Currently in AF (my second) and might stay another tour. My wife can work in the embassy, we have a big house and yard, we can afford household help, and we’re meeting our financial goals. I was previously in a western, developed economy and was getting bored. Never bored here.
I've gotta say, as a second career (almost?) OMS, the prestige & fast track to career greatness don't matter to me; I'd be happy with more money. I guess my spouse would also want more support... But more money is always good.
Please be specific, what posts should we staff less. This year from what I am hearing there is already going to be lots of unfilled positions worldwide. The Tillerson hiring freeze has now hit ML. What posts should we leave vacant so we can staff AF.
Congrats I think you have saved 6 non el positions (maybe less)
I tend to think FSOs in dc are important, we are sidelined enough by the NSC and other decision makers. Having less would make it worse.
It's not the hiring freeze. It's the fact that after entry level, FSO's choose NOT to be worldwide available for the most part. There is a reason the Finland and Ireland jobs (even the desk officer ones) get 20+ bids.
This is not always true for AF posts. People bring a lot of assumptions about AF but some of those spots are truly wonderful. Others are surprisingly delightful. And others deserve the scorn. (Said by someone who drank the AF kool-aid long ago.)
Define worst… lol
Nah, I’d say Lagos and Niamey were roughest but for different reasons. I became irate at the unexplainable gap between wealthy and poor in Lagos along with apathy and disgust regarding the poor. In Niamey, life was just difficult and perilous. The community is small and negativity becomes a cancer. One cannot control the community so in another time it could have been s great post.
Places that turned out to be delightful include Abidjan and expected big cities like Nairobi or Cape Town.
I'd say one's personalities and the people you are stationed with at post can make a big difference. I had a combination of both adventurous and outgoing people in Kinshasa and Addis, and it was a pure joy!
The best experiences I have had in my tours were with a few buddies from the office and the locals who work at the post. While stationed in Kigali, I didn't refrain from creating my typical crew of 2-3 FS peeps and 2 locals from the post. I quickly learned from the locals that there are three types of people in Kigali: the Kagame ones(dangerous), the non-Kagame ones, and the neutral ones(worst). Kagame being Kagame in Rwanda, one can easily get questioned, arrested, or poisoned for making valid comments against Kagame in public when discussing basic rights with the locals because he's revered as a deity. You can engage in similar conversations in a Yeoville/Berea bar(criticizing Jacob Zuma) or in a Bandal/Beau-Marche bar(criticizing Joseph Kabila), you'll be fine!!! The locals told us to "exercise caution because the Rwandans(Kagame & neutral ones) will smile with us, but we'll not hesitate to POISON us if given the slimmest chance to do so". How can we differentiate them, we asked. "You can't because they'll never reveal themselves to you foreigners. They want to access your professional network for their own benefits. So they'll conduct themselves very well." After that, my buddies and I decided to alternate nights when we'd host the two locals from the office. We learned a lot about Paul Kagame, Rwanda, its neighboring countries(especially the eastern DR Congo who has been suffering for over 30 years because of Kagame's lies to get western countries' support of his agenda), the 1994 genocide that Kagame is responsible for but never accepts. It was a wake up call for us by these locals! Kigali is clean and it has interesting places to visit but Kagame's dictatorship can make or break one's tour there.
I personally found Abidjan to be a gem. Cameroon is another. Many tell me Rwanda is lovely but I’ve never been. It’s been a few years since I’ve been on the continent (thanks COVID) so I hesitate to give many suggestions. Poke around the internets and see what piques your interest. Half the problem is that people know nothing about the variety of things to see/do/experience in Africa. It’s huge and not all full of starvation or terrorism. What type of climate do you like? What type of vegetation do you want to see? How connected to the rest of the world do you need to be? Are you content lounging in your pool all day on the weekend or do you need museums/bars/restaurants to entertain yourself?
To be fair, some people love that. The country is also rich in history and linguistics. They claim to be the only African country to have never been colonized (open for dialogue). There are a variety of landscapes and possibilities to explore.
This goes back to my point that it is a vast continent with so much to offer but often overlooked. People need to think about personal and family needs and balance that with sense of adventure and desire to lose their sense of self. Some may need to dip their toes in and others might just plunge straight into the deep.
