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.

Incomprehensible chruch services and white elephants

On Christmas Eve, Pete, Sean and I went down town to the only Protestant church in Changzhou for their Christmas Eve service. The place was packed and we were lucky to get a seat. The service was interesting but very different from the big service at my church in Holland (namely it was in Chinese and there were no liturgical dancers, laser light shows, hymns on powerpoint, camels or bare-footed men in robes). I didn't really understand anything but I recognized the music (Silent Night and O Come All Ye Faithful) and it was cool to watch the adult and children's choir. We left after about an hour and went to get pizza at Pizza Hut where the waitstaff were appropriately outfitted in Santa Hats and had a jazzy Christmas music mix playing in the background. When we left there was a long line of people waiting to get into the church and plenty of police around to make sure the Christians didn't get filled with too much Christmas spirit, I guess.

On Christmas morning we went over to Ken's and had oranges, cookies and coffee while we watched "It's a Wonderful Life". Later that night we had a little Christmas party with the teachers and some of our Chinese friends. There were snacks (dumplings, candy canes, chocolates, cookies, fruit and homemade eggnog). We did a white elephant gift exchange which was a lot of fun. Sean ended up with a mug and I went home with a DVD of the Charlie Brown Christmas. Some of the more interesting presents were a Disney puzzle that depicted Shanghai, an Eeyore blow-up ottoman, a Playboy belt and wallet and Christmas-colored working light sabers. The guys liked their stockings from Santa and my parents and Peter gave everyone a wrapped bag of microwave popcorn. After the party Sean and I went back to my apartment to Skype our families who were just getting started with Christmas.

Some of the most favorite gifts that Santa sent us this year were: clothes, socks and underwear, fruit roll-ups, Twinkies, candy, books and games. A huge thanks and a big hug to everyone who took the time to send something - you made our Christmas extra special!

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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

Incomprehensible chruch services and white elephants

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