People love to talk about the difference between educational styles in the U.S. and in China, and how those differences are holding up the U.S. as China's global leader. The Chinese teach rote memorization, and hard work without individual thought. While Americans stress academics less, but raise leaders through sports, high school jobs, and critical thinking skills.
I have a strong dislike for national generalizations these days, but I had a Chinese Moment this afternoon which certainly supports leaders coming from the U.S. for a while longer.
As a gift for Chinese New Year, our management company has decided to gift each tenant with a 50 RMB phone card. This card will provide a free international phone call for 20 minutes, a small but kind offer. I went to the office to claim mine, and found it much more difficult than I had imagined.
Lynne (all super-friendly): Hi! I came to pick up the phone cards referenced in this letter here?
Receptionist (all super-friendly right back): Great! I just need to see your passport.
Lynne (only normal-friendly): Hmm. This letter doesn't say I need my passport. And I'm already here.
Receptionist (still all super-friendly): Yeah, that's right. I just need a copy of your passport.
Lynne: Um, why do you need my passport for this gift?
Receptionist: Because the phone company wants to know who received them.
Lynne (only cautiously friendly now): I don't really want to sell my passport to the phone company for 50 RMB.
Just then, the woman who manages the houses in my neck of the complex walked in. Her name is Sarah. Sarah was all super-friendly, too. And I'm not being facetious. All of the people I spoke with were genuinely friendly, which kept me genuinely friendly as well.
Sarah: Hi, Lynne!
Lynne: Hi, Sarah! I just came to pick up my phone cards
Sarah: Oh great! I think we just need a copy of your passport.
Lynne: Huh. Why do you need that?
Sarah: Oh, I don't really know. I think my colleague knows. Can you wait a moment?
A moment later.
Sarah: My colleague is on the phone. Can you wait for her to finish?
Lynne: Sure.
A moment later.
Sarah's colleague (all super-friendly): Hi! How can I help you?
Lynne: I just came to pick up my phone card, and I don't understand why you need my passport.
Sarah's colleague: Oh, no problem. We need it to verify that you are really a tenant. Because, you know, 50 RMB is not really very much money. And so many people here just say to their housekeeper or their driver, you can have it. Then maybe a Filipina would come in here...
I let this comment go. Not because I found in inoffensive, but because I was trying to stay focused.
Lynne: Oh, so you just need to verify that I am a tenant.
Sarah's colleague / Sarah (together, and super-friendly): Yes, that is all.
Lynne: Well, that's no problem. Sarah knows that I'm a tenant. She did all of my paperwork, gave me the keys, and physically moved me into my house. (I flashed Sarah a bright smile).
Sarah (bit of nervous laughter): Yes, of course I know you. We just need your passport anyway.
Lynne: I guess I just don't understand. (To my credit - I wasn't belaboring this. In the actual conversation, it sounded like they might be distributing my passport to various enterprises throughout the neighborhood).
Sarah's colleague: We just need to verify that you are really a tenant.
Lynne: Right. So that's taken care of.
Sarah's colleague (nervous laughter): No, we have to write down your passport number on a list, to show who has taken these phone cards. (See what I mean?)
Sarah (brightly): I'll check your file. Maybe we have a photocopy of our passport on file already.
A moment later. Sarah brings out my file.
Sarah: It looks like we do not have your passport here.
Lynne: Yes, but look. You have photos of everyone in my family, with our names and passport numbers written right next to them. This is everything that you need to verify I am a tenant.
Sarah's colleague: Oh, we know that you are a tenant. We just need to see a copy of your passport.
Through the full conversation, we established that there would not be any Filipinas living in our neighborhood; that I would not not consider giving this phone card to my ayi later; and that the ladies in our management center follow directions to the letter rather than to the spirit. They had verified my identity and that I was a tenant multiple times over by the time I left the office. But without viewing (not keeping) a copy of my passport, I could not walk out with my phone card gift.
We also established that they would like to have a copy of my passport on file, and asked that I come back tomorrow. As visits to the management office always end up taking much longer than they should, I said I would not come back tomorrow - but that she is welcome to walk up to my house and take my passports. Then when she brings them back, she can deliver my phone cards.
