Turn and face the strange...

It's pretty clear to me that massive changes of one sort or another are afoot. If nothing else, my maid really needs to be fired: this is the second set of linens she's ruined, even after we've carefully gone over the laundry-sorting concept. Everything I own is settling into a lowest common denominator of streaky apricot. It's not a designer look.

I know I'm practically crying wolf by talking about every potential volunteer posting (and anyway, not true: K and I discussed and dismissed Haiti without public input), but this is one that keeps me coming back to it:

Science and technology officer, Hanoi.

It would be career suicide. For one thing, I'd be going from an 02 position to an 03 one (lower numbers are better). For another, it's a job outside my career "cone," and, through no fault of my own (i.e., assigned to miserable back-to-back consular tours), I have very little in-cone experience.

On the other hand...it's not like I even want to be ambassador someday. Promotions are about nothing so much as pride: promotion lists are public and eagerly read by all; being promoted years after the rest of one's entering cohort would both be humiliating and actively discussed by others. But pride aside, promotion is rather meaningless: when I got my first competitive one in October, I was shocked by how little extra money it meant. Hanoi's greater hardship pay would more than outstrip the financial loss of non-advancement.

I visited Hanoi from Chiang Mai and really liked it. It's about the right size; the food is incredible; the travel opportunities are good; it's safe; the culture is interesting. It's got major drawbacks, too, but none that Mumbai doesn't have writ larger.

And the science officer gig could be good. When I did my consultations in Delhi, I met the Embassy's science officer, and we had a wonderful long chat, because I knew all the issues in his portfolio -- these are the topics I follow out of personal interest -- and when I left, I clearly remember thinking "man, that guy has a great job."

The job would likely come with a year of Vietnamese training. Perhaps not the most useful language to acquire, but I think I could do it; I mean, the grammar appears to be identical to Thai. I wouldn't be crazy about spending a year in a temporary apartment in DC without any of my stuff, but I suppose there'd be advantages to being back in the US, both if K and I split and if we don't.

The hard part is this really forces me to decide about my career. The job I have now, both because of its level and the number of people and resources I supervise, actually ought to be career-enhancing. Even if I only do the half-assed job I'm motivated to, I have a fair shot at promotion the next time I'm eligible, in two years, and a good chance of promotion in three. Change jobs, and I'm more likely looking at four or five years. But is that worth hating India for another two years?