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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.

Little India and Batu Caves


Sunday began with a rocky start when Daniel, who never rises early if he can help it, knocked on my door at 7am with disappointing news: he had found bedbugs. The guidebook had warned of this and we had intentionally steered clear of the cheaper rooms in China Town where they were supposed to be at their worst. It seems like there are little creatures wherever we go: mosquitoes in China, ringworm in Thailand, bedbugs in Malaysia and there will be new ones in other places I am sure.


I have had a long and unhappy relationship with bedbugs. When I lived in Ohio, also in a very cheap place, our building was constantly sprayed for bedbugs. When that happened, I had to leave my place for 48 hours and stay at a friend’s house. The bugs themselves are harmless enough – they just suck your blood like mosquitoes do and they don’t really spread disease. But once you have them they are really hard to get rid of. Consequently, every hostel here has signs that say, “Don’t put your bags and clothes on the beds” in an effort to avoid spreading the little beasts. A new plan was formed: Sean and I would stay at the hostel and we would help Daniel find a new place nearby. After Slurpee #2, we found Daniel a hotel next door which was considerably nicer and only $36/night. ($20 room, $1 Slurpee)



We decided to spend Sunday afternoon doing the Little India walking tour and meandered around bazaars, mosques, historical art deco style buildings and old mansions. We had lunch at a vegetarian Indian place which was pretty good and then headed back to our neighborhood where Daniel was able to check in. We also stopped for root beer floats again – you can never have enough, in my opinion. ($4 lunch, $4 A&W)



Another must-see in Kuala Lumpur is Batu Caves, which are about 45 minutes outside of the city. The caves are reached by climbing hundreds of steps which have the additional entertainment value of being crawling with monkeys. The caves are a religious sight and each January many Malaysians make a pilgrimage there. They will be starting their journey to the caves when we are leaving Malaysia, unfortunately, so we won’t be able to see it. On the way back from the caves, Sean and I stopped in Chinatown again to book a ticket to Taman Negara, the big jungle that is a national park in the center of the country. ($free Batu Caves, $7 metro/bus total from today, $50 2 buses and 1 boat to jungle for 2 people)



We had dinner at a western place which was really expensive but incredibly filling and delicious. We ate huge battered pieces of fish with homemade fries and cold glasses of beer. Then we made plans to meet up with Daniel 5 days later (Daniel is not huge into nature and the warnings from the book of leeches in the national park made him decide to stay in the city. I’m excited to get out of the city and into the jungle tomorrow – though I’m not sure whether I prefer bedbugs or leeches given the option! ($29 dinner, $5 snacks/waters/internet) Total = $121 (all prices include the cost for 2 people)

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Sarah Sanderson edit post

1 Comment

  1. John on January 15, 2011 at 4:01 AM

    Great article Sarah. It's a pity you missed it as Thaipusam celebration at Batu Caves would be awesome. I decided to visit this year after watching a documentary video at http://www.malaysia-tourism-guide.com/batu-caves.html

    It will be fascinating to watch devotees being pieced with spears and hooks without pain and bleeding. It's said they are in a trance or being possessed by gods.

     


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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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