from a farmer to a

diplomat and beyond

DISCOVER

the book

By CHARLES NICHOLS

“From a Farmer to a Diplomat and Beyond” By the Author, Charles E. Nichols

As I matured and began to travel to so many places to work and enjoy throughout the world, I was encouraged to write a book and leave some of my great memory stories for my relatives, friends and others interested in where I have been and what my career was like. I was always so busy with my work and travels, I never found or took the time to take notes. I had no serious thoughts of some day writing a book. In fact I did not consider writing this book until I had long been retired. The urge did not really push me to do so until I was 79 years old. As I began to write this autobiography, I thought that I must take the story from when I began to remember life as a child, until a few months before my 80th. birthday. Fortunately this old brain has held up thus far to allow me to tell the truthful story of this interesting long journey. After being married by telephone in June 1967 with my wife Betty, the rest of our way through life was even more enjoyable with the support we gave to each other. I hope everyone who reads this book will enjoy this amazing story I have attempted to share with all of you.

 I also hope that the book sellers will promote my book especially, to young early school age children, high school students, college students, farmers, parents, and my Foreign Service and Foreign National friends that I have worked with all over the world. I hope they will enjoy and learn what can be possible in the life, if you continue to dream of an interesting job of travel and living in interesting capitals of the world, as I did. The key to my success, I think, was being so happy to eventually graduate from the hard work of picking cotton in those Alabama cotton fields and finishing high school.

After I graduated from high school and from the cotton fields, I began to be thankful that the farm work became a part of the moving history of my life when I joined the Air Force. Every day afterward, allowed me more time to help me plan and decide what I really wanted to do or didn’t want to do in life.

The text of this book is important as it reflects how successful and happy an Alabama farm boy can dream and work his way through such an interesting career. I was lucky to work with such individuals as general local national employees such as laborers, drivers, typist, and so many intelligent individuals from various countries. To this day, I miss them deeply and wish that somehow I could rehearse my life again to enjoy their presence one more time. As I was promoted up the ranks finally to a GS 14/10, I began to draw the attention of my superiors who, trusted me to carry out special important tasks such as arranging VIP visits from the President, Vice President, Ambassadors, and members of Congress and Senate on down. These special task still required me to perform my regular work as the Embassy’s Administrative Officer or General Services Officer in addition to handling the special task dictated by the Ambassador or from the State Department in Washington. I labeled myself as a good supervisor to the great employees who help me get some of the , often difficult task done. Not only was my work usually enjoyable but it, in many cases was hard and required me to work long hours. My work activities were so extensive it would almost seem one lifetime could not encompass them all. In fact, my hard work, integrity and sincerity won me numerios awards from so many high level members from the key position I have held along the way. I must express special sincere thanks to those individuals in the Bureaus in Washington and the Ambassadors at so many post for having faith in me to be sent on my on to so many foreign countries to perform the spot light task that ultimately won so many accolades us for the job well done.

Please let me take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all of you readers who had any part of supporting me for so many years where ever our paths crossed. I feel very blessed for all of you, present and past, to have been a part of my life. Thanks again!