Welcome to the DipNotes!
A “DipNote” is short for Diplomatic Note, and is the formal correspondence
between the U.S. Government and a foreign government.
The Foreign Service is the operational side of the U.S Department of State. We are U.S. Diplomats who serve the United States by working at over 360 U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad. This is unique federal career gets very little attention and there are only a handful of blogs devoted to this life, and and even less information for those who wish to join. This blog shares my knowledge of this exciting and unique career and I will offer advice and knowledge to anyone wishing to pursuing a career with the U.S. Foreign Service. I will also share my thoughts and experiences as I explore new places, try new foods, and learn about my host cultures.
Please visit the page entitled “About the Foreign Service” linked at the top of this page if you wish to learn about this career .
In the link entitled “Joining the Foreign Service” you will learn how to join the Foreign Service and what the application process is like.
Use the “Forums” to ask questions and receive helpful advice.
This career is certainly not for everyone. We spend much of our life outside the USA, far from relatives and friends back home. We move every 2 or 3 years, from one side of the planet to the other, uprooting our family each time. The countries we live in often have little access to western goods and foods. Occasionally we serve in hazardous regions of the world.
However the rewards are great. We get paid to learn new languags, and enjoy a whole host of job benefits including low cost world-wide health insurnace, fantastic education for our children, lots of paid holiday time-off, free vacation travel for my family, free housing & utilities, a 20 year retirement with benefits and a whole lot more. Plus we can live in cities that most people consider once-in-a-lifetime vacation spots – how cool is that! Ever dream of going on an African safari? Imagine doing them on any weekend you wanted for the price of a tank of gas. How about skiing in the Alps in Austria … every week! Ever dream about bathing on the beaches of Bali? From where I live now I can fly there for less than $100 round-trip.
Aside from the above perks, this is an exciting way to serve our country overseas, as we are working at the forefront of U.S. Foreign Policy. While important political and economic decisions are made in Washington, they done through the research and diplomacy at the Embassy level. This can be a very satisfying career and ranks #5 out of the best Federal Jobs survey and #6 in the BusinessWeek Top 50 Best Places to Launch a Career of all corporations in the U.S.A, way above Google!
I hope you find something useful on this blog, and I enjoy hearing your comments and will help anyone who wishes to pursue a career in the Foreign Service.
If you are a current or former Foreign Service member, or have just been selected into the Foreign Service, please consider volunteering your knowledge and stop by often to share your experiences with the rest of the world! Please Email me for details.
If you have questions about the Foreign Service in general, or about joining this career please visit the appropriate FORUM that is linked at the top of this page.
In any case..Im keeping my fingers crossed that it works out for me. Thanks for the info on the language requirements..it’s not very much info out her on the web on what GSO’s actually do, but from what I can tell..it sounds like the perfect job for someone like me…much like you..I cant stay in one place for more than 3 years. The Air Force has spoiled me with moving every couple of years. LOL
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