FSO Lifestyle

Is an embassy on foreign soil the sovereign territory of the host country or the embassy’s country?

Quick question: If you visit an embassy, are you technically on foreign soil? Think you know the answer? Great! Keep it in mind for now. I’ve got a couple of stories to share with you first. Story 1: embassy visit A few days ago, I was hanging out with a friend from Argentina. She was …

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How the Shutdown is Affecting the State Department

The partial government shutdown continues in the United States and it is hurting both the economy and federal workers. Keeping personal opinion aside, let’s lay out a few facts about the shutdown: Today is day 28 of the shutdown Today is January 18, when federal district courts run out of funds. Civil cases may be suspended …

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Single Foreign Service Officers: Dropping a Truth Bomb

This week, Heather, from the blog Adventures Around the World, shares her perspective as a single “solo” Foreign Service Officer. Her story is one shared by many in the Service, but not one readily discussed because of its hard truths. A career in the Foreign Service has many perks: the profession, the chance to visit …

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The FSO Application, Becoming an Officer, and Moving to DC

I am excited to kick off the Stories from the Field series with Danielle, the author of the blog 2 Cats, 7 Continents, and a spouse of a recently hired FSO. How recent? They go on their first deployment in June. Exciting! Danielle breaks down her and her husband’s Foreign Service application timeline, moving to …

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Stories from the Field: Recollections of the Foreign Service

The Foreign Service is more than a career, it’s a lifestyle. At a minimum, you are consistently moving to a new post every few years, interacting with different cultures from your own on the daily, and learning (sometimes quite painstakingly) that there are indeed many ways to interpret an event or action. The lifestyle has …

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