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The family and I are leaving in about 36 hours for FSI. looking forward to a meetup in the next couple weeks
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Aug 26, 2013 13:25
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| # ¿ May 22, 2024 11:16 |
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We've arrived and are settled in falls church. Other than BitTorrent blocking on the wifi (understandable but disappointing) it went well. UAB delivered yesterday even. I'm up for meeting some of y'all, even if just for lunch at FSI.
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Sep 4, 2013 10:33
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TCD posted:God oakwood wifi is terrible. Coming from a place where there wasnt reliable Internet at all, I have to say you've got a serious First World problem there
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Sep 4, 2013 21:49
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Homie, you in Oakwood FC? Would be easy for us to meet if so. I saw someone was in Japanese. I'm in Korean and have probably seen you around the halls. Anyone up for a BBQ in falls church? Family keeps me close but would be happy to use our facilities to host.
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Sep 16, 2013 03:48
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Zoots posted:I'd be game if I'm off that day. It's been too long since I saw my old stomping grounds. Just realized that I'm booked for the next two Saturdays. Anyone still around October 5 for a lunch BBQ at Oakwood FC?
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Sep 17, 2013 13:52
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HiroProtagonist posted:The GBS thread is going apeshit with shitposting, mostly sarcastic references to the Boston bombings (thread). I'd just like to know the motive myself. The rest of that BS can... well, use your imagination. I really don't want to hear that the death toll is any higher. Odds are that even if they were working at the naval yard they weren't in much danger either, odds being what they are.
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Sep 17, 2013 13:54
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Bruxism posted:They get all the great posts that people with class 1 medical clearances wish they could get. Funny cause it's true. Family member clearance shouldn't factor into an employee's assignments like that. I'm fairly confident that there are families who find ways to lose Class 1 Med clearance for someone precisely for this reason. I'm not bothered that the department accommodates families but I do think that fully cleared families ought to get priority in assignments.
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Oct 15, 2013 02:56
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Ofaloaf posted:So it seems like just about every FSO went through the FSOT and whole application process several times before getting in. What did you guys tend to do between attempts? Trying to get into the Foreign Service seems like a thing that would discourage longterm job commitments elsewhere. You're close, but your last sentence carries an implicit assumption of getting into the FS. For me, I approached the whole ordeal with an expectation of not getting in any time in the near future. This allowed me to focus on the realities and responsibilities of life and, perhaps most importantly, took a lot of pressure of me during the process which helped me to enjoy high stress events like the OA which in turn led to my passing the first opportunity. The FS should always be considered a Plan B option. Focus on Plan A and work towards it. If you get into the FS, you can always leave your job, as uncomfortable as that can be.
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Oct 15, 2013 12:28
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I met a Korean-American intern who is in grad school over there.
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Oct 28, 2013 22:59
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tismondo posted:If you mean they're in grad school in Korea, I think I know them... and you should stay away. Yeah, he's been there for a few years and is about to finish up. I'd like to hear more about this ominous warning though....
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Nov 2, 2013 22:10
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Considering the types of places where USAID sets up shop, there's a decent chance the internet options will be poor. At my last post a husband moved down to work from there but had to move back to the States before her tour was up because of the connectivity issues. I don't mean to be a downer about it but I figure you'd want straight talk. I have only been to one post and surely there are places with decent options, but the advice of "Expect the worst, hope for the best" really applies.
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Nov 3, 2013 04:41
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tismondo posted:He doesn't look the part, but... yeah. Indeed. Noted, and thanks for the heads up.
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Nov 3, 2013 17:36
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IIRC the POL register was over 200 at some point in 2011. I scored a 5.5 on the OA and got an additional .17 for Japanese but landed on the register in August in the low 50s and immediately began sliding down (or is it technically up, since my rank headed into the high 50s?). I started studying Korean and reapplied for the FSOT, fully expecting to expire off the register in early 2013. I don't know if it was due to a slate of expiration or just a slew of POL hires, but I'd inched up to the high 30s by December. I was pretty shocked to get an invite a few days after Christmas (followed by the news that I'd passed the QEP again and could schedule another OA; always hoped I hadn't denied someone else a slot). I was one of the last big classes as part of the hiring surge proposed by Powell and implemented by Rice. I believe DoS was hiring roughly 800 annually during that time with A-100 classes around 90+. I was in the 160th class and I think it was the 164th that was almost cancelled before being funded by Consular Affairs on the condition that all assignments were for consular positions. The dropoff was dramatic and now I think DoS is at replacement hiring of <400 annually.
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Nov 5, 2013 00:16
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Skandiaavity posted:Note you can switch your cycles during your first two tours, but your CDO has to sign off on it. I wouldn't bet on that. training can also affect your cycle. Just because you join A-100 in September doesn't mean that you are going to be stuck on winter cycle. You can get language training that puts you into Summer and so on.
