Lyla Bashan's Blog, page 2
January 5, 2019
Living Internationally while Living your Life
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
When I was working at the US Embassy in Tajikistan, a colleague of mine commented that one thing that surprised him about living abroad was that you still lived your life. He had thought that it would be more like the experience you have when you travel for vacation. He hadn’t thought about how, when you’re living abroad, you still have a normal daily life – you get up and go to work. You cook dinner and get your kids ready for school. You exercise and brush your teeth. It’s not the same intensity of exploration that you have while on vacation and it means navigating normal life through the maze of a new language, culture, etc. You still live your life while living abroad and, like much else, this brings its own set of challenges and opportunities.
I’ve been fortunate enough to mostly live abroad while working at the US Embassy, which brings its own support system. Depending on whether you work for the US government, the United Nations, an NGO, a school, or any other entity, the level of support will vary. Some employers will ship your household belongings and car to the country where you’re posted. Or they’ll provide you with housing or a housing stipend and realtor. Others will provide maintenance for your house and tickets home to see your family. Other employers won’t do any of these things. Or you may want to just move abroad and wing it without an employer!
While thinking about the life you want to live abroad, it’s worth considering what amenities you can’t live without. This will help you decide what sort of employer you want to work for and how important that household shipment is. And it’ll help you decide what sort of countries you want to live in. I loved living in Tajikistan because it forced us outside of our comfort zone in terms of what kind of products we could buy – there were very few western brands or restaurants – and what sort of activities we would do for fun – there weren’t movies in English and only one western-style cafe. But that is one of the things that drew me to living abroad in the first place: the opportunity to expand outside of what felt normal to me.
If you have a spouse and kids, of course then you have more things to consider – where your spouse will work if they want to, where your kids will go to school, the crime rate, health care, etc. I’m lucky enough to be married to a teacher, which I always say is a great job for the spouse of a Foreign Service Officer in the diplomatic corps because teachers can get a job in most countries at the international school. Of course, you have to agree with your spouse where you want to live and how often you want to move countries. And, when your kids get older, they’ll get to be at least part of the discussion. Some jobs will give you an education allowance to send your kids to an international school, but others won’t. Either way, you’ll have to decide if you want to enroll your kids in a local school, international school, or home school them.
And then there’s the family you leave back home. We’re fortunate to live in the age of Skype. I remember when I first lived abroad in Japan in 2000, my Mom had to pay expensive long distance fees to talk with me on the phone. Now I video chat with her every Saturday for free! With WhatsApp for texting, email on our phones, video chatting, it’s easier than ever to be in touch while living abroad. Though nothing beats being with loved ones in person, Skype is better than nothing. The main challenge I find is that the time difference can make it hard to find a time to talk. During the day on the weekend is my favorite time to talk with loved ones, but being here in Armenia means that my Saturday afternoon is their middle of the night.
These are just a few of the considerations that you’ll need to take into account when moving abroad because, even though you live in a new normal, you’re still you. So that’s one reason why I think it’s great if you can get the chance to do study abroad or a multi-month work or volunteer trip before committing to living abroad for a longer amount of time. That way you can see if you like the actuality of living abroad as much as you like the idea of it. There are a few things to do before departing. And, remember that every country is different, so if you live in one country and don’t love it, you might want to try another country before throwing in the towel and moving back home. It might just be that the country wasn’t a good fit, not the lifestyle. There’s only one way to find out – go out there and do it! And if you’re looking for a reason why, check out my blog about why to pursue a career in global affairs.
Send me an email at lylabashan@gmail.com if you have a question or want to chat.
The post Living Internationally while Living your Life appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
Living Abroad while Living your Life
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
When I was working at the US Embassy in Tajikistan, a colleague of mine commented that one thing that surprised him about living abroad was that you still lived your life. He had thought that it would be more like the experience you have when you travel for vacation. He hadn’t thought about how, when you’re living abroad, you still have a normal daily life – you get up and go to work. You cook dinner and get your kids ready for school. You exercise and brush your teeth. It’s not the same intensity of exploration that you have while on vacation and it means navigating normal life through the maze of a new language, culture, etc. You still live your life while living abroad and, like much else, this brings its own set of challenges and opportunities.
I’ve been fortunate enough to mostly live abroad while working at the US Embassy, which brings its own support system. Depending on whether you work for the US government, the United Nations, an NGO, a school, or any other entity, the level of support will vary. Some employers will ship your household belongings and car to the country where you’re posted. Or they’ll provide you with housing or a housing stipend and realtor. Others will provide maintenance for your house and tickets home to see your family. Other employers won’t do any of these things. Or you may want to just move abroad and wing it without an employer!
While thinking about the life you want to live abroad, it’s worth considering what amenities you can’t live without. This will help you decide what sort of employer you want to work for and how important that household shipment is. And it’ll help you decide what sort of countries you want to live in. I loved living in Tajikistan because it forced us outside of our comfort zone in terms of what kind of products we could buy – there were very few western brands or restaurants – and what sort of activities we would do for fun – there weren’t movies in English and only one western-style cafe. But that is one of the things that drew me to living abroad in the first place: the opportunity to expand outside of what felt normal to me.
If you have a spouse and kids, of course then you have more things to consider – where your spouse will work if they want to, where your kids will go to school, the crime rate, health care, etc. I’m lucky enough to be married to a teacher, which I always say is a great job for the spouse of a Foreign Service Officer in the diplomatic corps because teachers can get a job in most countries at the international school. Of course, you have to agree with your spouse where you want to live and how often you want to move countries. And, when your kids get older, they’ll get to be at least part of the discussion. Some jobs will give you an education allowance to send your kids to an international school, but others won’t. Either way, you’ll have to decide if you want to enroll your kids in a local school, international school, or home school them.
And then there’s the family you leave back home. We’re fortunate to live in the age of Skype. I remember when I first lived abroad in Japan in 2000, my Mom had to pay expensive long distance fees to talk with me on the phone. Now I video chat with her every Saturday for free! With WhatsApp for texting, email on our phones, video chatting, it’s easier than ever to be in touch while living abroad. Though nothing beats being with loved ones in person, Skype is better than nothing. The main challenge I find is that the time difference can make it hard to find a time to talk. During the day on the weekend is my favorite time to talk with loved ones, but being here in Armenia means that my Saturday afternoon is their middle of the night.
