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Gonna have to start updating the OP with all the new arrivals. If your name is not in the OP or is outdated, let me know.
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Feb 7, 2013 13:49
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add me to Manila and saho - have you got a nice IM guy named Eddie?
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Feb 7, 2013 14:57
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Diplomaticus posted:Gonna have to start updating the OP with all the new arrivals. If your name is not in the OP or is outdated, let me know. You can remove wazooteyman from the OP. Because wazooteyman is me. Felt like changing my username. Also, I'm a PD officer in Rome, but I'm working Consular.
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Feb 7, 2013 16:53
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Had a question from a friend who's applying in the Econ cone which I'm actually curious about myself. What exactly are Environment, Science and Technology and Health (ESTH) Officers? Are these Econ coned mid level positions? Is just a matter of going through the ML bidding process and getting selected for a slot or are there additional requirements to do ESTH work? Besides ESTH officers, are there other opportunities to get involved with work that focus on science, technology or energy related diplomatic issues?
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Feb 7, 2013 23:18
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Skandiaavity posted:add me to Manila I'm actually not in Kathmandu yet, I'm in the never ending limbo that is FSI. I should be there February 18th "inshallah". I do know, however, the other IMS is indeed a 2nd tour dude named Eddie. Was he in your class?
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Feb 8, 2013 00:28
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Nope, but we met at FSI. Was wondering how he was doing!
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Feb 8, 2013 00:57
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problematique posted:Had a question from a friend who's applying in the Econ cone which I'm actually curious about myself. Depends... my wife is an EPAP ESTH Officer. Outside of designated ESTH officers, the portfolios are a split between Pol and Econ. Edit: They have several FS officers in the section and I think all are Econ coned... could be a pol officer in there... TCD fucked around with this message at 01:45 on Feb 8, 2013 |
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Feb 8, 2013 01:00
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problematique posted:Had a question from a friend who's applying in the Econ cone which I'm actually curious about myself. Our post ESTH officer is an 02 or 03 (I think 02) political coned officer. His portfolio is heavily focused on renewable energy, so he works with my section quite a bit on econ/energy related stuff, but also with political (we're actually a combined Pol/Econ/ESTH/PRM (refugees) section, but his office is located elsewhere because of space issues). You bid on it just like any other position, and as far as I know it doesn't work any differently than any other kind of post. As an econ officer, especially if you are in a post without a Foreign Commercial Service presence, you will have ample opportunity to work on these things. I deal with tech, energy, and related topics every single day. But as an econ/commercial officer, I do it from a more commercial facilitation (sales/business development) standpoint, while the ESTH officer deals with it from a more analytical standpoint.
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Feb 8, 2013 01:40
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I've decided that the cafeteria at the FSI is stupid and overpriced.
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Feb 8, 2013 02:08
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It is. Go to the gas station next to the DMV on 4-mile run near George Mason. There is a peruvian chicken restaurant there that is amazing.
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Feb 8, 2013 02:19
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Diplomaticus posted:Gonna have to start updating the OP with all the new arrivals. If your name is not in the OP or is outdated, let me know. I'm POL and about to start an A-100 in March.
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Feb 8, 2013 02:19
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psydude posted:I've decided that the cafeteria at the FSI is stupid and overpriced. Yes, and yes. Best deal is the soups. Do try the "spicy chips" that come with the specials at the sandwich bar; they're probably the best I've ever had.
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Feb 8, 2013 02:19
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Diplomaticus posted:It is. Go to the gas station next to the DMV on 4-mile run near George Mason. There is a peruvian chicken restaurant there that is amazing. There are also some pupusa places that are pretty legit down by the CVS...
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Feb 8, 2013 02:24
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We usually head up to Ballston or Clarendon if we eat out (Earl's is the bomb), but I've started bringing my lunch.
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Feb 8, 2013 03:13
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Diplomaticus posted:It is. Go to the gas station next to the DMV on 4-mile run near George Mason. There is a peruvian chicken restaurant there that is amazing. haha yessss There's also a baller mexican joint - rio grande - down 50 by the Target/Safeway. Dim Sum also around that area. Skandiaavity fucked around with this message at 03:32 on Feb 8, 2013 |
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Feb 8, 2013 03:28
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If I could find someone with a car I always liked to go to Rockland's BBQ or BGR: The Burger Joint around Clarendon, or Sauca on Columbia Pike.
