The Foreign Service Journal, May 2004

through the metal detector, the guard made it as painless as possi- ble. At the other side of the barrier yet another guard said: “Welcome home, sir. I’m sure it feels good to be back.” That gesture, along with the courteous behavior of his other colleagues at the C Street lobby, gave me a good feeling about the institution and its people, and it reinforced my sense of “belonging.” These individuals, along with State management, deserve our kudos. Frank Almaguer Ambassador, retired Vienna, Va. Thanks from a Tourist in Paris I want to express my thanks for the care I received from employees of the U.S. embassy in Paris before, during, and after being hospitalized while vacationing there. The work of these dedicated employees goes relatively unrecognized back home. Few citizens understand what they do. As a thankful beneficiary of their fine care, I’m compelled to share my story, the story of an American tourist. It happened several years ago, but is still fresh in my memory. A speeding car that failed to stop at the traffic signal hit me. Following emergency surgery for a badly bro- ken shin, facial stitches, and a mor- phine drip for painfully bruised ribs and a torn rotator cuff, I regained weary consciousness. The hospital became “home” for the next eight nights, and there my relationship with our Foreign Service began. Someone, perhaps from the hos- pital, immediately alerted Embassy Paris of my situation. Upon my sec- ond awakening, a kind and knowl- edgeable man named Tom was at my bedside. (Earlier another em- bassy representative had dropped by while I was semi-conscious, L E T T E R S 8 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A Y 2 0 0 4 Web access to major advertisers. Go to www.afsa.org an d click on the Marketplace tab on the marquee Bukkehave www.bukkehave.com Charles Smith Corp. Living www.SmithLiving.com Clements International www.clements.com DC Suites www.www.dcsuites.com Diplomatic Auto. Sales www.diplosales.com Executive Club Suites www.execlubdc.com Georgetown Suites www.georgetownsuites.com Harry Jannette International www.jannetteintl.com Hirshorn Company, The www.hirshorn.com Laughlin Management www.laughlincompanies.com Long & Foster www.simunek.com Marriott www.marriott.com Oakwood www.oakwood.com Promax (e-mail) promax@erols.com Prudential Carruthers www.prudentialcarruthers.com Remington www.remington-dc.com SDFCU www.sdfcu.org U.S. Gov’t Printing Office http://.bookstore.gpo.gov/sb/ sb-075.html WJDManagement www. wjdpm.com For more information about advertisers in the Journal go to: www.afsa.org/marketplace MARKETPLACE