Hello from algiers!

We have officially moved to Algiers, Algeria! This has been almost two years in the making since we first received our onward assignment, and tacked on an extra move to DC for a year for Jamari to learn French. I’ll spare you the long story of our pack-out from Virginia and arriving in Algiers, but I will say that there was an added 3 weeks of hotel stays and travel while we waited for our visas. But, we are here! We arrived 2 weeks ago, and are all settling into our new normal.

Moving (in general) is always a stressful and carefully planned out process; but moving internationally with two kids under 4, a large dog, and all of our possessions for the next few months fit into bags is a logistical cluster. I’ll give a brief rundown of how we did it, since I am constantly asked by non-foreign service/military families who don’t PCS how it’s done. We strategically planned the last 2 nights of our stay in an airport hotel next to Dulles, knowing they would offer free shuttles for the kids and I with all the bags (obstacle #1) and rented a mini van from the airport to be delivered on the day of our departure so Jamari could transport the massive dog cage and Kingston (obstacle #2). We arrived to the airport and the shuttle assisted unloading all of our bags (8 duffles, 4 carry ones, 4 personal items, 2 car seats, 1 stroller, and 2 kids). Jamari returned the rental van while the kids, Kingston, and I hung out outside the airport answering all the questions people who passed by had. (Side Note: The airport is the only place I have ever been vocally cheered on by other mom’s, “You’ve got this mama” is a common mantra I heard schlepping through the airport”.

Once Jamari returned, I had flagged down a skycap to assist me loading the bags onto a flatbed cart to push into the airport. Once inside it gets a bit chaotic because we need to move ALL this stuff with just the two of us. I miss travel circa 2003 when skycaps actually assisted you past the front door, but we managed. We parked the cart on the side of the ticketing booth, and navigated the line with the kids and Kingston. There is always some confusion when we PCS on having two bags each, that we are paying upfront for the additional bag, and then we added the dog into the mix and it took way longer than I would’ve wanted, but 35 minutes later we were having Kingston’s crate scanned by TSA and waving goodbye to him as he went on his own voyage. He flew on the plane with us, but in cargo. And it’s necessary to give praise where due, and Lufthansa is due praise! They took exceptional care of him, even giving him a bath during our layover in Frankfurt. He arrived into Algiers clean, and well rested from his travel.

16 hours after our wheels where up, they were back down in Algiers via a 4 hours layover in Frankfurt. The kids did great during the flight, despite only sleeping the last 20 minutes of each flight. Everyone was in good spirits and we were all excited to land, get our things, and check out our new home. We managed to successfully collect ALL the bags, and the dog and be out of the airport and into our awaiting vans within 1 hour.

Our new home is darling, it is a walk up apartment style in a busy neighborhood with convenient shopping directly across the street. It is lined of marble floors (that I would never be able to afford), and a stunning roof top terrace where I’ve learned to love for night cap drinks, and early morning coffee. The adhan (call to prayer) is heard loudly when I have the windows cracked, and the smell of charcoal BBQ is alluring. We live off a bustling street which is fun to hear the conversations and cars while we sit outside. English is scarcely spoken in our immediate neighborhood (which I haven’t navigated much out of quite yet), and with minimal Arabic and zero French it has been a slight learning curve for communication. But, I am finding with pointing and Google translate, anything is possible. Kingston has a small yard to hang out in, and multiple terraces off our apartment to get some sun. We even have a built in apartment cat, that lives in the yard. The apartment feels a bit barren right now because none of our own possessions outside of what we carried in luggage is here. We have a few months yet before we receive our decor and personal items, so until then we are grateful for the Embassy provided items.

Grocery shopping is one of the only things that makes me say, “I miss home” so far. It is a bit of a new concept after living in the US for 5 years. The grocery “stores” are called superettes, and are about the size of a small NYC bodega (if you are lucky). They stock essentially all dry goods and hygiene products you might need. Let’s just say, a 7-11 would be considered a superstore compared to the size of said superettes. I stop by the superette for my dry goods needed, then to the fruit and vegetable stand for any produce, and then to the butcher for meat. If I want bread, I need to find a bakery, and fish is sold solely at the fish market. Basically 3 to 4 stops to make a meal. It’s also taken me a minute to realize that if it is on the shelf, and I like the product, I need to buy it all like early covid style. Things aren’t restocked frequently, or ever.

Quickly, I will mention our next steps here; I will be working full-time soon at the Embassy. Audrey will be attending kindergarten at the end of the month. Jamari is thriving in his new assignment and enjoying being back in an office after what felt like years of virtual work. The children have a nanny, who will stay with them while we both work, and will be teaching them French. Kingston is enjoying his old man Mediterranean retirement style. We’ve already purchased a car and hit up the beach last weekend for a glorious day of swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, and we are back in full swing of embassy lifestyle living.