Catching Up and Rolling On

A million things have happened since my last post.  I signed up to take the language test for the Consular Fellowship and needed to obtain at least a 3 in Speaking and a 3 in Reading.  I expressed fear in my previous post that the scheduling would happen while I was on vacation, little did I know it would be worse than that.  The only times available to take the tests were WHILE I was on an island in Honduras at the mercy of others for good internet and phone signal.  I took said tests and didn't feel like I knocked them out of the park due to technical issues and my own inability to come up with an entertaining story on command. 


Vacation was nice and I recognize how lucky I am to have had the experience so I can't complain.  Upon my return from paradise I learned that I only obtained a 2 in Speaking and a 2+ in Reading.  I attributed it to not being a true native speaker as I have lived in the US most of my life and I do sometimes struggle to find the word I want in Spanish conversation.  I was a little bummed but I've looked at the Consular Fellowship as my back-up plan so at least I wasn't totally road blocked. 


On September 1st I read in the Yahoo Forum that those who had applied in May and had received a 2/2 or higher could reapply and would receive an Oral Assessment invite.  My back-up plan was back in play.  I immediately reapplied and the posting closed yesterday so hopefully I will get that invite soon.  Not sure why that happened but I thank my lucky stars that it worked out!


The very next day I got an email about the status of my application for the Specialist position.  My relative ranking was high enough (whatever that means) to be invited to take the Oral Assessment.  2 amazing pieces of news 2 days in a row!!!  My OA is December 5th.  YIKES!!  I later heard new dates were opened up sooner but I'd already booked my flight and hotel so I didn't move it up.  Plus, I've been really busy with the house and that'll give me time off during Thanksgiving to prepare.


Things around the house have been moving at cyber speed since the good news dropped.  Mom got an apartment and moved out.  Just this weekend my precious Shih Tzu, Grenade, was relocated to be with a new family.  His new mom, Anne, is very sweet and I think they will be wonderful company to each other.  *Wiping a tear. 


As far as remodeling, I'm hoping I can get what's needed completed in the next month.  I vividly remember working on my kitchen floor on Halloween night back in 2009 when I bought the house.  I have no idea what the house will look like this Halloween but I'm hoping it's empty like it was 7 years ago.


Now I'll write about the crazy thing I've done.  I've purchased a travel trailer that I intend to live in until I get a job in the foreign service.  I've always wanted to live in an RV and I didn't want to pay rent which is ridiculously high in Nashville right now.  I also want to enjoy living solo so roommates are not an option.  I considered many scenarios and the RV felt like the most right thing for me.  It'll be a learning experience, for sure.  I should also mention I had to buy a new (to me) vehicle to tow my new trailer.  I've had my Miata for 11 years and I had to upgrade to an SUV 3 times bigger.  I'm still adjusting.  So many changes.


Stay tuned...

The 13th Dimension

At the 3 month mark I decided I'd reach out to folks in my "cohort" through the Yahoo Group in hopes of figuring out how many had been invited to an OA.  Just curious.  I explained that I'd mentally prepared for a 4 month wait to hear something and I was very quickly informed by a few people that their wait was closer to 5 months.  I was advised, as everyone always is, to forget about it and practice the 13th dimension.  So that's what I'm doing.  Being patient and trying to forget about it.

The following week (2 days ago) I got an email letting me know I'll need to take the Spanish Language test soon for the Consular Fellowship Program.  Yey!  Still haven't received the second communication though, letting me know how to sign up for the test.  Hopefully it comes through tomorrow and not while I'm away in Honduras.

Work on the house is progressing.  Contractor had a false start yesterday but she'll really get going Monday.  I won't be there and can't take her phone calls.  That'll be interesting.

I can't wait to go on vacation!!  So freaking excited!!

Self-prescribing

Right before going on my trip to Pitt I found out some OMS hopefuls who applied during the same period I did have already been invited to an OA (interview).  I calculated approximately 4 months to hear something and I’m only 2 months in.  I’m trying not to dwell on it, analyze its meaning or make guesses about the methodology used.  The only prescription for this situation is patience.  Sad face.

Still trying to use my time wisely, I submitted the application for the fellowship program while on vacation.  I spent a lovely Sunday afternoon at Panera conveying my heartfelt desire to embark on this most bodacious journey (Bill & Ted reference).  

Pittsburgh is a cool city.  All the pretty bridges and gorgeous views make it a beautiful place.  I went to several art museums, parks, restaurants, pubs, etc.  Made acquaintances out of strangers and enjoyed traveling solo.  It was a pleasurable experience.

1 of the 4 people I’ve hired to do different repairs in the house has actually started working today.  The other returns from vacation today and the other two are ignoring me.  I’ll have to make contact with new people to replace them.

I purchased all new stainless steel appliances this weekend and should get those delivered this week.  So there is some progress but it’s very slow.  I, maybe, sorted 20 articles of clothing this weekend, got bored and called it quits.  Ha!

Increasing My Odds

Today I applied for a Foreign Service Consular Fellows Program for Spanish speakers.  The application period for this program is quite large which leads me to believe there may be more openings than the Foreign Service Office Management Specialist position. I'm also inclined to believe this process may move quicker but I don't actually have anything to base these suspicions on.  Either way, a second avenue (third if I would study for the Foreign Service Officer Test) is not a bad thing.

