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