At this, she asked to keep my letter laying claim to those cards.
I pointed out how clever I was - that if she kept the letter, I could never ask for the cards again. I offered to give her the letter after she delivered the cards and passports to me tomorrow. She laughed. And her laugh said, Your idea could get me fired.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Xin Nian Kuai Le!
I love Chinese New Year!
It may come as no surprise to any regular readers that I have no real love for China. I will spare you my complaints, but I think I could overcome many of my problems with the culture if I saw many positive cultural traits rise out of the country. Not to say that its a land of awful people, as a culture. Not so. Just that most things classically Chinese have been pushed aside to make room for things modern, new and Western.
But Chinese New Year is full of tradition. Folks from all over the country catch planes, trains and busses to travel for hours in standing-room-only vehicles so they can spend this holiday in their hometown. People make the same foods, they observe many of the same rituals, and Chinese people all over the country go just as crazy with fireworks as they did one-hundred years ago!
The girls' school will celebrate China Week this week, the week before the Spring Festival break from school. They kicked off China Week this evening with a Chinese New Year party on the sports field. We played games, collected cards with animals from the zodiac, ate sugar formed into dragons, sampled loads of our favorite street food, and enjoyed a spectacular show from front row seats.
I love that the school did this - kudos to all of the Chinese teachers who worked together to put it on. I hear the entire week will be such fun! And I must admit - I love being in China on Chinese New Year!
A few snaps from the show:
It may come as no surprise to any regular readers that I have no real love for China. I will spare you my complaints, but I think I could overcome many of my problems with the culture if I saw many positive cultural traits rise out of the country. Not to say that its a land of awful people, as a culture. Not so. Just that most things classically Chinese have been pushed aside to make room for things modern, new and Western.
But Chinese New Year is full of tradition. Folks from all over the country catch planes, trains and busses to travel for hours in standing-room-only vehicles so they can spend this holiday in their hometown. People make the same foods, they observe many of the same rituals, and Chinese people all over the country go just as crazy with fireworks as they did one-hundred years ago!
The girls' school will celebrate China Week this week, the week before the Spring Festival break from school. They kicked off China Week this evening with a Chinese New Year party on the sports field. We played games, collected cards with animals from the zodiac, ate sugar formed into dragons, sampled loads of our favorite street food, and enjoyed a spectacular show from front row seats.
I love that the school did this - kudos to all of the Chinese teachers who worked together to put it on. I hear the entire week will be such fun! And I must admit - I love being in China on Chinese New Year!
A few snaps from the show:
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
The Supportive Wife
Dave's in Morocco. He's been there for 1 week now, and he will be there for 1 more week. He was gone over this past weekend, and he will be gone over this coming weekend as well. And although I know that plenty of people go this long and much longer without a husband in their household, that's of no comfort to me. This sucks.
I can't figure out how to be a wife and mother through this. When this life frustrates me and leaves me depressed, I want to talk to Dave about it. But that hardly seems supportive - especially because he's the one living all alone, not watching his babies and not reading to his girls every night. How can I complain to him? I feel as if I ought to put on a brave face for him, focusing on the positive rather than on the negative. But that feels a bit like lying, and certainly like I've lost my confidante.
So that parts tough. But here's the real dilemma. I just realized that I don't really want to figure out how to make life work without him. Because once I make life smooth without him, it becomes difficult once he comes home. I want our family to be a two parent household. I want Annika raised primarily by myself and Dave, rather than by myself and our ayi. As the former isn't an option right now, I'm bucking against the latter and putting all of us girls through some rough evenings trying to do it all myself. But given the rationale, isn't that okay? Honestly, I have no idea.
**
I want to end the story there, but I feel remiss if I don't mention that although God may not give us what we want, He at least gives us what we need. Feeling entirely down about the whole situation today, God ended the day surrounding me with love and support. I went to a prayer group this evening, not because I wanted to or because it was convenient, but because I wanted to support my friend Michelle, the leader. I mentioned Dave being gone as my prayer request, and received such wonderful words and prayers and hugs of support. It constantly amazes me what a right place I have landed, and how well supported I am here. God may not give us what we want, but at least He has given me what I need.
