FAQ for my friends and family

I recently let the cat out of the bag regarding my blog, so welcome, friends and family!

So I thought I'd back up a little bit and let you know where I am in the process and what it all means, by answering a few Frequently Asked Questions.

What's the latest with the FS?
I've been added to the Consular register, which means I have been fully cleared (medical and security) and deemed eligible to be hired by the State dept. 

So does that mean you'll get an offer soon?
Well, it depends. Candidates are ranked on these registers according to their scores on the Oral Assessment (which I took in February). My score was on the lower end of the range, so anyone with a higher score will get an offer before me.

However, I am taking a Spanish phone test next Friday. If I pass, my score will receive a bump (from 5.4 to 5.57) and I will be much more likely to receive an offer. If I don't pass, I must wait 6 months and can try again. While I really, really hope to pass, waiting another 6 mos after such a long journey already doesn't feel like the end of the world. Ask me again in the middle of winter, though, and I will surely feel differently.

Do they give you an offer to go to a certain country?
No. I will (hopefully) receive an offer to join a 5-week training class, called A-100. A new class is offered roughly eight times a year. At the end of the class, I would find out my assignment in a ceremony called "Flag Day."

You'll probably go to Latin America, given your Spanish, right?
A Latin American post is our first choice, given the children's familiarity with the language, culture, and food. However, we agree to go where the Foreign Service needs us, and the possibility of living in countries all over the world is one thing that attracts us to the FS. My assignment would depend on many factors, one of which is timing. If all the Spanish speaking vacancies have language training built into the timeline, I would not qualify for them since I already speak Spanish (relatively well). I would either be assigned to study a different language (Portuguese and Arabic are high on my list), sent to an English-speaking country (I'm hoping Manila is in my near future), or assigned to a year post in Washington, DC.

Here's a little peek into my assignment dreams...

The unofficial motto of the FS is "it depends,"so whatever I say can change at anytime and depends on a wide variety of factors. :)

What about your husband, D?
As many of you know, he too took the Oral Assessment in April. He came VERY close to passing. Unfortunately, he must now begin the process all over again and will retake the written test in October.
If I get the call, though, he is pretty excited about saying goodbye to 15+ hour days and relentless pressure at his current job. During our first post, he plans to write a book and a screenplay and explore his many entrepreneurial ideas.

I am very grateful to him for entertaining my crazy idea, listening to me obsess over it for a year, encouraging me every step of the way, and actually agreeing to go forward with this adventure.

What about the kids? How will they handle all the moving around? What about their schooling?
The children will go to terrific schools paid for by the State dept. This is one of the many benefits of the FS lifestyle. I hope they will learn to adapt to changes. They (especially M) are not great at it now, but it's something they will need to learn. I hear from FS families that their children are incredibly resilient.

What will you actually DO as a Foreign Service Officer? 
Oh yea, that. This old post will help explain.

If you're interested in more details of the long FS application process, there's this...


I think that is plenty for now, don't you? If you have other questions, please feel free to ask! Thanks for visiting!