CLINTON CUBA POLICY IN CHAOS

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AUGUST 1995 Vol. 72, No. 8 COVER FEATURES

Focus ON SUMMER READING CUBA POLICY IN DISARRAY /16 26 / FICTION: THE EMPRESS TREE After Months of Flipflops, Secret Talks By Ruth Kling Is Clinton Agenda On Course Yet? By George Gedda 30 / FICTION: DIALLO AND THE BOB-YAM By Michele Sison and Jeff Hawkins SLOWING NATO’S GROWTH / 22 East Europe Membership 36 / FICTION: INSCRUTABLE IN ROME Would Weaken Security Alliance By James F. O’Callaghan By Jonathan Dean 42 / FICTION: THE DOLL Focus By Frances M. Knowles

48 / FICTION: AN EGG FOR BREAKFAST By Edward J. Cvetan

52 / WANDERINGS OF A COUCH POTATO An Armchair Travelers Guide To the Best New Foreign Travel Books By Karen Krebsbach Page 26 55 / CHOOSING A COUNTRY GUIDEBOOK By Karen Krebsbach

COLUMNS

5 / PRESIDENT’S VIEWS An Open Letter to the Senate: Defeat S.908 By F.A. “Tex” Harris

13 / SPEAKING OUT The Political Strength of ‘Visa Diplomacy’ DEPARTMENTS By Kevin D. Stringer LETTERS/7 CLIPPINGS /10 68 / POSTCARD FROM ABROAD Comforting Americans in Mexican Jails AFSA NEWS/CENTER PULLOUT SECTION By Linda Eichblatt INDEX TO ADVERTISERS / 67 Cover illustration by Rosemary Henry-May

FOREIGNOERVICE THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS _I_J O U R N A I. NO Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0015-7279), 2101 E Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published monthly by the American Foreign Service Association, a private, non-profit organization. Material appearing Editor Editorial Board KAREN KREBSBACH herein represents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, the Chairman Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries are invited. Journal subscription: AFSA Members - $9.50 included Managing Editor SHELDON J. KRYS NANCY JOHNSON in annual dues; others - $40. For foreign surface mail, add $18 peryear; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Second- PHYLLIS DICHTER-FORBES class postage paid at Mertifield, Va., and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Assistant Editor JOHN ERIKSSON ELIZABETH ALLAN DAVID I. HITCHCOCK Foreign Service Journal, 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Indexed by Public Affairs Advertising it Circulation SUSAN KEOUGH-FISHER Information Service (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos or illustrations. Manager DOYLE MCMANUS Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply the endorsement JANET G. EMERY DAN MOZENA of the services or goods offered. FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820. TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045. © Interns DANIEL O. NEWBERRY DONALD NORLAND American Foreign Service Association, 1995. Printed in the U.S.A. Send address changes for the Foreign DEIRDRE FERNANDES R. ANNE SIGMUND Service Journal to AFSA, 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. TONY LIN

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 3 AFSA Salutes the 1995 Award Winners

FOR CONSTRUCTIVE DISSENT

Dennis C. Jett Janice Weiner Gregory H. Stanton CHRISTIAN A. HERTER AWARD WILLIAM R. RIVKIN AWARD W. AVERELL HARRIMAN AWARD

Delavan Award: Charlotte Stottman, R. Diana Clayton M. Juanita Guess Award: Denine L. Scott Avis Bohlen Award: Anne Bridgman AFSA Achievement Awards: Stephen A. Klaus, L. Bruce Laingen

U. Alexis Johnson FOR LIFETIME CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICAN DIPLOMACY PRESIDENT’S VIEWS An Open Letter to the Senate: Defeat S.908

BY F. A. “TEX" HARRIS

The American Foreign Service tarian assistance; controls the entry of Association (AFSA) commented Over the last visitors, emigrants and refugees; fos¬ on the proposed Foreign ters sustainable development; and pro¬ Relations Revitalization Act of 1995, decade, the U.S. tects the global environment. S.908, sponsored by Sen. Jesse Helms Our diplomatic readiness is decreas¬ (R- N.C), chairman of the Senate foreign affairs ing. The State Department can no Foreign Relations Committee. This is longer afford to staff some key positions what AFSA wrote to each senator: account has overseas. About a third of the recent “The Senate is considering S.908 at trainees in the department s core diplo¬ a time of unprecedented hollowing been halved. matic tradecraft course are from anoth¬ out of Americas diplomatic capabili¬ er government agency. The Foreign ties. S.908 is an effort to reform U.S. Service examination this year had to be foreign affairs in the face of enormous postponed to save funds; die number of pressures to balance the budget. eign policy abroad sends the message incoming officers now is a diird of the AFSA, the representative of more that America will do less in the world, levels of previous years. than 23,000 active and retired Foreign and less for its own citizens. This is not For the first time in history, forced Service professionals, welcomes con¬ a sound policy. The costs of fighting management decisions have led die U.S. structive changes to strengthen totalitarianism during World War II mission in Zagreb, a small but important Americas diplomatic efforts overseas. and the Cold War were extremely embassy, to close down its classified com¬ However, AFSAs judgement is that high. Today we cannot afford to turn munications for a month. The embassy other provisions in the the bill signifi¬ our back on the world and our hard- in Caracas declared virtual bankruptcy, cantly weaken, rather than revitalize fought victories by failing to fund and announced it was unable to provide our foreign affairs structure. Because diplomacy — our country's first, low¬ the usual administrative services to other we have come to a different conclu¬ est-cost and least-risk)? line of defense. agencies in the mission. sion than the SFRC regarding the Over the last decade, the U.S. for¬ What is really needed is a thoughtful implications of S.908, AFSA urges its eign affairs account has been cut by review of how die more than 40 U.S. gov¬ defeat. nearly 50 percent. In S.908, the autho¬ ernment agencies working abroad can The bills funding and staff cuts to rizations for the critical State accomplish die key objectives of this U.S. diplomatic operations do not Department operations account are nation in this post-Cold War era. A recent make sense at a time when American reduced by $53 million below die fiscal Inspector General of die State leadership is needed throughout the ’95 levels and $95.7 million below the Departments report on die 10 laigest world, when U.S. economic competi¬ administrations request. Otiier foreign U.S. embassies shows a significant gap tors are expanding their diplomatic and affairs accounts are cut as well. These between priority goals and the levels of economic reach, and when the accounts fund the basic U.S. presence resources at all government agencies. The American public demands continued overseas — the presence diat, among United States is not putting its money and U.S. leadership abroad. Lack of ade¬ other things, advances U.S. security, its people where its interests are. quate funds and staff to conduct for- economic, political, and commercial Because of our deep concerns about interests; fights terrorism and narcotics staffing and funding cuts that will erode F. A. “Tex” Harris is president of the trafficking; helps build free markets; U.S. diplomatic readiness throughout American Foreign Service Association promotes democratic values and the world, AFSA urges you to vote (AFSA). exchange programs; provides humani¬ against S.908." ■