These are just a few of the considerations that you’ll need to take into account when moving abroad because, even though you live in a new normal, you’re still you. So that’s one reason why I think it’s great if you can get the chance to do study abroad or a multi-month work or volunteer trip before committing to living abroad for a longer amount of time. That way you can see if you like the actuality of living abroad as much as you like the idea of it. There are a few things to do before departing. And, remember that every country is different, so if you live in one country and don’t love it, you might want to try another country before throwing in the towel and moving back home. It might just be that the country wasn’t a good fit, not the lifestyle. There’s only one way to find out – go out there and do it! And if you’re looking for a reason why, check out my blog about why to pursue a career in global affairs.
Send me an email at lylabashan@gmail.com if you have a question or want to chat.
The post Living Abroad while Living your Life appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
October 8, 2018
4 Lessons Learned: College Tour for Authors
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
Unlike my other blog posts, this one is less directed at global citizens and more so at fellow authors or aspiring authors. Serving in the diplomatic corps, I’m not in the United States very often and, when I am, it’s usually during summer vacation – not during the school year. Because of that, I wanted to take advantage of a recent trip to my hometown, Portland, Oregon where I went for my 20-year high school reunion (time flies!).
I wrote Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes to inspire and empower Americans to get more engaged in the world and to help make the world a better place. My target audience is college-age Americans and the book provides a great overview of global affairs, so it can serve as a really awesome resource in college curriculums, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to speak to college students while I was in Portland. That way I could inspire young Americans and share with these colleges about my book. During just over a week spent in Portland, I spoke at five colleges (two of them twice) and my old high school (three times), so I had 10 speaking events and got to reach hundreds of students. Though traditional book tours are a thing of the past, there’s still nothing like engaging directly with your audience, so I wanted to share some of my lessons learned in case you want to arrange your own college tour to promote your book.
Reaching out
The first step is to reach out to every college in the city you’re going to be in – or, of course, the city where you live. Because I grew up in Portland, I knew all (or the vast majority) of the colleges off the top of my head, but a quick Google search will help you come up with the list. I didn’t actually have any contacts yet at any of the colleges, but definitely use a contact if you already have one. At my reunion, I learned that a high school classmate of mine taught at a local college and he invited me to come speak to his class, which I happily accepted. So, you never know when you will stumble upon a contact.
Target reaching out to college contacts relevant to your book topic – mine is about global affairs, so I focused on international affairs teachers/section heads and career centers since my book also provides career advice. I suggest that you contact several people on one email to increase your chances of someone responding. And don’t be afraid to politely follow up after a week or two of not hearing back. Emails get buried, sent to the spam folder, etc. and sometimes a nice reminder email is just what someone needs to respond. I did notice it was a lot more difficult to be in communication with my college contacts during the summer months – which is completely understandable, so keep that in mind when you’re scheduling your tour – don’t rely on the summer months for arrangements. Also, I had to be in Portland right after school started, but several people said that it would have been better if it weren’t at the very beginning of the school year. So, if you have the freedom to schedule your college tour, do it at a time that is conducive for the school year – not at the very beginning or end and not right around finals.
[image error]Get prepared
In my initial email contacting colleges, I explained in general what I could talk about and provided a link to some sample chapters on my website. This was a way to make initial contact, but also to share information about my book, so even if they didn’t ask me to come speak, they’d still know about my book. Once I got a positive response from a college, I would then ask the contact what specifically they would like me to talk about. Even though some of my events were a bit different – like an international affairs class versus an open-invite career advice session – I came up with a general outline of what I wanted to talk about and then slightly redirected it for each event. That way, I didn’t have to come up with 10 different talks, but rather just one that I got really good at and was able to tweak as needed. And the talk definitely evolved as the week progressed.
One helpful part of this was that, at two of my initial talks, I had someone with me (my Mom was one of them!) who was able to provide me feedback – things that seemed to really resonate with my audience or ways to engage them better. Having someone that could provide that feedback gave me the opportunity to revise a few of my points. At the beginning of the week, I wasn’t reading an excerpt from my book, which is something that I started incorporating a few days in, which I definitely suggest doing because it connects your talk very clearly back to your book. It’s one thing to mention that something you’re talking about is in your book, but it’s great when you read from it because then your audience can hear the voice your book is written in and get them excited to read it.
In talking with college students, I made sure to not use jargon and to use straight-forward language, but also never to talk down to them because college students these days are super sharp. In order to get them comfortable and hopefully more engaged, I would ask them some questions and then randomly call on someone if no one raised their hands. And I tried to not be too rigid in my presentation so that if I started talking about something that the audience seemed interested in, then I’d let myself go down that rabbit hole even if it swerved off course of what I had been discussing.
Something I didn’t do, but wish I had, was mention to the audiences that they could follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn – this is a great way for people to follow your work and get advice without having to directly contact you. But I didn’t think about it until I was heading back to Armenia!
To sell or to not sell
I initially thought that I wanted to bring copies of my book to sell at the events, but then I realized that it was more important for me to get my message across than to sell a few books. So instead of bringing books to sell, I brought enough to give one to each group I was speaking to and I wrote a note on the title page specifically to that group. Since my ultimate goal is to get my book taught in colleges, hopefully my contact would be interested enough by what they heard at my talk or peruse my book and get inspired to use it in their class.
[image error]One of the classes I spoke to was actually already using my book, which was super exciting to show up to the class and to see my book on the classroom desks! Make sure to bring a few extra copies of your book in case you pick up more speaking events during your tour. If you do decide to bring copies of your book to sell, I suggest you ask for a student helper to sell copies so that you don’t have to deal with taking cash while talking with students and signing your books. But, I definitely think it’s better not to sell – that way it doesn’t seem like you’re there just to sell your book – make it more about the students and less about you. An awesome option is if the college stocked your book in their bookstore, so it’s worth asking if they’d be interested in that. Also, some colleges offer a very small stipend, but I suggest not asking to be paid and/or waiving the payment if you’re offered since the point is really to get the exposure to your book.
Get the logistics down
Before heading out on your promotion tour, print out the college campus maps, make sure that you know how to locate where you’re supposed to be, and write down the address of the college and the name of your contact. You don’t want to be figuring out logistics on the way to your event. Also, make sure to get there early to have time to locate where you’ll be speaking.
