In early November of 2007, I applied to a Department of State summer internship program. I knew that for the summer of 2008 I needed to participate in some sort of internship program involving Japanese studies, not only because it would help me get a feel for what kind of job I wanted to seek out after graduation, but it would also look good on my resume. I had gotten myself on UoM’s office of overseas career services’ mailing list, and for a few weeks had seen them mention of Dept. of State program. When I went to see what their requirements were to apply, I found that all they wanted was a copy of your transcript and a couple short essays. No letters of recommendation and no application fees. Well what the heck, I thought. Applying would be effortless and if I get accepted it can always be my fall back plan if another internship I’m more interested in turns me down.

Almost EXACTLY one month after I applied, I got an email from someone telling me I’m the alternate candidate for a spot working at the US consulate in Osaka, Japan. Well wow, and here I thought the wheels of bureaucracy moved slowly. So I emailed them back, indicated I was still interested, and the next day they emailed me again to say that I was now the primary candidate for the position. I had to wait a few weeks before I got some official paperwork in the mail, requiring me to submit my fingerprints along with a very lengthy questionnaire regarding my background. I had to list every place I’ve ever lived, gone to school, worked at, traveled for pleasure, business, or study. Then I had to list references, who could vouch for where I’ve ever lived, went to school, worked, etc. And they each had to be a different reference. Then I needed three additional personal references who had known me for at least 7 years and could vouch for my character! All this was so that I could obtain “Secret” level clearance.

All of that got sent in mid-February, and a few weeks later a special investigator from the State Department (who turned out to be a retired secret service agent, neat!) came to my house to interview me to clarify some things on my application. I was granted an interim clearance soon after, and discovered no one had even bothered to call my personal references, or even my boss of two years.

Then the relatively quick pace that this was all going at ground to a halt. I had to contact the Bureau Cheif of East Asian Affairs to actually be officially selected for the position. I emailed the guy a few times, but he never replied. Certain life events intruded and I gave the guy a couple weeks of time to get back to me before I bothered to try again. Finally in mid May I was given a start date: May 28.

Of course now I had less than two weeks to buy all the clothes and shoes I needed for my first actually professional job, get a plane ticket, and find a place to live. Wow, housing in Osaka is really expensive! Do I go with the 150 sq. ft apartment that actually has pictures out on the net for $1200/mo, or take a chance on the 120sq. ft. apartment that I’ve never even seen for $620 a month? Or how about a direct flight from Detroit to Osaka on Northwest for $2200, or take All Nippon Airways from Detroit->Chicago, Chicago->Tokyo, and Tokyo->Osaka for $1400? Suit jackets cost how much?? Well, its a good thing that in my official papers received sometime in February they told me it was going to be a paid internship, otherwise I don’t think I could have handled the intense drain on my bank account(s) in the one week period before I left the country.

Now that I’m in Japan, I’m starting to learn what the Public Affairs section at the consulate does. Its been really tough so far. They are sending me to all these parties, making me eat free food and forcing me to schmooze with government and corporate big wigs. All in the name of public diplomacy, well someone has to do it. But in all seriousness, I’ve been assisting with press reports, sitting in on speaker events both at the consulate and around the city, preparing for the Secretary of State’s visit to Kyoto for the G8 meeting later in the month, and various other duties as needed throughout the office. Everyone in the office is really nice to work with, and really so is everyone in the building (the guards, who are all Japanese, are so nice I feel like I’m going to need to make them cookies or something when I’m about to leave).

So does this mean I’d be interested in a job in the foreign service when I graduate? Honestly I don’t know. The way the system works, even if I got a PhD and was fluent in Japanese, the chance of me landing a job at a consulate of the embassy in Japan seems pretty small. Entry level people get sent to whatever third-world country has spaces to fill since the people with seniority certainly don’t want to live there. This would be the biggest turn off to me, since why would I want to work in Venezuela or Uzbekistan when where I want to be is Japan? But, I’ve only been here two weeks, so ask me again when I get back to the US how I feel about it.

And bonus picture of the US consulate. Took this from across the street because I really don’t think they would like me taking a picture of the building. Its pretty boring looking, and if you look at the full size image you can just barely see the seal of the United States of America in between the trees. Also note the police buses blocking the front of the building so as to deter protesters.

Bonus photos of protesters walking by the consulate to protest the G8 finance ministers meeting in Osaka this weekend!