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To the Editor: not large, might mitigate some of the pages have always been important to Those organization charts you distressing situations George Gedda me. Here in the “provinces,” the displayed in the May Journal (“The (“Doing More With Less”) “Letters,” “Speaking Out,” and Consolidation Game”) were pretty described eloquently in his article in “Clippings” sections, however, have devastating and certainly led me to the May issue. become more relevant because we the conclusion that, in this case, Sen. Perhaps tire administration has a get so little by way of national cover¬ Jesse Helms is “right on.” A reorga¬ better approach in the Strategic age in the local media. So the nization proposal I sent in to the Management Initiative, but the Journal becomes a means to better State Department in 1977 and interview with [Deputy Secretary of understand the happenings in D.C. favored during the five-plus years I State] Strobe Talbott of the same that impact on the foreign affairs was in management was very similar. issue did not press me inexorably to community. Even with the inevitable I did not argue for moving the that conclusion. delay in getting the publication, this Agency for International Ronald I. Spiers aspect of the Journal is very impor¬ Development (AID) into the depart¬ Retired FSO tant to me and perhaps others out¬ ment since its mission was sui gener¬ Londonderry, Vt. side the beltway, as well. is. Things may have changed now, John A. Patterson however, and I certainly recall wish¬ Retired FSO ing AID was a part of State when I North Kingstown, R.I. was overseas. As far as the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) is con¬ To the Editor: cerned, I think the Helms proposal Sen. Jesse Helms’s letter in the is correct. As regards to the Arms May Journal had more dignity than Control and Disarmament Agency your cheap-shot front-page carica¬ To the Editor: (ACDA), I argued without success ture of the man. You should not Wesley Ann Godard’s ambivalent against a separate status when I was assume that all your readers enjoy feelings about celebrating traditional a special assistant to [State’s Herblock-style agitprop art on the holidays in untraditional seasons Coordinator for U.S. Disarmament front cover of an otherwise reason¬ (“Postcard,” June Journal) are sure Activities] John McCloy at the outset ably reasonable, all things consid¬ to strike a chord with anyone who of the Kennedy administration. ered, magazine. has ever served in the Southern Nothing in the intervening years, in Michael Mates Hemisphere or the tropics. which ACDA was largely marginal¬ Vice Consul However, her family’s readjustment ized, has altered my view. That func¬ U.S. Embassy Islamabad to life in the United States might go tion is integral to foreign and securi¬ more smoothly if, instead of contin¬ ty policy and belongs in the depart¬ uing to celebrate Thanksgiving on ment as a bureau, which was the “the third Thursday in November,” direction in which things were mov¬ they join the rest of America in cele¬ ing in the waning days of President To the Editor: brating it one week later. Eisenhower’s administration. This is just a note to tell you why John Underriner Perhaps the politics of the situation I am enjoying the Journal more than Refugee and Migration now make this possible. Certainly ever. The May issue was terrific! The Affairs Officer the savings involved, though perhaps features and [AFSA News] buff U. S. Embassy Bangkok

