Two Crabs

MacBook: death & rebirth

 On Thursday, my beloved MacBook died.  Somewhere along the bumpy roads from Monteverde to Juntas, Costa Rica, my hard-drive was irreparably damaged. It royally sucked. It was working that morning in Monteverde, but when I arrived at my next destination and turned on my laptop, the only thing I saw was a folder with a flashing question mark!?!?!!  A quick Google search and self-diagnosis determined that my hard drive was dead.

Luckily I had backed up my files the day before, so I only lost a half-day's worth of work. It was more of an inconvenience, and a major expense I had not anticipated or budgeted. It's not like I could just pop into the Apple store down the street. But another Google search brought me to iOne in Playa Tamarindo, about two hours drive from my location. So on Saturday, I bundled up my computer and drove to iOne. The staff were absolutely wonderful. My MacBook went into surgery at noon. I took a long walk down the beach, had a long lunch and paced the sand like a nervous father-to-be while iOne worked on my computer.  A few hours later, I got the call: My MacBook was out of surgery and I could pick her up.

My 3.5 year old Macbook has been reborn. It now has a new hard-drive and upgraded Leopard operating system. She's got triple the storage, double the memory and is lightning fast. They also cleaned her inside and out, so it looks brand new. I had to do a double-take to make sure it actually was my machine! Had to shell out $350 to repair but better than paying $1,350 on that new Macbook Pro that I've been eyeing!   

Before I bought my Mac in 2005, I was a loyal PC user. Now, I would never even think about going back to PC. Amazingly this is the first and only major problem I've ever had with my MacBook; she's been all over the world with me including multiple trips to Iraq. Of course, the roads in Iraq were nowhere near as bad as the roads in Costa Rica!  Here's hoping I can get another 3.5 years out of her.

On another note, after three weeks in Costa Rica, I finally saw monkeys yesterday! A whole family of white-faced capuchins in Rincon de la Vieja, Guanacaste. Monkeys RULE! And MACs rule!

The Garden of Eden

The Garden of Eden, originally uploaded by TwoCrabs.

Tabacon Hot Springs, near La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Greetings from Arenal Volcano

Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica, originally uploaded by TwoCrabs.

Hi ya'll. Mr. Crab is in La Fortuna, currently researching and writing the next edition of Lonely Planet Costa Rica. After 5 days of clouds obscuring the volcano, I finally captured this photo of Arenal Volcano, as viewed from the small village of El Castillo, about 45 minutes drive from La Fortuna on Arenal Lake. Is this awesome or what? If you look to the right of the cone, you can see red hot lava pouring out of the volcano.

Arenal Volcano is on the Two Crabs list of "1001" places you must see before you die!

Greetings from Costa Rica!

Costa Rica, originally uploaded by TwoCrabs.

Hey ya'll! I'm currently in La Fortuna, Costa Rica at the foot of Arenal Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. If you look closely at this pic, you can see steam smoldering from the cone. Apart from the Burger King, La Fortuna is a pretty cool town, though it is full of "gringos". In case you're wondering, I'm here working on my latest assignment for Lonely Planet travel guides (Click on the Flickr link at the top-right for more photos).

So the invitations for January A-100 Foreign Service Orientation Course are going out something this week. I had to place myself on the "Do Not Call" list because it conflicted with this Costa Rica gig. But I'm really hoping for an invitation to February class.

Cheers for now.

Foreign Service update: On The Register!

  Nearly one year to the day since taking the Foreign Service Officers Test (the written exam), Mr. Crab received the good news today that I am now officially on the US Foreign Service Consular Register. For the layperson, that means I have passed all the hurdles including medical and security background checks and "Final Suitability Review." Now it's just a matter of waiting for an seat in the A-100 Foreign Service Orientation Course.

So what's next?  A-100!  Named for the classroom where the course was originally held, A-100 is a 5-week, introduction to the Foreign Service.  At the end of the class, there will be a "Flag Day" ceremony where we find out where in the world I will be stationed for my first tour. Then I'll head to Consular Affairs training, which is six weeks long. Finally, if I end up in a country where I do not speak the language, I'll be sent to language school, which could last anywhere from 3 months to 2 YEARS depending on the language. Only after all the training is complete are JOs, or Junior Officers, shipped abroad to begin their new careers as member of the Bureau of Consular Affairs. 

Click here to learn more about the work of the Foreign Service's Bureau of Consular Affairs.

The Foreign Service is HIRING!  Click here to learn more about careers in the US Foreign Service and Department of State. And no, I don't get any sort of bonus or finders fee for this plug!

My stats
11/4/08: FSOT
2/12: QEP
4/14: Passed FSOA. Score 5.40, Consular Track.
4/17: Security background investigation launched
5/1: Veterans preference bonus points added. New score = 5.575
5/5 & 5/7: Medical appointments at STATE MED. Class 1 clearance issued in-person on 5/7.
5/10: DSS in-person interview (three hours long)
5/16: Medical Clearance hardcopy arrives in mail
6/18: Security case manager requests a final piece of information.
7/17: Took Spanish phone test. Flunked (I know, can you believe that?).
7/17: Background security investigation completed
7/21: Adjudication process initiated
10/21: Security clearance granted

11/3: Final Suitability granted. Placed on Consular track.

Next: Awaiting "The Call," the official invitation to attend the A-100 Orientation Course.

Foreign Service update: Security Clearance issued!

 

  After 6 months and 7 days of waiting, I finally received my security clearance!

It was granted on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The next step is the Final Suitability Review Panel, where a panel of judges looks at my entire case file & background and decided whether I'll make a good Foreign Service Officer. This usually takes about a week to 10 days after all clearances (security and medical) have been granted.

Once I pass the Review panel, candidates get placed on the FS Register, where everyone gets ranked based on their score from the Oral Assessment. Then I just have to sit back and WAIT AGAIN until a seat opens for me to attend the Foreign Service Orientation Course (aka "A-100"), which is based in Arlington, Virginia.

I was in adjudication (3 months), longer than my actual background investigation (two months, 21 days).  Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) wouldn't/couldn't tell me why my case took so long, but I'm guessing it's related to my extensive overseas travel, work and life experience. I've lived in the UK since 2005 and have traveled to nearly 60 countries for business & pleasure, including some not-so-friendly countries like Iraq & Afghanistan. Most of my travel was related to my long journalism career, so this travel was all well-documented. My eQip (SF-86) was about 90 pages long with a dozen foreign contacts listed. Also my parents are naturalized US citizens.

Those three months in adjudication where, without a doubt, the longest three months of my entire life. To those of you who receive your clearance in just 2 or 3 months or never go into adjudication, you don't know how lucky you are. And to those with waits even longer than mine, I truly feel your pain and best of
luck. Hang in there, it WILL happen when you're least expecting!

My stats
11/4/08: FSOT
2/12: QEP
4/14: Passed FSOA. Score 5.40, Consular Track.
4/17: Security background investigation launched
5/1: Veterans preference bonus points added. New score = 5.575
5/5 & 5/7: Medical appointments at STATE MED. Class 1 clearance issued in-person on 5/7.
5/10: DSS in-person interview (three hours long)
5/16: Medical Clearance hardcopy arrives in mail
6/18: Security case manager requests a final piece of information.
7/17: Took Spanish phone test. Flunked (I know, can you believe that?).
7/17: Background security investigation completed
7/21: Adjudication process initiated
10/21: SECURITY CLEARANCE GRANTED

I hereby revoke my membership in the Limbo & Purgatory Club!

Borough Market, London

Borough Market, London, originally uploaded by TwoCrabs.

US vs. UK health care

 There's been a lot of debate in the news lately about President Obama's plan to overhaul the American health care system. Democrats say the system is a mess and must be redesigned. Millions of Americans can't afford or aren't eligible for basic health care. Republicans say Obama's plan for universal health care is "socialized medicine" and would destroy the system.

Quite frankly, I don't understand the Republican arguments. The Republican argument is that somehow "universal health care" translates to socialism, or that universal health care somehow means Americans will lose their current insurance company/doctor/health care provider. Hey GOP, get this through your head: You CHOOSE! (We all know 'choice' is a hard word fro GOP to muster). But here's how it works:  If you're happy with your current insurance company, you can keep it. If you want to switch to the government plan, then that's good too. Besides, Republicans conveniently forget that we already have a form of universal health care...it's called Medicare/Medicaid or Veterans Health Administration.

Whether you're Republican or Democrat, I think we can ALL agree that something needs to be done. Americans should NOT be going bankrupt because they need health care, or forced to chose between buying medicine or buying food.

The Two Crabs are American expats who have lived in the UK since 2005. I've written a few posts defending Britain's National Health Service (NHS). Sure it has its problems. It's not perfect. But in the UK, we have a CHOICE. You can either be on NHS, or you can pay out-of-pocket for private health insurance just like Americans do. Contrary to public opinion, NHS is not completely free. The cost comes out of your taxes and National Insurance contributions, but it's still much cheaper than American health insurance.  As a self-employed person, I pay about £150 pounds a year in National Insurance contributions...less than $250 for a full year of unlimited coverage.

Let me give you a basic, black & white example of UK vs. US health care systems:

Mr. Crab takes cholesterol-lowering statins (Zocor, aka Simvastatin). Today, I went to the doctor to get a check-up and results of a recent blood test. I got a same-day appointment, waited 5 minutes in the waiting room before I saw the doctor. I was in and out of the office in 15 minutes. When I left the office, I walked straight out the front door, bypassing the receptionist. That's because in the UK, if you have NHS health care, you DO NOT PAY anything to see a doctor. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zero.

Next, I walked down the street to the Boots pharmacy to fill a 90-day supply of 10mg Simvastatin. I waited 15 minutes for the refill, then paid £7.20, or about $11.97 (low-income NHS patients pay nothing).  When I got home, I went online to Drugstore.com to compare US prices. If I had no insurance, the same supply of Zocor would cost $249.99!  The generic version of the drug is much cheaper at $49.97, but that's still about $38 more than we pay in the UK for the exact same drug. 

Quite frankly, I'm gobsmacked. There is NO excuse or argument for why Americans should have to pay 3x or 20x more than Brits for life-saving drugs.

Sure NHS isn't perfect. It's great for everyday stuff like physicals, prescription drugs, and minor ailments like cold or swine flu. But as some of my friends can attest, NHS has much to be desired if you need a specialist doctor or non-emergency surgery; the wait-time for surgery can be months, a year or longer. 

NHS is not perfect. But choosing NO health care over universal health care, I'll take the universal health care any day. 

What's new

Mr. Crab is back in London after a 10-day visit back home to Washington DC, where I spent way too much money on American candy and decorations for Halloween in London. And where the US media is WAY to obsessed with this whole Balloon Boy hoax. I love this "I Want to Believe" parody poster!

Mr. Crab is going to Costa Rica for his next Lonely Planet assignment!

And yes, I'm STILL in adjudications (aka the Limbo & Purgatory Club). At this rate, I won't get my security clearance until 2011. Due to accepting this Lonely Planet gig, the earliest Foreign Service A-100 class I can accept will likely be February or March. Wish me luck.

Borough Market, London

Borough Market, London, originally uploaded by TwoCrabs.

Borough Market is, hands down, the best market in London. It's a foodie's paradise, with hundreds of vendors selling everything from fresh organic fruit & veg to ostrich burgers and rabbit kebabs.