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Realities of Foreign Service Life Vol. 1

Realities of Foreign Service Life Vol. 2

Realities of Foreign Service Life, Volumes 1 and 2: Writers from the Foreign Service community share their first-hand experiences and insights through essays on Foreign Service life. A great gift for newcomers or veterans of the Foreign Service and especially useful for anyone considering a Foreign Service career! Read more about Realities of Foreign Service Life here and order your copy!

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Organizations, Communities and Email Groups for Foreign Service and Other Expatriates

Livelines members can access or add even more links at the Livelines Yahoo Groups page.

Organizations

http://www.aafsw.org
The Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide, sponsors of this website, have been representing American diplomatic familes for decades. For more information, please visit our About AAFSW section.

http://www.afspa.org
American Foreign Service Protective Association. Insurance, legal assistance, senior and retirement information.

http://www.afsa.org
American Foreign Service Association.  The union for U.S. Foreign Service personnel.  Site contains information on legislative, management, and personnel issues affecting active-duty and retired members of all U.S. Foreign Service agencies.

http://www.awoscentral.com
AWOS, or American Women Overseas, provides support to American women who are victims of domestic violence while living overseas.

http://www.colead.org
The Coalition for American Leadership Abroad (COLEAD) is a non-profit organization consisting of 40 member organizations (including AAFSW!) that are dedicated to furthering well informed public debate about international issues affecting U.S. interests. The site provides useful information about actions in Congress on foreign affairs legislation, information about other foreign affairs NGOs, and internship opportunities.

http://www.dssaa.org/
The Diplomatic Security Special Agents Association has a website with membership information. 

http://www.ds-foundation.com/
The Diplomatic Security Foundation (DSF) provides timely financial support and charitable contributions to  members of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, security professionals, and other colleagues in the law enforcement and foreign affairs communities.   

http://ediplomat.com/
This "global portal for diplomats" is sponsored by an independent, non-profit organization for diplomats. The site includes post reports (adapted from the original State Department versions) as well as other post-specific information.

http://www.expatnetwork.co.uk/
Expat Network is a British portal for all English-speaking expatriates. Excellent links section.

http://www.expatexchange.com
Expat Exchange features discussion forums and opportunities for "networking." 

http://www.expatwomen.com
Networking site for expatriate women of all nationalities.

http://www.candoer.org
CANDOER Communicators and Others Enjoying Retirement. Membership in the CANDOER Retirement Group is free and open to anyone who has previously worked for, or with, or now works for, or with, the Department of State, Office of Diplomatic Communications (DC), Office of Communications (OC), Office of Information Management (IM), Office of Logistics Management (LM), or Information Resource Management (IRM). Members' spouses are automatic members and are encouraged to attend luncheons.

http://www.fawco.org/
Search for local women's groups by country and city! The Federation of American Women's Clubs Overseas Inc. is an international network of 78 independent clubs with a combined membership of over 17,000 women in 35 countries worldwide.

http://www.fedglobe.org/
Federal Globe advocates for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender employees of the federal government.

http://www.figt.org
Families in Global Transition is a nonprofit educational foundation and "think tank" for mobile families. The website includes a variety of articles as well as information concerning speakers and conferences.

http://www.fsyf.org
Home page of the Foreign Service Youth Foundation, a non-profit organization providing information, outreach and support for the internationally mobile familes of U.S. Foreign Affairs agencies. The site includes publications, links, information about local youth activities, and other resources. Also on Facebook.

http://www.glifaa.org
Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFAA) The officially recognized organization representing the concerns of gay and lesbian personnel and their families in the State Department, USAID, Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, and other foreign affairs agencies and offices. Also on Facebook.

http://www.slfoundation.org
The Senior Living Foundation is a private, non-profit organization established to help retired, aging members of the American Foreign Service and their spouses gain access to resources, and in some cases, to provide financial support.

http://www.usdiplomacy.org/
Online U.S. diplomatic history archive produced by the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training.

http://www.usdca.org
The U.S. Diplomatic Courier Association website offers a history of the courier corps as well as an online community for USDCA members.

http://www.expatriates.com/
Basic community site for expatriates has free classified advertisements and a discussion board.

http://www.easyexpat.com/
Easy Expat is a portal site for expatriates, with moderated message boards, a blogging feature and information on various cities of the world.

http://www.adst.org/
The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training has a collection of nearly 900 oral histories provided by members of the American Foreign Affairs community (available on CD from the website), as well as a series of books on diplomats and diplomacy.

http://www.dacorbacon.org/
Diplomatic and Consular Officer, Retired, is a foundation to further international understanding through public education on foreign affairs. There is a small collection of articles on "Life and Work in the Foreign Service" on the website.

Email Groups, Listserves, and Message Boards

Livelines is an email group sponsored by AAFSW. You must be a U.S. Foreign Service officer or a family member to join. Retired FSOs and their families are also eligible. You may also be eligible if you have passed the oral exam and are waiting for appointment to the Foreign Service. Email Livelines@aafsw.org for more information.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A-100-2002/
The A-100 group is for people who have passed the U.S. Foreign Service Officer written and oral exams. Restricted membership. In addition, each JO class has it's own Yahoo group, which can be located through this main Yahoo group.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IMS-Diplomat/
An email discussion group for all State Department Information Management Specialists, or IMS candidates to discuss issues and exchange information. Restricted membership.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dsspouse
DSASA, or Diplomatic Security Agents Spouse Association provides support and "networking" for the spouses of diplomatic security staff.  Restricted membership.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Spousesview/
An email group for "trailing" spouses of both genders. Sponsored by www.talesmag.com. Open membership.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MOH_Network/
“The MOH Network” is a discussion group for all individuals who fall into the classification of Members of Household as defined in 3 FAM 4180 and their partners/sponsors.  A MOH is anyone accompanying a Foreign Service Officer to post.  This includes, parents, partners (opposite sex, same sex), children over the age of 21.  In other words—anyone who is not mentioned on an officer’s orders.  The MOH Network is a venue for MOHs to seek out resources and information.  It also is a place for individuals share strategies, vent frustration and most important—find support. Restricted membership.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/abroadview/
Also sponsored by www.talesmag.com, this group is for all expatriates. Open membership.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/expat-homeschool/
For expatriates who homeschool their children.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FSspecialneeds/
Created to bring together families to share information, stories and ideas about educating a child with special needs overseas while serving with the U.S. Government under diplomatic Chief of Mission [Ambassador] authority. Restricted membership.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fsgifted/
This group is for members of the American Foreign Service community who also happen to be parents of gifted children. Shared advice and support on raising and educating the gifted child in the transient Foreign Service lifestyle. Restricted membership.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fsathome/
For U.S. Foreign Service spouses who are staying home with their children. Advice and support on living on one income, part-time and telecommuting work opportunities, dealing with older children in the FS. Restricted membership.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FSparent/
This is a group for American Foreign Service parents who would like to connect with other FS parents around the world to discuss raising children. All Foreign Service parents who agree to the rules and would like to subscribe are welcome. Restricted membership.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fswe/
This group is for those who are planning to take the U.S. Foreign Service Written Examination (FSWE). Those who have taken the exam are encouraged to subscribe and share your knowledge of the process. Open membership.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fsoa/
This group is for those who have passed the U.S. Foreign Service Written Examination (FSWE) or Alternate Examination Program (AEP) and are preparing for the Foreign Service Oral Assessment (FSOA). Open membership, and actively moderated.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/omshopefuls/
For those in the process of or interested in becoming Foreign Service Office Management Specialists. Open membership.