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Bloodnose posted:Tumbleweeds roll through the consular section by 5:15 Yours, maybe. Mine was 12 hours/day. =/
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Jul 26, 2015 00:19
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Chomskyan posted:Im thinking about taking the shot at the Foreign Service written exam because I 1) I want to live all over the world 2) I want to learn languages. Im already basically N2 level in Japanese (I think thats Level 3 by FS standards), and Ive only been self studying it for about a year and a half. Im looking at self studying Mandarin. The foreign service seems like a good way to align my life goals with my work goals. I also have 2-kyu in Japanese (before 2-kyu became N2), but I think that really only qualifies you for Level 2 by State standards. Level 3 proficiency requires you to have the vocabulary to discuss technical and complex topics without any pattern of breakdowns in fluency. I can't speak to how your "public service" or "extracurricular activities" will be viewed by DS.
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Jul 26, 2015 23:59
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I was going by the info posted on the Tokyo embassy website.
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Jul 27, 2015 01:37
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Chomskyan posted:However, I am worried about how my third party associations might affect my application. First, Im an active member of the anti-war movement in Japan, specifically a student group based in Tokyo. Secondly Im a registered member of Amnesty International. Both of those groups have been highly critical of US foreign policy. So I guess my question is, are people with my views and associations welcome in the foreign service? You do realize that you will be required to publically defend the policies of the U.S. and may be required to advocate for war at a future point in your career, right? As long as you are okay with that and the groups you associate with do not call for the overthrow of the US government or anything like that, you should be good to go.
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Jul 27, 2015 02:00
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Chomskyan posted:I was going by the info posted on the Tokyo embassy website. They are being very generous. Let's just ignore that the JLPT doesn't measure speaking at all. There is no way someone with just N2 level Japanese would be able to get a 3 in reading. R3 implies that you could read through the newspaper at a normal pace and N2 only covers half of the joyo kanji list and the reading passages in the JLPT are basically the 6th grade level. Just looking at speaking, it would be very hard for many N1 passers to check off all the S3 requirements with a high level of confidence. To share some personal information, I passed N1 four years ago and would still struggle on a lot of the S3 checklist here, depending on the topic. I passed my phone test a few weeks ago but I was honestly expecting a S4 and ended up getting knocked down a notch. http://www.govtilr.org/Skills/speakingassessment.pdf Womacks-JP-23 fucked around with this message at 02:14 on Jul 27, 2015 |
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Jul 27, 2015 02:09
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Womacks-JP-23 posted:You do realize that you will be required to publically defend the policies of the U.S. and may be required to advocate for war at a future point in your career, right? Somehow, I thought I would be able to work in some other area of government completely separate from that kind of advocacy. I appreciate your blunt response. It looks like this line of work isn't a good fit for me.
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Jul 27, 2015 02:25
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Chomskyan posted:I was going by the info posted on the Tokyo embassy website. Fair point. But the JLPT does not measure spoken Japanese; it only tests your reading, grammar and listening comprehension. The language test that State uses when offering language bonus points is based entirely on speaking and listening, not reading. Not trying to rain on your parade or anything. I'm just happy to see another Japanese speaker on the board.
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Jul 27, 2015 02:45
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Chomskyan posted:Somehow, I thought I would be able to work in some other area of government completely separate from that kind of advocacy. I appreciate your blunt response. It looks like this line of work isn't a good fit for me. You do realise you're asking this in the Foriegn Service thread right?
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Jul 27, 2015 11:20
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So I'm at FSI this week on training. Anybody interested in lunch? First, why do they keep moving the forks in the cafeteria? Second, I think I needed a trigger warning when I saw my first woolen suit with the giant tangerine nametag.
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Jul 27, 2015 12:36
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You sign up day one to support the policies of the US government. I for one am looking forward to being a staunch defender of the Trump administration's foreign policy.
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Jul 27, 2015 13:38
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Think of how huge and luxurious the embassy buildings will be after he's been in office for a couple years.
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Jul 27, 2015 13:59
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Chomskyan posted:Somehow, I thought I would be able to work in some other area of government completely separate from that kind of advocacy. I appreciate your blunt response. It looks like this line of work isn't a good fit for me. Those groups are incredibly anodyne - you would face problems agreeing to defend policy but not for those associations. I am fairly anti-war, but I have not been faced with defending a policy I didn't feel comfortable defending. Besides, no matter where you work (especially abroad), you're the face of the US government, which means answering questions from Lebanese people about Cuba policy or Bolivians about South China Sea.
