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.

From South to North

Leaving Picton and heading to Wellington

Arriving in Windy Welly

On Thursday morning we got up early and drove from Collingwood to Picton, a little town on the coast, to take the ferry from the South Island over to the North Island. On the way we drove through farmland, orchards and plenty of small towns before we reached the ferry terminal.

The ferry from Picton to Wellington takes about 4 hours and travels back and forth a few times a day. The ship itself was huge and had restaurants, cafes, lots of outside and inside viewing rooms and also a theater to watch movies if the weather got nasty (which it did and we watched The Avengers).

A little Kiwi English at the hostel

Walkway along the coast in Wellington

We arrived in the port of Wellington at about 5pm and for the first time in about 8 months it felt like we were back in civilization with three lane highways, sky scrapers and traffic lights. It was quite stressful trying to navigate through the city during rush hour traffic on the opposite side of the road and after a couple of loops around we eventually made it to our hostel, the YHA Wellington. We spent the evening walking along the waterfront and going into the city for dinner. If we are not blown away (Wellington is crazy windy) then I think we'll really enjoy a couple of days in the city.

Marina in Wellington

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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

From South to North

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