Back On Track (Hopefully)

I’m adopting a new strategy – instead of waiting to tell people that I’m writing a blog until I see if I remain committed to it, I’ve decided to tell people I’m writing a blog in the hopes that it will spur me to remain committed to it (since clearly strategy #1 didn’t work). But it’s been fun to go back and read what I wrote last summer! And since I am finally leaving the country, it would probably be even funner to have a written account of the highlights of my overseas adventures.

That’s right, folks – I am finally being sent abroad. For a bit. But then for longer. I’ll explain.

It was decided by the powers that be at the State Department that Embassy Bangui will not reopen soon enough for me to go there. (If you have not been following the news out of the CAR over the past 5 months, here are a few articles – including the finding of skeletons in (former) President Bozize’s garage. Actual skeletons.)

So, instead of going to Bangui in January, I was placed in the Public Diplomacy & Public Affairs office of the Bureau of African Affairs, where I have been happily toiling away on various projects and figuring out the mysterious ways of the State Department. It’s been a great education and I’ve gotten some really good experience, but I’m ready to get out of the country, so I was thrilled when my boss asked me if I wanted to temporarily go to 2 African embassies and help out in their Public Affairs Sections for a few weeks!

I’ll be going to Nouakchott, Mauritania for 3 weeks, followed by 3 weeks in Kigali, Rwanda!

Then I’ll return to the U.S. for about a month or so this summer before heading to…

Algeria! After submitting a new, mini, bid list about a week ago, I have been reassigned to a consular position in Algiers! Many many many things have to be sorted out before I go, but right now I’m opting not to think about all those things and daydream about all the amazing travel possibilities! And the Mediterranean. I’m also thinking about the Mediterranean.