Week Nine

Will North Korea denuclearize? Initially, I would say yes, of course! Everyone in my office works extremely hard. Negotiations and engagements with the DPRK have been more prevalent than ever before. The pressure campaign is strict, and other countries, especially China, are enforcing sanctions stronger than in the past. However, there are majors concerns that this is a repeat of history. Before, North Korea gave signs that they would cooperate, but deceived the rest of the world. I’d like to believe in evidence that shows that recent diplomatic interactions have been different than before and that the setting…

Exhaustion hit me pretty hard this week. I wake up very early every morning for my hour and a half commute. I attend my various workout groups before I go to work. Work wise, the week was positive. Some days felt longer than others, but some actually felt like they went by fairly quickly. I am especially content with some of the work I did this week; I am learning so much!

Earlier in the week, I escaped the desk to go on a tour of the eighth floor of the State Department. The eighth floor is reserved for when…

My fourth week is done, and I am so happy it is the weekend! I’m finding that days during which I sit at a desk in my office all day feel very long. I spend a lot of time at my desk, staring at a screen. This has been a major adjustment for me. Each day continues with the same general routine as I mentioned last week. I attended fewer meetings this week. I like going to meetings because I get to leave the desk, listen to something new, and on occasion, meet people. All is well, though.

I was…

Over this week, my office internship experience has significantly improved. I haven’t been watching the clock as much and have felt more productive. I’ve had a number of positive interactions with my colleagues. Things with other intern, who had not been particularly collaborative, are improving too. The past couple of days, we have been working together, chatting, and even laughing! The office is an easier place to be when I feel more acquainted with those around me. Everywhere I have worked previously, I have known my coworkers and gotten along with them instantly, so this wasn’t something I’d ever experienced…

This was a four day work week due to Columbus Day. It was a less eventful week. This is partly because there were fewer days for things to occur, but, it was also probably because of things slowing down after the previous chaos of the past couple weeks. Everything was very routine, especially the mornings. Emails and small group meetings took most of my time.

Over the past weekend, our Special Representative for North Korea traveled to Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing, and Pyongyang with Secretary Pompeo. The two returned on Tuesday. As a result, most of our work was trying to…

This week was my first week living in Virginia. Riding the metro into work definitely takes getting used to. I have had my fair share of missed trains and stops, but I feel more comfortable now. One of my favorite things to do is called November Project, which is an outdoor CrossFit and cardio workout that meets early in the morning, three times a week, for free. It’s a really fun, energetic community and is the best start to my day. So this week, on NP mornings, I woke up at 4:45 to catch the metro in order to get…

My third week of work at the Korean Desk was definitely the smoothest so far. I think this is due to a couple different factors but overall, it is because each day I figure out more about how to live and function in D.C. I got significantly more sleep this week than the previous two weeks. As a result, I was able to be more focused and work better while at the office. I am also way more accustomed to the office, therefore I work more efficiently and learn things faster. I certainly have a routine when I come into…

I am very happy for it to be Friday! My Second week is complete. It has been a long and eventful week. I have definitely settled into a routine at the office and feel like I know how things function. I have made many mistakes, but I am working on learning from them and moving on. I have missed my bus three times, threw up at work one morning, and have matching blisters on each of my feet from my work shoes. But, these are all a part of the experience and I am growing!

Each day, I arrive at…