The Foreign Service Journal, January 2006

be more considerate of others, take better care of my mother (who is 81) and enjoy the flowers and trees in summer, the snow in winter and the beautiful autumn leaves. I have time each year for a quiet retreat of sev- eral weeks or months, time to be helpful to family and friends in their times of need. It is amazing for me to be able to select what I think is important to do today, and then have the luxury to do it. Life couldn’t be better! Kristin K. Loken Falling Waters, W. Va. utu Hometown Newspaper Editor: Coming Full Circle I returned to my small hometown in North Carolina in 1980 after 26 years with USIA — not to retire but to take another job, as editor of the local newspaper. Nothing can involve one in a community faster and more deeply than being the editor of a local newspaper. It didn’t take long to fit back in. Because I had to meet frequently with local leaders in order to perform my work, it was relatively easy to learn the dynamics of local politics, economic pressures, social structure and cultural dreams. People who are concerned with big community issues gravitate to the local newspaper editor. It was intense, but worth all the extra effort, and I enjoyed the limelight and the satisfy- ing sense of belonging. The Journal-Patriot was and is the largest non-daily newspaper in North Carolina, and I thoroughly appreciated the opportunity to contribute to its value. I retired again and have since spent much time with community service organizations and worthy projects, among them the library board, historic preservation society, art gallery board, hospital development pro- jects, Kiwanis, the genealogical society, school support, church vestry and a local history project. Growing up in a small Southern town had its bene- fits for someone in the Foreign Service. Patience is a virtue, and I believe my finest moments at overseas posts had something to do with the fact that I found it easier to listen than did many of my more urban col- leagues. On the other hand, my Foreign Service expe- rience no doubt made me a better observer of events and people here when I returned. I served in Indonesia and Japan, primarily, from 1955 until I retired in 1980. They were good posts, but the one I have now is best. Dick Underwood N. Wilkesboro, N.C. utu Retirement Is a Transition Three years before full retirement was possible my wife and I discussed what we wanted to do and where we wanted to live upon retirement. My liberation from the daily work routine began in November 2004, when I was 56, and we moved to Asheville, N.C. We routinely partic- ipate in activities as spectators and as volunteers, and in this period I had the good fortune of being a WAE over- seas for three weeks. Retirement is a transition. For those who can live most- ly on their pension and savings and enjoy the pace of a small city, a transition to Asheville is easy — even if it begins with a shipment of household effects. The positive attributes of Asheville noted in the retirement publications are true. Furthermore, I am reminded why we left D.C. whenever I get Washington traffic reports via the Internet. The best gift of liberation is being able to pursue char- itable activities. My wife and I volunteer with several organizations on a regular basis. They include the Arboretum, Habitat for Humanity, Appalachian Trail maintenance, and the Guardian Ad Litem Program. These activities provide exercise for the body and the mind, as well as entertainment. We meet active people, many of whom are fellow retirees. As a guardian ad litem, I have been applying new skills that directly bene- fit a child. The supervisors thank their volunteers for their work, and being away for an extended period to attend to personal matters is not an issue. We are learning about another interesting part of the country. We observe wildlife and plants during frequent walks on forest trails. The volunteer work and walks pro- vide many opportunities for photography, a hobby I pur- sued in college. I initiated the application for WAE work with DS before retiring, but the enrollment process was not com- pleted for several months after. I receive notices about TDY jobs via e-mail and, as mentioned above, spent three weeks as a security engineer in Paris. It was work I had done before, and fortunately my technical and per- sonal skills were more than adequate. Having the prima- F O C U S 58 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6