The Foreign Service Journal, May 2011

F OCUS ON F ORE IGN S ERV ICE W ORK -L I FE B ALANCE T HE F OREIGN S ERVICE J UGGLING A CT Ian Whadcock 18 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 1 1 t would be an understatement to say that a career in the Foreign Service poses some chal- lenges to a healthy work-life balance. One need only think back to the hectic evacuation of American diplomats from Egypt in February. Or consider the yearly exercise to find volunteers to leave their families behind to serve in Iraq or Afghanistan. But ask Foreign Service employees about their own experiences, and surprisingly few mention the trials of serving M OST FS EMPLOYEES WILLINGLY MAKE PERSONAL SACRIFICES FOR THEIR CAREERS , BUT THEY WOULD LIKE MORE SUPPORT FROM THEIR AGENCIES IN RETURN . B Y S HAWN Z ELLER I