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Feb 8, 2013 03:35
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Took the test this morning. Of course I fell asleep early and woke up at 3:30 and could not fall back asleep until who knows when. I was able to walk in the door of the testing site 15 min early as suggested in the e-mail. The check in site was down so it almost had to be re-scheduled. I dunno how I did overall. I'm not feeling super confident about my essay, it was a topic I wasn't really able to form a solid opinion on and ran out of time while trying to add more meat to it after it was all typed. I guess I'll have to wait and see but if I don't get positive news back at least I won't be completely taken by surprise.
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Feb 8, 2013 04:47
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One thing I've found helpful for timed essays like that is to just pick the first argument that pops into my head and roll with it whether or not I believe in it or not.
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Feb 8, 2013 05:29
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Aww dang, Pathways program(paid internships) opens up again JUST as I'm graduating and no longer eligible. Others who are interested in interning at State can check it out on USAJobs by searching for HRSC/PATH-2013-0008 and HRSC/PATH-2013-0009 
hitension fucked around with this message at 19:20 on Feb 8, 2013 |
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Feb 8, 2013 06:13
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One nice thing about China: Early dismissal & 5 day weekend! 
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Feb 8, 2013 06:41
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1of7 posted:If I could find someone with a car I always liked to go to Rockland's BBQ or BGR: The Burger Joint around Clarendon, or Sauca on Columbia Pike. Don't forget Pollo King! Cooked chickens to the horizon! And Ravi Kebab was always a favorite when I was in Arabic training. Their chickpeas and chicken kebabs were the bee's knees.
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Feb 8, 2013 07:56
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After my OA last week my wife and I went to a place called Chopped. It's a salad place and wasn't too bad. Not sure if there is one near FSI or not but just thought I'd throw the name out there. Also the Starbucks at George Mason gave my flashbacks to some of my Poli Sci courses I took in college.
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Feb 8, 2013 13:51
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SCRwM posted:After my OA last week my wife and I went to a place called Chopped. It's a salad place and wasn't too bad. Not sure if there is one near FSI or not but just thought I'd throw the name out there. That's a fast-spreading chain here in NYC. There's also a clone called Just Salad, but I have no idea which came first.
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Feb 8, 2013 17:18
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My info in the OP is outdated. I'm on the register.
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Feb 8, 2013 18:38
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Skandiaavity posted:haha yessss Yes! Chicken and Steak Las Brasas, I'd completely forgot the name, but that's it. MF: I'll get to updating the OP soon.
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Feb 8, 2013 18:53
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Zoots posted:Don't forget Pollo King! Cooked chickens to the horizon! There's a really good Peruvian chicken place near courthouse called "El Pollo Rico". I think you can get a half chicken with two sides for around $8.
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Feb 8, 2013 19:29
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I went back to the OP to gather up some reference material for a conversation I was having about the FS and noticed broken quote tags at the section on language training immediately after the blurb on the political track. Letting you know since you'll be there anyways updating the OP.
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Feb 9, 2013 01:12
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Well, my wife and I just took the FSOT. I think I did well on the test overall. There were just a few of the business questions that I thought I was weak on. I was also very indepth on my essay, so here is to hoping. I'm not worried about anywhere I might be put, but I have to say, I'm pretty scared about the fact that I'll have to gain fluency in a language. I picked the Consular track, so I'll likely be talking to people in another language on a daily basis. On the other hand, it won't even be an issue in 3-5 weeks if I find out that I didn't make it to the next stage!
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Feb 9, 2013 18:20
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Just took the test. The English expression part was deceptively difficult under the time limit, didn't have enough time to review my answers.
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Feb 9, 2013 22:34
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Hey all, long time second time. I wanted to know if anyone could give me insight to one aspect of language testing. I am specifically proficent in a more gulf/iraqi dialect of arabic and am concerned that when my life comes to the point to where I can test I might have a phone interview with someone with a Levantine accent or even worse North Africa or MSA  Does anyone have any insight on this?
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Feb 10, 2013 02:50
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Abu Hans posted:Hey all, long time second time. I wanted to know if anyone could give me insight to one aspect of language testing. I am specifically proficent in a more gulf/iraqi dialect of arabic and am concerned that when my life comes to the point to where I can test I might have a phone interview with someone with a Levantine accent or even worse North Africa or MSA When I took the Arabic language test a few years back, it was offered in MSA, Egyptian & Iraqi dialects. My exam was in the Egyptian dialect, and I'm pretty sure my examiner was a native Egyptian, so I imagine that the Iraqi test would have a native speaker.
