SO EXCITED.
The job is fabulous, the current political climate is amazing, and another super awesome 160th-er is going too!
KHARTOUM IN JUNE!
Friday, April 29, 2011
WAHOO!
SO EXCITED.
The job is fabulous, the current political climate is amazing, and another super awesome 160th-er is going too!
KHARTOUM IN JUNE!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Tomorrow!
Tomorrow's the big day! Flag day is only 16.5 hours away. Good lord.
Hopefully I will have some wonderful news to report after that. In the meantime, feel free to enjoy some other flag day stories, and keep your fingers crossed for me.
Hopefully I will have some wonderful news to report after that. In the meantime, feel free to enjoy some other flag day stories, and keep your fingers crossed for me.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
T-6
In 6 days I'll know where I'm going to spend the next two years of my life.
But before that, let's catch up on the last several weeks!
1) Bid list: done and done. I rethought my preferences, went with my gut, and got it submitted. Now it's out of my hands, and I'm trying to forget how I ranked everything. As far as I'm concerned, right now everything's a high and I'm going to be happy with whatever they hand me on Friday.
2) Offsite! The vibrant members of the 160th had a great 2-night trip out in rural America that we are now safely recovered from. Let's just say our esprit d'corps is sky high.
3) Socializing to the max: It's great having 88 new friends eager to go out around town and try new things. In the past few weeks, I've gone to a pub quiz, Moroccan restaurant complete with belly dancing, market shopping, and more happy hours than I can count. My wallet is feeling the pinch, my kitchen misses me, but I'm definitely glad to get to spend time with my amazing classmates, many of whom will be jetting off in the coming months.
Okay, so hopefully you, like me, are focused on nothing else in the universe expect next Friday. Flag day, flag day! The course coordinators are doing a great job of keeping us busy this week, but I'm sure that the days will just be dragging on and on. So I'll just keep singing....
Flag day, flag day gonna find out on flag day
Everyone's looking forward to their posting, posting
In other news, looks like we'll have a new group of A-100ers at FSI next month afterall! Congrats to everyone who just got invites to the 161st.
But before that, let's catch up on the last several weeks!
1) Bid list: done and done. I rethought my preferences, went with my gut, and got it submitted. Now it's out of my hands, and I'm trying to forget how I ranked everything. As far as I'm concerned, right now everything's a high and I'm going to be happy with whatever they hand me on Friday.
2) Offsite! The vibrant members of the 160th had a great 2-night trip out in rural America that we are now safely recovered from. Let's just say our esprit d'corps is sky high.
3) Socializing to the max: It's great having 88 new friends eager to go out around town and try new things. In the past few weeks, I've gone to a pub quiz, Moroccan restaurant complete with belly dancing, market shopping, and more happy hours than I can count. My wallet is feeling the pinch, my kitchen misses me, but I'm definitely glad to get to spend time with my amazing classmates, many of whom will be jetting off in the coming months.
Okay, so hopefully you, like me, are focused on nothing else in the universe expect next Friday. Flag day, flag day! The course coordinators are doing a great job of keeping us busy this week, but I'm sure that the days will just be dragging on and on. So I'll just keep singing....
Flag day, flag day gonna find out on flag day
Everyone's looking forward to their posting, posting
In other news, looks like we'll have a new group of A-100ers at FSI next month afterall! Congrats to everyone who just got invites to the 161st.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Where in the world...
... will I be going? I wish I knew, but first: As many of you have noted, the current title of this blog now seems a bit inappropriate (no waiting any more - I'm a diplomat baby!). Thoughts on a new title?
But back to my musings about what flag will be handed to be in 26 days time. I know the bid list backwards and forwards now, and am surprising myself by my thoughts. I'm liking some places I never expected to, and am disregarding some that initially would have made me jump for joy. In the end, I know I will do well and have a wonderful experience wherever they send me. For now, it's just a matter of figuring out which of the posts most closely match my preferences.
1) Social life. I know, seems kind of trivial, but one of the things I'm most worried about, being a single person, is leaving work at the end of the day, having no one to come home to, and being utterly bored and lonely. That means I'm looking for larger posts (I'm sure you can have great career opportunities as an entry-level officer in a consulate of 8 people, but I'll save that for later in my career), good post morale, and a place that attracts singles more than families.
2) Language/regional preferences: Because I took the Arabic points while on the register, I have an 'obligation' to serve in an Arabic speaking post either this time around or next (I say 'obligation' in quotes because I really see it as more of a privilege). I'd rather get started earlier rather than later.
3) Danger danger. Call me crazy, but I want to serve in a danger post. I feel like I should take advantage of my singlehood, childlessness, and head to a war zone (no, there are no war zone postings for first tours, but some other 'unsafe' places get danger designations too). I'll have to serve in a danger posting eventually, so might as well do it now.
