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.

Off to New Zealand

Naturally, as soon as I posted about heading out West while waiting for Sean's work visa, it came the next day. We were already scurrying to make contact with ski lodges and parks to see about any available jobs after the holidays and I was starting to look forward to learning more about skiing. As soon as the visa came, however, we bought tickets for January 11 and are excited to head out to New Zealand after spending Christmas and New Years with family and friends.

I am unbelievably ready for this long-term substitute job to be over. In the span of a week there have been two school-wide lock-downs for reasons varying from a nearby shooting to theft. I've had a couple of close calls regarding girl fights and today after telling a student he could not use the restroom (as last time he never came back) he got up, walked out, told me to go to hell and slammed the door. These last three weeks have been . . . an experience. As soon as I walk into that building my blood pressure skyrockets. I'm hoping that tomorrow will be relatively painless as my nutrition students are going to watch "Food Inc." and my parenting students have a test.

Here are some of the questions I get around Holland when people find out we're going to New Zealand?

Why New Zealand? I've heard it's pretty, there's less people than in China and because we've never been before.

What will you do there? Any job we can find to eek out an existence.

Where will you live? Anywhere we can find that we can afford.

Where are you going? Christchurch (I know, I know, they just had an earthquake).

Isn't that part of Australia? Nope, but it's out in that general direction.

When are you coming back? Our visas last a year, but who knows. If we can't make it financially then it will probably be sooner rather than later.

I want to go here

Read More 3 comments | Posted by Sarah Sanderson

3 comments

Catherine on December 15, 2011 at 8:42 PM

Awesome! I'm so excited for you guys!
Kate on December 15, 2011 at 9:18 PM

I envy your ability and willingness to get up and go wherever you want. As for the earthquake thing, well, since they just had one, chances are you won't have to worry about it ;)
kimberly on December 15, 2011 at 9:58 PM

Yay! SO exciting! Hope you guys have a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoy the entire experience. FYI, I enjoyed your post about subbing... It made me laugh!

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

Off to New Zealand

3 comments