Nicholas Kralev: America's Other Army

After teaching for 10+ years, I find myself considering a career shift.  This is not at all surprising, to those who know me.  What is surprising is that I have stuck with it for this long.  I am a great teacher, I find it stimulating and rewarding, and I suppose I could picture myself doing this until I retire. 

But I have what is called in Korean 역말살 (station horse flesh), or in English "hot feet".  I have never been able to stay in the same place for more than three years.  I'm fortunate that the nature of teaching in general, and of teaching English in particular, is such that I have been able to indulge this side of myself without having to actually change fields.  All that's been required has been to change my location, friends, coworkers, curriculum, living arrangements . . . everything else.  I simply require the stimulation of starting over in a new environment and finding my way. 

The down side of this, of course, is that of always being the new guy.  Starting over every three or so years doesn't exactly lend itself to career advancement, and my resume is an admitted casserole.  If only there were a career where my particular idiosyncrasy was not such a hindrance to my general welfare.  Perhaps, even, one in which ability and eagerness to start over every three years was a virtue, rather than a land mine. 

Which is where the idea of the foreign service comes in.  Originally turned on to the idea by my friend Karen, who has been serving now for some years and is thriving, I have been doing some due diligence on the subject, rather than jumping in and hoping for the best.  The general consensus among those who know me best is that it would be a marvelous fit, so I picked up this book to dig further. 

Anything further I would have to say on the topic would likely be on the Foreign Service itself, rather than on the book, so I will limit myself to observing that Kralev's unflinching and thorough treatment of the subject has reinforced my perception:  that many of what he views as drawbacks of a Foreign Service career are to me seductive, and many of the things that one might view as drawbacks about me as a person actually would be virtues in that environment.  And so it is that I'm scheduled to take the first exam in a few weeks.  One could expect to see more books of this type here in the future, I suppose.