GRIP, Internships Abroad A Summer Night in Rome

U.S. State Department - Rome, Italy

When someone uses the word 'diplomat,' it conjures romantic images of black-tie galas and suave Americans sipping martinis while rubbing elbows with kings and presidents. This summer I learned that this idealized image isn't completely off target. On a scorching Roman summer night in July, I found myself sipping Prosecco in the garden of a gorgeous villa in the heart of Rome where I came face to face with Giuseppe Comte, the Prime Minister of Italy, and Virginia Raggi, the Mayor of Rome, at a massive Fourth of July party hosted by the US Embassy to Italy.

Being in the US Foreign Service isn't all about sharing drinks with foreign dignitaries, although that is certainly an important duty. Being a diplomat is about representing the United States abroad and forming lasting relationships with foreign contacts to create mutually beneficial policies that allow the US to thrive both politically and economically. This can be through informal meetings, parties, or serious negotiations and dialogue that require long hours of work and countless hours of research and preparation. 

The actual work of the foreign service is somewhat nebulous to many, and before this summer I had never considered it as a career. However, after witnessing the inner workings of American foreign policy, I have realized that the Foreign Service could be a perfect path for me. This summer my day to day work was all over the place. I was responsible for sending out a daily news brief to keep the members of the mission up to date on humanitarian crisis around the world, crafting social media content, and drafting talking points and memos for American diplomats as they prepared for meetings at the UN. While much of this work was tedious, I always felt as if I was having a tangible impact and actively contributing to the mission. As someone who gets bored when not constantly confronted with new challenges, I like that the work of the Foreign Service is constantly changing as the global political climate changes. In fact, American diplomats traditionally change assignments every two or three years, meaning that I will be constantly working on new projects and broadening my skillset throughout my career.

This summer made me realize that foreign policy isn't solely crafted by the tweets of the President, but by a massive team of intelligent and hardworking diplomats in every country around the world, and I want to be a part of that team.