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THE SAIS OBSERVERSTUDENT REFLECTIONS ON THE SAIS LIFE
2011 Special EditionFor Prospective & Admitted Students
April 2011 Volume 10 No. 3 The Student Newspaper of the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
A N O T E F R O M T H E E D I T O R SDear Prospective Students,
The SAIS Observer, our official student newspaper, has put out a special
edition created with the prospective student in mind, to share insight
into the student body and the “SAIS life”. We wanted to go beyond what
the website and blogs have to say, to connect on a peer-to-peer level,
and share all the things that we get involved with, both on- and off-cam-
pus.
When you read about the many aspects of SAIS below—such as free or
subsidized trips abroad, departmental events, speakers series, leader-
ship opportunities, career and fun clubs, extracurricular activities and
social outings, and perspectives from Bologna, Nanjing and D.C.—keep
in mind that these few articles represent just a small number of experi-
ences that a handful of students have had. Among all the happenings in
our lives, we were able only to highlight a fraction of them. So we
should add that the best way to predict what SAIS is like is to continue
talking to current students and alumni and to be vigilant about reaching
out to departments, professors, leaders, and others. With that said, we
hope these vignettes add something to the collection of ideas and oppor-
tunities you have to consider!
To be sure, the Bologna, Nanjing and Washington, D.C. SAIS campuses
are all fantastic places to study international relations, economics, and
public policy. Bologna is a historic European academic center with an
impressive cultural climate and Nanjing offers an unparalleled immer-
sion experience in the world’s most talked about country. In the
American capital, there is almost every country’s embassy within a few
blocks or miles, and experts in every field that has anything to do with
international relations, buzzing about constantly. For example, if you
study international development, the expertise of the World Bank and
IMF is at your fingertips. Additionally, the programs at SAIS are well-
staffed and highly-connected, allowing for the chance to get to know
your professors and career advisors well.
The number of languages that some of your classmates speak will
astound you. In terms of the clubs and activities which will bond you
with your peers, there are many to choose from. The great thing about
SAIS is that due to the small student body and the many things going
on, there is often little competition for leadership positions and jobs on
campus. Not to mention, the administration and career services folks
will work closely with you if you meet them half way.
As well, there are numerous sources of funding across the campuses,
and ample chances to fund internships and research. Many of us have
gotten involved with student organizations simply by showing up to a
meeting, helping with one or two events, and then mentioning interest
in next semester’s elections. Each club and department has various out-
lets for engagement and each offers something unique. Student
Government is very accessible too and serves as an outlet for SAISers’
ideas and recommendations in the social and academic spheres.
You may hear that SAIS’ faculty and administration is dedicated to its
students and this can be easily glossed over without much attention
paid. However, consider its importance: as our students study on sepa-
rate campuses, the faculty and staff are here to serve only SAIS. That
means there are no undergrads or outside programs to demand faculty
attention, so they know the school’s structure, curriculum, student body,
and the jobs we want. They come to work every day with one real
employer. As well, the small program size allows SAISers to take an
active role in shaping the future of the institution.
This all ties into networks. When it comes to governmental and interna-
tional sectors and employment potential, D.C., Bologna and Nanjing
give students an extraordinary edge for internships and jobs. During
your stay, you may have the chance to travel around the globe on a
school trip or two and through the process come to understand what it
means to be a SAIS alumnus in an embassy, think-tank, private compa-
ny, or NGO abroad.
The world is your oyster and if you are fascinated by it, this may be the
school for you. If you haven’t already guessed, we believe the opportu-
nities to launch your personal development and career are here. 2011
has been a year of tremendous importance in world affairs. We on the
editorial staff speak for the SAIS student body when we say it’s a priv-
ilege to be here while history is being written every day.
Best Regards,
The Editors
Peter Gruskin, Ryan A. Pallathra, Susie Taylor
April 2011 Volume 10 No. 3 The Student Newspaper of the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
Editors-in-Chief:Peter Gruskin is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Middle East Studies,
Global Theory & History and International FinanceRyan A. Pallathra is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Strategic Studies
Susie Taylor is a first-year M.A. candidate concentrating inInternational Law and Organizations
Contributing Writers:Anne Angsten, Michael Carbone, President Ronald J. Daniels, Gary Decker, LenaDiesing, Nicole Epps, Carolyn Florey, Conor J. Halloran, Kristen Handley, DeanJohn M. Harrington, Regina Kim, Jason Loughnane, Rajiv Mehta, Valerie Mock,
Andrew Noh, Janelle Poldy, Ray Wang, Mia Warner, Rebecca Zimmerman
Photography:Bri Held, Ade Ifelayo, Kelley Kornell, Rebekah Lipsky, Maggie Mazzetti, Valerie
Mock, Diem Nguyen, Tom Rickers, Monica Sendor, Lubomir Sokol
The SAIS Observer is a newspaper written, edited, and produced by the students ofthe Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of The Johns
Hopkins University. SAIS students, faculty and members of the administration at theWashington, D.C., Bologna and Nanjing campuses are encouraged to submit articles,
Op-Eds, photographs, and other items for consideration.
Materials for publication, comments or inquiries may be sent to us at:[email protected]. The online edition of The SAIS Observer and its full issue
archives can be accessed at: www.saisobserver.org.
The SAIS Observer is an approved SAIS student organization. Opinions expressed inThe SAIS Observer are not necessarily the views of the editors, SAIS, or
The Johns Hopkins University.
2 The SAIS Observer April 2011
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
TRAVEL: SAISers Spring Break Around the World .............................Page 3
BOLOGNA & NANJING: Foreign Student Perspectives .....................Page 7
PROGRAMS: SAIS on the Inside .......................................................Page 10
PERSONALS: Dating at SAIS ............................................................Page 13
THE GALA: The Annual Cherry Blossom Ball ..................................Page 13
EXTRA-CURRICULARS: Clubs & Activities .....................................Page 14
PHOTO MONTAGE: Winter Break Photo Contest Winner...............Page 16
Dreading a 3 AM wake-up call, and given that it was St. Patrick’s night after all, it
was a popular choice among this student contingent to revel in the evening’s festiv-
ities to the fullest and to just push on through the night. Directly following an
evening of beer-gone-green and Irish jigging on the very stage where Secretary
Clinton stood not six months prior, 23 SAIS students made their way to the airport.
Where were they going at such a ridiculous hour? China, of course!
This journey would mark the inaugural joint expedition of the Latin American
Studies, American Foreign Policy, and Global Theory & History programs. Funded
by a generous grant from the Starr Foundation, the students ventured to the other
side of the world to gain some first-hand knowledge of China’s economy, Going
Global strategies, currency management, and politics. Beijing, China’s official and
political capital, and Shanghai, the commercial metropolis, hospitably hosted two
groups of enthusiastic and inquisitive students. The Latin American Studies (LASP)
track focused its meetings on China’s growing investment in Latin America while
the American Foreign Policy (AFP) and Global Theory and History (GTH) crew
honed in on economics, monetary policy, and domestic market development. After
bonding over a 14-hour plane ride over the North Pole and a day of trekking along
the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, the two groups spent their days fervently
pursuing their respective itineraries.
Meeting schedules proved rigorous and varied between the two groups. On the
group’s third full day in China, for example, we really hit the ground running! Our
marathon day began at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, where we discussed China’s
perplexing “strategic ambiguity,” the ever-changing dynamics of the Sino-U.S.
bilateral relationship, and the importance for each country to be mindful of the oth-
ers’ nuanced perceptions of political, economic, and domestic interests. The day’s
events were punctuated with the AFP/GTH’s group meeting with David Dollar and
the LASP luncheon at the Mexican Embassy. Dr. Dollar, the Treasury Department's
Economic and Financial Emissary to China (or more informally: Secretary
Geithner’s “main man” in China), taught us more about U.S.-China currency rela-
tions than one could ever summarize in one article. Wide-eyed and mystified, we
left hoping that just maybe someday we could be as brilliant and well-spoken as Dr.
Dollar. The LASP group likewise had the privilege of being hosted by an esteemed
diplomat: Mexican Ambassador to China, Jorge Guajardo, welcomed the LASP
students for lunch at the Mexican Embassy. Ambassador Guajardo’s warm recep-
tion, charm, and witdelighted us all over pan de elote and flan as he shared stories
about working with Chinese diplomats, the implications for Mexico as China con-
tinues to rise, and personal tales of cultural encounters and adventures in China.
Once reunited after lunch, these meetings were contrasted sharply by the entire
group’s subsequent visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to meet with Chinese
diplomats. It was fascinating to catch a glimpse of Chinese diplomatic culture and
bureaucracy.
Chinese diplomats, needless to say, choose their words wisely. They are so cau-
tious and thoughtful in fact, that they dutifully pre-composed, printed, and read
their pre-approved words to us in a joint group meeting. We were grateful for
our hosts’ attentive consideration of our curiosities and the weight of impor-
tance they clearly applied to a visit from our group of U.S. graduate students.
