KEEPING UP WITH ANN – EPISODE IX
My Life as Diplomat-Mini: Interning at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires
July 17, 2004
MY NEW ADDRESS:
2225 Virrey Arredondo – Piso 8
1426 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Phone: (011) 54.11.4784-2537
Yes, I am back in this meat-loving, tango dancing country that has been on the international spotlight a lot lately for reasons as salient as its rock star tennis players that have taken over the ATP circuit (#2 Guillermo Coria and 2004 French Open Champ #4 Gaston Gaudio, and #9 David Nalbandian; its endless negotiations with the IMF, bondholders and pensioners about its over $115 billion in debt; its fantastic 11% growth rate powered by strong commodity prices; its fight with Brazil over washing machine and refrigerator tariffs; and its recognition as a new hot spot for many travellers – especially now for gays (there are fantastic gay clubs here!) The biggest topic is actually President Kirchner’s dealings with the piqueteros (government paid-picketers), or rather his lack of dealings. In general, it is regarded that President Kirchner is not doing too bad a job (fighting corruption, improving the economy, commitment of Argentine troops to Haiti, strong negotiations with the IMF). His policy on the piqueteros is another story, where they have been recently allowed (in my opinion) to take over the city – destroying the facade of the historic legislature during a violent protest for over 5 hours, taking over highway toll booths, taking over 10 McDonald’s, and commonly taking over the city streets, blocking the way of Buenos Aires hard-working citizens on their way to or from real jobs, etc. etc. and etc. without barely any movement by the national guard or police. Kirchner’s policies of “no repression,” many believe, are a psychological backlash of the military dictatorship that occurred in Argentina in the 1970s that has left him in a state of political paralysis. Others point out that it is because the piqueteros have no other recourse, blaming political disenfranchisement, for this type of violent action. Others have analyzed that the political structure here of the lista sabana (where you vote for the party, but not for any specific candidate) is to blame, as one cannot draw any direct line between citizens and those who represent them in Congress. The end result is that many feel without a voice in the political structure, and that they have no one where they can seek redress of their ills. Though I normally consider Argentina an extension of Europe and not of Latin America, Argentina can still mix with the best of Latin America’s countries in terms of public unrest and political chaos.
* * *
In April, I returned fresh from my internship at the United Nations in New York City (Thank you New York – I miss you terribly!), and now I am back in Argentina to continue the second year of my masters in International Relations at La Universidad de Salvador. Where there is much work to be done to complete this masters, I have also added a Mediation and Resolution of Conflicts certificate program in the Law School at La Universidad de Buenos Aires. And as I have a penchant for spreading my life as thinly as possibly, I am working full-time at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires in the Public Affairs Section (PAS). (In the fall, I will start another internship there in the Economics Section.) I literally have never been so busy in my life, feeling that I am living at least 4 lives at once – as I even continue a relatively (and personally mandatory) full social schedule. Thankfully all these items can mix together and I can integrate one life into another.
