GSPIA Interns’ blogs

Today is my last day at the embassy and let me tell you how sad I am to be leaving this place.The people I have been working with for the past four months have been tremendously welcoming, helpful, insightful and I consider them colleagues but also friends.

Working at the embassy at times can be very challenging especially if you are alone in the adventure but it is definitely worth it. This experience in Hanoi has challenged me both professionally but also personally. I have learned to use many transferable skills. I have learned to be confident and to not be afraid to take the lead when we are in an impasse. I have had the chance throughout this internship to work with Canadians but also with Vietnamese government officials that were pretty important. I had the chance to represent the embassy and the ambassador at various events and had the chance to represent Canada and our interests in a few meetings with Vietnamese representatives as well as members of the  international community and the civil society.

Living in Vietnam has opened up various opportunities that I would not necessarily have sought when I first arrived here. Working for the embassy has definitely made me realize that one day I do want to work for DFAIT. However, I now know for a fact that I want to wait a few years and work elsewhere first. I have mixed feelings about my departure from the country. I am excited to come back home and seeing everyone, but at the same time, this country has so much to offer and I have only been able to explore one part, the north. I wished I would have had more time here and that I would have been able to explore the wonderful cities that are only a few hundreds of km away from Hanoi. I wish I would have had the chance and time to wrap my head around learning more of the language. The end of this internship comes when I was finally getting comfortable in my position; when I knew what I was doing and I was getting better at my task. I wished the internship was longer (I would probably say the same if it was a longer internship) or wished I had time to do a lot more travels around the region. I am sad to leave the people that have surrounded me for the past few months. I really hope to come back here soon.

Let me offer a piece of advice to all APIers: If you have the chance to get an internship with an embassy through GSPIA I would definitely recommend that you take the opportunity. It will help you grow professionally, personally and even academically. Yes, you will be away from your family and friends but this is the experience of a lifetime and you will not regret it. If you even had a little doubt about what it would be like to be a diplomat or work at an embassy or dreamed about being an ambassador - do it! If you don’t get your first choice, it does not matter! I wanted to go to Europe and I’m in Asia … I don’t think I could have been more happy to be posted here at the end of the day. I have definitely flourished here and I am sure you will do the same anywhere you go. The Embassy in Hanoi has had 3 interns from Ottawa U. since last year and they are amazed by the quality of the students they have been getting. This shows by how much they trust us to do things such as representing our country or the ambassador in different events or even to write reports that are shared with the entire foreign service. I guarantee that the embassy internship will be rewarding wherever you are posted!

I am leaving for China tomorrow. I  thought a quick lay-over there before I have to come back to Canada would be nice since I am close to the frontier. I will be there for a week. Then I will be back in Ottawa to finish my MRP and I will be waiting to start my next adventure after graduation.
Thanks for reading.

For my comrades at embassies now and for those leaving shortly: enjoy every minute of your time abroad!
Love,
Audrey

Hello again from Spain!

I’ve been having a great time living and working in this beautiful city. Madrid is full of interesting things to see and do at all hours of the day.

Not so long ago I got the chance to discover another great city in Spain, Barcelona! I had the great honor of planning the Canadian Ambassador to Spain’s program during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona.

MWC is one of the largest congresses of its kind bringing together the top Information Communication and Technology (ICT) companies from around the world. This year, the congress had over 67,000 attendees from 205 countries and almost 1,500 different companies exhibiting their products and services. There were also more than 40 conference sessions given during the 4 day long congress which touched upon the most recent trends in ICT including Mobile Money, Mobile Heath and Embedded Mobile. Among the keynote speakers there were Presidents, CEOs and Executives of huge multinational companies such as Google, eBay, Vodafone, Nokia, China Mobile and Ericsson.

The Embassy of Canada to Spain, along with the ICT practice sector at Head Quarters in Ottawa, organised the Canadian presence at MWC. This presence included 27 Canadian Trade Commissioners and over 90 Canadian companies exhibiting and attending the congress. We also organized a special Canada Reception at the Cirque du Soleil’s Tapis Rouge Lounge with the assistance of key corporate sponsors.

