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Skandiaavity posted:Aaaand I'm going to Manila, Philippines! Yeah, one of those OMS is coming to my office, and I know where the other one is going. Both are chill, awesome jobs (the one in my office is probably tougher though).
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May 23, 2012 09:41
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Congrats! I just got back from Manila for training a few weeks ago for training. I'm really jealous. I'm holding on to a slim hope for Manila for my next tour, but I'd say it would be highly unlikely for both my directed tours to be in EAP.
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May 23, 2012 11:08
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Congrats!
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May 23, 2012 15:57
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Bidlist out on Friday. Also it is 8pm and I am still at the office. No, scratch that. I JUST GOT BACK IN to the office after running to meeting after meeting since 2pm. And now I get to start drafting cables.
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May 23, 2012 17:51
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Diplomaticus posted:Bidlist out on Friday. Don't worry, you'll have regular hours on your consular tour.
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May 23, 2012 18:09
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FYI, if you have an active LearnCenter account, you might be able to see the current bid list.
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May 23, 2012 18:53
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I don't. I haven't checked FSBid yet though. If someone does have such an account and can get the 2012 Summer ELGEN list, let me know!
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May 23, 2012 19:32
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Gah.... HR is dragging their feet on the extension request. I'd like to know if I need to bid or not...
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May 23, 2012 20:29
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Skandiaavity posted:Aaaand I'm going to Manila, Philippines! CONGRATULATIONS! I know a lot of people who did their first tours there, they all loved it.
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May 23, 2012 23:46
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Diplomaticus posted:I don't. I haven't checked FSBid yet though. If someone does have such an account and can get the 2012 Summer ELGEN list, let me know! I can check on HR Online starting Friday or Tuesday (depending on how long it takes to get my new badge at Main State).
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May 23, 2012 23:47
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1of7 posted:Congrats! I just got back from Manila for training a few weeks ago for training. I'm really jealous. I'll be more than welcome to share my experiences there! Everyone says it's great, but the food is OK. Kinda busy and crowded, so i'm not sure what to expect.. all I know for sure is "it's hot and humid". And the guy who got Nigeria didn't show up to any of the happy hours. Heh.
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May 24, 2012 01:28
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Diplomaticus posted:Yeah, one of those OMS is coming to my office, and I know where the other one is going. Both are chill, awesome jobs (the one in my office is probably tougher though). how do you mean by that? (more stressful/attention to detail/demanding dcm, etc). The general mood for the 125th is that anyone in the class appreciates any kind of heads up of what to actually expect, since well, it depends isn't really answering any of the questions being asked. Of course, that's on par.
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May 24, 2012 01:33
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Skandiaavity posted:I'll be more than welcome to share my experiences there! Everyone says it's great, but the food is OK. Kinda busy and crowded, so i'm not sure what to expect.. all I know for sure is "it's hot and humid". Lagos or Abuja? Also, I'm guessing that guy will probably have the best happy hours at Post.
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May 24, 2012 01:54
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Abuja. He kinda came around today and has a good approach to things (very optimistic) in class, at least. I'm definitely going to stay in touch with him and ask him what he thinks about it six months in. (edit: and one of the funnest things happened: one of the DS SA/C's were badmouthing the President. I'm sure they're going to succeed  )
Skandiaavity fucked around with this message at 02:15 on May 24, 2012 |
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May 24, 2012 02:05
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Skandiaavity posted:Abuja. He kinda came around today and has a good approach to things (very optimistic) in class, at least. I'm definitely going to stay in touch with him and ask him what he thinks about it six months in. It seems like half the people I know who served in Nigeria hated the place, and the other half married a local and spent the rest of their career in AF.
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May 24, 2012 02:14
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For sure, it's hardly anyone's first choice. You always hear about how it's a proverbial "hole", but part of me wants to believe Nigeria breaks those initial assumptions & has a culturally good side to it. Somewhat like Ethiopia or Kenya, they actually turn out to be nice places.  Also, are you at FSI any time next week? I'll have time to meet up for lunch if you want.
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May 24, 2012 02:19
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Skandiaavity posted:(edit: and one of the funnest things happened: one of the DS SA/C's were badmouthing the President. I'm sure they're going to succeed 
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May 24, 2012 02:57
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Having been to both Lagos and Abuja THEY BOTH SUCK poo poo. Only country in AF I refuse to ever visit again. I've been to Sudan, I've been to DRC, I've been along the french speaking western coast, I could find good in every single place. Nigeria was the only place where the drat airline demanded a bribe before they'd let me board the plane. Er, don't tell dude this I guess.
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May 24, 2012 05:29
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Skandiaavity posted:how do you mean by that? (more stressful/attention to detail/demanding dcm, etc). The general mood for the 125th is that anyone in the class appreciates any kind of heads up of what to actually expect, since well, it depends isn't really answering any of the questions being asked. Just some offices having more work than others. Pol/Econ OMS often have dip note drafting duties, arranging travel and such for us, flagging taskers that come in, flagging country clearances for our incoming visitors, etc. RSO (the other office) has a more sane schedule, and less incoming workload for the officers in most areas other than maybe travel. It's still not that bad. Vilerat posted:Having been to both Lagos and Abuja THEY BOTH SUCK poo poo. Only country in AF I refuse to ever visit again. I've been to Sudan, I've been to DRC, I've been along the french speaking western coast, I could find good in every single place. Nigeria was the only place where the drat airline demanded a bribe before they'd let me board the plane. My colleagues in Abuja pretty much hate it. The one in Lagos is better off, but yeah, Abuja is pretty much the bottom of my "where would I go in AF list" and that's considering "Hahaha now you're broke" Angola, "Hope you like skin cancer and dehydration" Djibouti, "Rioter? I hardly knew her" Guinea, "So, who am I control officer for this week" Khartoum, and other standouts. Leif. fucked around with this message at 06:32 on May 24, 2012 |
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May 24, 2012 06:28
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Vilerat posted:Having been to both Lagos and Abuja THEY BOTH SUCK poo poo. Only country in AF I refuse to ever visit again. I've been to Sudan, I've been to DRC, I've been along the french speaking western coast, I could find good in every single place. Nigeria was the only place where the drat airline demanded a bribe before they'd let me board the plane. Sucks for that guy. On the plus side, coming out of Abuja, he will have his shot at WHA, EUR, EAP, etc.
