AAFSW: Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide

PLEASE NOTE: Our News Feed is Moving

23 Aug 2011 12:26:09 GMT

We are very excited about our redesigned website! The new WordPress platform will allow for more frequent site updates. And our RSS news feed is now fuilly integrated with our front-page content. To subscribe to the new feed, visit www.aafsw.org and click the Subscribe button at the top right of the page. Or, just click on or copy this link to add the feed to your default newsreader: http://www.aafsw.com/feed/

Volunteer for Art&BookFair 2011!

8 Aug 2011 07:28:13 GMT

If you are an AAFSW member in the DC area, please join our fun and friendly team for at least a few hours, while helping AAFSW raise funds for its advocacy, scholarships and support programs! This year, we have compiled Art&BookFair information into a mini-newsletter that is available in PDF format on our website. Contact us at office@aafsw.org if you've forgotten the current member password. Thanks!

The Summer 2011 issue of Global Link is now available

26 Jul 2011 14:20:38 GMT

In PDF format in our members-only section. Highlights of this issue:

AAFSW Supports Evacuees
From the President's Desk
AAFSW Scholarship Winner Announced
April Program Review
Save the Date for September's Program
SOSA Coordinator Needed
Understanding the Basics of Medical Insurance
Foreign Service Memories from Iraq
In Memory: Alive Pickering
Updated Board, Committee, and Other Contact Information

If you are an AAFSW member, and need a password reminder to access the newsletter, please contact office@aafsw.org.

Save the Date: FSYF Welcome-Back Picnic

21 Jul 2011 06:53:01 GMT

Every September, FSYF organizes a Welcome-Back picnic for FS families that have recently returned from overseas. Whether or not your family falls into this category, we hope you will attend—to make new friends, reconnect with old ones, and welcome home

your colleagues.

FSYF will provide hot dogs and hamburgers (including a vegetarian option) and drinks. Please bring a salad, side dish, or dessert to share. The picnic will have fun for all children to include face painting, a magician, and games.

Sunday, September 18, from 4-6:30 PM at Nottoway Park in Vienna, VA.

RSVP to fsyf@fsyf.org by September 14.

SOSA Coordinator Wanted

19 Jul 2011 06:45:55 GMT

The annual AAFSW/Secretary of State's Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad (SOSA) recognizes the outstanding volunteer activities of U.S. Government employees, spouses, family members over the age of 18, Eligible Family Member domestic partners, and members of household who are living and working overseas. Read more about this award program at http://www.aafsw.org/sosa.

Want a volunteer position that will lift your spirits and generally improve your outlook about people helping each other? The SOSA Chair has contact with nominees who do the most incredible volunteer service overseas. You will laugh and cry as you read the nominations highlighting some of the unbelievable volunteer projects that make a difference overseas.

If you are well-organized, and enjoy highlighting the services of outstanding volunteers, this position is for you. Contact office@aafsw.org for more information.

Save the Date: September 20 Program

18 Jul 2011 12:57:20 GMT

AAFSW cordially invites its members and their guests to a special program on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Reception room at 10:00 a.m. at the U.S. Department of State.

Our panel will feature two distinguished figures in the field of Middle East policy.

The first is Ambassador David Newton, former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, who will address; “The Arab Spring: Impact on US Middle East Policy.”

Our second speaker will be Dr. Rosa Rai Djalal, President of the Muslim Women‘s Association in Washington, D.C., who will discuss “The Role of Women in Islam”

Please save the date for this interesting program. More details and a reservation form will appear in the September issue of Global Link, and on our website, www.aafsw.org.

Most Cordially,

Sheila Switzer
AAFSW Program Chair
programs@aafsw.org

Photos of the AAFSW Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon June 21, 2011

21 Jun 2011 23:16:59 GMT

Each year, AAFSW thanks its loyal local volunteers with a potluck luncheon. Good food and good times were had by all at this year's event in Arlington, VA.

