Intern Files: Diplomatic Internship

My summer internship was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my short career, but the story starts a year ago.
How did it happen?
I met a girl at an event last fall at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who was interning with the Kurdistan Regional Government Office of Representation in DC (KRG-US). If you’re unfamiliar with the details of their situation, the Kurds are an ethnic minority and live in northern Iraq, northwestern Iran, northeastern Syria, and southeastern Turkey. They have been called the biggest nation without a state, and currently some of them (mostly the Iraqi Peshmerga and Syrian YPG) are considered the most successful local forces fighting the Islamic State. I could go on, but you can read more about the Kurds for yourself here.
I shot off an email with a resume and some questions, and heard back… nothing. Pretty disappointing, but since I was taking six classes, I figured maybe it was better that I had one less thing on my plate.
Months went by, it got cold and dark, and then one day in early March I got an email from my Persian professor asking if I’d be interested in interning for the KRG-US office. They needed an extra person just a few hours a week, and my professor was friends with their Director of Public Affairs. I jumped at the opportunity, and got asked to come in once a week (after an interview and submitting my resume and a writing sample).
What did I do?
The KRG-US office is a small one, with five directorates, the Representative and her assistant, and three interns (usually). It means that we get to do a little bit of everything. When I started, I did the usual intern jobs of answering the phone and emails, typing up notes, and scanning. The coolest not-cool things I did were deliver notes to Congress and draft diplomatic correspondence (including a letter to Angelina Jolie).  I reported daily on official press briefings (from State, Defense, and the White House). I also wrote summaries on events at think tanks, articles published about the Kurds, and meetings. So many meetings. My favorite job, my pet task, was graphing the airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, as well as tracking arms supplies to the Peshmerga. Many of these reports were translated and sent to the KRG cabinet for special briefings – it’s cool to think that my writing reached people across the world and potentially helped form their policies.
Who did I meet?
Apart from the amazing KRG-US staff, whose stories are each unique and incredible, I met former and current members of Congress, staffers, and representatives of the Defense and State Departments. I shook hands with the President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and have a picture with his Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Peshmerga. I was invited to come to the American University of Duhok, Kurdistan and conduct research. I saw Ted Cruz from across a room and took a marginally creepy picture of David Petraus, to prove that I saw him. I exchanged words with retired General Jay Garner, who commanded forces during Desert Storm and Operation Provide Comfort.
What was my favorite thing?
My favorite thing was organizing a reception to thank US veterans who served in Kurdistan (see picture above). Rumor has it that this was the first event of its kind, and we had over 200 guests in our old townhouse, from retired four-star generals to ex-special forces to contractors, federal employees, and of course Kurdish community members. You can check out pictures from the event here, but the best part was talking to service members and hearing about how thankful they were to the people of Kurdistan for their hospitality and sacrifices. I’m now doing research for someone I met at the event, so it goes to show that you never know how one thing will turn into another (ask me about what I’m researching and why, I’m sort of obsessed with it).
Sounds cool! How do I sign up to do it myself?
KRG-US is actually hiring at least one intern for the fall semester now! You can see this related post about how to apply, or email me at evamartin@gwu.edu if you aren’t sure – I’m happy to tell you even more.