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8 FOREIGN SERVICE J O U RN AL/AU GU ST 1995 Hungry For News From Home? from a wealthy patron in total of some $75,000 was received Subscribe to Waterbury, Barrett’s hometown, to to finance the casting and placement do a statue of Ben Franklin. Barrett of the statue. Unfortunately, the Weekly Edition: then resided in Paris where he department’s administrators refused The Best of NPR News™ modeled and cast the statue. The permission to place it in the inner on cassette. statue was completed about 1916. courtyard and, instead, hid it among Wartime shipping restrictions pre¬ the shrubs to the side of the diplo¬ Whether you’re in Brussels or Botswana, vented Barrett from shipping the matic entrance. Fortunately, this you can enjoy U.S. news from familiar heavy, bulky statue to the United stupidity has now been corrected. and trusted voices back home. States. Undaunted, Barrett took the The confusion over AFSA’s role, ship himself to the United States as previously reported, was proba¬ Each week, you’ll receive a new cassette where he completed a virtually bly caused by our need to use a with a full hour highlighting the best of identical statue. It was cast in non-official body to receive funds. Baltimore and duly placed on AFSA came to our rescue, setting NPR’s award-winning newsmagazines, Waterbury’s central green, where it up a special account for these Morning Edition,® Weekend Edition ® still resides. funds. When all the bills were paid, and All Things Considered. His work concluded, Barrett I was told, a small balance returned to Paris where he died in remained. If this is true, perhaps Special the late 1920s. His widow could the money might be used to honor Three Month find no buyer for the earlier the donors’ generosity with an Introductory Offer: Franklin statue that remained in a appropriately inscribed plaque. For just $6.00 a week (including shipping Parisian warehouse, and she finally Francis Terry McNamara and handling), you’ll get three months’ donated it to the American Retired FSO worth of America’s best reporting. Plus a Embassy. There the handsome Falls Church, Va. surprise bonus. likeness of Franklin continues to Editor’s note: No funds remain in remind both French and this project’s account. Fax 202 414 3046, e-mail (subscription Americans of the vital role diplo¬ @npr.org), or call 202 414 3232, Monday - macy played in obtaining French Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET, with your name, address, phone number, and VISA or aid during our War of MasterCard information. Independence. Armed with the knowledge of a To the Editor: second Franklin closer at hand, I read with interest the article committee members flew to about Ambassador Richard Connecticut to inspect the statue Gardner’s perception that his use and to enlist the cooperation of the of the facilities in Seville, Spain, National Public Radio1 city fathers of Waterbury. They did not cause any suffering for his agreed to let us make a mold from charges (“Clippings,” June their statue, once assured that no Journal). Using a military analogy, harm would come from the city’s his behavior is much like officers prize. leaving their troops out in the The difficult part came next. field while they drive back into Official funds for such a so-called town for a meal at the local “frivolous” undertaking were restaurant. It may be true that the unavailable. Undaunted, the com¬ men are not any more hungry or mittee decided to raise the money cold, but it’s certainly not leader¬ from private donations. Individual ship. Will they follow when the donors ranged from the late Jackie going gets tough? Kennedy to many ordinary Foreign Charles T. Winbum Service people. AFSA contributed a U. S. Commercial Service modest $2,000 - 3,000. Ultimately, a U. S. Embassy Mexico City ■

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 9 CLIPPINGS

PAYING THE PRICE June 14. The quick action by diplomatic security agents Larry Salmon and Chris Ipi FOR BUDGET CUTS Reilly, who returned the gunmens fire, State Department bureaucrats will saved Kruegers life, the Post reported. have to make more choices, say defenders The gunfire left two people dead and at of Congress’ budget cuts. But, columnist least eight others wounded. Norman Omstein wrote in Roll Call on Also in mid-June, this time in June 19, State has been making choices Kazakhstan, U.S. Ambassador to Russia and consolidating embassies around the Thomas Pickering was ambushed during world for years. “Any choices of this sort an overland trek with his wife and several in tlie future will have a cost in terms of friends. The 8,000-mile, month-long American interests,” he wrote. jaunt by four-wheel drive dirough Russia “He’s the “Somewhere, because we don’t have our and four former Soviet republics was own eyes and ears to the ground, or our largely official, but partly vacation. The grown up own trained people working for our inter- ambush occurred in tire middle of the ests, we will pay a price ... by cutting out night on a lonely stretch of road in north¬ in a the kind of dialogue over our politics, cul- ern Kazakhstan. A Kazakh truck driver, in ture mid values that the U.S. Information the lead, spotted a makeshift banicade of place that Agency (USLA) has facilitated, we will pay concrete blocks, and when he noticed another price. ... Worst of all, by cutting people emerging from the culverts along often needs the non-military presence of America, we the highway, he blasted his heavy truck are removing any flexibility from our through the barricade, with Pickerings adult supervi- response to crisis or opportunity in the vehicle in close pursuit. “Our Kazakh dri¬ world — leaving military options more ver really saved us,” Pickering said, si on. ” likely ones. according to Kamen. “I think it was ban¬ “The world is still a veiy dangerous dits. We didn’t stick around to find out.” place, maybe even more so since the Cold On a lighter note, tire U.S. ambassador War ended. It is more fluid and more dif¬ to Argentina, James Cheek, a fan of the fuse. An American presence is even more San Lorenzo soccer team in Buenos — A WHITE HOUSE necessary for our own interests and Aires, was verbally attacked by Argentine OFFICIAL TALKING good.” President Carlos Menem for criticizing an Argentine soccer referee, who made a call ABOUT SECRETARY OF diat he didn’t agree with. STATE WARREN AMBASSADORS ATTACKED “He’s a total fanatic,” said Menem, “but that doesn’t give him the right to crit¬ CHRISTOPHER'S IN AFRICA, KAZAKHSTAN icize one of Argentina’s best referees.” VALUE TO THE Ambassadors have often been The June 17 Washington Post reported attacked, but recendy in Burundi and that the criticized referee “accused ADMINISTRATION. northern Kazakhstan, U.S. ambassadors [Cheek] of meddling in internal NEWSWEEK. were literally under the gun, reported Al Argentine affairs.” Cheek sent an apology Kamen in The Washington Post of June to the Association of Argentine Referees JUNE 26. 16 and June 28. Ambassador Robert and pledged to walk to the Catholic Krueger’s convoy in Burundi came under Basilica in Lujan, 30 miles, if San Lorenzo heavy fire from unknown assailants on wins a first division title.

