Mission Accomplished... "What's Next?"

After two and half years of thinking about it, I finally took the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) today. The long anticipation for the test date has instantaneously turned into an anxious wait for results (10 weeks). Even if I pass the test, it will be another 10 weeks before I know if I passed the review process (test results and personal narrative submitted during registration). Then another 3 months before I can do the next test (FSOA or FS Oral Assesment). I feel cautiously optimistic about my chance to make it to phase II, but we'll see. I know a few questions I got wrong, and I felt extremely pressed on the essay writing part. I can't say much more because I signed an Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). I probably broke the NDA just by saying I signed it, so 'nough.

The real question (thanks for voicing it on gtalk, Scott) is "What's next?" I have no test to study for so no excuse to stay home. I do have 3 papers to write for my classes and I need to do well in case it's back to school. But I definitely need to start doing something to find employment (paid or not) to further my goals of going into public policy research. I will report more on this development as I regroup this week.

Before I go, I just want to give my wife a big shout-out for supporting me so far in my craziness (and a bit of lazyness).