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.
The other day my sister and a few of my friends sent me a link about my hometown, Holland, Michigan. This little town on the lake has always been my favorite place on earth and last week it received nationwide aclaim as being the second happiest city in the country. I am not really surprised - the Holland community prides itself on the beauty, safety and heritage of its city and its residents are fiercly loyal. Check out the actual story here. The news even made it to TV and there were stories featured on ABC news. You can check ou the official Holland video on YouTube here.
I could write a lot about Holland and why it's so special but I only have time to mention a few highlights. One thing I like most about Holland is that it has all four very distinguishable seasons (though at times winter gets to be a bit long) and there is something unique to do in each season. The city is probably most famous for Tulip Time, an annual festival celebrating the town's Dutch heritage. Every year in May, the streets are lined with colorful tulips, there are parades, shows and nightly Dutch dancing performed by residents wearing traditional clothes. When I was in high school all the other girls and I went to Dutch Dance practice three times a week after classes to learn the steps - it was so much fun! I was also in the Holland High School Marching Dutchmen Band which plays, dances and marches in parades all while wearing wooden shoes!
The city is also known for its beautiful beaches and I feel lucky to be able to live so close to them. During the months of June, July, August and sometimes September we head to the beach to enjoy the clean, white sands and the refreshing waves. The lighthouse "Big Red" is especially beautiful and it is fun to walk on the pier and watch the boats travel to and from Lake Macatawa and Lake Michigan.
Some of my other favorite things about Holland is the downtown and all of the preserved natural areas like Saugatuck Dunes State Park and Sanctuary Woods park. Holland's downtown is clean, unique and always entertaining. There are fun little stores and delicious restaurants that are one-of-a-kind. I really like 84 East, 8th Street Grill, Alpen Rose, City Vu, Friccanos and Skiles Pizza. There are two main bars: the Curragh Irish Pub and New Holland Brewing Company that makes and sells its own brews. I have seen NHB's labels such as Mad Hatter even in menus outside the state. There is also JPs coffee and The Good Earth, two cafes excellent for coffee and bites to eat in the morning.
Holland is also important because it is the home of Hope College, the small, Christian liberal arts college that I attended. Hope is a small college doing big things. Many of the professors come from Ivy League schools and are there because they believe in the mission and purpose of the college. My experience at Hope as awesome and if you make a trip, you should stop in the Hope Geneva Bookstore and say hi to my mom, Deb!
But all of this is just the beginning. There is the incredible Farmer's Market every Wednesday and Saturday, the free Street Performers series on Thursday nights in the summer and outdoor concerts in the park. Growing up in Holland was idyllic; I feel lucky to have lived so long in such a cool and special place and am always anxious and happy to go back. Holland is town where people still wave and say hi to you even if they don't know you and everybody knows everybody. I hope that you get a chance sometime to visit and if you come, let me know and I'll show you around!
Everyone kept saying that we had to see Phi Phi (pronounced pee-pee) island before we continued north so we booked a day tour since staying overnight there is known to be quite expensive. Although it was damaged by the tsunami in2004, this is what my guidebook has to saw about this place: "If there was to be a contest for one of the planet's most jaw-dropping beauties, Ko Phi Phi would be a frontrunner. Stunning limestone cliffs, translucent water, fine white arcs of sand - Koh Phi Phi is so beautiful it will evoke tears. Shed a few more when you realize that you have to share it with every Speedo on the planet." The island was also made famous because it was used in the filming of the movie "The Beach" with Leonardo DiCaprio.
We took a big ferry from Koh Lanta to Koh Phi Phi and then went in small, longtail boats to tour around the island. I was immediatliey impressed. The scenery was awesome with walls of rock that rose straight up from the pristine ocean and everywhere there were little coves, private beaches and caves. We visited some small coves for swimming and snorkeling and then stopped for lunch on the famous beach of the movie. It was easy to understand why there were people everywhere as the surroundings brought to life the term paradise.
After lunch we snorkeled some more and stopped at another remote island that was inhabitied entirely by friendly and mischevious monkeys who would steal anything they could get their hands on, especially food or fresh water.