The newest line on my resume is the aforementioned internship at the U.S. Embassy here in Buenos Aires that I started over a month and a half ago in the Public Affairs Section. There are many components that make up my job, but primarily I am 1) assisting in creating a public diplomacy strategy for FTAA – the Free Trade Agreement for the Americas 2) creating a fund-raising strategy for the Fulbright Commission in Argentina (I also even got the chance to be part of the panel that interviews Argentine candidates, meeting many of Argentina’s best and brightest) 3) creating a Sister Cities relationship between a city in the U.S. and in Argentina and 4) creating a system to find out what all the pro-American think tanks and universities are planning, and trying to coordinate between all the organizations. I have assisted during press conferences with the Ambassador and top State Department Officials [Under Secretary of Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs Alan Larson recently was here on a non-stop visit – he is #4 under Colin Powell in the State Department], set up receptions at the Ambassador’s residence where there are numerous events, and have often represented the Embassy at different public functions where more senior Foreign Service Officers are not able to attend. It has been simply a fantastic experience. [There are numerous receptions that occur in the Ambassador’s Residence named Palacio Bosch. The residence, located about 2 blocks from the Embassy, is an incredible 4-floor French castle that resembles a small Palace of Versailles complete with garden, pool and tennis court. It was owned by businessman and Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs Bosch who was married to one of the Alvears (one of the richest families in Argentine history). We were also invited to an asado recently in the Residence, where we greatly enjoyed the wonderful afternoon with other interns and Junior Officers. http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=922004017103&page=1&sort_order=0]
If you are asking yourself, What is the U.S. Embassy role’s role abroad and its Foreign Service? I asked that fundamental question myself when I arrived also. From the almost two months that I have been here, I have learned a great amount about the workings, mechanics and administration of an embassy and its officers. In the most simple terms, they represent the United States policies (political, economic, social, cultural) around the world – obviously a very difficult task these days. The mandate for each of these sections comes from the capital in Washington D.C. and all initiatives for all programs and projects are approved virtually at every step – communicated through cables (concise, classified and unclassified, written reports) sent back and forth between Washington and the posts (the Embassies). In the Embassy in Buenos Aires, it is no different. The head of the U.S. Mission (Embassy) in Buenos Aires is the Ambassador Lino Gutierrez, followed by the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) Hugo Llorens – whom are both coincidently Cuban-Americans, followed by the next most senior Foreign Service Officer who happens to be my boss, Public Affairs Office (PAO) Mark Krischik. The Foreign Service Officers represent every level of the State Department – from political to social to economic to representatives in charge of human rights, environment, the sciences and technology. There are representatives of the DEA (that investigate, for example, the massive cigarette smuggling from Bolivia, and the movement of heroin up to the US) and the FBI (who investigate terrorist and crime activity, among other things) here in Argentina. The total number of employees at the Embassy is around 300, comprised of over 60% by Argentine nationals, and the remaining are Foreign Service officers, other Americans (spouses, though normally wives, children of the officers), branches of the Department of Commerce and the Treasury. The most amazing sensation I have here is that, even as interns, we are actors in history, meeting Presidents, Vice Presidents, Ministers and 5-star Generals that decide the fate of whole countries, for better or for worse. It is the case where even if you are a first or second post Junior Officer, you have the opportunity to represent the United States in its political, economic or cultural affairs – speaking with the highest levels of Argentina government.
In the Embassy, I feel fortunate to have my own office, where I often receive guests including the Ambassador. On occasion when the Ambassador decides to stop in to say hello – which he does often – he takes a seat in my leather chair and chats for a few minutes. Recently, when my friends from university had a social meeting at La Residencia a few weeks ago, he joked with them that whenever he sees me, that I’m eating…. eating an empanada in my office… eating a chocolate chip cookie in the commissary (the store in the U.S. Embassy that sells American products shipped in)… Right now, after perusing the new container-filled shipment, my desk is filled with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, bags of ramen, and pizza-flavored Pringles)… Very funny! He recently entered my office and noticed that one of my framed pictures contains small pictures of Che Guevara (among other Argentine legends like Evita and Carlos Gardel) – the Argentine-born revolutionary. Being a man of great observation, he quickly saw the 2-inch high images, sat down in the leather chair, and gave me a 15-minute speech about the evils of Che Guevara and his totalitarian effects, with Castro’s detrimental leadership, on Cuba’s political and social history – him being a Cuban American and speaking from first-hand experience. I laughed and said I would cover up Che’s image with a post-it note. The next day the Ambassador came down with a book about Che Guevara and the Cuban revolution and said I should read it, though he said he was only kidding. My first meeting with the Ambassador surely forbade such consequent meetings, when his daughter Suzy (who works in my Section) walked into my office for the first time with her father without really introducing him, and after we shook hands, she said, “He’s the Ambassador!” Surely the Ambassador will not forget me anytime soon!
