By Christina Lee

Town Crier Editorial Intern

Have you ever lived in the jungle? Tried paan? It’s highly doubtful, but for foreign service officer, Kira Glover Kruglikova, sleeping in the desert or flying to New Delhi is just another part of the job.

Although the Los Altos native spends her time living in foreign countries with sporadic electricity and sampling unique delicacies, her profession receives very little recognition. As a United States foreign service officer, Kruglikova represents the United States on a variety of world issues. Not only does she work towards the U.S. goal to educate foreigners about Americans, but she also works to establish comfortable working conditions for other Americans working as ambassadors or diplomats.

In addition to having earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley, Kruglikova studied at the University of Illinois and Urbana-Champaign.

Equipped with both a master’s degree and an MBA in inorganic chemistry, Kruglikova, a Los Altos native, became drawn to the Foreign Service during her time at Abbott Lab’s manufacturing site.

Having heard from a friend about another colleague who had just taken the Foreign Service written exam, Kruglikova said she became intrigued by the unique opportunity. She decided to go ahead and take the exam.

“The test was free so I was like, ‘What the heck?’ I mean, you get to travel and they teach you the native language of the country.”

Soon after, Kruglikova started her service as a foreign service officer at the age of 27. Spending two-to-four years (depending upon the living conditions) in countries like Russia, New Delhi, Germany and India, she began to develop a passion for both the public service aspect of the profession but also a personal love for being able to travel so much.

“I like that I’m working for the same organization, but I get to move all around the world. You don’t get stuck in one place,” she said. “You never get bored because you’re always doing something new.”

Being a foreign service officer also means that she is able to make a difference in the world, especially overseas where she feels she is able to more directly assist others.

During her ventures, Kruglikova has contracted typhoid fever in New Delhi and has worked in the Taj Mahal trying to fix air pollution problems which were degrading the palace’s marble.

Despite the unsanitary conditions of some countries, Kruglikova said living in St. Petersburg, Russia, was probably one of her hardest assignments because of the high crime rates and Russia’s often awkward relationship with the United States.

However, she also relishes the experience for being the place where she first met her husband. Now a happily married mother, Kira and her family travel around the world together and are currently settled in Washington, D.C.

In the next month. Kruglikova and her family will be making their way to Geneva, Switzerland, where they will be living for the next four years.

Kruglikova strongly encourages people of all ages to take the Foreign Service written exam, which is being offered this September.

Interested persons can learn more about opportunities to try paan (an Indian leaf with betal nut dish), learn foreign languages and spend their time learning about foreign culture, online, at www.careers.state.gov.