My Foreign Service Life
I've spent most of my career—that's 35 years—living and working overseas for the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service. My coworkers and myself were responsible for carrying out U.S. foreign policy and helping U.S. citizens abroad. With this podcast, I'm starting at the beginning - or really slightly before the beginning—to walk through what it was like being 27, with a small child, moving overseas to Africa for the first time. Join my son and I as in each episode, I read my story and we talk through the challenges overcome and the joys discovered in My Foreign Service Life.
Episodes
In this episode Christine talks about life in Cameroon, traveling with toddlers, secret societies of Ambassador's secretaries, and saying grace as white man.
In this episode Christine contemplates her next move after DC. Should she go back to Africa with an uncertain working environment, or try some place else? Childcare, spouse jobs, and familiarity all go into the decision.
Christine talks about getting an au pair in the US and Matt discusses his super normal plans for a commune.
Christine talks about the negotiations with Namibia, Angola, South Africa, and Cuba for the Tripartite Accords in 1988, and awards in the Foreign Service.
Christine talks about working in the Office of Southern African Affairs including treaty negotiations, typing up letters of sanction, straphangers, and leaving your only daughter's christening.
In this episode, Christine talks about joining the Bureau of African Affairs in DC and having her third (and best?) child.
Christine talks about working from Main State, finding childcare, the expense of being in the DMV and teases a future episode.
In this episode, Christine talks about transporting a fresh baby internationally. She discusses nursing, two hour lunches, domestic help, and Matthew's first trip to Africa. This is the end of Season 2! But Season 3 will start 8/4/25.
Christine talks about delivering a baby in a different decade from the last with an OBGYN who refused (??) to give any anesthetics (???). She also talks about baby supplies shipments to post, and "birth coaches".
In this episode, Christine discusses what it's like having a baby at post and med-evac rules past and present. She's joined by both her sons to talk about spousal employment at post and what it's like to be at a new school for 3 months.
In this episode Christine experiences a tragedy even while enjoying a beloved West African Expat tradition.
Christine explains what the embassy can do for you, an American citizen, and we visit one of the hot spots in Senegal. We learn about some more sketchy characters hanging around ex-pat Africa in the 80's including... Nina Simone???
Christine talks about the hardship of fertility treatments, being pregnant at post, the speed at which gossip travels, and holidays overseas.
Christine and her two guest sons talk about everything that happened in Dakar including, poorly thought through pranks, the downfall of a former wrestler, the different forms of security clearances, and love in the Foreign Service
Christine is joined by both of her guest-sons in this episode to talk about their new post: Dakar, Senegal. They talk about security in a foreign country, the cat distribution system, and topless beaches.
Christine talks about the difficulties of leaving family behind as well as mandatory home leave.
Christine talks about how bidding works and the ins and outs of choosing a post.
Lots to cover here: confrontations with gendarmes, avoiding bribes, and economic collapse that leads to suitcases of money at dinner, secret codes over classified radio
In this episode Christine talks R & R, which is neither restful or relaxing, home leave and crying in super markets.
Season 2 will be out Feb 17th! Watch the feed for more life in the Foreign Service.
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