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Nov 6, 2013 18:22
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1of7 posted:Landed in DC & will be at FSI for the next 2 weeks if anyone wants to meet up. Lunch some time? I've got class from 10:30-12:30 and 2:30-4:30. I'm usually in the cafeteria for a couple hours before class, on the end near the gate, if you just want to pop by. I take up a lot of table space and have been wearing over-ear headphones. I have a big Saddleback leather bag too. Also, no hair right now and a goatee, sporting the Heisenberg inspired look.
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Nov 13, 2013 15:07
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Chinoosha posted:5.7 on the POL shadow register looks to be around #36 of 142. I believe that was my rank when I got called.
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Nov 13, 2013 15:07
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1of7 posted:I'll try to look for you before my class starts at 9:00 or during lunch. I have short brown hair and brown/red beard. I'll wear a black MSG polo from Chengdu tomorrow. Of course I got slammed by the flu for the last half of this week. Will be there Monday.
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Nov 15, 2013 19:18
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Dammit, I was going to mention that there are two of us but planned on being there with my big leather bag. Sorry about that. I'm here now.
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Nov 18, 2013 14:37
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I went and talked to him today, mentioning that I'd heard he met a friend of mine. "Oh, 7? Yeah!" was his response.
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Nov 18, 2013 23:40
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Once per calendar year means that you can take it once per any 12 month span, so if you take it in October 2014, you'd have to wait until the fall of 2015 to retest. I took my FSOT early Oct 2009 with results announced late Oct/Early Nov. PNQ were due late Nov 2009 and the invite to the OA came late Dec 2009, early Jan 2010. I took the OA in March 2010 and my final clearance was granted in August. I had lived overseas for a decade and was married to a foreign national (Japanese) so YMMV on clearance times. My 18 months started in Aug 2010 and my invite came Dec 28, 2010. A-100 started late March 2011. It took 18 months from the OA (and coincidentally exactly a year from the OA) for me, and I had 15 months left on my register when I got the invite. I had retested in Oct 2010 and received an invitation to the OA a few days after the A-100 invite, as I wasn't expecting to get called from the register. As much as you understandably want to avoid taking a job only to quit if a FS invite comes through, there isn't much that can be done about it, alas. Good luck in all aspects, regardless.
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Nov 19, 2013 13:00
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1of7 posted:Not him. This was a Dan. Yeah, he's the Russian studying Packers fan. I'm the Korean studying Heisenberg. Had to give up the porkpie when I switched to over-the-head phones though.
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Nov 19, 2013 13:01
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I don't feel that there are any books in particular that prepare one for the FSOT. It's too general and books are too specific. Possibly "Don't know much about History" for a very readable and enjoyable review of American history. The recommendation to regularly read The Economist is a good one. Review world geography and know where all the countries of the world are. Review the constitution and amendments. Reading the Declaration of Independence isn't necessary but is pretty cool to do once in a while. Practice some timed writing of a standard 5 paragraph essay. Review ACT's writing test for advice on that but basically use a clear introduction that identifies your points, 3 body paragraphs in support of those points, and a conclusion. Answer the writing prompt (if it says pick a position, don't write about pros and cons of both sides, for example). The official study guide is quite good and will ensure you don't have any surprises. Get a good nights sleep and a quality dinner and breakfast. Good luck.
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Nov 19, 2013 14:41
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Bingo. That's me. I kind of zone out to the real world while focusing on my VOA Korean podcasts in the morning so am not sure if I noticed you.
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Nov 19, 2013 23:34
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Right on, I should be there for a bit Thursday AM.
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Nov 20, 2013 03:48
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Anybody go to the Town Hall meeting today? Was a nice gesture, I thought.
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Nov 20, 2013 23:56
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Wasn't that kind of meeting.
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Nov 21, 2013 02:27
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It was FSI taking time to talk directly to those of us in training to communicate what they're doing to improve things (from food to parking to courses and so on) as well as to hear from us, both at the meeting as well as to reinforce their open-door policy. Nothing like that has been tried before, apparently, and I applaud them for it. It was good to see that they have a pretty good handle on the problems (physical space being a big one) and it looks like FSI will be a different beast next time I'm passing through.
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Nov 21, 2013 02:54
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i don't know the head of FSI's name offhand but she's new.
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Nov 21, 2013 13:15
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I was expecting the request to be for a golf cart shuttle from parking to the front door.
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Nov 21, 2013 22:41
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A couple of friends from my A-100 finished up their Geneva tours this summer. Seems like an interesting place to live, but then again, where isn't? Leif, contact me via my personal address if you still need help getting in touch with someone at transportation. I'm surprised we haven't heard from you already, to be honest.
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Dec 6, 2013 01:49
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The process isn't just about presenting your history to the examiners. HOW you present yourself matters just as much if not more.
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Dec 9, 2013 23:28
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FSIProblems on Tumblr I joined AFSA but not AAFSW but that's mostly because I haven't prioritized time to really consider it. I know that one benefit now is access to livelines, the huge yahoo discussion group that has a wealth of knowledge.
