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 mix of career stability with new experiences every few years. Things stay fresh and you get to start from scratch every once in a while.
Even though I am hired as a Medical Provider, and will always work as a Medical Provider for the State Department, my job changes pretty significantly depending in where I am assigned. Arriving to a new country and embassy is nearly identical to starting your job from scratch. Yes, I know the inner workings of the department and MED Bureau, but the situations on the ground vary wildly from one country to another.
While it’s obvious moving to a new place from a personal perspective means learning where to shop, restaurants, grocery stores, neighbors, social activities, etc, the same goes for our work environment. In the month or so since I have been in Yangon, I have started to get to know my new health unit staff, visit local medical facilities, interact with local specialists, and have discussions with my regional colleagues and medevac centers. The situation on the ground in Myanmar from a medical standpoint is wildly different to Mauritania, and the resources available to me regionally are much different. It’s a hard reset on everything you know from your previous assignment.
Fortunately, like I did in Mauritania, I am finding myself getting settled into a nice little work groove. My health unit team is fantastic, and the overall embassy community has been great. Medically, Myanmar has far more resources available than my previous assignment, so it’s nice having a bit more backup. Even regionally, Bangkok is a 1 hour flight away with world class medical facilities, where a consultation and flight to and from Yangon can happen over the course of a day. Contrast that to Mauritania where London was our closet medical site, where getting there would involve an overnight flight, a connection, and flights weren’t 7 days a week. I definitely feel far more connected to the outside world here.
Overall, I think I am settling in nicely. There is always apprehension when starting a new job or going to a new place, but my fears were quickly set aside by the warm welcome and interesting work waiting for me. It feels nice to be in a good routine, and even nicer to be in a place that has a lot more going for it socially and on the economy than Nouakchott did. Like my last assignment, time is already flying by and I am going to make sure I enjoy every minute of my time here. -Nick
