Michelle Kwan is nominated as ambassador to Belize

[Deleted member 1204]

And its nice place to raise a child.

Having spent a decent amount of time in Belize, I'm not sure I agree with this. In many ways, Belize is still quite third world. There are some nicer tourist areas but other than that, it is a poor country with crumbling infrastructure and corrupt government. There is almost no healthcare available and the schools are not very good. I wouldn't walk around Belize City after dark. I don't know if the ambassador position requires her to physically live there; visiting for a week while on vacation is very different from living there full time.

 

[VGThuy]

Having spent a decent amount of time in Belize, I'm not sure I agree with this. In many ways, Belize is still quite third world. There are some nicer tourist areas but other than that, it is a poor country with crumbling infrastructure and corrupt government. There is almost no healthcare available and the schools are not very good. I wouldn't walk around Belize City after dark. I don't know if the ambassador position requires her to physically live there; visiting for a week while on vacation is very different from living there full time.

Sounds like New Orleans.

 

[PRlady]

Having spent a decent amount of time in Belize, I'm not sure I agree with this. In many ways, Belize is still quite third world. There are some nicer tourist areas but other than that, it is a poor country with crumbling infrastructure and corrupt government. There is almost no healthcare available and the schools are not very good. I wouldn't walk around Belize City after dark. I don't know if the ambassador position requires her to physically live there; visiting for a week while on vacation is very different from living there full time.

But expats and diplomats usually have their own healthcare, I.e. one expensive hospital that only they and a few rich natives can afford.

My husband‘S ex-wife was recently Israel ambassador to a Baltic country (with better healthcare than Belize.) the diplomats had their own doctors and private hospital and an American School for their kids. They live in a bubble.

 

[Deleted member 1204]

But expats and diplomats usually have their own healthcare, I.e. one expensive hospital that only they and a few rich natives can afford.

Trust me - there is no expensive hospital. For any serious medical issues, people go to Mexico or the US.

 

[Wyliefan]

A new baby, a new job, and a new country all at once is a whale of a challenge even for Michelle Kwan! I hope she has lots of help.

 

[Winnipeg]

I believe Belize has a high murder rate but I am sure she will have protection.

 

[overedge]

How the heck is she going to be an ambassador with s baby. She certainly does not need money. Stay home and enjoy that baby. Those months go by so quickly.

Millions of women manage to work in high-profile difficult jobs while parenting a newborn. "Stay home"? What is this, the 1950s?

 

[flyushka]

When you're in the foreign service, and especially when you're the top diplomat in country aka the ambassador, the quality of life is very high and pretty much like living in the US unless you're in one of a handful of hardship posts. Belize is a pretty desirable landing spot and it's only for a few years. You're given a very nice house often with a pool, they'll ship your car and generally will be very well taken care of. Some countries have more restricted movement than others but the ambassador will have a security detail and shouldn't be too restricted from going out and about and enjoying Belize as it's pretty safe with lots of fun things to do. The foreign service has their own medical staff and a well established system for evacuation if something is needed beyond what can be handled in country, and the US is very close by. There's pretty generous leave to go back to the US and some time on the job is spent in DC as well. When traveling outside the capital city, the host country typically rolls out the red carpet for the US ambassador. I've not been in the foreign service myself but have spent time with FSOs and career foreign service ambassadors in some fairly tough postings, seen their houses and heard some of their stories. She'll be fine and it'll probably be a really cool experience.

 

[Deleted member 1204]

When you're in the foreign service, and especially when you're the top diplomat in country aka the ambassador, the quality of life is very high and pretty much like living in the US unless you're in one of a handful of hardship posts. Belize is a pretty desirable landing spot

LOL well, you're delusional, but hey whatever.

 

[flyushka]

LOL well, you're delusional, but hey whatever.

... In what way? I'm actually totally baffled lol

 

[Sparks]

President Joe Biden offers a shoutout to figure skater Michelle Kwan, whom he’s nominated to be Ambassador to Belize, during today’s Rose Garden AAPI reception: “You do things backward better than most people can do forward!”

 

[Sylvia]

President Joe Biden offers a shoutout to figure skater Michelle Kwan, whom he’s nominated to be Ambassador to Belize, during today’s Rose Garden AAPI reception: “You do things backward better than most people can do forward!”

Starting here in the White House replay video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQH1UrjWydc&t=1000s

 

[Frau Muller]

The hearings on Michele’s nomination were held yesterday, according to this:

PN1662 - Nomination of Michelle Kwan for Department of State, 117th Congress (2021-2022)

PN1662 - Nomination of Michelle Kwan by the U.S. President for Ambassador to Belize at Department of State, 117th Congress (2021-2022)

www.congress.gov

No details on how it went or if it passed, which it should.

 

[Sylvia]

Nominations Hearing on May 18, 2022:

Nominations | United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

www.foreign.senate.gov

Her testimony (2 pages; read starting at the 51-min. mark of the video): https://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/051822_Kwan_Testimony3.pdf

Video replay of yesterday's hearing (also embedded on the Hearing page): https://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/watch?hearingid=CF93CE37-5056-A066-6057-2B8E9169A44F
Timestamps:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1527074360368013312

 

[acraven]

Michelle has been confirmed by the Senate as Ambassador to Belize:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/29/politics/michelle-kwan-us-belize-ambassador/index.html

 

[Vagabond]

People, how did we all let this one slip by?!

https://twitter.com/USMissionBelize/status/1599871582280687618

 

[Sylvia]

Her recent arrival in Belize was posted in her fan thread : https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/michelle-kwan-threads-merged.95345/page-29#post-6349128