Customer Reviews

Realities of Foreign Service Life

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If you're looking for a book that deals with the non-embassy life of Foreign Service personnel and their families, this is an excellent book for you. The book is more a series of "behind the scenes" stories submitted by different people who have connections with the FS. Some are actual FS employees. Others are spouses. One of the great things about this book is how varied the stories are. One details the experiences of shopping in different markets all over the world. Another is a Q&A session where they discuss everything from the best way to pack your belongings to how to prepare your children for a new location. One man describes the joys and difficulties of being a bachelor in the FS. Yet another explains how best to bring your pets with you when you move. And another descibes the trials of trying to find American food in different countries. And these are just a handful of some great and honest essays!

I originally bought this book thinking it would help me prepare for the Oral Exam. I thought it might deal with the innerworkings of an embassy and what the varied embassy personnel do on a daily basis. For example, how an Administrative Officer finds housing for people. If that's what you're looking for, this book is not for you. The book rarely touches on any of those topics. Instead it deals more with the personal issues.

However, I still think the book should be read by anyone and everyone who's considering a career in the FS. In the first chapter, the authors state the purpose of the book: they want everyone to know what the FS is like. If this encourages people to join them, then great. If it causes people to rethink this career and even chose something else, all the better. It's better to not work for the FS than to join it and you and your family be miserable

So, before you get too far into the process, I'd encourage this book as a "reality check". I think it would be great not only for those considering a life in the Foreign Service but also for family members and friends who want to know what their loved ones are doing or will be doing.

If you're a female spouse of a foreign service officer, have never traveled abroad, let alone to somewhere with anything less than first world ammenities, and are used to being surrounded at all times by friends and family, then THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU! Of the more than 35 anectodes of foreign service life, only perhaps five were written by men. I tired of the endless complaints of insects, heat, cold, limited work opportunities for spouses, broken house items, crazy driving, corrupt infrastructure,broken infrastructure, etc., etc., etc. Having lived, travelled, and owned property abroad, most of which in the Third World, I was really hoping to see some the of the brighter sides of this adventure. Where were the great relationships with locals and their families, the adventurous forays into the bush to see local flora and fauna, the interesting challenges of learning a new culture and language, the unique perspective that one gives to one's child by growing up in a foreign land, the fun, adventure, and excitement of...Going local? While some of the stories are insightful and somewhat telling, I found it somewhat misleading. I really expected that the authors would spend more time sharing the unique perspective of foreign service life as well as the common inconveniences that we often face right her in the USA. Is the common FSO family really this petty, displaced, and inexperienced? I'd hate to think that these are truly the "Realities of Foreign Service Life."

I have been collecting books on the Foreign Service ever since I became interested in joining. This was the first one I read and remains one of my favorites. It gives a brief glimpse into actually working for an embassy (it has a pro/con list of being a FSO at the beginning, which is both funny and useful), but concentrates mainly on personal life outside the embassy. While those who bought the book expecting a detailed assessment on the actual job of an FSO will be disappointed, it is clear even from the book jacket that actual FSO work is not the topic of the book. The short essays in the book cover everything from traveling with pets (I didn't even know you could have pets when you travel as a FSO) to dealing with crisis. It definitely is a reality check, because it is very easy to become caught up in the process of becoming a FSO and deciding which career track you would like to pursue, while forgetting about the lifestyle you will lead outside of work. I would recommend this book to anyone, of any age, who is considering the FSO as a career, or to anyone who will be living and traveling with a FSO relative.

This book is simply key in helping you understand what a life in the Foreign Service is like. Several essays provide different insights into the ups and downs of living overseas and the unique challenges of the Foreign Service. You simply must read this before considering that career, and more importantly your spouse must read it also. Arguably, the spouse gives up more to join the Foreign Service. Until I read this book I was on the fence but not too far into the text I decided this wasn't for me or my family, which is really a great thing. If I relied on the State Department view I would have exerted significant time and effort only to find out later or too late. Some critics complain the book is too whiny, and it does come across like that at times. But look at it this way: if you read all the negatives and are still motivated, then the Foreign Service would be incredibly dense to NOT take you.

One of the interesting takeaways for me was that your will likely be evacuated sometime in your career. If you or your spouse can't deal with the thought of flying the wife and kids out of a dangerous country, sitting on C-130 troop seats while the other stays in a dangerous situation, the Foreign Service isn't for you. If you don't mind living like a king overseas and living like a pauper in Washington, the Foreign Service may be for you. If you have to have fast access to pop-tarts you may think twice. If the thought of you or your kids contracting dysentery or other crazy diseases with less than great medical care bothers you, think again. If your spouse has career aspirations you need to seriously consider this option. Before you order that subscription to The Economist, get this book first.

This book was invaluable for people interested in joining the foreign service. I was considering doing so myself, but after reading this book - and much, much more information and reading matter on the life of a FSO - I was able to decide that it was just not for me. Then again, someone could read this book and be quite moved by it. I certainly hope so. This book did not diminish the great respect I have for FSOs and their families, and in fact I think it increased said respect.

The one qualm I had with this book should not really be considered as such. I had one issue in that it was heavily weighted towards stories of the wives of FSOs, and that domestic partners of all other kinds were seriously underrepresented. However, through reading this book, its introduction, and numerous websites on the issue, the truth seems to be that this is one of those facts about life in the FS right now: the demographics are frighteningly skewed towards a three to four person family with the husband the FSO and the wife following him and taking care of the children. If that offends you in any way, then read this book and see if you could live with it - this will give you some idea of what the FS experience is.

Great product, quick service. Unfortunately, I thought this book would talk more about what it was like for a foreign service OFFICER, but really it's more about foreign service SPOUSES. Helpful, but I was looking for something a little different.

This book is quite valuable for Foreign Service Officers (FSO)and their spouses as a means to understand the challenges of everyday life in the Foreign Service such as moving pets, obtaining medical clearances, and packing up a household. As such it is a largely a practical guidebook for a life that only few people live. It is not designed to give one an understanding of the job of a foreign service officer, nor would it be much help in preparing for the FS exams. Besides FSOs and FSO spouses, the only people I can imagine it being of use to would be writers who have charactors who are in the Foreign Service or, perhaps, businesspeople who will work abroad.

I just got through this book and got some great insight into the life of an FSO. I totally agree with the other reviews on this book, it is well written but doesn't deal much with the actual work of the foreign service. There came a point where if I had to read one more story about the spouse of an FSO having to deal with stuff at home, or writing letters, etc... I felt like I was going to puke. In short, there's lots of stuff about 'family life' and getting the kids to school, etc, but not so much on what it is like to work in the Foreign Service. Lots of useful information between all of that, though.

I love this book! It gives a lot of many perceptions on what life is like abroad good/ bad. Honestly, after reading a few excerpts- I found my self getting a little nervous over things I hadn't considered. I'm still completely all for it- taking my exam soon!!!! I'm just really happy to have gotten a different view on FS life so I can better prepare myself when I do pass the exam.

I've bought several books for my study of the Foreign Service and the vast majority are hard to slog through. This one was engaging, written by numerous personalities about their experiences from different relationships with a Foreign Service Officer. I was able to finish it in one evening.