• 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.

Last day in the home stay




Our last day in the home stay involved an early morning hike through rice paddies and up hills full of jungle to reach a local village. On our way, Harry pointed out lots of different plants like the one used to make Batik ink and the tiny fruits that eventually were used for coffee beans. Many other friends of Harry and Hendri accompanied us on the hike which turned out to be a lot of fun.



We finally arrived at a house whose inhabitants were friends of Yudi. They showed us how they use the liquid from sugar cane plants to make pure cane sugar. They boil it for hours and then pour it into molds which they then let harden. We got to try some at each stage of the process. When it was in its thick liquid form we ate it over cooked bananas and when it dried you could break it off like candy. The women sell the pure sugar at the market and use the money to buy things that they need and can’t get in the jungle on their own. ($39 food and lodging)



After the sugar-making demonstration the women made us a traditional lunch which we ate on the floor and with our hands. The meal consisted of: dried salty fish, rice, jackfruit curry, spicy tofu rolls, cooked greens, soy bean curd paste and tea. The food was great and all homemade and from the jungle. We had to leave in a hurry because of the afternoon rains and then got completely soaked on motorbikes as we cruised back home in the downpour. ($35 hike excursion and lunch)



After showers we asked Harry and Hendri to take us to a coffee shop in the city. We enjoyed fancy strong coffees while watching soccer and chatting. The owner of the shop was really excited to have us as customers and insisted on taking several pictures of us with mugs in front of his sign. He said we were the first westerners to come into his shop. ($8 coffees, $3 taxis)



Dinner was extra special as it was our last one and Yudi made us Indonesian satay – skewered sticks of meat grilled over a fire and then rolled in a special peanut sauce. It was delicious. The plan was to go to Yogyakarta the next day and meet Daniel. To accomplish this we would have to leave at 4am and take two buses and an 8 hour train ride. Because we had to leave so early we had to say our goodbyes that night and even though we had only been there three days it was still hard. Sean gave his Clive Cussler adventure book to Hendri’s sister and received a personal and written thank you for it. Yudi printed off detailed written directions for our trip the next day and we gave everybody hugs. Although we weren’t sure initially if doing a home stay would be a good idea, I’m glad that we followed through. I would highly recommend this program to anyone else who is interested in Indonesian life – we had a great time! (Total for 2 people = $85)

Note from Hendri:

thanks a lot sarah and sean for the book !!
i and my sister really happy for that book, it's hard to get book something like that here ..
:D
thanks for comming to my house..
both of you change my think about american people, both of you're really kind ..
thanks a lot !
i'm wait for the pics , lol
X hendri

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
      2 days ago
    • Dani Francuz Rose
      2 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
      9 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 )
        • Last day in the home stay
        • Indonesian for a day
        • Indonesian rural homestay
        • Jakarta
        • Indonesia
        • Final days in Malaysia
        • Last day in Melaka
        • Being a tourist in Melaka
        • Melaka
        • Peeping Toms
        • Chinese students' ideas about the USA
        • Butterflies
        • Malaysian countryside
        • Cameron Highlands
        • Taman Negara National Park
        • Into the jungle
        • Little India and Batu Caves
        • Kuala Lumpur
        • Off to Malaysia
        • Next big trip
    • ►  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 )
    • ►  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