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Dec 13, 2013 04:38
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SCRwM posted:We are. Personally I think it's worth it. Care to elaborate? Not snarky, just curious what you see as benefits.
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Dec 14, 2013 04:15
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as far as I know its fine.
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Dec 16, 2013 03:44
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Homie S posted:Sometimes it can get crowded on admin Wednesdays. especially the afternoon, forgot about that.
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Dec 16, 2013 14:04
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Juba is having a heck of a Christmas holiday, eh?
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Dec 22, 2013 17:25
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GSO are Specialists?
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Jan 8, 2014 04:51
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TCD posted:Same with HR and Finance. Yup, I knew of those. Not that I make a distinction about whether someone is specialist or generalist when it comes down to it.  Had my first Korean consultation today. Departure is still several months away but it was nice to dip toes back into the actual work. The language is coming along okay for me. My Japanese has helped tremendously in understanding and learning but for some damned reason I'm just not producing speech very fluidly. I can feel a lot of Japanese interference, both direct (wanting to use Japanese words) as well as indirect (inadvertently trying to use Korean at the same level as Japanese). I'm banking on this being an exponential learning curve.
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Jan 9, 2014 03:54
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Vasudus posted:Welp, didn't pass the BEX. Nobody apparently did from my group either, despite one of them being ex-SF and another being a grad from the London School of Economics. I'm starting to think this just isn't the career for me. Oh well. Sorry to hear that it didn't work out this go around but as Alfred taught us, falling is just an opportunity to get up. Keep at it! The Mantis posted:Can anyone provide insight on language training for FSO generalists? I know it depends heavily on schedules and what's available. Does anyone receive training prior to their first or second tours? As has been mentioned, you'll be required to learn a language for tenure, either one you bring to the FS or one you get after. I know people who've had language training for both of their first tours as well as people who didn't get any (but they came in with qualified language skills). Your first assignment is almost entirely up to chance and the second one will be limited by scheduling and your equity (equity = hardship and danger bonuses; those with more get assigned first). You will be able to exert some influence on the second assignment, depending on your obligations. Everyone is obligated to do at least one year of consular work by the end of the second tour and demonstrate language proficiency by the start of the second tour and there's an unwritten rule/convention about serving in a hardship post early on. In my case I came in with Japanese and was off language probation from the start and did consular work in Nigeria (high equity with 25% hardship and 10% danger). I thus had no specific obligations (language, consular) and was early in the process which meant that I was free to choose any available positions that fit my timing. Other people could only bid on consular jobs or language training jobs though. TCD posted:The EPAP program is what you are referring to. They are probably the most sought after jobs in the EFM community, and even in a large post, probably only have a a few - as such they are pretty competitive. My wife was fortunate enough to land one at our previous post. I would add that in a post like Nigeria that is hard to fill (I think that's even an official designation), there are regular vacancies in the Political and Economic sections that EFMs and MOHs have filled. Of course there's no guarantee but that can be one of the thin silver linings of an otherwise undesirable post. Success (or at least happiness) in the Foreign Service, at least based on my minimal experience after 1 tour in West Africa and a few months of training in DC, depends on one's ability to make yourself happy regardless of circumstances. People who depend on their environment entirely for their well-being are going to struggle in some if not many environments where we work. Others are able to made do; Lemons & lemonade, yadda yadda yadda and sometimes you just have to settle for lemon water, but at least its better than just water, right? (the really cool people, though, ferment the lemon juice and party!)
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Jan 11, 2014 04:19
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| # ¿ May 22, 2024 11:16 |
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problematique posted:Nutrimentia, where are you going next after your 35% equity ELO assignment? It sounds like you had some good options. Seoul.  It was technically #15 on my bid list but it was #3 in-cone. Seoul is a CON-POL rotation (and I'm grateful for it after getting a CON-ECON rotation in Abuja) and the other two picks were 2 year POL assignments. I'd loaded my bid list with European consular assignments figuring that if I was going to do consular work, I'd rather do it in Italy). I was pretty stoked to get Seoul even though it seems low on my preferences list. Talk of tandem couples and conflicts of interests reminds me that I ran into a friend from training recently. His wife is going to be DCM in Florence and he's an RSO in Naples, or something similar. I also know of a MGMT/Finance Specialist tandem couple that got assigned to Sidney and Mexico City. He has been in for far longer and she is recently tenured. They opted to follow him with their 2 kids and then she was able to get an assignment there as well, so it worked out after a fair amount of wrangling and stress. I've heard that tandem couple are entirely common and quite doable if you're flexible and willing to go where you can (as well as willing to split up when unavoidable). I've also heard the advice that it can be easier if one of the partners is designated as the "main" officer from the beginning to avoid later conflicts regarding who's career takes precedence, but I think that really is going to depend on each couple and their personal circumstances.
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Jan 12, 2014 04:23
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