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.

Lucky Friday the 13th

Friday was anything but unlucky. I got out of work early because of four rooms with DND signs (woo hoo!) and biked home to arrive at a record 5:30pm. Sean greeted me at the door with a large, unopened box from the States. It was a care package from my college roommate, Mary!

We ripped it open and found it stuffed full of treasures and goodies from back home. I couldn't believe that she was able to fit so much good stuff into one box! It feels like Christmas in April and we feel spoiled rotten. Here's some of what was in the box: magazines, cake, brownie and cookie mixes with frosting, Oreos, Peeps, fruit roll-ups, slim jims, Cadbury cream eggs, Reeses Pieces, Nerds, trail mix, Pretzel M&Ms and jellybeans. YUM! Thanks for thinking of us, for your generosity and for taking the time to put together a package - it made our month!

After showing off our package to our flatmates who were also extremely interested in its contents, we all went out for pizza. Since it was Friday the 13th, pizzas at our favorite place were being sold for $13 instead of the usual $19. We all got one of our own to celebrate. I was also in a particularly good mood because I had the next two days off. I plan on eating lots of candy and reading magazines. What a great Friday the 13th!

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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

Lucky Friday the 13th

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