10 FOREIGN SERVICE J O V RN A L/AUGU ST 1995 CLIPPINGS

WHERE ONE STANDS when he was delivering relief supplies to those left homeless by the war between VARIES WITH VIEW Russian troops and rebel Chechens. There is a correlation between an orga¬ nizations core mission and its stand on unauthorized weapons technology transfers STATE IG REPORT: and retransfers, wrote Duncan Clarke in the June Foreign Polictj magazine. GARDNER CLEARED Commerce urges loose restrictions, while Political Ambassador to Spain Richard the Arms Control and Disarmament N. Gardner, who took it on the chin from Agency (ACDA) and the Defense career diplomats for spending lavishly in a Department want tighter controls of climate of ever-tightening budget cuts, defense items to all but tire United States’ was exonerated by a State Inspector closest allies. Clarkes thoughts on how the General report, columnist Al Kamen State Department handles this issue varies wrote in The Washington Post on May 24. with the bureau. ‘The prevalent culture of A State Department spokesman said the Foreign Service — a tendency to com¬ that die IG had completed “a review of all promise, to avoid abrasiveness, and to pre¬ the allegations, including sending investi¬ serve cordial diplomatic ties — discourages gators to Madrid and Seville, and found no State from confronting otherwise friendly evidence of waste, fraud and abuse on the countries that violate their agreement not part of Ambassador Gardner.” Gardner to re-export U.S. defense goods and ser¬ had been investigated for building a movie In a special ceremony vices,” he wrote. “However, die State dieater in the embassy and for his weekend at the State Department Department units dealing with weapons jaunts widi his wife “to entertain the on June 29, 1945, “The proliferation, such as some Political- Spanish who’s who in an old consulate Father of the United Military Affairs offices and the Intelligence building in Seville,” the article said. Nations,” Cordell Hull, and Research Bureau, hike a sharply differ¬ In a related State Department statement former secretary of State, ent stance.” He wrote tiiat the CLA and the released last month, the department signed the United Nations intelligence community are very critical of defended Gardners actions, saying, “the Charter. According to the unaudiorized technology retransfers, while ambassador and his wife have restored to Journal of August 1945, the Customs Service and die FBI also favor use at virtually no cost die residential por¬ Alger Hiss, secretary gen¬ a tough approach. tion of die property, which was last utilized eral of the UN by the U.S. delegation to the Seville Expo in Conference, brought the 1992. As a result, die Seville property is now original document and MISSING RELIEF WORKER being used as a place to stay and receive interim agreements to Spanish guests not only by the ambassador, Washington from San WINS $305,000 GRANT but by other members of die embassy who Francisco by plane. Fred Cuny, the relief worker missing in are in the city on official business.” Precautions included a Chechnya, has won a $305,000 grant from Notes die statement: “At a time of severe parachute strapped to the the MacArdiur Foundation. According to budget reductions, it is often necessary to do 75-pound safe, which held reporter Stephanie Griest in die June 13 less with less. Ambassador Gardner has the papers and bore signs, Washington Post, Cuny disappeared on his done diat in ... his innovative program to “Do not open — return to second relief trip to Chechnya, where he is supplement diminishing Fulbright funds the State Department.” now presumed to be a hostage. with nearly $1 million he has raised from the The original draft of the As chairman of die Intellect Relief Spanish private sector. We consider him one charter, with the signa¬ and Reconstruction Corp, he has led of our most effective ambassadors and we tures of the delegates from relief efforts in Somalia, Bosnia and post¬ commend him for his efforts.” 50 nations, was deposited war Kuwait. He disappeared sometime No word yet if State will petition to in the State Departments after March 31, the date of his last tele¬ have Gardners title changed from archives, as directed by the phone conversation widi his company, “ambassador” to “saint.” ■ conference. ■

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12 FOREIGN SERVICE J O V RN AL/AUGU ST 1995 SPEAKING OUT The Political Strength of Yisa Diplomacy’

BY KEVIN D. STRINGER

The consular dimension of ated an uproar among Canada, diplomacy often takes the The lowly visa Spain and the European Union, of back seat to the political, which Spain was a member. military and economic aspects of provided a useful With the European Union serv¬ foreign policy. Nowhere is this ing as both a mediator between more evident than in the often weapon for parties and a representative for overlooked, and seemingly mun¬ Spain, the fishing crisis escalated. dane area of consular visa opera¬ Spanish Threats were exchanged, demands tions. The lowly visa, however, were made and various types of serves an important purpose in diplomatic action countermeasures were discussed international relations and is a by all parties. Canada threatened well-used instrument of foreign when other to continue to cut nets and detain policy in today’s system of sover¬ vessels until the Spanish stopped eign states. conflictory tools overfishing and complied with set Basically, visas are used to con¬ quotas. Spain used harsh words trol alien entry into a country. They were constrained. and even threatened to send war¬ are often used either to restrict or ships to protect its trawlers. Since facilitate travel and commerce both Canada and Spain are mem¬ between countries, depending on bers of NATO, this talk was seen by the current climate of interstate the world community as counter¬ relations. Special cases of visa productive. issuance, changes to a nation’s visa In the spring of 1995, Canada However, one of the first con¬ process or denials of visas can be took unilateral action against crete unilateral countermeasures symbols of shifts in foreign policy, Spanish fishing trawlers operating announced and implemented by government displeasure with other outside its 200-mile national limit the Spanish government was the states, or as a step in conflict esca¬ by cutting their nets and detaining introduction of visas and visa fees lation, particularly in the economic a ship. These Spanish trawlers, by for Canadians traveling to Spain. and commercial arena. exceeding quotas and using small This action, effective as of April, Four recent examples of the use nets in violation of international although symbolic and only mildly of visa diplomacy give insight into fishing agreements, were in viola¬ inconvenient for Canadian travel¬ the visa’s continuing importance as tion of maritime rules, and were ers, allowed the Spanish to take a tangible measure used to com¬ contributing to the depletion of real action against Canada and municate a government’s diplomat¬ world fish stocks and negatively reflected the Spanish government’s ic mood and illustrate its continu¬ affecting the Canadian fishing displeasure with Canada’s per¬ ing relevance to policy-makers in industry. ceived effrontery. The lowly visa the international political environ¬ Canada felt it had to protect its provided a useful weapon for ment. halibut stocks, even though the Spanish diplomatic action when Spanish operations occurred out¬ other conflictory tools were con¬ Kevin D. Stringer, a first-tour FSO, side Canada’s national jurisdiction. strained. is a vice consul at U.S. Embassy Its detention of the trawler, in con¬ A second example of visa diplo¬ London. travention of international law, cre¬ macy was the issuance of visas by

