It was the end of a long, hard road. Although the Vietnam War had finally officially concluded, the Fall of…
Dinner with Imelda: Encounters with the Philippines’ Most Famous Dictatorship
In the wake of the Cold War, dictatorial regimes sprang up throughout the world, capturing international attention with news of…
Expecting the Unexpected in the Philippines: Confronting a Killer
When one thinks of life in the Foreign Service, they imagine living overseas, experiencing different cultures, and trying exotic foods.…
Drowning in a Strawberry Ice Cream Soda: Life as a Diplomat in the Philippines
World powers, including the United States, have long considered the Philippines to be of strategic importance. The entire landmass of…
“Am I Going to Watch a U.S. Senator Get Shot?”—Observing the Fall of the Marcos Regime in the Philippines
Senator John Kerry bravely pushed aside armed hostile Philippine military personnel and policemen, rushing into the barricaded church in front…
Life as a POW in the Japanese-Occupied Philippines
Ten hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces successfully invaded the Philippines. Those Americans and Filipinos who did not…
A Trailblazing Visa to Apartheid South Africa
When Ulric Haynes joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1964 as the desk officer for Southwest Africa, the United States…
October 14, 1960—JFK’s Call to Service and Diplomacy
John F. Kennedy inspired generations of Americans toward a life of service starting with a few impromptu lines not many…
The Lost Sense of Belonging: An Attempt to Fit in
Becoming a refugee often involves losing more than just one’s home country. Perhaps one of the most important is the…
George Hermann “Christmas Time”
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” This part of a song would describe the Christmases spent by George…