, some with zoom lens cameras. There are CCTV cameras just about everywhere keeping an eye on the square. The square itself is rather anti-climactic.

The real attraction is across the street: The Forbidden City. The iconic image of Chairman Mao hangs on the gate to Beijing's former royal palace - the largest palace complex in the world. Make no mistake, this complex is HUGE. You could easily spend two days wandering around here - depending on your patience putting up with the pushy Chinese tour groups. 

 Apart from those sights, we spent the bulk of our time eating our way through Beijing. Chinese food in China bears almost no resemblence to what passes for Chinese food in America. Real Chinese food is WONDERFUL, aromatic, flavorful -- not the greasy, fried, bland, slop that you'll find at any American mall food court. We had Peking Duck at Da Dong (which, ironically, was inside a Beijing shopping mall). This was one of the best meals I have EVER had, and we've been to a LOT of restaurants around the world!

We dined all over the place, from street food to dive restaurants. One of our favorite places was Snack Street, where the adventurous eater can try starfish, seahorse and scorpions.

More food porn:

Another fabulous pastime is just exploring the little neighborhoods around Beijing. The Hutong Village:

 Ghost Street:

That's our quick trip to China. We were surprised at the cost. Beijing is cheaper than Seoul, but not by much. Every attraction like the Great Wall and Forbidden City costs at least $10-$20, unlike Seoul where most museums are free and palaces are only about $3. We enjoyed Beijing, especially the food.

The most unpleasant part about Beijing was, unfortunately, the pollution. Mrs. Crab and friend had to wear masks most of the time we were outdoors. I had a constant metallic taste in the back of my throat (probably for failing to wear a mask), and all of us were coughing and wheezing by the end of the trip. Kudos to my colleagues who are serving 3-5 year tours in Beijing who must have super human lungs or their bodies just get accustomed to the pollution. If you go, be prepared and bring a good face mask with you!  That said, we're looking forward to exploring more of China. 

Next trip: Hong Kong!

I often half-joke that my job in ACS (American Citizen Services) would make an awesome reality TV show. ACS has it all: action, drama, romance, comedy, tragedy...and even the occasional science fiction storyline. Unfortunately, someone already stole my idea. But in this case, ACS stands for Australian Citizen Services.

Australia's Channel Nine has just launched "The Embassy" - a reality show following the work of Aussie consular officers Australian Embassy in Bangkok. If you've ever wanted to experience a day in the life of an ACS Officer, check out "The Embassy". The first full episode is now available on YouTube: 

Full trip report coming soon. Unfortunately we have no Facebook or Twitter access in China. Having FB withdrawal!

Last weekend, The Two Crabs took a quick jaunt to Jeju for a bit of R&R. Located 50 miles south of the Korean peninsula, Jeju is often called "the Hawaii of Korea" - which is quite an exaggeration. Still, it has a few similiaries. It's a honeymoon destination, but now more for Chinese tourists than Koreans. And it does have palm trees and a semi-tropical environment, complete with extinct volcanoes dotting the island. It was Mrs. Crab's first trip to Jeju. But Mr. Crab was here back in 2009 when I was researching the 2010 Lonely Planet Korea guidebook. 

Jeju is a short 50-minute flight from Seoul's Gimpo airport. Many low-cost airlines fly to Jeju including Jeju Air, Eastar, Jin Air and others, many for less than $100 roundtrip if you book far enough in advance. We flew Eastar, which was the pleasant staff and service for a no-frills airline, and no extra charge for checked baggage.

 Before arriving in Jeju, we rented a car from Hertz via Expedia. But when we arrived at the airport, we could not find a Hertz rental desk anywhere. After questioning several employees, we finally learned that Hertz rentals are actually fulfilled by KT Rental Car; you must take a shuttle bus from Jeju airport door 6 to reach the KT Rental Car station. For only $35 a day, we got a small Kia with GPS (in Korean only).

After picking up our car, we headed off to Seogwipo, the main city on the south end of the island, about 45 minute drive from Jeju airport. We went straight to our AWESOME little hotel - Jeju Jungmun Log Pension & Resort. If you're seeking luxury accomodations, look elsewhere. This is basically glamping (glamorous camping). The cabins were cozy but roomy, with a real bed in the upstairs loft area, and a bathroom, kitchenette and living area with TV in the ground floor, plus a patio and upstairs balcony. The resort is located on a hilltop in a working mandarin orange farm with views of the ocean. We didn't arrive at our hotel until almost 9:30pm, but with the help of the English-speaking staff we ordered a pizza and beer at enjoyed the stars and cool views from our balcony.

 On Saturday morning, we hit the road to Seongsan Ilchulbong, a crown-shaped volcano crater rising from the sea. We had a great spot of lunch at Saesom Galbi, which I fondly remembered from my 2009 visit, dining on Jeju's famous black pig. Later that afternoon, we headed to Jungmun Resort, which is the main "high-roller" breach resort area of Jeju with several 5-star hotels, most with casinos. I managed to win $15 from the Lotte Casino! We were oddly in the mood for a good American burger, so we tracked down Gecko Bar & Grill about a mile outside of the resort. 

One of the most curious aspects of Jeju is the fact that there are not one, not two but THREE "sex" museums, which is very interesting when you consider the fact that pornography is illegal in Korea. We checked out Jeju Loveland, which is a sort of naughty themepark with artwork and sculptures created by art students. Most of the artwork is more laughable and unintentionally funny than erotic. 

We were originally hoping to hike to the top of Hallasan, the tallest mountain in all of South Korea. Unfortunately Mrs. Crab was just getting over a cold so we decided to postpone the big hike until next spring. Although it's not Hawaii, Jeju has plenty of activities to keep anyone busy. There are dozens of beaches and museums to explore, plus even smaller islands that are worth a short excursion trip.  

A few scenes from Jeju: