One more week until Flag Day!

Next Friday is the big Flag Day. It is our graduation from the Development Leadership Initiative (DLI) orientation and we will be finding out the countries where we will be making our first assignment. Supposedly, during the ceremony, we will be handed a flag from our new countries, hence the name, "Flag Day." It is a pretty exciting time for everyone. Some people , dreading they may be going to a Critical Priority Country (CPC), are obviously a little anxious. Others, who have their hearts set on a particular region are anxious as well. All Foreign Service Officers pledge to be available for "Worldwide Service, " so no one should be surprised if they end up in DR Congo instead of the other DR in the Caribbean.

All Junior Officers, including myself, were told that our first assignment will not be taking place at one of the CPCs (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Iraq), so - in my opinion - there is nothing really to worry about. Brooke is on board to go anywhere and I - personally - like surprises, so no anxiety here. Yet, I can understand the dread that the Mid-level hires have - being told that many of them would probably have to serve one year in a CPC. All of the "Mids" in our group have families (spouses, kids) and some actually just came back from CPCs while they were working as contractors. Afghanistan, obviously, is the most likely of the CPC countries. You can only imagine how many positions are opening up throughout the country, as the focus of our foreign policy shifts from Iraq to that region. I may have to do a CPC sometime in the future, but for now Brooke and I are excited to find out the location of our next new adventure.

As to where we may go - it is all a mystery. Two Spanish speaking former-Peace Corps volunteers in the Latin American region ended up in Bosnia and Senegal respectfully. This leads me to beleive they want you to experience a new region. Then again, we have been told that their are a lot of positions open in Latin America for Junior Officers. My gut tells me that we going to end up in Eastern Europe or Africa...which probably means we're going to Asia...ha, ha. My roomate, Dennis, who is also a FSO was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Macedonia. I joke that he is going to end up in Paraguay and I'm obviously going to Macedonia. As to my preference - I don't have one. rica would be amazing. Europe - even though it is Eastern Europe is ...well Europe.