Help a Mom /Friend advise a daughter....
 

My DD is asking for input regarding requesting an assignment from the State Dept. She's in training for the Foreign Service and will choose a location sometime within the next 2 weeks. She is a strong, capable woman who has already spent 2 years in Africa in the Peace Corps.

I don't know anything about some of these places (note: I'm also posting elsewhere...I realize where these places are; I just respect the opinions of SO MANY people on this board....) Can you tell me first-hand about whether YOU would want to live and work (for the US Gov't) in any of these places??

I do not want to influence her decision; she is her own woman. I do, however, want to give an informed opinion, per her request. I realize you don't know HER. Please just respond based on what YOU would do...and I'll decifer from there...

TIA (truly),
sal


Asmara, Eritrea
Chennai, India
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Islamabad, Pakistan
Jakarta, Indonesia
Kabul, Afghanistan
Kathmandu, Nepal
Kigali, Rwanda
Kolonia, Micronesia
Lagos, Nigeria
Manila, Philippines
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Peshawar, Pakistan
Port Louis, Mauritius
Rangoon, Burma
Tel Aviv, Israel

Most of your list is considered 'hardship posting', tho she'll live in a compound wherever she chooses. I'd opt for the easiest assignment, Mauritius, but it depends on how gutsy she is, if she's field or desk, and which posting would be considered fast tracking, if she's interested.

I've not been to any of these places, & obviously she needs to do some research. However, from a personal point of view, I would start w/Asmara & Kolonia.

Tel Aviv is a modern city very much like most in the U.S. For ease of living and convenience, it would be an excellent choice. Jakarta and Manila are also fairly modern but much more crowded and with greater poverty.

Well, if I were to choose from that list for a long-term volunteer placement, I would probably choose, in order, Mauritius, Asmara, either of the places in Pakistan, and then Thailand. I don't have particularly sound reasons for the choices. I just started reading about about Eritrea ("Ciao, Asmara") and the little I know from that book about the way the government is trying to avoid the foibles and corruption of other African nations impresses me.

Mauritius I would choose because of all the places on the list, it would be most similar to the Caribbean, the part of the world I travel to most frequently.

Pakistan I would choose because a man I once loved is from there and I always wanted to visit.

Thailand for nearly the same reason--a dear friend from college was from there and I always wanted to visit.

Clearly none of these constitutes a "real" reason to choose one of these countries for a longterm residence, but hey--you asked! :D I hope your daughter makes the choice that is right for her. I, for one, would be interested in hearing where she chooses.

Thanks for the responses, folks. I'll keep you posted...

With the exception of Mauritius, Chennai
and Micronesia, the other postings are heavy-duty politcal strife/war or past-war zones and/or culturally-politically not favorable to women local or Western.

Tivertonhouse is right. Most of these are in countries that have experienced war and turmoil. Of course, that very fact may be a positive factor for some since these are the places that are on the front pages and service in such places may gain the foreign service officer greater notice within the State Department, and perhaps quicker career advancement. While Afghanistan and Rwanda certainly aren't at the top of my vacation list, other work-related considerations may factor in to make these more desirable choices.

I appreciate your responses. First time I've posted here, but I'll be back!
Take care and may God bless,
sal