tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post1168559398662219519..comments2023-11-20T19:11:24.418+05:30Comments on DiploLife: The Differences Between the Hardship, Danger, Service-Needs Differential and Hard-to-Fill DesignationsNatalie Buda Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07619472877535500690noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post-86788109444692880202010-05-18T11:20:57.641+05:302010-05-18T11:20:57.641+05:30Thanks for the link Dan!Thanks for the link Dan!Natalie Buda Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07619472877535500690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post-1480385612842218632010-05-16T03:33:42.703+05:302010-05-16T03:33:42.703+05:30Excellent post! It's often difficult to read ...Excellent post! It's often difficult to read through the Department's rules and regs on how pay is determined. I'll be adding this link to my site if you don't mind. www.110to220.com. <br /><br />And to those that serve at a Service-Needs Differential post i have one more thing to add. I've had this happen to myself and to others. It is possible for the annual 15% payment not to be received automatically. I had to remind our Financial Office, at post, to process my annual payment each year on my anniversary of arrival. So it's always wise to check your pay period statements.<br /><br />DanNomadichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11272050271174748499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post-22309333297243172442010-01-05T21:08:43.438+05:302010-01-05T21:08:43.438+05:30Thank you so much, Natalie.Thank you so much, Natalie.Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13742538867410215197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post-57070979461391177332010-01-05T08:39:43.802+05:302010-01-05T08:39:43.802+05:30Mom,
Household help is available at many posts, b...Mom,<br /><br />Household help is available at many posts, but the cost can vary dramatically. FLO is a good source for information on the cost of nannies, with their Childcare Report, available on the intranet.<br /><br />Otherwise, the Community Liaison Office at post is a good start for finding help at post. Some keep lists of available people.<br /><br />The best way to find help is to hire one that worked well from a departing officer.<br /><br />In my opinion, the issue with hiring help is not usually the availability but the quality of their services.<br /><br />I need to write a blog post on this!<br /><br />Yes, Kolkata is a great post for a Junior Officer that is single, married/with partner, or with small kids. Middle school to high school aged kids may find the post very challenging.Natalie Buda Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07619472877535500690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post-84053848922855014132010-01-05T02:56:47.340+05:302010-01-05T02:56:47.340+05:30@Mom, no clue re. homeschooling, but I suspect it&...@Mom, no clue re. homeschooling, but I suspect it's still a no-go. I have no kids, so I ignored that part of the post report!hannahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14664942400486395078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post-14968429869433106522010-01-04T21:19:25.114+05:302010-01-04T21:19:25.114+05:30Thank you so much. I know I sort of bombarded you....Thank you so much. I know I sort of bombarded you... but I really do appreciate the information. <br /><br />@ Hannah: If the children are home schooled, would the "no school aged children" still apply? We home school now and will continue to do so regardless of where we are. <br /><br />@ Natalie: Everything I have read recommends that we should hire house help when we arrive at post. Is that process difficult? <br /><br />Also, would you recommend Kolkata to new FSOs?Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13742538867410215197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post-80455913707262493472010-01-04T21:14:08.873+05:302010-01-04T21:14:08.873+05:30Great post! In my never ending quest for not reinv...Great post! In my never ending quest for not reinventing the wheel, I have linked to you here: http://lifeafterjerusalem.blogspot.com/2010/01/differences-between-danger-and-hardship.htmlDiggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03856750834804127824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post-44690051104213528552010-01-04T20:25:10.382+05:302010-01-04T20:25:10.382+05:30Thanks Hannah! I am exhausted!Thanks Hannah! I am exhausted!Natalie Buda Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07619472877535500690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post-14885490969646012472010-01-04T18:11:53.405+05:302010-01-04T18:11:53.405+05:30Another related topic: the difference between hard...Another related topic: the difference between hardship, limited unaccompanied, and unaccompanied posts. Kolkata is a hardship post (over 25%, which I think is still the threshhold). Riyadh is currently limited unaccompanied - no school-age kids, and EFMs must get a job in the embassy. Baghdad is unaccompanied, period. Baghdad is, of course, a hardship tour as well - but it has a few more hardships than most!hannahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14664942400486395078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post-1079758740083233352010-01-04T15:22:36.929+05:302010-01-04T15:22:36.929+05:30Mom,
