September 25 – November 27, 2019
When I tell people that I am majoring in International Studies, they either respond by saying “I’m not sure what that is, but it sounds cool!” or blatantly asking me if I expect to find a job after graduation.
While this response isn’t exactly unreasonable, sadly enough, for humanities majors, I have set my sights on becoming a U.S. diplomat, or a U.S. Foreign Service Officer (FSO). It was with this goal in mind that I applied for my internship with the U.S. State Department.
And I was extraordinarily lucky with the fantastic experience I had as a State Department (DoS) intern.
People seem to understand very little about the hierarchy within DoS beyond complaining, in great detail, about the “bureaucracy”. The department is broken up into various “bureaus” that can be labeled as either “regional” or “functional”. Within each “bureau”, there is a long list of various offices.
I was an intern for the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, within the Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers…
…which means very little to most people.
At the simplest level, the office serves as the liaison between DoS and DoD (the Department of Defense) as it works to preserve regional security all across the world. It was an amazing office to work in due to its fast-paced environment and the great variety of tasks that were carried out.
Since (after months of agonized waiting during the summer), I finally received the necessary clearance level for this internship, I can’t go into very much detail about the exact work that I did – however, I can brag a bit about some other things.
The office that I worked with and the other people I interacted with at DoS are among the most generous I have ever met. I must have asked a dozen people that I barely introduced myself to at various events for a coffee chat, and not once was I turned down. People here are more than willing to sit down with the intern and share their story, their experience, and offer their advice.
My favorite coffee chat was with a PDAS. She was a rather young Korean-American woman who happened to have graduated from the same college as me… who had also pursued a career in the U.S. Foreign Service and was now part of the Senior Foreign Service. It was unbelievably inspiring to be able to meet her because she was an Asian American woman who had 1) defied the stereotypes to pursue a career in government, and 2) had succeeded to so great a level that she was, in essence, second in command of an entire bureau. I could probably count on one hand the number of times that I followed my co-workers to a higher-level meeting and saw Asian American women in general, much less those at a senior-level position. Having gone through my entire internship becoming more and more keenly aware of my status as a minority, her fierce call for more representation in higher levels of government – particularly as senior-level diplomats – was truly inspiring for me. I walked away from my coffee chat with her feeling more motivated and secure to know there was someone very similar to me, who, in a way, had my back.
In Washington D.C., it feels nearly impossible to escape the overbearing, ever-present weight of political turmoil. As such, people seem to find it very easy to point fingers at the government, especially at the various departments. However, as I was offered a small glimpse into that world, I saw men and women who carried out their responsibilities with pride. To be perfectly candid, people don’t pursue careers in foreign or civil service for financial wealth. To me, based on what I saw and heard, the working level government officials continue these jobs because they see it as an opportunity to contribute to a larger picture. This attitude was inspirational for me – the ability to see beyond the seemingly negligible work in front of you to the real and positive impact on the government as a whole.
Within my office, PM/RSAT, the very nature of the office made it difficult to be lighthearted – but on a great majority of the days, my good-humored coworkers managed to create a lively and reliable work environment. Their sense of humor kept me going in some of the longer and more technical meetings – and there was a strong sense of camaraderie that I admired, the firm knowledge that someone in the office had my back, just as I was watching someone else’s back for them. And this seemed to naturally translate to how they approached me, the intern. Whether I asked for a coffee chat or directions on how to use the photocopier, I was always greeted warmly, and with a smile. Often times, the coffee chat that I had requested turned into lunch plans that extended into contact information and request to keep in touch.
I loved my internship because the sense of purpose was tangible, and enveloped even my meager input to the team. And also… one of the best perks of working in an office where business trips became international was the snacks. Best snacks. Ever. And it seemed to be an unspoken rule that whoever went on a business trip brought back an edible treat for the rest of the office. I fully took advantage of that 🙂
October 9-10
One of the clear highlights of my internship was being able to assist at and participate in a U.S.-UK Dialogue. It was a phenomenal experience to be able to see, in real-time, how discussions happened, and – to a certain degree – negotiations took place. Of course, the U.S. and UK share a special relationship, as was clear from the warm and personal exchanges shared by both sides of the table. I was the intern, in the back, furiously writing notes in an attempt to follow the conversation – but to be in the room was an experience on its own. It also warmed my heart to have several members of the British delegation – including the head of the delegation! – come up to me to thank me for my assistance and to ask if I had any questions. It was a small gesture, and one that I’m sure they forgot about almost immediately, but for me, it was another of the many ways that the people at DoS tried to include me in their functions.
November 4, 2019
As it turns out, DoS is in the midst of building a long-term Diplomacy Center, or museum. State Department interns were offered the chance to tour the pre-exhibit that was newly open to the public. It was quite simple, to be honest, but after I took the time to look more carefully at the stories the curators had picked, and the artifacts they had decided upon, the story became… more in the flesh. The exhibits described the great variety of tasks that FSOs perform abroad and the many, many stories that they hope to share with the opening of the Diplomacy Center. I’m really excited to see it one day when I return.
