We heard this week that the January class is going to be small like October, about 60 people (although they sent out a few last-minute offers this week, but it doesn't seem like many- maybe 10?). And rumor has it that the other spring classes may be small as well.
Which all means that I might sit on the cusp, not getting an offer but ripping out my hair every time it's offer time, possibly forever (or until December 2011, when I expire off the register).
So I'm giving a long hard look to getting started on a CNL, most likely Turkish. I'm going to lay out my thought process and would welcome your insight.
Here are the reasons to do it:
- I believe in going after something I want and don't want to find out too late that I should've done it.
- I only have a year before I expire, so now's the time to get started.
- I am taking the FSOT again and hope to be able to take the OA again in the spring. But it's entirely possible that I won't pass again. Yes, a lot of the OA depends on me, but other portions depend on chance.
- I've always wanted to live in Turkey (though I know nothing about the language).
- I do have a commute of at least 1 hr concentrated time that I could use to study.
Here are the cons/issues:
- Um, time/energy. I handle most of the daily childcare needs while D works long hours. I rise at 5am to make their lunches, leave the house at 720am, and get the final kid in bed by 830/845. At that point, I'm pretty fried. But that would be my only opportunity to spend an hour on Turkish (or, I could go to sleep and get up really really early, which might be more feasible). It's just hard to imagine maintaining this kind of schedule for a year. I'm overwhelmed as it is. I would have to spend a little more time on the weekends, which is hard because I already feel we don't have enough time together as a family. I did it when I was prepping for the OA, but that was only 1-2 mos! Not a year.
- Money. Language learning is expensive. I would take advantage of free options like Live Mocha but I still need to buy some resources and eventually pay for a tutor or a class (or both).
- Immersion. I'd need to find a way to do an immersion of some sort, perhaps summer 2011? Which means more money.
So...yea. Not an easy choice, given my home life. We are pursuing some options that would allow me to quit my job and study language fulltime (although of course, that would mean losing the salary match), but if one of those comes through, it won't be tomorrow.
But I keep coming back to: If I want this job, I have to try harder.
Thoughts welcome.
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19 comments:
Stumbled across your blog, hope you don't mind my comment. I've learned a few languages other than my mother tongue. What I have gathered (from my and others' language learning experience) is that languages are made for communication. (May be a 'duh' statement, but important to realise). I think people should learn languages to communicate with others, and that motivation to learn comes best when that's the purpose/goal. Don't know much about your process here and situation other than what I've read quickly. But, if you want to learn Turkish and 'always wanted to live in Turkey' then, why not go live in Turkey? And, if that's what you really want then don't make it conform to some artificial timescale of some test or assessment. Just do it. Live and learn until you're satisfied and if you want, then pursue your foreign service interest. If you want to learn a language, Turkish or other, for some relatively non-related reason (foreign service) I would guess motivation for that would be much more difficult than if you really wanted to communicate with others in a language. As I said, communication has always been my motivation for language learning, and I've never wanted to learn a language for another purpose. Those are my thoughts- or, my 2 pennies as they say. Best to you.
I understand your dilemma you are in. Language learning is difficult, it takes SO much concentration and makes you use your brain in a way that can be very stressing.
However, from what I am reading it is a must because of the long register. Big decision, but probably well worth it in the end :)I know from my own foreign language quest (Bengali), progress is amazing and it feels really good when I know that this will help me with my long term goals.
Good luck with your decision!
First of all, I'm so sorry that you're having to make this decision. Ugh. This process shouldn't be so difficult. You've already jumped through the right hoops and proven yourself fit to be an FSO; it should end there. But, alas...
Anyway, I think before you embark on learning Turkish, you should take some time to really research what it'll take to get to the level you need.
I know Turkish is considered one of the easier CNLs, but it still requires at least six months of full-time study at FSI. Maybe it's even eight or ten months, I don't know. But for the sake of argument, let's say it's only six. So that means people at FSI are spending 8 hours a day x 5 days a week x 24 weeks = 960 hours. So, if you had a year to devote to Turkish, you'd have devote 18.5 hours a week, or almost three hours a day.
