ESSAY

Ian Gabaraev, 3 MO

OPINION ESSAY

"A Foreign Service Career Is More Than a Job"

Since when using the word "a job" we normally imply a certain set of obligations and tasks, calling diplomacy a job would be a malapropism. To my mind, the work of a diplomat goes far beyond such common terms and the following paragraphs will back up this point of iew.

Foreign service involves uncommon commitments. A job of a diplomat runs the gamut from gathering information about the host country to waging wars or precluding them. Diplomatic corps suffer the consequences for their actions that might undermine bilateral relations, and it is the responsibility for one's deeds that discourages people from attempting to engage in foreign service.

It goes without saying, foreign service is predominantly an office job: diplomats spend the lion's share of their time at their embassies. However, there is something that makes it unique in this sense: risk and dangers that are inextricably bound with the life of a diplomat. Apart from the lack of social amenities, diplomats frequently face health hazards, that are brought about not only by poor ecology or epidemics. If a diplomat is appointed to a position in a country that is hostile to their homeland, they have to come to terms that their life is in great peril: murders of diplomats are unfortunately commonplace in this day and age.

Yet some people believe the importance of foreign service is exaggerated and as to the dangers inherent in this job they argue that diplomats are simply blowing things out of proportions. The adherents of militarism rank strong army way above well-established international contacts. They are right, but only partially. Army without diplomacy is blind and diplomacy without army is impotent.

To sum up, one has to take into consideration all the abovementioned aspects to have a unbiased understanding of what diplomacy is. The intertwining of national and personal concerns, risks and hazards that rarely go hand in hand in other jobs makes it sought-after and pretty repellent and the same time. But nonetheless, nothing beats the individual sense of accomplishment in knowing that you are making a difference to the world , which is diplomacy in a nutshell.