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 |  I travel the country on business, sometimes the world. Come see where I've been. |
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Talk about perks, my job has one of the best ones I can think of! I travel in the course of business, delivering classes for my employer. I am a Senior Training Specialist for Motorola Solutions, and teach classes on a wide variety of subjects centered around 2 way radio communications. I'm qualified to deliver approximately 30 different classes, but about half of those are 'Legacy' classes, and are not in demand anymore. My students are technicians, those who maintain, program, calibrate, and repair large 2-way radio systems. Some of these systems are statewide, and use TCP-IP networking to allow sites to communicate with others. Some are small, traditional type radio sites. The size doesn't matter, in each case the systems must be kept operational at all times, since many of them are Public Safety Systems. So I get to travel, sometimes frequently, 3-4 weeks in a row.... where am I this week? This probably won't have daily entries, but I will make entries when I get to go somewhere, and keep an updated list of coming trips. My schedule changes faster than the weather, so don't be too surprised to see me list an upcoming class, only to remark later on that it is cancelled, or delayed. Delays are fine of course, but a later date might mean that someone else gets to go instead of me,,, Well, here we go with this, let's see where it takes us.  Best Cultural And Regional Honorable Mention |
| Locale: Algiers, Algeria This week finds me in Algiers, Algeria for a couple of classes with the Direction Générale de la Sûreté Nationale (DGSN). Of course, their native tongue isn't English, it's mainly French, with a bit of Arabic thrown in. All of my students speak a bit of English, some more than others, and those that speak it better than most help in translating difficult points to understand. Other than slowing the delivery of the class a little, all has gone well, and I'm still on schedule in my delivery. I'm staying at the Sheraton Des Pins Resort, just west of Algiers. As I mentioned in my previous post, a driver takes me to and from work daily. That's a good thing, I've seen how they drive here, and have no desire to do that. Not that they are bad drivers, they just drive so differently than we do in the States. Add to it that I hate being tailgated (compared to us, it's like tailgating is on Steroids). The class is in Soumaa, Blida, Algeria, about an hours drive south of here. It's not really far, the time is more due to traffic than distance. I have to confess that the image I had in my mind of Algeria, was one of desert mostly. I was surprised to see mountains to the south, pretty close to the training site. But south of the mountains, you will find the desert, so I'm told. I won't be traveling over the mountains for a couple of reason, mainly that it's more dangerous there than here for foreigners who are Caucasian. Photo's From Visit:  Panoramic Shot Of Mediterranean Sea From Hotel Beach Noteworthy Restaurants: Pan Asian, Le Tassili (Algerian Cuisine, and very good), La Trattoria (Italian), La Brasserie (it seems to change almost nightly), all here in the hotel. I can't find a website, can't find their menus, but the food is very good. I haven't decided on my favorites yet, I usually just change restaurants each day so far. Let's just say I haven't been disappointed yet. In Closing I will spend the weekend (Friday and Saturday is the weekend here) here in Algeria. I might get out if either the driver or another Motorolan (the Project Manager) take me. Otherwise I'll be relaxing in the hotel all weekend. Til next time, be good to yourselves and those you love, and WRITE!  Jim Dorrell |
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I then went to Taiwan for two weeks; but, although that was nice, it wasn't 'home'. 