Be flexible and be willing to take on more speaking commitments in case people are inspired when they hear you talk and want to get you more events – this also requires keeping your schedule open enough that you have time to incorporate more events. One event a day is good if you have enough time. The most I did was three in a day and that was a lot! I spoke at my high school’s assembly, to a class at a college, and then to a group of students at another college. I got through it, but by the third event I was pretty tired and it was a little more challenging to keep my talk fresh.
A few final thoughts
Colleges will most likely either have you speak to a relevant class or at a college-sponsored event. You should let it be up to them about their preference and some will ask you to do both. If you are talking to a class, I suggest that you ask the professor to encourage their students to come with some questions. I personally prefer a more interactive discussion rather than me talking at students, but it can be hard to get students to warm up enough to ask questions. If you’re speaking at a college-sponsored event, don’t let it hurt your feelings if tons of students don’t show up. But do encourage the college to advertise your event to maximize the chance of more students coming. Also, encourage them to invite specific classes to your event – that way you have a guaranteed audience.
[image error]Most of my events were an hour to an hour and a half. This is a good amount of time for you to read from your book, give a talk and answer questions. But it’s good to be able to scale your talk to fit into a smaller timeframe if necessary because you won’t always get a full hour and a half.
After your event, make sure to write follow up thank you emails to your contact at the college. That way you’re reaching back to them, acknowledging the effort they put into arranging your visit and hopefully building a contact with someone who will continue to share with students about your book.
One last thing, I had business cards made specifically to hand out during my college tour. In addition to (of course) my name, the cards had my website, the name of my book and a picture of the cover, and my email address. I handed them out to all of the students at my events and encouraged them to follow up with me if they had any questions. This serves two purposes: (1) I want to be a resource for young Americans interested in making the world a better place and (2) it serves as a marketing tool for my book.
So these are some of my thoughts and observations, please send me an email if you have any questions. Happy touring!
The post 4 Lessons Learned: College Tour for Authors appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
Lessons Learned: College Tour for Authors
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
Unlike my other blog posts, this one is less directed at global citizens and more so at fellow authors or aspiring authors. Serving in the diplomatic corps, I’m not in the United States very often and, when I am, it’s usually during summer vacation – not during the school year. Because of that, I wanted to take advantage of a recent trip to my hometown, Portland, Oregon where I went for my 20-year high school reunion (time flies!).
I wrote Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes to inspire and empower Americans to get more engaged in the world and to help make the world a better place. My target audience is college-age Americans and the book provides a great overview of global affairs, so it can serve as a really awesome resource in college curriculums, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to speak to college students while I was in Portland. That way I could inspire young Americans and share with these colleges about my book. During just over a week spent in Portland, I spoke at five colleges (two of them twice) and my old high school (three times), so I had 10 speaking events and got to reach hundreds of students. Though traditional book tours are a thing of the past, there’s still nothing like engaging directly with your audience, so I wanted to share some of my lessons learned in case you want to arrange your own college tour to promote your book.
Reaching out
The first step is to reach out to every college in the city you’re going to be in – or, of course, the city where you live. Because I grew up in Portland, I knew all (or the vast majority) of the colleges off the top of my head, but a quick Google search will help you come up with the list. I didn’t actually have any contacts yet at any of the colleges, but definitely use a contact if you already have one. At my reunion, I learned that a high school classmate of mine taught at a local college and he invited me to come speak to his class, which I happily accepted. So, you never know when you will stumble upon a contact.
Target reaching out to college contacts relevant to your book topic – mine is about global affairs, so I focused on international affairs teachers/section heads and career centers since my book also provides career advice. I suggest that you contact several people on one email to increase your chances of someone responding. And don’t be afraid to politely follow up after a week or two of not hearing back. Emails get buried, sent to the spam folder, etc. and sometimes a nice reminder email is just what someone needs to respond. I did notice it was a lot more difficult to be in communication with my college contacts during the summer months – which is completely understandable, so keep that in mind when you’re scheduling your tour – don’t rely on the summer months for arrangements. Also, I had to be in Portland right after school started, but several people said that it would have been better if it weren’t at the very beginning of the school year. So, if you have the freedom to schedule your college tour, do it at a time that is conducive for the school year – not at the very beginning or end and not right around finals.
[image error]Get prepared
In my initial email contacting colleges, I explained in general what I could talk about and provided a link to some sample chapters on my website. This was a way to make initial contact, but also to share information about my book, so even if they didn’t ask me to come speak, they’d still know about my book. Once I got a positive response from a college, I would then ask the contact what specifically they would like me to talk about. Even though some of my events were a bit different – like an international affairs class versus an open-invite career advice session – I came up with a general outline of what I wanted to talk about and then slightly redirected it for each event. That way, I didn’t have to come up with 10 different talks, but rather just one that I got really good at and was able to tweak as needed. And the talk definitely evolved as the week progressed.
One helpful part of this was that, at two of my initial talks, I had someone with me (my Mom was one of them!) who was able to provide me feedback – things that seemed to really resonate with my audience or ways to engage them better. Having someone that could provide that feedback gave me the opportunity to revise a few of my points. At the beginning of the week, I wasn’t reading an excerpt from my book, which is something that I started incorporating a few days in, which I definitely suggest doing because it connects your talk very clearly back to your book. It’s one thing to mention that something you’re talking about is in your book, but it’s great when you read from it because then your audience can hear the voice your book is written in and get them excited to read it.
In talking with college students, I made sure to not use jargon and to use straight-forward language, but also never to talk down to them because college students these days are super sharp. In order to get them comfortable and hopefully more engaged, I would ask them some questions and then randomly call on someone if no one raised their hands. And I tried to not be too rigid in my presentation so that if I started talking about something that the audience seemed interested in, then I’d let myself go down that rabbit hole even if it swerved off course of what I had been discussing.
Something I didn’t do, but wish I had, was mention to the audiences that they could follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn – this is a great way for people to follow your work and get advice without having to directly contact you. But I didn’t think about it until I was heading back to Armenia!
