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.

Clueless Latina in Nashville: Mas Música

I was finally heading home after a very busy day of running around at work when my buddy invites me to see Gilberto Gil at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. I knew he was playing here because I read about it on Hispanic Nashville. ;) But here’s the part where I admit I’d never heard of him. Yes, I often reside under a rock. It turns out he’s a Grammy winning legend. Where better to be introduced to such a man than Music City? And more specifically, the amazing Schermerhorn. Cindy McCain says that for almost half a century he has “wowed crowds worldwide mixing samba, bossa nova, rock, reggae, and funk.” All I know is that while listening to him and his band do their magic I closed my eyes and imagined myself on a gorgeous beach in Brazil. Ahhhh. As the evening progressed I told myself I was far too tired to get up and dance despite the temptation to do so. But the music and energy were too good to just sit there. By the end of the night Gilberto had everyone in that beautiful building on their feet. I danced, I clapped, I sang along, I laughed, I forgot my troubles. More musically inclined folks can tell you what kind of music he played and the history, significance, etc. What I can tell you is that it was good. He’s a legend, people! Viva Brasil

Latina in Nashville: L is for Liberal

The L-Club, a group of progressives who gather to discuss the issues and causes du jour, got together on a Saturday night at La Iglesia Catolica de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe (after finding a place to park) to talk about New Americans and the Dream Act.

Amelia Post, Youth Organizer for TIRRC, the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, and a group of youth working with JUMP, Jovenes Unidos para un Mejor Presente, gave the L-Club an in-depth view of life as an undocumented student. Some of these young people were brought to the United States as young as 2 years old while others came a little older. But regardless of who brought them or how they got here the struggles they face every day are the same. The simple task of getting around the city can easily become a misdemeanor that can then turn into deportation. Finding a college or university that will accept them is one hurdle, paying for higher education with little to no financial assistance or loans is another daunting task. Many undocumented students not only face a myriad of fears and obstacles, they also have to deal with shame. For starters, one doesn’t admit that he/she is undocumented because of the legal ramifications. But not having a social security number can also make a person feel less than whole. The inability to obtain an identification card with your name and photograph, the inability to leave the country for vacation, the inability to vote, and the inability to work and give back to the community that raised you can leave a young person feeling trapped, disabled, hopeless and ashamed.

The encouraging news is that TIRRC and JUMP are fighting for undocumented students and offer solidarity and support to students dealing with this very complex and controversial issue.

I remember how excited I was when my shiny new driver’s license was handed to me for the first time. There is no telling when these students will get to experience that same privilege. They need our financial and moral support. From now on I will think of them every time I touch my driver’s license. I hope you will too.

Latina in Nashville: Music

On Friday night I headed South to the popular Latin dance club, Ibiza Night Club, to hear the tunes of Revolfusion. My date was an hour late and the band didn’t start until midnight so the old lady in me was considering calling it quits. But I couldn’t. These guys are too good to walk out on.

I’ve been following this group as Kazique, and watched them gain momentum as Conexion Americas utilized their talent under the name Rumba to win the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville’s Corporate Band Challenge earlier this year. That exposure opened doors for the group to perform during the CMA Music Festival, to be the opening act for Los Lonely Boys at Live on the Green and to perform at the gorgeous Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

This has been a year of tremendous growth for this group. They are doing their own music with a very unique style and great lyrics. The band members are more in sync with each other and with the audience and the crowd responds to their beats every time. It also doesn’t hurt that they are nice to look at.

I’m under the impression that along with the name change the guys are getting increasingly serious about their gift. They’ve hit the recording studio recently for their first record, Machete Desembainao. If you haven't seen and heard the fun and energetic music Revolfusion delivers you should make it a New Year's resolution. I'm sure you'll join the rapidly growing group of Revol-lovers. Se te meteran en el pecho poquito a poco. Enjoy!

Latina in Nashville: ARTEmio

It's another chilly Thursday evening and my buddy and I head over to Watkins College of Art, Design & Film for a lecture by self-taught, Mexican printmaker, Artemio Rodriguez. This guy tells the Watkins Art students the story of his life. The more he talks the more enchanting he becomes. He's sweet, honest, and totally open. He isn't afraid to talk about his fears, his mistakes or his passion for his art. It was refreshing to hear an artist speak so humbly about his incredible work and journey. The students laughed when he used the *f* word and I laughed when he cursed under his breath in Spanish. I was pleased that the students got to hear about his experience crossing the border and what life is really like in Mexico beyond what you hear in the news.

Rodriguez learned the art from a friend and mastered it. He specializes in Linocut which is carved linoleum that is then fed through a printer press. He has a few young students in his shop back in Mexico. I'm so happy to know that there are little Artemios out there soaking in all of his knowledge and talent.

The patience, skill, and creativity Rodriguez employs is evident in each one of his pieces. His humor, frankness, and humility are just icing on the cake.

YouTube video below:

Latina in Nashville: Art

About the blog created in 2011:
I have been known to complain about the lack of activities in Hispanic Nashville. That doesn’t mean that as Hispanics we don’t participate in non-Hispanic events, we most certainly do. But the events I enjoy most are the ones that somehow relate to my people or the experiences we share. The good news is that the variety of Latino-related events are increasing day by day. This is a review of the events I am able to attend.

1st Post - Latina in Nashville: Art

On a cool and quiet Thursday evening my buddy and I went on a mini Hispanic Nashville arts tour. Our first stop was the second floor of Vanderbilt’s beautiful Cohen Hall. There we saw “MAMA/RECIPROCAL ENERGY” a small sampling of Cuban-born Maria Magdalena Campos Pons' multi-media artwork. The colors, composition, and creativity are a treat to the eyes and mind. The subjects and themes of the work are a treat for the soul.

We quickly made way to our next stop, the Sarratt Student Center’s gallery in the lobby. There we enjoyed a sampling of José Galvez’s black and white photos of Hispanics in the South. I am thrilled to know that there is someone out there dedicating his life (over 40 years) to visually documenting the life of Hispanics all over the United States through photography. The people in the photographs are as diverse as their surroundings. There’s a young quinceañera practicing her moves with a dance team for her big day, a marcher holding a US flag to his face, and a blue collar worker in full work gear. I was excited to see a photograph of a couple and a little girl at the Nashville International Airport waiting for mother to arrive. I couldn’t help think of the DREAM ACT when I saw a photograph of two young boys on bikes on College St. The artist is aware his photographs are of regular, mundane life. The beauty is witnessing “how people naturally arrange themselves against their environment” as the artist’s statement explains. Galvez hopes to do justice to who we as Latinos really are, have been, and are becoming. To that I say, thank you.

Both of these exhibits are free and a short distance from each other. It’s worth the gas or bus money to get your self there. Campos Pons' work will be on display through December 8 while Galvez's photographs will be available through October 29th. I’ll wait for a free day at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts to see the rest of Campos Pons work.