I can't figure out how to be a wife and mother through this. When this life frustrates me and leaves me depressed, I want to talk to Dave about it. But that hardly seems supportive - especially because he's the one living all alone, not watching his babies and not reading to his girls every night. How can I complain to him? I feel as if I ought to put on a brave face for him, focusing on the positive rather than on the negative. But that feels a bit like lying, and certainly like I've lost my confidante.
So that parts tough. But here's the real dilemma. I just realized that I don't really want to figure out how to make life work without him. Because once I make life smooth without him, it becomes difficult once he comes home. I want our family to be a two parent household. I want Annika raised primarily by myself and Dave, rather than by myself and our ayi. As the former isn't an option right now, I'm bucking against the latter and putting all of us girls through some rough evenings trying to do it all myself. But given the rationale, isn't that okay? Honestly, I have no idea.
**
I want to end the story there, but I feel remiss if I don't mention that although God may not give us what we want, He at least gives us what we need. Feeling entirely down about the whole situation today, God ended the day surrounding me with love and support. I went to a prayer group this evening, not because I wanted to or because it was convenient, but because I wanted to support my friend Michelle, the leader. I mentioned Dave being gone as my prayer request, and received such wonderful words and prayers and hugs of support. It constantly amazes me what a right place I have landed, and how well supported I am here. God may not give us what we want, but at least He has given me what I need.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Livin' the Dream
We are in a strange position right now. Well, a few strange positions, really. The holding patterns for the foreign service and the adoption are a bit strange. Really, our entire lifestyle is a bit strange. Strange, but also interesting - and one that we have chosen to continue.
Living abroad is a good life in many ways, especially for families who like to travel. We are not so likely to jump around the world with our 3 kids in tow if we settle in the state somewhere. But as it is, we've traveled much of China, we're building our list of Southeast Asia, and we've hopped over to Dubai as well. Dave is now in Morocco, where the girls and I do not plan to join him - two 9 hour flights in a row is simply too much to ask. But I admit to being jealous about the stamps he's building in his passport. He's also spent time in South Korea recently, and there's talk about Barcelona. He's been asked to lead a training session over Chinese New Year in Goa, India. That means free flight, per diem for food, and lodging in the resort hotel for at least a few days. Of course, we'd have to cover the other 4 tickets for the family to join him, but we are now looking at spending a week on the beach for essentially the cost of airfare - and that at a discount, with Dave flying for free. And not just the beach, the Indian beach. Imagine, warm water, beautiful landscape, and Indian food all the time.
That this is wildly exciting to me begins to explain why we want to remain expats for the near future. But the change in fortune to a world traveling husband comes with its costs as well. Lilly got a bike for Christmas, and learned to ride it this afternoon. Dave will watch the video when he returns from Morocco. I'm excited that I just taught her how to ride her bike, and found it thrilling to experience it with her - but I know how sad Dave is to miss this milestone, and that she wished he were there with her.
The good news is that we're building a much larger library of family videos! Even so, we're really hoping for a call to the May class of the Foreign Service. Let those exotic travels come as a family, one country every few years or so.
Living abroad is a good life in many ways, especially for families who like to travel. We are not so likely to jump around the world with our 3 kids in tow if we settle in the state somewhere. But as it is, we've traveled much of China, we're building our list of Southeast Asia, and we've hopped over to Dubai as well. Dave is now in Morocco, where the girls and I do not plan to join him - two 9 hour flights in a row is simply too much to ask. But I admit to being jealous about the stamps he's building in his passport. He's also spent time in South Korea recently, and there's talk about Barcelona. He's been asked to lead a training session over Chinese New Year in Goa, India. That means free flight, per diem for food, and lodging in the resort hotel for at least a few days. Of course, we'd have to cover the other 4 tickets for the family to join him, but we are now looking at spending a week on the beach for essentially the cost of airfare - and that at a discount, with Dave flying for free. And not just the beach, the Indian beach. Imagine, warm water, beautiful landscape, and Indian food all the time.
That this is wildly exciting to me begins to explain why we want to remain expats for the near future. But the change in fortune to a world traveling husband comes with its costs as well. Lilly got a bike for Christmas, and learned to ride it this afternoon. Dave will watch the video when he returns from Morocco. I'm excited that I just taught her how to ride her bike, and found it thrilling to experience it with her - but I know how sad Dave is to miss this milestone, and that she wished he were there with her.