To sell or to not sell
I initially thought that I wanted to bring copies of my book to sell at the events, but then I realized that it was more important for me to get my message across than to sell a few books. So instead of bringing books to sell, I brought enough to give one to each group I was speaking to and I wrote a note on the title page specifically to that group. Since my ultimate goal is to get my book taught in colleges, hopefully my contact would be interested enough by what they heard at my talk or peruse my book and get inspired to use it in their class.
[image error]One of the classes I spoke to was actually already using my book, which was super exciting to show up to the class and to see my book on the classroom desks! Make sure to bring a few extra copies of your book in case you pick up more speaking events during your tour. If you do decide to bring copies of your book to sell, I suggest you ask for a student helper to sell copies so that you don’t have to deal with taking cash while talking with students and signing your books. But, I definitely think it’s better not to sell – that way it doesn’t seem like you’re there just to sell your book – make it more about the students and less about you. An awesome option is if the college stocked your book in their bookstore, so it’s worth asking if they’d be interested in that. Also, some colleges offer a very small stipend, but I suggest not asking to be paid and/or waiving the payment if you’re offered since the point is really to get the exposure to your book.
Get the logistics down
Before heading out on your promotion tour, print out the college campus maps, make sure that you know how to locate where you’re supposed to be, and write down the address of the college and the name of your contact. You don’t want to be figuring out logistics on the way to your event. Also, make sure to get there early to have time to locate where you’ll be speaking.
Be flexible and be willing to take on more speaking commitments in case people are inspired when they hear you talk and want to get you more events – this also requires keeping your schedule open enough that you have time to incorporate more events. One event a day is good if you have enough time. The most I did was three in a day and that was a lot! I spoke at my high school’s assembly, to a class at a college, and then to a group of students at another college. I got through it, but by the third event I was pretty tired and it was a little more challenging to keep my talk fresh.
A few final thoughts
Colleges will most likely either have you speak to a relevant class or at a college-sponsored event. You should let it be up to them about their preference and some will ask you to do both. If you are talking to a class, I suggest that you ask the professor to encourage their students to come with some questions. I personally prefer a more interactive discussion rather than me talking at students, but it can be hard to get students to warm up enough to ask questions. If you’re speaking at a college-sponsored event, don’t let it hurt your feelings if tons of students don’t show up. But do encourage the college to advertise your event to maximize the chance of more students coming. Also, encourage them to invite specific classes to your event – that way you have a guaranteed audience.
[image error]Most of my events were an hour to an hour and a half. This is a good amount of time for you to read from your book, give a talk and answer questions. But it’s good to be able to scale your talk to fit into a smaller timeframe if necessary because you won’t always get a full hour and a half.
After your event, make sure to write follow up thank you emails to your contact at the college. That way you’re reaching back to them, acknowledging the effort they put into arranging your visit and hopefully building a contact with someone who will continue to share with students about your book.
One last thing, I had business cards made specifically to hand out during my college tour. In addition to (of course) my name, the cards had my website, the name of my book and a picture of the cover, and my email address. I handed them out to all of the students at my events and encouraged them to follow up with me if they had any questions. This serves two purposes: (1) I want to be a resource for young Americans interested in making the world a better place and (2) it serves as a marketing tool for my book.
So these are some of my thoughts and observations, please send me an email if you have any questions. Happy touring!
The post Lessons Learned: College Tour for Authors appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
August 3, 2018
5 Things You can do Now to Become a Global Citizen
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
I think some people are intimidated by the idea of becoming a global citizen (i.e. someone who is aware of what is going on in the world and is engaged in doing their small part to help make the world a better place) because it feels overwhelming. And I get it, global issues can definitely feel overwhelming. But let me tell you, it’s better to do what you can than to not do anything. That’s why I’ve outlined below what you can do now (not tomorrow, now!) to start on your path to becoming a global citizen.
1) Read Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
I know this sounds self-serving, but it’s truly an excellent first step in helping you understand the systems and issues and how you want to plug into them. Being educated about the world is one of the most important first steps to being a global citizen. And most importantly, it’ll help you understand what you’re most passionate about. There are so many global maladies – climate change, war, child brides, infectious diseases, trafficking in persons, malnutrition, fair wages, and on and on – that it can feel overwhelming. But if you equip yourself with a basic understanding of these issues, then you can know what resonates most with you. Being a global citizen is important and you are more likely to do it and to continue to do it, if you spend that energy on something you’re really passionate about, so now’s the time to figure out what that is.
2) Read the news
Start reading the international section of your news source every day – or at least a few times a week. Even if you just read the headlines and not the full articles, it’ll still start giving you a sense of what’s going on in the world. In Annex 3 of Global, I have a list of news sources I find useful, but the good old New York Times is always a great starting point. By tracking current events, you’ll be able to place the issues that you find interesting in what’s going on in the world today. Atrocities? Rohingya. Conflict Resolution? Ethiopia and Eritrea. Revolution? Armenia. You’ll start to be able to track specific issues or countries and have a sense of what’s really going on. You can also choose a country you’ve always been curious about and learn more about that country through online research and then set Google updates for when it’s mentioned in the news. This can be helpful because often only really major events from around the world make it in US news sources, so if you’re interested in a specific country, it’s better to track that country rather than wait for it to show up.
3) Get involved locally
Because the United States is the most powerful country in the world, your choices matter and your choices start from within reach. Voting is such a key part of being a global citizen because the US government has such a huge impact in the world and that impact comes from our elected officials. Being a part of an advocacy effort is another local effort – you can work with friends or an established group to write letters to your representative, make phone calls, or volunteer with a local representative to ensure issues you find important are being paid attention to and receiving resources – whether this is at the community-level, nationally, or globally. Volunteering locally is another awesome way to start on the path to being a global citizen. Your community might not seem like the obvious first stop in being a global citizen, but it is — because “global” issues take place here in the US – child poverty, climate justice, fair wage fights, trafficking in persons, refugee resettlement, and on. So find opportunities in your community where you can spend your time helping to make someone’s life better. Because, really at the end of the day, that’s what it’s about – making an impact in people’s lives, emboldening humanity to care, using your time to create good in the world.
