The Foreign Service Journal, May 2016

42 may 2016 | the foreign Service journal ing with the manager, I decided to make a run for mayor. The odds were very much against a complete newcomer, but I won. There is a role for diplomacy in municipal government. Being mayor requires empathy and good listening skills, as citizens bring their problems to me for resolution. Given the breadth and depth of my Foreign Service experience, I could see options for solutions that others may not have considered. Running a commission requires tact and courtesy, compromise and, at times, firmness. And as the city’s ambassador, I get out to meet my constituents, explain what we are trying to do and seek support and understanding of the financial constraints facing the municipality. Above all, I am accessible and available to all who want to see me. Taking office, I promised to be a full-time mayor, to tackle pension reform and to lower the tax millage rate. Three terms later, I continue to keep those promises. While most FSOs won’t have the advantage of the support base that I had, you can win a local election. I think many smaller communities would welcome the fresh perspective we bring, our linguistic and public speaking skills, our ability to understand others’ views, and our flexibility and management experience. Take a chance; reinvent yourself, and have fun! Jim Cason is three-time mayor of Coral Gables, Florida. He served as ambassador to Paraguay and chief of mission in the U.S. Interests Section in Cuba and deputy chief of mission in Honduras and Jamai- ca. He also served in Portugal, Italy, El Salvador, Panama, Uruguay, Bolivia, Venezuela and Washington, D.C. Thinking about What’s Next By Ted Curran A key bit of advice for Foreign Service employees planning for retirement is to begin thinking about post-service life opportunities well before you leave the Service. The following questions should be posted on your “What’s Next?” chart. • Are there institutions you have worked with in the Foreign Service such as think tanks, educational institutions or U.S. businesses with offices abroad with whom you have had con- tact? (These are excellent resources for job opportunities.) • During your time in the Service did you pick up a language at level 3 or above that would be helpful to colleges or busi- nesses located overseas? (It is still remarkable how few employ- ees in China or Latin America speak the local language with any facility.) • If married, does your spouse have language or personal ties that both of you can use as entry points for jobs? (The Ford Foundation, for example.) Increasingly, U.S. colleges and universities are promoting study in the United States. These institutions are looking for “counselors” to find and support students from abroad. Assum- ing that FSOs are retiring to university towns, there are (paid) opportunities to be involved in the foreign student programs. Seek an interview with a professional search firm. Their staffs are usually good, and there’s no charge! Ted Curran served in the Bureau of European Affairs and the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs with overseas postings that included Berlin, Amman, Taiz, Rabat and Kabul. He is fluent in German and has a “2+” in Arabic. Keeping Wild Equines Safe and Free By Charlotte Roe G oing from FSO to wild equine caretaker and advocate wasn’t my plan. I’d grown up riding and had livestock on a small ranch in Ohio, but thought I’d left that part of my life behind when I entered the Foreign Service. As intended, immediately after retirement I moved to Colo- rado, where my three sisters live in the mountains, and where I’d done my undergraduate studies. I became active in the Colorado Celtic Harp Society and combined my part-time music career with the ancient art of storytelling. I got involved in Spellbinders, a national organization that trains volunteers to tell stories in public schools and libraries, and I joined Northern Colorado Storytell- ers. Telling animal stories from all corners of the globe to children and adults is a great way to spur learning and pass on traditional knowledge. My specialty is bilingual story-weaving in Spanish, which my husband, Hector, and I speak at home. Our first home in Colorado had a barn, an irrigation well and an