Rousing further inquiry were the countless contrasts between the sprawling
cities of Beijing and Shanghai. Both are unmistakable and alluded to further
domestic complexities that make China unique. China is a nation that seems to
be one country in name, but two countries in reality, given the stark contrasts
between urban and rural China. The Chinese policymakers conveyed an acute
awareness of this seemingly contradictory concept. Many cogent questions
addressing the need for enhanced intellectual property rights, how to promote
indigenous innovation, future challenges of the growing income disparities,
China’s enigmatic relationship with North Korea, or the future of the Chinese
Communist Party amidst a rapidly emergent middle class, were dutifully and
consistently answered by a knowing glance and the statement, “it’s complicat-
ed.”
All in all, our trip was an outstanding success. We seized the opportunity to
engage and learn as much as possible from meetings with government officials,
research scholars, and trailblazing members of the burgeoning private sector.
Traveling to China and engaging with experts across such a comprehensive
spectrum endowed us with an invaluable, nuanced understanding that can only
be discovered while on foreign soil. Between the many shared moments in the
hotel, bargaining with street vendors, and a birthday dinner for one of our
esteemed classmates (Niraj Patel), we grew closer as colleagues and friends.
Somewhere between the 12-hour time difference, the Peking Duck, the sun
glimmering of the skyscrapers in Shanghai and the smog that concealed that
same sun in Beijing, we all had a fantastic adventure—and hey, we may have
even learned a little something, too!
Valerie is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in American Foreign
Policy. Kristen is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in American
Foreign Policy.
U.S.-China Relationship Status: It’s Complicated?
SAISers Spring Break Around the World
By Valerie Mock and Kristen Handley
April 2011 The SAIS Observer 3
A Collaborative Article by the International Law and
Organizations Program
Through a generous grant from the Starr Foundation, the International Law
and Organizations Program sponsored an academic field trip to Sri Lanka
over spring break, led by the Director of the ILAW program, Professor
Ruth Wedgwood, and Associate Director, Tiffany Basciano, with support
from South Asia Studies Program Manager, Rahul Madhavan. Fourteen
ILAW students explored issues surrounding the nearly three decade ethnic
civil conflict, the country’s impressive economic development, and Sri
Lankan culture. While there, we met with a variety of officials and institu-
tions, including senior government officials, such as the Secretary of
Defense, the Governor of the Central Bank, and a member of the Lessons
Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), leading members of UN
agencies and the U.S. Embassy, as well as a variety of non-profits, includ-
ing Sri Lanka Unites, the Asia Foundation, Emerge Global, and the
Humpty Dumpty Institute. In exploring the country’s textile industry, we
met with MAS Holdings, South Asia’s largest intimate apparel manufactur-
er.
Our cultural explorations included a lecture from a famous archeologist
and preservationist, regarding Sri Lankan archeological sites, and a visit to
the Sacred City of Kandy, including the Temple of the Tooth—a UNESCO
World Heritage site. The students also had a roundtable discussion with
their Sri Lankan counterparts at the Public International Law Department
at the University of Colombo.
As we met with more organizations and individuals, there seemed to be a
consensus and a sense of relief that the bloody conflict is finally over. The
war came to a decisive and violent end in May of 2009. Thus, it is apparent
that peace was not forged through efforts at national reconciliation, but
more perhaps due to a national exhaustion: a breathlessness from the con-
stant security checks (still abundant in the city, though perhaps with a more
symbolic rather than pragmatic role), the constant fear of bomb threats,
family members killed, or having disappeared, and certainly a numbness
from the constant bombardment of information and reports of an epic
national struggle to suppress the Tamil Tigers.
However, with the end of the conflict has come a window of opportunity
for national reconciliation and peace building. Sri Lanka Unites, a non-
profit led by a dynamic and energetic Sri Lankan native, has taken the ini-
tiative to not exactly force reconciliation, but to define it. Bringing together
groups of young people from the Tamil majority North and from the
Sinhalese majority in the South for several week-long recreational and edu-
cational retreats is a small but necessary first step. The hope and future of
Sri Lanka's peaceful existence depends on these vibrant youth, who learn
to see beyond an artificial hate, and to recognize a common purpose in his
or her fellow Sri Lankan.
Our trip was but a small glimpse into the lives of these fascinating people
and will forever be ingrained in the minds of those who spent a short spring
break in Sri Lanka.
Q&A Session with Janelle Poldy, M.I.P.P
Q: Regarding Sri Lanka—what topic have you chosen to research and why?
A: The Sri Lanka field trip has been an incredible opportunity to tie academics with
practice. My research is focused on children's rights in International Law with Sri
Lanka as the case study. Having worked with young children myself, I have become
very aware of the gap that exists between the rule of law and what is implemented and
realized on the ground. As part of this research, I hope to draw attention to these gaps
and to advocate for change.
Q: Why did you choose ILAW?
A: I chose ILAW because of the expertise of the faculty, diversity of courses and the pro-
gram planning provided by the Associate Director and Director. The faculty is widely
known and acclaimed—whether you are in New York at the United Nations or in Sri
Lanka. SAIS’ ILAW faculty is well-known and their expertise is highly sought after. I
will be graduating knowing that my course work has prepared me well for a career in
public service leadership (as well as law school if so chosen).
Q: What aspect of international law do you focus on, and has it changed at all?
A: My academic studies have mainly focused on human rights, security issues and pro-
tection. I have been able to gain additional insight into more specific areas such as
women and children's rights more recently.
Janelle is a M.I.P.P. candidate concentrating in International Law and Organizations.
Spring Break in Sri Lanka
4 The SAIS Observer April 2011
A Deans’s NoteDear Prospective Students,
I have been affiliated with this School for 35 years, first as a part-time professor in
statistics and econometrics and then for the past ten years as Academic Dean. I feel
confident that SAIS provides the kind of interdisciplinary education that serves our
students well as they embark on a variety of careers in the international arena. As you
can imagine, I am a strong proponent of the economics requirements at SAIS. All
SAIS students receive two sets of DVDs with my lectures on pre-calculus and calcu-
lus for economists. For those of you who may be fearful of the economics require-
ments at SAIS, this self-study course should relieve some of your anxieties. Together
with Pre-Term, you will be well positioned to become a budding economist!
Of course, my focus has been economics, but I can assure you that the curriculum at
SAIS, both in Washington and Bologna, is exceptional across the board. We encour-
age you to take advantage of the richness of the courses offered in both regional and
functional studies. We also encourage you to involve yourself in the vibrant student
life outside the classroom. You will learn from your books; you will learn from your
professors; you will learn from your surroundings in both Washington and Bologna;
and above all, you will learn from your fellow students—people who bring to the
SAIS community a world of knowledge and experience. On behalf of the deans, we
welcome your interest in SAIS and hope to hear again from your this fall.
Best Regards,
Dean John M. Harrington
SAIS Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
By Rebecca Zimmerman
In the reflective stupor that always marks the painfully early morning after a
staff ride’s final night, I sat in the lobby of the Hotel Emperador with department
head Eliot Cohen, waiting for the bus. We spoke about the staff ride and why
PhD students are encouraged to come, despite the fact that, as former MAs, most
of us have already had more than our fair share of time on the famed ISR.
On my second pass through SAIS, I see my discipline as a way of constructing
answers to a reality that can never be fully explained, and I now see what Dr.
Cohen calls “childlike” questions about the subject as the most penetrating. On
this trip to Spain I asked how to define victory in war when it seems that so often
it is achieved simply by avoiding self-defeat. I wondered about the minds of
great men and the cycle of power, isolation and delusion that seems to destroy
them all. I asked if later French heroes of counterinsurgency took conscious les-
sons from the Peninsular War, and even wondered how regiments became the
size that they are today.
As a MA student, the field of Strategic Studies seemed too big to grasp. I always
felt that I was operating without a sense of its taxonomy; that perhaps there was
some master reading I had skipped my first week of school that told me every-
thing. I found staff rides to be challenging exercises, as I tried hard to prove my
mastery of a subject I didn’t feel I fully comprehended. Five years later, I
slumped on the couch that rainy morning and wondered why this staff ride
seemed both more fun and more satisfying than the others. From the depart-
ment’s perspective, PhD students bring a different viewpoint to the trip, and I
realize now how true this is.
Most of my MA classmates will go on to careers in government and business,
enabled by this experience of scholarly inquiry to think more deeply than their
inboxes normally allow. If the success of my peers from the first time around is
an indicator, this is a powerful tool in the real world. But for a few of us, asking
these questions is an end in itself.
Strategic Studies is more than campaign histories or policy memo assignments:
it is the study of victory and defeat in all its impenetrable complexity, not to
mention the consequences, both political and human, of those end-states. But
more than other academic disciplines, Strategic Studies is tied to the world we
actually live in and a belief that this knowledge, ably applied, can make a critical
difference.
Nowhere in the Strat experience is this partnership of pragmatism and academia
better realized than in the international staff ride.
