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U.S. Foreign Service Officer headed to Wuhan, China

The mission of a U.S. diplomat in the Foreign Service is to promote peace, support prosperity, and protect American citizens while advancing the interests of the U.S. abroad. The work that diplomats do has an impact on the world as they serve at one of any of the more than 270 embassies, consulates and other diplomatic missions in The Americas, Africa, Europe and Eurasia, East Asia and Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, and South Asia.

The duties of a Consular Officer include to provide emergency and non-emergency services to American citizens and protect our borders through the proper adjudication of visas to foreign nationals and passports to American citizens. We adjudicate immigrant and non-immigrant visas, facilitate adoptions, help evacuate Americans, combat fraud, and fight human trafficking. Consular Officers touch people’s lives in important ways, often reassuring families in crisis. They face many situations which require quick thinking under stress and develop and use a wide range of skills, from managing resources and conducting public outreach to assisting Americans in distress.

Currently ...


Currently, it's 8:35 pm on Wednesday, February 24 and I am in Vang Vieng, Laos. Sean and I, along with 18 other fun people, spent the day caving, trekking and kayaking. After sitting down to a pizza dinner with the group, I went to a bookstore to exchange some books I have read for some new ones. Because of these crazy long bus rides in Laos I have been going through books pretty quickly. I have been blogging about my trip if I have time in the afternoons or evenings and can find an available internet cafe. I have kept a rough diary throughout the trip but I am still finding it hard to remember some details. Even though I am still traveling, writing about what I did in Thailand in January already seems like a very long time ago. So far, Sean and I have been to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos and our vacation is (sadly) coming to an end. We are heading to Hanoi next and then will take trains up to our city in China. Classes start the first week of March but rumor has it that the English teachers don't have to start teaching until the second week or so. I hope this rumor is correct.


There is always so much to write about and remember though I know a blog can never truly convey what the experience was like. Although I have seen and done some pretty amazing things, sometimes the best part of the trip was just relaxing, thinking, and watching life pass me by instead of always trying to race against it.

After touring Phi Phi Island Sean and I enjoyed a night just like that. We got some Thai pancakes (pancakes with banana and chocolate) and smoothies from a street vendor and then sat in front of our bungalows on the beach to watch the sunset. In the south of Thailand nothing happens fast and the resident dogs of the guesthouse were witness to this as they napped in the sand as the sun went down. We leave the islands tomorrow (January 26) and it was nice to enjoy one last bit of paradise before heading back to the mainland.
Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Sarah Sanderson edit post

1 Comment

  1. katie d. on February 25, 2010 at 6:50 PM

    hey, it says you'll be home in a couple days... can you please skype me asap? thinking about getting a hotel for the night in shanghai. i know jess and i really wanna see the city! glad you two are having such a good time trekking around:)

     


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Wanderlust

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    Sarah Sanderson
    I am currently in Mandarin language training as a new diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service. Sean and I depart for Wuhan, China in November 2019 for my first tour in consular affairs.
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