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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.

Sports meeting


At our university they call a "track meet" a "sports meeting." For awhile I tried to convince everyone to call it a track meet but I gave up this year and ended up just going along with everyone else and calling it a "sports meeting." When in Rome.


The sports meeting is a lot of fun; there are plenty of bizarre and crazy events and both students and staff can compete. The whole shindig is kicked off on Friday morning by an elaborate opening ceremonies and ends on Saturday evening with another pomp and circumstance-filled closing ceremonies.


This year I signed up for the basketball shoot-out, the sit-up competition and the 10x50 relay. Sean signed up for the 4x100 relay, the long jump and the high jump. David and Jordan also joined in on some events and Steve was particularly excited about the jump rope competition and the birdie kick. The Germans participated in the soccer kick and the dart-throwing competition.


This year the department of foreign language team did pretty well - we got 5th overall! And we wouldn't have gotten higher if some other circumstances not gotten in the way. First, David got sick and skipped out on his events (5 point deduction for each event missed) and then Jordan broke his arm and had to go to the hospital immediately during one of his spring races. It was a pretty dramatic sports meeting to say the least.


Unfortunately I did not do too well in the basketball shoot-out. I was way too nervous as many other ladies crowded around me and watched anxiously as I tried to make free throws. I only made 1 out of 10. Ouch. I did better in the sit-up competition and got third and my relay got second. Sean got first in the high jump and third in the long jump and Steve got fourth in the birdie kick.


One of the coolest things about the sports meeting was talking to the other Chinese English teachers. Normally I do not have a lot of interaction with them and I think they are always intimidated to speak English with me but being on a relay team with them and hanging out allowed for some interesting and fun conversations. Here are some of the questions they asked me: Is the word "communist" a pejorative term in America? Is your positive attitude related to the face that you believe in God? Why do most foreign teachers only stay in China for one or two years? Are there many dragon boats in your country? I hope we can hang out more and I even found out that one of them is going to move in next door to me.


Overall, this year's sports meeting was a success and I am only a little disappointed that I wasn't able to participate in the crazy 20x50 relay or the hilarious 10-legged race.


Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Sarah Sanderson edit post

1 Comment

  1. Dan on November 15, 2010 at 11:04 AM

    Is there anything more Chinese than a 20x50 relay?

     


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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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