As always, it’s my pleasure to share the highlights of my first few months here in Buenos Aires – Year Two:
Ø My roommates and I (one from George Washington, two from Wheaton College and one from Yale) had a great housewarming event on June 19 where over 60 people came to our Real World-style intern apartment. The apartment is property of the US government, palatial in that it covers a whole floor, with 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms (including our master bedroom with a large Jacuzzi bathtub), its own dining room area, a very large living room with DVD player and full cable, a large kitchen and a washer and dryer. I am in heaven after sending out my laundry all of last year and in New York City. We have 24-hour doormen, and rarely have to open the door ourselves – yes, I’ve fallen in to a bourgeois existence. It must be stated that Foreign Service Officers are very well treated, with housing that is provided and good American-school educations for their children. [The following link is of our Housewarming Party. http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=444757836103&page=1&sort_order=0]
Ø Part of the annual Fourth of July celebration at the Residence, where over 900 key contacts of the government were invited to rub shoulders with the Ambassador. This year, for the first time in many years, many higher-level government officials arrived - the Argentine Vice President Vice President Daniel Scioli, Minister of Defense Pampuro, Minister of Labor Tomada, the President of the Supreme Court Petracchi, and the richest woman in Argentina – cement magnate Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat, among others. Of special note, they just confirmed the first female on the Supreme Court, Elena Highton de Nolasco, who also came. After an hour of greeting duties, we received the chance to mingle among the guests. The food during receptions is always amazing and abundant, which normally include sushi, roasted pig, breaded shrimp, tortilla chips and guacamole, pot stickers and even a roving lomo table that makes it way around the different ballrooms!
Ø A retreat to San Antonio de Areco, where all the Rotary Scholars took a tour of a great little chocolate factory, rode strong Argentine horses, ate a delicious asado, stayed in beautiful, rustic houses with fire places and where my friend Gert from Norwegian and I slept on the floor in front of the fire – hoping that the ranch bugs wouldn’t get us – where I was trying to convert our house (there were 3) into the Party House! [The following pictures are of our weekend in the country. http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=847251656103&view=edit&rnd=7429351]
Ø A one-day trip up to Rosario (where Che Guevara was born, though not raised) and Santa Fe (where current Argentine tennis great Guillermo Coria is from) with my dear friend Jan, of the Czech Republic. Though we were eating sushi with my new roommates Trystan and Kristen the night before until 1AM at Itamae in Palermo, I was forced to meet him at 7AM the next day at Retiro, Buenos Aires’s main train and bus station… strolling casually through the platforms 2 minutes before the bus was to depart, much to Jan’s great stress. We loaded the bus with the intention of sleeping but talked for approximately the next 18 hours through 2 bus journeys northbound, many pedestrian shopping malls, consulting about shoes and skirts (Jan has great taste!), visiting all the beautiful churches of Santa Fe and then finally sleeping during a 5-hour trip back. We arrived to Buenos Aires at 4AM.
Ø Continuing to enjoy all the cultural and musical events throughout the city! Again, I have continued to attend concerts of major Latin pop stars, and some up-and-coming. I went to both Eros Ramazotti’s (www.ramazotti.com) concert, to Diego Torres (www.diegotorres.com) for his MTV Unplugged Tour, and also to see the performance of an amazing homespun group named Mamasal that my friends and I all love (www.mamasal.com.ar). I went to my second Wagner opera with my friend Umar from the Kyrgz Republic. It was amazing that I didn’t fall asleep and Umar got us great seats in the Presidential Box. Coincidentally, we ran into Mr. Hess, a man I met at a reception at the Residence for the Fulbright Scholarship, who is one of the Vice Presidents of Exxon, of whom we are trying to make a Fulbright donor. That night we had a great conversation about Condoleezza Rice running in the Vice Presidential seat for the Republican seat with Trystan and my future boss, Economics Counselor Perry Ball. It is amazing the range of people I’ve met! [The follow are pictures from the Eros Ramazotti concert. http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?collid=336181365103&]
Ø I am still greatly enjoying the city and the country itself. Over the last year and a half, I have travelled all over this immense country to Mendoza, Ushuaia, Cordoba, Bariloche, Rosario, Santa Fe, Villa General Belgrano… and most recently to hub town El Calafate which is the jumping off point to visit its spectacular Perito Moreno Glacier, where I went with my friend Brandy from New Mexico / California (http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=624264295103&page=2&sort_order=1).
