The Bid List

Last night I turned in The Bid List: a master spreadsheet of every post, position, language, differential pay, and start date available to first-tour officers of the 168th A-100 class. As you can imagine, it's been a steady subject of conversation for the last two weeks.

If one is an optimist, then ranking your preferences (High, Medium, Low) is really exciting - each post is a potential future with intriguing possibilities. Although East Asia/Pacific is the long-term interest, Africa and South/Central Asia have been moving up in my mind. Included in the 98 positions are:

26 for which I have at least a foundation in the language 

16 of low preference

16 of high preference

16 designated Danger (no correlation with preference)

7 at headquarters in DC

2 with split locations

2 island countries

1 absolute dream post and position

But in the end, it probably doesn't matter much. I entered the job with an advantage in hiring priority through the Recruitment Language Program (RLP), which aims to attract speakers of "critical need" languages. In exchange for an advantage on the registry, you commit to going to the country of said language in the first or second tour. There's certainly nothing to complain about in this....it's just that that post in a nearby country is SO very attractive, and despite my best pitch, it's not the most likely outcome.

18 days until our Flag Day. Until then, a collection of Flag Day stories.

Getting up to speed

Realizations of a beginning blogger:

1. I forgot to mention when/where I moved - as of July 14, I've been in Northern Virginia for lodging and training.

2. So far, this blog is not full of photo-worthy updates. Sorry, y'all....most of our time is in classrooms until departure.

Most days are full of briefings and assessments from 8-5, with some homework at nights but plenty of time to get to know our new colleagues outside class. It's a pretty diverse group all around according to age and work background, but most racial diversity is concentrated in the younger set. Fletcher, HKS, and U of Denver have the highest number of recent graduates, but SAIS and SIPA are here too.

After two full months of absolutely no professional or academic responsibilities whatsoever, it's both good and tiring being back in the game. Everyone's focus right now is researching available posts (next week: THE BID LIST). But based on the post videos we've watched together, my main conclusion is that playing tennis is essential to being a proper diplomat.

Finally, a lovely gift from a friend in the area:

 The sprout inside is a mustard plant, and it came with more seeds. Such a tangible reminder of how God blesses the tiniest and most needy expressions of faith!

You can take it with you?

Yesterday movers showed up at my temporary housing with two giant boxes - 250 pounds, to be exact.

This is my UAB, or Unaccompanied Air Baggage, which is sent more quickly than the rest of my things on the slow boat to China/Chile/Cameroon. I didn't actually realize the UAB would be delivered now; I thought I wouldn't see it until we all got to the other side. And under that assumption, I filled the boxes up with all kinds of things I've never taken overseas before - including lots of delicious (and generally unhealthy) American non-perishable food.

This idea came from the experience of bringing hard-to-find food items into China returning from Thailand. No trip to Chiang Mai was complete without stocking up on granola bars, cereal, sauce packets, and Earl Grey tea. So this time around, why not be ready for anything? My Brazilian roommates advised me on what's in their home country; friends recently returned from Syria recommended essentials for baking. A giant shopping list took shape.

But something strange happened as I walked every single aisle of Target - the initial excitement of getting to pack little luxuries turned into stress. Will I need this? Will I need that? How many packets of alfredo sauce will I use in a year? I definitely need that brilliant kitchen tool....and why not a nice cutlery set? After all, shouldn't I be a real grown-up and have grown-up things? Soon the stress and materialism was overwhelming, and I tried to put things back. Turns out it was easier and more simple when I just trusted that all my needs would be provided.

There's probably a spiritual lesson in all this. Compared to most Americans, I don't have too much stuff - it all fit in one room when the movers came back in May. Yet all that STUFF is still such a burden when you get the call to go. The option to take all you own seems like a pretty sweet deal, until your possessions end up owning you. And in the end, you don't really need it.

What's Next

A good poem grows with you. It keeps expanding, so that unfolding chapters in life bring new meaning and understanding to old words. Tennyson's "Ulysses" does that for me:

Some work of noble note, may yet be done...

...Come, my friends,

'Tis not too late to seek a newer world...

Though much is taken, much abides; and though

We are not now that strength which in old days

Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

The chapter starting now is serving my country and fellow citizens as a Foreign Service Officer (FSO). Basically, a junior-level diplomat. It's been a long journey to get to this point, and only by the grace of God and the help of incredible people along the way did so many doors open one after the other. Training starts next Monday, and I'll find out my country of assignment later in August.

In past chapters overseas I wrote newsletter updates for family and friends; it's now time to transition to blogging. Hoping very much to avoid narcissism (how many hours have already gone by trying to create just the right blogging image?) and snarkiness (way too much arrogance in the world already). Thanks for reading, and do share your own story with me too.