tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897233608659313746.post3079251541100128400..comments2023-10-10T11:23:10.438-04:00Comments on Diplopundit: Why diplo-spouses can't get real love at the State Department - they are headaches, especially when they are heard and seenUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897233608659313746.post-87023511597364356832011-06-13T00:27:28.549-04:002011-06-13T00:27:28.549-04:00@CaA, and we love you, snarky you!
@3rdculturechi...@CaA, and we love you, snarky you!<br /><br />@3rdculturechildren, thanks for the note; I hope Brazil is treating you kindly.<br /><br />@ADA - you're making me blush! Thanks for the girl power shout out. But do you know that almost everyone at State calls me "Mr. Spero" ... when I'm of the female gender? (Oops, sex, I'm a biological entity, so sex, not gender). <br /><br />@Alex, thanks for the note and glad to hear about the EFM valedictorian. I have no doubt that ADA and other EFMs can ace that course, too. If they get through the hoops, first...Domani Sperohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11874984274770314689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897233608659313746.post-41392558869518919112011-06-12T23:11:10.383-04:002011-06-12T23:11:10.383-04:00My ConGen class had five EFMs -- all smart, studio...My ConGen class had five EFMs -- all smart, studious and pleasant to be around. Not a single one had any trouble with the coursework. In fact, my husband was the valedictorian of our ConGen class, beating out all of us FSOs.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11460126554831935552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897233608659313746.post-43204241075192072082011-06-12T23:08:57.125-04:002011-06-12T23:08:57.125-04:00Everyone loves a snark.Everyone loves a snark.Consul-At-Armshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391037582103556978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897233608659313746.post-33925166543814875012011-06-12T14:54:27.614-04:002011-06-12T14:54:27.614-04:00You rock the world!
http://adaringadventure.typep...You rock the world!<br /><br />http://adaringadventure.typepad.com/blog/2011/06/girl-power-ds-and-otherwise.html<br /><br />Thanks for always being the champion of EFMs!A Daring Adventurehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10526170899156150772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897233608659313746.post-71811104544163980972011-06-10T20:28:48.265-04:002011-06-10T20:28:48.265-04:00Thanks for the input, CAA!
"Obviously, the t...Thanks for the input, CAA!<br /><br />"Obviously, the thing to do is require unmarried FSOs to chose English-fluent spouses from one of the BRIC countries until further notice."<br /><br />Oh, CAA! What a brilliant idea! Can you please, please send this to the Secretary's Suggestion Box?Domani Sperohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11874984274770314689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897233608659313746.post-36261281264348623312011-06-10T19:06:00.826-04:002011-06-10T19:06:00.826-04:00The old joke is that you can tell where a (male) F...The old joke is that you can tell where a (male) FSO had his first assignment by the nationality of his wife.<br /><br />This is true just often enough that it remains funny today. For values of "funny."<br /><br />Not being a "rising star," and having both worked side-by-side (as a junior officer) with EFM consular associates and as a supervisor of EFM consular staff later in my career, what I take from the perceived scarcity of English-language proficiency among EFMs that not that they should be discounted. Rather, my lesson-learned is that where they exist they should be exploited!<br /><br />(In a non-exploited sense, that is.)<br /><br />The Consular Section has (some) money because Congress insists that fees be charged for services provided, both visa- and citizenship-related. Said fees must reflect the actual cost to the State Department for providing said services. Every year or so a "cost of services" survey is conducted by experts in this sort of thing to figure out just what the true costs are. Every time they do this they get a little bit better at ferretting out "hidden" costs and overhead/support expenditures that make it possible to provide consular services. Also, every time they do this, some previously "free" service gets a fee attached to it. Annoucements of updated fee schedules are routinely greeted by howls of indignation from those who depend on these services.<br /><br />However, since there are not congressmen or senators elected by our citizens-abroad-at-large, after a little bit of chest-thumping and pronouncing, the new fee schedule goes into effect.<br /><br />Obviously, the thing to do is require unmarried FSOs to chose English-fluent spouses from one of the BRIC countries until further notice.<br /><br />I've quoted you and linked to you here: http://consul-at-arms2.blogspot.com/2011/06/re-why-diplo-spouses-cant-get-real-love.htmlConsul-At-Armshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391037582103556978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6897233608659313746.post-20220853768004518132011-06-09T08:40:48.540-04:002011-06-09T08:40:48.540-04:00Really liked your post. And so very true! Why is i...Really liked your post. And so very true! Why is it so hard to be recognized as our own person??? I just hope my "tea manners" would not be enough to define who I am.... Cheers from Brazil.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com