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Jul 27, 2015 23:19
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Zoots posted:So I'm at FSI this week on training. Anybody interested in lunch? Are they tangerine this week? They were green when I was there in May. Speaking of - I'm back at FSI next week, how long is your training?
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Jul 27, 2015 23:20
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Can someone please tell me more about US AID
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Jul 28, 2015 05:19
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caberham posted:Can someone please tell me more about US AID Like State, but more bureaucratic. If you want to be "in the field" do OTI.
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Jul 28, 2015 12:34
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Flag day in few hours! I'm also up for lunch at FSI tomorrow (Wed), I'll be one of the poor souls in a suit.
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Jul 28, 2015 19:09
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the_chavi posted:Like State, but more bureaucratic. Can you elaborate a little more on what OTI does? I know their mission statement and all that but was curious about what a program manager might be doing on a regular basis.
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Jul 28, 2015 19:41
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When did the modern-day testing system come to be? I just met a fellow who became an FSO in the mid-'60s and he simply didn't understand the idea of a segmented application process. I get that in his day you could go through the whole application in a day, as he apparently did, but his lack of familiarity with the current system makes me wonder when what we got now was created.
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Jul 29, 2015 02:12
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Before 2007, everyone who passed the FSOT got an invite to the OA.
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Jul 29, 2015 10:24
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Gold and a Pager posted:Before 2007, everyone who passed the FSOT got an invite to the OA. That's right. They added the PNs and QEP in 2007. I can see both sides to this. Maybe State figured they were extending invitations to a lot of smart people or people who could test well, but didn't have enough other experiences or traits to make them good FSOs, so the QEP could help State weed these candidates out. But on the other hand, that means a lot of candidates who are indeed qualified end up getting cut from the process. Surely this process discourages a lot of people from applying. I'm not looking forward to trying my luck with the QEP again, but that's the name of the game I've chosen to play.
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Jul 29, 2015 10:45
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Gold and a Pager posted:Before 2007, everyone who passed the FSOT got an invite to the OA. Wow? Seriously? Was the cutoff more stringent or test harder? It must have been or they'd have far too many OA invitees. I thought the FSOT in its post-2007 form wasn't all that hard to pass, well besides the essay portion which was hit or miss.
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Jul 31, 2015 05:50
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I don't know how easy/hard it was, but I think it was only offered once a year, which probably cut down on the number of people taking it.
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Jul 31, 2015 08:18
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problematique posted:Wow? Seriously? Was the cutoff more stringent or test harder? It must have been or they'd have far too many OA invitees. No, the cutoff was the same - they implemented the QEPs to cut down on OA invitees.
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Jul 31, 2015 12:30
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CronoGamer posted:Can you elaborate a little more on what OTI does? I know their mission statement and all that but was curious about what a program manager might be doing on a regular basis. So OTI implements short-fuse, quick-impact projects. I'm most familiar with what we did in Lebanon - after a massive twin bombing in an impoverished northern city in August 2013, OTI's local staff was there within 4 hours, replacing street vendors' carts that had been destroyed in the bombing and paying local unemployed youth to clean up the glass and rubble from the bombings. Our OTI program also worked over a few months to revamp the historic food market in the old part of the city after it had been ravaged by several CT operations (and I guess the T operations carried out by ISIL that prompted the CT ops). OTI's work seems to be much more cutting edge and near the X in terms of getting stuff done quickly. USAID does great work, of course - but their projects tend to be longer in scope, like reforestation or training 100 women to raise bees sustainably or something.
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Jul 31, 2015 12:34
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Had our flag day on Tuesday, I will be moving to Guangzhou, China! One funny thing was when they said the Vienna post, the whole room groaned, then applauded when the name was read. I think the guy that got it actually feels a bit guilty.
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Jul 31, 2015 22:06
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Blooregard posted:Had our flag day on Tuesday, I will be moving to Guangzhou, China! Congratulations, man. I'm sort of hoping to work in China too once I graduate and go through the tests and all the procedures. Do you mind if I PM you questions and such?
