One Afternoon in March

Personal collection as usual

Sometime in March 2006, I was in Madrid on holiday. During the same trip, I made a courtesy visit to the Philippine Embassy (PE). I exchanged views with one of the of the Madrid PE staff (career minister level), which I suddenly remembered on this March winter afternoon in Hamburg.

You see, while supposedly reading up on materials on development cooperation, I found myself reading a STRAFOR article on Gaza, Catalonia, and Romantic Nationalism. Then I realized, about six years or so after I decided to skip international relations (IR) and diplomacy for development work, I inevitably find myself drawn to IR stuff (if I’m not drawn to food and travel).

While in Madrid, I told the Madrid PE staff that I wanted to be part of the Foreign Service because I really enjoyed dwelling on international affairs and at the same time, do public service. And her response? “Just stay in the family business (which is inter-regional anyway) and just read the newspaper for global affairs. Look at [President] Ramos, (he attended the World Economic Forum then), do you think he can shape or change the world? You’re better off doing what you’re doing.”

Of course I was stubborn enough to move on and find my own path. But some things will never change.