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- Jun 20, 2024
- ☀️ 32 °C
- Altitude: 21 m
United StatesWashington, D.C.Judiciary SquareJohn Marshall Place Park38°53’36” N 77°1’7” W
#1. First steps

One more check in the mirror - I can’t believe I cut myself shaving - halfway between the bottom of my nose and my upper lip. A little bloody Charlie Chaplin moustache. Multiple layers of foundation and powder and I can still see it. That said, I can still see my beard shadow when everyone else insists that they can’t. Last check, make sure my skirt isn’t tucked into my underwear, that the wig is straight. Triple check the purse for my phone and the room key.
And………….. go
I step into the hallway and head to the elevator. I am starting to feel that confidence. I get on and see the girl in the mirror, the one who has shadowed me since I was four years old. The doors open and I stride into the lobby. The girl is now on the other side of the looking glass. Out of the lobby and out into the street. I am in Chinatown, on H street (I didn’t even know Washington had a Chinatown). The heat has already started but I am lucky that my route is mostly in the shade. As I walk down 6th towards Pennsylvania Avenue I repeat Olivier’s advice in my head. Be confident. Own the space. Eye contact. My posture is better in spite or because of the low heels I am wearing.and I realize that I am confident, I am owning the space. The simple reality that feminine me is confidently walking downtown in a foreign city is a source of joy and wonder to me. I am early and feeling good so I stop to pick up an Americano (when in America….) .. the barista asks my name for the order - “Holly”- and a smile flits across my face because it’s still new saying this and it still feels so good. I continue and turn left on Pennsylvania Avenue and suddenly the iconic Dome of the Capitol appears in the distance. Just a block or two and then I am at the Embassy. I have been to many embassies and consulates before, and high commissions and permanent missions too. But never this one, the biggest and arguably the most important one we have. And never, ever before as the person I have always known myself to be. I am making personal history today.
I had already made some yesterday. My first flight post transition. First border crossing. First time landing in another country. First hotel check in. It’s all gone amazingly.
Yesterday evening was spent in great company with foreign service family. Our work is so intense, our lives so unique and our careers so intertwined you gain a tribe. S, who hosted, and cheekily turned it into a surprise birthday for me, I had worked with in India (on my second tour). She has a lovely easygoing and unpretentious air and our backgrounds are quite similar so the age gap melts away. She was one of the first work people I came out to and will always have a special place in my heart. Her son H, who had grown nine feet since I’d seen him seven years earlier, drifted in an out as one would suspect of a teenager.
I had worked with L at HQ and she is whip smart, beautifully sarcastic and effortlessly cool and we shared the sad connection of having lost beloved parents. Her partner S was someone I’d known of for years but not spent time with and I was happy to remedy that. She was also easy going and we readily connected.
Rounding out our dinner were A and E who were on a house hunting mission as they prepared for a move to Washington. I have known A for a while and we’d collaborated on a variety of projects together. He has forgotten more technical knowledge than I could ever know yet has a wonderful patience with Luddite’s like me. We too bonded over loss of parents. He is ten feet tall and has the sensitive soul of a child. His partner E is lovely with a quick laugh and kind smile and someone else who I was so grateful to get to know better.
Forget your stereotypes about diplomats. The ones I know at least are genuine, grounded humans.
Over dinner at the house in Arlington we shared stories, gossiped, laughed and did what sustains us wherever we are around the world. Even in Ottawa. We had birthday cake and I returned to the hotel counting my blessings. All of these people had known me as a bald guy named Oscar for varying lengths of time, yet effortlessly pivoted to embracing Holly. I could ask nothing more of them and it means the world to me. I would gladly be posted anywhere in the world with these people.
Back to the embassy. I climb the steps and go to the receptionist under the watchful eye of security and mention I am here to visit S. An already great day is about to get better and better.
*** Please note that all opinions expressed are my own personal views and not those of my employer.Read more
Traveler Holly, reading your journey fills me with so much pride and admiration for your strength and confidence. Every step you take, every milestone you reach, is a testament to your incredible courage and authenticity. Your story is not just personal history but a beacon of inspiration for many. Keep shining and owning your space. 💖
Traveler ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️