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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.

Sunday afternoon with the girls


On Sunday I lucky enough to be able to hang out with the girls - Xing xing, Qin Chen, Zhen zhen and Zhao Min. First we had big meal together at one of the restaurants on campus along with Jordan and Sean. It is always extra special to go out to eat with our friends because they always know the tastiest things to order and lunch was awesome.


Sean had to tutor someone down town and Jordan had some lesson planning to do so the rest of us just hung out, chatted, snacked and played some games all afternoon. I had a lot of fun especially when we were attempting to play Mad Gab and Catch Phrase - two games tough for native English speakers - but the Chinese ladies were impressive (and very competitive I might add) and if they didn't know a word they just broke it down and it explained it part by part - it was pretty cool (ie cartwheel or tombstone).


I feel fortunate to have such a cool group of friend who are willing to hang out with a foreigner even when it means that they have to speak in English a lot. Even so, it was really cool to hear real Chinese spoken between them - it definitely doesn't sound like my language-learning CDs!

After several card games we went to dinner on campus and then I headed back to finish some grading before Monday's class. It was a fun Sunday =)
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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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    Grateful for my very tolerant, supportive and easygoing husband who's always game for a new adventure

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