It looks like the prime contractor can get me into the DoD traning facility for May 6th, but it also sounds like their group in Iraq might want me to delay departure as there are some things I can better take care of from the US (with the same business hours and a reliable phone connection).
So I'm not leaving any sooner than the 6th and I have no idea potentially how much later.
Well, I was just starting to get philisophical about the whole project and rationalizing the fact that I wasn't going with all the secuirty issues on the news, the beauty of California, and the friends I have here ... when I got an e-mail this morning saying it's on. I'm now entering the "on-boarding" process and the Project Lead in Iraq has asked me to contact him before they stuff me on a plane as it appears there is some work that I can do stateside for a little while.
So... I STILL don't know exactly when I'm going, but now I know of sure that I'm going and that the process is starting presently (I have two calls scheduled for today already).
Careful what you wish for, I guess. On the other hand, I'm all excited for the big adventure.
I got a call today that I'm approved by both the prime contractor (the big-x consulting firm) and now USAID too ... but no one knows what that means yet as there seem to be some delays due to the security situation. It sounds like that as soon as the security situation stabilizes, or at least the US Gov decides to ship people anyway, I take off. What a ride this is ... and I haven't even left yet.
okay, so I heard today that it wasn't that my application is particular was rejected, it's that there was no response to my application. Much like my dating life I was simply ignored. Now they're trying to figure out what's going on. What a fun game this is...
Okay, as of yesterday morning the trip was back on again (the approvals came back for this wave of contractors to go). Then by the afternoon it was off again when my specific approval apparently didn't go through USAID. No word yet if this is a temporary hiccup or a permanent problem.
Still don't know anything for sure. Quite a day for ups and downs.
Well, no one at the company seems to know anything right now. Apparently the company execs are having some discussions with the government regarding how much money is left and for what. No one seems to know what the answer will be nor how long it will take to even figure that much out.
So Iraq isn't off. It just isn't on either. Nothing like a little extra uncertainty in your life to add a little extra stress...
I'm going to go about my life like it isn't happening and will update this blog as I get more info.
Okay, now I’m a little cranky. I went and bugged these guys again yesterday a.m. and bcc’d my buddy at the company. I got back from the Project Management guys that everything was on track, just moving slowly, and that my stuff was still with the USG. I get a note from my friend just a little while later that says that he heard a rumor regarding the company’s budget that didn’t look good for my trip. He calls later and tells me that his boss’s boss just said that it was “safe to say” that no one new would be going to Iraq due to budget issues.
I still haven’t got the final word, but if this whole thing is called off I’m going to be a little cranky. Stay tuned.