• Home
  • Posts RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • Edit
Blue Orange Green Pink Purple

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.

"Rise and shine campers and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cold outside!"

Long underwear? Check
Scarf? Check
Hat? Check
Mittens? Check
Two pairs of wool socks? Check
Fleece hoodie? Check
Winter jacket? Check
Thermos full of instant coffee? Check
Paper cup of hot oatmeal? Check
The homemade (thanks Mom!) bag that you put rice into and warm in the microwave to keep you warm? Check

Alpine trekking? Nope, just off to teach 4 hours of oral English class. Teaching in the winter with no heat has given me enormous amounts of new-found appreciation for central heating. My Hello Kitty thermos has turned out to be a wise investment (and it's pretty cute when Sean decides to borrow it and take it to his class).

Speaking of cold, our vacation begins tomorrow and we are headed north near Siberia (26 hours on the train) to a city called Harbin. We will be there for a few days to check out the ice festival. Apparently they carve huge castles and buildings out of ice and then decorate them with lights. It should be an entertaining (though very cold) few days. I have just discovered how to make posts in advance so if I configure things correctly a few posts will hopefully show up while I am gone.

If you recognized the quote in the title correctly you would remember that it is from the movie "Groundhog's Day". I love that movie and just watched it last week. Speaking of movies, Sean, Jordan, Daniel, Pete and I went to see the movie "Avatar" in the theater yesterday. I know that many are saying that the plot is cheesy and predictable, but I loved it and the scenery and effects were really cool, especially in 3D. Though I would agree with those on Facebook who are calling it "Pocahontas meets Fern Gully", I totally recommend it.
Read More 0 comments | Posted by Sarah Sanderson edit post

0 comments



Post a Comment

Newer Post Older Post Home

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'.
  • About Me

    My Photo
    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.
    View my complete profile

    Sarah and Sean

    Sarah and Sean
    Grateful for my very tolerant, supportive and easygoing husband who's always game for a new adventure

    On Language Learning

    On Language Learning

    Disclaimer


    This website is not an official U.S. Department of State website. The views and information presented are the officer's own and do not represent the Foreign Service or the U.S. Department of State.

    Blogs I follow

    • I Should Probably Be Doing Something Else
      4 days ago
    • Dani Francuz Rose
      5 weeks ago
    • Buckets of Joy
      3 years ago
    • thesolesearch
      6 years ago
    • About | Travel Unraveled: Brazil
      7 years ago
    • Ken's Blog
      7 years ago
    • 7500 miles
      7 years ago
    • Just the Three of Us
      7 years ago
    • La Vida Eterna
      8 years ago
    • Give and Take: Oh darling, let's be adventurers
      9 years ago
    • From Minnesota to Minas | They don't sound that different, do they?
      9 years ago
    • ONE + 2
      9 years ago
    • Mike and Anna's Blog
      9 years ago