The good news is that we're building a much larger library of family videos! Even so, we're really hoping for a call to the May class of the Foreign Service. Let those exotic travels come as a family, one country every few years or so.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
History
I've known Jon since 3rd grade. He still has a memory of my introducing myself to him at school that year - apparently I made myself look rather silly, and such began a long and close relationship. I have no other friend with whom I have shared so much of my life, and it thrills me to pieces that he and I have stayed in touch.
As my friend through those years, Jon also knows my parents quite well. In fact, our parents became family friends while we were still in high school. They went to the same Sunday School class at church, and we heard regular updates on each other once we went away to college.
So when Jon, his wife Miranda, and his young son Brandon announced they were moving to St. Louis this summer, my parents were happy to help out any way they could. As it turns out, Jon and Miranda moved in a block away from my parents' house, and they share meals together once a week. Talking with Jon and Miranda over the holidays (they were only a block away, after all), they told us how much they've enjoyed having my parents around the corner. It is really comfortable to arrive in a new city, and already have a history with someone.
We had a wonderful time in the states these past 3 weeks. Only spending 10 days in each city meant the time went by far too quickly, and we did not get to see as many people as we hoped. Add in a quick trip to Washington, D.C. for Dave and I and the trip became even more compressed. But I found such joy in every moment I shared with someone, and became very aware of the history I share with each of my friends.
Lori is a friend from Shanghai, and she and I shared lunch in D.C. We jumped immediately to intimate conversation, and stories became more meaningful because we could reference people, times and places.
Karoline is a friend from Kansas City, and she and I shared coffee in Chicago. We knew the interesting questions to ask each other, having become quite skilled at those Catching Up conversations over the years. I met the man she is dating, and felt the difference she spoke about. I may not see her regularly these days, but I have heard a bit about every man she has dated over the last 20 years and that history brought a fun perspective to the double date over dinner that night.
Going back is never the same, and we felt distinctly out of place in many group settings. We were well aware that although we love our old homes and neighborhoods, our current home is here in China. But as I am back in my home this week, I am feeling well aware of the lack of history I share with any of my friends here. I have met many interesting people in Shenzhen, have built a strong support group, and look forward to building those long-term relationships with many of them. But all the same - the newness in these relationships makes life here feel a bit empty these days. Those relationships will grow, and it makes me truly value the large number of friends with whom I share such valuable history.
As my friend through those years, Jon also knows my parents quite well. In fact, our parents became family friends while we were still in high school. They went to the same Sunday School class at church, and we heard regular updates on each other once we went away to college.
So when Jon, his wife Miranda, and his young son Brandon announced they were moving to St. Louis this summer, my parents were happy to help out any way they could. As it turns out, Jon and Miranda moved in a block away from my parents' house, and they share meals together once a week. Talking with Jon and Miranda over the holidays (they were only a block away, after all), they told us how much they've enjoyed having my parents around the corner. It is really comfortable to arrive in a new city, and already have a history with someone.
We had a wonderful time in the states these past 3 weeks. Only spending 10 days in each city meant the time went by far too quickly, and we did not get to see as many people as we hoped. Add in a quick trip to Washington, D.C. for Dave and I and the trip became even more compressed. But I found such joy in every moment I shared with someone, and became very aware of the history I share with each of my friends.
Lori is a friend from Shanghai, and she and I shared lunch in D.C. We jumped immediately to intimate conversation, and stories became more meaningful because we could reference people, times and places.
Karoline is a friend from Kansas City, and she and I shared coffee in Chicago. We knew the interesting questions to ask each other, having become quite skilled at those Catching Up conversations over the years. I met the man she is dating, and felt the difference she spoke about. I may not see her regularly these days, but I have heard a bit about every man she has dated over the last 20 years and that history brought a fun perspective to the double date over dinner that night.
Going back is never the same, and we felt distinctly out of place in many group settings. We were well aware that although we love our old homes and neighborhoods, our current home is here in China. But as I am back in my home this week, I am feeling well aware of the lack of history I share with any of my friends here. I have met many interesting people in Shenzhen, have built a strong support group, and look forward to building those long-term relationships with many of them. But all the same - the newness in these relationships makes life here feel a bit empty these days. Those relationships will grow, and it makes me truly value the large number of friends with whom I share such valuable history.
