It is hard to know how to feel right now. The last seventeen years of my life have been spent as a cop. Being a cop is akin to being a prison inmate. You become institutionalized. Cops tend to only hang out with each other for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the shared knowledge of a calling that is mostly misunderstood by the general public. I am going to miss my friends and comrades of the last seventeen years. I'll miss the unpredictability of the job, but then I am sure that being a U.S. Foreign Service Officer will have plenty of that, as well.
Right now, Mrs. Warpiper and I are walking about six inches off the ground, with an excitement that is tempered with the knowledge of the five million things we are going to have to accomplish within the next four weeks. I think that this is going to be a great trip, and I'll be sure to keep you all up to date on the upcoming journey.
9 comments:
Congratulations! I look forward to meeting you in March!
Great! I surf your blog sometimes but had not seen it in a few days. I take it that you got the call too, then!
Congratulations to you both!
Thanks! It sure is exciting.
Congratulations, that's phenomenal! I hope you enjoy this adventure you're setting out on.
I told you this by email, but I am really excited and happy for you! With regards to the things you miss, you will find some similarities in the FS. FSOs also tend to hang out with each other for a number of reasons, including "the shared knowledge of a calling that is mostly misunderstood by the general public." And yes, you'll get lots of unpredictability as well.
When I joined, they tried to convince us in A-100 that the State Department is your family and will take care of you. Definitely not true in terms of the bureaucracy, but definitely true of the people you serve with. they become like family. And they will be the ones who help you get through the hard times and celebrate the good times with you.
One other thing to keep in mind...it may feel like those 5 million things can't possibly get done. But the Department has moved lots of people lots of places. They will make it happen...maybe not before you get a few more gray hairs, but they will!
Congrats again and welcome!
Oh, and I have added you to my blogroll since you are now only a month away from joining the fold!
Thanks for all the well wishes! The prospect of pulling chocks on a city I have lived in since 1986 is daunting, but I keep reminding myself that I did this once before. It will all come together.
I am certainly looking forward to joining this new family! (I am also looking forward to slowly learning to not speak in code...10-4!) The waiting is almost over.
Oh you'll still speak in code...just a different one! I long ago lost the ability to speak without the use of acronyms! ("Could you get EUR to deliver the BCL to P before COB?")
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