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.

Obie the cat

It seems wherever I go, I always find an animal friend to hang out with. Queenstown is no different and I have a new buddy named "Obie." Obie is a quirky cat who lives next door. Since he is extremely social, he is always looking for people to give him affection and attention. Obie is unlike any cat I have ever met before - not only is he overly outgoing with a purr like a lawnmower but he also looks weird. He has hair like wool and resembles a little black lamb. My flatmate (who also loves him) thinks that he is part Burmese. Fortunately for Sean, he is one of those crazy non-allergic kinds of cats (or so the neighbors tell us). So far Sean hasn't been bothered by him at all but we normally don't let him in our room.

Obie craves attention to the point where it gets a bit obnoxious. I tried to let him hang out on my lap and my desk on my last day off, but he wouldn't let me get any work done. Kathryn describes him as being very "smoochy" in that he loves snuggling and kisses as you can see in the photos.

He is also extremely curious and fearless. I have found him closed in cupboards, trapped in baskets and on top of anything he can jump to. On St. Patrick's Day, I took the night bus and got home at around midnight. I was all alone in the house and was brushing my teeth when all of a sudden a black form flew through the window and jumped on me. I screamed and thought I was a goner, for sure. We live on the second floor and the bathroom window is quite high up. Turns out it was Obie looking for some love. Somehow he had shimmied up the side of the house onto the first roof and then managed to get into the window. That will be the last time that I'll leave the window open at night.

PS Those of you who noticed all of the wine bottles on the desk - they are just some examples of a few of the 'perks' that go along with being a housekeeper. If people have checked out, then it's finders-keepers (except for valuable property, of course). We have quite a nice little wine cellar started. . .

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Sarah Sanderson

1 Comment

Kate on March 20, 2012 at 9:10 PM

I desperately want a cat but my husband is very allergic. Obi seems like my dream cat: gorgeous, cuddly, and smart.

Wanderlust

In Mandarin: 旅遊癮 (lǚyóu yǐn)

According to my Mandarin teacher, the term 'wanderlust' can best be translated as 'a travel addiction or craving'. In the above translation, 'yǐn' has several meanings such as 'a strong impulse', 'a longing', or 'a desire'.

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

Obie the cat

1 Comment