Becky at Small bits ("the bits and pieces that I am okay sharing with the world at large") shared some sage words for the diplomatic couple-on-the-go.
Money quote(s):
"As a spouse, sometimes it is hard to figure out where I fit and what my life will mean at each post. Today was thinking a lot about viewing each change as a blank canvas and opportunity for creation versus viewing each change as ripping me from what I understand. I think I have done both. I also thought about what it means to find yourself as a family member in this job that becomes a lifestyle. You need to be yourself but of course you are mindful of your spouse's career. It's a weird lifestyle in the way that we interact with folks from work almost constantly.
I am really grateful for a supportive spouse who loves me as I am and trusts me to find that balance. One day I apologized for playing soccer with all the kids instead of sitting around in high heels at some function. (It was an outdoor, casual event.) He looked me straight in the eye and told me not to apologize. While he gets the need to be culturally sensitive, he basically said, "You're an American woman and part of being an American woman is choosing who you are and what you care about. Sharing that is part of being a diplomat too. I love you and who you are. I trust you to know what is appropriate and when." " (Bold typeface added for emphasis. - CAA.)
CAA wishes he'd said this himself. It's all true. It's "leadership by example" applied to cultural diplomacy.
10/6
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