Rebecca is a Ph.D. candidate in the Strategic Studies Program.
International Staff Ride 2011
Strategic Studies Hits Spain
A Welcome Note from the President of Johns Hopkins University
With a fantastic trip to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center last fall, a journey across
Spain as part of the SAIS International Staff Ride, a whirlwind weekend at the
Hopkins Bologna Center, and frequent trips to SAIS’ home here in Washington,
I’m lucky to say this has been my “Year of SAIS.” From Washington to Nanjing
to Bologna and beyond, SAIS embodies the spirit of our one university.
Harnessing expertise between disciplines, among institutions, and across national
borders, SAIS is training our future leaders to tackle the 21st century’s most
daunting challenges from international climate change to global economic stabil-
ity. One only has to look at today’s headlines to realize that a SAIS education –
one that deepens cultural understanding, demands intellectual expansiveness, and
joins us all in challenging dialogue – remains more vital than ever.
Sincerely,
Ron
President Ronald J. Daniels is the 14th President of Johns Hopkins University,
and has held the position since 2009.
SAIS Strategic Studies Director, Dr. Eliot Cohen (right) presents an award to Johns Hopkins
University President Ronald J. Daniels (left), who joined the students during the week-long trip
across Spain during Spring Break 2011. Dina Nawas (bottom), was co-Quartermaster of the 2011
International Staff Ride -- the 12th annual ISR sponsored by the Strategic Studies Program.
April 2011 The SAIS Observer 5
This year, for the fourth year in a row, SAISCorps selected a group of volunteers to
assist in a community development project in Panama. From March 18 to March 28
nine SAIS students went to Isla San Cristobal to help in a local Peace Corps sanita-
tion project and to build latrines with the indigenous Ngobe community. After
months of planning and fundraising and thanks to the support of the SAIS commu-
nity, the service trip was a great success. Together with Peace Corps volunteers and
members of the community, we were able to build four compost latrines and we
spent an incredible week with the Ngobe community, living in host families and par-
ticipating in various community events. In this article, three of us describe our
impressions and what parts of the trip were especially important to us.
By Andrew Noh
The SAISCorps trip to Panama was a new experience for me on many fronts. I’m
ashamed to admit it given that I’m student at SAIS, but this trip was my first trip to
Latin America–not to mention my first trip to a developing country. It was also my
first experience in a country where I didn’t speak the language and had to rely on oth-
ers to communicate on my behalf. I pride myself on my independence and doing
things the way I want to, so it was difficult for me to accept the fact that I needed to
rely exclusively on my teammates in order to communicate.
The trip was another first on the volunteer front: I’ve always limited my volunteer
work to my local city, and this was my first international volunteer trip. I’m sure a
lot of my friends back home were worried about me traveling to a developing coun-
try given the “high-maintenance” image I project, and to be honest, I wasn’t quite
sure what to expect given my lack of international development and volunteer expe-
rience. The only thing I knew for certain was that I would do whatever it took to
make this trip a success for the SAIS team, the Peace Corps volunteers and the
Ngobe people. I was determined to leave my impact on the small island of Isla San
Cristobal and to leave it a better place than I found it. After all, wasn’t that the very
reason I came to SAIS?
The six days we spent on Isla San Cristobal absolutely blew me away. I was over-
whelmed by a range of emotions I have never felt as we walked through the village
for the first time in the dark of night; but words cannot begin to describe my feelings
when I saw the village at sunrise the next morning. The simple image that lay before
me at the break of dawn stood as the antithesis of the life I want to live yet there I
stood overcome by a sense of peace that I have never felt before.
Arising to the smell of ojaldras and coffee made by our sweet host mother added to
that sensation. I don’t remember the first time I woke up to the smell of my mother’s
cooking as a young child, but I remember the feeling well, and it was a truly out-of-
mind experience to feel that again as a twenty-five year old man with my new host
family.
Walking through the village and working with the Ngobe for the next five days
proved to be the most enriching experience.
I don’t speak Spanish—my knowledge is limited to a handful of words—nor
do I speak the Ngobe dialect, but it has been said that over 80% of human com-
munication is non-verbal, and I’m actually glad that I didn’t come to the island
with a working knowledge of the language. That barrier forced me to commu-
nicate using hand motions and other body language to get my message across.
I’m not certain if they felt the same way, but I felt that I was able to success-
fully convey my thoughts to the Ngobe.
The week we spent on Isla San Cristobal flew by, and it was Friday before I
knew it, when we were soon heading back to civilization. Civilization—the
very word and concept has taken on new meaning for me. The week we spent
on Isla San Cristobal reminded me that not everything civilization provides is
necessary—there are ways to live a fulfilling and exciting life without all those
amenities. Take the camera for instance. Cameras are meant to capture your
memories and remind you of a time long ago. They require electricity, memory
cards, and a whole list of things that only civilization can provide. I didn’t
bring a camera with me on the trip and I’m glad I didn’t because I was given
one by the Ngobe, one not requiring civilization to operate it. My camera on
this trip is the necklace given to me by the villagers and all I need to do is look
down and touch it to access those emotions and experiences I made on Isla San
Cristobal.
Andrew is a first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Korea Studies.
By Anne Angsten
Skyscrapers, lots and lots of skyscrapers. That was my first impression of
Panama when arriving Friday night in Panama City. This image faded away
during the 10-hour bus ride towards Bocas del Toro, where skyscrapers were
quickly replaced by beautiful landscape on our drive through the country, and
completely vanished when we arrived in the village on Isla San Cristobal,
where we would be working for the next week. The village was beautiful, with
about 40 wooden houses set in green hills next to the water and in front of the
jungle. At the same time it seemed surreal that only 10 hours from the moder-
nity of Panama City, with McDonalds and more plastic surgery than I’d ever
seen, there could be a totally different world without electricity, concrete
buildings or running water. Even though both places are so close to each other,
there was so little connection between them.
It was an amazing and enriching experience to work on such a practical project
together with the local community. It also showed me that the questions you
raise in every “Intro to Development” course are even harder to answer in
practice: How do you create ownership and responsibility of a project?
How do you differentiate between your priorities and the priorities of the peo-
ple you’re trying to help? Having of course not answered these questions, I am
greatly thankful that we had the opportunity to ask them in person. By living
and working with the people of the village, even if only for a limited time, we
tried to understand as much as we could about their life and point of view. The
openness of the community was amazing and while I hope that our stay bene-
fited them by advancing the project, I am convinced that they gave us much
more through their hospitality and openness.
Panama: A Collection of Student Perspectives
PANAMA
6 The SAIS Observer April 2011
Leaving Isla San Cristobal and going back to Panama City was as surreal as getting
there had been. In a matter of hours we were back in “our” world. All this suddenly
mattered again. Where there is internet, and the events in Libya, we had heard
nothing. It was almost scary how fast I transitioned from one mindset to the other.
Above all, I hope that I remember that while for us this was partly a great adventure
that makes cool stories that you can tell your friends (“Remember the time I had to
take a bucket shower outside?”), for other people it’s their everyday life with its
own ups and downs and perspectives and hopes.
Anne is a first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Energy Resources and
Environment.
By Gary Decker
Your eyes are still closed, but you are between asleep and awake. You can smell
wood burning as your breakfast of ojaldras and café is being prepared by your
warm and vibrant host mother. And, just as you are about to open your eyes, a roos-
ter crows from beneath the house. You open your eyes to see three fellow SAISers
asleep on their mats on the floor in a room that is barely large enough to hold you.
As you carefully step past them, move the curtain to exit the room, and walk to the
open front door, you are greeted by a lazy breeze. Looking out the front door you
see the village, the hills, the clouds, the brilliant sun, and some children already
hard at play. A smile comes to your face as you look forward to another day of hard
work and life-long memories.
SAIS Corps’ 2011 trip to Panama was amazing. Six days working with the Ngobe
people and Peace Corps volunteers on Isla San Cristobal building latrines was an
experience I will not soon forget. The power of the memories led me to contem-
plate the role that pictures and video play in our experiences abroad. Do pictures
and video cheapen the experience? Without a camera, aren’t you forced to hold on
tightly to every precious memory without recourse, truly revealing the most pro-
found of them? Coming from someone who took a few hundred pictures and a fair-
ly large amount of video on the trip, I feel these questions are necessary. Of course,
having a tangible representation of these amazing memories is valuable. There are
countless trips from my past where the pictures jog my recollection and bring a
memory and a smile. However, the most profound of my memories, from any trip,
come without prompting from technology. Indeed, pictures and video cannot cap-
ture what the mind can; specifically, the smell, feel, and atmosphere of that
moment. And so, as I continue to digest my experience in Panama, and plan the
next trip(s) to fill up my passport, I will take these questions with me. Maybe, just
maybe, my camera will remain at home the next time I feel that familiar sensation
of a plane lifting off the runway…
Gary is first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Conflict Management.