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 13 -s SPEAKING OUT ExecuStay, Inc. the U.S. government in 1994 and ing of the unofficial U.S.-Taiwan 1-800-735-7829 1995 to Gerry Adams, leader of relationship — a relationship the 301-212-9660 Sinn Fein, the political arm of the People’s Republic of China views Fax: 301-212-9665 Irish Republican Army (IRA), for as counterproductive to its overall travel and fundraising in the goal of reunification with Taiwan. Member of the United States. Issuing these visas Since 1979, when the United Washington marked a shift in U.S. policy States shifted diplomatic recogni¬ Reservation Centre toward Northern Ireland and were tion from Taipei to Beijing, the offering over 1,000 fully seen as advancing the prospects of American government has furnished locations throughout peace in this troubled province. acknowledged Taiwan as a part of the Washington Metropolitan area Prior to this, the United States had one China and has promised to for 30 days or longer. denied visas to terrorists or those maintain only cultural, commercial affiliated with terrorist groups. and other unofficial relations with Gerry Adams, therefore, had been the people of Taiwan. This decision ineligible for a visa due to his affil¬ satisfied China’s desire to keep iation with the IRA, which has a Taiwan isolated diplomatically in history of terrorism. the context of its overall goal of Strong Anglo-American rela¬ peaceful reunification with Taiwan. tionships and Rritish wishes had Issuing a visa to the Taiwanese induced the United States, despite president appeared to the Chinese certain domestic political pressure to alter American promises and to the contrary, to adhere to a poli¬ also touches on Chinese national cy of no official recognition or con¬ sovereignty issues, since the ■ Fully furnished apartments tact with Sinn Fein or the Irish Chinese view Taiwan as an integral and private homes. Republican Army. part of China. Any overt recogni¬ ■ Customized to meet your A change in the U.S. administra¬ tion of Taiwan diplomatically, such lifestyle. tion and ceasefire overtures from as issuing a visa to a high-level ■ Quality housewares including the IRA, however, altered this linens, fully outfitted kitchens Taiwanese official, is seen by the and decorative accessories. political environment . Issuing visas Chinese as direct interference in ■ All expenses including phone to Adams provided a tangible sym¬ their national affairs. service, utilities and cable bol of an American foreign policy China’s reaction was, of course, television on one bill. shift toward Northern Ireland, anger at this decision. Beijing sum¬ ■ Maid service upon request. with both positive and negative moned U.S. Ambassador Stapleton ■ Pets accepted at many implications for the relationship Roy to the foreign ministry to locations. between the United States, the express China’s “grave concerns” ■ Washers and dryers. United Kingdom and the Republic over this visa. Additionally, a high ■ Close to shopping and of Ireland. level, seven-member delegation entertainment. led by the Chinese Air Force com¬ Many locations on public ■ nother example of the impor¬ mander abruptly curtailed its tour transportation routes. A tance of visas to international of the United States because of the ■ Major credit cards accepted. relations was the May decision by Taiwan visa decision. China Most Importantly... the U.S. government to issue a vis¬ accused the United States of violat¬ itor’s visa to Taiwan President Lee ing three Sino-American joint com¬ ■ You make the decisions, we Teng-hui to attend a reunion at muniques on normalization of rela¬ provide the service. Cornell University, where he stud¬ tions with China, undermining ■ We meet your budget. ied for his doctorate 27 years ago. peaceful reunification efforts with Given Lee’s position in the Taiwan, and interfering in Chinese 7595 Rickenbacker Drive Taiwanese government, this visa sovereignty issues. China’s inter¬ Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879 had special significance since it pretation of this symbolic but tan¬ perhaps symbolized a strengthen¬ gible diplomatic action of visa

