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.

A little bit about Changzhou

I have written quite a lot about living on the campus of Jiangsu Teachers University of Technology but I haven't explained much about the actual city that I am living in, Changzhou. Changzhou is located in Jiangsu province on the Eastern coast of China and is home to about 4 million people. The city is big, developed and modern with a pretty efficient bus system and BRT (bus rapid transit - special lanes for buses). The city is important for business and industry in the areas of textiles, engineering and food processing (at least that is what Wikipedia says, as far as I am concerned, there are lots of big buildings, constant construction and people work a LOT) In short, Changzhou is getting things done.

Inside one of the malls

It is always interesting to find out what peoples' jobs are here because so often they relate directly with the U.S. For example, the engineers that I teach on Saturday nights design and build parts for Toro lawnmowers and snow blowers. Another one of my friends works for a company that produces shopping bags for The Limited and Abercrombie and Fitch. Traditionally, Changzhou was a famous producer of combs. Currently the city is known for its Dinosaur Park (where we went on Halloween). Other attractions in the city include the tallest pagoda in China (and maybe the world) and Hong Mei Park (post to follow soon).

Concert/symphony hall

Although it is kind of polluted and not an especially beautiful city, Changzhou is a good place to be. It is a big enough city to do what you want and get what you need (it has a McDonalds, Papa Johns, Pizza Hut, WalMart and Starbucks) but it is not huge, overwhelming and overrun with foreigners like Shanghai and Beijing. It is also conveniently located on the railway line in between Nanjing (the provincial capital) and Shanghai. And don't let the modern-looking buildings fool you, with the crazy traffic, street food vendors selling potatoes out of refurbished trash cans, swarms of motor bikes and groups of old people doing morning exercises in the park, this city is still very much Chinese.

Changzhou musem

Sports stadium

Read More 2 comments | Posted by Sarah Sanderson

2 comments

Unknown on January 27, 2016 at 10:48 AM

Hi Sarah, My name is Sandra Vallejo. I am from Colombia, married with and American. My husband is working at Changzhou and we are planning to move there. I have to boys an 8 year old an a 3 year old. We are thinking of moving around August 2016 and I am trying to do a lot of research to find an expat community in Changzhou. I appreciate any help. Thank you.
Sandra Vallejo Pardo
sandravallejo1003@yahoo.com
Unknown on January 27, 2016 at 10:48 AM

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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

A little bit about Changzhou

2 comments