In the Federal Zone

At Canon House Office Building

Day Four complete. 


I love that every morning that I've left the house this week I can look forward to a full day, not knowing exactly what lies in store, but knowing that when I come home at night, I will return even more motivated and inspired than the day before. I have this reawakened sense of urgency after taking in so much new information, where I feel like I have to digest it all at once for fear of forgetting everything and upon coming home, frantically try to research every article, book, person, organization mentioned but then realize I could easily stay up all night if it weren't for the busy schedule ahead.




Aside from gaining an appreciation for what life in the federal zone is like, the goal I originally set out to accomplish at this conference has been successful: to learn about the field of international policy from a woman's perspective. Today we spoke with women working in the State Department, as mentioned in a previous post, as well as members from both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee. Later, we learned more about how vital it is that the US is engaged in international development as an issue of national security by speakers from both areas of emergency management/FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security. An important message throughout the day was a very basic one: all learning is relevant and education is a lifelong process. And on the subject of national security and international work across the US government, borders are quickly dissolving.


On my second site visit, this time to the Council on Foreign Relations, we had the opportunity of speaking with a US Foreign Service Officer serving as a fellow at the New York based think-tank. It's still a small thought in my mind to pursue the Foreign Service, so hearing about the career of another FSO was definitely helpful. We've had the chance to speak with four FSOs total throughout the conference.


During the evening, PLEN members attended a networking reception with women in international policy working in DC, as well as PLEN alumni and board members. I found myself again contemplating the idea of Womens' Networks and how important they have already been to me. Interestingly, what I've heard from many speakers is that programs such as PLEN are relatively young in existence and I can't help but get the impression that womens' networks such as these are still in the foundation process of being built. Even Inspire at UT, which truly held a pivotal role in my time at the university, is relatively new; I was part of the inaugural cohort for that program. I can't count the amount of times during this conference that I have heard someone say, "All of this didn't exist when I was your age," or "you all are so lucky to be here and be part of this." I think that is in part where the passion that women who are involved in PLEN (and other network-building programs) comes from because they realize the value and the gratitude that young women, like myself, have in hearing their stories. 


Also, more than anything, I have gotten a better sense of how exactly technology is really expediting our everyday lives as far as connectivity goes. I thought that juggling school with my work within the Austin non-profit field, I had finally gotten a handle on receiving a constant stream of emails, but after coming to the conference and just during this week alone, I have never felt more technologically "whipped", so to speak, to social media on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, on top of emails. In addition to the wonderful career stories and breakdown's of government posts I've been processing, I feel like I'm also receiving a crash course on technological networking and developing my internet/web presence. My "virtual" self. I'm learning to embrace it, though I can say I am still very thankful that cell phone connectivity has not yet reached the underground Metro! 

On Capitol Hill

Just finished the first morning session at the Canon House Office Building speaking with two women who work in the State Department. It was definitely the most sobering, yet informative, discussion we have received thus far. Part of the talk was simply about "de-mystifying" the State Department in a sense because many people, including myself, have some idea about what the State Department actually does it is certainly not always accurate. The talk was important to hear - especially for those of us entering the job market - because I believe it's important to be reminded that a position in DC is not a simple two-step process. I don't think this is anything to be discouraged about, but the speakers definitely spoke to the competition for job openings that exists in the State Department and is increasingly tighter.


Now it's onto the next panel - Women in National Security. 

Embassy Row

Just got back home after having dinner with some great ladies from the conference. We had dinner at a Brazilian restaurant in the Adams Morgan area. I was thinking to myself- it figures that a group of women interested in international policy WOULD choose international cuisine for dinner! In the little downtime we have between going from seminar to seminar, or as in today - embassy to embassy - there is little time to really sit down and share our own ideas and reflect on the subjects we are interested in and information we take in throughout the day. When we do get the chance to really slow down and sit down together, I find myself engaging in the most interesting conversations with people who have very similar aspirations as I do. I've always been happy with my decision to study biology in my undergraduate career, but one of the drawbacks has been the fact that the overwhelming majority of peers in my classes have dedicated their time towards preparing for medical school or scientific research in graduate school. This has limited my capacity to really engage in the kinds of political discussions and reflections on international relations here and abroad in a manner I would have liked to.


 It has been especially interesting hearing about everyone's experiences abroad; naturally, we seem to have all found a way to live out our dreams of travelling and engaging in another culture in some capacity already. 


Did I mention we had the chance to speak with the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Egypt this morning on the day of Egypt's first free elections? Or that we were received at the elegant Canadian Embassy by two women Foreign Service Officers in the afternoon? Needless to say, I've got the travel bug going again. 


I'm learning so much every day. 

Waiting to hear Yasser Elnaggar, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Egypt

DC is a smart city.

