Where we're kind of...well, nerdy
Let's admit it, the Department tends to attract a few (not mutually exclusive) types: the talkative PR and people folks, the strategists and policy thinkers, the humanitarian and bigger picture types, the travel, food, and wine buffs, and of course, the world nerds. I say world nerds because it might be a bit well...different from your traditional idea of number crunchers and algorithm builders (not that there is anything wrong with being one of those, I wish I were more talented in number crunching!) Those who have spent money, sweat, and time on the competitive and challenging process of getting into this country hopping, perpetual transient lifestyle are known usually to be ones that wonder and care about more than just their local zip code (as well as underestimating how much packing up your life every two years can drive you nuts.) Domestic policy, news, and issues are all extremely important, don't get me wrong, but we often allow ourselves the illusion of "out of sight, out of mind". (Which is totally not true if anyone has ever played a soul crushing game of Civilization. Apparently George Washington hates me. )
The irony I've noticed of many of our programs and efforts abroad and the good and important (even the failures and how we've learned to grow) go mainly unnoticed by the general American public. Ask someone who isn't working for the USG in DC what PEPFAR is and you'll be lucky if they don't tell you the name of a some farmer's market. The way it's been explained to me is that the Foreign Service lacks constituents. Diplomats overseas have a hard time being noticed, much less appreciated. The Washington Post released an article last week stating that 25% of the U.S. Embassies overseas (that's out of 169) are missing an Ambassador. "But aren't they all political appointees anyway? Who cares?" Well, about 3/4 of the nearly 50 waiting for for confirmation are foreign service officers, career diplomats and not political. It is hard to not feel a saddened that more people don't see this as a worrying thing.
Much like foodies love trying new restaurants and finding the hippest new umami, world nerds are in love with the intricacies of how global connectivity is exactly that- realizing that no one in this modern age can live life much without being impacted by things happening in the big big world outside of their cubicle, desk, or bedroom. An essential resource shortage in a country twelve countries, one ocean, and over 700 million people removed from the United States can affect all sorts of situations that matter to us: produce prices due to the inability to export, car manufacturer who have to deal with a delay from a factory abroad that carries the singular component needed for the engine, medical research delays when the source laboratory has been shut down due to funding losses from their grant provider whose company lost half their stock market value because all their factories were located in that shortage country. What we may see as "something happening over there", "their problems", "not in my backyard", "it doesn't affect me", is as ridiculously short sighted and wrong as believing the world is flat just because your eyes tell you the road is. (Which it isn't. Have you driven on some of the streets near FSI?)
Have you ever tried to spin a top? When one of my old supervisors left, she left me a stress relief (my words, not hers) top to spin if I was ever stressed out. It had little lights that activated so that when I spun the top, the lights would blink red, an allegory now for- okay, who am I kidding, I liked it because it was pretty and shiny, alright? (I'm a simple person, leave me be.) Anyways, the world these days is like being in a big room with a bunch of tops all spinning at the same time on the floor. You, (being American) have your top- it's big, it's shiny, it's probably got a sharknado and gigantic eagle flying out of it.
You can just pay attention to your big shiny top, spinning happily along. You can ignore the tops across the room (who cares about that part of the room anyways, the AC vent is over there and it's too cold.) But eventually, if that other top there begins to wobble and fall, it may hit another...and another...and soon there will be more wobbling tops and tops flying across the room and yours may no longer have its own room keep spinning in it's own metaphorical bubble.
It's a stupid analogy, but you get my point. Why should we have programs like USAID, which I've heard criticized under the line "why help them when we can use the money for us?" or care about things like human trafficking in South East Asia or women and girl's rights to education and opportunity in a country some might have a hard time even pointing out on a map? Why should we still read the occasionally mind numbing information overload known as the news and not just look at cat memes on BuzzFeed?
To put it simply: Why should any of us care?
Is it a perfect system? No. Are we perfect? (Definitely not, if the judging look on puppy's face as I once again am delaying her bed time is any sign.) But you can not stop trying. You can not stop caring. You can not accept the world 'as is' and label it "being jaded" and bemoan how it's not of your fault, and you're already so busy with your own problems, and the Earth will keep turning and the sun will keep shining, and who cares anyway if a baby you'll never meet is born with AIDS and will die before he ever learns to walk.
So I leave you with two beautifully illustrated great quotes that I think illustrate just some of the qualities I have seen in those I've trained with, ate with, listened to, and learned from. Not everyone of us came in as an Alexander the Great level strategist or Oprah-powered people person, and I know I couldn't tell you a Merlot from a Chardonnay based on taste if you gave me $100. (But I would make a very good guess.) But world nerds we are- we deigned to look a little further, we dared to risk a little more, and maybe tomorrow, we can roll and be that pebble of change, sending ripples through the ocean of the world.
