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mtreecorner posted:Side question: Is Oakwood open to people who live in DC or do you need to be from outside the area? One must be residing more than 50 miles from the Washington Monument to recieve per diem/relocation expenses/Oakood eligibility. Congrats, though!
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May 4, 2012 22:57
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Just registered for the FSOT again. Third time's the charm? I picked "political" again. I heard some advice from an FSO who said to choose "consular," because it was easier to get in, and wedge my way into political work. This contradicts nearly everything I've heard and read, which says that tracks are very strictly segregated, and the only way to switch tracks is if there is a great need. Could we discuss this a little more? How would FS goons advised me an hour ago (before I submitted my registration)?
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May 4, 2012 22:59
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Business of Ferrets posted:One must be residing more than 50 miles from the Washington Monument to recieve per diem/relocation expenses/Oakood eligibility. Yeah, I live in Crystal City. Not happening. Thanks.
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May 4, 2012 23:14
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DasNeonLicht posted:Just registered for the FSOT again. Third time's the charm? Best bet is always to pick the cone you want. Remember, if you score high enough at the FSOA, it doesn't matter how competitive the tracks are; you're getting a job. If you're undecided on what track you want, then it might make sense to give it more thought, though things can always change with regard to the relative competitiveness of the cones. So what I'm saying is that there are lots of unknowns in the process (not the least of which is your FSOA score), and if you're going to play the game you might as well shoot for something you would like to do for 20-30 years. That last part is important. People can, and do, switch cones. But there literally are no guarantees. And you might not even get the chance, since generally there needs to be a deficit in the target cone. So if they're not short any FO-03 political officers, nobody is going to be able to switch to that. I know one officer who went 16 years trying to go from Management to Political, but the whole time there were no openings. (He finally switched.) Also, if there actually are spots available, the other requirements mean that most people trying to switch will miss out on promotions because of it. After all, you have to be working in the target cone for years to be competitive to switch, but all that time you're competing for promotion in your current cone against people who are actually doing that cone's work. So it's a real commitment.
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May 4, 2012 23:56
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Business of Ferrets posted:Best bet is always to pick the cone you want. Remember, if you score high enough at the FSOA, it doesn't matter how competitive the tracks are; you're getting a job. If you're undecided on what track you want, then it might make sense to give it more thought, though things can always change with regard to the relative competitiveness of the cones. So what I'm saying is that there are lots of unknowns in the process (not the least of which is your FSOA score), and if you're going to play the game you might as well shoot for something you would like to do for 20-30 years. I'd wager a guess that it's easier to come in via the FSOT in the cone you want than to switch cones once in. In short, if you know you want political, choose political. Also, sorry treecorner. Local hires get screwed the most in the new hire orientation process. The one saving grace is that OMSs (you're OMS right?) were usually on their way to post after 5 weeks, compared to 5 months for IMSs.
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May 5, 2012 00:06
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Congrats mtreecorner!
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May 5, 2012 00:13
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TCD posted:Also, sorry treecorner. Local hires get screwed the most in the new hire orientation process. The one saving grace is that OMSs (you're OMS right?) were usually on their way to post after 5 weeks, compared to 5 months for IMSs. Yeah, going to post sooner than later would be nice... Let's be honest, its the DC rent prices that are the real killer for local hires (since, I'll be taking a pay cut as a OMS)
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May 5, 2012 00:30
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Vilerat posted:My foreign service life has been a lot more dangerous than my military life ever was. In my first assignment, I broke my leg and a toe on separate incidents. Also sliced my finger open with a razor blade that should have had stitches. Wife was medevaced to London with meningitis. Only thing that has happened to me on my second assignment so far has been a 2nd degree sunburn. So for me, I'd say that Foreign Service life has been more dangerous than my life back home.
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May 5, 2012 00:55
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mtreecorner posted:Yeah, going to post sooner than later would be nice... Let's be honest, its the DC rent prices that are the real killer for local hires (since, I'll be taking a pay cut as a OMS) pamchenko fucked around with this message at 07:50 on May 5, 2012 |
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May 5, 2012 07:42
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Skandiaavity posted:worst i've had was changaa, which is considered budget kenyan moonshine. This is good advice. I had ethiopian mead (I can't remember the name of it, for the life of me). Ended up getting a bad allergic reaction. You never know what they put in them.
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May 7, 2012 02:06
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I've been considering the foreign service, but haven't seriously entertained the idea feeling that the qualifications are beyond me. I've a MPA under my belt and have worked the past three years as program and research analyst at the IRS, essentially doing stats and cutting government waste. Does any of that look good for possibly making the switch?
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May 7, 2012 04:15
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Rip Testes posted:I've been considering the foreign service, but haven't seriously entertained the idea feeling that the qualifications are beyond me. I've a MPA under my belt and have worked the past three years as program and research analyst at the IRS, essentially doing stats and cutting government waste. Does any of that look good for possibly making the switch? Since nobody knows what the QEP panel is looking for at any one time, you might as well make an application instead of self-censoring. I'm not a stats guy, but it seems to me that if, by applying, you make your chances non-zero, that is a huge improvement over simply not applying, right?
