it's over. move to somnia.

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I apologize for the lack of updates. I've been busy with attending an international careers symposium, applying to grad school, and planning my month-long road trip.
(I'm going on a month-long road trip, in my recently-acquired car.)
(I recently acquired a car, thanks to my parents' casting off the not-new.)
(Thanks to my parents also for helping prepare me for the trip.)

Your devotion deserves a reward: here's a little nugget-o-fun until I get organized.

Diplomacy: The Art of Telling Someone to Go to Hell in Such a Manner That the Person Actually Looks Forward to the Trip

At the international careers symposium I attended in Berkeley, there was a Q&A with representatives of various organizations that offer international internships. One of them was from the State Department, which I found especially fortuitous, seeing as I was (and am still) in the midst of applying for an embassy internship with them for next summer. One thing had me a little curious, though: the program requires that interns be continuing their studies immediately following the internship. My plan, to intern next summer and then begin a master's program in the fall, conforms to this requirement; however, as I am not currently a student, I wondered if there were any special steps I'd need to take in order to demonstrate my student status once I find out.

So I asked.

"The State Department does not require any proof of continuing enrollment," the representative stated. "We don't have the resources to check." Fair enough. Clear enough.

Perhaps intrigued by my question, another potential intern mentioned that she would be graduating in the spring and would like to intern in the summer, but she did not have any immediate plans to apply for graduate school--meaning she may not be a continuing student after the internship. The representative reiterated the facts: "While continuing student status is a requirement, the deadline is November 1, by which time you would not have received acceptances to any graduate programs you may be applying to. We are unable to follow up on you and check whether you will be enrolled following the internship." Wow, OK, that's pretty damn generous.

Then--this being Berkeley--three other students, in turn, each asked that same question, again. I have to give the representative his share of credit for civilly explaining the (abundantly clear?) situation each time, because I think I would have lost it after repeating myself once. The last student to ask kept pressing the question to the point that I started to imagine pressing her head in a vise until all the air came out. Once she was satisfied with his answer (the same answer he'd given four times already, let's recall) as an edge of disgust was creeping into his voice, I was able to relax. Sort of.

Unfortunately, I got on the elevator with her a few minutes later. She was chattering to a friend in that proud and knowing tone that always accompanies ignorance, culminating in the declaration: "I didn't get it at first, but I figured out he was totally telling us to lie!"

I didn't say anything, but I'm sure I practically radiated hate waves. My mind was so clear: You are applying for a diplomatic post. Diplomacy is ALL ABOUT picking up on the encoded messages in polite statements and passing information discreetly. You are dead in the water. Shut up and go away.

On the up side, I'm much less concerned about the competition: 3,000 applications for 900 posts. If she's the standard, I have nothing to worry about.
peachy as always, Mike at 5:13 AM