So it begins...

I made it! And, it really feels so great to finally say it. 

Having started my application process in the early spring of 2019 this wait has felt like an eternity. At certain points, I felt my coworkers, friends, family, and even myself begin to question the legitimacy of my conditional offer and the waitlist for a training date. 

In actuality my story is not that unique. From what I understand, the average turn around time from application submission to the start of training is between one and three years. This may seem like a shockingly long time but after you consider all the work and multilevel intricacies of the hiring process it becomes more clear.

Where my story (and that of my new coworkers) is unique is that we made it. Countless people try for years to join this organization. Some need to take the exam or interview multiple times to receive an offer, some timeout on the waitlist, and the vast majority never even make it that far. 

Needless to say, I feel very fortunate to be where I am today. 

Despite these first few paragraphs, this blog is not about my job. It is however about the life and experiences it enables Michelle and I to have. Sadly, with my training taking place in D.C. and her remaining predominantly back home for it's duration, the next five to six months of entries will be shy on details regarding "Our Life International" and mainly consist of "Our Pseudo Unaccompanied Life Domestic".

In mid-October we will find out where I will be assigned for my first tour. Only then do I think we will begin to fathom the reality of what the future holds for us. 

-Matthew