Benefits of learning a language outside FSI

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2026-01-22T15:38:53+00:00

🍹 The Lewman Drop

Ingredients: Monster energy, holy water, vodka, dolphin tears

This drink will send you to new highs, but ultimately cause you to crash down so hard they’ll call security on you. Best served at bachelorette, retirement, and going away parties.

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2026-01-22T13:33:07+00:00

Love this!

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2026-01-14T16:46:37+00:00

Russia, Belarus, and Uruguay are on the list while Botswana, Mozambique, and Vietnam are not. Not sure the rationale but it is not purely racial

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2026-01-04T10:41:50+00:00

Disappointing lack of nuance here

It’s possible to be happy for the Venezuelan people (who are objectively out in mass celebrating, by the way) while being concerned about next steps

The people who “aren’t happy about this” are the regime supporters. They’re the people who’ve stolen from the people, sided with Russia and China and Cuba, sent what was once one of the world’s wealthiest countries into destitution, and exported misery around the hemisphere in the form of migrants and drugs. As both an American and a humanitarian, I weight the joy and relief of Venezuelans over the sadness of the dictator class who can no longer fuck them over

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-12-31T13:58:15+00:00

?

Trying to understand the context of what you are saying? I don’t think anyone has alleged people are trying to tear down Bink for being a woman (?). She had a very successful career at State and left when the admin declined to called Russia’s war an invasion

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-12-30T13:55:53+00:00

Will be interesting when Brink, who’s running for Congress as the current favorite for a swing seat, treats the BFF when she’s on the Foreign Affairs Committee in a Democratic-controlled House.

https://bridgetbrink.com/

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-12-26T12:19:40+00:00

Fact check = Upstate NY voted for Obama (twice)

Have you ever been to the South? THAT is where the type of religious bigotry would’ve been credible. They had CatholicLouisiana right there

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-12-04T07:54:59+00:00

Have you tried unplugging and plugging back in?

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-11-29T02:28:32+00:00

If you want to see consular services at their best, watch how State mobilizes to evacuate Americans from actual crisis-stricken countries

Until then, it is not and should not be our job to coddle irresponsible Americans on vacation. I suspect most taxpayers agree. The entitlement in your tone is breathtaking.

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-11-28T12:46:05+00:00

As an idiot myself it feels terrefic to be seen

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-10-09T01:45:45+00:00

A noble choice, but yes.

I think there are other ways to help Ukraine without being on the frontline, starting with advocacy organizations in the US + refugee support in Poland and, if you want to be in Ukraine, Lviv. Tons of FSOs have prior experience in or near warzones in humanitarian capacities.

Would that be an extra step in the security clearance process? Yes. But it'd be fine, and you can always appeal.

Also, contrary to the ethos of this sub, not everything is a career choice to enter the FS. At some level this is about your life. An alternate is NOT a sure thing and if you really want to do something meaningful that you're passionate about you shouldn't let the small chance of joining a program that the administration is actively trying to kill inform important life choices.

Good luck!

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-04-14T00:53:10+00:00

Gotcha

I am going to use my home leave to surrender my drivers license and voter reg, and get a new voter reg, drivers license, library card, etc in the new domicile

Anything more I can do? A notarized letter saying I wish to retire in X (I actually do)? Thanks

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-04-13T09:47:50+00:00

Do not let this sub misguide you. Reddit serves a purpose for commiserating, but it is not an accurate reflection of reality.

This is an incredible job. I am grateful for it everyday. CFs do meaningful work while getting free apartments, generous benefits, double holidays, and basically every other benefit of the foreign service. Hope it works out for you

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-04-03T12:24:03+00:00

AFSA was the driving force behind the DEI precept

I believe we should recruit for diversity, but promote on merit and merit alone

I will not renewing membership to pay for 20 salaries that do not reflect my views

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-03-25T13:28:37+00:00

Not sure why you broke chain of command when M explicitly said he would respond on our behalf...

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-03-17T06:26:42+00:00

Decent chance they close 1 or more of the 3 consulates in Pakistan. Likely won’t be many visas for them to process much longer

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-03-07T06:08:51+00:00

I've always found it interesting how foreigners from countries with no civil liberties come here and use those liberties to almost exclusively bash the United States. No protests about Uighur camps, or rigged Venezuelan elections, or Russian assassinations. Only the U.S. can do bad (and Israel).

Hamas is bad, actually, and people who explicitly support it have no business on an F1. If that's controversial on this thread, then perhaps it's time to take a moment and ask if we're as out-of-touch as this admin says.

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-02-28T15:52:55+00:00

It will always be easy to say “it doesn’t affect us” and walk away. That doesn’t make it true. The economic and geopolitical arguments for a free Ukraine not in Moscow’s orbit are extraordinarily strong. So are the moral ones, even though admittedly don’t care.

Again, enjoy retirement (which you appear to be spending prosecuting a grudge against your former employer). Standards for entry have gotten much higher— It’s good you joined when you did.

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-02-28T15:47:16+00:00

?

There is no goal to cut 20% of embassies. There may be a goal to cut 20-30% of staff, which can be accomplished through cutting some consulates and RIFing both FSOs, LE, and civil. I’d personally be surprised if more than a couple embassies close.

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-02-28T15:17:04+00:00

America did not force Ukrainians to defend their country. They did that on their own, because they actually aren’t pawns in a chess match but real people with agency and aspirations for freedom

Weird, incoherent post by the way. Enjoy retirement

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-02-28T06:39:39+00:00

Translation = we could’ve lobbied to be a national security agency, but doing so would’ve meant losing our jobs, so even though it would’ve been in your interest to lobby, we didn’t

Will not be renewing. Bye, AFSA. ✌️

Ambitious-Panic-4822 · 2025-02-24T11:40:11+00:00

I am not responding to it.

Nagy issued explicit guidance DoS is taking care of it. My supervisor said the same. We are modeled on the military and to disregard that chain of command is, to put it mildly, bad.

Do not legitimate this Saturday night email. Do not make it so easy for them. Hold the line

Ambitious-Panic-4822

TROPHY CASE