By the way, if you're interested in what the State Department's effects are IN your backyard, feel free to check this out. It's a map that lets you click and view the effects of just a small sampling of the efforts overseas. The Department's 2014 proposed budget was $47.8 billion. In U.S. trade and educational exchange alone, they generate over $172 billion (according to most recent and 2012 data.) Really interesting for those who don't really know how the Department does anything directly benefiting you.
The irony I've noticed of many of our programs and efforts abroad and the good and important (even the failures and how we've learned to grow) go mainly unnoticed by the general American public. Ask someone who isn't working for the USG in DC what PEPFAR is and you'll be lucky if they don't tell you the name of a some farmer's market. The way it's been explained to me is that the Foreign Service lacks constituents. Diplomats overseas have a hard time being noticed, much less appreciated. The Washington Post released an article last week stating that 25% of the U.S. Embassies overseas (that's out of 169) are missing an Ambassador. "But aren't they all political appointees anyway? Who cares?" Well, about 3/4 of the nearly 50 waiting for for confirmation are foreign service officers, career diplomats and not political. It is hard to not feel a saddened that more people don't see this as a worrying thing.
Much like foodies love trying new restaurants and finding the hippest new umami, world nerds are in love with the intricacies of how global connectivity is exactly that- realizing that no one in this modern age can live life much without being impacted by things happening in the big big world outside of their cubicle, desk, or bedroom. An essential resource shortage in a country twelve countries, one ocean, and over 700 million people removed from the United States can affect all sorts of situations that matter to us: produce prices due to the inability to export, car manufacturer who have to deal with a delay from a factory abroad that carries the singular component needed for the engine, medical research delays when the source laboratory has been shut down due to funding losses from their grant provider whose company lost half their stock market value because all their factories were located in that shortage country. What we may see as "something happening over there", "their problems", "not in my backyard", "it doesn't affect me", is as ridiculously short sighted and wrong as believing the world is flat just because your eyes tell you the road is. (Which it isn't. Have you driven on some of the streets near FSI?)
Have you ever tried to spin a top? When one of my old supervisors left, she left me a stress relief (my words, not hers) top to spin if I was ever stressed out. It had little lights that activated so that when I spun the top, the lights would blink red, an allegory now for- okay, who am I kidding, I liked it because it was pretty and shiny, alright? (I'm a simple person, leave me be.) Anyways, the world these days is like being in a big room with a bunch of tops all spinning at the same time on the floor. You, (being American) have your top- it's big, it's shiny, it's probably got a sharknado and gigantic eagle flying out of it.
 |
| I love this shirt. |
It's a stupid analogy, but you get my point. Why should we have programs like USAID, which I've heard criticized under the line "why help them when we can use the money for us?" or care about things like human trafficking in South East Asia or women and girl's rights to education and opportunity in a country some might have a hard time even pointing out on a map? Why should we still read the occasionally mind numbing information overload known as the news and not just look at cat memes on BuzzFeed?
To put it simply: Why should any of us care?
Is it a perfect system? No. Are we perfect? (Definitely not, if the judging look on puppy's face as I once again am delaying her bed time is any sign.) But you can not stop trying. You can not stop caring. You can not accept the world 'as is' and label it "being jaded" and bemoan how it's not of your fault, and you're already so busy with your own problems, and the Earth will keep turning and the sun will keep shining, and who cares anyway if a baby you'll never meet is born with AIDS and will die before he ever learns to walk.
So I leave you with two beautifully illustrated great quotes that I think illustrate just some of the qualities I have seen in those I've trained with, ate with, listened to, and learned from. Not everyone of us came in as an Alexander the Great level strategist or Oprah-powered people person, and I know I couldn't tell you a Merlot from a Chardonnay based on taste if you gave me $100. (But I would make a very good guess.) But world nerds we are- we deigned to look a little further, we dared to risk a little more, and maybe tomorrow, we can roll and be that pebble of change, sending ripples through the ocean of the world.
By the way, if you're interested in what the State Department's effects are IN your backyard, feel free to check this out. It's a map that lets you click and view the effects of just a small sampling of the efforts overseas. The Department's 2014 proposed budget was $47.8 billion. In U.S. trade and educational exchange alone, they generate over $172 billion (according to most recent and 2012 data.) Really interesting for those who don't really know how the Department does anything directly benefiting you.
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