14 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/AUGUST 1995 North Country School Camp Treetops issuance to Taiwanese President 20% of all Foreign Service junior boarding children attend Lee Teng-hui could have adverse North Country School. Their parents will be glad long-term effects on future Sino- to tell you why. U.S. relations. A final example of visa diploma¬ cy is the United States’ visa policy An Enriched Education and a Country Childhood to Libya. By making visas extreme¬ ly difficult to obtain for Libyan nationals, the U.S. government can express its discontent with the ter¬ rorist regime of Muammar Qaddafi. Although American poli¬ cy-makers have used censure, sanctions and force in their deal¬ ings with Libya, the lowly visa has also played its part in a concerted foreign policy strategy against Qaddafi’s government. The restric¬ Tel: (518) 523-9329 Fax: (518) 523-4858 tive visa policy, which requires P.O. Box 187 approval from the Department of Lake Placid, NY 12946 State and limits entry to a single time, has been a small, but valu¬ able tool in the United States’ overall policy of monitoring and controlling the travels of Libyan citizens to the United States. In We concentrate on addition to the national security, only ONE thing ... commercial and economic implica¬ Managing your property. tions of this procedure, this PROFESSIONAL restrictive policy provides a con¬ stant and continuing reminder of PROPERTY the United States’ dissatisfaction MANAGEMENT with Libya’s support of interna¬ OF NORTHERN tional terrorism and its behavior as VIRGINIA INC. an outlaw state in the international Join our growing number of community. owners from Athens to Zaire Visas continue to provide states who trust the management of with a simple and low-cost vehicle their properties to PPM. Pro¬ of diplomatic communication and fessional service with a per¬ action used to express both subtle sonal touch. and not-so-subtle shifts in adminis¬ Discounts on appliances tration policy or emotions. Visas and more! Monthly comput¬ erized statements. often allow regimes to make policy statements that cannot be 5105K Backlick Rd. Annandale, VA 22003 expressed by other diplomatic 703/642-3010 Tel. means. Clearly, this small dimen¬ 703/642-3619 Fax sion of consular work should not be overlooked by future policy-makers as they continue to review options for implementing foreign policy. ■

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 15 CUBA POLICY IN DISARRAY

AFTER MONTHS OF FLIPFLOPS, SECRET TALKS, Is CLINTON AGENDA ON COURSE YET?

BY GEORGE GEDDA

ennis Hays, the State of the boat people on their return. D Department’s coordina¬ But when the Tamoff-Alarcon talks became tor for Cuban affairs, public in the spring, Hays and his top deputy, stood recently before a Nancy Mason, both career FSOs who disagreed predominantly Cuban- with President Clintons about-face on the issue, American gathering in promptly asked to be reassigned in protest. Union City, N.J. He had Career diplomats are expected to give unbend¬ been invited there by the local Democratic con¬ ing support for their presidents policies, and gressman, Bob Menendez. In response to a ques¬ under different circumstances Hays and Mason tion, Hays gave assurances that no secret talks might have been dispatched to distant Third with Cuba had taken place nor were any planned. World backwaters. However, Secretary of State Unbeknownst to Hays, Under Secretary of State Warren Christopher sensed immediately that for Political Affairs Peter Tarnoff secretly had sat charitable treatment of the two was the best down in New York two days earlier with Cuban course. Why make martyrs of them? Hays National Assembly President Ricardo Alarcon to received a “Don’t-worry-Dennis” phone call discuss a major shift in U.S. policy towards Cuba. from Christopher on the day he asked for a trans¬ They were to meet again 10 days later in Toronto fer, and shortly thereafter he was tapped for the — again in secret. key post of director of the office of Mexican During their meetings, the two diplomats affairs. Mason was designated as the No. 2 offi¬ worked out a deal under which the United States cer at the U.S. embassy in Uruguay. would phase out tire camps housing some 20,000 But many in the Cuban-American community Cubans at the Guantanamo Naval Base and as well as conservatives on Capitol Hill also felt would henceforth forcibly return all Cuban boat betrayed by the new policy. Cutting a deal with people trying to flee the island. For its part, Castro was bad enough; to do so behind the Cuba agreed to accept the 500 or so migrants at backs of Congress and the Cuban-American Guantanamo ineligible for resettlement in the community was worse. Critics groped for words United States. Country officials also promised to articulate their outrage. not to harass or otherwise penalize boat people Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., chairman of the returned by the U.S. Coast Guard. U.S. diplo¬ House International Relations subcommittee on mats would be permitted to monitor treatment Western Hemisphere Affairs, called the new pol¬ icy “blood-curdling.” George Gedda is the diplomatic correspondent for Suspicions about the administrations inten¬ the Associated Press. tions towards Cuba have always run high among