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May 7, 2012 04:45
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You can apply once a year and if you even kinda want to do this it's worth your time taking the test and finding out what you're up against. There is no penalty for bombing it aside from having to wait until next year.
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May 7, 2012 05:29
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Shageletic posted:This is good advice. I had ethiopian mead (I can't remember the name of it, for the life of me). Ended up getting a bad allergic reaction. You never know what they put in them. Tejj.
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May 7, 2012 10:42
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Rip Testes posted:I've been considering the foreign service, but haven't seriously entertained the idea feeling that the qualifications are beyond me. I've a MPA under my belt and have worked the past three years as program and research analyst at the IRS, essentially doing stats and cutting government waste. Does any of that look good for possibly making the switch? That looks perfectly fine.
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May 7, 2012 10:44
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Diplomaticus posted:Tejj. That stuff is wicked. When I visited Addis in 2008, some friends who were working at the Embassy took me to "the best place in town" for tejj. It was served in liter bottles that were recycled - tonic water, cooking oil, coke, whatever. My bottle got 8 inches from my face and no nearer. UGH. On the plus side, it got me street cred at the Ethiopian restaurants in U Street.
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May 7, 2012 16:09
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TCD posted:In my first assignment, I broke my leg and a toe on separate incidents. Also sliced my finger open with a razor blade that should have had stitches. Wife was medevaced to London with meningitis. My liver's taken a beating in this career, but the only thing that's happened to me otherwise is that a drawer fell out of our fantabulous Drexel Heritage furniture and landed on my foot, breaking a few bones. I had to go hike up a cliff in eastern Turkey to report on a religious event for work the next week, and our bloody med unit wouldn't give me any pain killers. Life is hard.
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May 7, 2012 16:11
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the_chavi posted:That stuff is wicked. When I visited Addis in 2008, some friends who were working at the Embassy took me to "the best place in town" for tejj. It was served in liter bottles that were recycled - tonic water, cooking oil, coke, whatever. My bottle got 8 inches from my face and no nearer. UGH. Double cred if you eat kitfo with it.
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May 7, 2012 16:58
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Diplomaticus posted:Double cred if you eat kitfo with it. Kitfo isn't so bad... if you like raw meat.
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May 7, 2012 17:31
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Kitfo owns if you spice it up with a bit of berbere
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May 7, 2012 17:47
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Can't add too much to the Hooch Chat. Italian grappa tastes like gasoline, but we don't often find our contacts toasting with that. Now in Saudi, with the booze not quite being readily available, expats friends would brew stuff in toilets and bathtubs. I remember attending the concert of this terrible Filipino cover band at an expat compound where they had "beer," "red wine" and "white wine" available. All three tasted exactly the same and came in the oh-so-classy bright orange Gatorade coolers that you'd normally see at a little league soccer match. Two sips of the beer and I knew I'd wake up blind. I gave the rest of my drink punch card to someone else.
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May 7, 2012 18:00
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Ugh grappa. Why is it that cops always want to drink grappa?
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May 7, 2012 18:04
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Diplomaticus posted:Ugh grappa. Why is it that cops always want to drink grappa? Beats me. My first taste of it was with a rep from the carabinieri in Riyadh. They got a kick out of me coughing after swigging it down. Blech.
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May 7, 2012 18:40
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Being stationed in The Netherlands I can't really add to the poo poo beer chat going on here. I'm not bragging, honest.
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May 7, 2012 19:00
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Liquor is way to expensive here in China & even then it's often counterfeit so there's really no telling what you are getting. The local drink "baijiu" is described on Wikipedia: "It has solvent and barnyard aromas, with the former, in combination with the ethanol in the liquor, imparting a sharp ammonia-like note." So, I'm not planning to try that anytime soon.
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May 8, 2012 11:58
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1of7 posted:Liquor is way to expensive here in China & even then it's often counterfeit so there's really no telling what you are getting.
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May 8, 2012 12:03
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Welp, got an email that said I wasn't going to be invited to OAs. I guess there's next year.
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May 8, 2012 21:09
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AgentSythe posted:Welp, got an email that said I wasn't going to be invited to OAs. I guess there's next year. That's a bummer. Sorry to hear that.
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May 8, 2012 21:10
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mtreecorner, congrats! WELCOME TO THE CRASH COURSE!  as a local hire, yeah.. it's pretty rough. I *think* you might be able to qualify for a discounted price (but you still pay it/no per diem) apartment at oakwood, at the least? (my reasoning is "they'd hook a brother up" for being a fellow state employee paying their own way) also BoF: when are you leaving for Japan again? I THINK i'll have free time around early june or last week of May. Would be nice to catch you at FSI before you ship. Skandiaavity fucked around with this message at 23:56 on May 8, 2012 |
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May 8, 2012 23:53
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Skandiaavity posted:also BoF: when are you leaving for Japan again? I THINK i'll have free time around early june or last week of May. Would be nice to catch you at FSI before you ship. I take off in late July; when do you get to FSI?