(One caveat, though, is that not all FSI students really spend 8 hours a day studying. Some just do the 4-5 hours of class time and very little else, but that seems to be the exception rather than the rule. And of course, there are people who put in far more than 8 hours a day.)
Personally, I know I could never carve out that amount of time on top of a full-time job, especially for something so intellectually draining, and I'd imagine you're stretched even more thin with the kids, the commute, etc. If you were able to figure out a way to leave your job, I'd be a lot more optimistic, but as it stands, I fear you'll suffer through a miserable year and may or may not get to a 2.
Sorry to be Debby Downer, and if you do decide to go for it I'll of course be cheering you on. But go in fully informed about how difficult it'll be.
Since it sounds like you are already leaning towards Turkish for personal reasons than maybe that will be enough motivation to push you through the hard days. I would definitely explore which language has the most local resources and you also might find that you have more of an aptitude for a different language.
Definitely get in contact with some of the local community colleges and see what kind of English as a second language programs they offer. I was surprised to find that even where I am in white bread Colorado there were a lot of students from the Middle East and we would grab a coffee or something and swap lessons.
The other thing I contemplated since we have an extra bedroom was to host an exchange student or be a home away from home on weekends for a foreign national student. I wound up swapping some home cooked meals for weekend Arabic power sessions.
Good luck!
Not knowing if you specifically want to join as a FSO or just want to be in the Foreign Service. Instead of going in as a FSO, have you thought of a specialist position - OMS, law enforcement, medical, etc. I don't know your experience and background, but it may be an option. You can peruse the State.gov site for other possibilities?? Just another idea to through in the pot.
Good luck ~ I know how much you want this lifestyle and think you'd be great at it!
Okay, first off, I wish you the very best of luck making this tough decision and with following thru with the study hours that will be required. Secondly, I am sorry this is the situation so many of us find ourselves in. I thought for sure you would make it off the register with your score and as I learn a language that will get me to the same place you are in now, I am disappointed that it may not be enough!
I look forward to reading about your decision!
I have no wisdom, only empathy.
I'm so sorry you're in this position. I wish there was a quick, easy fix. :(
I, like Denise, was thinking about... other State options. For example, my husband loves his job, and they are ALWAYS looking for female applicants. The application window just closed, but it may reopen cyclically. How do you feel about guns? And how old are you? (My husband's job has an applicant age cutoff.)
Hugs to you guys...
Thanks so much for the thoughtful comments, everyone. My family will chuckle at ADA's suggestion, as me and guns are definitely not friends! But I appreciate all the creative solutions. The good news is that I live near NYC, so I could likely find a tutor for any language under the sun (fun aside- apparently there are languages that are thriving here but are dying in their home countries!).
As for Anon's comments, I should clarify that I LOVE learning languages, bec I love communicating with others in their native tongue. It's just that right NOW is not the ideal time for me to take on a language.
And thanks for the kind reality check, Alex.
thanks again, all.
I am in the same situation as you (except lower on the Consular register but also set to expire Dec 2011). I am scheduled for the written test in October. I am seriously considering quitting my job and studying a cnl full time. I say explore the option of full time study – maybe you can work part time? If you sell the house and move could you decrease housing expenses?
Part of me thinks it would be crazy to quit my job to study a language full time for a 30 min phone conversation but the other part of me thinks it would crazy to let the opportunity to actually become a fso slip away! I might never make it back to the register!! On Monday I am starting a non credit class in Arabic at a local university as a form of introduction to the language and I’ll decide soon if it will become my full time job.
Good luck with the decisions! Oh and please get an offer soon because that means I am closer to getting an offer!!
hey Clare, thanks for commenting...yes, selling the house, moving to somewhere cheaper, me quitting and taking care of kids FT while also studying turkish are all on the table. This would give me and the kids the freedom to move to Turkey for a month or more of immersion. I must say...I like that dream...
We're trying to get the house ready for whatever happens but it's taking a while.
good luck to you!!
