I had to split my brain in two to get this job, and I’ve had to split my heart in two to start it 💔.
From the Department’s Facebook page.
It took me 15 months from application to starting as a Foreign Service Medical Provider. When I report that timeframe here in training, my colleagues are astounded, but for the opposite reason you’d think: not because that’s so long in the real world, but because it’s so short in this one. The normal recruiting turnaround time seems to be 2-3 years, with some of my classmates taking much longer!
That pre-job period is an exercise in doublethink. You have to keep living your life as if you’ll never get the job, because chances are, you won’t. On the other hand, you might get it, and what if you do? You’d better be ready! As you move through the recruiting hurdles, the doublethink starts to affect your day-to-day: “should we book that AirBnB at the beach for later this summer? We won’t get a full refund if we cancel because we got in, but maybe we’ll be so happy we won’t care?” “I guess we should buy refundable plane tickets to the family reunion. So much more expensive!” “I need a new hair dryer, but should I get a dual-voltage one, just in case?”
(To clarify, the hair dryer was for my wife. I prefer to air dry my wisps.)
We told our families about this opportunity months in advance, knowing that if it didn’t pan out, we’d feel dramatic like we had cried wolf… and if it did pan out, we’d feel a bit reckless, because we didn’t have answers to the basic questions we kept getting.
With everything we don’t know, it’s a good thing “Into the Unknown!” from Frozen 2 is on constant repeat at my house! ⛄ Our 2-year-old can really belt it! “Into the unnnnKNOOOOOO ooo OOO oooooooWN!”
*wistful sigh*
It’s been a month since I last heard the happy cacophony of 3 kids and a dog underfoot. I’m here in DC alone, while Jen’s doing the hard work of getting our affairs in order, in between running the rascals around to birthday parties, swimming, zoo excursions, and summer camps. Even without the kids here, every time I walk out the apartment front door, I have this urge to yell, “Did everyone go potty? Does everyone have shoes on?” To have a little person respond with an eyeroll would do me so much good right now 😢.
With most of my heart back in Portland, I’ve been fighting loneliness by staying away from the quiet apartment. After class each day, there are endless socials, happy hours, movies, dinners, and concerts. It’s like being back in college!
Just 8 more days until we find out where our first post is.
A few more weeks until my family gets here.
I’ll have this song on repeat until then.