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
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
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
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
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
A friend of mine recently asked me how I am able to consistently write a weekly blog since I got invited into the Foreign Service, and the simple answer is: excitement! A couple of weeks ago, I was reviewing a lot of old posts from the time I got my invite, through those first few
How do you keep track of all your things when you are constantly moving all over the world? Doesn’t it get exhausting? This is solid question with PCS season upon us and our family being dead smack in the middle of a move. Yes and no to it being exhausting. Life in the Foreign Service
It’s been a little over a month since the family and I departed Mauritania, and minus a bit of training I had to do away from home, it has been and interesting experience. I covered home leave rules and logistics a bit a couple of weeks back, but the reality of actually being back in
This blog is in its last year of being a toddler. It seems crazy I started out on this writing adventure 3 years ago. In that time span I have written over 150 posts, churning them out on a nearly weekly basis, with over 35,000 views in the time frame. Not earth shattering numbers, but
“The purpose of home leave is to ensure that employees who live abroad for an extended period undergo reorientation and re-exposure in the United States on a regular basis.” -Foreign Affairs Manual. Since I am on home leave for the very first time, I thought I would take an opportunity to explain exactly what it