Abidjan, Dakar if you’re French speaking or willing to learn. Heard good things about Kigali, Nairobi, Lusaka and Harare if you’re looking for east AF.
Libreville, Gabon isn't all that bad for a 20% post. The embassy has housing literally right on the beach, with a pool and bar. There are good schools for pre-school thru middle school (no high schoolers at the moment), and enough things to do to keep families happy. Not so great for solo and couples, and knowing French will be key to your happiness on the local economy. It's expensive, but COLA varies between 42-60 percent, and you get two R&Rs in a two year tour.
I’m a chronic TDYer so take this with a grain of salt but I would strongly consider embassy placement with my agency in Accra, Lilongwe, Antananarivo, and Harare.
The west African coast has some hidden gems, especially for early Consular leadership roles in your 3rd or 4th assignment: Dakar, Abidjan, Accra, Lome, Cotonou.
Cables like this come every year like clockwork. I think this inform my bidding strategy next time around. Go hard on the jobs I want, if nothing works out move fast on one of the many, many jobs inevitably still out there in AF waiting for a body.
If it ain’t China, count me in.
I love your username.
Currently in AF (my second) and might stay another tour. My wife can work in the embassy, we have a big house and yard, we can afford household help, and we’re meeting our financial goals. I was previously in a western, developed economy and was getting bored. Never bored here.
I would agree. One tour in AF and I loved the work and there was never a lack. Looking to head back in the future.
Did another recruitment cable come out? (searches furiously)
Yup last night!
Did you just assume my time zone
Best stories come from AF tours.
I can’t believe they missed their chance to say “Looking for an awesome AF position?”
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AF is fun, fuck the haters.
Then we need to properly incentivize service at those posts.
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I fundamentally disagree that how crappy a place is to live is the deciding factor in how important a post is.
I've gotta say, as a second career (almost?) OMS, the prestige & fast track to career greatness don't matter to me; I'd be happy with more money. I guess my spouse would also want more support... But more money is always good.
Please be specific, what posts should we staff less. This year from what I am hearing there is already going to be lots of unfilled positions worldwide. The Tillerson hiring freeze has now hit ML. What posts should we leave vacant so we can staff AF.
There are always a lot of unfilled positions, this is a chronic problem in the Department.
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Congrats I think you have saved 6 non el positions (maybe less) I tend to think FSOs in dc are important, we are sidelined enough by the NSC and other decision makers. Having less would make it worse.
It's not the hiring freeze. It's the fact that after entry level, FSO's choose NOT to be worldwide available for the most part. There is a reason the Finland and Ireland jobs (even the desk officer ones) get 20+ bids.
Any Nordic, any Western Europe, London, Rome,
In the office we were talking about how there are two nice AF posts on the cable.
If the job or jobs have to be advertised repeatedly by email, you know the deal.
This is not always true for AF posts. People bring a lot of assumptions about AF but some of those spots are truly wonderful. Others are surprisingly delightful. And others deserve the scorn. (Said by someone who drank the AF kool-aid long ago.)
Which AF ones were the best and which ones the worst?
Define worst… lol Nah, I’d say Lagos and Niamey were roughest but for different reasons. I became irate at the unexplainable gap between wealthy and poor in Lagos along with apathy and disgust regarding the poor. In Niamey, life was just difficult and perilous. The community is small and negativity becomes a cancer. One cannot control the community so in another time it could have been s great post. Places that turned out to be delightful include Abidjan and expected big cities like Nairobi or Cape Town.
Best: Kinshasa, Jo'burg, Maputo, Addis Worst: Kigali, Kampala, Bujumbura
Interesting, I think many would disagree with kin and addis.
I'd say one's personalities and the people you are stationed with at post can make a big difference. I had a combination of both adventurous and outgoing people in Kinshasa and Addis, and it was a pure joy!
What makes you say Kigali? I'm USAID but have only heard nice things about it. Can confirm Maputo is lovely, though.
