Six months

Today is July 4th, our Independence Day. It’s not hard to feel patriotic today. And especially less hard these days in my current role.

Lauren and I find ourselves at the six-month mark since we left our Boston home for Prague. Transitioning to the heart of Europe has been a big change, but it’s gradually turning into a new kind of normal.

What’s stayed consistent throughout this shift? My daily interactions with people here. It’s these interactions, the morning visit to the local bakery, meeting new friends and sharing a beer or traveling to various villages & cities in country, that I find an increased sense of this place we’re beginning to call home.

I’m starting to make more photographs here. A few portraits, some landscapes but mostly just little moments along my walks. For fellow film camera lovers out there, I finding renewed love for 35mm after mostly shooting medium format back in the States.

But really, my role and experience here extends beyond personal experiences. Working closely with the Czech government, civil society, and numerous NGOs has opened my eyes to our shared challenges and the potential we have to address them, together. And I am so beyond grateful for my team at embassy Prague. Their expertise, support and dedication is incredible. Our work here feels diverse, important and extremely meaningful.

Lauren’s support during this transition and the work here has been beyond essential. Her strength has helped me more than I can say in words. I wouldn’t be here without her. That’s for sure.

I wake up each morning with gratitude. It is such a privilege to be the US Ambassador to the Czech Republic.

I’m looking forward to see what the next six months will bring.