So here I am, on Saturday following in my mother's footsteps - I am using amazing Trader Joe's Brownie Truffle Baking Mix to bake. I am not sure TJ's will appreciate this, but my mom made some substitutions. A few years ago my mother one of her moments to brilliance and replaced butter with Disaronno which resulted in out of this world fluffy, light and delicious - sadly not kid friendly - brownies. Thanks mom! Unfortunately Disaronno is unavailable in our commissary I had to substitute with Baileys and am experimenting with adding little pieces of pineapple for a little zing. While mixing the brownies I found myself musing about where I am and what it all means.
While my browser is open to about 20 different Indian microfinance articles - the subject of my next past - I want to step back and think about my life. When my husband decided to join the foreign service, I was rather apprehensive. We were getting a great life - my husband his dream job and we both would get a chance to explore the world in ways that many people cannot even fathom. Great! So here is the hitch, my own job prospects and earning potential would plummet as we crossed the border. You think unemployment in the US is bad - as far as I remember from my spousal orientation session out of all spouses and partners that want to work, about 45% actually succeed in securing jobs. However, I make up a tiny positive part of that statistic, because I am part of the tiny minority that works in the local economy. When asked about local employment, most people sigh and say that finding a job is impossible and working in the local economy turns out to be more difficult lower paid than its worth.
I am here to present the opposite case. Working in the local economy has its tradeoffs and is not for everybody. Personally, I feel I traded pay and vacation for my dream job. In the local economy you don't get both local and US holidays. Your pay, will likely not much lower than you are used to. I mean hell, I think I make less than a pimply teenager flipping burgers in DC. However, in my opinion, if you are willing to look at working in the local economy the payoffs, are tremendous. You can find your dream job, you can reinvent yourself professionally and your education and skills if you are outside of Western Europe - lets get real how many diplomats get to serve in Western Europe - are in high demand!
When I worked as a consultant in DC, I met with my former employer's India expert. She condescendingly informed me that my job prospects were severely limited. According to her, the best I can do for myself in India; teach English and write press releases for a company with business interests in the West. I was devastated, but when I got over the ego blow, I thought logically. I have a MA in international economics from a top tier US graduate school. English is one of two of India's languages of business, surely more opportunities exist in addition to teaching English? I worked really hard. I got out of my shell and networked like a crazy person. I spoke to anyone willing to listen and think about job options in India. I learned about the local job market. I learned about bilateral employment agreements - especially the one between India and the US. I bugged the local mission about work permit procedures. I went on informational interviews.
Finally I hit my professional jackpot - I was connected with a SAIS alum at a DC economic consulting firm and he passed on my resume to the firm's office in Chennai. The alum and one of the senior staffers from the India office interviewed me in DC and offered me a job - as an economist! This all happened before my arrival, so I advise; fulfilling your professional dreams takes time so its never too early to start. While the spouse trains in DC, the capital of networking - talk to people, think about your options, contact your mission's community liaison officer and local US trade representative. I love that I get to get out of the community to do something both challenging and rewarding. I am growing professionally and am satisfied with my choice.
With that said, I could not have done it without a few wonderful people. First of all my loving, supportive and patient husband - he was there cheering me on even when I felt completely insecure. My wonderful co-worker from my DC consultancy - who is now getting his MIPP at the Kennedy School at Harvard - who connected me with a SAIS alum at my current job. The SAIS alum that made time for me and passed on my resume to the firm's Chennai office. The US Department of Trade officer and his spouse who both pointed me in the right direction, provided me with local economy information, salary levels and negotiation options, and took me step by step through an Indian employment contract, and supported me in my endeavors - even though they knew me via email. I could not have done this without kind and supportive people that I met in my journey to Chennai.
My point - don't give up your dreams and ambitions and settle. Look at your choices and frankly weigh each option's pros and cons. Don't let people tell you that you are not good enough and finding what you want is impossible. You have choices as a diplomatic spouse and choices outside of the mission might be more interesting and rewarding than you expect.
While my browser is open to about 20 different Indian microfinance articles - the subject of my next past - I want to step back and think about my life. When my husband decided to join the foreign service, I was rather apprehensive. We were getting a great life - my husband his dream job and we both would get a chance to explore the world in ways that many people cannot even fathom. Great! So here is the hitch, my own job prospects and earning potential would plummet as we crossed the border. You think unemployment in the US is bad - as far as I remember from my spousal orientation session out of all spouses and partners that want to work, about 45% actually succeed in securing jobs. However, I make up a tiny positive part of that statistic, because I am part of the tiny minority that works in the local economy. When asked about local employment, most people sigh and say that finding a job is impossible and working in the local economy turns out to be more difficult lower paid than its worth.
I am here to present the opposite case. Working in the local economy has its tradeoffs and is not for everybody. Personally, I feel I traded pay and vacation for my dream job. In the local economy you don't get both local and US holidays. Your pay, will likely not much lower than you are used to. I mean hell, I think I make less than a pimply teenager flipping burgers in DC. However, in my opinion, if you are willing to look at working in the local economy the payoffs, are tremendous. You can find your dream job, you can reinvent yourself professionally and your education and skills if you are outside of Western Europe - lets get real how many diplomats get to serve in Western Europe - are in high demand!
When I worked as a consultant in DC, I met with my former employer's India expert. She condescendingly informed me that my job prospects were severely limited. According to her, the best I can do for myself in India; teach English and write press releases for a company with business interests in the West. I was devastated, but when I got over the ego blow, I thought logically. I have a MA in international economics from a top tier US graduate school. English is one of two of India's languages of business, surely more opportunities exist in addition to teaching English? I worked really hard. I got out of my shell and networked like a crazy person. I spoke to anyone willing to listen and think about job options in India. I learned about the local job market. I learned about bilateral employment agreements - especially the one between India and the US. I bugged the local mission about work permit procedures. I went on informational interviews.
Finally I hit my professional jackpot - I was connected with a SAIS alum at a DC economic consulting firm and he passed on my resume to the firm's office in Chennai. The alum and one of the senior staffers from the India office interviewed me in DC and offered me a job - as an economist! This all happened before my arrival, so I advise; fulfilling your professional dreams takes time so its never too early to start. While the spouse trains in DC, the capital of networking - talk to people, think about your options, contact your mission's community liaison officer and local US trade representative. I love that I get to get out of the community to do something both challenging and rewarding. I am growing professionally and am satisfied with my choice.
With that said, I could not have done it without a few wonderful people. First of all my loving, supportive and patient husband - he was there cheering me on even when I felt completely insecure. My wonderful co-worker from my DC consultancy - who is now getting his MIPP at the Kennedy School at Harvard - who connected me with a SAIS alum at my current job. The SAIS alum that made time for me and passed on my resume to the firm's Chennai office. The US Department of Trade officer and his spouse who both pointed me in the right direction, provided me with local economy information, salary levels and negotiation options, and took me step by step through an Indian employment contract, and supported me in my endeavors - even though they knew me via email. I could not have done this without kind and supportive people that I met in my journey to Chennai.
My point - don't give up your dreams and ambitions and settle. Look at your choices and frankly weigh each option's pros and cons. Don't let people tell you that you are not good enough and finding what you want is impossible. You have choices as a diplomatic spouse and choices outside of the mission might be more interesting and rewarding than you expect.
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