1st and 2nd weeks at DoS.

The first couple weeks have been great. I love the work that I'm doing at the State Department. I am in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs (IO) with the office of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). As you can see already abbreviations are VERY necessary for the Department of State (DoS). Each bureau has an abbreviation and the first week I learned quickly that its something like another language. Most of them make sense, like African Affairs (AF), and Secretary of State (S) but some of them are ridiculously random like Legislative Affairs (H).

We started with numerous security briefings, which basically were telling us what NOT to do, whats not for non citizens what not to share w/anyone. what not to say, what not to post online. We were told hackers and foreign intelligence agencies do a lot of phishing for info, like how scammers send fake emails from banks to get ur acct info, they do that if u have a DoS email address but to send viruses and try to obtain information. They told us stories about employees that have been fired for leaking info to other governments, taking confidential information home, and even blogging and putting too much information on the blog. During orientation I got to meet interns from other offices and we had speakers from foreign service recruitment which was cool because we will be working right alongside foreign and civil service officers so we can see what they do and possibly work for DoS one day.

The first week I just did a lot of translating documents because UNESCO's headquarters being in Paris, France, most publications come out in French first and in English a few days later. The second week was much more eventful. A very important diplomat associated with UNESCO came into town and had a packed schedule of meetings with S (Secretary of State) and our AS (Assistant Secretary) and DAS's (Deputy Assistant Secretaries). It will take time to keep up with all the acronyms. I had to do research for briefing papers that other staffers were completing for these meetings. Our ambassador also came from Paris for this event. After the long day of meetings there was a reception of the hill and I got to meet the diplomat and other United Nations affiliated individuals. It was great. The internship program for DoS also arranges "field trips" so I will be going to visit an Embassy in a few weeks and I plan to attend a conference on Atrocities in Africa, as well as go hear a speech that S will be giving. Thats all for now.