4) Shop responsibly
Make a concerted effort to buy fair labor goods. American consumer power is so strong and can make such an impact in making people’s lives around the world better. So many people work in horrible working conditions, have no worker’s rights and earn a nominal amount – and that’s not even including all of the people, even children, working in forced and slave labor around the world. A study on factory labor revealed that doubling factory workers’ salaries (giving them a living wage) would create only a two percent increase in retail prices, whereas most consumers would be willing to pay up to almost 30 percent more if they knew that the item that they were buying was produced under good conditions. For a ten-dollar H&M shirt, we’re talking about an additional 20 cents to help make the world a better place. This seems like a no-brainer to me! So how do you do this? Avoid stores that have a reputation for using sweatshop labor or employing sweatshops to make their goods. Buy brands that you know use fair labor standards – you can Google “fair labor brands” to find lists. You can also shop at second hand or vintage stores where you’re not directly contributing to sweatshops. If you’re interested in labor issues and how the issue of work is a global issue, you can learn more in Chapter 9 of Global.
5) Pick an organization
Choose an organization or a couple of organizations that you think are doing good work and learn more about them and the work their doing. The annexes in Global list some cool organizations and you can also ask your family and friends which ones they respect or do some online research. You can focus on the organizations that work on issues you find most interesting – whether it’s humanitarian relief, human rights, environmental justice, health, advocacy, education, and on and on – there are tons of great organizations doing important work. Once you’ve picked your organization, follow their work. Sign up for updates, read their website – these organizations often have reporting written by their staff, so it’s a great way to learn about the issues from first-hand experience. If you have a few extra bucks (skip your Starbucks run one day!), you could even donate some money. Even $5 can make a big impact in someone’s life. I donate a portion of the proceeds of Global to organizations that I really respect. If you’re looking for suggestions on organizations, here’s the list I’m donating to: Plan International, Mercy Corps, Save the Children, Women for Women International, Population Services International, International Rescue Committee, Heifer International, Center for Civilians in Conflict, Promundo, International Crisis Group, Doctor’s Without Borders, and Malala Fund.
6) Travel
This one is a bonus suggestion. Traveling obviously takes time and money, so isn’t necessarily easy to do immediately. That being said, it is still so totally worth it. There are so many amazing places to discover in the world and traveling to them helps you have a better appreciation of different countries, cultures, issues, and histories. Experiencing a place first-hand can help you better understand how all of the countries in the world fit together into the puzzle that is the global world order. You can travel for fun or through a volunteer organization and do some good work while you’re on the road. Or, if you’re interested in actually living abroad, you can get a fellowship or even a job in a foreign country. Check out Annex One of Global for a long list of cool volunteer, fellowship and job suggestions. Seeing the world is exciting and rewarding. That being said, if you’re not interested in travel or if it’s too much to handle right now, you definitely never have to leave your hometown in order to be a global citizen and to make a positive impact in the world. Just do number one through five above and you’ll be well on your way!
Have any questions? Send me a message.
The post 5 Things You can do Now to Become a Global Citizen appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
Five Things You can do Now to Become a Global Citizen
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
I think some people are intimidated by the idea of becoming a global citizen (i.e. someone who is aware of what is going on in the world and is engaged in doing their small part to help make the world a better place) because it feels overwhelming. And I get it, global issues can definitely feel overwhelming. But let me tell you, it’s better to do what you can than to not do anything. That’s why I’ve outlined below what you can do now (not tomorrow, now!) to start on your path to becoming a global citizen.
1) Read Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
I know this sounds self-serving, but it’s truly an excellent first step in helping you understand the systems and issues and how you want to plug into them. Being educated about the world is one of the most important first steps to being a global citizen. And most importantly, it’ll help you understand what you’re most passionate about. There are so many global maladies – climate change, war, child brides, infectious diseases, trafficking in persons, malnutrition, fair wages, and on and on – that it can feel overwhelming. But if you equip yourself with a basic understanding of these issues, then you can know what resonates most with you. Being a global citizen is important and you are more likely to do it and to continue to do it, if you spend that energy on something you’re really passionate about, so now’s the time to figure out what that is.
2) Read the news
Start reading the international section of your news source every day – or at least a few times a week. Even if you just read the headlines and not the full articles, it’ll still start giving you a sense of what’s going on in the world. In Annex 3 of Global, I have a list of news sources I find useful, but the good old New York Times is always a great starting point. By tracking current events, you’ll be able to place the issues that you find interesting in what’s going on in the world today. Atrocities? Rohingya. Conflict Resolution? Ethiopia and Eritrea. Revolution? Armenia. You’ll start to be able to track specific issues or countries and have a sense of what’s really going on. You can also choose a country you’ve always been curious about and learn more about that country through online research and then set Google updates for when it’s mentioned in the news. This can be helpful because often only really major events from around the world make it in US news sources, so if you’re interested in a specific country, it’s better to track that country rather than wait for it to show up.
3) Get involved locally
Because the United States is the most powerful country in the world, your choices matter and your choices start from within reach. Voting is such a key part of being a global citizen because the US government has such a huge impact in the world and that impact comes from our elected officials. Being a part of an advocacy effort is another local effort – you can work with friends or an established group to write letters to your representative, make phone calls, or volunteer with a local representative to ensure issues you find important are being paid attention to and receiving resources – whether this is at the community-level, nationally, or globally. Volunteering locally is another awesome way to start on the path to being a global citizen. Your community might not seem like the obvious first stop in being a global citizen, but it is — because “global” issues take place here in the US – child poverty, climate justice, fair wage fights, trafficking in persons, refugee resettlement, and on. So find opportunities in your community where you can spend your time helping to make someone’s life better. Because, really at the end of the day, that’s what it’s about – making an impact in people’s lives, emboldening humanity to care, using your time to create good in the world.
4) Shop responsibly
Make a concerted effort to buy fair labor goods. American consumer power is so strong and can make such an impact in making people’s lives around the world better. So many people work in horrible working conditions, have no worker’s rights and earn a nominal amount – and that’s not even including all of the people, even children, working in forced and slave labor around the world. A study on factory labor revealed that doubling factory workers’ salaries (giving them a living wage) would create only a two percent increase in retail prices, whereas most consumers would be willing to pay up to almost 30 percent more if they knew that the item that they were buying was produced under good conditions. For a ten-dollar H&M shirt, we’re talking about an additional 20 cents to help make the world a better place. This seems like a no-brainer to me! So how do you do this? Avoid stores that have a reputation for using sweatshop labor or employing sweatshops to make their goods. Buy brands that you know use fair labor standards – you can Google “fair labor brands” to find lists. You can also shop at second hand or vintage stores where you’re not directly contributing to sweatshops. If you’re interested in labor issues and how the issue of work is a global issue, you can learn more in Chapter 9 of Global.
