Ten More Weeks

If you didn't already hear from me, when I was able to whine about this to you in person, I failed my final proficiency exams in listening and reading here at DLI.  I did manage to pass the speaking portion, and I graduated from the course, so there's some small consolation in that.  Graduation was on Thursday, and Justin's family made the trip out to Idaho to attend and spend the day with us.  It was great having them here.

Unfortunately, graduating the course doesn't write a ticket out of this place if you don't pass the DLPT.  What it means is that I will be detained here for another ten weeks of additional remedial training before I make another stab at it.  So after a very long 24 months in TRADOC, with or without a passing grade, the Army will at long last let me go home, or to Idaho anyway, and I can't wait.  In the interim, after several days of sitting around whining and crying to Justin about this situation, I've finally decided that maybe it's time to try and shake off the gloom, and gear up for Russian classes to resume again on Monday.  I'm trying to look on the bright side, and remember that this is more money, it gives me a little more time to get ready to go run the Golden Gate Bridge (I decided when I first got here that before I leave I'm going to run it across and back, it's only 3 miles, but that's a long run for me), and maybe I can finally allow myself a visit to those outlet malls out in Gilroy.  We've explored Point Lobos, and Big Sur, gone whale watching, visited Hearst Castle, Alcatraz, China Town, Fisherman's Wharf (in Monterey & in SF), the San Francisco Symphony, the Oakland zoo, Santa Cruz, the Monterey aquarium and the Jelly Belly factory.  I'm not really sure what else to do here, but if anyone who reads this has a suggestion, let me know.  I've got 10 more Saturdays here...and a budget, of course.  :)