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May 24, 2012 13:33
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Vilerat posted:Nigeria was the only place where the drat airline demanded a bribe before they'd let me board the plane. My professor back in the day who was Nigerian: "Nigeria is the world-wide leader in corruption. It's a national pastime at this point"
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May 24, 2012 13:48
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Is there a forty words or less summary of why Nigeria is such a rough place to serve? Also, there was an interesting article in the Washington Post Tuesday about this young gal who serves as a diplomatic courier. Seems like that job would really fry your circadian rhythm.
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May 24, 2012 14:59
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DasNeonLicht posted:Is there a forty words or less summary of why Nigeria is such a rough place to serve? This looks like the article you're talking about. If it had come out a few weeks later she could could have copy-and-pasted half her EER.
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May 24, 2012 19:03
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AKA Pseudonym posted:If it had come out a few weeks later she could could have copy-and-pasted half her EER. Hahaha... such a shame. Edit: Have my TA in hand for a TDY to Rio de Janeiro.  TCD fucked around with this message at 20:50 on May 24, 2012 |
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May 24, 2012 19:23
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TCD posted:Have my TA in hand for a TDY to Rio de Janeiro. Don't get cut, gringo. wait five months and send the new guy
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May 24, 2012 23:12
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Vilerat posted:Having been to both Lagos and Abuja THEY BOTH SUCK poo poo. Only country in AF I refuse to ever visit again. I've been to Sudan, I've been to DRC, I've been along the french speaking western coast, I could find good in every single place. Nigeria was the only place where the drat airline demanded a bribe before they'd let me board the plane. Our desk officer for AF looked at our bidlist back in orientation and he said "You would only find me in Nigeria if I have been kidnapped and taken there."
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May 24, 2012 23:13
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Skandiaavity posted:Don't get cut, gringo. wait five months and send the new guy Beach man... the beach.
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May 25, 2012 00:02
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TCD posted:Beach man... the beach. be wary of the siren's calls; ask for not whom the booty tolls, for the booty tolls thee
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May 25, 2012 01:47
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Also uh, stay away from prostitutes.
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May 25, 2012 08:15
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29 Thumbs up on Sounding board Smackdown!
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May 25, 2012 10:30
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Which thread? -edit- Oh haha there's only one possible thread oh my god. Vilerat fucked around with this message at 13:46 on May 25, 2012 |
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May 25, 2012 13:32
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Just got my list. How important is trying to match up the TEDs for EL tours? I hope not too much, because less than half match mine close enough to prevent a gap in the position.
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May 25, 2012 15:36
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There's almost always a gap. Your gaining post will expect one, and since it's directed they don't really have any say anyway. Don't worry about it at all, just bid on what you want.
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May 25, 2012 16:00
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Holy poo poo. Holy poo poo. My dream post that I have been saying that I want since DAY 1 is on this bid list and I WILL loving MURDER PEOPLE FOR IT. (10017003) if you want to look it up.
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May 25, 2012 17:25
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Diplomaticus posted:Holy poo poo. Holy poo poo. My dream post that I have been saying that I want since DAY 1 is on this bid list and I WILL loving MURDER PEOPLE FOR IT. Damnit, and I'm not on Open Net right now!!!! What's the post? Hint, hint? What's it rhyme with?
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May 25, 2012 23:24
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the_chavi posted:Damnit, and I'm not on Open Net right now!!!! What's the post? Hint, hint? What's it rhyme with? give you a hint, the capital city rhymes with "dagos" keke (seriouspost: give you a hint, it's in northern South America, but is not connected/related to any country found there.) edit: i met both secstate and depsec today. Very nice people, 'Mr. Burns' is pretty funny. Skandiaavity fucked around with this message at 02:23 on May 26, 2012 |
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May 26, 2012 01:46
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Skandiaavity posted:give you a hint, the capital city rhymes with "dagos" keke No poo poo? That's your dream assignment? I didn't think they had roads/relevance there...
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May 26, 2012 05:49
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Skandiaavity posted:give you a hint, the capital city rhymes with "dagos" keke Dep Sec Burns is p. awesome. He gave the speech for our class' swearing in ceremony - mentioned some foibles from his first couple tours. The theme was "Hey, I managed tenure even after all that, so just chill and be  "That, and he had like the most dapper tie ever.
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May 26, 2012 06:05
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Burns is awesome; I had lunch with him and my A/S a few months ago. the_chavi posted:Damnit, and I'm not on Open Net right now!!!! What's the post? Hint, hint? What's it rhyme with? Heh, it's an Antilles island with supervisory responsibility for 6 other islands. And it speaks Dutch. And it's a CON/POL/PD post with two other officers.
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May 26, 2012 09:17
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the_chavi posted:No poo poo? That's your dream assignment? I didn't think they had roads/relevance there... nah, I was speaking for diplomaticus. My dream post is probably like, Space. Think of the challenges. And yeah, Burns gave our swearing in as well. We were fortunate enough that he had a few minutes to stay after.
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May 26, 2012 15:06
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