Well, We got our second shot for Japanese encephalitis today. Cost another $100 just for the administering of the shot. Luckily, ICMA will reimburse us for costs of these. I think this is just another way the medical community is skimming money out of the system. Oh well.

While at the ICMA conference we learned a lot more about the financial aspects of this arrangement. I be getting a salary of 5% more than I'm making at the City, and IRS rules provide that the first $80K is tax free if I spend no more than 35 days in the US during the first 365 days of employment. I still must pay FICA and Medicare on the full amount. There is a housing allowance of $1100 per month that isn't taxed. And I get "per diems" for every day I'm traveling in-country. Since I will be serving for 15 months, I am eligible for R&R, however it is not supposed to be taken the first 6 months nor the last 6 month. That leaves a small window in the middle.

Of course we'll be getting a full package of benefits (health, life, def. comp, etc.). On top of that, we won't have Oregon Income tax either. Things are certainly looking good.

There is a ton of paperwork that has to be filled out before I go. Application forms, tax forms, insurance forms, etc, etc. I have to have these completed by Tuesday AM, so no real guess about what I'll be doing this week end.