#23
We just received word that Dave has been added to the Economic Register. That is, his name is on the list for hiring in the Economic track now, as well as the Political track. In Political, he has never been higher than #43 - and #40 received an invitation to the March class. As of today, he is ranked #23 in the Economic track.
I'll temper that number by sharing that they've only just sent invitations to the March class. Still, it feels like May could be a possibility. Now just tell your people in the Congress to support the Foreign Service, and maybe we can move to D.C. by this summer!
I'll temper that number by sharing that they've only just sent invitations to the March class. Still, it feels like May could be a possibility. Now just tell your people in the Congress to support the Foreign Service, and maybe we can move to D.C. by this summer!
Morocco
Dave just left on a last-minute business trip to Morocco. He'll be in Casablanca for at least 2 weeks, possibly more. After spending the last 3 weeks on vacation and living with our extended family, the house felt depressingly empty as I closed the door behind him.
Its 8:30pm on a Tuesday night. The upshot of jet lag is that there's no shame in just going to bed right now.
Its 8:30pm on a Tuesday night. The upshot of jet lag is that there's no shame in just going to bed right now.
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Home Sweet Home
I fell into bed last night at 9:15pm, about 20 minutes after walking in the front door. Lucky that, because the girls all three woke up around 3:45am this morning.
The beds aren't as comfortable and the house doesn't feel as warm (literally, because the heat's been off; but also more metaphorically), but it is still nice to be in our own beds and our own space. Its always good to be home.
The beds aren't as comfortable and the house doesn't feel as warm (literally, because the heat's been off; but also more metaphorically), but it is still nice to be in our own beds and our own space. Its always good to be home.
Saturday, January 08, 2011
The Final Countdown Begins
Its 8:00am on Saturday morning in Chicago. We've got 4 pieces of luggage, 4 boxes, 5 carry-ons, 1 car seat, 1 stroller, and 3 cars making their way to Chicago O'Hare airport in the next 30 minutes or so. At about 8:00pm on Sunday evening, we expect to pull up in front of our house in Shenzhen. Still no seat for Annika. Still no Economy Plus for long-legged Dave. But everyone slept well last night, woke up feeling well this morning, and feels nice about finally going home.
Saying good-bye to her aunts, uncles and cousins last night, someone told Sophia:
Aunt Jenny: We'll see you later!
Sophia: (very seriously) No, you won't. We're going to another country. We won't see you for a long, long time.
Cousin Norah answered, Have a good Christmas next year!
Three weeks passed by far too fast, but it is always nice to go home.
Saying good-bye to her aunts, uncles and cousins last night, someone told Sophia:
Aunt Jenny: We'll see you later!
Sophia: (very seriously) No, you won't. We're going to another country. We won't see you for a long, long time.
Cousin Norah answered, Have a good Christmas next year!
Three weeks passed by far too fast, but it is always nice to go home.
Friday, January 07, 2011
Christmas Letter
Because of Christmas letters and recent visits, we seem to have a few new readers checking in. As our Christmas card didn't include a letter, but a simple link to the blog, allow me to catch you up on the tumult that is our lives these days. We'll move from the least to the greatest, at least in age.
Adoption
We are still a waiting family to adopt a child from China. At best guess, Mei Mei will join our family in the fall of 2011. Due to some rather significant mis-communication, our wait time has changed drastically. One year ago, I would have told you that China was deleting their Expedited List, and that we will be a waiting family for another 3 years or so. Then in May, we learned that this was entirely untrue - and that we were at the top of the list. We quickly wrote a letter asking to defer our status for one year, and will follow up with CCAA this summer.
Annika
We wrote that letter because in May of this year, Annika was born. She has been a peaceful and sweet baby since the day she was born, and her sisters love her in an intense and sweet, if not always peaceful way. She immediately fit into our family perfectly.
