So, as of 8/8, my file has been sitting in the Final Review Panel.  Since the rest of my hiring actions took place at breakneck speeds, I perhaps naively thought that this part would be a breeze too.  Alas, the bureaucracy of working for the man has caught up with me, and no update is available on my particular file.  Many phone calls and emails have given me one frustrating answer: “We don’t know what’s taking so long.”  I honestly have a squeaky clean past so I can’t really think of anything they’d need to investigate.

I mean look at her. How could you NOT want to send her abroad? She’s so WORLDLY!

The 2014 Fiscal Year begins 1 October, so the last training class for Foreign Service Specialists begins on 9 September, and at this point it look like I am not going to make that cutoff.  While it’s hard to sit around and be patient to get this show on the road, really this is a blessing.  Since the next class will likely start in January, I’ll get to put in plenty of time at work getting my ducks in a row, save some money (the summer was spend furloughed so I was being frugal), I’ll get to take a trip to the Dominican Republic (NOT MEXICO) over Thanksgiving, and will get to spend another Christmas at home with my family.  Hard to be mad at that, amiright?

One huge issue I’m dealing with is handing over my dance coach responsibilities.  I took over the McKendree University Dance Team in summer 2009, and they have been a huge part of my life ever since.  I am tremendously proud of the group of young women I got to coach, and the thought of walking away just about breaks my heart.  I know it’s the right choice, quite honestly I was feeling like I had taken the team about as far as I could personally, so it’s time for new, fresh talent to come in and experience the same joy and pride that I got to experience for the past 4 years.  I so look forward to seeing these ladies and what they will accomplish down the road, and I have every intention of jetting down to Florida for NDA Nationals to cheer them on!

Looking forward to the next few months, some quality time spent with family and friends sounds like just what I need!