Well, my first assignment as a foreign service officer will be to Baghdad. I am going through the checklists, studying Arabic, submitting papers, and trying to prepare for anything that may happen. I repeatedly get asked if I am afraid, or how do I feel, or what do I think it will be like. So here are some answers:
I am no more afraid than I would be going going anywhere half-way around the world, and leaving my young adult kids here in the US. I do not fear for myself or my safety. Going pretty much anywhere now-a-days is potentially dangerous, but sending my young adults out into the world is terrifying. I keep thinking of every scary scenario that can possibly go through parental OCD-like thoughts. However, I have tried to build up safety nets with friends and family to help provide a support network; and with the benefit of technology today, we can be in contact everyday. I cannot even fathom what our forebears went through watching their children take off in wagons into the unknown territories with no communications for months or years at a time!
I think my work will be incredibly challenging, rewarding, at times tedious, at others entertaining, but never boring! That has been my experience so far in consular work. I have already met with some of my future colleagues, and I think we are going to make a great team. Travel will be very restricted for me, so I will probably not get to go out and see the country. However, I will have an apartment - a big step up from the trailers - and a great gym.
Plus, I am going with my best friend, my husband. Now, if I could just figure out how to stop worrying about the kids...
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