Then we had time on our own to explore the main island. Sean and I hiked up to the viewpoint and were rewarded with an incredible panorama of islands, cliffs and beaches. After hiking back down we tried some pineapple and coconut smoothies and napped on the ferry back to Koh Lanta. Exploring islands is an exhausting business.
One thing that Sean really wanted to see in Thailand was Muay Thai fighting which is kind of like boxing that is done in the U.S. To be honest, Muay Thai wasn't high on my list, but I was interested to at least see what it was all about.
While we were down south we found out that the Krabi regional championships of Muay Thai fighting were going to be held near where we were staying on Koh Lanta. We bought tickets and headed to the stadium Sunday night.
Now, I don't know about you, but I think regular old boxing is violent enough, but boxing in Thailand is a different story. All surfaces of the body are considreed fair game and you can use any part of your body (except your head) to hit your opponent. Needless to say, the matches were very physical and we saw a lot of high kicks to the neck, elbow thrusts to the face, knee hooks to the ribs and kicks to the calf. According to my Lonely Planet guidebook, "a contestant may even grasp an opponent's head between his hands and pull it down to meet an upward knee thrust." The contestants box for five rounds of three minutes each with a two minute break in between. They wear smaller gloves than regular boxing, flashy trunks, a band around their head and taped feet.
I wasn't a huge fan of watching the blood and pain (we even saw a knockout and the smelling salts had to be brought out) but it was easy to see the spirit, competition and tradition in the sport. The stadium was packed with fans, Thais and foreigners alike, and there was much betting taking place. The matches were accompanied by loud and energetic music; at times it felt like the announcer was a DJ instead of a sportscaster and he had a talent for keeping the adrenaline high.
What I found most interesting about Muay Thai was the ceremonial dance that each boxer did before each match. To the same music, each competitor did a serious and methodical performance at the same time in the ring which is taught to him by his coach. The announcer said that if it was discovered that each boxer performed the exact same ceremonial dance it would mean that they had had the same coach and would not be allowed to box each other. What was also interesting about this championship was that we began by watching tiny Thais, ages 6-10, fight each other and eventually moved up to the bigger weight classes.
I've seen enough boxing to last me for awhile, but it was cool to witness a sport that is obviously very traditional and important in Thailand.
Since we had heard that the snorkeling was great around this area of Thailand we booked a speedboat tour for today. Over breakfast burritos we watched for the boat that was going to pick us up on the beach. On our boat was a couple from England and Italy and two girls from Germany.
During the 45 minute cruise to Koh Rok island, an uninhabited island near Koh Lanta, our guides prepped us on some of the things we might see while snorkeling. Throughout the day we were to snorkel in three different places and I think the first one was my favorite. We saw eels, clownfish, angelfish, anemones, starfish, sea cucumbers and countless types of fish. It was some of the most peaceful and impressive snorkeling I have ever done. What was neat was that since we were such a small group, our guides swam in front of us and beside us to point out things and show us some secluded spots.
The coolest thing I saw was many anemones that housed clownfish; you could see them swim in and out just like they do in Finding Nemo! I was really excited! The water was clear and warm and the time went by really quickly. Before I knew it, the guides were heading us back to the boat because it was time for lunch.
Lunch was a picnic on Koh Rok island which included chicken curry and fruit, but most people weren't looking at the food. Everyone was transfixed on the giant lizards that were roaming around begging for chicken like dogs. They were some of the biggest lizards I had ever seen with giant black tongues cut in a V that they flicked in and out of their mouths. If annoyed or threatened they would lash their huge tails out like a whip. There were some people camping on the island and I can only imagine what it would be like to wake up to giant lizards poking around your tent.
After snorkeling in two more places we were deposited once more at our bungalows on the beach and spent the afternoon napping in hammocks, reading and doing laundry. While washing clothes in the sink I was accompanied by a little frog clinging to the pipe the whole time. There's so much wildlife on these islands that you never know what you are going to run into inside or out.
The evening brought many chases of hermit crabs, cuddling the many odd cats with short tails and indulging in spring rolls and the ubiquitous and delicious Thai banana pancake, a fried dough/egg mixture with bananas and covered with sugar and chocolate, for dessert. How can that not be delicious?
Wanderlust
In Mandarin: 旅遊癮 (lǚyóu yǐn)
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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
- 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.
Sarah and Sean
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