5) Pick an organization
Choose an organization or a couple of organizations that you think are doing good work and learn more about them and the work their doing. The annexes in Global list some cool organizations and you can also ask your family and friends which ones they respect or do some online research. You can focus on the organizations that work on issues you find most interesting – whether it’s humanitarian relief, human rights, environmental justice, health, advocacy, education, and on and on – there are tons of great organizations doing important work. Once you’ve picked your organization, follow their work. Sign up for updates, read their website – these organizations often have reporting written by their staff, so it’s a great way to learn about the issues from first-hand experience. If you have a few extra bucks (skip your Starbucks run one day!), you could even donate some money. Even $5 can make a big impact in someone’s life. I donate a portion of the proceeds of Global to organizations that I really respect. If you’re looking for suggestions on organizations, here’s the list I’m donating to: Plan International, Mercy Corps, Save the Children, Women for Women International, Population Services International, International Rescue Committee, Heifer International, Center for Civilians in Conflict, Promundo, International Crisis Group, Doctor’s Without Borders, and Malala Fund.
6) Travel
This one is a bonus suggestion. Traveling obviously takes time and money, so isn’t necessarily easy to do immediately. That being said, it is still so totally worth it. There are so many amazing places to discover in the world and traveling to them helps you have a better appreciation of different countries, cultures, issues, and histories. Experiencing a place first-hand can help you better understand how all of the countries in the world fit together into the puzzle that is the global world order. You can travel for fun or through a volunteer organization and do some good work while you’re on the road. Or, if you’re interested in actually living abroad, you can get a fellowship or even a job in a foreign country. Check out Annex One of Global for a long list of cool volunteer, fellowship and job suggestions. Seeing the world is exciting and rewarding. That being said, if you’re not interested in travel or if it’s too much to handle right now, you definitely never have to leave your hometown in order to be a global citizen and to make a positive impact in the world. Just do number one through five above and you’ll be well on your way!
Have any questions? Send me a message.
The post Five Things You can do Now to Become a Global Citizen appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
Five things you can do now to become a global citizen
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
I think some people are intimidated by the idea of becoming a global citizen (i.e. someone who is aware of what is going on in the world and is engaged in doing their small part to help make the world a better place) because it feels overwhelming. And I get it, global issues can definitely feel overwhelming. But let me tell you, it’s better to do what you can than to not do anything. That’s why I’ve outlined below what you can do now (not tomorrow, now!) to start on your path to becoming a global citizen.
1) Read Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
I know this sounds self-serving, but it’s truly an excellent first step in helping you understand the systems and issues and how you want to plug into them. Being educated about the world is one of the most important first steps to being a global citizen. And most importantly, it’ll help you understand what you’re most passionate about. There are so many global maladies – climate change, war, child brides, infectious diseases, trafficking in persons, malnutrition, fair wages, and on and on – that it can feel overwhelming. But if you equip yourself with a basic understanding of these issues, then you can know what resonates most with you. Being a global citizen is important and you are more likely to do it and to continue to do it, if you spend that energy on something you’re really passionate about, so now’s the time to figure out what that is.
2) Read the news
Start reading the international section of your news source every day – or at least a few times a week. Even if you just read the headlines and not the full articles, it’ll still start giving you a sense of what’s going on in the world. In Annex 3 of Global, I have a list of news sources I find useful, but the good old New York Times is always a great starting point. By tracking current events, you’ll be able to place the issues that you find interesting in what’s going on in the world today. Atrocities? Rohingya. Conflict Resolution? Ethiopia and Eritrea. Revolution? Armenia. You’ll start to be able to track specific issues or countries and have a sense of what’s really going on. You can also choose a country you’ve always been curious about and learn more about that country through online research and then set Google updates for when it’s mentioned in the news. This can be helpful because often only really major events from around the world make it in US news sources, so if you’re interested in a specific country, it’s better to track that country rather than wait for it to show up.
3) Get involved locally
Because the United States is the most powerful country in the world, your choices matter and your choices start from within reach. Voting is such a key part of being a global citizen because the US government has such a huge impact in the world and that impact comes from our elected officials. Being a part of an advocacy effort is another local effort – you can work with friends or an established group to write letters to your representative, make phone calls, or volunteer with a local representative to ensure issues you find important are being paid attention to and receiving resources – whether this is at the community-level, nationally, or globally. Volunteering locally is another awesome way to start on the path to being a global citizen. Your community might not seem like the obvious first stop in being a global citizen, but it is — because “global” issues take place here in the US – child poverty, climate justice, fair wage fights, trafficking in persons, refugee resettlement, and on. So find opportunities in your community where you can spend your time helping to make someone’s life better. Because, really at the end of the day, that’s what it’s about – making an impact in people’s lives, emboldening humanity to care, using your time to create good in the world.
4) Shop responsibly
Make a concerted effort to buy fair labor goods. American consumer power is so strong and can make such an impact in making people’s lives around the world better. So many people work in horrible working conditions, have no worker’s rights and earn a nominal amount – and that’s not even including all of the people, even children, working in forced and slave labor around the world. A study on factory labor revealed that doubling factory workers’ salaries (giving them a living wage) would create only a two percent increase in retail prices, whereas most consumers would be willing to pay up to almost 30 percent more if they knew that the item that they were buying was produced under good conditions. For a ten-dollar H&M shirt, we’re talking about an additional 20 cents to help make the world a better place. This seems like a no-brainer to me! So how do you do this? Avoid stores that have a reputation for using slave labor or employing sweatshops to make their goods. Buy brands that you know use fair labor standards – you can Google “fair labor brands” to find lists. You can also shop at second hand or vintage stores where you’re not directly contributing to sweatshops. If you’re interested in labor issues and how the issue of work is a global issue, you can learn more in Chapter 9 of Global.
