There’s No Place Like Home ... Leave

During June and July we were in the U.S. on "home leave." The government requires us to go back to the homeland every couple of years to reacclimate to American culture and remember who we're working for out here. Patrick took a two-week course on federal contracting (mmm, exciting!) while Jennifer did some networking with her old contacts, but we were able to spend almost five full weeks on vacation, visiting family and friends. Patrick's friend Tammy flew down to Washington, DC from St. Paul, MN to visit for a weekend and meet with their friend Judy, who Patrick hadn't seen since 1996!

We started our vacation in Columbia, SC with Jennifer's dad. Art & Kerry ensured that we got off on the right foot with quality relaxation. We went to see Kung Fu Panda -- great film! -- and enjoyed a nice picnic along the river.




We spent a lot of time in Asheville, NC, working on a special project (more on that in a separate post). Asheville sits in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains, so we got a chance to do some hiking, reconnect with nature, and enjoy some peace & quiet -- something we miss, living in Bangkok. (Can you spot the moth?)





Of course, we spent a lot of time on the road.



We drove down to Georgia to visit Patrick's extended family, including his grandparents, a couple of aunts & uncles, and many, many animals at the farm in Hawkinsville! Then it was off to the Isle of Palms, near Charleston, SC, to visit the Beall family: Ben, Mary, Jack, Sara, and Max. We had a great Fourth of July weekend with them, playing on the beach, helping Ben & Mary shop for houses, and renewing our friendship.

After another quick trip to Asheville, we spent a week with Jennifer's mom, sister and aunt in Raleigh, NC. There were some home projects to help out with -- cleaning out storage and re-sealing the deck -- but also lots of good time to simply hang out. We also had a wonderful but all-too-brief visit with Tina and Mark while Helen enjoyed playing with Charlie.



Then it was off to Prince George, VA to Patrick's parents' new house. We earned our keep out in the yard with various construction projects and managed to find time to pull a few fish out of the lake with the newest member of the Wilson family, Guinness.





Before we knew it, it was time to head back to Bangkok! We squeezed in a quick visit with Eric, Sheryl and Katie Johnson, and our last official visit was with Eric's mom, the night before we left. It was an ideal trip -- we were ready to come back to the States, we made the most out of our time with friends and family, and we came back to own home here refreshed and ready to continue our adventure abroad. Thanks to everyone who made home leave so much fun!