And I would feel remiss in not mentioning my last months at the United Nations. They were filled with so many exhilarating experiences, fun moments with so many good friends (Rixa, Amelie, Rati, Jonathan, Keti, Mathilde, Henrik, Omar, Sok-Min and so many more!) and many professional contacts that it is difficult to come off such a political high that existed being there with so many wonderful, smart people. There were amazing conferences on AIDS and human rights and the status of women, which we were all invited to attend when we had the moment free. On the occasion of the international conference on AIDS, where Secretary General Kofi Annan spoke, DPI head Shashi Tharoor moderated, and with Jordan’s Queen Noor and WHO Dr. Lee Jong-wook were present, I had the opportunity to snatch a picture with the Queen! http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=127526124103&page=4&sort_order=1 And when SG Annan had his traditional pictures with all the interns, when he turned around and I had the opportunity to have some pictures taken close to him! I mostly want to thank my friend and mentor Jean Marc, who on so many occasions, showed me his personal experiences with the UN– inviting me and Miguel (a friend from the SWY program) out to dinner with his old friend who is a genocide expert from the Sciences Po University, going for drinks at FUBAR, having brunch with me on a Sunday morning, and on my last day at the UN, took me out to dinner at a restaurant in the India-section of New York. It truly was a perfect end to my time in New York with my greatest UN influence.
There are so many countless other stories, events and people that I would to mention but I am already beyond any limit I have ever previously set. I hope you are well, and know that I send my love to all of you. Especially to all the new babies that were born recently and are growing up in the States… the beautiful children of the future – Aeddan, Katya, Greyson and Florian! And a special hug to my two growing nieces in California, Allison and Claudia Ann! I love you all!
Big kiss, and I’ll see you all soon!
Love,
Ann-Marie
My Life as Diplomat-Mini: Interning at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires
July 17, 2004
MY NEW ADDRESS:
2225 Virrey Arredondo – Piso 8
1426 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Phone: (011) 54.11.4784-2537
Yes, I am back in this meat-loving, tango dancing country that has been on the international spotlight a lot lately for reasons as salient as its rock star tennis players that have taken over the ATP circuit (#2 Guillermo Coria and 2004 French Open Champ #4 Gaston Gaudio, and #9 David Nalbandian; its endless negotiations with the IMF, bondholders and pensioners about its over $115 billion in debt; its fantastic 11% growth rate powered by strong commodity prices; its fight with Brazil over washing machine and refrigerator tariffs; and its recognition as a new hot spot for many travellers – especially now for gays (there are fantastic gay clubs here!) The biggest topic is actually President Kirchner’s dealings with the piqueteros (government paid-picketers), or rather his lack of dealings. In general, it is regarded that President Kirchner is not doing too bad a job (fighting corruption, improving the economy, commitment of Argentine troops to Haiti, strong negotiations with the IMF). His policy on the piqueteros is another story, where they have been recently allowed (in my opinion) to take over the city – destroying the facade of the historic legislature during a violent protest for over 5 hours, taking over highway toll booths, taking over 10 McDonald’s, and commonly taking over the city streets, blocking the way of Buenos Aires hard-working citizens on their way to or from real jobs, etc. etc. and etc. without barely any movement by the national guard or police. Kirchner’s policies of “no repression,” many believe, are a psychological backlash of the military dictatorship that occurred in Argentina in the 1970s that has left him in a state of political paralysis. Others point out that it is because the piqueteros have no other recourse, blaming political disenfranchisement, for this type of violent action. Others have analyzed that the political structure here of the lista sabana (where you vote for the party, but not for any specific candidate) is to blame, as one cannot draw any direct line between citizens and those who represent them in Congress. The end result is that many feel without a voice in the political structure, and that they have no one where they can seek redress of their ills. Though I normally consider Argentina an extension of Europe and not of Latin America, Argentina can still mix with the best of Latin America’s countries in terms of public unrest and political chaos.