Sophia
Over the summer, our family moved on very short-notice from Shanghai to Shenzhen, China. Distance-wise and climate-wise, this is like moving from D.C. to Miami. The move has been good for Sophia, as she's got a more kid-friendly house with a fenced-in yard, a small street for riding bikes, and a playground nearby. Her classroom doesn't seem to be a great fit for her, but outside of school she continues to be the dramatic, lovable and intense child she has always been.
Lilly
Lilly has landed quite well in Shenzhen. She began kindergarten this year as the youngest in her class, which had Dave and I nervous at the beginning of the year. But it has become clear that she is in the perfect place . She is a star reader, she has loads of friends in her class, and her social confidence is growing as fast as the bananas in our backyard (that's really fast!)
Dave
Dave continues to work for Uncle H--, who continues to manage our lives in a very intimate way. We moved to Shenzhen over the summer because Dave has taken on consulting for one specific client on-site. That client is in Shenzhen, and so we are as well. This experience has been interesting for Dave - the work is new and challenging, the culture is extremely Chinese, and the travel is pretty exotic. Although he likes the work he does every day, Dave still feels a call to the U.S. Foreign Service and continues to work toward that goal. His position seems faily strong, leading to a possibly call to the May class - good timing for our entire family. But with the new Congress promising budget cuts and hiring freezes, nothing is certain for future federal employees this year.
Lynne
Like Lilly, I have landed blessedly well in Shenzhen. Within a few months, I have found a strong support group, a place in the church, and a generally comfortable life. My time disappears in ways I can't really understand, as my schedule is primarily that of the 4 people who surround me. I'm trying to focus more on my photography this season, but realistically I spend more energy trying to maintain a peaceful household among the major changes we experience and continue to expect this year.
Although we are certainly thankful for all of God's blessings in our life, I have spent more time this year simply being thankful for His presence. Friends and family surrounding us with prayer kept my spirits buoyed during the pregnancy, and made an intense transition to a new city surprisingly smooth. God gave us a spirit of peace through this past year, which made all of those changes both positive and amazing. I'll admit that I'm struggling to face the coming year with as much peace - the wait for the Foreign Service has been long already, and the longer we wait, the more that uncertainty bothers me. The timing of the adoption makes me nervous as well, both when I think about Annika's age when she becomes a big sister and when I think about where we may be living when she arrives.
But if I have learned anything from our time in China, it is that God is faithful and that His peace can carry us through anything in a very positive way. I pray for His peace again this year.
Adoption
We are still a waiting family to adopt a child from China. At best guess, Mei Mei will join our family in the fall of 2011. Due to some rather significant mis-communication, our wait time has changed drastically. One year ago, I would have told you that China was deleting their Expedited List, and that we will be a waiting family for another 3 years or so. Then in May, we learned that this was entirely untrue - and that we were at the top of the list. We quickly wrote a letter asking to defer our status for one year, and will follow up with CCAA this summer.
Annika
We wrote that letter because in May of this year, Annika was born. She has been a peaceful and sweet baby since the day she was born, and her sisters love her in an intense and sweet, if not always peaceful way. She immediately fit into our family perfectly.
Sophia
Over the summer, our family moved on very short-notice from Shanghai to Shenzhen, China. Distance-wise and climate-wise, this is like moving from D.C. to Miami. The move has been good for Sophia, as she's got a more kid-friendly house with a fenced-in yard, a small street for riding bikes, and a playground nearby. Her classroom doesn't seem to be a great fit for her, but outside of school she continues to be the dramatic, lovable and intense child she has always been.
Lilly
Lilly has landed quite well in Shenzhen. She began kindergarten this year as the youngest in her class, which had Dave and I nervous at the beginning of the year. But it has become clear that she is in the perfect place . She is a star reader, she has loads of friends in her class, and her social confidence is growing as fast as the bananas in our backyard (that's really fast!)
Dave
Dave continues to work for Uncle H--, who continues to manage our lives in a very intimate way. We moved to Shenzhen over the summer because Dave has taken on consulting for one specific client on-site. That client is in Shenzhen, and so we are as well. This experience has been interesting for Dave - the work is new and challenging, the culture is extremely Chinese, and the travel is pretty exotic. Although he likes the work he does every day, Dave still feels a call to the U.S. Foreign Service and continues to work toward that goal. His position seems faily strong, leading to a possibly call to the May class - good timing for our entire family. But with the new Congress promising budget cuts and hiring freezes, nothing is certain for future federal employees this year.
