Foreign Service News

On Wednesday morning I stirred in bed as the dawn crept through our curtains.

"Good news, honey!" my wife chirped.

"You're pregnant?!" I asked incredulously. (For the record, we haven't been 'trying' yet, but its a running joke between us).

"No silly," she said, "you got tenured. I saw the news last night when I couldn't sleep and went online."

"Yessssssssssss!"

I'm sure I woke up the neighbors.

The day we have been anxiously waiting for has come. I am humbled and very happy that the State Department's tenure commission recommended me and about about 50% of my orientation class of 96 for commissioning as career diplomats in the U.S. Foreign Service. Receiving tenure is an important step in every FSO's career, because it ensures job security and one becomes commissioned as a career Foreign Service Officer with the potential to climb to the ranks of a mid-level and senior diplomat someday.

We said a grateful prayer of thanks, then I went for my morning run and got ready to go to the airport to meet my uncle, who is on a business trip to Chile for an accreditation/affiliation program between Andrews University in Michigan and Universidad Adventista in Chillan.

Mrs. Globetrotter has been sick the last few days with a strep-throat type virus that causes fevers and swelling of the throat, so she has been resting at home. Thankfully she is feeling much better now.

In other Foreign Service news, recently I did an interview with 'The Hegemonist' which was published yesterday.

My folks have been in Hawaii & DC/Virginia for training this past week, and my brother has been visiting relatives in Washington and Tennessee. On Sunday the folks return to India and my brother is coming to Chile for a visit. We can hardly wait!