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Jul 31, 2015 23:44
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Blooregard posted:Had our flag day on Tuesday, I will be moving to Guangzhou, China! Either I know you IRL or you're going to be there with a friend of mine from grad school. the_chavi posted:So OTI implements short-fuse, quick-impact projects. I'm most familiar with what we did in Lebanon - after a massive twin bombing in an impoverished northern city in August 2013, OTI's local staff was there within 4 hours, replacing street vendors' carts that had been destroyed in the bombing and paying local unemployed youth to clean up the glass and rubble from the bombings. Our OTI program also worked over a few months to revamp the historic food market in the old part of the city after it had been ravaged by several CT operations (and I guess the T operations carried out by ISIL that prompted the CT ops). This is really helpful, thanks. How much of OTI's work would you say takes place in DC vs in the field? Is DC stuff just boring admin work to support the people actually doing things, or is it more planning and coordinating when poo poo hits the fan? CronoGamer fucked around with this message at 03:13 on Aug 1, 2015 |
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Aug 1, 2015 03:11
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edit not quote
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Aug 1, 2015 03:12
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Blooregard posted:Had our flag day on Tuesday, I will be moving to Guangzhou, China! Congrats! More importantly, were there any crocodile tears?
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Aug 2, 2015 01:34
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Blooregard posted:Had our flag day on Tuesday, I will be moving to Guangzhou, China! If you already have Chinese, I'll see you soon! If you don't, enjoy FSI for the next 300 years!
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Aug 2, 2015 07:16
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Coming in at the front end of PCS season is weird. People are pretty burnt out, social groups are solidified, and morale is pretty abysmal. I'm definitely excited for new arrivals. I'm also tired of people telling me my enthusiasm will wear off. Bitch this is Africa light. Hotels and good food aplenty.
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Aug 2, 2015 09:00
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The Mantis posted:Coming in at the front end of PCS season is weird. People are pretty burnt out, social groups are solidified, and morale is pretty abysmal. Yeah you'll kinda see that especially when existing people are short. I really don't make friends with new people when I have less than a few months at post. At the same time, I've made really good friends with folks who come in during the same transfer season. Also I'm on the best TDY right now.
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Aug 2, 2015 14:35
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Zoots posted:Congrats! No tears at all. All in all it was pretty uneventful. We did have one guy walk up when another guy's name was read, they were very similar. That got a laugh out of everyone.
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Aug 2, 2015 17:01
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Bloodnose posted:If you already have Chinese, I'll see you soon! If you don't, enjoy FSI for the next 300 years! It'll be soon. I'm IMS, so no silly language training for me. So far I've got hello and thank you under my belt, I'm thinking that will be enough.
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Aug 2, 2015 17:02
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TCD posted:
I beg to differ. Pretty sure I am on the best TDY. Though yours is certainly nicer surroundings.
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Aug 2, 2015 17:19
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Tyro posted:I beg to differ. Pretty sure I am on the best TDY. Though yours is certainly nicer surroundings. I may be heading to Freetown soon on TDY. Do I get some kind of award for worst TDY? Blooregard posted:Had our flag day on Tuesday, I will be moving to Guangzhou, China! Congrats dude. I heard that's the place to be in China. I hadn't seen Guangzhou on the EL IMS list before. What other posts did you guys have?
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Aug 2, 2015 18:26
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problematique posted:I may be heading to Freetown soon on TDY. Do I get some kind of award for worst TDY? Pretty sure Tyro has you beat.
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Aug 2, 2015 20:25
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Tyro posted:I beg to differ. Pretty sure I am on the best TDY. Though yours is certainly nicer surroundings. I didn't say lucrative but I'm enjoying the hell out of it so far.
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Aug 2, 2015 20:26
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[quote="problematique" post="448465942"] I may be heading to Freetown soon on TDY. Do I get some kind of award for worst TDY? Dude, how did you get a TDY? I thought first and second tour IMS were exempt?
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Aug 3, 2015 03:21
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TCD posted:I didn't say lucrative but I'm enjoying the hell out of it so far. Oh I'm enjoying mine too, just in a different way. The distance from the flagpole and amount of autonomy is really, really nice.
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Aug 3, 2015 05:44
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