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.

Jordan's birthday

Last weekend we celebrated Jordan's birthday by going out to dinner and then to the Europe bar. All of the other foreign teachers came out to celebrate along with the German interns. We all had a lot of fun as Jordan definitely knows how to celebrate a birthday.

First we went to dinner at a Brazilian restaurant and then we had cake and champagne at the Europe club. We played some pool and darts and after a lot of chatting and mingling, Qin Chen and I went home while the rest of the group went to a club for some late-night dancing and who knows what other shenanigans.

It was a really fun night hanging out with everyone and it just reminds me of how much we are going to miss everyone. The Germans leave next week as they were only here for a three month internship. Then in late June some of the other foreign teachers head back to the U.S. or Germany and on July 5 Sean and I go home.

What's everyone doing next year? Ariana is going to get a job in some area of law and hopefully go to law school, David is returning to JSTU for another year of teaching in Changzhou, Jordan is moving north near Beijing with his Chinese girlfriend, April, Annika and Cornelia are also coming back to teach German here for another year. Meanwhile, Qin Chen is looking for a new job and is also looking for a new place to live when I leave . . . sad.

To conclude the semester, Sean and I are going to have a wedding party/good-bye party in late June. We are meeting with "Candy" our supervisor's assistant to talk about banquet options, number of guests etc. Qin Chen and I are going downtown on Sunday to talk to some different tailors who can make me a traditional Chinese wedding dress (qipao). As if planning our Holland wedding and reception isn't enough excitement and work for one year . . .

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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'.

U.S. Foreign Service Officer headed to Wuhan, China

Jordan's birthday

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