Quote: (05-12-2013 06:37 PM)Sabra Wrote:
Man, I hope you're aware that joining the Foreign Service doesn't mean you'll be sent to a poosy paradise. You could be sent to Pakistan, Iraq, Kuwait, or any of a hundred other undesirable places. In fact, it's common to send young recruits to the less desirable spots for their first rotation. They also start out with the boring work - you'll likely be stamping passports 8 hours a day in an embassy for your first job.
Not saying don't go for it, just saying don't be naive like this girl who got killed trying to deliver books to schoolgirls in Afghanistan.
I definitely agree with everyone telling you to focus on foreign languages. Nothing could be more important. I'd try and get fairly fluent in at least two. Think about where you'd like to be posted and focus on those languages.
Also spend at least a semester abroad, preferably in a location that interests you so you can make a case to be sent there with the Foreign Service.
You need to get as much real life experience outside of the States as possible. These government agencies tend to hire very bright people, but being street-smart is just as important as anything you'll learn in a book.
Thanks. Yeah, I'm aware that newbies typically get the shit posts, and that its routine for FS officers to get sent to a "danger zone" at least once in their career. I'm not saying that it'll be cake, but the job seems interesting, at the very least. And at best, I feel like it'll be incredibly rewarding. A place like Somalia would suck, but a sojourn in Slovakia or Brazil would more than make up for it.
Also, I feel like Spanish or French would be the way to go regarding languages. With Spanish I can pick up Portuguese fairly easy, and a solid command of English should make both of these languages marginally less difficult than something like Mandarin or Arabic.
Again, is anyone on this forum an IR major or a Foreign Service officer? While I value all the input I'm getting on this subject, receiving firsthand knowledge on the field would be even better.