It's taken a while to sink in, but ever since we heard that Chennai was going to be our next post I've been wondering what it will be like to be a diplomat in your hometown.
I visited Chennai in Jan this year (as a private citizen), and got a glimpse of what lies in store. Many people assuming their visas will be "taken care of" -- well, not quite - the rules for us at the Dept of State are quite explicit.
Plus, not much I can do on the visa side, since I will be working in the Management section. Still managing expectations is going to be quite a job. My thought is just be direct and upfront and let people know that I will not be involved in anything consular-related during my tour there ...
Of course, our families are thrilled; and, we are too; Chennai is a good post - the school's great, the food is cheap and options plentiful, and, it seems like a well-run post ...
Still, I guess it'll only really hit me when I enter Chennai on a diplomatic passport in October ... until then, 4 more months of Lagos!!
I visited Chennai in Jan this year (as a private citizen), and got a glimpse of what lies in store. Many people assuming their visas will be "taken care of" -- well, not quite - the rules for us at the Dept of State are quite explicit.
Plus, not much I can do on the visa side, since I will be working in the Management section. Still managing expectations is going to be quite a job. My thought is just be direct and upfront and let people know that I will not be involved in anything consular-related during my tour there ...
Of course, our families are thrilled; and, we are too; Chennai is a good post - the school's great, the food is cheap and options plentiful, and, it seems like a well-run post ...
Still, I guess it'll only really hit me when I enter Chennai on a diplomatic passport in October ... until then, 4 more months of Lagos!!
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