Thanksgiving at the Ambassadors
In celebration of Thanksgiving, the U.S ambassador to MRU invited all of the Americans registered at the Embassy to dinner at his house.
By all accounts, the ambassador’s digs were pretty fabulous... in addition to a sprawling house with a patio large enough to accommodate most of the dinner guests (about 50 of us in total), there were two tennis courts, a manicured garden, sculpted grounds, and satellite TV (so key!!).
And then there’s the kitchen, which, in addition to three ovens and an espresso machine, came with its own little French cook. Now initially, I was not pulsed by the fact.. being a wheat-free vegetarian and all, French cuisine isn’t really my thing (Have you ever tried a salade nicoise? Well, don’t.. just don’t.). However, when I thought about it a little longer, I realized that getting crepes and fruit salad served to you every morning as you dine in your breakfast nook isn’t too shabby..
The ambassador himself was easy going and very hospitable. However, the fact that he doesn’t speak French makes me think that ambassadorial appointments are probably determined by a different system than proletarian, work-a-day jobs…of which, being chums with the President probably doesn’t hurt. In addition to rare paintings and family photos, the ambassador’s living room contained several pictures of himself and his wife grinning beside the Bushes in Crawford, TX.
Although most of us were a little disappointed by the find, one person in our group was kissing ass so hard he tried to chat up the ambassador about how he had heard that George and Laura were “nice, down to earth people” in real life. Aiyah... what has the Democratic party come to? Looks like we have more in common with Haggard and Foley that I realized: (namely, the fact that we’re all c**k suckers).
In any case, I guess it’s better to use tax payer’s dollars to put people up in posh houses than to fund wars. Especially since it’s all in the name of diplomacy. But how likely is it that the U.S will end up in WW3 with Mauritius? Hmm.. my intuitions say close to zero probability.
Coincidentally, I met another Yale alum at dinner .. she graduated class of 05 but moved back to Mauritius to work and be with family (she’s a citizen here). I am ravenously looking for new friends, so this is definitely good news :D.
As for dinner, it was slamming. Ate a lot of veggies, though no collard greens or yams were to be found. Also, the meat eaters were really happy to find turkey on site.
So yeah.. Happy Thanksgiving and jusqu'a la prochaine (until next time).
There's an interesting book called "The Arabists" by Robert Kaplan that sheds some light on how ambassadors get to be that way. But basically, yeah, my sense is that ambassadors are not generally chosen for their area studies qualifications. In fact, there seems to be a sense that strong area studies-type qualifications is actually a disadvantage, insofar as such an ambassador might start having his or her own ideas a little too much -- and the stated goal of an ambassador is to implement and convey policy, but not to form policy. So...yeah...
Anyway, hope life is treating you well!
Posted by
Anonymous |
4:55 AM
hey chinyere, this is laura manville. i saw your profile on facebook just now and came to read your blog! i am excitedly adding it to my to-read list as i don't know anything about mauritius and your experiences sound so interesting. best of luck, and a hug from montreal (i too am speaking broken french daily :) )....
Posted by
Anonymous |
5:01 AM
this entry makes me think of the shindig we had at the ambassador's house in santo domingo! and, now that I think of it, i'm not sure he spoke spanish. fancy that! how could they really be effective if they cannot communicate with the native people of the country? doesn't it seem pompous for them to be in another country without speaking the language? and, if they do speak a bit of the language, it is for them to communicate with their "help" ...because we already know they have their drivers or take taxis. for they are "too good" for public transportation...perhaps because that would mean they have to interact with the public....
Posted by
dns |
4:53 AM