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May 9, 2012 00:14
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I'm already there! Every day. Orientation is.. crammed, shall we say.
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May 9, 2012 00:16
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Skandiaavity posted:I'm already there! Every day. Orientation is.. crammed, shall we say. Get your country list yet?
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May 9, 2012 00:28
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Si... there sure were some disappointed faces today, though. I'm keeping an open mind. (edit: a ton of people were expecting Thailand/European locales like London or Madrid, is what I mean)
Skandiaavity fucked around with this message at 00:42 on May 9, 2012 |
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May 9, 2012 00:39
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Skandiaavity posted:mtreecorner, congrats! WELCOME TO THE CRASH COURSE! Thanks! My current lease for my apartment in Crystal City is up this month... so I think I am going to just renew it and deal with changing a new roommate in when I get assigned. It is rather unfortunate timing... as I wouldn't have a place to cover me from now until July 16th for oakwood Side question: Does it make sense to get a car/motorcycle? I know they will ship it... but are you more/less likely to have a post where having a vehicle is a positive?
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May 9, 2012 14:10
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mtreecorner posted:Thanks! Be sure to get a diplomatic release clause in your rental agreement. Just include language stating that you can break the lease without penalty in the event you receive government orders to move.
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May 9, 2012 15:08
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mtreecorner posted:Thanks! Alternatively? See if you can month to month it with 30 days notice for termination. That's what I am doing at the moment, it gives me peace of mind not being obliged to any contract. Subletting can be tough when landlords play hardball with you, breaking a lease makes you see the bad side of them easily. Especially if they're a management company like bozzuto. My landlord accepted month to month because it's a guaranteed paycheck for the time being (renters market is definitely not in landlords favor these days) I'd give a little advanced warning. I have a car, I may sell it or ship it. For dc, we kinda really need cars. If you're an IMS, I am told its reasonable to expect to stay in DC for 4 or 5 months after your starting date due to training and whatnot. Your post is up in the air until you get your bid list, so I can't really offer any assurances whether you'd need a car or not at post.
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May 9, 2012 16:59
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Vehicles Do not make a vehicle purchase for post until you know what post you are assigned. Each post is different in regards to how far you have to travel, public transport infrastructure (and RSO restrictions on use of said infrastructure), and restrictions on importation. At some posts, purchasing a local vehicle may cost 2 or 3 times the equivalent price in the U.S. Some posts may not allow certain brands of vehicles shipped. Some will not allow diesel engines. Some will not allow any cars with tinted windows. Some will not allow vehicles manufactured in certain years. Some will only allow right hand drive. Some have restrictions based upon accreditation (IMS/OMS specialists are normally A/T staff whereas generalists/RSOs are normally full dip credentialed - again this depends on the post and position half the IMS positions here are A/T and half are on the dip list). These restrictions are normally HOST COUNTRY RESTRICTIONS, meaning, that if you want to import a vehicle, you have to obey by their rules. For example, as an A/T staff here in Brasil, windows with tint can be an issue, and we were only allowed to import 1 gasoline engine (no diesel) exempt of duty. That includes stuff like lawnmowers, motorcycles, ATVs, and your car. Needless to say, we brought a car and I did not bring a motorcycle.Motorcycles Some posts have RSO restrictions on motorcycle use. At my last post, we were not allowed to take motorcycle taxis (for good reason, everybody that we knew who used them had some sort of a 'wreck' - nothing fatal, but some road rash/broken bones, etc.). However, there was no prohibition on driving your own, so many of us had 125cc curry rockets. At my current post, there's no restrictions, but A/T staff have to pay full taxes on a motorcycle which means a Honda 600cc hornet is $17500. Needless to say, I don't have a motorcycle here. Check with your post if you can ride and import motos. As mentioned, many places overseas have limited hospital care meaning a motorcycle wreck can be much more serious than in the states. Ride at your own risk. TCD fucked around with this message at 20:14 on May 9, 2012 |
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May 9, 2012 17:49
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Skandiaavity posted:Si... there sure were some disappointed faces today, though. I'm keeping an open mind. (edit: a ton of people were expecting Thailand/European locales like London or Madrid, is what I mean) Hahahaha Shoot me a PM of your state email. I'll email you and you can send the list on OpenNet.
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May 9, 2012 17:57
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mtreecorner posted:Thanks! Be extra careful about motorcycles. Some RSOs won't let you use them.
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May 9, 2012 18:26
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TCD posted:Vehicles Yeah, the only reason i thought about getting something before was to drive to FSI... but the sirens convinced me. Diplomaticus posted:Be extra careful about motorcycles. Some RSOs won't let you use them. That is surprising... I would think motorcycles would be easier/less a burden than cars. Guess it's a safety issue.
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May 9, 2012 19:17
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