In planning the Ambassador’s program, I got the chance to organise the logistics around the different conference sessions and meetings that the Ambassador attended. I also coordinated the guest list of the VIPs who were invited to the Canada Reception at the Cirque du Soleil. These VIPs included senior political and regulatory authorities from Brazil, Spain, Israel, Switzerland, Poland, and Indonesia as well as heads from large ICT companies. In addition to this, I also helped with other key Canadian events happening during the congress and worked at the Canada both answering different questions to congress attendees.

The entire experience was extremely rewarding. Despite working long hours and under the pressure of tight deadlines, I really enjoyed the work. Attending the congress and meeting many different Canadian companies opened my eyes to the dynamic industry of ICT. I was also able to witness the power of the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service and its industry knowledge and reach around the world.

Finally, I have to say that I’ve never seen so many businessmen in my life. The entire city was flooded with ICT businessmen from all corners of the globe. The site of the congress was literally a sea of business suits with everyone on their mobile phone and tablet computer. It was quite the sight!

Looking forward to reporting on my next adventure here in Spain.

Hasta

Hola de Montevideo! Como estan?

I just arrived from spending nine amazing days in Brazil for Easter Break (Semana Santa).
I had the opportunity to experience first-hand Brazil and brush-up my Portuguese! I had a great interest in visiting Brazil as I am doing my MRP on Brazil, energy and foreign policy. I visited Iguazu Falls –one of the seven natural wonders of the world- with its amazing scenery, long hikes, and breathtaking water falls both in the Argentinean and Brazilian side. Next destination was Rio de Janeiro with its world acclaimed beaches, ‘Copacabana’ and ‘Ipanema’, the famous ‘Cristo Redentor’, ‘Pao de Azucar’, and then the neighbourhood ‘Lapa’ in the city centre, a musical gem full of bars with life samba performances. Final destination was Sao Paulo, an ocean of sky rise buildings, first class public transportation, a vibrant city that hosts great museums and restaurants. It’s also a very multicultural society flocked with people at all times of the day- it’s a city that never sleeps. Afterwards I visited Buenos Aires. A beautiful and majestic city!

This if one of the great advantages of the embassy internship experience. You have the opportunity to travel around the area you are in and get a better outlook of the region. I enjoyed experiencing each country and learning more about the politics, culture and foreign policy of the Mercosur region. Now I understand more the dynamics of this part of Latin America!

March was the busiest month at the Canadian Embassy in Montevideo, especially for a micro-mission. There were several important events, visits and projects taking place. Everyone had to pitch-in! I supported a Ministerial-level visit from DFAIT for the IDB Annual Conference. I experienced how a ministerial visit is planned, how it unfolds, how the pressure builds up at the embassy, and how there is no room for error! It was very exciting! In addition, I was fully in charge of the embassy’s main ‘Francophonie’ event mid-March. It was a concert by Canadian singer Paule-Andrée Cassidy accompanied by a great pianist, Vincent Gagnon. They toured Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay to commemorate ‘La Journée Internationale de la Francophonie’, so I worked hand-in-hand with the Canadian Embassy in Buenos Aires and l’Alliance Francaise in Montevideo as well.  It was a great success! There were other activities surrounding the ‘Francophonie’ celebrations I helped organized. There was a reception at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay and a reception at the International Film Festival in Montevideo where the embassy hosted a cocktail to celebrate the Canadian film by director Anne Emond. Les activités ont souligné la grande richesse et la diversité culturelle francophone sur le plan musical et artistique. Une belle réussite!
Now I only have a month left of this incredibly exciting and rewarding experience. Hasta pronto! Chao!!

It is my last week in Buenos Aires and I can’t help but reflect upon the past four months…the friendships I have built, the great wines I have tasted and the work experience I have gained. Despite the things I won’t miss about Buenos Aires, (the fact that pedestrians do not have the right of way in a crosswalk and that I have learned to bring a novel to the supermarket because the lines are so long) there are some things I will miss like the tree lined avenues, the friendly “buen dia” from my flower guy on the walk to work in the mornings and wandering through the craft markets with an ice cream on Sundays.

