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.

National Day

These are pictures of the celebration at our school - there was music, singing, dancing and speeches (none of which we understood)

All of the students are excited because there are no classes this Thursday and Friday in honor of National Day. National Day of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is celebrated every year on October 1 and is considered one of the most important public holidays (the other big holiday is Spring Festival or the Chinese New Year in January or Februray).

The PRC was founded on October 1, 1949 so this year the festivities will be especially grandiose as it will be the 60th anniversary. The busiest and most crazy part of the country will be in Beijing in Tienanmen Square as this is where the original ceremony took place in 1949. This year there will be parades, speeches, concerts, fireworks and many other government-sponsored activities and festivities. Beijing will be decked out in full patriotic display with portraits of many leaders shown around town.

I asked my students today what they were planning on doing for the holiday and most of them are going home to spend time with their families. Sean and I are excited because a recent graduate of the university invited us home with her to stay with her and her family for the holiday. Her home is in a more rural part of the province and it will be interesting to be able to stay with an actual Chinese family and hang out with a student for the weekend.

I don't think I will have access to the internet for the next couple of days so I'll see you again on Sunday or Monday!

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Sarah Sanderson

1 Comment

kimberly on October 3, 2009 at 6:43 PM

Hey Sarah! It was fun to find your blog. How are things going? How is your year abroad going? Looks quite intriguing... Hope you're doing well!

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

National Day

1 Comment