Well, it was good while it lasted: Almost a year after joining the Department of State, they’re finally making me do some work.

Actually, I’m thrilled. As much as I dreaded maternity business suits and an 8+ hour workday a few months back, now I actually find myself excited about the change. I’m tired of lectures. I’m tired of homework. I’m tired of theory. I want to do something. (Plus, Main State’s cafeteria is way better than FSI’s.)

I’ve lined up a bridge assignment with AF/PDPA, or in plain English, the Africa bureau’s public diplomacy office. I’ll start as soon as ConGen ends, two weeks from today, and work as close to my due date as I’m able. Seeing as how I’m going to Africa to do public diplomacy work, I expect the next few months to be both interesting and useful.

I just hope my colleagues take pity on me with the whole business suit thing, because I can’t bring myself to buy any maternity ones. Here’s hoping creative use of my existing wardrobe will suffice…