It’s been exactly a month since I got my formal invite to join the Foreign Service, and every day feels just as surreal as the moment I was invited. I thought the excitement would start to dwindle, but as each day moves closer to the start of the journey, instead it builds. Even rough days in my current job don’t really phase me because I know I won’t be dealing with it much longer (not to mention I’m not one who gets frazzled much anyway). However, the things that have always annoyed me about my current position have seemed to melt away knowing a new frontier is on the horizon, one that likely has it’s own great and small annoyances.

One thing that never seems to change, even after you get hired is the waiting game. Waiting for your salary offer. Waiting to get your orders so you can actually book your travel. Waiting to get your orientation schedule. Waiting to figure out exactly how long orientation will be. Waiting to find out where you first will be assigned. It’s definitely better than waiting for a job offer, but there still is so much ambiguity and waiting, even for hired folks, and I’m glad they already mentally prepared me during the 18 month long hiring process.

Otherwise, there still isn’t much to report. I went out of the country for the first time since COVID started to celebrate my sisters wedding in Cancun. It was a great vacation and a perfect opportunity for family time with all my parents, siblings, and cousins from around the country before I move abroad. I travelled with my daughter L since we thought it might be too much taking our baby daughter E, who just turned 2 months old. It was some great father-daughter time. Below is a bit of a photo dump from our trip, and our beautiful baby E’s 2 month photos.

Now begins the final countdown to orientation. Starting this week I begin a really hearty stretch of work where I will be working thirty three 12 hour shifts in the next 42 days. Normally I would never do that to myself scheduling wise, but I figure I won’t be doing any patient care at all for a few months when orientation starts, and the extra money all these shifts generate will be a nice added bonus during orientation where my pay will drop a decent amount. Honestly, the excitement of starting with State is all the motivation I really need to get through it. I’m sure the time will fly.

I’ll try and post any new developments as they occur. Several folks in the MP application process have reached out to me in the last month after finding this blog, and I can’t thank you enough for the kind words. It’s gratifying to know this blog is reaching people out there, and ultimately, having the effect I want in shedding some light on the MP application process. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have questions about anything, and thanks again for reading! –Nick