In Brief: Medical Provider Hiring Process
Updated: April 2024 This is a quick post to go over the hiring process for the U.S. Foreign Service, with some time references for each step in the process. There is a page here that goes over my personal timeline in the hiring process and everything thereafter. For the most part, specialists and generalists have
Foreign Service Hiring Process
I still get frequent questions about the Foreign Service hiring process so thought I would post an update to one of my very first posts over 3 years ago, detailing that process. This has been updated slightly, but otherwise the government moves pretty slowly, so not much has changed. There is a page here that
Continuing Resolution
I’ve chatted throughout my 3+ years blogging about some of the annoying things about working in the Foreign Service, but I think at this point the most annoying aspect of the job is the never ending “will they” “won’t they” back and forth between congress passing a budget. In a perfect world, Congress should pass
Electric Vehicle Paradise?
By far one of the biggest surprises I had waiting for me when I arrived to Yangon was the sheer number of electric vehicles on the road. The overwhelming majority of them being of Chinese origin. Most people think of California or Norway when they imagine a place with high EV utilization, but Myanmar? Yup.
Walking about
One of the best parts about my job in Yangon is I actually can walk to and from work everyday. My apartment is on a not too crowded street and is just a little over a mile walking distance from the Embassy. As you can see, Yangon is a VERY green city with lush trees
A Kyat about money.
The currency in Myanmar is called the Kyat (pronounced “chat”), and it has been on a rollercoaster of inflation over the last year. Initially pegged at about 2000Kyat to the dollar, local banks are now offering an exchange rate of 6000kyat to the dollar, a 300% increase. The highest denomination note seen below is a
Burmese Days
An appropriate title now that I have been in Myanmar (Burma) for a bit, and also a great book by George Orwell. As I am find myself getting settled in to my new surroundings, housing, and neighborhood, it’s hard not to compare the country and assignment to Mauritania. Obviously they are two different places on
Sticking Around
This time of year is supposed to be bidding season for me, where I would be deciding where to go for my 3rd assignment, but after getting the kids settled back into the U.S., and really enjoying the work and country here in Myanmar, we decided to extend my time here an extra year. This
New Groove
One thing I really like about working for the State Department is that in your career, you’ll get to have a lot of different jobs. If you’re someone that likes staying put and never getting outside your comfort zone, this work might not be for you. For folks like me, it’s nice to have a
AMA: Least Favorite Thing
Now that you have completed your first tour. What is the thing you like least about the Foreign Service? This is a tough question because it will be largely unique to the individual. While some folks might find the physical location of where they are to be difficult, others might dislike distance from family, or
Touchdown Yangon!
After what seemed like a bajillion hours of travel, I finally made it to Yangon a few weeks ago to start my new assignment. First impressions: I am in love with this city. Lakes, lush trees, golden pagodas, monks bustling around in the streets, outdoor markets, old colonial building, and people walking everywhere. It all