5) Pick an organization
Choose an organization or a couple of organizations that you think are doing good work and learn more. The annexes in Global list some cool organizations and you can also ask your family and friends which ones they respect or do some online research. You can focus on the organizations that work on issues you find most interesting – whether it’s humanitarian relief, human rights, environmental justice, health, advocacy, education, and on and on – there are tons of great organizations doing important work. Once you’ve picked your organization, follow their work. Sign up for updates, read their website – these organizations often have reporting written by their staff, so it’s a great way to learn about the issues from first-hand experience. If you have a few extra bucks (try skipping you Starbucks run one day!), you could even donate some money. Even $5 can make a big impact in someone’s life. I donate a portion of the proceeds to organizations that I really respect and, in case you’re looking for suggestions on organizations, here’s the list I’m donating to: Plan International, Mercy Corps, Save the Children, Women for Women International, Population Services International, International Rescue Committee, Heifer International, Center for Civilians in Conflict, Promundo, International Crisis Group, Doctor’s Without Borders, and Malala Fund.
6) Travel
This one is a bonus suggestion. Traveling obviously takes time and money, so isn’t necessarily easy to do immediately. That being said, it is still so totally worth it. There are so many amazing places to discover in the world and traveling to them helps you have a better appreciation of different countries, cultures, issues, and histories. Experiencing a place first-hand can help you better understand how all of the countries in the world fit together into the puzzle that is the global world order. You can travel for fun or through a volunteer organization and do some good work while you’re on the road. Or, if you’re interested in actually living abroad, you can get a fellowship or even a job in a foreign country. Check out Annex One of Global for a long list of cool volunteer, fellowship and job suggestions. Seeing the world is exciting and rewarding. That being said, if you’re not interested in travel or if it’s too much to handle right now, you definitely never have to leave your hometown in order to be a global citizen and to make a positive impact in the world. Just do number one through five above and you’ll be well on your way!
Have any questions? Send me a message.
The post Five things you can do now to become a global citizen appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
June 14, 2018
In Honor of the World Day Against Child Labor
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
My friend and mentee, Riaz Ahmad, who is a committed global citizen living in Kashmir, is my guest blogger in honor of the World Day Against Child Labor on June 12. You can learn more about child labor in Global and from the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which have a renewed commitment to ending child labor. Enjoy Riaz’s article below.
The Case Against Child Labor
Children are considered a blessing – gifts from a supreme power. Children are like seedlings that need proper sunlight, water and nutrients, so that they can develop into fruitful trees. In a similar fashion, we need to take care of our children and make them responsible and good citizens.
The future of any country depends upon its children. How the educational system prepares its children for upcoming challenges. In Asian countries, a large portion of society believe that more hands bring more resources and, as such, they have four to five children with very few resources to give them a better education or a better livelihood. Most of these children remain illiterate or are primary school dropouts and adopt extra-legal means to survive. In this way parents are indirectly responsible for child exploitation through child labor.
Due to poverty and illiteracy, children constitute about 36% of the total population and a considerable number of children suffer from malnutrition. A large portion of children suffer from various diseases due to unhygienic and cruel exploitation of forced labor.
Some statistical data from ILO, the international labor organization, which works for the betterment of all labor, states that there are 30 million street children without any identity in the world. Of these, 11 million street children live in India. These street children often end up in situations of child labor.
Children from both rural and urban areas work at a time when they are supposed to be lying the foundation of their future, but poverty, illiterate parents, and other factors put a heavy burden on their frail shoulders. Due to the adoption of the ILO convention on child labor, it is absent in officially organized institutions.
Child labor is still growing and developing due to the abundance of children available for child labor. Child labor is a challenge to society because it is exploitative, unskilled and unprofessional labor. Children cannot defend themselves against child labor because they can’t make a union like a children’s union.
The Indian constitution provides the laws for the country and there is a fundamental right under part III that is the right against exploitation, which contains article 23 and 24. Article 23 says that there is a prohibition against forced labor and Article 24 says that there is a prohibition of employment of children below the age of 14 and that no child below the age of 14 should be allowed to work. Article 21A is the right to elementary education up to the age of 14. This is a fundamental right.
Western countries make an effort to eradicate this evil by banning products that are prepared by child labor. Some NGOs are working in this area, including RUGMARK, a certification trademark guaranteeing carpet production without child labor.
In my opinion there should be courts for children so that their rights are protected. Government should also focus towards new educational system that is earn while you learn.
The post In Honor of the World Day Against Child Labor appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
May 15, 2018
Travel: One of the Perks to an International Job
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
A CAREER IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS HAS IT’S PERKS, ONE OF WHICH IS TRAVELING
WORLD TRAVEL
One of my favorite things about having a career in international relations is how much I’ve gotten to travel – so many new countries, cities, and communities. I didn’t get my first passport until I was 18 and in the past 20 years, I’ve travelled to over 30 countries. Most of those countries I’ve either visited for work or thanks to my work. If you’re thinking about a career with travel, the Foreign Service is definitely a good option. Here’s a list of some other career ideas to consider if you’re interested in traveling.
GLOBAL: INTERNATIONAL LIVING
I find that I travel so much more when living abroad. I think one of the reasons is that, while living in the US, we’re so far away from other countries. Depending on where you live, you may be close to Canada or to Latin American countries, which does create opportunity for international travel. But living on the other side of the world, often means I’m a lot closer to a lot more countries. And, because I only live in these countries for a few years at a time (most of my tours are 2 to 4 years long), I think there’s a greater sense of urgency to explore the countries nearby.
WORKING FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT
I used to cover Sub-Saharan Africa when I worked at the State Department. While working for the State Department, I travelled to 8 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa: Tanzania, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, DRC, Mali, and Niger. Now that I’m in Armenia, serving in the Europe and Eurasia region, I’ve been travelling in this region a lot more. I realized recently that I’ve now been to more countries in Europe (most of them multiple times) than I’ve been to in Sub-Saharan Africa: Spain, Italy (I have a crush on Italy!!), France, the UK, Germany, Hungary, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Georgia, and Macedonia with day trips to Monaco, Vatican City, and Luxemborg.
MACEDONIA
I landed in Skopje, Macedonia yesterday for a conference that I’ll be attending this week. I love visiting a new country for the first time. Besides Canada, Japan was the first foreign country that I visited and I remember how intensely I felt impacted by seeing new sites and sounds. It felt so immense and interesting and exciting! Visiting a new country isn’t quite as intense these days as it once was, but I still love it and always appreciate the opportunity.
