First Week in the Foreign Service

My first week of orientation in the US Foreign Service is done.  What was it like?  Well, first there is my class.  It's large -- although I'm not exactly sure how big the class could be -- but I think this class is up there.  It's varied with lots of different specialists, which is nice.  The best part, though, is as I'm getting to know my fellow specialists, I'm extremely impressed, and slightly humbled, by just how great these people are.  I guess I shouldn't be too surprised since we all had to go through the same rigorous recruiting process.  I'm definitely looking forward to becoming friends as well as coworkers with my classmates.

Everyone else I've met at the Department of State has also been kind and courteous.  On the shuttle to the Foreign Service Institute in the mornings, I've talked with foreign service officers training for their first tours as well as those getting refreshers and then on their way to their eighth post.  It's been fun so far.

Lots of information -- LOTS.  I actually needed to take a nap today, not from physical exhaustion, but I think from mental.  Thank goodness we have weekends off!

My only complaint...the heat and humidity.  Since we have to wear suits and ties every day (which, in a way is fun), I usually start sweating about 10 seconds after leaving my building.  I know Boston can get hot and humid in the summer, too, but it's a much more pervasive, and constant humidity here.  Besides, I haven't had to dress up like this for a long time.  I'm sure in time I'll get used to it.  I hope so, because as a financial management office, one of my potential postings is Charleston, SC.  I suspect it's even hotter and more humid down there.  The up side is that I'm usually about 3 pounds lighter at the end of the day that at the beginning.  And since orientation started, I've actually lost 5 pounds total.  Not too bad.

No photos of orientation or inside State property.  But, here are pics of me before the sweating begins:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

FSS Orientation: Day 1

So, today was the day.  Something that started years ago finally came to pass.  Today was the first day of Foreign Service Orientation (specialists) for me and 80+ other men and women from all different backgrounds, specialties, and areas.

The day started early because, basically, I was awake by 4:30 am.  Since I didn't want to be late on the first day -- and be "that guy" -- I went ahead a got up.  It was nice, though, because I did some yoga, which I think helped me calm down and center.  Shower, coffee, breakfast, and out the door by 6:40.  Metro, Rosslyn to Foggy Bottom, and a walk down 23rd Street and there I was:  outside the Harry S. Truman Building, a.k.a. Main State, and greeting some of my fellow members of the 138th Foreign Service Specialist Orientation class.  

(stock photo from the internet)

Talking with a new colleague, I realized that I forgot my passport.

WHAT?!?!

Yep, I forgot my passport.  I put it specifically out on the counter to remember to bring it, and don't you know went out of my apartment without it.  About 10 seconds of panic thinking I needed to go back to Rosslyn to get it, and then I realized I did remember to bring the original of my birth certificate.  Go figure!  I spoke with one of the HR people helping us and my birth certificate with my MA driver's license would be just fine.

WHEW!  

Did I mention that it was so humid this morning that I was melting inside my suit?  Well, I was.  Good news is that so was everyone else -- it wasn't just me.

Day 1 outfit:  charcoal suit, blue and white striped shirt, red, white and blue rep-striped tie.

How to describe the first day?  Very administrative.  I won't lie -- being inside the Department of State building felt really, really cool.  Definitely.  But today was all about paperwork.  Lots and lots of paperwork.  And PowerPoint.  And lots of information that doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense right now, but will in a bit.

Oh, and having problems with PowerPoint presentations seems to be universal.

We took the Oath of Office* this morning, learned lots of stuff, got lots of handouts on health insurance and retirement, and had a great (and a bit intimidating) security briefing.

Then...we got our badges!  Once I had that and was walking back to the Foggy Bottom Metro station with one of my new FMO colleagues, it really hit me.  

I am diplomacy.  And this is going to be really cool.

*This was taken administratively in order to get on the payroll and receive our badges.  It still has meaning.  Our swearing-in ceremony will be at the end of orientation and we will take the Oath again.

The Adventure Begins...

Today was the day for my move to DC/Arlington, VA.  Everything went smoothly:  airport, flight, landing.  Into a cab for a quick ride from DCA to my temporary apartment at the Slate building of Sedona-Slate.  A quick check in and unpacking and it, kinda, feels like home -- for a while, at least.

The apartment is quite nice.  It's a one-bedroom, furnished and outfitted for temporary stays.  It's got a good view of Clarendon Boulevard in Rosslyn (if you like urban landscapes, it's great).  As a bonus, it has a "den", which is another small room with a closet, but without a door.  So, not quite a 2-bedroom.  I've got the apartment through Oakwood as part of the lodging program with the State Department.  I'll be here through my orientation, which starts July 13 and runs for three weeks.  During the third week of orientation I'll find out how much training I'll need for the job I'll find out about, which will let me know how much longer I'll be in this apartment.

Here are some pics of the apartment:

Outside:  bike lanes!

After settling in, I decided to explore my new neighborhood a bit.  Headed out to find the Rosslyn Metro station, but it started raining, so I went back to get my umbrella.  Headed back out and found the station -- then found that I forgot my wallet.  Returned to my new apartment once more.  I thought that since I'm going out, I might as well find a grocery store to get a few days worth of food (not much, since no car).  Internets told me that a Trader Joe's is located two metro stops at Clarendon Metro.  So, back to the Rosslyn station.

One caveat:  make sure you take the correct train.  I accidentally took the Blue Line and had to turn around at Arlington Cemetery.  OK, back to Rosslyn and the ORANGE Line this time.  Luckily, I found it

YAY!  And, this one has beer and wine -- Hello, La Ferme Julien Rosé!

A little exploring of my building:

Lounge and Billiards Room

Rooftop Terrace

Rooftop Pool

Fitness Center (yes, I did go inside, but forgot to take the pic in there)

As you can tell from some of the pics, it did rain.  Actually, the skies opened up and it poured.  Luckily just after I returned from Trader Joes.

Tomorrow I'll explore around the neighborhood, maybe use the fitness center and the pool, and figure out how to join Capital Bike Share.

First Pack Out Done

On Wednesday, I had my first Foreign Service Pack Out.  Not all that exciting, really.  Some movers came -- very promptly, I might add -- put my stuff into airfreight boxes, had me sign some papers, and then took it away.  I don't know if it's already in DC or if it's sitting at Logan airport, or in some warehouse in Lawrence.  But, I'll trust the process that it will make it's way down the East Coast and get to me sometime before my orientation is over.  Hopefully, it will be there sooner.  Here's what my life distilled to...

A "15 Cube" air freight shipping box

The scale is important, since I get 250 pounds -- including the weight of the containers.

All boxed up and ready to go!

Last Saturday, my husband (I have to get used to calling him that), Mark, threw me very nice Patriotic/July 4th-themed going away party.  It's been a custom for us that wherever we travel we try to buy a flag of that country or state or city.  So, we have lots of flags that I sometimes fly along with our American Flag.  For the party, Mark made "flag poles" that he attached to our fence and created our own private "Hall of Flags"

In this picture, L to R:  Albania, Quebec, France, British Virgin Islands (from Tortola), the HRC banner, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

Mark is holding the flag of Curaçao, behind it is Turkey, and behind that is Montenegro.  Not pictured, but flying, are Argentina, Macedonia, California, Laos, and Indonesia.

It was a lovely, and touching, party with many of my friends from the area.  A nice send off to DC and then points onward.