* * *
In April, I returned fresh from my internship at the United Nations in New York City (Thank you New York – I miss you terribly!), and now I am back in Argentina to continue the second year of my masters in International Relations at La Universidad de Salvador. Where there is much work to be done to complete this masters, I have also added a Mediation and Resolution of Conflicts certificate program in the Law School at La Universidad de Buenos Aires. And as I have a penchant for spreading my life as thinly as possibly, I am working full-time at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires in the Public Affairs Section (PAS). (In the fall, I will start another internship there in the Economics Section.) I literally have never been so busy in my life, feeling that I am living at least 4 lives at once – as I even continue a relatively (and personally mandatory) full social schedule. Thankfully all these items can mix together and I can integrate one life into another.
The newest line on my resume is the aforementioned internship at the U.S. Embassy here in Buenos Aires that I started over a month and a half ago in the Public Affairs Section. There are many components that make up my job, but primarily I am 1) assisting in creating a public diplomacy strategy for FTAA – the Free Trade Agreement for the Americas 2) creating a fund-raising strategy for the Fulbright Commission in Argentina (I also even got the chance to be part of the panel that interviews Argentine candidates, meeting many of Argentina’s best and brightest) 3) creating a Sister Cities relationship between a city in the U.S. and in Argentina and 4) creating a system to find out what all the pro-American think tanks and universities are planning, and trying to coordinate between all the organizations. I have assisted during press conferences with the Ambassador and top State Department Officials [Under Secretary of Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs Alan Larson recently was here on a non-stop visit – he is #4 under Colin Powell in the State Department], set up receptions at the Ambassador’s residence where there are numerous events, and have often represented the Embassy at different public functions where more senior Foreign Service Officers are not able to attend. It has been simply a fantastic experience. [There are numerous receptions that occur in the Ambassador’s Residence named Palacio Bosch. The residence, located about 2 blocks from the Embassy, is an incredible 4-floor French castle that resembles a small Palace of Versailles complete with garden, pool and tennis court. It was owned by businessman and Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs Bosch who was married to one of the Alvears (one of the richest families in Argentine history). We were also invited to an asado recently in the Residence, where we greatly enjoyed the wonderful afternoon with other interns and Junior Officers. http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=922004017103&page=1&sort_order=0]
If you are asking yourself, What is the U.S. Embassy role’s role abroad and its Foreign Service? I asked that fundamental question myself when I arrived also. From the almost two months that I have been here, I have learned a great amount about the workings, mechanics and administration of an embassy and its officers. In the most simple terms, they represent the United States policies (political, economic, social, cultural) around the world – obviously a very difficult task these days. The mandate for each of these sections comes from the capital in Washington D.C. and all initiatives for all programs and projects are approved virtually at every step – communicated through cables (concise, classified and unclassified, written reports) sent back and forth between Washington and the posts (the Embassies). In the Embassy in Buenos Aires, it is no different. The head of the U.S. Mission (Embassy) in Buenos Aires is the Ambassador Lino Gutierrez, followed by the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) Hugo Llorens – whom are both coincidently Cuban-Americans, followed by the next most senior Foreign Service Officer who happens to be my boss, Public Affairs Office (PAO) Mark Krischik. The Foreign Service Officers represent every level of the State Department – from political to social to economic to representatives in charge of human rights, environment, the sciences and technology. There are representatives of the DEA (that investigate, for example, the massive cigarette smuggling from Bolivia, and the movement of heroin up to the US) and the FBI (who investigate terrorist and crime activity, among other things) here in Argentina. The total number of employees at the Embassy is around 300, comprised of over 60% by Argentine nationals, and the remaining are Foreign Service officers, other Americans (spouses, though normally wives, children of the officers), branches of the Department of Commerce and the Treasury. The most amazing sensation I have here is that, even as interns, we are actors in history, meeting Presidents, Vice Presidents, Ministers and 5-star Generals that decide the fate of whole countries, for better or for worse. It is the case where even if you are a first or second post Junior Officer, you have the opportunity to represent the United States in its political, economic or cultural affairs – speaking with the highest levels of Argentina government.