CLO Alumni Association Get-Together/Lunch

21 Jun 2011 15:32:55 GMT

All former CLOs are happily invited to a get-together and lunch at the home of Donna Ayerst in Great Falls, VA on Saturday, Sept. 17 at noon. Some CLO Alumni Association business, but mostly an opportunity to connect. Please RSVP no later than Sept. 10 to clo@aafsw.org. Rides can be coordinated and directions will be provided.

AAFSW's 51st Annual Art & Bookfair

12 May 2011 20:39:02 GMT

The 51st Annual AAFSW Art & BookFair 2011 is scheduled for Friday, October 14 to Sunday, October 23 in the Exhibit Hall of the Department of State.

We are now accepting donations, especially items for the Art Corner, rare books, coins, stamps and collectibles! For free pickup in the Washington, DC area, call Book Room Manager Brian Newmann at 202-223-5796 Overseas? Consider using the pouch. Send items to Book Room B-816. E-mail bookroom@aafsw.org for information.

We will need many volunteers! If you live in the DC metropolitan area or if you are returning soon, please join us as a volunteer before or during Art and BookFair 2011. More information will be sent this summer to AAFSW members, including the volunteer forms! Join us!!

The May issue of AAFSW's Global Link newsletter is now available

18 Apr 2011 16:06:57 GMT

In PDF format in our members-only section. Highlights of this issue:

AAFSW Board Elections
From the President's Desk
AAFSW's new LinkedIn Network
May Program: U.S. - Iraq Relations
March Program Review: Empowering Women with the WNDC
Professional Development Fellowships
Commentary: Intranet Access for Family Members is Long Overdue
Classified Advertising Section
Useful Family Liaison Office Contacts

If you are an AAFSW member, and need a password reminder to access the newsletter, please contact office@aafsw.org.

Foreign Service Family Member Mentors Wanted

6 Apr 2011 19:44:09 GMT

We are also in the early stages of developing a mentoring program for spouses of entry-level Foreign Service employees. Share your experience! AAFSW members have years of relevant experience ready to offer the new generation. We will be setting up this program to offer online and face-to-face mentoring when possible. For more information about mentoring and to sign up, please email mentor@aafsw.org.

AAFSW Evacuee Support Group Activities

6 Apr 2011 16:39:23 GMT

The AAFSW Evacuee Support Group has been busy! In the Middle East, the evacuation of personnel and family members from Egypt was followed by Bahrain, Libya and most recently Syria. Volunteers have met planes, answered questions, and found baby furniture on short notice. We babysat during Town Meetings, helped to organize a brunch at the Falls Church Oakwood and took spouses to lunch. Some took advantage of an offer by a volunteer who lives in Bryce Mountain to go skiing at the resort.

AAFSW Program Coordinator Sheila Switzer organized a White House Tour for a group of Cairo evacuees. Some of the group then went to the Visitors Center for souvenirs and to eat lunch. Sheila followed this program in April with a Reiki session and lunch at her house. (Reiki is a Japanese healing technique said to relieve stress.)

Elizabeth Bredin, one of the Cairo evacuees, writes about the White House visit. “In contrast to the freezing rain outside, the President's home was stately, flower-filled and welcoming. One evacuee liked the photo exhibits of White House children and famous visitors, while another evacuee liked that the White House is not an ostentatious palace, but a large and elegant home appropriate to the leader of democracy.

The Cairo evacuees in the DC area are staying connected through a variety of group activities, including a hike in Great Falls National Park, a visit to the Phillips Collection and an upcoming dinner with students who attended Cairo American College in the 1970s and 80s who experienced an evacuation following the assassination of Anwar Sadat. We are blooming where we are planted. Nevertheless, the evacuees want to go back to Cairo as soon as possible, to be re-united with their families, complete the school year and witness the historical changes in Egypt.”

Ann LaPorta
AAFSW Member

AAFSW's New SkillsBank

5 Apr 2011 13:15:30 GMT

We have just launched a new service for our members. The AAFSW Skills Bank is a network on LinkedIn designed to promote our members' employment at home and abroad. This will be a closed (members-only) social and professional networking platform for eligible family members (EFMs) and will also include U.S. State Department HR staff, hiring managers and GEI Advisors.

