cheers to Arizona and a career?

I'll make this entry short, but it should break down my next year.

As I'm reaching 25, I at least have some clarity as to what I want to pursue for a career - working internationally (or for a U.S.-based internationally-focused institution) for either a government or non-governmental organization. My first focus will be the state department.

But that will have to wait...for now. As my last trip came to a close and I was finishing my application for the Foreign Service Officer Test, I received an E-mail stating that the February testing window had been filled worldwide, almost two weeks before the deadline. This was a knock to my plans, but after having all day on Tuesday (because the plane left without me) to think about it, everything worked out.

The Pat Tillman Foundation and its staff have been great. My time here has been productive and educational. And they have shown that they feel the same way towards me. So, when I returned to work on Wednesday I proposed to my boss coming back after graduation to help see through the initiatives I have been guiding. She totally agreed, and now here I am.

I will still go travel with Haynes in March and April and some of May (and with the encouragement of my boss) and will be in touch with the Foundation and kept in the loop throughout this time. Then in June I will come back to start full time, working on a contractual basis until December. I will still be focusing on the FSOT (also, with the encouragement of my boss) and will take that test in June. This all works out perfectly - it is times like these that God shows his direction for your life.

Now, I'm off to root for the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.

So cheers to Arizona, and to the semi-start of my journey into the real world!