For those following this blog, you know I’ve had some rare opportunities to have important government officials speak to our class. But the topper was this morning. The Deputy Secretary John Negroponte spoke to us last week and then did our swearing-in on Friday. For some reason, he has really taken to us. He said to us and others have told us he considers himself part of the 132nd A-100 (my orientation class), and on Friday he said he wants to be considered an honorary member our class. The reason we have been told is because he believes this will be his last major role in the State Department (after 46 years); so he is on his way out and we are on our way in. He seems to like the paradox.

Anyway, he has taken to us, like I said, and for that reason, he invited us to his official swearing-in ceremony this morning. The ceremony was in the Benjamin Franklin diplomatic reception room, which was beautiful. Important people (I’m assuming) from the State Department along with foreign ambassadors were in attendance. At 10:25, someone introduced the Deputy Secretary, the Secretary of State, and the President of the United States!! President Bush walked in and stood up on the stage right in front of me. Oh, I was on the 3rd row. Sec. Rice spoke for a couple of minutes and then the Commander in Chief spoke for about 5 minutes (including referencing and speaking directly to our class). Then the “D” was sworn-in, and he got up and spoke for about 10 minutes. At one point he talked about the 132nd and then he said, “Mr. President, I would like to present to you the 132nd A-100 class.” Wow!!!

The Secretary’s speech: http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2007/feb/81123.htm

The video of the ceremony (I’m there, but you can’t really see me): http://tinyurl.com/2569pp

The President and D’s speech (Look for the references to 132nd): http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/02/20070227-2.html#

After it was all over, they walked off the stage and shook the hands of those on the 1st and 2nd rows (unfortunately I was on the 3rd), all the while “Hail to the Chief” was being played. The President and Sec. Rice left the room, and everyone else was invited to a reception for the D. There was a receiving line, so I was able to shake Negroponte and his wife’s hand. He asked where I was going, to which he replied, “That’s a great post.” (I had shaken his hand on Friday and he said “Good post” when I told him Bogota, so at least he’s consistent.) We then moved into a room that had Thomas Jefferson’s desk and a copy of the Treaty of Paris (which is what ended the Revolutionary War). Waiters walked around with duck, some sort of cheese, shrimp, champagne, etc.

Obviously, this was a rare and perhaps once-in-a-lifetime experience, since I’ll quickly be moving into more training and eventually adjudicating several hundred visas a day. But it has been absolutely incredible while it has lasted. God has been very gracious in giving me these opportunities over the last 8 weeks.

But none of these experiences will compare to tomorrow, when we find out whether we’re having a boy or a girl!!! Stay tuned!