In the last few weeks of work, I have closely monitored the Falklands/Malvinas conflict as April 2nd marked the 30th anniversary of the war between Argentina and the UK over the Islands. There were violent protests from the Argentine left-wing political group Quebracho outside the British Embassy, which received strong criticism from UK Prime Minister Cameron and Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.  With the upcoming VI Summits of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, President Kirchner expects to have the strong regional support for her sovereignty claim over the Falklands/Malvinas. It will be interesting to follow the Summit leader’s discussions and decisions, especially the position of the U.S. and Canada regarding the Islands.

I was also able to help coordinate the annual Mujeres en Igualdad (MEI) Breakfast, which is a networking event for some of the top women lawmakers and NGO Directors in Buenos Aires hosted by our Embassy. MEI’s focus theme this year is on teen dating violence, through the campaign called “Violencia Nunca – El Amor No Duele” (Translation: Never Violence – Love Does Not Hurt). According to the World Health Organization, three out of ten teens report having experienced some sort of violence in the relationship. In Argentina, 7.3% of women between the ages of 18 and 24 have experienced violence in their relationships. In order to raise awareness about this issue, MEI showed a documentary at the breakfast which examines the views and experiences of boys and girls from different social sectors on violence in relationships. Canadian Ambassador Kutz gave the opening speech in which she stated that this breakfast networking event begun five years ago and has become a tradition in the struggle for women’s rights. She also detailed some of the upcoming gender equality events the Embassy has planned and affirmed Canada’s commitment to the social, cultural and political rights of women in the region of Buenos Aires. Her speech also highlighted the tireless work of Susana Trimarco, who received the John Diefenbaker Defender of Human Rights and Freedom Award in Ottawa on March 14.

As my internship comes to a close, I look forward to returning to Ottawa…as being away from something always makes you appreciate it that much more. I have learned so much about Argentines, their culture, lifestyle and language and I know that I have grown and developed my interests in foreign affairs because of this experience. I encourage future students of GSPIA to take the opportunity and truly see what it’s like to live and work in a foreign country.

Hello from Genève!

After only one month here, I already feel like I have had the experience of a lifetime.

I have the great pleasure of working with a fantastic and friendly team in the Humanitarian Affairs division at the Canadian Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva. Here, I have been immediately thrown into the position of representing Canada at high-level multilateral meetings in the historical Palais on ongoing and emerging humanitarian situations around the world. What a thrill this has been. Although I have found myself in situations like this before, it is always a challenge to subvert the “think-for-yourself-and-share-all-your-opinions” mentality that is so greatly encouraged in university; but it is a tradeoff I happily make to be able to take part in Canadian foreign policy.

I was fortunate enough that my first month here coincided with the UN Human Rights Council. I had the opportunity to both observe the plenary sessions as well as attend side events on various issues important to the mission and of personal interest.  The Palais and the city were abuzz with politically sensitive conversations pervading every public space. Several times I found myself rerouted home or to work due to protests regarding various situations around the world. Several times I found myself in line at the grocery store or on the tram next to protesters all decked out in colours and flags; human representations of what countless people around the world believe in.  Regardless of political affiliation, there is something quite inspiring about individuals who have traveled great distances to have their voices heard, even when no one wants to listen.

To say the least, the environment around the UNHRC was electrifying to be in for a young professional in the field. And yet at the end of the day, I have still been able to sit on my balcony with a good book, an amazing selection of cheese and a glass of wine, staring out at the serenity that is Mont Blanc.

I am quite excited to see what the next four months will bring.

En cette semaine de la francophonie, je vous écris pour vous dire comment mon stage se déroule à Hanoi. Le stage se déroule à merveille.
Je me sens comme une partie intégrale de l’équipe.  Cette semaine c’est la Francophonie, c’est-à-dire une de mes plus grosses semaines de travail. C’est une grosse semaine puisque l’une de mes tâches principales à l’Ambassade est de coordonner les activités reliées à la Francophonie. Samedi dernier l’Ambassade a tenu un kiosque à l’Université d’Hanoi ayant pour thème « Le Canada en Francophonie ».
Notre kiosque mettait l’accent sur l’éducation en français au Canada.
Plus de 1500 étudiants vietnamiens se sont présentés à notre kiosque et nous avons distribué de l’information provenant de plusieurs universités canadiennes. Nous avions également préparé un quiz sur le Canada et plus de 350 élèves y ont participés.

