Dark Side of Traveling

Well, I’m back.

The trip was fairly successful except for one critical low-point.  We were in a car accident. I am extraordinarily fortunate that this event happened while we were traveling in Eastern Europe, and not some of the other places I’ve been. 

Without going into too many details, I realized I was in a bad situation, made a split-second decision after quickly evaluating options, and then aggressively stuck to my plan. That probably avoided a head-on collision. In theory, it was a good plan, but it is important to remember that there are endless ways that tiny, random variables can greatly alter the outcome of an event. Between that and the human condition, many simple, routine actions have a chance to become very serious, very quickly.  This was the lesson I was reminded of during an event that only spanned 30 seconds.

The aftermath took eight hours, plus a lot of waiting.  I’ll break it down by label, beginning with two of the 13 Dimensions.

Composure

An accident just happened.  I felt crushed by the immense consequences.  After the initial period of “Am I okay? Is my passenger okay? Are the occupants of the other car okay?”  I found myself unconsciously lapsing into a fit of anxiety and indecision.

“Don’t panic” is terrible advice unless you know how to avoid panicking.  During this episode, and others conducive to panicking, I have found the easiest way to maintain composure is simply to make a decision, and follow through.  My father told me that the worst decision is no decision, and while I can think of some very bad decisions, a failure to act can have significant consequences in terms of both results and morale.  The choice does not have to be huge, and certainly evaluate things as you go along, but I have found that trying to do something productive staves off panic and I ease into a state of mind conscious of both my surroundings and what needs to be done.  In this case, it was checking to see what people needed and whether I could provide it, taking pictures of the accident, discussing with the translator, assisting policemen take measurements, and actively planning logistics.  My passenger had done four tours in Iraq and said he was impressed with my composure; I laughed at that.  Being composed and looking composed are clearly different things, but looking composed calms others and facilitates a productive atmosphere in the midst of crisis.

Oral Communication

I have never been more impressed with the importance of communication.  My companion and I met with about 10 locals immediately following the incident, and only one spoke English. Tensions were running hot, and it was very difficult to communicate with anyone until the English-speaker offered to mediate.  It required a lot of patience to choose the words that would be easiest to translate, listen as they were translated, observe the emotional reply, and understand what was said.  This was also true when I had a certified translator at the police station during the official documentation.  I had never previously witnessed serious real-time translating before, and it is far more difficult than I had imagined, even after working at an embassy. 

I think important things to consider regarding oral communication are, again, patience with the speed of dialogue and an awareness of what exactly is being said in addition to the greater message.  There are many nuances in language that can significantly alter the concepts being conveyed, even while the same things can be conveyed in a myriad of ways.  Reconciling the two is definitely a skill I have not mastered. 

American Citizen Services

American Citizen Services is the section of the U.S. Embassy that assists American Citizens.  I assume most countries offer something similar in their embassies, though if anyone would like to comment on that, I would be very interested in hearing about differences. 

Contrary to popular belief, U.S. Embassy Staff will not rescue you while you are in a foreign country.  In most instances, they are not allowed to.  The vast majority of ACS cases involve passport issues and communications, but some involve emergencies, specifically injuries and arrests and the rare evacuation.  If you are arrested, you are entitled to speak with a consular official under international law who will provide you with a list of attorneys and possibly give you some information on the legal system wherever you are.  They will monitor your treatment, but they are not legal counsel.  Of course, whether police allow access depends on the country.  In case of significant injuries, I am under the impression that ACS staff will facilitate communication with relatives or contacts at home, but they are not medical counsel or providers.  If anything occurs for political reasons, these guidelines do not necessarily hold true, and ACS staff will act according to the situation.  Evacuations are a big deal, and ACS may facilitate transport for American citizens out of the country.  Don’t take this paragraph as gospel; many things are subject to the host country’s laws and what the ACS staff is able to do.

In my case, I notified ACS of my accident by calling them.  They provided a list of attorneys in case I needed one, and asked that I notify them if my status changes.  