Lynne
Like Lilly, I have landed blessedly well in Shenzhen. Within a few months, I have found a strong support group, a place in the church, and a generally comfortable life. My time disappears in ways I can't really understand, as my schedule is primarily that of the 4 people who surround me. I'm trying to focus more on my photography this season, but realistically I spend more energy trying to maintain a peaceful household among the major changes we experience and continue to expect this year.
Although we are certainly thankful for all of God's blessings in our life, I have spent more time this year simply being thankful for His presence. Friends and family surrounding us with prayer kept my spirits buoyed during the pregnancy, and made an intense transition to a new city surprisingly smooth. God gave us a spirit of peace through this past year, which made all of those changes both positive and amazing. I'll admit that I'm struggling to face the coming year with as much peace - the wait for the Foreign Service has been long already, and the longer we wait, the more that uncertainty bothers me. The timing of the adoption makes me nervous as well, both when I think about Annika's age when she becomes a big sister and when I think about where we may be living when she arrives.
But if I have learned anything from our time in China, it is that God is faithful and that His peace can carry us through anything in a very positive way. I pray for His peace again this year.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Campaign 2050
It seems that Annika's eventual run for the United States Presidency may be in question. According to the U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section I, "No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President." As a family, we agreed that "natural born citizen" means a person who was born into their citizenship by rights. Even though Annika was born in China, she fully qualified for citizenship, and as such she is a natural born citizen.
Well, not according to her Uncle Ben. He did some extra research, and uncovered the following:
Taken from the U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual Volume 7 - Consular Affairs, a document Dave will certainly have memorized within a year of his joining the Foreign Service. I place our campaign in the hands of her father, the future Ambassador to China, and her Uncle Ben, the future partner at Chicago's most prestigious law firm. Between the two of them, I trust that her candidacy will be in good hands.
Well, not according to her Uncle Ben. He did some extra research, and uncovered the following:
"Persons born abroad who acquire U.S. citizenship at birth by statute generally have the same rights and are subject to the same obligations as citizens born in the United States who acquire citizenship pursuant to the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. One exception is that they may be subject to citizenship retention requirements. [But] it has never been determined definitively by a court whether a person who acquired U.S. citizenship by birth abroad to U.S. citizens is a natural-born citizen within the meaning of Article II of the Constitution and, therefore, eligible for the Presidency. ... The Constitution does not define "natural born".
Taken from the U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual Volume 7 - Consular Affairs, a document Dave will certainly have memorized within a year of his joining the Foreign Service. I place our campaign in the hands of her father, the future Ambassador to China, and her Uncle Ben, the future partner at Chicago's most prestigious law firm. Between the two of them, I trust that her candidacy will be in good hands.
A Distinct Lack of Resolution
Dave stood for his Oral Interview yesterday. He received a 5.6, and will soon be placed on the Economic register.
This puts us essentially where we have been for the past year and a half - in entirely uncertain territory. When he received a 5.6 in Political just over a year ago, it was a good score nearly guaranteeing a call to the next class. And then his security clearance took over 9 months, by which time 5.6 no longer guaranteed a call. In fact, 5.6 was a pretty risky score - risky enough to start the whole process over again in a new track.
Within the Economic track, 5.6 has guaranteed a call for the last year or so. Invitations have already been extended for the March class, and so we stand a good chance of being extended an invitation to the May class. Except...
Except that they apparently need to reopen Dave's security clearance, to update all foreign travel. There has been notable foreign travel, as well as a foreign move and plenty of new foreign contacts. This could take some time.
Except that Republicans promise budget cuts across the board, and make no exceptions for diplomats and the State Department. Should hiring slow, or even freeze, a 5.6 will cease to be such a good score.
This leaves us in essentially the same murky water we bathed in last spring. We would love an offer to the May class - free flights home for the summer, appropriate timing to plan school for the following year, enough time to gracefully bow out of the project with Uncle H-- and easily avoid taking on something new, a nearly full year in a wonderful classroom for Lilly this year.
