Meet the new boss, definitely not the same as the old boss
Be careful what you wish for. Or, being someone who used to teach grammar to international students, perhaps I should say, ¨Be careful for what you wish.¨ Maybe you have heard me whine about certain aspects of being an ESL teacher. (NB: such complaints were not leveled at any entity, corporation, person (real or fictional, capable of retaining legal counsel). Actually, I enjoyed my last work situation at Kaplan, but every few years I find it helps my career to completely change fields and start from scratch.
It turns out that the government has determined that I am capable of ´being the face of the nation. According to an email, which I am still skeptical is authentic, I am to begin training on May 1. This works out well since Giselle has promised to be back at work then and I was starting to talk about extending our trip.
I can´t believe I have to wear a tie. This will be the absolute worst part of the job for me. Dengue fever? Pish tosh. Screaming lunatics looking for a convenient target? Foofey. Rabid visa applicants? Bring it on. However, are you going to tell Madam Secretary that closed collars chafe your neck and cramp your wrinkled t-shirt style?
Tags: Travel
Administrator
March 8th, 2006 at 10:59 am
Foreign Service Officer = You will deny thousands of visas to poor foreigners who’re trying to pass fraudulant documents on you so they can get into the US.
March 8th, 2006 at 11:07 am
Cherish your Amurican passport my friend, for if you did not have it I would have to deny your application after looking at your blog. LOL
March 8th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
oh wow, that’s great — congratulations! (I take it you denied ever knowing me.)
March 8th, 2006 at 5:05 pm
Yikes!
I work with Consulates every day at my job and the most visa denials are from US Consulates in poor parts of the world. The way it works is that the newest FSOs are stationed in countries where the Consulates get a lot of fraudulent documents. It’s sort of a trial by fire. The Consular Officers end of being really cynical cuz they have to deny like 75% of everything that comes across their desk. Also, remember that the INA (Immigration & Nationality Act – the law) requires that as the Consular Officer, you must assume that every non-immigrant visa applicant has the intent to immigrate to the USA unless they can prove otherwise. Usually, the only way an FSO can tell that in a 2 minute visa interview is whether the person seems poor or not. So the rule becomes: Rich = issue the visa. Poor = DENIED.
Let me know if I’m wrong.
Cheers,
Damon
March 8th, 2006 at 10:17 pm
My question would be, “How do I get stationed in Fiji?” Congratulations, Dan! Hey, could you wear a daffy duck tie or something? You can’t completely give in…
Amy
March 9th, 2006 at 10:04 am
Dan,
Given our current foreign policy, I can think of no one better suited to being the “face of America”. Congratulations to you!
P.S. The e-mail WAS fake. I sent it.
March 9th, 2006 at 4:00 pm
Conga-rats you two!!! Giselle, It sure will be nice to have you back even if it’s only temporarily before you both head out to spread American Glory around the globe.
March 9th, 2006 at 4:10 pm
Sorry, Dan. I’m now realizing that my last comment sounded really negative. I wish you luck and happiness with the new job. Serious.
Anyhoo, here’s the text of section 214(b) of the INA. You will be thinking about it every day in your new job, so you might as well get used to it:
“every alien … shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for a visa, and the immigration officers, at the time of application for admission, that he is entitled to a nonimmigrant status …”
It’s guilty until proven innocent. Find out more here.
March 9th, 2006 at 6:43 pm
Tad and Amy, Thanks guys. You have a place to stay in Fiji, at least Amy does. Jussst kidding. Thanks Tad, I appreciate the compliment and the joke.
Dorothy, Thanks. They actually asked me if I knew anyone by your name, but I pulled the old ¨not to the best of my recollection¨line.
Jenel, Thanks. Much glory on tap and ready to spread.