As a group we decided to ask any and every Tico we could what this meant to
them. Over the course of the next week we proceeded to do exactly this asking
everyone from the taxi driver, to the Director of Earth University, to the go-go
dancer, to President Chinchilla what made Costa Rica exceptional. To me the
thing that really made Costa Rica exceptional is that everyone mentioned the
same thing. The pacifist direction of the country and the decision to forgo an
Army made Costa Rica either the most forward thinking country in Latin
America, or the dumbest. Either way it certainly was a unifying goal for the
people and one they took great pride in. By the end of our trip the closest we
got to the beach was dipping our toes in the Caribbean in the port town of
Limon. However we emerged with a much richer reward. The deeper under-
standing of a nation and some of the elements which make it tick. Beaches are
every where but experiences like that are once in a lifetime. As they say in
Costa Rica, PURA VIDA MAE!
Alex is a first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Latin American Studies.
“This American Life”By Lena Diesing
Coming to SAIS as a foreign student is an adventure. There are lots of small
things that happened to me that made me say, “Hum, really?“ in daily activities.
I am far away from home, I rarely communicate in my most comfortable lan-
guage, I cannot find my favorite food in the supermarket... And I am only from
Europe! If you ask me to summarize all of it, I would say the pattern is change.
Granted, this happens with everybody who goes abroad. But as a foreigner at
SAIS, there are basically two ways in which I changed: 1) I became interna-
tionalized. 2) I became Americanized. Yes, that's a bit confusing.
Here's what I mean. You become internationalized because you are not the only
foreigner around. That sounds a bit trivial; this is a school for international rela-
tions after all. But it is something that I realized changed my personality in a
very significant way. Suddenly, facing my graduation and the prospect of mov-
ing back to the German countryside, I realized how I became addicted to a
place that feels like a global village. At SAIS, you read about some far-away
country in a class, and at lunch you run into your classmate from there to have
a short briefing on how things were in a time of crazy inflation. You receive e-
mails from friends from another far-off country that detail the revolutions you
would have never guessed were possible from TV reports. You celebrate parties
for holidays in foreign lands you didn't even know existed. So, even though I
am a foreigner in the United States, I am a citizen of the global village, and my
blue student ID is my passport.
And what's up with the Americanization?, many have asked me. When I went
back home over Christmas, one of my best friends told me: “You speak so
‘American’”. I was shocked! I spoke German, didn't I?—how can I speak
American German? Something had changed, my friend told me. Despite the
international community, we live in the American capital after all, and we are
exposed to all its good and bad cultural nuances. And that means you often do
things the American way, even if that means your accent changes.
A discussion about the hot topic in international relations? Not without tuna
sandwiches. A beer with your colleagues? Let's start as early as possible, when
it would be the right time for coffee somewhere else. Need a car, a fridge or
some ice cream? Take the bigger version (and buy the one where you get some-
thing in addition). Well, I could go on like this forever. To all those small things,
there are the big things of the capital: seeing three lights settle near the
Washington Monument, hearing sirens and thinking: “that's Obama coming
home for dinner”, or counting diplomat's cars on Mass Ave. In the end, you like
it or hate it I suppose—but your friends will know in any case that you have
spent time in the United States.
Lena is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Global Theory and
History.
COSTA RICABy Alex Rosen
Eleven of us met up at the gate at DCA not really knowing what to expect. The idea
of Spring Break in Costa Rica brought with it images of sandy beaches and drinks
with umbrellas. The fact that it was sponsored by the Latin American Studies
Department made it even more alluring. Our arrival in San Jose was met with more
questions than answers, but our enthusiasm was by no means dampened. Upon
reaching our accommodations, the first thing we did was meet our twelfth member
of the group who had spent the past 24 hours flying from Bologna.
We hit the ground running the next morning with a team building exercise. A two
hour bus ride into the rain forest of Costa Rica brought us to the Sarapique river
where we spent the morning zip-lining across the forest canopy and the afternoon
rafting. By the end of the day we were famished, drenched, feted and fully bonded;
bonding mission accomplished. After our adventures in the Jungle, it was on to
some serious business. The next morning we met with our host Dr. Urcuyo who
helped us to steer the focus of our journey; What is Costa Rican exceptionalism?
Our meeting with Dr. Urcuyo was bitter sweet, in that he brought us the wonderful
news that we were to have a personal meeting with Costa Rican President Laura
Chinchilla, but alas our one free day to head to the beach was taken by this meet-
ing.
Foreign Perspectives
April 2011 The SAIS Observer 7
BOLOGNABy Mia Warner
Studying at SAIS for the past two years has been an exhilarating and humbling
experience, much unlike anything I could have imagined before I started my stud-
ies. I spent my first year of SAIS at the Bologna Center (BC) in northern Italy. I
came to SAIS after working in consulting in DC for three years and I was worried
that the slow pace of life in Italy would drive me nuts, but instead, it was refresh-
ing to ease back into student life in such an enriching atmosphere. Studying in
Bologna gave me the opportunity to learn in every aspect of life—not just in the
classroom, but also at aperitivo and in the bakery and on jaunts around Europe
with my classmates. One of the first times I realized I was at a special place was
during orientation. My newly arrived classmates and I attended a talk given by an
EU official and then we schmoozed at a wine and cheese reception. The talk was
definitely interesting, but the really fascinating part was listening to my fellow
classmates’ questions and comments. I was in awe of the range of perspectives
that the other students presented. I would say I have prided myself on trying to
listen to and read opposition viewpoints as often as I consider those that line up
with my own; however, in that moment, I was encountering opinions that I didn’t
even know existed! I knew then that SAIS was going to be an experience of a life-
time.
The perspectives of my fellow classmates turned every impromptu dinner outing
into a culture lesson. Each and every student had such an impressive background
that I could have never been bored just talking to my fellow classmates about their
life experiences and how they shaped their outlook on the world. My roommates
alone were some of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. One of my room-
mates in Bologna was a lawyer from Belgium who speaks five languages, has
volunteered in Palestine, and has travelled to a million countries, including Cuba.
My other roommate, who is originally from Singapore, had also studied and trav-
elled all over the world. It was amazing to learn that someone who had grown up
in a country halfway around the world from mine could be so similar to me. She
was pivotal in helping me establish a student organization in Bologna called
“Christianity Explored,” where SAISers came every week to share a meal and
discuss the book of Mark.
Each week, students from a variety of religious backgrounds raised questions that
led to thought-provoking conversations. Despite the diversity among the students
in Bologna, we were all incredibly close. Studying in Bologna brings a unique
aspect to the SAIS experience because immediately upon arriving at the BC, you
gain a family of 200+ students and faculty from all over the globe. There’s some-
thing about being thrown into a foreign city with a bunch strangers that makes
you want to make friends quickly! People say the “SAIS mafia” is tight, but the
Bolognesi students are arguably even closer.
The small, intimate setting of the BC also gave us the opportunity to spend quality
time with our professors. At the end of the term, many of our professors hosted
us for dinner and shared stories about their lives and careers. My professor for
Public Sector Economics (a brilliant yet sweet Italian economist who has advised
the Pope) opened his home, and he and his wife cooked lunch for our entire class
while they handed out life lessons. Another professor (a prominent art historian,
who has advised Prince Charles and who appraises pieces for Sotheby’s and
Christie’s) took us on a field trip to see the Accademia, the Uffizi, and the archi-
tectural sites of Florence, and then hosted us for dinner at her beautiful home.
Beyond travelling to neighboring Italian towns, we also took advantage of
Bologna’s proximity to many other exciting locales. One weekend in November,
I loaded into a bus with about 50 of my classmates and trekked to Zermatt,
Switzerland, where we rented a private cabin in the foothills of the Matterhorn.
Two months later, intercession break took us all over the world—people traveled
to Egypt, Turkey, Malta, the Canary Islands, and all over Europe and the U.S. I
helped coordinate a study trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where a dozen SAISers
examined the complexities of governance and conflict management through
meetings with local officials and international organizations, including a former
general of Serbian ethnicity who fought for the Bosniak army, Republika Srpska
officials, EUFOR, the Constitutional Court of BiH, and the World Bank. Among
my fellow travelers were SAISers from both sides of the conflict: a Serbian and
Bosniak who are great friends and who are both now working towards reconcili-
ation in their country.
After the study trip, I took a quick tour of Budapest before meeting up with my
classmates at the IAEA Ball at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. I truly felt like I was
living someone else’s life during that week, especially as my well-dressed class-
mates and I greeted each other at the Palace with double-cheek kisses and
exchanged stories of our trips over the break.
By the end of the year, I certainly felt like I had spent a “lifetime in the world,”
as the SAIS BC website advertises. I had visited 13 countries, tasted innumerable
varieties of gelato and wine, and became lifelong friends with some of the most
amazing people in the world. As I come to the end of my studies, I’m sad that it’s
almost over, but I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve had at SAIS and I’m excited
to see where we’ll all go from here. I also can’t wait until the five-year reunion in
Bologna, when I’ll get to eat authentic Italian food again and hear about the
incredible impact my classmates have made on the world!