TAXI DRIVERS ARE LIKE TOUR GUIDES
When visiting a country for the first time, I always take advantage of the ride in from the airport to ask the taxi driver about the country. The first two things that I usually ask about are: 1. the country’s recent history and 2. the country’s economy. Taxi drivers are often a good representation of the country’s general population and I’ve found that they can have real insight about the country’s context. They’re often willing to be totally honest because they don’t have to worry about ever seeing you again.
A HISTORY LESSON
I ask about the recent history (20 – 30 years back) because usually I know just a bit – like what I learned in school or from the news. But by asking the taxi driver you get a more nuanced understanding of what actually happened. And you get a better understanding of how the major recent events are currently manifesting themselves.
ECONOMIC LESSONS
I always ask about the economy because it tells so much about the country, the citizens, and the government. It reflects how the people feel about their country – the hope that people feel for their country and their future. It says how people feel about their government – do they feel that their government is taking good care of them or about how corrupt their government is. It also often exposes who the country’s main trading partners are, so what countries they’re closest with. In a way, it’s like taking the pulse of the country.
WHAT THE NEWS DOESN’T TELL YOU
The taxi driver yesterday shared that many Macedonians miss Yugoslavia because the government took better care of its people and the economy was stronger. He said that he didn’t care about living in a democracy as long as he could take care of his family and give his children hope for the future. He told me that tourism was a growing part of the economy and that agriculture and light manufacturing were important parts. He informed me that, a few years ago, there had been big protests against the government and that the government had changed, but that the new government was just as corrupt. He talked about how many Macedonians were migrating to other countries to try to find jobs and that he was considering moving to Germany. He mentioned that Macedonia and Greece currently have a over the name “Macedonia” and it’ll be interesting to see how that issue is resolved. I’m looking forward to learning more about Macedonia in the coming days and following it in the future. I find that actually visiting a country – talking to its people, eating its food, seeing its sites – helps get it on your radar and you’re more likely to follow it in the future.
And here I am now enjoying some Macedonian wine with my colleagues listening to the rain fall on the windows. So for now, I will say cheers to more travel and more adventure and more opportunities to help make the world a better place! Check out Workaway for another good resource for traveling for work.
Check out my blog post on the 5 Reasons to Pursue a Career in International Relations to hear about some of the other things I love about having a career in global affairs.
The post Travel: One of the Perks to an International Job appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
Travel: One of the Perks to a Career in Global Affairs
Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes
One of my favorite things about having a career in global affairs is how much I’ve gotten to travel – so many new countries, cities, and communities. I didn’t get my first passport until I was 18 and in the past 20 years, I’ve travelled to over 30 countries. Most of those countries I’ve either visited for work or thanks to my work. If you’re thinking about a career with travel, the Foreign Service is definitely a good option. Here’s a list of some other career ideas to consider if you’re interested in travelling.
I find that I travel so much more when living abroad. I think one of the reasons is that, while living in the US, we’re so far away from other countries. Depending on where you live, you may be close to Canada or to Latin American countries, which does create opportunity for international travel. But living on the other side of the world, often means I’m a lot closer to a lot more countries. And, because I only live in these countries for a few years at a time (most of my tours are 2 to 4 years long), I think there’s a greater sense of urgency to explore the countries nearby.
I used to cover Sub-Saharan Africa when I worked at the State Department. While working for the State Department, I travelled to 8 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa: Tanzania, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, DRC, Mali, and Niger. Now that I’m in Armenia, serving in the Europe and Eurasia region, I’ve been travelling in this region a lot more. I realized recently that I’ve now been to more countries in Europe (most of them multiple times) than I’ve been to in Sub-Saharan Africa: Spain, Italy (I have a crush on Italy!!), France, the UK, Germany, Hungary, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Georgia, and Macedonia.
I landed in Skopje, Macedonia yesterday for a conference that I’ll be attending this week. I love visiting a new country for the first time. Besides Canada, Japan was the first foreign country that I visited and I remember how intensely I felt impacted by seeing new sites and sounds. It felt so immense and interesting and exciting! Visiting a new country isn’t quite as intense these days as it once was, but I still love it and always appreciate the opportunity.
When visiting a country for the first time, I always take advantage of the ride in from the airport to ask the taxi driver about the country. The first two things that I usually ask about are: 1. the country’s recent history and 2. the country’s economy. Taxi drivers are often a good representation of the country’s general population and I’ve found that they can have real insight about the country’s context. They’re often willing to be totally honest because they don’t have to worry about ever seeing you again.
I ask about the recent history (20 – 30 years back) because usually I know just a bit – like what I learned in school or from the news. But by asking the taxi driver you get a more nuanced understanding of what actually happened. And you get a better understanding of how the major recent events are currently manifesting themselves.
I always ask about the economy because it tells so much about the country, the citizens, and the government. It reflects how the people feel about their country – the hope that people feel for their country and their future. It says how people feel about their government – do they feel that their government is taking good care of them or about how corrupt their government is. It also often exposes who the country’s main trading partners are, so what countries they’re closest with. In a way, it’s like taking the pulse of the country.
The taxi driver yesterday shared that many Macedonians miss Yugoslavia because the government took better care of its people and the economy was stronger. He said that he didn’t care about living in a democracy as long as he could take care of his family and give his children hope for the future. He told me that tourism was a growing part of the economy and that agriculture and light manufacturing were important parts. He informed me that, a few years ago, there had been big protests against the government and that the government had changed, but that the new government was just as corrupt. He talked about how many Macedonians were migrating to other countries to try to find jobs and that he was considering moving to Germany. He mentioned that Macedonia and Greece currently have a over the name “Macedonia” and it’ll be interesting to see how that issue is resolved. I’m looking forward to learning more about Macedonia in the coming days and following it in the future. I find that actually visiting a country – talking to its people, eating its food, seeing its sites – helps get it on your radar and you’re more likely to follow it in the future.
And here I am now enjoying some Macedonian wine with my colleagues listening to the rain fall on the windows. So for now, I will say cheers to more travel and more adventure and more opportunities to help make the world a better place! Check out Workaway for another good resource for traveling for work.
Check out my blog post on the Five Reasons to Pursue a Career in Global Affairs to hear about some of the other things I love about having a career in global affairs.
The post Travel: One of the Perks to a Career in Global Affairs appeared first on Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes.
