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.

Routeburn Track

Sean and I have the next four days off which we requested in order to backpack the Routeburn Track. The Routeburn Track is one of New Zealand's "Great Walks" and usually takes three days and two nights. It is a 32 km hike that links Mt. Aspiring and Fiordland National Park. We are going in the off season for two reasons: 1) It's cheaper 2) It's the only time we both could get four consecutive days off work together. The risk of going in the off season is that the weather is sketchy, the ice and snow on the highest pass sometimes requires crampons (which we don't have) and there is an increased probability of avalanches and flooding.

For the past two weeks we have been reading about the hike, talking to the the Department of Conservation about conditions, making pre-packaged meals and packing. Sometimes I think the anticipation and preparation of an adventure is more fun than the actual trip itself. The weather report looks rainy but we are going anyway and are prepared to turn around if the trail gets too hairy. I am so ready and excited to be outside in any kind of weather instead of in a hotel room.

See you in a few days!

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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

Routeburn Track

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