Mandatory Tourist Pic

DC is a smart city. I like to sit and wonder about the person I'm sitting next to on the subway, what piece of policy they might be working on or what piece of legislation might be running through their minds for review. Unlike the piles of newspapers that I witness neglected (typically) on the college campus, here print newspapers have no appearance of going extinct any time soon. In fact, to keep up with the news, I don’t even have to buy a newspaper; I can just read the stories off the backs of the ones the people are reading all around me on the subway home! And if I'm looking for a book recommendation, really the only thing I would have to do would be to take a glance around at the covers of the ones people are constantly opening up beside me. I feel surrounded by the smartest people in our nation. And they all seem to be attending to our nation; this city in which business casual reigns and smart phones truly are the palm pilots of everyday survival. Most of all, I love being surrounded by ongoing conversations around me that are every time more and more difficult not to eavesdrop on. 

Being here in DC with PLEN has already provided me with what I came here for: to gain exposure in the atmosphere in which international policy is conducted, and specifically how that might relate to science, Latin America, and/or education. (I seem to have an endless supply of interests at the moment.)  I came to the conference with the concession that this was an area in which I knew very little about, being a recent graduate with a degree in biology yet from having bona fide experience living abroad in Latin America and working throughout college with cultural concerns in Hispanic education in the state of Texas, felt that this seminar was definitely a place I could find out where to go next. It also says something when every speaker bio and site visit description is just straight eye candy! In just the two days that I’ve been here, I feel like I am on the way to generating a “360 degree” view of what leading a life in Washington, involved in policy, research, or advocacy, might be like. The speakers have just been incredibly inspiring; each of them has offered some piece of fresh and practical advice, highlighted through the stories of their own journeys to where they are today.

I would love to recount here the many useful things I have learned, not just about careers in international policy, but also about the insight about issues I was already interested in, but if I did that now, I’d probably double the length of the speaker notes that I have at the moment. 

A summary of today's activities:

During the conference, we were given the chance to choose between two different tracks – Global Health and Education and Human Rights. Because I’m a part of the Global Health and Education track, Tuesday was filled with speakers from global health organizations, education, governmental organizations, research groups, each offering their own perspective on working on the same issue. A key theme seems to be greater cooperation among non-profits and organizations, although that’s clearly much easier said than done. I liked the concise manner in which the Global Health Initiative's principal goals are towards integration, country-ownership, and gender equality. 

We also had our first site visit today, and I additionally began my more personal site visits of the touristy parts of DC including the White House, the National Mall, and the Smithsonian. Luckily, given our choices for the site visits, we were able to attend my number one choice: the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. This organization has its focus more in academia, offering yet another perspective on policy to the conference, and as a recent graduate, one that I’m more familiar with. We had the pleasure of speaking with the Director of the Latin America program, Dr. Cynthia Arnson and Dr. Ann Phillips a current Public Policy Scholar at the center. Hearing the both of them speak only further confirmed by interests in all issues Latin America-related and I can't wait to follow up with more work that is being done by both these women and the Center.

Naturally, some common themes have arisen. Most importantly, each one of the speakers have emphasized that knowing what the future holds isn’t a prerequisite for success, something I’ve known and realized within the past year after studying abroad and being involved with INSPIRE but definitely need reminding of from time to time. Following your passion, taking what life hands you, trying new fields/experiences, all those things are things that I like doing and things that I have already identified that I am good at. In fact, I’m bad at making plans. I don’t like thinking about the future in a definitive, long-winded way; I’d rather progress in this manner of following what intuitively strikes me as interesting, which so far has been filled with surprises and turns along the way that have always turned out for the better. Hearing from these women that at my age, the majority of them didn’t actually know what they wanted to do is very comforting and makes me further excited to just continue learning and asking questions.

I graduated from UT on Saturday, and landed in Washington DC on Sunday!

After arriving at BWI airport in Baltimore, I successfully navigated my way to Capitol Hill using the Metro (how I've missed public transit!). I thought that after a full day of travelling, which began in Austin, TX this morning at 4:00am, I would arrive at the house ready to crash. But of course, the first thing I did after setting down my bags was head out the door. 


It was a good thing, too. Like any new place, I needed time to get a feel for the neighborhood. Here on Capitol Hill, I was suprised to see so many families outside, on the sidewalk, in the parks, and at the historical Eastern Market. Hardly a reflection of what must be a very busy part of town during most days of the week. And it is a neighborhood: I think one of the most suprising things yet about DC is that I do not see skyscrapers or shoebox apartments rising above the sidewalks; it doesn't have the look of a typical city. Then again, I probably have much more to see.

Today begins the first day of the Public Leadership Education Network's Seminar on International Policy. The turn-around time in finding out about the conference and PLEN's mission - to prepare college women for leadership in public policy - was just a few short weeks. Finding out that I'd received the scholarship was well-needed news amidst the last push of studying for final exams. In actually making this trip possible, I have all my thanks to give to the women involved in the INSPIRE program in the Women and Gender Studies Department as well as the College of Natural Sciences at UT for their support. I feel very lucky to be here!

After successfully carrying out a blog during my time in Argentina, I thought I would continue the tradition here in DC so that you all could share in my experiences. It's going to be a good week! I have much to learn.