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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.

Skiing at Yabuli Ski Resort



In Harbin we stayed at the Little Fir International Youth Hostel which was very cheap compared to the other expensive hotels in town. Though it was located in the university district and a little ways outside of the downtown, the staff were very friendly and provided maps and bus routes along with helpful advice about what to see and how to get there. The hostel also provided day trips to a nearby ski resort which Sean and I decided to try.


At 7am we were picked up by a tour group and immediately realized that we were the only non-Chinese people in the tour and that the day trip was going to be entirely in Chinese. Fortunately, that weekend Harbin was one of the sites for an important English exam as well as graduate exam so there were several students in town with their families who helped us with some of the more important translation of the guide. We spent three hours on a bus with stops for lunch and to pick up snow suits and then headed to Yabuli ski resort.


Yabuli ski resort is the biggest ski resort in China and the lodge and slopes were a bit chaotic. All of the people on our tour had never skied before and were anxious and nervous to try. We had the choice of only skiing in the afternoon or taking a cable car to the top of the mountain and then skiing after. Sean and I opted to see the top of the mountain and we were glad we did. The views were awesome as we climbed higher and higher and the weather become colder and colder.


Everything was covered in white crystals and it created a really beautiful and pristine panorama. Getting up to the top took about 45 minutes and by the time we got there I was so cold I didn't think I was going to make it. Fortunately, there was a little hut with overpriced coffee and tiny stoves to warm your feet. It was fantastic and felt good to get warm again before the ride down.


After we made it down we got our equipment and didn't have much time at all to ski before we had to start back home on the bus. We still had fun though and I remembered how horrible I am at downhill skiing and re-awakened some muscles I hadn't used in years. Most of the Chinese people on our tour hired "coaches" who skied backwards down the hill in front of each of them to try and teach them how to ski. It made for an interesting backdrop while heading up on the lifts. In Michigan we had ample opportunities to downhill ski but I was raised on cross country skiing. After struggling with the bunny hill, I was more than ready to go back to cross country skiing.

Read More 3 comments | Posted by Sarah Sanderson edit post

3 comments

  1. jami on January 21, 2010 at 3:01 PM

    Sarah

    I hate starting sentences with "This is random, but..." I am. :) This is random, but I am considering CIEE in China and your blog has really helped me see what it would be like! I visited China almost five years ago before college and loved it! I have been looking for a program like CIEE off and on for awhile. I am considering applying for the August admissions, and hopefully at a primary school, in either China or South Korea now that I have graduated with my education degree.
    Just wanted to say I am glad I stumbled upon your blog and good luck with everything!

    Jami Inholt

     
  2. Ski Travel Centre on February 25, 2011 at 4:42 AM

    Beautiful pictures, looks like an ideal option for snowboard holidays.

     
  3. Brian Head on July 29, 2013 at 1:05 AM

    Skiing is great exercise and easy to learn.

    Brian Head

     


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    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.
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