So What is it You Say You Do Here?

Greetings, blog fans.  I’m sure by now some, if not most of you, as American taxpayers are wondering why you are providing me (this is written by Eric) with free housing and a salary—thank you for that by the way—to hang out in Zimbabwe, take pictures of animals, and go to costume parties, mud runs, and generally have a good time.  Despite the comparative lack of photographic evidence, during business hours and often with some additional side time, I like to think I’m playing my small role at the Embassy and representing your interests.

So what is that role?  My sexy title is Second Secretary in the Political and Economic Affairs section.  Basically that means it is my job to go out and talk to people about what is going on in Zimbabwe—politics, economics, foreign policy—and then write it up in various formats to help Washington understand the situation here.  This probably sounds boring as hell to most of you; to me, this is the most fun I have ever had in a job.  I get to meet politicians, academic experts, journalists, civil society leaders, and everyday people and ask them dozens of questions in an effort to understand Zimbabwean culture, attitudes, and perceptions of their world.  I put what I learn alongside what I read in the local press and try to triangulate what exactly is going on.  It is then my job to convey that understanding in a short, written format so that Washington policymakers can understand it too.

That’s the fun, interesting part.  As a first tour State Department officer, I also do a bit of the type of scut work you would expect the person at the bottom rung of the totem pole to do, which makes sense because I’m about a year removed from that type of role.  That meant that one of my exciting roles before the election was ensuring the cafeteria staff would come in and make coffee for us on election day and ensuring the technical support people set up computers in the conference room.  Mom and Dad, that’s why I spent all that time earning a Ph.D.  I know you’re impressed.  Rest assured I do get to use my research skills on various projects.

In more glamorous moments, I’ve gotten to go to the opening of Parliament, written a lot of cables explaining political events based on meetings with the various players, and attended various representational events (this basically means I get to represent the American Mission in Zimbabwe on behalf of the Embassy).  If you happen upon a political or economic story in country X, chances are either me or my colleagues are trying to understand both the news and the news behind the news, so to speak.

This sounds easy, right?  Everyone would want to talk to the Americans…except some people expressly do not want to talk to me.  Remember the Wikileaks scandal that exposed thousands of secret government documents?  That also means that a number of people do not trust that what they tell me would be handled in a way that would ensure their safety, making people reluctant to talk to us.  On top of these limitations, lots of meetings get scheduled and rescheduled or cancelled because of various events and scheduling conflicts.  Add in the fact that the most any of the people I engage can expect from me is a free cup of coffee or lunch—thanks again for the occasional free meal—and it is amazing that anyone ever sits down with me.  In fact, some people actually do.  It’s a game of relationships and trust.  Everyone, and I mean everyone, wants money for this organization, or this constituency development project, or assumes there is money to be had just because I’m American and probably have a safe full of Benjamins under my desk.  I’m still looking for said safe, and I haven’t found it yet.  Sometimes the job feels a lot like being a journalist; other times, it feels more like serving as a research assistant at a university.

I can tell you it is not an easy job, but it is a rewarding one; there is a great deal of satisfaction in sitting down with people, building a relationship, and helping policymakers in Washington understand what is going on here.  At the same time, it is my job to convey the American political values that you and I often take for granted: the importance of democratic institutions, respect for the rule of law, political and economic transparency, and free assembly and media access.  Thankfully, I work with a great team of people that I admire and respect, both Americans and Zimbabweans.

This past Friday is a good example of a pretty hectic day in the life of a political officer: I started off at 7:30 a.m. clad in a suit (despite our normal casual Friday attire which permits jeans) and tie to visit a friend in our public affairs section with the goal of getting a better handle on the programs they run in an effort to connect a few of my Zimbabwean contacts with a wider range of the Embassy’s programming.  Public Affairs runs a wide variety of programs ranging from coordinating student exchanges to media engagement among others.  They do a great job in a hectic, demanding job.  At 9, armed with several new ideas, I headed to a local restaurant to meet with a contact deeply involved in a recent political story.  I swallow some lemonade and a panini while we chatted for a couple of hours, with me jotting several pages of notes into my notebook.  At that point, I hopped back in the car and returned to the Embassy a bit after 11 where another contact embroiled in the same story awaits; this individual obviously provides a different take.  I joined a meeting with this individual and another colleague already in progress.  After this meeting wrapped up, I shared the highlights from the earlier meeting with my Zimbabwean colleague, and we spend twenty minutes trading notes.  Eventually the contents of these meetings will feature prominently in a cable to Washington.

At 1:10, I finally visit my long lost desk.  The best days like this one involve spending the least time there; if I’m doing my job right, I’m spending my time interacting with people, networking, and running down stories rather than spending too much time desk bound.  I quickly stop by my boss’s office to find out Washington needs an update on a long term research project by the end of the day.  Shifting gears (and thankful I devoured that mid-morning panini) I spend the next four hours preparing the required document.  Did I mention the Embassy is to close at 12:30 on Fridays?  In case you are worried that we are skimping on hours, the Embassy is traditionally open for 9 hour days, making the short Fridays possible.  Early Fridays make it easier to get out of town on the weekends, a nice perk.  Anyway, no early departure for me this past week.  Maria picked me up, and we headed to a friend’s house where I change from my suit to formal wear—off to a formal ball we go, where we entertain four additional folks.  This is not a business event per say; rather, this evening offers a nice social setting to engage and build relationships, though the line between work and social can often blur.  One contact invites me to his rural home, and another suggests a future social gathering that we add to our calendar.  Time well spent, around 11:30 we depart the event and I crash into bed, exhausted but satisfied.