I am a diplomat, although the proper term is (Generalist) Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. 

 

This blog is all about the journey of becoming a diplomat and about what happens after. I have a lot to say on the subject, since I've already worked in different embassies, sections, and countries for a decade.

 

My most recent posting was in Yerevan, Armenia. Before that, I lived in Abuja, Nigeria; Montevideo, Uruguay; Islamabad, Pakistan; and The Hague, the Netherlands.

 

When I wasn't working in embassies, I was working as an international development consultant, mostly focusing on migration research in Southeast Asia and East Africa.

 

My life didn't always point in the direction of international relations though. As a teenager, I acted in movies and TV shows (in the Netherlands, I'm a dual citizen). Yet I always dreamt of living all over the world, so I moved to Nigeria for an internship with the United Nations and complete my Master's degree in international relations.

 

Diplomacy always fascinated me and the more I learned about it, the more I wanted a diplomatic career.

 

Once I started working in embassies, I noticed that few people understand what diplomacy really is and what diplomats actually do. To be honest, I barely knew it myself before I started the job.

 

Now I'm driven to share my stories and information about diplomacy so that more people (including my own family and friends) understand what diplomats do – both personally and professionally.

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Everything on this blog is my very own, personal opinion.