AAFSW is an excellent resource for newcomers to the Foreign Service!

A new and successful AAFSW mentoring program matches newcomers with experienced Foreign Service family members. Click here for more information or to sign up!

Our publications, which include Realities of Foreign Service Life Volumes I and II, offer a unique first-person view of the Foreign Service experience. In addition, our newsletter, Global Link, continuously runs articles, advice and news items of interest to our global community.

Our website offers an archive of Global Link articles to AAFSW members. A section outlining State Department resources provides quick links to official information. A comprehensive listing of Foreign Service blogs, FS/expat community websites, and post research websites is a great starting point for researching unofficial resources and viewpoints.

Our Facebook page is another outlet for community news and information, as well as a way for our members to network.

Our “Livelines” Yahoo! Group, with over 4,000 members around the world ranging from old-timers to newbies, and including some experts within the Department, is a gold mine of practical information about life overseas, specific posts, dealing with the bureaucracy, and many other topics. It also functions as a marketplace for rental houses, cars, furniture and more.

In the Washington, D.C. area, AAFSW sponsors regular programs and happy hours, as well as information sessions and discussion sessions on various Foreign Service topics. Member interest groups, such as the Foreign-Born Spouses group and Playgroup, are a great way for newcomers to the FS to network and meet more experienced family members.

We welcome you to our community!