Great post and valuable feedback as I am going through very similar decision making process. I recently was added to the econ register and only weeks ago passed an Italian test to bump me to a 5.47. I passed my OA back in Dec 09 and have watched the dramatic changes to the register these past 10 months. I also retook and passed the FSWT this summer but did not make it past the QEP. (I thought my essays were significantly improved from last year)
My strategy is to get the ball rolling on a CNL (Farsi) and reevaluate my situation in three months. I've registered to take local continuing education courses in the evening and private tutoring with the hope to reach 20-30 hours of study per week. I have no expectations that this will be enough to reach level 2 speaking ability in 8-12 months, though it gets things started and keeps the door open for full time study down the road. I can only hope hiring and register trends favor our situation.
Best of luck with your decision and with reaching the A-100.
why do you think (or what have you heard) that classes are going to be on the small side for a few months...is it because of the budget impasse?
You've already gotten a bunch of good suggestions but I thought I'd add to them.
First of all, don't forget to pat yourself on the back for getting as far as you have - it is really an amazing achievement and should have put you in a-100 a while ago. I know that's not helping but it's a fact and I wanted to remind you of it.
Second, you have already learned languages and love it. That means you have developed learning patterns that will help you with learning any other language, even if it's completely unrelated. You also like Turkey and Turkish and that's very important too because it will keep you motivated when hit a wall (because you will). A trip to Turkey wouldn't suck either!!!
I am not going to tell you it will be easy because you, yourself realize it won't (Alex is very right). But it's something you want so very much and I know you can do it.
So go for it. See if any community colleges teach Turkish in your area - it's less expensive though time consuming and not as intensive as FSI.
Another idea is to move to D.C. (though it's not an inexpensive area) and try to get a civil service job with State from which you can convert to FS. It's sort of a long term plan but I know a couple of people who have converted filling hard-to-fill FS positions and have gotten in that way.
Just a few thoughts - best of luck to you!!!
I love this post, as there seems to be a lot of talk about cramming CNL/SCNLs in the 18-month register time. It seems like SUCH a huge, huge risk (financially, time-wise), as Clare said for only a 30-minute assessment that you may not even pass.
Worst-case scenario: You fail the test and have spent lots of money on immersion. You just study more and use it again the next time you apply, so it's not a total loss.
Best-case scenario: You get the extra points and get called immediately!
If you can take off and try and learn it successfully, it may be worth it in the end, because either way, you appear to be reaching the same goal.
This is a great discussion. Timing is just about everything in life and it seems like the new reality is that unless you crush the OA you had better have language or veteran points.
You have already accomplished the hardest part. You can certainly get the level II in a CNL in twelve months. If this is the really a vocation, then think of the ROI on 6-8 weeks overseas. I saw a lot of people doing this on a shoe string budget in Jordan and Egypt.
The only problem is, there are certainly a lot of us who can't afford to be whisking ourselves away for such training...with work and other obligations, it's a HUGE risk. I'm even trying to save now for a lousy train trip to DC for the OA! Like FSO Hopeful added above this, it's high OA or bust these days, which gives rise to people who can actually afford excursions and immersions also rising to the top...not sure if that's what State is looking for in its candidates. It's a shame that even with a world language, you're still unable to get called within 18 months.
The long registers means State has candidates learning CNLs and SCNLs on their own time and dime, so State saves money training people and paying for candidate's families to live in Oakwood during months of language training. I'd say State is getting a good deal. Why would they be interested in changing anything. The bad economy is good for State. I'd bet they want to keep people eagerly awaiting that stable gov. job.
This week's State Department Blog RoundUp is up- and you're on it!
http://bit.ly/9xcXjv
Have a great weekend!
Great thoughts, everyone, thanks. Now my concern is that Turkish might cease to be a CNL in the middle of my study.
And while I would be frustrated and disappointed in terms of the reason I started studying the language right then- to get the bonus points- I would never feel it was time wasted. I plan to visit Turkey in the near future, FS or not, and I would love to be able to communicate in their language.
Anyway, I appreciate all the insight & good wishes. thanks.
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