In the Embassy, I feel fortunate to have my own office, where I often receive guests including the Ambassador. On occasion when the Ambassador decides to stop in to say hello – which he does often – he takes a seat in my leather chair and chats for a few minutes. Recently, when my friends from university had a social meeting at La Residencia a few weeks ago, he joked with them that whenever he sees me, that I’m eating…. eating an empanada in my office… eating a chocolate chip cookie in the commissary (the store in the U.S. Embassy that sells American products shipped in)… Right now, after perusing the new container-filled shipment, my desk is filled with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, bags of ramen, and pizza-flavored Pringles)… Very funny! He recently entered my office and noticed that one of my framed pictures contains small pictures of Che Guevara (among other Argentine legends like Evita and Carlos Gardel) – the Argentine-born revolutionary. Being a man of great observation, he quickly saw the 2-inch high images, sat down in the leather chair, and gave me a 15-minute speech about the evils of Che Guevara and his totalitarian effects, with Castro’s detrimental leadership, on Cuba’s political and social history – him being a Cuban American and speaking from first-hand experience. I laughed and said I would cover up Che’s image with a post-it note. The next day the Ambassador came down with a book about Che Guevara and the Cuban revolution and said I should read it, though he said he was only kidding. My first meeting with the Ambassador surely forbade such consequent meetings, when his daughter Suzy (who works in my Section) walked into my office for the first time with her father without really introducing him, and after we shook hands, she said, “He’s the Ambassador!” Surely the Ambassador will not forget me anytime soon!
As always, it’s my pleasure to share the highlights of my first few months here in Buenos Aires – Year Two:
Ø My roommates and I (one from George Washington, two from Wheaton College and one from Yale) had a great housewarming event on June 19 where over 60 people came to our Real World-style intern apartment. The apartment is property of the US government, palatial in that it covers a whole floor, with 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms (including our master bedroom with a large Jacuzzi bathtub), its own dining room area, a very large living room with DVD player and full cable, a large kitchen and a washer and dryer. I am in heaven after sending out my laundry all of last year and in New York City. We have 24-hour doormen, and rarely have to open the door ourselves – yes, I’ve fallen in to a bourgeois existence. It must be stated that Foreign Service Officers are very well treated, with housing that is provided and good American-school educations for their children. [The following link is of our Housewarming Party. http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=444757836103&page=1&sort_order=0]
Ø Part of the annual Fourth of July celebration at the Residence, where over 900 key contacts of the government were invited to rub shoulders with the Ambassador. This year, for the first time in many years, many higher-level government officials arrived - the Argentine Vice President Vice President Daniel Scioli, Minister of Defense Pampuro, Minister of Labor Tomada, the President of the Supreme Court Petracchi, and the richest woman in Argentina – cement magnate Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat, among others. Of special note, they just confirmed the first female on the Supreme Court, Elena Highton de Nolasco, who also came. After an hour of greeting duties, we received the chance to mingle among the guests. The food during receptions is always amazing and abundant, which normally include sushi, roasted pig, breaded shrimp, tortilla chips and guacamole, pot stickers and even a roving lomo table that makes it way around the different ballrooms!