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Feb 10, 2013 03:12
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Dear Diary, If you told me that when I joined the Foreign Service, that I was going to climb into an active volcano and take a swim in the middle of it? I would call you crazy. Most people, when touring the Taal Volcano in Philippines, only get to see the crater and look down at this very spot. But us? Nope, we gots to go all the way in. I guess that means I'm crazy enough.  (edit: you can't really see it and the big file is 14MB, but in the back there's vents - it was actually very active that day. Swimming through it felt very rough and it was warm. A smaller island in the middle of it had a hot springs, though. Very refreshing!)
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Feb 10, 2013 09:26
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Day 1 of medivac begins. I'm in DC right now if anyone wants to meet up.Dameius posted:I went back to the OP to gather up some reference material for a conversation I was having about the FS and noticed broken quote tags at the section on language training immediately after the blurb on the political track. Letting you know since you'll be there anyways updating the OP. Yeah I know I just keep forgetting by the time I get to editing. Eonwe posted:Well, my wife and I just took the FSOT. I think I did well on the test overall. There were just a few of the business questions that I thought I was weak on. I was also very indepth on my essay, so here is to hoping. I'm not worried about anywhere I might be put, but I have to say, I'm pretty scared about the fact that I'll have to gain fluency in a language. I picked the Consular track, so I'll likely be talking to people in another language on a daily basis. I was/am in the same boat about the language. But also that's why I am excited about it, because I know I'll never learn a foreign language on my own, without the FSI training.
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Feb 10, 2013 15:52
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Diplomaticus posted:Day 1 of medivac begins. I'm in DC right now if anyone wants to meet up. Isn't the medevac point for you guys Germany or something? Actually South Africa may be one too.
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Feb 10, 2013 16:10
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Homie S posted:Isn't the medevac point for you guys Germany or something? Depends, it's flexible. S. Africa is pretty common, but you can be sent to EUR ( Germany or the UK) or the States.
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Feb 10, 2013 16:22
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Homie S posted:Isn't the medevac point for you guys Germany or something? Pretoria, yeah, but since I was already in the US for a TDY they let me handle it here.
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Feb 10, 2013 16:39
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Diplomaticus posted:Day 1 of medivac begins. I'm in DC right now if anyone wants to meet up. I'd be up to meet up. How long are you in DC for?
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Feb 10, 2013 18:42
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Continuous posted:When I took the Arabic language test a few years back, it was offered in MSA, Egyptian & Iraqi dialects. My exam was in the Egyptian dialect, and I'm pretty sure my examiner was a native Egyptian, so I imagine that the Iraqi test would have a native speaker. That is a relief to hear, I would be a fish out of water with MSA or Egyptian. Thank you.
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Feb 10, 2013 19:56
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Abu Hans posted:Hey all, long time second time. I wanted to know if anyone could give me insight to one aspect of language testing. I am specifically proficent in a more gulf/iraqi dialect of arabic and am concerned that when my life comes to the point to where I can test I might have a phone interview with someone with a Levantine accent or even worse North Africa or MSA From what I recall, you can test in MSA or Egyptian, those are the only two FSI-recognized variants of Arabic. If you are testing in Egyptian you get an Egyptian tester; otherwise you could have a tester from anywhere - Mauritania, Sudan, southern Turkey, Egypt, anywhere. Assuming you're not testing for Egyptian, then the tester will speak in MSA to you, albeit perhaps with the accent of their home country. A Moroccan tester won't test you in their crazy vowelless dialect, nor will a Lebanese tester stretch out every vowel sound to thirty letters long and drop French words in constantly. What they test for is your proficiency in standard language - you could have an Iraqi accent but if you can still use a relatively formal register you'd be okay. However, if you only know Iraqi dialect then you would score relatively worse. Did you learn Iraqi or MSA first? Basically, if you're comfortable reading the paper and using language that you'd hear on a regular newscast (not a very formal, fully voweled speech or khitab) then you should be okay.
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Feb 10, 2013 22:23
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the_chavi posted:From what I recall, you can test in MSA or Egyptian, those are the only two FSI-recognized variants of Arabic. If you are testing in Egyptian you get an Egyptian tester; otherwise you could have a tester from anywhere - Mauritania, Sudan, southern Turkey, Egypt, anywhere. Assuming you're not testing for Egyptian, then the tester will speak in MSA to you, albeit perhaps with the accent of their home country. A Moroccan tester won't test you in their crazy vowelless dialect, nor will a Lebanese tester stretch out every vowel sound to thirty letters long and drop French words in constantly. I learned to speak in the Iraqi dialect, slang and laziness and the accent and so on. I can read and understand MSA well, however I have a difficult time with understanding news broadcasts and the like.
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Feb 10, 2013 22:52
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