Lors de la foire de la Francophonie, nous avons aussi organisé un panel de discussion avec 4 anciens étudiants vietnamiens d’universités francophones canadiennes qui ont parlé de leur expérience et moments mémorables lors de leur séjour au Canada. Demain soir, nous participerons au festival du film à Hanoi en  présentant le film Incendies  de Denis Villeneuve, nous attendons plus de 100 personnes. À la fin du mois de mars, il y aura la finale d’Indochine du Concours Dynamique. Le concours dynamique permet aux étudiants vietnamiens, cambodgiens et laotiens d’échanger et de participer amicalement à des concours de connaissances linguistiques et artistiques. Voilà sur quoi je travaille du côté des relations publiques.

En ce qui a trait à la deuxième partie de mon travail, je surveille et rapporte sur les enjeux de droits humains plus particulièrement sur le « human trafficking » and « human smuggling » dans la région. Ces enjeux sont beaucoup plus présents que ce que l’on pense. Ce travaille m’aide beaucoup pour écrire mon mémoire. En rencontrant plusieurs personnes de diverses branches du gouvernement Vietnamien, d’ambassades ou d’OGNs qui travaillent sur le sujet j’obtiens de l’information de premier plan ce qui m’aurait été presque inimaginable en étant à Ottawa. La difficulté numéro 1 à laquelle je fais face pour écrire le mémoire maintenant est le trop plein d’information.

Bref mon stage au Vietnam est très intéressant et très constructif pour le moment. Il ne me reste qu’un mois et demi avant le retour à Ottawa et je sens la fin qui approche… c’est très dur de penser que mes deux premières semaines ont été très difficiles et que je voulais rentrer chez moi. Maintenant je vois le temps qui s’écoule et je n’ai pas hâte de rentrer. J’aimerais rester au Vietnam plus longtemps. Nous verrons les options qui s’offrent à moi d’ici les prochaines semaines.

À bientôt!

The first half of my internship at the Embassy of Canada to Spain flew by. As an intern working on both commercial and political projects, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a number of different projects. These projects can range from preparing briefings on companies and market reports, to correspondence for education initiatives and can even include the occasional social committee event.

The work environment at the embassy is very dynamic and reflects the perfect marriage between Spanish and Canadian culture.  You have to be aware of the news in Spain as well as in Canada and throughout the day you are constantly switching from Spanish to English and French.

A typical day at work starts at 8:30am, at 10:30am everyone takes a 30 minute break for coffee and barrita (mini baguette toasted with olive oil and fresh tomatoes), lunch is eaten from 2pm to 3pm and usually involves a substantial meal and then back to work until 5:30pm.

One of the key programs I work on is the International Experience Canada initiative. This program is part of a Youth Mobility Program which allows young Spaniards to work, study and travel in Canada for up to one year. The program is extremely popular among young Spaniards who want to visit Canada our beautiful country, learn English and French as well as gain valuable work experience abroad.

My work with the International Experience Canada Initiative has allowed me to communicate with hundreds of young Spaniards by phone, through e-mail and at an Education Fair I attended in March. It gives me great pride to speak about Canada and promote it as a destination for young Spaniards.

The Education Fair I attended was one of my most rewarding experiences to date. I really enjoyed meeting so many young Spaniards and speaking to them about the different opportunities they have in Canada. The event also tested my public speaking abilities in Spanish as I spent hours speaking non-stop.

One last event which made me proud to be Canadian was our embassy’s St-Patrick’s Day party where we invited other employees from different embassies to join. Given that St-Patrick’s Day is not often celebrated in Spain it was very nice to see people dressed in green, eating green desserts and enjoying Irish music. Funny enough, it was the one time I felt most at home during my stay in Spain.

