American in Berlin

"Es hat geschafft"

With those three words I passed the Foreign Service test yesterday!

Now before you start to have visions of me being shipped off to Tashkent or Timbuktu, I should say that I passed with the same score that did NOT get me a job offer in 2002. This means I still might never get a job offer. That said, I am super excited and am looking forward to taking the German language test to increase my score and my chances of being called off of the “list of eligible hires.”

Throughout the day I felt that the test was not going well and totally did not anticipate passing. I have actually been seen ill for the last week and was seriously considering skipping the test. But I figured taking the test five times was a good number, plus the tickets to see the new baby panda at the zoo were all gone for today so I had nothing better to do.

As the day came to an end, one person after another was called out of the testing room. Finally, I was the last person left, my hands were clammy and I was ready to puke. After a few minutes the program assistant came in and said, “you’re still here?” I said yes and shrugged my shoulders. She shrugged her shoulders and smiled. At the beginning of the day she said to the whole group we should say a morning prayer. So I told her I had indeed said a little prayer. She said “Amen,” smiled, gave me a thumbs-up and walked out. After a million hours (or perhaps a couple more minutes) an examiner came into the waiting room and escorted me to another room where all the other examiners were waiting. It was then that he said, “es hat geschafft,” (“you did it”.) I said “WUNDERBAR” and then the next couple of minutes are a blur. When I finally returned to earth, the examiner explained that he had served in Berlin and Bonn, hence the German greeting.

So now I am back in Foreign Service limbo. My background check will take a long time because of the contact I have had with “foreign friends and associates." Most everyone who reads this blog (minus my family) should expect a call from diplomatic security in the next few months (especially the non-Americans!)

posted by Erin @ 7:24 PM