November 11, 2019
From the many – many – emails I receive on a daily basis, there are always very few that I am actually interested in. On this particular day, there was a calendar invite from a coworker for the Marine’s 244th birthday celebration. It also mentioned cake. That in itself had me convinced, to be honest.
My coworker also mentioned a… particular tradition that the Marine’s practiced every year, and I was eager to see if this was indeed true, or if he had been pulling my leg.
He was indeed correct, and even while watching, I was torn between wanting to laugh and stare. And to also realize that particular tradition was outlined – in great detail – in the Marine’s handbook… I’m glad they have a sense of humor.
It was after a very well-made video presentation that a small detail of very well-dressed Marines entered the auditorium stage, with a very large cake on a stand between them.
One of them then proceeded to pull out a very large sword – yup, like an actual sword – and use the sword to cut the cake. It was… definitely worth the event.
My favorite part was what came afterward, the tradition that I thought was very heartwarming. The first piece of the cake was given to the guest of honor, but the second was given to the oldest Marine present in the room. That oldest Marine would take a bite, then pass on the same plate to the youngest Marine in the room, as a symbolic “passing the torch” sort of moment. It was great to be able to witness the moment for myself.
November 21, 2019
I had the opportunity to spend a single afternoon at the Foreign Service Institute – which is basically the school for Foreign Service Officers.
It was a simple campus, but with the autumn weather and coloring, it was very beautiful.
I was at the FSI for a “Diplomacy in Training” event with Ambassador Thomas Pickering. His name is a near legend in the State Department – I think the moderator actually had to stop for breath while he listed Ambassador Pickering’s positions and accomplishments. He has served as the U.S. ambassador to a great number of countries abroad and has also set up a fellowship in his name for students interested in foreign service. The ambassador spoke regarding a number of issues, but his points in resilience and adaptability really resonated with me. This career that I am planning to pursue is not an easy job and is one that requires a lot of perseverance. But as I sat in the auditorium full of FSOs, I could feel the bonds between the people, formed over mutual hardships and unique challenges.
November 22, 2019
From the moment that my plans to go to D.C. had been finalized, visiting the Pentagon had been at the top of my bucket list. I’m still not quite sure why I had been so eager for a visit, but it did not disappoint.
I bugged one of my coworkers to take me to visit our office counterpart within the Pentagon. And wow, for starters, I thought that the State Department was a stickler for security – it has nothing on the Pentagon – for good reason, of course. But the security personnel at the entrance had me punch in my social security number twice, at two separate entrances, which was a hassle for sure…
The halls of the Pentagon were beautifully decorated with military history and memorials – it was great to see halls that weren’t plain white… like the State Department…
It was also incredible to be able to see men and women of all different branches within one building – if you could call the absolutely gargantuan city-sized structure a building.
There wasn’t very much that I could see, but I had a lovely time talking to the DoD counterparts of our office. There were a number of pilots, and everyone in the room seemed to hold the rank of a major or higher – yet they spoke to me like a friend. In that single encounter, most of the preconditioned stereotypes of military men had been proven wrong – they were among the kindest and friendliest people I had met in all of D.C.
When I introduced myself as a third-year student, there was one colonel that had laughingly asked if I went to Hogwarts. While delighted to have met a fellow Potterhead, I was quick to correct his wrong assumption that I was a Hufflepuff – though he seemed oblivious to my increasingly indignant exclamations that I was a Ravenclaw. But I had a wonderful conversation with him, afterward, about my upcoming study abroad plans.
Of course, I took a quick pit stop at the gift shop… can’t leave without having proof of my visit!
December 3, 2019
The official end of my internship had been November 27, the day before Thanksgiving. But in a true testament to how much the office cared about me as an intern, I was invited to a reception, even after my internship had officially ended. I had no particular invested interest in the Qatari National Day celebration… but I was not able to turn down an invitation to a reception at the Library of Congress… after hours!
One of my first impressions was the dress code… that seemed to be… undecided. I definitely felt underdressed in my customary business casual outfit. But there were women who were rocking suits, and others who looked ready to head to the nearest club after the reception. Of course, there was a high number of military men walking around, both from the U.S. and Qatari military.
The food – that was served in a buffet-style – was fantastic. I had my… misgivings about what type of food would be served, but I was happily proved wrong by the delicious options of meat, bread, and desserts. The desserts were amazing.
I was half clinging to my coworker throughout the entire night – it was just so many people and so many strangers! On the first floor though, I found a face that I actually recognized! I was extremely gratified to see that he also recognized me, as he exclaimed “Hufflepuff!” when he saw my… at which I immediately corrected him, “Ravenclaw”. After a few rounds of introductions, I convinced them that the intern needed photos from the night. The colonel needed a little bit of an explanation on what a selfie was, but this picture is probably one of my favorites from D.C.
There was a short welcome reception and speech, and seeing as I had unwittingly found myself at the front row, it was too late to try and slip out. But wow, when the guest speaker was introduced, I was glad I was at the front! Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi!
What a night! It was both the culmination of and a too-quick true ending to my internship experience. But I will be back! That I can promise :))
