I'm a STUD.

Within the last week I have received emails from Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Kerry.  

I AM very important, after all....

....are you impressed?....

Well, okay it was a mass email to all State Employees, but I thought it was pretty fabulous. 

In both emails, they made jokes about the acronyms of the State Department. 

It's a bit overwhelming at times. There are still meetings that I go to where I have to write down the acronym and look it up at my desk. Maybe after a year I will get the hang of it...but then I hear they just change the names and create new acronyms. I cannot wait.

For example:

I am an EFM, who is the CLO(which is a FMA). 

My Hubs is an ELO working in CON. He likes to volunteer with PAS.

Easy, right? 

You got it? 

GREAT!

Welcome to the FS! 

(Foreign Service)

Translation: 

I am an Eligible Family Member(aka spouse or partner), who is the Community Liaison Office Coordinator, which is a Family Member Appointed Job. My Hubs is an Entry Level Officer working in the Consular Section. He likes to volunteer in the Public Affairs Section. 

It can be very confusing at times. It seems to never end. It's kind of like a fun secret code.

Last week one of my yoga students shared with me a new acronym:

STUD

Translation:

Spouse Trailing Under Duress

It sounds a bit awful, being under duress, but it's kind of true and I like being called a STUD. 

So now, when people ask me what I do, I can say I am a STUD. 

Perhaps only the EFMs out there can appreciate this, but I once had someone(an ELO) snatch his hand away from me when I said I am an EFM. It was as if he could not touch me or he would get leprosy.

**I did some googling; this is a very European phrase(my student is French) and mostly used for men who are trailing spouses, but I like it, and I am rolling with it**

Much love to all my other STUDs out there!!!