"Though I’m still not convinced that taking a moto-taxi that day was grounds for reprimand, I do appreciate that approaching a Foreign Service assignment through a Peace Corps lens is not always appropriate. But those of us with that background can definitely draw on our volunteer experience to enhance our role as official representatives of our government."
From the Peace Corps to the Diplomatic Corps
From the Peace Corps to the Diplomatic Corps
[Excerpt]
My first assignment with the Foreign Commercial Service was to Lagos. I figured they picked me because I was an ambitious new officer who had lived in West Africa before (the fact that I had a pulse and they could direct-assign me may also have played a role). In fact, my wife and I had met in the Peace Corps about six years earlier, when we were both serving as volunteers in Cameroon. We figured that Nigeria would be similar in many ways, except this time we’d have a few perks like indoor plumbing and electricity.
In some ways, that turned out to be true. Although we were unprepared for how lavish our housing and work environment were in comparison with what we’d had back in our volunteer days, the overall atmosphere of the city was familiar and comfortable to us. I ate daily with my Foreign Service National employees in local chop houses across from the consulate, and was even able to use the pidgin English I’d spoken in Cameroon to break the ice with counterparts and haggle in outdoor markets.
But a key difference quickly became apparent. One weekend I was trying to get to the American Club to meet a friend for tennis. My wife had the car, and it was too long (and hot) to walk, so I did what I would have done on any given day anywhere in Cameroon: I stuck out my hand as a motorcycle was passing by and hopped on the back to hitch a ride. The driver took me right to the club, I “dashed” him the equivalent of about 20 cents, and he thanked me and zoomed off.
The following Monday, I was called into the regional security officer’s office. Apparently I had been seen — and reported. Riding local transport was a big no-no in Lagos. My initial reaction was disbelief. Could the embassy really be this paranoid? I griped to my wife that evening, but complied with the RSO’s rules from that point forward.
Though I’m still not convinced that taking a moto-taxi that day was grounds for reprimand, I do appreciate that approaching a Foreign Service assignment through a Peace Corps lens is not always appropriate. But those of us with that background can definitely draw on our volunteer experience to enhance our role as official representatives of our government.
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