Winter break offers a spectacular display of desolation at jobsite. Families (expats and nationals alike) vacate their existing lives to return home or to visit exotic locations around the world. For six-weeks, there is a strange stillness that dominates the community.

Our trip to Autralia was a nice two-week distraction for the girls, but their restlessness gained momentum just days after we returned to jobsite. To alleviate their boredom (and to keep my own sanity), we took a quick trip to Bali to enjoy the last few days of the break. The girls revived their Arizona tans, surfed, shopped, binged on fast food, and spent an evening dressed as Balinese princesses.

By the end of this week, most families will have returned to jobsite, bringing the life and breath of the community with them.