For us in Kolkata, we were happy that we dec...Mom,<br /><br />For us in Kolkata, we were happy that we decided to bring our dog, artwork and large toy/activity items for our daughter. The things that make the housing more personalized for you are very comforting. We had debated on whether we should bring our artwork, since we were afraid that it might get lost or damaged during shipping. But everything arrived fine and it really helps make our housing feel more like home. We have been lucky in India since there are so many things to buy for a home as well.<br /><br />The diplomatic pouch has been great for many other things that we did not bring. There are a lot of restrictions, but the limiting factors for us has been: no more than 16 oz liquid, no liquid in glass containers and no package larger than 29” on any size. Other posts may have different specifications but the size limits I have seen are anywhere from 32” to 29”. Which leads me to the large toy/activity items. If you want a specific large item for your children that may not be available or very expensive at post, make sure to put it in your HHE. If your post is an APO/FPO post, then you have different restrictions, which can be found here: http://www.oconus.com/ZipCodes.asp.<br /><br />Yes, it is definitely worth bringing your favorite American brands in your HHE if the are not available or very expensive at post. And a definite must if they are liquid since you may not be able to order them and send them through the diplomatic pouch.<br /><br />Minnesota Gal’s Blog at http://minnesotagal.wordpress.com/, has great posts on their love of ravioli and Diet Coke, for your enjoyment:<br />http://minnesotagal.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/for-the-love-of-ravioli-and-diet-coke/<br />http://minnesotagal.wordpress.com/2009/09/11/the-moment-ive-been-waiting-73-days-for/<br /><br />For the question about posts with Danger Pay: a post can qualify for danger pay but still be accompanied. There is a list of unaccompanied posts, where family members are not allowed to travel as part of the diplomatic community. The list can change based on current events, so you will want to check with the OBC or the Family Liaison Office (FLO) to get the most current list for your bidding. FLO has some great information on unaccompanied tours at http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c14521.htm.<br /><br />In my opinion, the most difficult part of being a trailing partner (outside of the career issues) is to have to rebuild your identity or day-to-day relationships at every posting. When you arrive at a new post, you basically have a clean slate to begin with unless you already know people there from previous posts or lives. You can either find this refreshing or frustrating, since it takes a lot of energy to express the depth of your personality that you had already established at a former location.<br /><br />Yes, I have seen Internet access at every post we have looked at, it is mainly the cost and the speed that varies.Natalie Buda Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07619472877535500690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post-1405334146247403372010-01-04T12:45:02.937+05:302010-01-04T12:45:02.937+05:30I forgot to mention Tales from a Small Planet at h...I forgot to mention Tales from a Small Planet at http://www.talesmag.com/. They have Real Post Reports (RPRs) that also tend to have candid accounts of each post. Very helpful to weigh this information with the OBC's Post Info to Go.Natalie Buda Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07619472877535500690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post-59973562619671115932010-01-04T12:33:28.654+05:302010-01-04T12:33:28.654+05:30Thank you, also, for your response in "still ...Thank you, also, for your response in "still overwhelmed." <br /><br />More questions: <br /><br />What do you think is absolutely necessary to bring along and what can be left behind? (typically... I know this will vary some small bit.)<br /><br />If the post is not a consumables post, is it worth it to use some of your HHE weight for food products that your family is attached to? (I have peanut butter addicts here)<br /><br />Several posts that are hardship posts also have danger differentials. Is the spouse and family automatically banned from traveling to posts with a danger differential?<br /><br />What is the most difficult part of being a 'trailing spouse' for you? <br /><br />Is Internet access generally available for most posts?Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13742538867410215197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367506432776930657.post-35847422849451690852010-01-04T12:28:17.719+05:302010-01-04T12:28:17.719+05:30I just adore you!!!
I would have LOVED to have fo...I just adore you!!!<br /><br />I would have LOVED to have found that chart for the Hardship percentages earlier. I ended up going through each individual location to find out the hardship rate. I never could find that chart. THANK YOU for giving me the link.<br /><br />I did find a bunch of useful information through the Family Life portion of the website. I hope to have as much research and information as possible completed by the time we need it. <br /><br />I've been able to access old reports - 2004, I think - of the various locations. This is giving me very useful information regarding the reasons a post might be determined to be a hardship. Many of the reasons for hardship will not be an issue for us because it just doesn't apply. I'm a SAHM, we home school our children already, and we don't have any TV reception here so it won't matter if we don't have TV reception there, either. (as long as I can take my TV and VCR/DVD player along - with my vast collection of videos to go along with it)Momhttp://momstop.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com