Since I arrived in Armenia last year, I’ve been a much happier mom. I feel more accepted here when I’m out and about with my kids than...

I just passed my 5-month mark as a vegan. To be honest, I haven’t been totally vegan the whole time, but maybe 95% of the time. And it...

On 18 May 2014 I officially became a marathon runner. I finished without any injuries, pains or even soreness (apart from my toes) and I...

HOW I GOT STARTED I started running when I met my husband. It turns out that dating an American turned me from someone who looked down on...

Hi there. As a diplomat, I expected to move mountains. Even though I work for only limited time in each country (typically 2 or 3 years),...

Hi Christel, do you think I should I (pretend to) enjoy the celebration of local holidays? It seems to me that local celebrations are...

Hi Christel, I often wonder what to wear at work in the embassy. I’m an American Foreign Service Officer, so do you think it’s better to...

Armenia is a fantastic country to live in because the people are nice and hospitable, but it also really helps that there’s culture, art,...

It’s that time of the year again – spring! In my house it means that both my husband and I have birthdays to celebrate. Typically, we...

I took the Foreign Service written exam – the first in a series of entry exams – in October 2016. Technically, I could have taken the...

If you have read anything else on my blog so far, you probably know that I’m aspiring to become a diplomat, or Foreign Service Officer...

Uruguayans like to tell a certain joke about their country: they say that if the world would end today, people would still be able to...

An embassy colleague just bought a house in Washington the other day. "Why?” I asked her immediately. She answered that she is going to...

When you live abroad, staying in regular touch with family and friends is not always easy. My parents are divorced and I have a lot of...

If you apply to be a diplomat – a Generalist in the US Foreign Service – you have no choice but to submit yourself to something called...

Hi Christel, I’m about to start a new job at a US embassy. This will be the fourth embassy I will work at but I’m still nervous. They...

When you live all over the world, you want to make sure people understand your child’s name. It’s hard for most foreigners to pronounce...

Hi Christel, I work as a diplomat in a country where the main language is not English. Before I started this job, I studied the local...

Is the State Department even hiring anymore? If you’re considering taking the Foreign Service exam, or you’re waiting to get hired like...

Diplomats in the US Foreign Service work in one of five career tracks. Even though they are called "generalists", which means they can...