Mia is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in International Law and
Organizations.
“A Bolognesi in Madrid”
By Rajiv Mehta
I'm Rajiv Mehta, one of the Bologna Strat students. I had the chance to go on theInternational Staff Ride as one of the two Bolognesi chosen. Before the beginningof the Staff Ride, I was quite nervous. Though I had made contact with my TeamLeader and Research Leader, I did not know most of the DC Strat people. I hadalso never done a Staff Ride before. My concerns, however, were allayed as I metup with the DC contingent in Madrid.Everyone turned out to be extraordinarilyfriendly and welcoming, especially thosesecond years who had done the first yearin Bologna.
What's more, the Staff Ride turned out to be a lot of fun. We had the chance totravel to Salamanca, Burgos, and San Sebastian. The best part, though, were ourpresentations. Participants were assigned people who were involved in thePeninsular campaign, ranging from Napoleon to Spanish guerillas. The presenta-tions and following question and answer sessions were in character and reallygave us a chance to understand some of the complexities of fighting an insurgencyand leadership. In the end, I can safely say that the Staff Ride was one of the bestexperiences of my life. Not only did I have the chance to spend a week in Spain,but I also had the opportunity both to meet many of the first and second years inStrat in DC and also experience the excitement of a Staff Ride.
Reflecting on My Year in Bologna
By Rajiv Mehta
“Studying in Bologna was the best decision I've ever made". "The year in
Bologna was the best year of my life". These are things I heard from Bologna
alums before I arrived.To say I took it with a grain of salt would not be accurate;
it was more like the whole salt-shaker. Yet Bologna surprised me: it was really as
good as advertised and more.
The most striking thing is how close everyone is in Bologna. Connections are
forged during pre-term and the early days of the fall semester. Your social life
revolves around the Bologna Center, as you share the experience of being
strangers in Italy with two hundred of your new best friends.
One key way people make connections is through travel. By traveling together,
sharingthe experience of flying with Ryanair. On the weekends, students travel to
places ranging from Florence to Sicily to Vienna to Paris to Barcelona to Berlin
to London to Fez. During breaks, they travel even further afield, going to Africa,
Nepal, and elsewhere. Another striking feature is the incredible diversity of the
student body. Half the students are not Americans. They hail from countries rang-
ing from Italy to Russia to China to Sierra Leone.
The diversity of interests matches that of the student body, everyconcentration,
including Asian Studies, represented. The academic opportunities include fre-
quent speakers and academic trips, including tripsto the Balkans and Israel and
the Palestinian territories. To complement these, there are career services treks to
London, Brussels, and Vienna.
The experience at Bologna is wholly unique and unmatched. There are still a few
weeks left to go, but I feel pretty safe in saying that going to Bologna was one of
the highlights of my life.
Rajiv Mehta is a first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Strategic Studies,
and currently at the Bologna campus.
8 The SAIS Observer April 2011
Our Life in NanjingBy Michael Carbone & Ray Wang
Inside the Hopkins-Nanjing Center (HNC), a co-run academic institution which
formed in 1986 between Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced
International Studies and Nanjing University in Nanjing, China, SAIS students
get to sharpen their Mandarin skills while exploring a country rising on the global
stage.
With a student population split evenly between Chinese and international stu-
dents, the HNC provides a unique environment for interacting with international
affairs. Students are offered a variety of classes to better understand Chinese soci-
ety and related areas such as international politics, law, and economics, with
courses challenging international students to take everything they have learned
from past language classes and travelling experiences and apply it to contempo
rary issues in a modern day society in their target language: Chinese.
Opportunities to travel around the Nanjing area and beyond, such as doing field
interviews in the rural Anhui province for a rural development class, allow stu-
dents to gain a new perspective in applying their class work to the world around
them. While the HNC offers a rich learning environment, there is more to Center
life than coursework.
The Center regularly invites speakers to the Nanjing Center to speak about vari-
ous isses regarding Chinese and international affairs. Speakers this year included
New York Times journalist Sewell Chan, former ambassador Chas Freeman, and
U.S. Food and Drug Administration County Director Chris Hickey. Topics dis-
cussed in these lectures are just as varied, with current American Co-Director
David Davies doing a recent lecture on the culture changes at Walmart in China.
In addition to these opportunities to listen and discuss, the HNC offers other activ-
ities for students to engage in and enjoy.
For sports, the HNC has a long tradition of basketball and dragonboat. The bas-
ketball team, a mixture of Chinese and international students, continued tradition
and won the annual tournament between universities in Nanjing this year. “At the
HNC both Chinese and international students have such an affinity for basket-
ball,” said David Lewis, a certificate student here. “It gives us the edge to be
extremely competitive in the tournament.” During the Dragonboat Festival every
year, a competitive boat race is held and the Center does its best against amateur
and professional racing teams, last year scoring sixth and gaining the quip, “the
best of the teams that can't row straight.”
Students engage in the Nanjing community outside the Center in a variety of
ways, such as the Migrant School Initiative and the Five Project. Begun this year,
the Migrant School Initiative teaches English to the children of migrant workers
in Nanjing, whose opportunities for public education in the city are limited due to
the hukou household registration system that discourages migration in China. The
Five Project in turn works with individuals with developmental disorders in the
local community, who are often excluded from local schools. “Everyone seems to
really appreciate our efforts,” says Laura Dow, a first-year master’s student at the
Center.
Extra-curriculars aren’t just limited to volunteer opportunities. Justin Yang, an
HNC certificate student, notes that he is “a firm believer in putting [him]self out
there and taking risks,” and it seems that among HNCers the feeling is shared.
Three international students this year including Yang have so far appeared on
Chinese television shows: one on “Our World,” where the student's dream of
dueling the girl he likes from the gym for a date comes true (unfortunately she's
a blackbelt in gongfu); and two on “If You're the One,” an extremely popular
competitive dating show where both HNC students won free trips to Hawaii.
Appearing on game shows may not be high on the list of things students do, but
for HNC students it has proved to be a unique way of immersing oneself in
Chinese culture and practicing their Chinese at a much higher level. Although
the Center does not specialize in international law, this has not stopped students
from taking on the challenge of arguing cases in court, with the HNC participating
in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition for the first
time this year. After successfully arguing for the participation of international
SAIS students in the competition, the HNC team faced off against teams from
Chinese law schools and specialized law programs and placed sixth in the nation-
als, with the four team members individually placing first, third, ninth, and
twelfth places (no other team had more than one member in the top fifteen). As
one of the professors who headed the Jessup team Steven Hill noted, this was
“incredible and really unprecedented.” If the group and individual results seems
rather disconnected, just remember that one of the components of an education at
the HNC is how politics is never too far away in the Middle Kingdom.
Every year seems to bring a new political controversy to the Center, and this year
was no different, with protests over the cutting down of historic trees by the new
city mayor to help expedite the building of a subway line, which caused much
controversy within the city. Add to it the sensitive political environment created
by the Chinese government’s over-reaction to the national Jasmine non-protests,
and the local arbor protests became that much more sensitive, with some Chinese
students at the Center being interrogated by the police. The mayor ended up sus-
pending his new policy. While not as internationally well-known as Shanghai or
Beijing, Nanjing's non-stop high-speed rail link to Shanghai is another effort by
the Chinese government to propel the city into the global conscience.
The most recent G20 seminar was held in the city, with a group of 19 nations plus
the European Union representing around 90 per cent of global gross national
product coming together to discuss the international monetary system. Those in
attendance included French President Sarkozy, SAIS alumnus U.S. Secretary of
the Treasury Timothy Geithner, and one of our very own HNC students, Laure
Pallez, who said that, as expected, “it was extremely interesting with high level
discussions on financial topics.”
Although the Hopkins-Nanjing Center is the youngest of the international institu-
tions connected to SAIS, the Center already has a vibrant alumni network, with
this year yielding the largest alumni weekend turnout to date, with well over one
hundred alumni in attendance. As the Chinese co-director Madame Huang says,
“we are a family here,” with Center traditions and a Center network throughout
the world, yet the HNC manages also be a unique and an important part of the
larger SAIS community. We welcome you to inquire about studying at HNC if
China studies is part of your path at SAIS, and if not, you are still welcome to visit
us in Nanjing anytime.
Michael and Ray are SAIS students studying at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center in
Nanjing, China.
April 2011 The SAIS Observer 9
SAIS on the Inside
A Revolutionary First Year in Middle East StudiesBy Peter Gruskin
I had studied revolutions and the Middle East but never the two together, until I
came to SAIS. This semester changed the landscape of the region—or was it the
other way around? Powerful narratives have emerged, but of what doctrine or
fate, I am still unsure. As my International Financial Markets course drilled into
my head only weeks ago: randomness. Because the opposite doesn’t explain
much. This certainly holds for the Middle East these days.