In all, that we did not have access to a phone or an internet connection cut us off from many people we normally turn to in times of need, so we were forced to make decisions and act on our own judgment.  I haven’t been in an auto-accident in the U.S. aside from a fender bender, so being in one in a relatively rural area of a foreign country was extremely stressful.  We didn’t have anywhere to go while waiting for our rental replacement, so we napped in the police station at 3 am.  Many people exhibited unwarranted friendliness, and I am very cognizant of how fortunate we were that things turned out as they did.  They could have been much worse; death was a definite possibility.  I just have to take these lessons with me and apply them as best I can.  There was no reason for us to stay in the country, so my friend and I moved on with our trip after everything was accomplished and I am waiting to see how things turn out.  

13 Dimensions

Before this blog progresses much further, I wanted to make sure I posted the closest thing I have found to the “Tao of the Diplomat.” The Foreign Service seeks candidates who exemplify what are called the “13 Dimensions.” Here is a quick list of qualities diplomats are expected to have mastered:

Composure

Cultural Adaptability

Experience & Motivation

Information Integration & Analysis

Initiative & Leadership

Judgment

Objectivity & Integrity

Oral Communication

Planning & Organization

Quantitative Analysis

Resourcefulness

Working with Others

Written Communication

I refer to these every once in a while and try to imagine whether I have made any progress.  From now on, I will try to include these as labels to highlight thoughts or situations where these qualities are pertinent. The official State Department handout for the 13 Dimensions can be found here:

http://careers.state.gov/uploads/1e/be/1ebeb6be82c173e5cfb6e132b6fbd9b0/3.0.0_FSO_13_dimensions.pdf

I will be traveling the next two weeks or so, but when I return, hopefully I will have some more thoughts to share. My companion and I haven't been so great in the Planning & Organization category, so hopefully we will make it up in the Resourcefulness category as we go along. Expect some meditation on each of the 13 Dimensions too in some future posts. 

Role Models

One of the reasons I wanted to write this blog is to reflect on the characteristics of people I have met that I believe are diplomatic role models.

I had the privilege to work previously at a U.S. Embassy.  There, I had opportunities to see diplomats in action, whether they were presenting at a security summit, giving speeches at official functions, negotiating with foreign officials, or joking with school children.  Every interaction was a chance to make a good impression.  Each person I met was remarkable and incredibly professional.  They loved their job and serving the American people.  The internship, in addition to allowing me to apply a little of what I had learned in political science and economics classes, was a great opportunity to witness how governments and people acted.

I also saw a deep contrast between those I worked with and myself.  I am pretty young, my internship was my first time working overseas, and it happened to be in a culture I knew very little about I need to work on being more thoughtful, and I want to notice more going on around me. I want to push myself to be more extroverted, and while I love telling jokes to put people at ease, I want to be versed enough in cultural differences to be able to think through every nuance of possible reception before I go for the laugh.  I feel successful diplomats have already mastered these skills.

The diplomats were polished and confident.  They were fantastic listeners and never seemed to miss a signal.  Though many seemed more than a little reserved, they were often able to lighten the mood with a strategically-placed, tactful comment.  Most importantly, they made people feel comfortable.  When I met with them outside of the office, they may have been a little more relaxed, but the same qualities were a persistent part of their persona.

My supervisor and the older interns had a huge impact on me.  As much as I want to publicly give them credit for being wonderful people, they are doing a variety of great things and I don’t want to embarrass them.  They all adopted me in some way and were both patient and open.  More importantly, they gave valuable constructive criticism.  I rely on their insights as a critical insight into what I hope is my future career.

One of my housemates during that summer often said that there is something to be learned from every person.  That principle can often be difficult to put in practice.  However, living abroad again, I’ve revisited the concept and tried to follow that wisdom.  No matter your thoughts on the person, try to find what is admirable in them and reflect on that.  If personalities clash, try to figure out why; new things can be learned through interaction with people.  If the person is awesome, try to observe how they interact with others.  I have been trying to practice the positive qualities while avoiding the negative ones.  I hope I’ve been making progress.