But what if we don't get a call to the May class, missing it by just a few folks? That makes the July class seem likely. Do we buy tickets to ship our whole family home for the summer, if we could be moving home on someone else's dime in July? Uncle H-- expects to move us out of Shenzhen this summer - how do we play this contingency? The uncertainty is annoying in the abstract, but costly in its difficulty when it informs major decisions.
At this point, the girls and I still plan to be home for the summer.
At this point, our family still expects to adopt Mei Mei, likely receiving her this fall.
At this point, I still expect that Dave will be hired into the foreign service within the next year.
All these things could change.
This puts us essentially where we have been for the past year and a half - in entirely uncertain territory. When he received a 5.6 in Political just over a year ago, it was a good score nearly guaranteeing a call to the next class. And then his security clearance took over 9 months, by which time 5.6 no longer guaranteed a call. In fact, 5.6 was a pretty risky score - risky enough to start the whole process over again in a new track.
Within the Economic track, 5.6 has guaranteed a call for the last year or so. Invitations have already been extended for the March class, and so we stand a good chance of being extended an invitation to the May class. Except...
Except that they apparently need to reopen Dave's security clearance, to update all foreign travel. There has been notable foreign travel, as well as a foreign move and plenty of new foreign contacts. This could take some time.
Except that Republicans promise budget cuts across the board, and make no exceptions for diplomats and the State Department. Should hiring slow, or even freeze, a 5.6 will cease to be such a good score.
This leaves us in essentially the same murky water we bathed in last spring. We would love an offer to the May class - free flights home for the summer, appropriate timing to plan school for the following year, enough time to gracefully bow out of the project with Uncle H-- and easily avoid taking on something new, a nearly full year in a wonderful classroom for Lilly this year.
But what if we don't get a call to the May class, missing it by just a few folks? That makes the July class seem likely. Do we buy tickets to ship our whole family home for the summer, if we could be moving home on someone else's dime in July? Uncle H-- expects to move us out of Shenzhen this summer - how do we play this contingency? The uncertainty is annoying in the abstract, but costly in its difficulty when it informs major decisions.
At this point, the girls and I still plan to be home for the summer.
At this point, our family still expects to adopt Mei Mei, likely receiving her this fall.
At this point, I still expect that Dave will be hired into the foreign service within the next year.
All these things could change.
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Test Taking Tomorrow
Apologies for my absentee-ism. Three weeks in the U.S. flies by terribly quickly, and with very little chance to formulate a cohesive thought. I take that back. Loads of fabulous conversations lead to plenty of cohesive thoughts, but our schedule tends to keep those thoughts in my head rather than on the page.
Regardless, today I have real news. Tomorrow morning, Dave sits for his interview in the Economic track. The day begins at 5:45, when he will commute into the city from suburban Virginia, where we're staying with Shanghai friends Morgan and Tim. Interviews begin promptly at 7:00am, and he will know his exact score when I meet him outside at 5:00 tomorrow evening.
Invitations have already been extended for the March class, so a good score tomorrow morning would lead to a place in the May class. Lovely timing on many counts, from the school year to a friend's May wedding. Interestingly, Dave is within only a few spots of receiving an invitation to the March class from his original score in the Political track. So, although March seems unlikely at this point, May seems like a distinct possibility.
Please keep Dave in your prayers tomorrow. He feels calm and relaxed tonight, and I am sure he will perform quite well tomorrow. Will post his score and our analysis of it tomorrow night.
Regardless, today I have real news. Tomorrow morning, Dave sits for his interview in the Economic track. The day begins at 5:45, when he will commute into the city from suburban Virginia, where we're staying with Shanghai friends Morgan and Tim. Interviews begin promptly at 7:00am, and he will know his exact score when I meet him outside at 5:00 tomorrow evening.
Invitations have already been extended for the March class, so a good score tomorrow morning would lead to a place in the May class. Lovely timing on many counts, from the school year to a friend's May wedding. Interestingly, Dave is within only a few spots of receiving an invitation to the March class from his original score in the Political track. So, although March seems unlikely at this point, May seems like a distinct possibility.
Please keep Dave in your prayers tomorrow. He feels calm and relaxed tonight, and I am sure he will perform quite well tomorrow. Will post his score and our analysis of it tomorrow night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)