Patience

Usually, I'm a very patient guy.  However, I'm finding myself getting antsy about having passed the foreign service, but waiting for clearances.  I e-mailed about my security clearance and was told that they have it on track to be done by May 18, 2014.  Yay!  I guess...even though that's about 8 weeks away.  Pretty good for the government, I suppose?  Also, left a message for my new doctor to see where we are on the medical tests I need for my worldwide medical clearance.  Just waiting...

In the meantime, I'm doing something which I think a lot of potential/soon-to-be foreign service officers and specialists do:  thinking about where I could be posted.  Officers (FSOs) can go to any one of about 265 embassies, conulsates, or diplomatic missions around the world.  Specialists could go to less than that; my FMO vacancy said any one of approximately 130 locations worldwide.  I suppose specialists probably aren't needed as much in the smaller posts or can work regionally.  Still, 130 is a big choice.  Oh, and I could also be posted to Charleston, SC or Washington, DC.  To help me visualize it, I've started mapping US Embassies and Consulates.  I've done Western Hemisphere, Africa, and Near East.  Check it out: