Page 27 - IFAFA ebook v4

9.

Anne Ó Fainín

I had travelled very little abroad before our first posting to

Chicago. I looked on it as a great and exiting adventure – and so it

turned out. We set off with our two-year-old daughter and while

there our second girl was born. Moving directly on to Washington

was more complicated as our new baby was only 10 days old.

However, the great welcome we got from our colleagues made it

easier to settle in there.

Our next posting to Zambia was the only one we – by that time

three children – were all together as a family. There with all three

children going to the same school and lots of help at home, life was

great and we all fell in love with Africa and would return to Uganda

on a later posting. Family life was more complicated as the children

reluctantly moved on to boarding school in Ireland, but all worked

out well in time.

I was very fortunate on our early postings to have had such great

colleagues who introduced me to the world of the diplomatic spouse

and provided great support and advice, not least in the areas of

home entertainment and hospitality.

I left my job in the public sector at the time of compulsory

retirement for married women. Apart from voluntary work in Africa

I never worked abroad. When at home in Ireland I only worked in

short-term temporary positions. Consequently, I was short a few

years work to qualify for a pension.

The friendship and support of other spouses have been invaluable

for me as we all shared the same problems and experiences. I was

delighted to be involved in the early years of IFAFA although I still

don’t understand how they trusted me as treasurer!

I have never regretted my diplomatic and nomadic life choice. The

places we have lived in and the people we met have enriched our

lives.

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