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.

Xingó Canyon

Getting ready to get on the catamaran

I spent the Saõ João holiday in a small town in the middle of the state of Sergipe but was also able to enjoy other areas of Brazil's smallest state as well. Before the holiday I hung out in the capital city, Aracaju and after the holiday I went on a little road trip with friends to visit Xingó Canyon and to retrace part of the path of one of Brazil's most famous bandits, Lampião, a folk hero who is equivalent to our Jesse James.

Cruising through the canyon

For me, one of the coolest things about the road trip was watching how the landscapes changed. I moved from the beachy coast and urban sprawal of Aracaju to the dry savanna (called 'caatinga' here) until final we reached the famous São Francisco River where we intended to explore the Xingó Canyon.

To explore the river, we boarded a large catamaran and traveled one hour through the canyon before stopping to have a swim and then heading back. The scenery reminded me of being out West in the States but what really made an impression on me was our fellow Brazilian travelers. People were clearly in the mood to party on the catamaran and there was no shortage of loud music, dancing and alcohol. When I pointed this out to my friends saying that the holiday was over, they informed me that part of the tradition here includes all the pre parties and after parties. I have yet to find a reason
not to party in this country.

Stopping for a swimming break

Just doing some samba on the way back

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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

Xingó Canyon

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