Trying to explain too much in one breath is a massive risk with non-commensu-
rate reward, even at a policy school. We all rely on syllabi for grounding in reality
but as events unfolded in the region this semester, we needed more than books
and articles. The buzz around the TV in the lobby was bright. The response of
expert faculty was rapid and bold.
Students of other regions and functions all of a sudden cared about our turf. Hail
the changes in the Middle East?, we humbly wondered. Among the student body,
as of the day before Tunisia’s uprising, who among us knew Tunisia well beside
the professors?
To be sure, we were all equally stunned. It’s amazing how much learning goes on
at a school like this outside of the pages of standard history—whatever that is. All
to its credit! The recognition of mankind’s inability to accurately see the future is
often lost in Washington, but it was dropped in front of us like a grand piano out
of a high-rise on more than one occasion this semester.
When Egypt hit, I suppose we knew considerably more about the place: Nasser,
a U.S.-brokered peace deal which led to the assassination of Sadaat, Cold War
rapprochement with the West, then Mubarak’s dictatorship. I had fatefully read
my first Middle Eastern novel about the brutality of life in Egypt just last fall in
another Middle East studies course, Politics and Literature.
Fortunately for spell-bound students of the world, such stories never end.
A plug for events in the Middle East Studies Program and SAIS more gener-
ally:
Lunch-ins with famous scholars and practicioners are a regular occurrence in
Middle East Studies Program, and all students are welcome to attend. The pletho-
ra of talks and conferences hosted by the other departments at SAIS in any given
week is astounding too if you compile them (sais-jhu.edu/events). The SAIS
administration sends out a weekly synopsis from “dc.linktank.com” which sum-
marizes everything that’s happening in Washington during the week relating to
international relations, policy (divided into all its million subsections), domestic
and international economics, human rights, security studies, etc.
Monetary economics, revolutions in the Middle East, development, every war and
struggle on earth, the future of China, private equity in frontier states—this is just
a random sampling of the multitude of subjects, all with their concomitant cadre
of experts, that the SAIS student has access to morning, noon, and sometimes
night. You really could stay between 16th and 19th Streets and catch a great lec-
ture and lunch, if not both for free, almost anytime of the day, every single day.
Dinners on the other hand, you can count on paying for.
Peter is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Middle East Studies.
What Goes on in Strategic Studies?By Conor J. Halloran
SAIS is full of active students, brilliant faculty and wonderful programs, perhaps
no place more so than the Strategic Studies Department. As with all departments
at SAIS, the courses are all stimulating and wonderful. There are a few infamous
professors and legendary courses, but to be honest, there are no bad courses and
professors. This turns out to be the larger problem. I find myself mourning the fact
that I can only take so many Strategic Studies courses!
What makes “Strat” such a stand-out department is the wonderful student-led and
organized events and programs. The most notable of all of these is the Staff Ride,
a field trip of sorts, either domestically or internationally. Like so many things in
Strategic Studies, the Staff Ride is an adapted military program which combines
research, role-playing, and campaign analysis to allow participants to learn about
military campaigns.
There are three Staff Rides each year: domestic trips in the Fall and Spring as well
as the International Staff Ride during Spring Break. While applications are open to
all students, the Staff Rides are planned by Strat students and the vast majority of
participants are Strat-affiliated.
For a weekend (or a week in the case of the International Staff Ride), students
teach each other about the politics, strategy, tactics, logistics and history surround-
ing many important military campaigns. As corny as it sounds, history has a way
of coming alive on these weekends.
To complement the Staff Rides—which though wonderful are few and far
between—there are several event series: The Strat Film Series, Defense Against
the Dark Arts, and the Strat Speaker Series. Every month of so, the Strat Film
Series presents a film related to Strategic Studies (examples from this year
include Breach, Dr. Strangelove, Seven Samurai and The Battle of Algiers). The
films often include an introduction and discussion of the themes of the movie,
and are overall a good opportunity to relax with fellow students. The Defense
Against the Dark Arts series is a series of discussions, lectures, guest panels and
more to advise students on how to be effective practitioners of defense policy
without being corrupted by DC bureaucracy.
Finally, there are several yearly traditions which help keep your calendar full.
One must-do event every year is the paintball game against IDEV (International
Development) students. For one Saturday each fall, Strat and IDEV battle it out
over a series of paintball matches. Though it’s always a fierce competition, much
fun is had by all sides regardless of the outcome. (In the interest of full disclo-
sure, this fall for the first time Strat actually lost to IDEV.) Another big event is
Dining-in, an end of the year banquet full of military tradition, pomp and circum-
stance, wonderful acts and a significant amount of alcohol for everyone (includ-
ing many of the professors). Lastly is the Quantico Leadership Venture, an
immersive experience at the Marine Corps’ Officer Candidate School designed
to, among other things, help teach students leadership skills.
I cannot talk about what goes on in the Strategic Studies without mentioning the
students. Everything that happens is a result of countless hours from so many
people. I personally have participated in almost all of the events mentioned
above, and have had a chance to help organize a few. This is what makes
Strategic Studies such a dynamic environment— everything is organized and car-
ried out through student initiatives.
Every year there are new initiatives and new programs born out of the brilliant
student body. For example, this past year, thanks to the hard work of one MIPP,
there was an amazing trip to Arizona for an intensive immersion experience with
the Marine Corps Aviation training program. Strategic Studies is a department
full of activities and things to do indeed; the challenge is not finding something
to do, but rather deciding between the many wonderful offerings to be had.
Conor is a first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Strategic Studies.
Middle East Studies students on a all-expenses paid trip to Kuwait, Dubai and Abu Dhabi
(Winter Break, January 2011)
10 The SAIS Observer April 2011
My Experience in Korea StudiesBy Regina Kim
I chose SAIS mainly because it was one of only two reputable IR graduate pro-
grams I could find that actually offered a Korea Studies concentration. Another
major reason is that SAIS is the home of the U.S.-Korea Institute (USKI), a
research institute with close ties to the Korean government as well as to certain
Korean private sector companies and NGOs. You will probably find no other
graduate school-affiliated institution in the U.S. with such strong ties to Korea.
Notable Korean politicians and Korea experts from around the world often come
to SAIS to give lectures and presentations at USKI-sponsored events. In addition,
most Korea Studies concentrators (including myself) have received a generous
yearly fellowship funded by the Korean government through USKI, which has
gone a long way in reducing the costs of our education.
One of the best classes that I have taken at SAIS is the “Two Koreas” course,
which is offered every fall by the Korea Studies program. The highlights of the
class include a fully-funded week-long trip to Korea over Thanksgiving break, as
well as the opportunity for term papers to be published in a U.S.-Korea Yearbook.
During our stay in Korea, I was able to meet with and interview a number of influ-
ential Koreans in academia, the government, and the private sector for my term
paper, and I have been able to keep in touch with some of them since my trip. My
term paper was also selected for publication, and I think having that on my
resume has helped me gain more credibility in my chosen field with my Korean
contacts as well as with potential employers.
USKI also has a visiting scholars program, which is a program that invites a num-
ber of Koreans who are highly esteemed in their respective fields (which range
from journalism to government to business to academia) to spend a year or so at
SAIS conducting their own research and advising students on Korea-related
issues. The visiting scholars are usually very open to talking with students and are
an invaluable resource for providing students with connections to important peo-
ple in the Korean government and private sector (which can also be quite useful
for finding job opportunities in Korea). Two of them were especially kind and
helpful to me in setting up interviews with people in Korea during my Two
Koreas class trip—in fact, I got to know most of my Korean contacts either direct-
ly or indirectly through these two visiting scholars.
Although I didn’t realize the strength of the Korean language program at SAIS
before coming here, my Korean language classes here have been the most useful
classes I’ve taken at SAIS, not only because I’ve improved my Korean language
skills greatly, but also because Korean has turned out to be the single most impor-
tant skill to have for most of the jobs that I’m interested in. Professor Tak will
teach you a lot in one semester—probably more than you think you can stomach
at first, but class has never been dull for me because she makes sure we have fun
while we’re learning the language. Not to mention, it was kind of cool to watch
my parents’ jaws drop after “briefing” them on a Korean news article that we’d
covered in class when they were used to hearing me say only things that were
more like “What’s for dinner?” in Korean.
Regina is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Korea Studies.
Admiral Mullen Speaks at SAIS on Global SecurityBy Ryan A. Pallathra
On March 31st, the SAIS community was once again privileged to have an
American foreign policy practitioner take a moment out of an immensely stressful
schedule to speak on a range of national security issues. Speaking at the 2011
annual Rostov Lecture on International Affairs, Admiral Mike Mullen presented
“Perspectives on the Global Security Environment”. Admiral Mullen is the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As the highest-ranking officer in the United
States Armed Forces, Admiral Mullen is the principal military advisor to President
Obama. As such, he presides over all meetings and coordinates the efforts of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), advising the Secretary of Defense, the National
Security Council and the Homeland Security Council.