On another note, a dear friend put me in touch with an old friend of his that happens to be an FSO.  I emailed her introducing myself and asked a few burning questions.  She was very helpful and made me rethink my position on storage.  This means I am keeping more than I originally planned, saving me lots of money in the long run.  I still need to get rid of stuff though.  It's on my untouched To Do list.

It probably doesn't help that I'm in vacation mode now.  My birthday is around the corner and I'm going to Pittsburgh, PA to celebrate my awesomeness.  I'm also planning a week in Roatan in July and an 11 day cruise in September.  Maybe I'll be celebrating passing the Oral Assessment (interview) by then.  Fingers crossed.

Until then, I'll continue to resist shopping (unsuccessfully, perhaps) so I don't add to the stuff I'll have to pack, donate, or recycle later.

Application Status

I got an email yesterday from USAJOBS with an application status.  The status reads, “Application Referred for Additional Consideration”.  I don’t know what other statuses there are but it sounds positive so I’ll take it.  I wasn’t expecting to hear anything for 1-4 months and I’ll continue to operate with that timeframe in mind.

Many of my treasured possessions found new homes this weekend.  I’ve been a little sensitive but I think I’m doing a decent job of keeping my composure.   Painting is going well and I’m getting my other repairs lined up and tallied. 

To keep busy during phase 2 (waiting with fingers crossed for an interview) I’ve gotten myself a weekend job at an outdoors concert venue.  I will be standing for long periods of time but I’ll get exposed to a variety of music and will have something different to do this summer.  I hope this was a good idea and not a procrastinator’s attempt to delay the necessary purging in the house.

That’s all I’ve got to report for now.

The Wait Begins

Joining the Foreign Service is a game of hurry up and wait.  I began to gather the required information for the application several weeks ago and was on the right track when the position became open.  I edited and re-edited my essays and resume numerous times and had several eyes on them with a bright red pen in hand.  To my surprise I had to hurry up and make last minute edits so that all of the information I’d prepared could fit in the character limited fields.  5,000 words and 5,000 characters are very different things!!!  T

hey use 2 portals, and at least one of them times out when the page hasn’t been refreshed after a while, kicking you out without saving changes made to that page.  It was frustrating but I got through it and had everything to my liking by the time the position closed at midnight on Tuesday. 

Now I wait approximately 1-4 months to get an invitation to the Oral Assessment (interviews) or not.  The orals are in DC, take about 5 hours, and are an out of pocket expense.  Applicants have to wait a year before they can reapply for the position so fingers crossed I hit a home run on the first try.

I am using my time wisely and will work on purging all my unnecessary belongings, fix up my house and hopefully have it on the market or sold by August.  I know how crazy it seems to do things in this order but that’s just how determined I am to do this.  I found my dream job and after 35 years, I finally know what I want to do with the rest of my life.  Let’s wait to see what happen!

Changing Lenses

I met a travelling nurse this weekend. She moved from Orlando to Nashville a week ago and will be here 3 months. I identified with her on many levels. Her family is from Latin America, I think she said Honduras. She grew up bi-culturally and hasn’t spent much time in her family’s homeland. I could also relate to her view of her time in Nashville. She knew she would be here for a finite time and wanted to see as much of the city as she could before moving on to the next assignment. Nashville has been home for 20 years. I graduated high school and college here, I got my first job at Guinn’s Shoes in neighboring Hendersonville. Today I see my beloved city the way the travelling nurse does. I have to see and experience everything I have not taken advantage of. All the parks I need to hike, the events I need to attend, the people I need to spend a little extra time with. I’m not saying goodbye to Nashville yet, but I know that day is coming.

I have also changed lenses on the way I see my neighborhood. My amazing realtor has been sending me listings of comparable homes in my area and I am in shock and disbelief at the asking prices. Yes my neighborhood is awesome, the yards are big the homes are sturdy and the location is close to everything. It’s not East Nashville, but for new Nashville, it’s close enough.

The Horse, the Cart, and Everything In It!

I met with the realtor again this weekend to discuss paint colors, flooring, appliances, etc. to spruce up the house before listing it. I know I'm putting the cart before the horse by selling the cart and everything in it before I'm offered a horse. The hoarder in me will need a lot of time to say goodbye to her things so I'm starting super early. I've done a little research on how storage works, what should go in said storage and what one takes with them. The link here and here were really helpful. I've been following the Ficklins' blog for a year now and love little Allie! They explain their first move here and Deborah has an excellent series about the moving process on her blog "Reflections From a Global Nomad".

The good news is that someone posted on the OMS Hopefuls Yahoo Group that the Position Foreign Service Office Management Specialists will open on March 23, 2016 and will close on April 05, 2016. Soon I'll be able to say that I have at least applied for the job. Soooo excited!!

Will Work, Will Travel: Repurposing This Space

I'm dusting off the old blog and giving it a new purpose. I may review events again but I don't get out like I used to! It's 2016 and my goals are clear. At the top of that list is getting a highly coveted Foreign Service job. I attended the US Department of State Global Careers Networking Event in beautiful Birmingham, AL on February 11, 2016. There I learned about Foreign Service Officers, Specialists, Civil Service and Internships. I am working on my resume, catching up on the FS OMS Hopefuls Yahoo Group posts, and waiting for the position to open soon. I met with a realtor yesterday to sell my house later this year. The process for this job is long and it may take several attempts to get in but I want to be ready to go the day I get that call.