Ø A retreat to San Antonio de Areco, where all the Rotary Scholars took a tour of a great little chocolate factory, rode strong Argentine horses, ate a delicious asado, stayed in beautiful, rustic houses with fire places and where my friend Gert from Norwegian and I slept on the floor in front of the fire – hoping that the ranch bugs wouldn’t get us – where I was trying to convert our house (there were 3) into the Party House! [The following pictures are of our weekend in the country. http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=847251656103&view=edit&rnd=7429351]
Ø A one-day trip up to Rosario (where Che Guevara was born, though not raised) and Santa Fe (where current Argentine tennis great Guillermo Coria is from) with my dear friend Jan, of the Czech Republic. Though we were eating sushi with my new roommates Trystan and Kristen the night before until 1AM at Itamae in Palermo, I was forced to meet him at 7AM the next day at Retiro, Buenos Aires’s main train and bus station… strolling casually through the platforms 2 minutes before the bus was to depart, much to Jan’s great stress. We loaded the bus with the intention of sleeping but talked for approximately the next 18 hours through 2 bus journeys northbound, many pedestrian shopping malls, consulting about shoes and skirts (Jan has great taste!), visiting all the beautiful churches of Santa Fe and then finally sleeping during a 5-hour trip back. We arrived to Buenos Aires at 4AM.
Ø Continuing to enjoy all the cultural and musical events throughout the city! Again, I have continued to attend concerts of major Latin pop stars, and some up-and-coming. I went to both Eros Ramazotti’s (www.ramazotti.com) concert, to Diego Torres (www.diegotorres.com) for his MTV Unplugged Tour, and also to see the performance of an amazing homespun group named Mamasal that my friends and I all love (www.mamasal.com.ar). I went to my second Wagner opera with my friend Umar from the Kyrgz Republic. It was amazing that I didn’t fall asleep and Umar got us great seats in the Presidential Box. Coincidentally, we ran into Mr. Hess, a man I met at a reception at the Residence for the Fulbright Scholarship, who is one of the Vice Presidents of Exxon, of whom we are trying to make a Fulbright donor. That night we had a great conversation about Condoleezza Rice running in the Vice Presidential seat for the Republican seat with Trystan and my future boss, Economics Counselor Perry Ball. It is amazing the range of people I’ve met! [The follow are pictures from the Eros Ramazotti concert. http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?collid=336181365103&]
Ø I am still greatly enjoying the city and the country itself. Over the last year and a half, I have travelled all over this immense country to Mendoza, Ushuaia, Cordoba, Bariloche, Rosario, Santa Fe, Villa General Belgrano… and most recently to hub town El Calafate which is the jumping off point to visit its spectacular Perito Moreno Glacier, where I went with my friend Brandy from New Mexico / California (http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=624264295103&page=2&sort_order=1).
And I would feel remiss in not mentioning my last months at the United Nations. They were filled with so many exhilarating experiences, fun moments with so many good friends (Rixa, Amelie, Rati, Jonathan, Keti, Mathilde, Henrik, Omar, Sok-Min and so many more!) and many professional contacts that it is difficult to come off such a political high that existed being there with so many wonderful, smart people. There were amazing conferences on AIDS and human rights and the status of women, which we were all invited to attend when we had the moment free. On the occasion of the international conference on AIDS, where Secretary General Kofi Annan spoke, DPI head Shashi Tharoor moderated, and with Jordan’s Queen Noor and WHO Dr. Lee Jong-wook were present, I had the opportunity to snatch a picture with the Queen! http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=127526124103&page=4&sort_order=1 And when SG Annan had his traditional pictures with all the interns, when he turned around and I had the opportunity to have some pictures taken close to him! I mostly want to thank my friend and mentor Jean Marc, who on so many occasions, showed me his personal experiences with the UN– inviting me and Miguel (a friend from the SWY program) out to dinner with his old friend who is a genocide expert from the Sciences Po University, going for drinks at FUBAR, having brunch with me on a Sunday morning, and on my last day at the UN, took me out to dinner at a restaurant in the India-section of New York. It truly was a perfect end to my time in New York with my greatest UN influence.
There are so many countless other stories, events and people that I would to mention but I am already beyond any limit I have ever previously set. I hope you are well, and know that I send my love to all of you. Especially to all the new babies that were born recently and are growing up in the States… the beautiful children of the future – Aeddan, Katya, Greyson and Florian! And a special hug to my two growing nieces in California, Allison and Claudia Ann! I love you all!
Big kiss, and I’ll see you all soon!
Love,
Ann-Marie
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