Thankful

Dear readers,

Happy on or around Thanksgiving! Though my exceedingly busy work week will not allow me to celebrate Thanksgiving formally, I sure do have much to be thankful for. The past week, my second to last, has been nothing like any previous weeks, granting me new experiences in every hour. For those of you concerned about my inability to celebrate this beloved holiday, do not be concerned; I am not a football fan anyways.

The last few days of last week consisted of frantic preparation for the biennial Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. As I may have mentioned before, these meetings are particularly important because they determine the budget of the organization, among other things, for the next two years. And this year, more than any other, countries are pushing for reform, though they are debating over how. For the US Mission, another critical factor to be calculated into the meetings is the visit of Acting Secretary Chuck Conner of the US Department of Agriculture (just like Condi Rice is Secretary of the Department of State). His presence demands attention and careful logistical planning. So much, in fact, that some employees from the Department of Agriculture arrived early to assist us with last minute planning. All of our busy work in constructing binder, matrices, copies and invitations was to fulfill all of the requirements for a successful FAO Conference. This is the huge bureaucratic monster called the FAO, by the way...
The conference started on a Saturday, of all days, and I went to drop off copies and make sure that everything was in order. It was, and I soon ducked out before I got assigned an additional task. Still before eleven, I rushed back to my room, changed into more casual clothes, and headed over to the Vatican, a site that I still had yet to visit. I thought I would have been there early enough, but I was sadly mistaken. The Vatican Museum closes at 1:15pm, will not let people in past 12:30pm, and had a line that wrapped around almost to St. Peter’s Square: an hour and a half wait. I thought I could at least see the basilica, but the line was over an hour long for that too, so I skipped on both.

Instead, I visited some other spots around Rome that I had been wanting to see, including a wealthy villa, a national museum and a castle. Villa Farnesina, located along the Tiber River, was owned by Agostino Chigi, the richest individual in Europe when he lived. The banker was good friends with many painters, including Raphael, and the walls of his mansion are beautifully decorated as a result. The museum was Palazzo Altemps, a branch of the national museum, and while it had nothing spectacular (comparatively), it offered a cheaper price for a ticket to the four national museums, so I decided to go. Lastly was the Castel Sant’ Angelo, the five-pointed castle featured in Dan Brown’s Angels & Demons as the Illuminati hideout. Though I am not sure about the conspiracy, the castle’s history as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian, a fortress and a hideaway for Popes made it interesting enough. Not to mention that it had spectacular views from its terrace.
Another exciting event on Sunday was that I got on a bus that happened to be transporting Erica and Mr. and Mrs. Chippi, sibling and parents to my good high school pal Kristy. I knew they were in town, and we were planning to meet for dinner, but to run into them unexpectedly was quite the pleasant surprise. It was great to talk to someone that I recognized, who already knew where I was from. We walked around for a bit together, until I broke off to check out one more church before going back to my room. That was probably the highlight of my day.

Since I plan to travel again this weekend, I knew that Sunday was my last Sunday on my own in Rome, so I wanted to see quite a bit. I started early, and by sunset I had seen almost all that Ancient Rome has to offer: the Coliseum, the Palatine Hill, the Roman Forum, the Capitoline Museums and the most popular of the Roman National Museums. While each were stunning and beautiful, without an understanding of the historical significance, most simply appeared to be a pile of rocks, albeit well-placed ones. I think I was most impressed with the Roman Forum, not only because it was free, but because its monuments came from the one thousand year history of ancient Rome, rising when it was a republic and falling when it was an empire. There is the senate house, where the great ancestor of American democracy was sustained for hundreds of years, the burial place of Julius Caesar, and basilicas, temples and arches, given to the people by larger-than-life emperors of the past. While this feeling can be felt anywhere in Rome, I felt it most here.
The museums were both splendid as well, though I have concluded that too many museums can cause an overload. Regrettably, famous original marble sculptures just start to look the same after a while. On the bright side, though, I think I can now identify at least six or seven emperors by observing their busts alone. But certainly, particular exhibits stood out, including the pieces from a gigantic statue of Constantine, the original Capitoline Wolf and a well-preserved original bronze statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius on a horse. After my last museum, I went home, warmed the last of some delicious leftover pasta, and went to sleep.
It was difficult to get up yesterday, Monday, after such an exhausting day, but I managed. In fact, one I arrived at the FAO headquarters, I was full of energy. There was so much going on at once, with Acting Secretary Conner preparing a speech and others scrambling to set up meetings and strategies for the budgetary items. Without being asked, I dove into the role of “gopher,” recognizing that I would probably end up doing that anyways. I made sure our delegation room was organized and delivered messages to countries. I made sure the Secretary’s party was well-informed and fully equipped while recording the Secretary’s speech for the records. I even had to take the Metro across town to our Mission’s office and back to pick up twenty two-pocketed folders. This was after I looked for them in an office supply story, with no luck. No peanut butter, no canned soup, and no Friday Folders… what is with these Europeans anyways?