16 FOREIGN SERVICE J O U RN AL/AUGV ST 1995 conservative Cuban-Americans, and the early step would inevitably lead to a new exodus of May deal only reinforced them. The United boat people. After extended debate, the adminis¬ States had not repatriated Cuban boat people for tration decided on its new policy of phasing out more than 30 years but Tarnoff and Alarcon had the camps and forcibly repatriating fleeing overturned the policy in four hours of secret Cubans. Of the two parallel decisions, the latter talks. Within days, there was a somewhat incon¬ was by far the more controversial. On the one gruous sight at the Cuban port of Cabanas: a U.S. hand, the administration had been assailing dic¬ military vessel making a star-spangled arrival to tatorial rule on the island for years; on the other, turn over repatriated boat people to Cuban the new policy called for send¬ authorities. Was this really the beginning of an ing migrants back to the same The United States accommodation with the long-reviled regime in dictatorship they were trying to Cuba? Not really. The new policy was driven by flee. The administration coun¬ had not repatriated factors far removed from any desire to get cozy tered by pointing out that with Castro. Cubans had alternatives to Cuban boat people Guantanamo had become a time bomb, par¬ escaping by boat: It had agreed ticularly after the population at the camps had last September to accept a mini¬ for more than 30 swelled to almost 30,000 with the transfer in mum of 20,000 legal migrants February of 7,000 who had been given a tempo¬ from Cuba per year. If Cubans years but Tarnoff rary haven at military facilities in Panama last were fed up with communism, September. Pentagon officials were pushing hard they could apply for immigrant and Alarcon had for the camps to be closed, warning that when visas at the U.S. Interests overturned the policy- temperatures soared past 100 degrees this sum¬ Section. mer, the frustration of the migrants could well New realities made it easier in four hours of erupt into violence, with a strong possibility of for the administration to adopt casualties among the U.S. servicemen stationed a get-tough policy with undocu¬ secret talks. there. mented Cuban migrants com¬ The administration sought ways to reduce the pared with previous years. Anti¬ number of migrants, creating “exceptions” to its immigration sentiment in Florida has been an prohibition on direct resettlement from increasingly potent force in Florida politics. Guantanamo to the United States. The seriously There is a strong sense among many Floridians ill and the elderly were given exemptions and so that the state has borne a disproportionate share were children and accompanying parents. But of the immigrant burden in recent years. The there seemed to be no way to get the number flow of migrants from Cuba, Haiti and other much below 20,000, mostly unaccompanied Caribbean countries has disrupted school sys¬ males. The fury among this group was palpable. tems and strained social services, particularly in As their long weeks of idleness stretched into the southern portion of the state. Some in the months, their rage grew. Some leaped off cliffs administration felt that the outrage over the new surrounding the base and swam back to Cuba policy in the exile community would be more proper. Others tried to pick their way through than offset by support for the new approach by mine fields surrounding the base; some died or the more numerous, albeit less vocal, anti-immi¬ suffered serious injuries. Still others drank diesel grant majority. The elections last November fuel in hopes of being evacuated to the United indicated that the administration’s determined States for medical treatment. Some drove tent effort to strike a tough posture toward Castro stakes into their limbs. Pentagon officials began had won it almost no gratitude from Cuban- arguing that a way must be found to shut the Americans, who voted 80 percent for camps down. Republican candidates. Some analysts believe The problem, of course, was that any such Clinton may have even helped himself in his

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 17 quest to win Florida’s rich harvest between non-governmental groups of electoral votes in 1996; he lost in the United States, including the state by a single percentage church and human rights organiza¬ point in 1992. tions, and their counterparts on the Not long after the shakeup on island. The new approach recog¬ the Cuba desk, the administration nizes that development of a strong decided to name old Cuba hand civil society in Cuba is essential for Richard Nuccio to the newly creat¬ any transition to democracy. ed White House position of special Fortuitously, declining resources adviser to the president and secre¬ have eroded the communist tary of state for Cuba. Creation of regime’s ability to control the daily the post seemed to acknowledge lives of Cubans. As a result, there the folly of running what is largely a has been an increase in the number Diplomacy domestic policy issue out of a third- of independent groups of lawyers, floor office at the State journalists, economists and other Has Its Department, where the Cuba desk professionals visiting the island. In officer sits. Nuccio was given addition, the Catholic Church has Rewards. responsibility for coordinating over¬ become far more outspoken in all Cuba policy as well as outreach recent years and is gaining large to the public — meaning he likely numbers of new adherents. Nuccio At American Service will be spending a lot of time in sees possibilities in these changes. Center, your Al, A2, Miami. Nuccio was seen as a good “Civil society is reemerging in choice for the post because he NATO 1, NATO 2, or G4 Cuba,” he says, quoted in The Wall enjoys credibility among many Street Journal. “It is fragile, it is visa, along with a diplomatic exiles based on his former role as tentative and needs to be nur¬ or official passport, allow Cuba point man for Rep. Robert tured.” you to purchase a new Torricelli (D-N.J.), author of the 1992 Cuba Democracy Act, which The shift in migration policy Mercedes-Benz at dramatic tightened sanctions against Cuba towards Cuba marked a turn¬ savings. Contact Erik and also encouraged greater peo- ing point in the administrations Granholm, our Diplomat ple-to-people contact among relations with the anti-Castro exile Cubans and Americans. and Tourist Sales Manager. community in Miami, led by the One of Nuccio’s first assign¬ chairman of the Cuban-American A native of Munich, ments was to deal with Cuba’s sur¬ National Foundation, Jorge Mas Germany, Erik has keen prise arrest in late spring of Robert Canosa. Early on, Mas felt Clinton with ASC for 29 years. Vesco, the fugitive financier who is could be trusted to keep the pres¬ one of the Justice Departments two sure on Castro. or three most wanted men world¬ After the May 2 announcement, wide. His arrest was based on he said, “They made this policy alleged ties to an unnamed foreign alone. We don’t feel any other power. For a time, officials won¬ obligations to the administration.” dered whether Castro would try to Previously, deference to Miami ingratiate himself with the adminis¬ seemed to drive Cuba policy. At the tration by turning Vesco over to height of the boat people exodus 585 North Glehe Road, U.S. authorities. But Castro last August, Clinton sought the Arlington, VA 22203 scotched that idea when he said it advice of Mas and his allies in an would be immoral to use Vesco as a Oval Office meeting before impos¬ 703-525-2100 pawn in U.S.-Cuban relations. ing onerous sanctions designed to Telefax: 703-525-1430 As part of Nuccios new man¬ cut dollar flows to Cuba. Mobile: 703-795-1829 date, he is expected to try to find The exile community showed its ways of increasing contacts influence in other ways. In 1994,