By joining our new SkillsBank, you can promote your professional skills and capabilities to the world. You can contact hiring managers and they can contact you. You can also network with other SkillsBank members interested in the same employment issues.

If you are already on LinkedIn, click here to join the network:

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=3789216&mostPopular=&trk=tyah

Your SkillsBank membership will be active as soon as your AAFSW membership is confirmed.

If you are not yet an AAFSW member, and would like to join, please visit this page to determine your eligibility and apply online:

http://www.aafsw.org/join/membership.htm

Once your AAFSW membership is active, you can join the LinkedIn group right away.

If you are an Human Resources Officer at an Embassy (or a Global Employment Initiative Advisor) you can sign up for this service without joining AAFSW (though we would be delighted if you did join, of course!) Apply directly from the LinkedIn page above. You will receive an email asking for your contact information from the AAFSW SkillsBank administrator requesting your name, phone number and official state.gov email account. Once your eligibility is confirmed, your membership in the SkillsBank will be approved.

We encourage you to forward this information to the HR officer at your post. Remember, HROs can join for free!

Questions? Contact the SkillsBank moderator at skillsbank@aafsw.org.

FSYF Awards and Contests

2 Apr 2011 19:57:42 GMT

The Foreign Service Youth Foundation (FSYF) is offering U.S Foreign Service children an opportunity to showcase their talents, accomplishments and unique perspectives by entering the following contests for 2011:

Art Contest: Sponsored by State Department Federal Credit Union, this contest challenges teens to create art in any flat medium based on the 2011 theme "An American In..." Nine winners (three in each of three age categories) will receive prizes ranging from $100 to $500. Application deadline is April 30, 2011.

Community Service Award: Sponsored by Clements International, this contest honors youth who have demonstrated outstanding volunteer efforts at home or abroad in community service or in service to their peers. Two winners will each receive a $1,500 U.S. savings bond. Application deadline is April 30, 2011.

Environment Contest: Sponsored by the Cultural Center for Interchange (CCI), this contest challenges Foreign Service youth to create an Earth Day themed event at your school, local community center, or outdoors in a nature setting. Invite one local environmental expert to speak about your chosen environmental issue. Send a summary (no more than 500 words) of the event, along with five photos. Three winners will each receive a cash prize of $500. Application deadline is April 30, 2011.

Essay Contest: Sponsored by McGrath Real Estate Services, this contest challenges middle and high school students to answer this question in 1,000 words or less: "You are a Youth Ambassador, given the task of choosing one issue/problem you would focus on for improving the life of youth in the current country you live in (U.S. can apply too). What would your focus issue be and how would you convince others that this is an important issue to tackle and prioritize, given there are so many problems/issues that need attention?" Four winners will receive prizes ranging from $100 to $750. Application deadline is April 30, 2011.

KidVid Contest: Co-sponsored by Peake Management and Diplomatic Automobile Sales. Organized by the Overseas Briefing Center, this contest challenges Foreign Service youth ages 10-18 to produce a DVD about life at an overseas post from a kid's perspective. $1,000 in prize money will be divided among all winners. Application deadline is April 15, 2011.

Winners are recognized at the annual Youth Awards Ceremony at the Department of State in July. Complete announcements, rules, and entry forms are available at www.fsyf.org. Email fsyf@fsyf.org or call (703) 731-2960 if you have questions.

Reminder: AAFSW members may advertise in our Global Link newsletter

25 Mar 2011 16:56:03 GMT

AAFSW now offers advertising to members in our Global Link newsletter. The deadline for submissions to our May issue will be Friday, April 1, 2011.

Due to space limitations, we will not able to accept real estate sales or rentals, or items for sale (cars etc.) at this point. However, we invite AAFSW members to submit a brief advertisement for their own services or products to a new "marketplace" section.

The Global Link is distributed in print and electronically to our members as well as to Community Liaison Offices worldwide. Many CLOs make the Global Link available to their post communities by posting it on the intranet or printing it out to display in their offices. So, each issue is viewed by a minimum of several hundred readers in the Foreign Service community.

