Refreshed!

Wow.  Wow wow wow. 

So I’m currently deployed.  Although it’s not a terrible deployment, I am far away from family, have to run through a gym to use the bathroom and/or take a shower, eat at a chow hall, share a box with a roommate, and depend on online shopping for hygiene items (all the while crossing my fingers that my package will arrive before I’m completely out of stuff).  And all the rest of the lovelies that come with deployments.

Well, my boss and I got the privilege of attending a ceremony which required us to travel to a huge city, live in a hotel (oh my) and act like a normal human for two nights.  All I have to say is Woo Hoo!

Now I didn’t go crazy.  I promise I was a good girl.  But I did get to partake in some really cool stuff that you’d normally take for granted if you’re not deployed and haven’t been away from normal civilization for months.

 Today I got to…

Live in a hotel room that is actually an awesome apartment in a hotel building.

Jump on this beautiful bed.

Take a wonderful shower in this gorgeous bathroom.

Go to a mall, where I bought some jeans and sandals.

See my first prostitutes… wait, no they’re not my prostitutes and no I did not take pictures of them.  You know what I mean.  See prostitutes for the first time!  Why I’m excited about this is beyond me, but I’m not caring at the moment.

Drink coffee at a Starbucks.  And oh man, have I missed Starbucks.

Eat… drumroll…. Crème Brulee!   Again, no pics for proof.  Sadly.  :(  Ah well, I'll remember the taste forever.

But above all this, I had the honor of purchasing something at a store and when showing my military ID card (I know, that’s bad but I didn’t think to bring a driver’s license with me on this trip) with my credit card, the cashier looked at the ID then back at me and said, “Ma’am, are you in the military?”

I answered yes and he said, “It is an honor to meet you.  Thank you.”

And then in my hotel this morning I was in uniform because we were on our way to the ceremony and one of the hotel workers said, “Ma’am, it is a privilege to meet you.  Thank you for your service.”

Now trust me, in the mainland I’ve had people come up to me and thank me for my service.  And it always takes a deep breath to keep from crying.  But to be in a foreign country where a local thanks me?  That was something.

So, my boss and I will be gone really soon.  And although I’ll be just a tad bit sad to return to camp life after a small taste of real life, I’ll be going back refreshed and grateful to have had the experience in the first place.

Will end this blog the way I started it.

Wow.  Wow wow wow.