At a time when the United States is confronted with an extraordinary range of mil-
itary and security challenges, Admiral Mullen called the gravity of these issues
“breath-taking”. Coming to SAIS directly after briefings on Capitol Hill, Admiral
Mullen was humbled and acutely aware of the challenges and “strategic con-
straints” faced by the U.S. military and administration. Despite the support gar-
nered from Arab partners like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, the Admiral
stressed the importance of force being executed only in a “precise, principled
manner”.
Faced with growing concerns regarding the American involvement in the opera-
tions in Libya, Admiral Mullen stressed that the President and the military is com-
mitted to not putting “boots on the ground” in a third Muslim country. One of the
greatest strategic difficulties posed to the military leadership is the “tyranny of the
urgent”. Despite the difficulties in proving a negative, he defended Secretary
Hillary Clinton’s remarks that America’s quick and determined action in the Libya
prevented a humanitarian disaster. Speaking on the responsibility of America to
lead, Adm. Mullen said that how we lead is just as important as the quality and
quantity of our resources. Since assuming his position, Adm. Mullen has wit-
nessed what he feels to be the best military the U.S. has ever had. Even still, he
worries about what he perceives to be the growing disconnect between American
civilians and the military. Briefly speaking on the topic of domestic politics and
the future of American leadership, Admiral Mullen called the country’s debt its
greatest threat to national security. Prior to this current position, Adm. Mullen
served as the 28th Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), the Navy's top uniformed
leader and representative to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
Ryan A. Pallathra is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Strategic
Studies.
T h e S A I S I n t e r n a t i o n a l L a w S o c i e t y
The SAIS International Law Society is happy to welcome prospective students.
ILS invites students from all concentrations to learn more about the importance
of international law in an increasingly connected world. Whether addressing
trade and immigration flows, climate change, or the conduct of war, understand-
ing how the law impacts global affairs is critical for all aspiring policymakers
and analysts. ILS is a career network, with the capacity to invite and interact
with diverse speakers across dynamic interdisclinary fields. This year we hosted
an event, The Fog of War: Humanitarian Law on the Modern Battlefield. The
roundtable presentation and discussion with U.S. Judge Advocate General
(JAG) officers, active service duty men, and humanitarian activists was a fasci-
nating way to address complex issues taking place in the international arena. We
look forward to another great year of supporting students with special events and
discussions, and we hope to meet you soon!
April 2011 The SAIS Observer 11
International Law and Organizations concentrators in Sri Lanka over Spring Break.
12 The SAIS Observer April 2011
Spring. Dupont Circle is abloom and SAIS students have begun to think of love
or lust for the last few months. March Madness is over (but remember you go
to SAIS so no one really watched it anyway), midterms are over, and finals seem
so far away. In other words, you have a few days to think about your real future.
Gym memberships have been renewed and the typical SAIS student recalls dat-
ing, getting coffee and discussing politics to impress and not just for an academ-
ic grade.
Dating at SAIS or rather within SAIS is like dating in 9th grade except everyone
is taller and the acne is gone. Everyone knows your business here, and if they
don’t, sitting in the cafeteria or the library makes them think they do. If you dare
venture into this minefield on Massachusetts Avenue, it’s not for the faint of
heart. Tread carefully—crushes are many here, closure a different story. If you
must, here’s a quick run-down and happy hunting!!
Strategic Studies: This concentration runs this school, and it seems like every
other SAISer is one of them. You’ll know them by the copious amount of role
playing they engage on “Staff Ride” field trips. They‘re our future intelligence
leaders; and they already know you, even if you don’t know them. There’s a rea-
son why they’re the Control Room during Crisis Simulation. Be very sure when
dating in strategic studies, for they do not suffer fools gladly.
PROS: They have actually done things you watch on CNN. A majority is in the
military and they have the bearing and abs to prove it. They are driven, Type A
and to the point. Do not waste their time but, they’re always good for cocktail
parties, general bragging to friends and you know you’re safe in a fight.
CONS: You are a civilian. You can’t really complain about being stressed—
they’ve been to war.
IDEV: If they’re not in Strat, chances are they’re in International Development
(IDEV). These guys want to be the change makers; they will [try to] save the
world. They are probably vegetarian, always in a group, and always going to
meetings about the genocide of the day.
PROS: You will be inspired by how fervent their desire is to change everything.
Whole Foods will become a way of life for you. They are always going to read-
ings, speaker series and forums. You’re bound to be more intelligent after dating
one.
CONS: Buying fair trade gets expensive. Hummus gets boring. Heaven forbid
you choose to work in the private sector.
“Couch Crew”: You will find this happy bunch on the couches outside of the
cafeteria. They are a jovial and convivial bunch and they roll deep. Extremely
friendly, they know everyone. They are SAIS’ de facto version of the welcoming
committee.
PROS: They are funny and nice. You always know where to find them. You’ll
always have a place where everybody knows your name and CNN plays all
day—even during March Madness.
CONS: They’re always sitting on the couch.
SAIS Student Government Association (SGA): Student government: they’re
always planning things and sending emails. What a proactive group of fun-mak-
ers. They make SAIS run and make you think about discounts. You can always
count on an SGA to remind you not to miss the party of the year, every week,
even if you can’t quite figure out what it’s for, or where it’s at.
PROS: You’re significant other’s Friday happy hour discount/free beer.
CONS: The majority of SGA is in a relationship, so unless you’re looking to be
the mistress or “jump off” you may want to look elsewhere. Know now that
every Friday will be spent at happy hour getting drunk in a Soviet-era building
in Dupont Circle and you will be forced to participate in the “fun”.
Bologna Clique: Our European counterparts have returned and in their stead,
there is a plethora of inside jokes that you don’t know and no one will take the
time to explain. They are a lively, dancing bunch. Tough group to hack though,
unless you brush up on your Italian or reference your sojourns in Europe for an
opening. In fact, good luck if you can even find them. Your best bet is to ask one
of the people who look random for a date.
PROS: They love to travel and are fluent in more than English. (But then again
lots of SAIS students are.) Relive your fantasies of a European fling and this
time you’re not the crazy tourist. You get the pleasure of listening to stories
about real pasta, what the “real Italy” is all about, and “the fashion”.
CONS: This is a tight group. Oh, and you get the pleasure of listening to stories
about real pasta, what the “real Italy” is, and “the fashion”.
The Outliers: These are the people you are not so sure go to SAIS. You see them
around; they are in your classes, but you never see them out and about. These are
the classmates who shock you when they materialize at Happy Hour or eating
breakfast in the cafeteria. You’ll recognize them by the recognition they elicit from
their friends who scream, “Oh my God, I never see you, where have you been? Do
you still go here?”
PROS: They are very busy and out of the scene, your business will stay private.
There is a high probability that they are taking monthly vacations to some place fab,
are leading an exciting life and/or actually hang out with people outside SAIS. New
places to go beside Lucky Bar, Might Pint, and/or weekly SAIS functions.
CONS: They are busy; they have a life; it might not include you.
The Library: Who knew the 8th floor of the library would be such an exciting
place. I mean the LIBRARY!! But many SAIS students can be found here studying,
texting, eating. I know quite a few who spent their spring breaks there.
Everyone is there—honestly, if you want to date here’s your real meat market, but
don’t stroll during midterms.
PROS: They are studious, diligent students and can definitely tutor you in more
than one subject. Why not have a fun date in one of the study rooms, pull down the
shade and turn on YouTube; relationships have been made on less than this. You
can study new and exciting subjects together in the study rooms, personal desk area
or the open-air market.
CONS: It’s the library!
Congratulations. You are now armed and ready to start dating at SAIS. Get out there
and if it doesn’t work out, none of them will be in DC this summer anyway!
Nicole is a first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Middle East Studies.
Dating at SAISBy Nicole Epps
2011 SAIS Cherry Blossom Ball
The Annual SAIS Cherry Blossom Ball hosted by the Student Government Association,
was held at the House of Sweden, on the Georgetown Waterfront.
The beautiful event took place on April 2, 2011.
April 2011 The SAIS Observer 13
2011 Cris is Simulation
Crisis Simulation is a class offered through Strategic Studies in the Fall through
which students learn to execute a crisis simulation. Throughout the Fall, students
meet to discuss historical cases in which various nation-states face challenging sit-
uations regarding their national security. In most cases it is in the nation-state’s
strategic interest to avoid conflict, and students learn the complexities underlying
this objective. All of this is in preparation for a planned simulation run by SAIS
students in the Spring.
This Spring the class tested the following question: “What are various regional
power dynamics in the absence of a strong U.S. power?” Roughly 90 members of
the Washington SAIS community spent an entire weekend playing the various
cabinet positions of participating nations. You can visit: www.crisissim.org
Careers in International Development
The Careers in Development Club (CID) is a professional club that seeks to pro-
vide SAIS students with training, networking, and exposure to a variety of careers
in international development across sectors, regions and specialties. This year,
CID has hosted a variety of diverse events, including
• Happy Hour speed interning: A new brand of speed dating that helped
SAIS students learn about internship opportunities from second year
students.