As the halfway point has passed, I’m realizing how fast time goes by. I really look forward to the projects I will be working on in the next few weeks.

Hope you enjoyed reading this post!

Check back in soon,

Nora Villarreal

Hello Again from Amman

I have less than a month left in my posting and I can’t believe how quickly time has passed.  There has been a lot going on in Jordan and across the region. As would be expected, the majority of my work has been focused on monitoring  and reporting on the deteriorating situation in Syria and the responses of the Jordanian government to the influx of Syrian refugees.  Evidently, the Embassy in Amman has been directly affected by the events in Syria. Visa applications as well as some the Canadian-based staff from the Damascus office have been transferred to Amman.  It continues to be a period of uncertainty and distress for many local staff members whose families are enduring great turmoil at this time.

Local media estimates that there are approximately 78,000 Syrian refugees currently in Jordan. The UNHCR has registered approximately 4,100 Syrian refugees. Reports have shown a decrease in the number of refugees entering Jordan from Syria. This decline has been attributed to crackdowns by the Syrian authorities. Previously, the Jaber border crossing had been the only open crossing point but according to Syrian activists, Syrian border officials have begun turning away civilians. Interviews conducted by Jordan Health Society (JHAS) show that many Syrian refugees in Jordan face poor housing, limited access to water and no income and some have chronic health problems with few treatment options available. JHAS officials have expressed concern that health access may become problematic if the continued influx of Syrians includes many who are injured.

The establishment of refugee camps is a politically sensitive topic due to the current economic situation in Jordan and the associated economic pressures that can result from an influx of refugees, as previously experienced by the Iraqi refugee crisis.  Officials have claimed that Jordan’s first Syrian refugee camp in Ribaa Sirhan is near completion and construction is underway for two additional camps near Ramtha. The establishment of refugee camps is a politically sensitive topic due to the current economic situation and the associated economic pressures that can result from an influx of refugees, as experienced by the Iraqi refugee crisis.

In more positive news, in partnership with a local Jordanian NGO and UNESCO, the Canadian Embassy brought in social media scholar Dr. Adel Iskander from Georgetown University to hold discussions about the role of media and social media in the Arab Spring. The 2-day event held in February featured lectures by Dr. Iskander as well as round table and panel discussions with social media activists, journalists and civil society members. Dr. Iskander stressed that “citizen journalism” has become an indispensable part of the way the Arab world understands what is happening on the ground. As such, the world has predominantly gained insight into what has been happening in Syria through ordinary people tweeting, posting pictures on Facebook and videos on YouTube.  It was interesting to listen to local journalists and bloggers discuss the challenges of working in the presence of state-controlled media and to gain greater insight into the level of media censorship in Jordan.

Hoping to make the most of the rest of my time here.  I will be camping out in Wadi Rum this weekend…I’m really going to miss Jordan!!

Stephanie

With its New York big city feel, but its attitude of leisure and relaxation, Buenos Aires never ceases to amaze me. As I stumble to remember the Spanish I learned over five years ago, figure out how the gas switch works in my tiny kitchen, and avoid stubbing my toes on the crumbling sidewalks, I learn to notice the beauty in it all. I recently stumbled upon an old 1920’s theatre which is now a modern day bookstore. El Ateneo Grand Splendid was designed by the architects Peró and Torres Armengol and features ceiling frescoes painted by the Italian artist Nazareno Orlandi. In the late twenties the theatre was converted into a cinema, and in 1929 showed the first sound films presented in Argentina. After walking through the rows and rows of books, you can sit in the cozy theatre boxes and enjoy a coffee. Breathtaking, but comforting all at once, it was the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon. I also recently toured the famous Teatro Colon, considered one of the world’s most beautiful theatres with near perfect acoustics (to test this, one of the guides sang for us!) During the tour, we were able to sit in the front row of the theatre and take it all in. The theatre hosts ballets, classical music performances and of course, operas for up to 2,500 guests amongst seven levels. There also is a section for widows, which is sub-level and has iron grate covers since widows were not to be seen in public during their mourning period, but this allowed them to enjoy the opera from afar. This past weekend I travelled to one of the most incredible places in Argentina, Iguazu Falls (Cataratas del Iguazú), located on the border of the Brazilian State of Parana and the Argentine Province of Misiones. A UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, the falls are four times the width of Niagara Falls and twice as wide. With its tropical, lush plants and breathtaking falls, this was truly an amazing sight.

