Introduction

"A great deal of world politics is a fundamental struggle, but it is also a struggle that has to be waged intelligently" - Zbigniew Brzezinski

Hi everyone, my name is Travis and this Fall I will be interning with the State Department in Washington DC. Growing up I always had a strong interest in politics and the way government functions. This stemmed from the always fascinating political culture to the drama and constant intrigue. Politics and government administration is complex and brutal, but also a necessary and important structure for maintaining balance.

While attending Arizona State University my love for government and public affairs grew as did my interest for global politics and international relations. I realized that foreign policy and the way we interact with other countries is just as important as the way we interact within our own domestic parameters. I could see myself pursuing a career working in international politics rather than purely domestic, perhaps a mix of both. About half a year ago I decided to apply for an internship with the U.S. Department of State.

I knew it was a long shot, after all the State Department is a massive and prestigious government agency with an extremely important mission of promoting U.S. interest in the global community, I figured I had to try though! Months later I received word that I had been accepted for a position in the State Department's Bureau of Public Affair's Public Liason Office... to say I was excited would be an understatement.

Flash forward and now I'm a little under a month away from beginning my internship and the feeling of excitement hasn't faded at all. This is a tremendous opportunity for me to learn about international relations and how a large federal agency functions. That, coupled with the fact that I'll be living in Washington DC for almost 12 weeks will make this an unforgettable experience. DC is a city with so much to offer in the ways of history, entertainment, and night life. It will be so much different than what I'm used to here in the Valley from a cultural perspective, so I'm really looking forward to experiencing DC life first hand.

My major goals for this internship all revolve around learning and gaining experience.

1. I want to see what it's like working for a large federal agency. it will be vastly different than what I'm used to at the state level.

2. I am really interested in learning more about the way we communicate foreign policy objectives and information to the American public. My department deals primarily with communicating with domestic audiences and in the future I see myself doing work in the field of public affairs or public relations. This is a great opportunity to see if this career path suits me.

3. Lastly, I wish to gain first hand experience working for the State Department. I see this line of work as a potential future career and getting my foot in the door will help exponentially. Getting to work and network with people around the agency will give valuable insight into what I need in order to be successful in Washington DC.

With that being said, I couldn't be more excited to get started in October and share my experiences with everyone!

Want to get to know me more? follow me on twitter @TravyKid or on Instagram with the same username
Feel free to add me on Facebook as well! www.facebook.com/kestertravis