ConGen

ConGen is the nickname for the Consular Studies course here at FSI (Foreign Service Institute).  Since every officer is required to serve in a consular position at least once prior to getting tenure, everyone ends up taking ConGen early in their career.

ConGen is 6 weeks long and I had been concerned that it would be very dry and boring.  After all - you're learning about the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 and how it's applied today.  Since I'm not a lawyer and most of what I know about the law I learned from watching Law and Order, I was fully prepared to suck it up and knuckle down and just get through it.

Boy-Howdy have I been surprised.  FSI has either managed to find the best instructors ever - or they've got the best instructor training program around.   Each one of our instructors has conveyed all the intricate information in ways that are clear and organized and very interesting.  Their enthusiasm about the topics shine through and infect the rest of us.

It never occurred to me that it could all be so interesting.  Learning the intricacies of passports and nationality, immigration visas and non-immigration visas and American Citizen Services is really fun.  I know I'm sounding like a big nerd - and maybe I'm becoming one.  I have been learning and understanding the lingo and sometimes when I hear myself use it, I have to pause and laugh at myself.  Who knew that I would ever be able to speak, much less understand, the "government speak"?

I am really looking forward to my consular post!

Reason Magazine has a great cartoon about immigration.