With regards to my work, I recently met with the founder of “Mujeres en Igualdad” (Women in Equality). We talked for over an hour on the “trata de personas” (trafficking of persons) in Argentina and what the organization is doing to improve the current situation. One of their new projects set to launch in March is called “Celebrated Bodies”.  Mujeres en Igualdad is fighting to change Argentine laws regarding clothes sizes in stores throughout the country, as many young Argentine girls continue to suffer from serious eating disorders. The other main project, “Empowering Women at the Border” conducts workshops and online forums to raise awareness about the issue of trafficking along the Argentine borders. This week, I will be meeting with Lucia Alberti, Director of the United Nations Association for Argentina (Asociación pro Naciones Unidas de Argentina) to further discuss human trafficking within Argentina.

Overall, my time here has been rewarding personally and professionally, and I look forward to what the final month will bring.

Hola! Un saludo muy especial desde Montevideo, Uruguay! It’s been almost a month I have been living in this lovely city!

Montevideo is a charming city that has the vibe of a town- people are extremely welcoming, helpful and kind. It has a beach that stretches around the city with a side walk called ‘las ramblas’ where locals flock to jog, cycle, walk and to drink ‘mate’ (a popular local drink of mate leaves). Montevideo was once a walled city and a fortress that after its independence they were torn down in order to expand. Today, the only standing piece of wall left is a gate that invites you to the pedestrian street of ‘Sarandi’ in the main plaza of Montevideo, called ‘Plaza de la Independencia’. This is where the Canadian Embassy is located- facing the presidential building and close to the grandiose ‘Palacio Salvo’, a palace which portrays the wealth and strong European influence in Montevideo. Most of the population in Uruguay is of European descent mainly Italian and Spanish, and a small percentage is of African descent from the slave trade when Uruguay was a colony.

I came during the best month to Uruguay (that’s what the locals tell me) because its summer here! The big ‘Carnaval’ celebrations take place during the month of February where street festivals flood the city. Uruguayans are very proud of their ‘Carnaval ‘traditions and competitions for the best group performances take place. I had the chance to attend a big ‘Carnaval’ show, where five different groups performed and it was very festive, colourful and fun!

Within Uruguay’s beautiful beaches stands out the famous jet-set destination ‘Punta del Este’ (flocked by Argentineans and Brazilians) and more relaxed and natural settings as the sand dunes in ‘Cabo Polonio’. If you are coming to Uruguay, be prepared to eat plenty of delicious pizza, ‘empanadas’, fresh pasta and amazing beef!!  Uruguayan wine is also very good and mostly locally consumed. So far I have visited ‘Punta del Este’, and its surroundings! Soon I will explore Colonia del Sacramento, a UNESCO heritage site.

At the embassy, the work has been very rewarding and challenging! I have really gotten a good idea of the daily routine of an embassy, ranging from consular cases to public diplomacy. I am part of the ‘Political, Economic and Public Affairs Section’. Because it is a small mission there is a lot of work to be done, and I get assigned many interesting tasks! Being fluent in English, French and Spanish has allowed me to be involved in different projects and to fully interact with the locals. My roles range from being an outreach person to expand the network base of non-state actors of the embassy and to coordinate several public affairs events (ex. La Francophonie). I also participate in political reporting, media analysis and prepare briefing materials on key political, social and security issues, directly interacting with the ambassador, which is really great! I am also providing support to a large Government-of-Canada delegation that will attend the Annual Meeting of the Inter-American Bank (IDB) in Montevideo mid-March, which includes staff from CIDA, Department of Finance, and a Ministerial-level-visit from DFAIT.  March calls for a busy and full-of-excitement month!

Sending warmth and sunshine from beautiful Uruguay! Hasta pronto! Chao!!