The Foreign Service Journal, December 2011

J O U R N A L OREIGN ERVICE S F T HE M AGAZINE FOR F OREIGN A FFAIRS P ROFESSIONALS Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published monthly with a combined July-August issue by the American Foreign Service Associa- tion (AFSA), a private, nonprofit organization. Material appearing herein represents the opin- ions of the writers and does not necessarily rep- resent the views of the Journal , the Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries and submissions are invited, preferably by e-mail. Journal sub- scription: AFSA members – $13 included in an- nual dues; others – $40. For foreign surface mail, add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing offices. Indexed by Public Affairs Information Services (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply the endorsement of the services or goods offered. TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045 FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820 E-MAIL: journal@afsa.org WEB: www.afsa.org; www.fsjournal.org © American Foreign Service Association, 2011. Printed in the U.S.A. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to – AFSA Attn: Address Change 2101 E Street N.W. Washington DC 20037-2990 Printed on 50-percent recycled paper, of which 10 percent is post-consumer waste. 4 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 1 C ONTENTS S ETTING U P S HOP IN THE N EWLY I NDEPENDENT S TATES / 49 Veterans of the 1991-1993 era of post openings in the former Soviet Union tell their stories. By Mike Tulley, Julie Ruterbories, Tamara Burkovskaia, Isken Sydykov and Mary Kruger E URASIA ’ S T ROUBLED F RONTIERS / 56 Unresolved conflicts haunting the former Soviet states could hold clues to how the region develops in the decades ahead. By Robert McMahon S C H O O L S S U P P L E M E N T C OLLEGE A PPLICATIONS C HECKLIST FOR 11 TH - GRADERS / 73 Here is a no-nonsense guide to getting a jump-start on the college application process. By Francesca Kelly W HEN B OARDING S CHOOLS A RE AN O PTION / 98 Boarding schools often provide much-needed continuity for Foreign Service Families. By Leah Wallace W HAT ’ S IN A C OLLEGE R ANKING ? / 104 With its unique approach to college rankings, Washington Monthly points to a new fault line in American higher education. By Laura Pettinelli and Susan Maitra S CHOOLS AT A G LANCE / 85 Essential data on educational choices. A F S A N E W S AFSA B OOK N OTES E VENT F EATURES A FGHANISTAN E XPERT / 63 D ISSENT : A J OB R EQUIREMENT / 63 N EWS B RIEFS / 64 S TATE VP: O UTSTANDING M EDICAL P ROGRAMS , B UT S TILL N O G UARANTEE OF S AFETY / 65 FCS VP: S TRUGGLES OF THE DDG / 66 CLO C OORDINATORS : C OVERING A LL THE B ASES / 66 A Y EAR -E ND M ESSAGE FROM THE E XECUTIVE D IRECTOR / 67 AFSA W ELCOMES N EW F OREIGN S ERVICE E MPLOYEES / 68 ... A ND C ONGRATULATES R ETIREES / 69 C LASSIFIEDS / 70 Editor S TEVEN A LAN H ONLEY Senior Editor S USAN B. M AITRA Associate Editor S HAWN D ORMAN AFSA News Editor D ONNA A YERST Ad & Circulation Manager E D M ILTENBERGER Art Director C ARYN S UKO S MITH Editorial Intern L AURA P ETTINELLI Advertising Intern M INH -N HAT (L EO ) T RAN E DITORIAL B OARD J AMES P. S EEVERS Chairman J UDITH B AROODY W ILLIAM D. B ENT G ORDON S. B ROWN S TEPHEN W. B UCK K ATE W IEHAGEN L EONARD R ICHARD M C K EE J ED M ELINE G REGORY L. N AARDEN L YNN R OCHE R ACHEL S CHNELLER