IT'S OFFICIAL!

Friday was our official swearing in ceremony, so it’s official!  I’m a legit Foreign Service Officer!  Foreign Service Officers are appointed by the President with the “advice and consent of the Senate,” so somewhere my name is appearing on a nomination list going to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for approval, and someday I may receive official documentation of my appointment.  In the meantime, I’ll just take their word for it.  

Where's Waldo?  I'm one of 98, so spotting me isn't easy but trust me - I'm there.

Friday was also the last day I’ll have to wear a business suit while I’m here in training.  Ahhhh!  Sweet freedom!  I’ll have six weeks of training for my consular position starting this week, and then six months of Spanish classes that will keep me here in DC through January.   

My parents were here for the flag day ceremony last week and stayed through the weekend.  We covered a lot of territory around DC while they were here.  Several foreign embassies held open houses last weekend, so we visited the Belize embassy (of course!).  In the name of research and cultural awareness, my dad and I sampled a couple Belizean beers.  We also met the current Belizean ambassador and a former U.S. ambassador to Belize.  Let the diplomacy begin!

With my parents at the Belize embassy 

Ambassador Vinai Thummapapally (U.S. Ambassador to Belize) and
Ambassador Patrick Andrews (Belizean Ambassador to the U.S.)

We also visited the National Cathedral and took an evening tour of the monuments.  Very cool to see the monuments all lit up and without the throngs of tourists that visit them during the day.

The National Cathedral

The monuments at night are so impressive!

We also went to Arlington National Cemetery and were able to find the grave of my great- great-grandfather (my mom’s great-grandfather), William Jennings Bryan.  For you non-history buffs, he was Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson, a two-term Congressman from Nebraska, and a three-time presidential candidate.  His daughter Ruth Bryan Owen, my great-grandmother, was the Foreign Service’s first female Chief of Mission (to Denmark in 1933).  There’s a nice little write-up on her on the State Department’s website here.  Some fun family history facts for you!

My parents visiting WJB

Andrew was also here this past week and was able to come to the swearing in ceremony.  He’s headed back to Portland this week.  Movers come the week after next to pack and ship all our stuff.  (It’s all headed to a State Department warehouse in Maryland.)  So Andrew will be in charge of that operation.  Then he’s going to drive across country and join me here full-time in early June.  It’ll be a long drive, but it’s the only way to get our car here along with other important things we can’t ship – like WINE! 

That’s the latest out here!  Hope all’s well where you are!