Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide

March 2012 Issue of Global Link is Now Available

AAFSW — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:06:56 +0000

In this issue:

Arts, Crafts and Small Business Fair Planned for April
“Your Foreign Service Move” Writers and Editors Needed
From the President’s Desk
March Program: Women’s History Month
Valentine’s Day Party
Panel Discussion: Global Nomads
KIDVID Contest
Overseas Voting Information
Family Liaison Office Resources

To download your copy, please visit our Members-Only Section and scroll down to “Downloads.” AAFSW membership is required to download our newsletter. If you are a member and need the password, please contact office@aafsw.org.

AAFSW/FSYF Picnic Scheduled for July 1st

kelly-aafsw — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:37:13 +0000

If you’ll be in DC this summer, mark your calendar: AAFSW’s picnic co-sponsored with Foreign Service Youth Foundation is confirmed for Sunday afternoon, July 1. We have reserved the picnic area and shelter at Nottoway Park in Vienna (the same place where FSYF holds the fall picnic). Food will be potluck, and volunteers will lead some fun activities. The event is for couples and singles with and without kids. Hope to see you there!

Oakwood Happy Hours to Continue!

kelly-aafsw — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:34:05 +0000

The Oakwood Happy Hour on Jan. 24 went very well. About 25 people attended, including newcomers, participants in AAFSW’s new mentoring program, mid-career spouses, male spouses, and representatives from the Family Liaison Office and the Foreign Service Youth Foundation. The FLO representatives spoke to the group and praised AAFSW. New A-100 and Specialist classes are arriving in March, so please check our website, Facebook page or Livelines email group for the date of the next event!

AAFSW Welcomes New SOSA Coordinator

kelly-aafsw — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:30:23 +0000

AAFSW would like to thank Kay de Kuiper, our 2011 coordinator for SOSA (the Secretary of State Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad), for her outstanding work. Since Kay decided not to continue for personal reasons, we have recruited a new SOSA coordinator and assistant, and we are very excited to welcome them both to the AAFSW team.

Lara L. Center

Our new coordinator is Lara L. Center. Here is her introduction, in her own words: “I am excited to be the new SOSA coordinator. Even more so, because I am a 2009 recipient of the award for EUR Bureau for work I did at the Luxembourg National Museum of Military History.

Life before the Foreign Service was much different than today; I worked as an environmental consultant in the DC area. Today, I am the trailing spouse of a Foreign Service Officer which has provided me unique opportunities working at post, learning foreign languages, traveling and earning a second Master’s degree online.

January 2003 was a big transition for me when we arrived at our first post in Guadalajara, Mexico. We have also served in Caracas, Venezuela, Luxembourg and DC. I am the proud mom of an almost 4-year-old boy and am expecting our second child, a daughter in early March.

I look forward to working with AAFSW this award season and am anxious to read the nominations about the work of outstanding officers and family members abroad.”

Our new assistant coordinator is Lynne Moo.

Lynne is a social worker with a background in fundraising and volunteer development. She worked in St. Louis, Missouri before beginning life both abroad and as a mother. She has lived in Shanghai, China and is currently living in Arlington, Virginia where she is raising her three young girls.

The SOSA program recognizes outstanding volunteers at overseas posts, whether employees or family members. If you know a terrific volunteer abroad, please consider nominating him or her. For more information, call our office or write to sosa@aafsw.org.

Foreign-Born Spouses Valentine’s Day Party

kelly-aafsw — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 11:33:32 +0000

Over 20 people, including foreign-born spouses, other AAFSW members and Foreign Service officers, braved icy winds on February 11 to celebrate love and friendship at the Foreign Born Spouses Group’s Valentine’s party in AAFSW’s Community Room in Ballston. The group enjoyed great conversation, wine and the warmth and comfort of delicious food from many countries.

Please enjoy more photos taken at the party on AAFSW’s Facebook page.

FBS Scrapbooking Event March 8

kelly-aafsw — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:31:40 +0000

The Foreign Born Spouses Group would like to celebrate the start of the spring season with a lovely and useful way to keep track of our amazing memories. Patricia Murer will introduce us to this art on Thursday, March 8 at 11:00 a.m. at her home in Lorton, Virginia. Afterward we will enjoy lunch together. Please share a dish with us, and let us know what are you bringing.
If you have any questions or to RSVP, please email Ana-Luisa Gallardo or Sheila Switzer at fbspouses@aafsw.org.