Continued Foreign Service Timeline

June 2009

Received an invitation to attend an oral assessment in Washington DC.  This is the final portion of the testing process and is a day long event- you either pass and move forward or you are done and out of the running.

September 11, 2009

The day arrived and what a day it was. I woke at 3:30 a.m. and absolutely could not get back to sleep, so I decided I may as well get up and get ready, find the testing site, review notes and prepare for the day. After much confusion with my cab driver (we definately started out on the wrong foot), the distraction of a harsh rainfall and a very broklen umbrella, I actually did find the Annex 1 of the State Department (and made friends with the cabbie, even after my wicked behavior), however, I was 45 minutes early, it was pouring rain outside and not a coffee shop was open yet. So much for the early bird always catches the worm- not even the worms were out and about. Realizing that my nerves and anticipation had gotton the best of me and to not seem too over anxious by being so early, I found my way across the street and huddled under an awning until that first coffee shop opened its doors. After some personal reflection and note review and of course a grande coffee, I went back to the Annex and began the testing process.

It's a long day and we sign a non-disclosure agreement so I will not get into much of the material, but it was an exciting and terrifying day all at the same time.  When the end came we were all put in a room and a Foreign Service Officer (FSO) came in and called one name at a time with 15 minute intervals. Nervewracking to say the least! With sweat running down my knees and after about 7 names called,  I started to think that I just might make it. Low and behold when my name was finally called I was not escorted directly out of the building, but brought to a room and congratulated by many current officers. I think I was so in shock and so overjoyed that the whole time in that room just seems like a blurry dream. After receiving a conditional offer of employment (based on security and medical clearances and final suitability review) I went to meet with a security officer, submitted my security background forms, was fingerprinted, signed a bunch of other paperwork, said goodbye to my other "testmates" who had passed, and headed back to the hotel. Of course in perfect Karin form I had forgotton my phone charger so calls were limited to a few(thank goodness I learned how to text many folks at once LOL) I finished the evening with a nice Merlot and some lobbyists who became my company for the night of celebration...

November 2009

Now I am finishing up my medical and security clearances and waiting for suitability review. Keep your fingers crossed that the good news will come soon.  The next steps include getting cleared by the suitability review board, making the public diplomacy register (this is a list of current eligibles for the track of public diplomacy), being invited to attend the Foreign Service Institue in Washingington DC (referred to as the A-100 class), getting my post, and possibly doing more time at the institute for intensive language training.

And then off to an embassy to begin my work. With all this waiting the imagination goes wild with thoughts of foreign places, new cultures, what the future holds, and the endless unknowns...

Now I just wait and dream...