a fond farewell to A-100

Well, this is it! Tomorrow will be my last day of A-100. We close the class with a fancy swearing-in ceremony (though we were actually sworn in just under 5 weeks ago on our first day--otherwise we weren't officially employees). Tomorrow is kind of like a graduation ceremony. Families are invited and we'll stand and pledge allegiance to the constitution and there will be an address from one of the undersecretaries.

Today we finally got our training schedules for Monday. I actually have a couple of admin days at the beginning of the week, which is great, since I have so much to do to get ready for leaving for post. Those days can be used for post research and any other planning/arrangements that need to be made before leaving. On Wednesday, I'll start general consular training. Many from my A-100 class will take that course, but not nearly as many as the 95 in A-100. Then I'll have a few more gap days before taking a Security Overseas Seminar. The gap days are supposed to be used for consultation (meeting people who work here in DC with whom I'll be interacting from Caracas) and for getting ready for my pack out.

I'm allowed a certain amount of poundage to ship consumable goods that aren't available in Caracas, so I need to see about what I should have shipped there. I also need to see if my car is one that will be compatible with the environment there. Most likely, it will be in my best interest to sell my current car and get some kind of SUV (the price of gas is a non-issue in Venezuela). There is a diplomatic passport to obtain, as well as a visa, travel orders, etc.

I have to wait a week or so before contacting my future supervisor to determine my exact arrival date, but it's looking to be somewhere early- to mid-August. I'm having fun reading about what life is like there and starting to get excited!

I'm posting a few pictures from last weekend with Wayne, and the video of getting my assignment on flag day.