• The business side of working with USAID: A workshop providing stu
dents with a basic understanding of USAID processes such as request
for proposals, contracting, managing grants, and procurement, amongst
others.
• Various brown bag lunches and breakfasts: Including: Breakfast with
World Bank SAIS alum; lunch with the founder of the innovative NGO
ThinkImpact (founded by SAIS alum Saul Garlick); and a breakfast
presentation about climate change and agriculture.
Speakers and panelists from organizations such as Mercy Corps, Grameen, Pact,
International Rescue Committee, Ashoka, OTI, the Inter-American Development
Bank and the World Bank have also discussed career opportunities with us in sec-
tors such as agriculture and food security, relief assistance, social entrepreneur-
ship, and education. CID provides SAIS students with the opportunity to directly
engage with development professionals, to hear about their career trajectories,
experiences, pitfalls and suggestions about how to maximize their time at SAIS.
A weekly newsletter alerts CID members to job and internship opportunities and
upcoming CID events. For more information, please contact:
Bologna Campus Wine ClubBy Lindsay La Forge
A recent Bologna campus wine club trip to Rioja Spain was vastly successful.
Amid the buzz of Logroño’s Easter flagellant processions and the salty taste of
Jamón Serrano, the group explored wineries and museums reflecting the past,
present, and future of the region’s unique appellations. The centuries old Marques
de Riscal winery with its Ghery-designed facilities reflected the traditional meth-
ods of the vine-to-bottle process. The young and experimental Bodega Classica
winery described their process of lobbying the region for new appellations and
efforts to differentiate themselves on the lucrative export market. Regulated qual-
ity levels at the regional, national, and supranational level indicated to the group
the exceptional nature of wine vis-a-vis other export goods and the cultural, polit-
ical, and economic relevance of the product in European society.
Tastings of Valpolicella and Sangiovese accompanied by historical presentations
on root stock and soil, and engagement with the local sustainable movements of
Emilia Romagna compliment classroom learning and show the true benefits of
studying at such a unique campus. Reminiscing about the 1984 Lopez de Heredia
she tried while on the trip, club founder Sarah Hexter (BC ’10) commented on the
learning opportunities of the club’s activities, “There is so much at our fingertips,
unusual ways to experience culture here in Europe…agriculture is at the heart of
politics, law, and economics and wine is a uniquely European venue for expand-
ing our view of foreign politics.”
Lindsay LaForge is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in International
Law and Organizations.
SAIS-a-PaLoOzA!!On Saturday April 23rd, a Block Party/Talent Show was hosted by
The Soulside Out in conjunction with the SAIS Student
Government Association, complete with live mural painting, dance
performances, various DC and student bands, art auction, and the
one and only ANNUAL TALENT SHOW!
Clubs & Activities
Mr./Ms. SAIS Competition 2011
By Conor J. Halloran
The SGA has several key special events every year. One of the most unique events
is the Mr. and Ms. SAIS competition. Part of the fun is that most of it is a surprise,
so this will be only a superficial overview. Part beauty pageant, part talent show,
Mr./Ms. SAIS is a competition among a select group of men and women to be
named Mr. SAIS and Ms. SAIS respectively. The contestants, who have been
nominated by their peers, participate in a walk-off, talent competition and several
other events. The contestants for each title are narrowed down by a panel of
judges, and the winner is chosen by applause.
This past year I was one of those contestants, and so I will offer advice and
thoughts to those who consider participating. Most importantly, it is extremely
fun. Everyone has a great time, because you are performing more for your friends
and compatriots than for judges or victory. That said, it was a surprisingly large
amount of work: coordinating costumes, arranging choreography, planning a tal-
ent show. Like all good things, a fair bit of effort must be invested, but that invest-
ment will yield massive dividends. As well, I encourage everyone to be supportive
of all the contestants. Everyone on stage is extremely talented, and it is really a
gift for them to be sharing that with us. I encourage you to attend and support your
friends, or better yet participate and give them something to talk about in the fol-
lowing week. People really have much less trouble striking up a conversation with
you once you’ve entertained them on stage! It is a vastly rewarding experience,
win or lose. (And as added incentive for prospective students, a first year has
never won this competition, so a guaranteed way to make yourself a SAIS celebri-
ty is by showing the second years up with superior skill.) Good luck and I’ll see
you on stage.
Conor is a first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Strategic Studies.
14 The SAIS Observer April 2011
SAIS Bologna Campus Class of 2010
The "SAIS Economists" Kickball Team after a game in September 2010.
Pictured from left to right are students Asa Reynolds, Conor Halloran, Jason
Loughnane, Brittany Andrews, Rebecca Lee, Haein Lim, Cody Dietrich,
and Alex Parcan.
Kickball DiplomacyBy Jason Loughnane
On Saturday, April 16th, the SAIS Kickball Club will host the first ever kickball
tournament among DC's four largest International Relations graduate programs.
Competing against SAIS will be Georgetown's School of Foreign Service,
American University's School of International Service, and George Washington
University's Elliott School of International Affairs. Round robin games will begin
at noon on the National Mall at 15th Street at Constitution Avenue NW, with the
Championship game scheduled for 4pm. After the competition, players and fans
from all four schools will shake hands and nurse their injuries together over food
and drinks at the Exchange Saloon next to the White House.
The idea for an inter-international-relations-program kickball tournament came
about after the SAIS Kickball Club, in coordination with leadership of the SAIS-
Georgetown Exchange club, arranged an exhibition game against Georgetown's
MSFS program last October. The fall event was a smashing success, with SAIS
winning two tight matches by scores of 3-2 and 2-1. The games were followed with
bonding over wings and beer, and some serious discussion of American foreign
policy. The captains of each team agreed to schedule another event in the spring,
and to also invite AU and GWU.
Though the upcoming tournament is sure to be a highly competitive athletic
endeavor, it will also give participating players and fans a chance to make friends
with grad students from around DC. While numerous opportunities exist to meet
other international relations enthusiasts at SAIS's myriad public events and confer-
ences, it's rare to find a networking event that will be as much fun as this one. All
SAIS students, including prospective students visiting for open house, are invited
to play or cheer on the team. Email Jason Loughnane, President of SAIS Kickball,
to sign up or with questions at [email protected]. Go SAIS!
Jason is a first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in International Development.
SAIS as a Professional SchoolBy Conor J. Hallaron
When people ask me what I love most about SAIS, what do I tell them? Do I
go on about how wonderful it is to be studying COIN from the people who
invented it? Do I talk about how it’s not that strange to work on an econ prob-
lem set with a Peace Corps volunteer, retired army sergeant and a former
investment banker? No. What I tell people I love most about SAIS is that it is
so clearly a “professional school.”
SAIS is a lot of work. It has a way of consuming your whole life, absorbing
every moment of your waking time, and much of your sleep as well. But, as
cruel of a mistress SAIS may be, you can’t help but come back for more. I
don’t think it is much of a hyperbole to say that I love SAIS. I love the brilliant
professors and I am constantly stunned to learn about the astounding pasts of
many classmates. Courses, as much as I may moan and gripe, are so wonderful
that I made the foolhardy decision to take an extra one. I love the fact that I
can use the word “hyperbole” in casual conversation. Each and every one of
these points is stand-out fantastic, but you probably have heard so much about
them from others that I’d be preaching to the choir.
Everything SAIS does is targeted somehow towards preparing each and every
one of its students to thrive in the work place. The most obvious place to start
is with Career Services. Needless to say, there is a great staff. You will meet
them and you will see that there really is no way to get through SAIS without
at some point having a conversation with some of them. As much as it is a pain
in the butt, the Career Services mini-course required for most first-years sets
the tone very clearly for your time at SAIS. “You will learn a lot here, but
everything is targeted at improving your abilities so that you can thrive profes-
sionally,” they note.
Skill courses, career treks, e-mails and meetings, career clubs, lectures and
recruiting events; the ways are boundless to directly connect what you are
learning with what you might be doing after SAIS. But the professional nature
of the school goes beyond the obvious Career Services programs into the very
social fabric of SAIS. The staple of social life at SAIS is the weekly Happy
Hour (followed closely by cookie hour on Tuesdays at 4pm). These are more
than just excuses to have fun; these weekly events are all about networking.
Over drinks you meet new people and more importantly you develop better
relationships with your classmates who will be your greatest assets for profes-
sional advancement, quite possibly for the rest of your career. This is most
apparent during the first few Happy Hours, particularly during pre-term (yet
another reason to attend if you can). Indeed, SAIS’s Friday Happy Hour is just
as much about building ties as it is about unwinding after what can be a very
stressful but professional week.
Conor is a first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Strategic Studies.
April 2011 The SAIS Observer 15
SAIS students sand-skiing and riding camels outside of Dubai.
16 The SAIS Observer April 2011
SAIS Winter Break 2010 Photo Contest - A Few of the Winners
Photos Courtesy of: The Johns Hopkins SAIS Office of Communications (http://www.sais-jhu.edu/saispride)