Coming Out

I'm Gay.

OK, you probably already knew that. Even if I happen to have readers who dont' know me personally (that would be shocking), my frequent mention of Leigh and our life together should have tipped you off ages ago. If not, well, maybe you hadn't had your coffee before reading those posts. I don't know. Anyway, that's not what I'm coming out about right now though.

I haven't been posting lately because I wasn't sure how vocal I wanted to be about something that's been on my mind lately. Leigh and I made a pretty huge life decision a few weeks ago, but whether that decision comes to be depends on several factors over which we have very little control. So I haven't blogged about it yet. But since I use this blog to purge a lot of the reverberating thoughts in my head it's probably best for my sanity to just be forthcoming about it and then not allow myself to feel embarrassed if things don't work out for us.

I've decided to join the Foreign Service in the economics career track. Not today, not even next year, but eventually. The selection process is long (18 months+/-) and very difficult (only about 2% of total applicants get a spot). At the earliest this might happen in December of 2013, but it's more likely that I will retake a series of tests each year for several years to come. It really just depends on my test scores, the federal budget for new FS positions, and the needs of the State Department.

So yeah, I'm still looking for a new job in Anchorage, but I don't necessarily plan to stay in that job forever. Obviously I still want my next job to be interesting and a fun environment in which I can grow as a professional because I will, more likely than not, be in that job for at least five years. The State Department's foreign service budget has been whittled down a bit each year since 2010 and it looks like it'll continue in that direction. If Obama isn't reelected I suspect the situation will worsen as a result of Republican influences on the budget. Plus the career track I've chosen is becoming more popular and therefore more competitive. Rather than choose another career track I've decided to be patient so that, if I get a spot, I can look forward to a long career doing something I find fascinating rather than settling for something I find less fascinating.

What is the foreign service? In a nutshell, FSOs are posted at embassies around the world to do a variety of tasks. The work is very interesting and multifaceted. FSOs do everything from grant visas to build business and diplomatic relationships with the host country. It depends on your career track, rank, and job description. FSOs serve "tours" of 2-3 years or so and have to be available to go anywhere in the world, though preference is considered and officers get to rank their preferred locations based on the available jobs and related training involved. It's complicated.

Why do you want to live like a nomad? Um, have we met? I've been wracking my brain for years to find a job in my career field that allows me to work all over the world. Law is jurisdictional, it just is. When lawyers travel a lot for work they don't actually see the place they're visiting. Instead they see the airport, a conference room, and usually a file storage facility before they head back to their home office. Lame.

This is one of several alternative career paths that I'm qualified for where I can actually live abroad long enough to get a sense of a place then look forward to moving to another location for a while. The list of cities where the US has embassies is nothing short of mind-boggling and drool-worthy. Leigh and I would enjoy the chance to live in most regions of the world (there are a few exceptions to this, but so few that I'm really not that concerned about it). I can't help but daydream about tours in Southeast Asia, South America, Cuba, Singapore, and anywhere (yes anywhere) in Europe (Western, Eastern, Central, Southern). I love the idea that choosing my future posts will be like gambling where you never actually lose, learning languages, and inviting relatives to spend their vacations with us wherever we are. Plus I'll serve my country and create professional relationships with a host country. It's a whole career of new experiences and an amazing opportunity to provide my family with an enriching lifestyle.

Anyway, that's the plan: work in Alaska for a while, then hopefully join the Foreign Service.

What will Leigh do, you ask? Depending on her work situation she might continue with her company as a telecommuter or at one of their foreign offices. If that's not possible or if she prefers to stay home with kids or whatever that is also an option. FSOs don't make tons of money, but a lot of basic living costs are covered as part of being at a post and we've certainly survived off very little in the past. Besides, we're simple girls with simple tastes, so we might do OK with just one income.

So, what's next? Well, I still need to find a permanent job starting in September 2012. But in June I'm going to take the FSOT, the initial written exam for the selection process. I don't expect to pass it this time around, but I'm using this as a chance to see what it's like and get a base score. If I fail I can retake it in June 2013. If I pass I'll write an essay. Then I might be invited for an Oral Assessment (part interview, part oral presentation in a group setting). My OA score will determine my position on a register everyone else in the economics career track. Then the State Department will start putting together A-100 training classes for the next 18 months. I will be placed in a class based on my score and the State Dept's needs to fill economic positions. It's all very long and complicated.

So here's My 6-Month To Do List:

1. Study for an enigmatic test

2. Consider buying Rosetta Stone in an attempt to achieve French fluency (passing a fluency test gives applicants a substantial bonus score for their register positions)

3. Find a permanent job

The bottom line is, even if I pass the FSOT in June I will still work for my next employer for at least a year, possibly longer if I don't make it through every stage of the selection process on the first try. So I have to find a job and be good at it because, as I'm currently learning, few things in life are as depressing as feeling like you suck at your job.

Phew, it feels good to list this out and vent a little bit about how involved the process will be. So now, dear reader(s), you'll get lots of stories about job applications, life in Alaska, AND studying for a series of tests. Lucky you!

In other news, I turned 27 today.