Ubalozi wa Marekani

A Day at the Embassy

After a long bus ride through crazy Tanzanian traffic, we arrived at the US Embassy.  I learned very quickly that pictures were not allowed after trying to take a photo of the sign on the outside.  (I did succeed in getting one before he told me though, ha).  We then handed our passports and went through a security check.  Leah, who works in the consular office, came to greet us.  She was a tall women with blonde hair, and spoke Swahili to all the security guards. 

Inside the grass was nicely cut, and everything was tranquil especially in comparison to the crazy traffic going on outside.  We walked past the USAID office and then into the State Department Office.  Inside there was air conditioning! Something I haven't felt since I got here.  Everything was perfectly clean and nicely framed.  We were definitely on US soil.  On the way to the conference room there was a small cafe that advertised American Pancakes. (wow I wish we could have stopped there).  On the wall of the conference room was a landscape painting of a golden field with a high mountain rising in the background.  Below it read, "Montana Prairie", which made me feel a bit homesick. The more times I leave Montana the more times I fall in love with it.

Four foreign service officers stood at the front of the room.  One was actually from the USAID office.  They explained to us how to become a foreign service officer, the difference between the Embassies role and USAID, and different fellowships available for students.  They also explained how when you are in the foreign service you move every two years, and you don't really get a large amount of choice in where you live, especially during your first few tours.  One person would head off to Belize in a year, another had just come from Russia, and another was headed to Vietnam.  Through that career you really become a world traveler.  There job is basically to report on different subjects to keep the State Department informed and meet with officials in the country to discuss the US stance on issues.  The work sounded very interesting, but the moving every two years would certainly be challenging. 

Several of the officers left about an hour later for meetings, so we were escorted out.  Left the quietness of the embassy behind to reemerge in beautiful crazy Africa.