A monthly look behind the stories in Embassy Kid: An American Foreign Service Family Memoir, the view from my writing desk as I share the book, and a preview of what I’m working on. What I’m reading and what I’m watching. And the adventures of my rescue Lab and therapy dog, Kumba.

More photos from Jane*s childhood

[Readers of EMBASSY KID know that my family calls me Jane. When and why did I switch to my middle name of Kelly?* ANSWER BELOW. ]

We had barely been in Milan for nine months— far shorter than a normal foreign service post —when my father got tapped on the shoulder to spend a year as a graduate student at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Bologna for the 1960-61 academic year.

There were no English-speaking school options for my sister and me, so I began first grade at an Italian school, where I was treated no better and no worse than other children who were already fluent in the language. Talk about immersion! Here we are dressed for Carnevale, the elaborate, pre-Lenten celebration that ends on Fat Tuesday. Our costumes were far less fancy than those of my classmates—my sister as Tweety Bird is seated in the front row, and I am dressed as a gypsy in the center back row.

The life of a graduate student allowed us lots of family time to explore the surrounding area. Here we are lounging during a picnic in the hills surrounding Bologna. This photo was taken by my Winona, MN grandfather during my grandparents’ visit.

*THE ANSWER: My vivacious college roommate was June and people kept calling me her name. I had already been going by different versions of Jane—-Juanita, Giovanna, Geni—so I leapt to my middle name, Kelly.

On the Road With Embassy Kid

I am always tickled to see whose hands are holding Embassy Kid … and where! This month, my memoir made it all the way to Sri Lanka, thanks to C, the most adventurous of my neighborhood pool workout posse, The Mermaids. Just pure luck that a Buddhist monk wandered by as she snapped the photo!

My local Barnes and Noble bookstore organized an Embassy Kid book signing on February 7. Such a generous setup—a bigger table than John Grisham’s! What a delight to engage in conversations with such a wide variety of book lovers. I’ll be back at @bn_wellington on May 2.

On February 25, I was on a panel of local authors speaking with The Huntington Lakes Book Club in Delray Beach, including #1 NYT bestselling author J. Terry Garrity, author of 1970’s The Sensuous Woman, still in print. Terry, who is completing a trio of Regency romance novels, engaged the audience in helping her craft an age-appropriate intimate scene between an older couple. The response? More, please!

If you’re part of a book club that would like to connect with me, let me know in your comments, email me at realembassykid@gmail.com, or call or text me at 561-942-4915.

What I’m Writing

My work-in-progress is Amsterdam Strong: Becoming Unstoppable, about surviving a ruptured abdominal aneurysm, which included 3 months in a Dutch hospital, during which I was hit with ICU-acquired weakness.

According to the National Institutes of Health, ICU patients lose 3 percent of their muscle per day, resulting in a loss of 20-30 percent per week, especially if they are intubated.

The ICU doctors at OVLG Hospital told me that, had I not been very strong before my illness, I might not have made it out of the ICU.

The lesson here? Be as strong as you can be. It might just save your life.

I am taking this message on the road. To book me to speak, email me at realembassykid@gmail.com, or call or text me at 561-942-4915.

What I’m Watching, What I’m Reading

I hope you, like me, watched endless hours of skating, sliding, and soaring as the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics took place. I’m going through Olympics withdrawal now.

What a rich array of talent, skill, daring, and good spirit! Truly an international fellowship. At a time when the world seems broken by chaos and ill will, the sheer joy with which Alysa Liu took to the ice seemed to momentarily bring us all into the light. Here’s an opinion piece that I wrote about these Winter Olympics.

I have just finished a lovely children’s book, Lucky Puppy Finds Two Families by retired U. S. Diplomat Vida Gecas, illustrated by Lisa Alderson. It is based on a true story about a street dog Vida rescued while on her Foreign Service tour in West Africa. Lucky is a diplomat dog!

Kumba’s Korner

Our rescue Lab and therapy dog, Kumba, and I are certified by the Alliance of Therapy Dogs to visit with humans who might benefit from a little gentle attention. We spend Thursday afternoons “sharing smiles and joy” at a nearby residence for seniors, Elegance at Lake Worth. Thank you to Complete Canine Training for the coaching and to Labrador Retriever Rescue of Florida for bringing this dear dog into our lives.