Meeting with US Diplomats

This afternoon, Marti Blum, Jenn Ashley, and Whitney DePrizio joined me in a meeting with two representatives of the US Embassy in China (unfortunately, other students who wished to attend were misdirected in the taxi ride over to the meeting location), who briefed us on the purpose of embassies and consulates, and the role of career foreign service officers. The gentlemen were friendly and engaging, and freely shared some of their experiences in the US foreign service, including the advice that more Americans should really learn to speak Mandarin (hint, hint). Because the meeting was frank and off the record, no specific details can be provided here -- and no photographs were allowed -- but suffice to say that the students obtained a rare look-see at what our diplomats do abroad.