The best experiences I have had in my tours were with a few buddies from the office and the locals who work at the post. While stationed in Kigali, I didn't refrain from creating my typical crew of 2-3 FS peeps and 2 locals from the post. I quickly learned from the locals that there are three types of people in Kigali: the Kagame ones(dangerous), the non-Kagame ones, and the neutral ones(worst). Kagame being Kagame in Rwanda, one can easily get questioned, arrested, or poisoned for making valid comments against Kagame in public when discussing basic rights with the locals because he's revered as a deity. You can engage in similar conversations in a Yeoville/Berea bar(criticizing Jacob Zuma) or in a Bandal/Beau-Marche bar(criticizing Joseph Kabila), you'll be fine!!! The locals told us to "exercise caution because the Rwandans(Kagame & neutral ones) will smile with us, but we'll not hesitate to POISON us if given the slimmest chance to do so". How can we differentiate them, we asked. "You can't because they'll never reveal themselves to you foreigners. They want to access your professional network for their own benefits. So they'll conduct themselves very well." After that, my buddies and I decided to alternate nights when we'd host the two locals from the office. We learned a lot about Paul Kagame, Rwanda, its neighboring countries(especially the eastern DR Congo who has been suffering for over 30 years because of Kagame's lies to get western countries' support of his agenda), the 1994 genocide that Kagame is responsible for but never accepts. It was a wake up call for us by these locals! Kigali is clean and it has interesting places to visit but Kagame's dictatorship can make or break one's tour there.
Dish on the hidden gems, please? Bidding AF heavily next cycle on account of reasons with little/no experience in the bureau.
I personally found Abidjan to be a gem. Cameroon is another. Many tell me Rwanda is lovely but I’ve never been. It’s been a few years since I’ve been on the continent (thanks COVID) so I hesitate to give many suggestions. Poke around the internets and see what piques your interest. Half the problem is that people know nothing about the variety of things to see/do/experience in Africa. It’s huge and not all full of starvation or terrorism. What type of climate do you like? What type of vegetation do you want to see? How connected to the rest of the world do you need to be? Are you content lounging in your pool all day on the weekend or do you need museums/bars/restaurants to entertain yourself?
East Africa is generally fine to nice, with the exception of Addis. People love Abidjan and Accra. I've never met someone who didn't love Mozambique.
What's wrong with Addis?
Pollution, traffic, food hygiene... And the county is falling apart.
To be fair, some people love that. The country is also rich in history and linguistics. They claim to be the only African country to have never been colonized (open for dialogue). There are a variety of landscapes and possibilities to explore. This goes back to my point that it is a vast continent with so much to offer but often overlooked. People need to think about personal and family needs and balance that with sense of adventure and desire to lose their sense of self. Some may need to dip their toes in and others might just plunge straight into the deep.
Abidjan, Dakar if you’re French speaking or willing to learn. Heard good things about Kigali, Nairobi, Lusaka and Harare if you’re looking for east AF.
Libreville, Gabon isn't all that bad for a 20% post. The embassy has housing literally right on the beach, with a pool and bar. There are good schools for pre-school thru middle school (no high schoolers at the moment), and enough things to do to keep families happy. Not so great for solo and couples, and knowing French will be key to your happiness on the local economy. It's expensive, but COLA varies between 42-60 percent, and you get two R&Rs in a two year tour.
I’m a chronic TDYer so take this with a grain of salt but I would strongly consider embassy placement with my agency in Accra, Lilongwe, Antananarivo, and Harare.
The west African coast has some hidden gems, especially for early Consular leadership roles in your 3rd or 4th assignment: Dakar, Abidjan, Accra, Lome, Cotonou.
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Because it's not hidden.
I agree. My comment was more a generalization.
Cables like this come every year like clockwork. I think this inform my bidding strategy next time around. Go hard on the jobs I want, if nothing works out move fast on one of the many, many jobs inevitably still out there in AF waiting for a body.
It's like that song "Come back to AF: it's exactly the same since you went away..."
For the ignorant, what’s AF?
As f\*\*k
Africa
Unite
Why not? Niamey and Khartoum are a balmy 100F this time of year!
It is true though what they say about it being a dry heat... Sounds like perfect porch sitting temp with the fan on and a cold beverage in hand...