I just found out my next assignment after Berlin is going to be Mumbai. Yay! I’m very happy for although I don’t know much about the place. It was a mostly rational decision but I'm starting to really look forward to it as I learn more about it.
Why Mumbai is a good posting
After a comfortable tour in Berlin, which isn’t a consular hot spot, I felt it was time for a change. The consulate in Mumbai is one of our busiest in the world. Mumbai has a tropical climate, while Berlin is cold and gray. India is completely new to me, while Western Europe feels all too familiar. It will be a big, interesting change professionally and personally.
For my family, Mumbai also made sense. There were lots of job opportunities for my husband, who is also a FSO, and he’s already in the process of nailing down a position. And hopefully we’ll arrive just in time for my son’s third grade, and my daughter to start Kindergarten!
Telling the family
My other family, however, reacted more like: “India? Okay…” and “What is Mumbai and how is it related to Bombay?” They’re not enthusiastic. Most of them doubt they even want to visit, especially after checking how long the flights are. Still, they weren’t surprised. I’d already mentally prepared them that my next posting wasn’t going to be Belgium, or Washington. Second-tour officers don’t have a lot of flexibility that way.
Post number 7, move number… I lost count
Many people asked me over the years how I can put up with moving to a random new country every couple of years. But this assignment builds on a winning streak of getting our number one choice; Islamabad, The Hague, Yerevan, and Berlin all topped our bid lists. They were the ideal choice given the circumstances. So I don’t feel like I have no control (a sense of having control being generally, and especially in my case, a basic human need).
Next steps
I’ll be in Berlin for a little while longer, but the countdown has begun. I’m already getting emails from people in Mumbai regarding housing and schooling. Looks like I’ll be on home leave in July 2022 and in DC for a few weeks in August for training.
Guess I better make a Berlin bucket list now that I’ve got only 8 months left!