Hi all-I returned this weekend from the leadership retreat. Overall it was a pretty good time and a great way to get to know people better-some good, some not so much LOL We spent most of our time doing outdoor leadership activities and a major operation called "Death Star- I was a leader for our group and the entire operation was actually amzingly smooth. We solved the death star and got the keys to the chest which held the torch of knowledge- so Star Trekky I almost expected Captain Kirk to beam in at any moment, good times and a welcome relief from 8 hours inside a classroom! Recap for the week: we worked again on writing Foreign Sevice style- apparently not my forte as I received my first cable back with an awful lot of red marks- makes me feel like one of my students. What was interesting is that we were able to watch footage of an envoy touring Rwanda during the genocide and read sample cables that reported back on what was happening there as a U.S. group of officers toured the area. It was an important reminder of how powerful those cables can be in certain times and places-literally life changing. One of the other highlights was a panel discussion with FSNs (foreign service nationals) who were in town for training. These are local folks to the country where the Embassy is located. They shared some pretty funny stories about new officers and the blunders we make. I made a list of what to avoid!Wonderful folks and a true asset to our work. Cultural understanding and exchanges were also emphasized this week and the guy who taught the course was awesome- made me reflect on the many mistakes I've made over the years. Friday is the big day and is referred to as "Flag Day"-we find out that afternoon the country we will be assigned to for the next 2 years. I cannot wait and have the flags I hope to see memorized! 2 weeks to go...
Peace
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