When viewed online in PDF format, hyperlinks are clickable, so please, feel free to include a website or email address in your advertisement! Sorry, no image files. Please limit your message to 100 words or less. Advertisements are free to AAFSW members and will be published in the order received, on a rotating, space-available basis. Each ad will appear no more than twice in any one calendar year.

If you would like to submit an advertisement, please send it as an email to office@aafsw.org with the subject heading "Ad for Global Link." The deadline for each issue is the first of the month, with online and print publication taking place approximately two weeks later.

Not yet a member of AAFSW? Join online today! http://www.aafsw.org/join/membership.htm.

Membership Directory Updated

18 Mar 2011 17:48:46 GMT

The AAFSW Membership Directory has been updated and is available to AAFSW members only in PDF format. If you are a member and need the password to download a directory, please contact the AAFSW office at office@aafsw.org.

Photos from AAFSW's February Program: Japanese Tea Ceremony

2 Mar 2011 14:08:19 GMT

For AAFSW's February program, members enjoyed an authentic Japanese tea ceremony presented by Ms. Norie Watanuki and fellow members from the Chado Urasenke Tankokai Washington DC Association.

DVDs of our 50th Anniversary Musical Play are now available!

3 Jan 2011 16:12:00 GMT

DVDs of the AAFSW 50th Anniversary Musical Play are now available for online purchase at $7 apiece. Don't miss this memorable performance, written, directed and performed by members of the Foreign Service community! Click the link for more information and to buy your DVD today.

AAFSW Foreign-Born Spouses Group Holiday Party

20 Dec 2010 14:21:01 GMT

Please enjoy these photos of the AAFSW FBS Holiday Party held on December 11, 2010 in Falls Church, VA.

Updated DC-Area Volunteer Opportunities

13 Dec 2010 14:34:23 GMT

Are you finding that your neighbors don't understand you and the Foreign Service lifestyle? Don't despair, you can find your niche with AAFSW. If you are searching for a way to stay connected to the Foreign Service, AAFSW has a few suggestions. Get involved and volunteer with us. We have a few positions we would like to fill with energetic members who are Foreign Service spouses, family members or employees.

We are seeking the following:

Art Corner Coordinator for Art&BookFair 2011

This person needs to be knowledgeable about art (and handicrafts). The bulk of the work is done in September and October each year, but donations are collected throughout the year. Dianne Bodeen has done it for many years, and would probably be happy to help the new person through the first year. June Carmichael, an excellent art historian, will also be available to assist, though she does not want to be in charge. Applicants are strongly recommended to be or become AAFSW members. Email Faye Barnes at president@aafsw.org to volunteer.

Housing Office Coordinator

This person needs excellent computer skills, to help create and manage an online housing database. The work is to be done in the HST building, so this volunteer will get a State building pass (and probably a parking spot in the basement). Detailed real estate knowledge is not essential. AAFSW membership is essential. Email Faye Barnes at president@aafsw.org to volunteer.

Maryland Book Pick-Ups

This person needs to be willing to drive to various private homes in the State of Maryland to collect book donations. Brian Neumann, our BookRoom manager, will then come to the volunteer's home to take the donations to the State Department. (No one but Brian will be given this person's address or phone number, so nobody will be able to just "dump" books at the volunteer's house!) Email Brian at bookroom@aafsw. org to volunteer.

Archivist

If you are interested in history and preservation, the archivist's position may be a good fit for you. AAFSW is looking for a volunteer archivist to be responsible for the organization and retention of the Association's archives, historic memorabilia, photo collection, audio-visual material and library material. This volunteer position requires computer literacy since the archives are no longer kept in hard copy. All materials must be filed on line including photos. This work can be done from home, or from your office if permitted. Email Faye Barnes at president@aafsw.org to volunteer.

Overseas Representative Liaison

The AAFSW overseas representative works with the Post CLO to ensure that AAFSW material is available at post; works to increase AAFSW membership by marketing the services overseas; gives the board feedback on issues overseas. Email Faye Barnes at president@aafsw.org to volunteer. Come join us in keeping AAFSW the organization where the Foreign Service becomes a community.

Faye Barnes
AAFSW President
president@aafsw.org