    Wanderlust

    Wanderlust

    Blog Archive

    • ►  2020 ( 4 )
      • ►  April ( 4 )
    • ►  2019 ( 1 )
      • ►  January ( 1 )
    • ►  2018 ( 6 )
      • ►  September ( 1 )
      • ►  June ( 1 )
      • ►  April ( 1 )
      • ►  March ( 2 )
      • ►  January ( 1 )
    • ►  2017 ( 29 )
      • ►  November ( 2 )
      • ►  October ( 9 )
      • ►  September ( 1 )
      • ►  June ( 4 )
      • ►  May ( 2 )
      • ►  April ( 6 )
      • ►  February ( 4 )
      • ►  January ( 1 )
    • ►  2016 ( 68 )
      • ►  December ( 1 )
      • ►  November ( 8 )
      • ►  October ( 13 )
      • ►  September ( 2 )
      • ►  August ( 5 )
      • ►  July ( 6 )
      • ►  June ( 2 )
      • ►  May ( 4 )
      • ►  April ( 8 )
      • ►  March ( 3 )
      • ►  February ( 2 )
      • ►  January ( 14 )
    • ►  2015 ( 75 )
      • ►  December ( 9 )
      • ►  November ( 4 )
      • ►  October ( 9 )
      • ►  September ( 5 )
      • ►  August ( 15 )
      • ►  July ( 7 )
      • ►  June ( 5 )
      • ►  May ( 8 )
      • ►  April ( 5 )
      • ►  March ( 3 )
      • ►  February ( 1 )
      • ►  January ( 4 )
    • ►  2014 ( 62 )
      • ►  December ( 3 )
      • ►  November ( 4 )
      • ►  October ( 3 )
      • ►  September ( 11 )
      • ►  August ( 6 )
      • ►  July ( 3 )
      • ►  June ( 6 )
      • ►  May ( 5 )
      • ►  April ( 6 )
      • ►  March ( 9 )
      • ►  February ( 6 )
    • ►  2013 ( 134 )
      • ►  December ( 6 )
      • ►  November ( 8 )
      • ►  October ( 14 )
      • ►  September ( 8 )
      • ►  August ( 14 )
      • ►  July ( 3 )
      • ►  June ( 8 )
      • ►  May ( 12 )
      • ►  April ( 12 )
      • ►  March ( 19 )
      • ►  February ( 17 )
      • ►  January ( 13 )
    • ►  2012 ( 158 )
      • ►  December ( 11 )
      • ►  November ( 14 )
      • ►  October ( 15 )
      • ►  September ( 12 )
      • ►  August ( 10 )
      • ►  July ( 15 )
      • ►  June ( 6 )
      • ►  May ( 12 )
      • ►  April ( 16 )
      • ►  March ( 19 )
      • ►  February ( 17 )
      • ►  January ( 11 )
    • ►  2011 ( 128 )
      • ►  December ( 5 )
      • ►  November ( 4 )
      • ►  October ( 5 )
      • ►  September ( 2 )
      • ►  August ( 7 )
      • ►  July ( 7 )
      • ►  June ( 12 )
      • ►  May ( 17 )
      • ►  April ( 16 )
      • ►  March ( 17 )
      • ►  February ( 16 )
      • ►  January ( 20 )
    • ▼  2010 ( 175 )
      • ►  December ( 18 )
      • ►  November ( 18 )
      • ►  October ( 15 )
      • ►  September ( 17 )
      • ►  August ( 13 )
      • ►  July ( 12 )
      • ►  June ( 13 )
      • ►  May ( 14 )
      • ►  April ( 14 )
      • ►  March ( 13 )
      • ►  February ( 12 )
      • ▼  January ( 16 )
        • Maglev Train
        • Food in Harbin
        • Animals in Harbin
        • Snow and Ice World
        • Siberian Tiger Park
        • Skiing at Yabuli Ski Resort
        • Japanese Germ Warfare Experimental Base (731)
        • Anatomy of a sleeper train
        • Trip to Harbin
        • Western manners
        • Things that are popular with the students at JSTUT...
        • "Rise and shine campers and don't forget your boot...
        • A little bit about Changzhou
        • Lack of water
        • Hot water
        • New Year's Eve
    • ►  2009 ( 71 )
      • ►  December ( 20 )
      • ►  November ( 20 )
      • ►  October ( 18 )
      • ►  September ( 10 )
      • ►  July ( 1 )
      • ►  April ( 1 )
      • ►  February ( 1 )
    • ►  2006 ( 23 )
      • ►  June ( 4 )
      • ►  May ( 6 )
      • ►  April ( 6 )
      • ►  March ( 4 )
      • ►  February ( 3 )

    Followers

    Popular Posts

    • Matching Couples' T-shirts
      One of the first things that caught my attention upon arriving in China was the amount of couples wearing matching shirts - they were ever...
    • Room Service
      What does Sean do? Room service at the Hilton, that's what. Except that at the Hilton you can't call it Room Service but rather ...
    • Happy Dragon Boat Festival!
      Today (Monday) is a national holiday in China and as I write this, fireworks are going off and everyone is happy (including me) that we don...
    • Turn-down service
      Somewhere along the orientation process I missed the fact that for one day a week I have to work a double shift. This is because this hotel...
    • Khao San Road (winter break)
      Before heading to Cambodia the next day, Sean and I spent one last night exploring Khao San Road in Bangkok. While we had been staying in t...
    • Blepharoplasty
      Yesterday, when I was teaching at my part-time job, a girl walked in to my class wearing sunglasses even though it was 8:00 in the evening. ...
    • Flight of the Conchords
      If you read the title of this post and thought, "What's a Conchord?" you would not be alone - I had similar questions when I f...
    • Countryside of Cambodia (winter break)
      Our first full day in Siem Reap we decided to take it easy and explore some of the surrounding area before we tackled the main tourist draw,...
    • Angkor Wat (winter break)
      When I first told people that Sean and I were going to try and make it to Cambodia during winter break, many of them said that we absolutely...
    • Culture Class: East meets West
      I must admit, I am having a blast working with these culture classes. It is especially fun because David, the new teacher has taken over m...

    Total Pageviews


    View My Stats
  • Search






    • Home
    • Posts RSS
    • Comments RSS
    • Edit

    © Copyright Wanderlust . All rights reserved.
    Designed by FTL Wordpress Themes | Bloggerized by FalconHive.com
    brought to you by Smashing Magazine

    Back to Top