My internship at the State Department’s China Desk this past summer, an incredible experience in itself, led me to an even more amazing opportunity: the chance to participate in the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh from September 24th to September 25th. After my frequent interaction with the management and protocol staff at the State Department in the process of planning for the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, I was asked if I would be interested in serving as a Spouse Liaison Officer for the G-20 Summit. Though I initially had no idea what this job would entail other than being involved in some capacity with helping a spouse of one of the leaders attending the G-20, the thought of being able to attend the Summit made it impossible for me to resist the offer

Continue reading: Behind the Scenes at the G-20

Networking with peers at an academic conference in Seoul, South Korea. Photo: Thao Anh Tran

Between meeting and discussing with students across the globe my shared interest in East Asian affairs and seeing North Korea from the Peace Observatory in the DMZ, this past week served as an incredible learning opportunity for me.

As a recent graduate of the Elliott School of International Affairs, I am particularly grateful for the financial support I received from the Elliott School Undergraduate Scholars Program. The funding enabled me to participate as a delegate in the Security workshop at the 2009 Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) Academic Conference, which was held in Seoul from August 14th to August 17th. Every year HPAIR brings together hundreds of the brightest minds, both students and experts in the field of international relations for discussion on economic, political, and social issues pertinent to the East Asia-Pacific region.

Originally I was extremely worried that I would appear out of place when engaging in discussion of complex issues with future leaders in the field of international relations. Fortunately, my mind was immediately put to ease when I realized my familiarity with the topics of discussion

Continue reading: Presenting Elliott School Research in South Korea

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