Jesmeen Khan '07 - Austria, Hungary & The Czech Republic
“After having the opportunity to listen to and meet with diplomats and foreign service officers from various countries, the trip confirmed my conclusion that international relations is definitely my future path.”
The youngest of seven children, Jesmeen grew up in Maryland , and currently calls Silver Spring home. Her interest in international affairs began at an early age, as she had the opportunity to do much traveling, visiting such places as Canada , Hawaii , much of Western and Eastern Europe, South Asia, the Persian Gulf, Egypt and Southeast Asia .
Jesmeen knew that she wanted to major in International Affairs, and had heard positive things about this department at Trinity, so it was a match!
She took advantage of her study abroad scholarship to visit Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic from May 21 through June 2, and hopes that this program will help her to “get her foot in the door” when the time comes to plan her future career. Since her major is International Affairs, she thought it would be fascinating to see first-hand the results of the recent entrance of these countries into the European Union. She met with diplomats and policymakers and learned about the human rights situation in the Czech Republic .
Languages have been an important part of Jesmeen's life. Semi-fluent in Bengali, Jesmeen has also been an Arabic student since she was very little, and hopes to become fluent, as she realizes that this will be a positive achievement and enhance her opportunities for almost any future career. Her hope is to work for two years after graduation from Trinity, perhaps as a clerk at the World Bank, and then to continue on to graduate school to obtain a Masters in International Affairs. She recounts her experience:
“The sudden news of my admittance into the Intelligence Scholars Programs left me with the choice to quickly choose a study abroad program, something I did not plan to do until the summer before my senior year (but who in their right mind would have a problem with that?) After thoughtful consideration and helpful advice from Dr. Henderson, I decided to go ahead with the International Missions on Diplomacy in Central and Eastern Europe . The whirlwind trip throughout Austria , Hungary , and the Czech Republic was designed to give students the opportunity to observe and assess the economic and diplomatic progress of these countries after decades of political disorder following WWII and into the Cold War.
In Austria I visited the Parliament, where MP's discussed Austria 's governmental structure and how it has evolved over time. At the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, young diplomats discussed the importance of diplomacy and how diplomats must constantly adapt to the ever-changing field of international relations. Additionally, my visit to the United Nations and meeting with diplomats from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe allowed their representatives to introduce the issue of international crisis management and how each respective organization responds.
In Hungary, an ambassador from the U.S. Embassy met with my group to explain our embassy's role in international relations, speaking about his own experience as to how he came to work for the U.S. Foreign Service as well. I also visited the Parliament, where members of the Foreign Ministry spoke about foreign policy. In the Czech Republic , I went to the Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty headquarters to learn more about the organization and its objectives. Economists from the Czech National Bank and the Diplomatic Academy of Prague met with my group as well.
What shocked me the most throughout my trip was the presence of the Roma (gypsies). As these countries all belong to the European Union, which insinuates a somewhat high level of advancement and human rights, I was surprised to actually witness Roma sleeping on the streets and begging for money. This was most prominent in Hungary, where I felt as if I had stepped into the developing world rather than an EU country.
Aside from the ill-treatment of the Roma, I had an unforgettable experience that will stay with me throughout the rest of my life. Not only did I learn more about the politics and rich history of these countries, but to be immersed in these cultures convinced me that I must return someday - hopefully permanently.”