So based on those three criteria, where would you send me? I unfortunately have my heart a wee bit set on a couple places on the list, but am working hard at opening myself up to other options and staying zen.
In other news, my colleagues are still awesome, and I can't wait to get back in the classroom with them all tomorrow.
But back to my musings about what flag will be handed to be in 26 days time. I know the bid list backwards and forwards now, and am surprising myself by my thoughts. I'm liking some places I never expected to, and am disregarding some that initially would have made me jump for joy. In the end, I know I will do well and have a wonderful experience wherever they send me. For now, it's just a matter of figuring out which of the posts most closely match my preferences.
1) Social life. I know, seems kind of trivial, but one of the things I'm most worried about, being a single person, is leaving work at the end of the day, having no one to come home to, and being utterly bored and lonely. That means I'm looking for larger posts (I'm sure you can have great career opportunities as an entry-level officer in a consulate of 8 people, but I'll save that for later in my career), good post morale, and a place that attracts singles more than families.
2) Language/regional preferences: Because I took the Arabic points while on the register, I have an 'obligation' to serve in an Arabic speaking post either this time around or next (I say 'obligation' in quotes because I really see it as more of a privilege). I'd rather get started earlier rather than later.
3) Danger danger. Call me crazy, but I want to serve in a danger post. I feel like I should take advantage of my singlehood, childlessness, and head to a war zone (no, there are no war zone postings for first tours, but some other 'unsafe' places get danger designations too). I'll have to serve in a danger posting eventually, so might as well do it now.
So based on those three criteria, where would you send me? I unfortunately have my heart a wee bit set on a couple places on the list, but am working hard at opening myself up to other options and staying zen.
In other news, my colleagues are still awesome, and I can't wait to get back in the classroom with them all tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Bid List
Is out.
And all I want to do is go to sleep. This becoming a diplomat thing is tiring...
All I'll say about the list is that I'm happy with it, especially a couple posts (and especially if I get assigned one of 'em). However, I'm just going to stay zen through all of this and know that wherever they send me, it'll all work out.
For additional thoughts, I refer you to my classmate's lovely blog here.
A 9pm bedtime isn't too embarrassing, is it?
(p.s. - yes, I do need a new blog title I guess. Suggestions?)
And all I want to do is go to sleep. This becoming a diplomat thing is tiring...
All I'll say about the list is that I'm happy with it, especially a couple posts (and especially if I get assigned one of 'em). However, I'm just going to stay zen through all of this and know that wherever they send me, it'll all work out.
For additional thoughts, I refer you to my classmate's lovely blog here.
A 9pm bedtime isn't too embarrassing, is it?
(p.s. - yes, I do need a new blog title I guess. Suggestions?)
Monday, March 28, 2011
First first day
Today was my first day. Yes, I am now a Foreign Service Officer, and couldn't be happier to hold that title. However, it's hard to consider today the real first day, since it was nothing but administrative in-processing (and a really great happy hour(s) with classmates).
Tomorrow is our first real day of A-100 and I'm super excited. In honor of that, I am fully embracing a 9:45 bed time and look forward to tackling A-100 with 8 hours of beauty rest.
Tomorrow is our first real day of A-100 and I'm super excited. In honor of that, I am fully embracing a 9:45 bed time and look forward to tackling A-100 with 8 hours of beauty rest.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Wonderful
Yesterday, things got real. It was just drinks with some colleagues (I think about 20-30 people came), but it was wonderful. While the non-locals hires get a pack-out, hit the road and get to realize "yes, I'm doing this now", that hadn't hit me until yesterday. These people are my A-100 class. These people are going to be diplomats, with me, on Monday.
Wonderful = everyone gets it. No one asking "Oh, Foreign Service, where are you going?", or trying to explain a bid list, or talking about what a CNL obligation is. Instead, we talked about or bid list fantasies, our travel histories, our shared anxieties about what we're getting in to.
Wonderful = the people. We have everything - couples with kids in college making a career change, people fresh out of college, someone relocating from Sweden, China, Japan. Oddly enough, I didn't meet any other Middle East focused people. I know there's at least someone else with Arabic points, so hopefully I'll meet him today.
So yes, one evening in, and I'm already deeming this totally wonderful. Let's hope that keeps up.
Wonderful = everyone gets it. No one asking "Oh, Foreign Service, where are you going?", or trying to explain a bid list, or talking about what a CNL obligation is. Instead, we talked about or bid list fantasies, our travel histories, our shared anxieties about what we're getting in to.
Wonderful = the people. We have everything - couples with kids in college making a career change, people fresh out of college, someone relocating from Sweden, China, Japan. Oddly enough, I didn't meet any other Middle East focused people. I know there's at least someone else with Arabic points, so hopefully I'll meet him today.
So yes, one evening in, and I'm already deeming this totally wonderful. Let's hope that keeps up.
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