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.

Salvation Army Snowsports Sale

I love the Salvation army here. There are so many people always coming/going in Queenstown that the loot on offer changes quickly and tends to be really good stuff. In my hometown there are loads of thrift stores; on every corner in Holland you can find either a) a church or b) a thrift store. It's awesome. I never really appreciated all of the bargain locations until I left and realized that not every town can boast 20+ secondhand shops (that and 100+ churches . . . seriously).

In Queenstown there is only one and this past week it had its annual snowsports sale where they haul out all of the skis, poles, boots, snowboards etc. dropped off last year and sell them at amazing prices. Sean and I both had the day off and took the opportunity to check it out. After careful browsing, here's what we scored:

Sean
Snowboard boots $25
Snowboard helmet $20

Sarah
Ski poles$10
Hat $2
Scarf $3

Gearing up for winter and skiing and snowboarding has the potential to be really expensive. We are buying used or borrowing as much as we can to keep the costs down. Our flatmates have been great in helping us out. Kathryn gave me her old ski jacket and is going to let me use her old goggles. Andrew sold Sean his old jacket and pants for cheap and might sell him his old snowboard as well. I am planning on buying two year old used rentals from the Hilton with my sweet staff discount (it's not really that sweet - 10% - but it helps to remind myself of the perks when I'm scrubbing bathtubs).

Bring on the snow!

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Sarah Sanderson

1 Comment

Linde on May 8, 2012 at 12:07 PM

Yay, Gear!

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

Salvation Army Snowsports Sale

1 Comment