The Foreign Service Journal, April 2012

28 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / A P R I L 2 0 1 2 fering advice on everything fromWeb site content to plans for expansion. I was quickly nominated to the school board and by the following fall, was a fully indoctrinated volunteer. The school was growing quickly, though, and I was asked to do more than just help out: they wanted to pay me for my efforts. Despite the fact that Iceland and the U.S. had a de facto bilateral work agreement, no diplomatic American citizen spouse had ever worked on the local economy. So no one knew exactly how to get a work permit, since it had never happened before. As luck would have it, the new human resources assistant at the embassy was not only willing to help, but felt (as did I) that success would set a precedent for future U.S. citizen Eligible Family Members at post. Six long months later, I had my Icelandic work permit and could officially receive my paycheck from the school. I was able to teach English as a Second Language at a school that now had 47 registered students, as well as substitute when other teachers were absent. The irony? I ended up leaving my position after working full time for just one semester. I was eight months pregnant withmy third child and wanted the full Icelandic birth experience and bonding time with our little guy, Nicholas. By far, my Icelandic employment was the most difficult experience in many respects. While the job was mine the minute I wanted it, the permit process was much more challenging to complete. However, I have learned that even the impossible is yours if you truly want it and refuse to give up. I’m not working right now for a variety of reasons, but I do know this much. If I desire a job at our next post, my 14 years as an Eligible Family Member has given me the pa- tience and tenacity to see it through. F OCUS No diplomatic American citizen spouse had ever worked on the local economy before me.