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.

Girls on the Run Bake Sale

My co-coach, Megan and one of the girls

One of the areas of program education for Girls on the Run is Community Service. We talk a lot about how to use our time and talents to help others at school, at home and in our city. One way every GOTR group puts this curriculum into action is by putting on our own Community Impact Project. Although helping the community in some way is one goal of the CIP, the main goal is to guide the girls as they learn how to plan and implement a major project themselves. Being somewhat of a control freak, I knew it would be hard for me to stay relatively hands off and not barge in to take charge instead of letting the girls be leaders.

Lots of interested buyers!

Making posters to try and lure cars in from the road

During several of our practices we had some time to talk and present about various ideas, vote, plan and delegate responsibilities. Everything went surprisingly well throughout the whole process and I was impressed with how seriously everyone took their responsibility. I also continued to be surprised about how excited the girls were about doing everything themselves. Some original ideas were: dog walking, bake sale, making cards for hospitals/retirement homes, making thank-you bags for teachers and a drink sale. The ultimate idea decided upon was a bake sale to be held during practice time after school.

Megan (my co-coach) and I were pretty nervous for this event since we didn't know what to expect. Would the girls remember their baked goodies? Would anyone come? Would it be hard for 17 eight-year-olds to stay engaged in a bake sale for two hours? Turns out our fears were unfounded and the bake sale was a huge success (due largely in part to a neighboring student baseball game with a hungry and bored audience). Everyone sold out and we made a total of $253.27! The girls have decided to donate the money to the local Humane Society and a representative is coming to receive the money during our last practice - how cool is that?

Come on out this Friday (May 29) to run, volunteer or cheer for our big GOTR 5 k event at Grand Valley State University - it's going to be fun!

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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

Girls on the Run Bake Sale

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