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.

Thanksgiving

For the first time in a couple of years, Sean and I were home to celebrate Thanksgiving and all of its deliciousness. We spent Thursday with Sean's family and Friday with mine.

The Doyles take food very seriously and there were menus for each meal tacked up on the fridge. Breakfast: sausage and egg casserole, pancakes, coffee, and mimosas. Appetizers: deviled eggs, stuffed mushrooms and drinks. Lunch: turkey (cooked on a charcoal grill), honey-baked ham, rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy, yams, carrots, green bean casserole, cranberries, jello and stuffing. Dessert: apple pie, pumpkin pie, lemon meringue pie, berry pie and ice cream. YUM!

There were about 16 of us in all for dinner and we had a good meal and a relaxing day catching up, napping and watching football.

The next day we took a hike to the lake with my parents and then after another nice dinner spent the evening playing games (Cribbage and Farkle) in front of the fire.

This past year has been full with returning from China, getting married and doing NOLS. As we try to figure out what is next for us, we are thankful to be happy, healthy and surrounded by family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving!

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Sarah Sanderson

1 Comment

Daniel on November 28, 2011 at 1:32 AM

Your Thanksgiving food looks good I had KFC again.

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

Thanksgiving

1 Comment