Speaking of no canned soup or peanut butter in Europe, last night I went grocery shopping, because I was out of food. I have learned that grocery shopping in Rome is very different than what I am used to. First, it is a smaller store with a limited selection (being in a big city), and second, people do not buy much at a time since they always cook with the freshest ingredients (being in Italy). Most customers buy only a bag worth of groceries at a time, and therefore, there are no bag boys and very few carts. However, for an American student who holds off going grocery shopping until he is eating the sawdust off the shelves, this combination results in a painfully heavy shopping basket and a hold-up at the cashier. This week was worse than ever. In the process of unloading my basket, paying and bagging up the purchased edibles, I dropped the pasta sauce, the only thing of mine that was made of glass. While the perturbed cashier cleaned the mess, I had to run to the opposite end of the store to get another one. Smooth move.

God must have taken pity on me for my food troubles yesterday though, because today both my breakfast and lunch were free. Well, I did not pay for them with Euros, but I sure put in my time to make sure both events were a success. As a part of his trip, Secretary Conner and the Department of Agriculture hosted two meals for two different regional groups as grounds for an engaging meeting with the United States. The breakfast was for a group of Latin American countries known as GRULAC, and the luncheon for African countries in NEPAD. Essentially, our message was that despite our desire for budget reform, we did not wish to cut programming to these countries. Both went well, which made me happy that my invitation work was not in vain. Additionally, in approaching these country’s ministers at the FAO Conference, I got to know the Minister of Agriculture for Rwanda. On our way over to the restaurant and throughout the painful process of getting him a taxi out, I managed to have some discussions with him about terracing and farming practices in Rwanda. After my prompting, we also talked about Food for the Hungry, country director Dwight Jackson, and the great work they are doing there. Once I left, I found that I really missed that hilly African country.

But there was not time to dwell on such nostalgic thoughts, since I had an important meeting to attend… well sort of. It was important, and cool, because I represented the United States at this high-level special event along with one other colleague. It was unimportant, and not cool, because it was about Forests and Energy, and the only reason we were there is because no one else wanted to attended. Having sat through the two hour presentation and following speeches, I wish I could say that it was valuable, but it was not. It was dreadfully boring, especially compared to the vital discussion taking place one room away concerning the budget reform. I hold no grudge or regret though, and again, it was neat just to be representing the United States. Besides, if I was not there, then the well-informed staff members who were attending the critical reform discussion would not have been able to do their job as effectively. Heck, is that not what interns are for? : )

I know that I have certainly have a lot to be thankful for. It is easy to look at this whole experience as one great blessing, but doing so glazes over the smaller blessings that make up each and everyday. There are the rare and exceptional biggies, like learning that Acting Secretary Conner’s wife spent her summers in Bay View (near my hometown) or walking in footsteps of powerful emperors, jealous politicians and nervous gladiators. But there are the small things as well, like the new logistical nightmare that challenges the way I think, or the clumsy public accident that humbles my zealous ego. Unexpected rendezvous, small-world conversations and enjoying my leftover pasta more than a free meal at an authentic Italian restaurant; I am thankful for all of these smaller things as well. It’s a pity that it takes a day like Thanksgiving for me to recognize this.

Yesterday I was asked by one of Conner’s staff if I would like a thank-you letter from him for my work at the Conference, and whether or not I wanted it to be personal. Surprised, I kindly requested a personal one, imagining how good that would like on future applications. She then asked for me to have a copy of it to her by tomorrow morning. I had to do a double-take before I realized that she expected me to write me my own thank-you letter. I expressed discomfort, but she informed me that it was very common in government because it cut work for upper management and forced one to evaluate himself. Still, it felt funny. If anyone but me was writing it, then I could appreciate and value its content, but if no one else would, then I would accept the generic one. For me, the lowly inexperienced intern, I am grateful for an expression of general thanks. However, I think of Thanksgiving being like this generic thank-you letter. It is better than nothing, but it is really just a formality. For all that God has given us, he certainly deserves more than some words printed below letterhead. Even though every sunny day can blend together, just like the marble statue that look the same over time, each day was masterfully crafted with skill far beyond my own, and therefore is worthy of my fullest appreciation. If only I could remember that…

And yet another thing to be thankful for, your kind attention. Thank you and God bless!