18 FOREIGN SERVICE J OU RN A L/AU GU ST 1995 the administration decided it would The complexity as well as the polit¬ be a good idea to lift the ban on ical sensitivity of the issue was such Experience the American media outlets from open¬ that it took the administration two comforts of home ing bureaus in Cuba. The problem and one-half months to decide to was to find a time to make the oppose the bill, which is still pend¬ announcement that would not gen¬ ing in Congress. erate suspicion among exiles. Ironically, the pressure to isolate November was for a time consid¬ Castro among his U.S. critics has ered opportune but then National increased even though he is much Assembly President Ricardo less of a menace to American inter¬ Alarcon decided to visit Washington ests nowadays than he was when he to take part in a conference at the was in league with the Soviet Union Pan American Health Organization, and aided kindred regimes and of which Cuba is a member. So movements in Latin America, November was ruled out on Africa and elsewhere. But, sensing grounds that an announcement Castro’s vulnerability because of THE WINSTON HOUSE occurring in the same month as the Cuba’s precipitous economic Luxury living Alarcon visit would have smacked of decline, his tormentors were not at its finest a secret deal with Cuba. If Cuba about to let him off the ropes. They agreed to it, that would have raised point out that U.S. pressure has -SHORT OR LONG TERM STAY- the perception that there was some¬ induced Castro to undertake a series of economic reforms that Furnished one and two bed¬ thing in it for Castro. By December, room apartment homes rumors spread on Capitol Hill that would have been unthinkable in an Fnliv equipped with washer and the inspiration for the idea was earlier era. Castro has moved dryer in each apartment National Security Council staffer aggressively to open Cuba to for¬ Garage parking available Morton Halperin, never a popular eign investors, legalized the dollar 24-hour front desk figure among conservatives. That and allowed free market sales of FuUy equipped exercise center perception was enough to kill the agricultural and consumer goods. with dressing rooms and saunas proposal for the time being even He also has permitted families to Richly decorated library though officials felt the case for open restaurants with up to 12 seats and entertainment suite expanding the flow of news from and to operate other kinds of busi¬ On-site deli, dry cleaners and beauty salon Cuba was overwhelming. They rea¬ nesses. Castro’s enemies ask: Why soned that heightened awareness ease the pressure on him now? To Attractive rooftop sundeck with lounges among Americans about sorry con¬ do otherwise would stop reform in Short walk to Farragut West, ditions in Cuba would further dam¬ its tracks. Foggy Bottom Metro, age Castro’s reputation. Dupont Circle There are, of course, those in the Nearby shopping, grocery, Cuba became a front-burner State Department and on restaurants, and theaters issue in February when the Capitol Hill who argue that a more Attentive, service-oriented staff to pamper you new Republican chairman of the magnanimous posture toward Under per diem rate Senate Foreign Relations Castro is appropriate now that the Committee, Jesse Helms of North Cold War is over. U.S. policies, they 90-day minimum stay Carolina, joined with Burton, his say, enhance the suffering of the like-minded House colleague, to Cuban people while seemingly hav¬ THE WINSTON HOUSE 2140 L Street, N.W. introduce legislation further tight¬ ing no impact on the regime s abili¬ Washington, DC 20037 ening sanctions against Cuba. In ty to survive. Rep. Charles Rangel Tel. (202) 785-2200 consultation with allies in Congress (D-N.Y.), says draconian measures Fax. (202) 785-5185 and elsewhere, Helms and Burton such as a trade embargo are war¬ produced a 36-page proposal whose ranted if applied for a brief period & intent was to deliver a knockout only, but cannot be justified over tqiu ntiiit JBG PROPERTIES blow against communism in Cuba. the long term (33 years in Cuba’s

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 19 case) if the result is widespread does not reach U.S. markets through an opportunity in the latter propos¬ deprivation of ordinary people. the back door, the bill would impose al to score political points. In early Other critics ask, is it really appro¬ certain restrictions on trade with May, they organized a series of town priate for the United States to adopt countries that export sugar products meetings partly aimed at highlight¬ a policy of unremitting hostility to the United States and also import ing what they saw as an effort by toward a country simply because it similar products from Cuba. It would Miami exiles to drive Cubans from adheres to a political and economic require the administration to seek in their homes. In effect, the Cuban system different from the U.S. one? the United Nations internationaliza¬ people were told: “The Miami reac¬ Why not embargo Saudi Arabia? tion of the U.S. economic embargo. tionaries talk about democracy and Does foreign policy based on high It would deny visas to any foreigner human rights; what they really want principle stop at the water’s edge in linked in any way to investments in is to take your homes away.” Cuba? properties expropriated from Drafters of the legislation insist¬ But those who espouse these Americans, valued at between $5 bil¬ ed that was not their intent and the views seem to lack the tenacity of lion and $6 billion in 1995 dollars. It wording was revised to make clear Castro’s enemies in Congress, led would allow American individuals that the homes of ordinaiy Cubans by Helms, Burton, Menendez, and and companies with expropriated would not be affected. But the two Florida Republicans, Ileana properties in Cuba to sue foreign homes of the party elite would be Ros Lehtinen and Lincoln Diaz companies in American courts, if subject to legal action if they had Balart. (The latter has an aunt, these firms are profiting from the been seized from their original Mirta Diaz Balart, who married assets. And it would allow Cubans owners. This was one of a number Castro in 1948 and divorced him in who have since become American of revisions Helms-Burton under¬ the mid-1950s.) citizens to lay claim to their houses went during legislative fine tuning The Helms-Burton proposal seeks and other properties left behind in the spring and summer. to pressure Cuba in a number of when they fled the island. Another involved the attempt to ways. To ensure that Cuban sugar In Havana, Cuban officials saw punish countries involved in sugar Affordable Luxury > If you are relocating, a business traveler or need temporary housing, we offer the comforts of home.

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20 FOREIGN SERVICE ] O U RN AL/AU GU ST 1995 and sugar-products trade with both Israel supporting the U.S. position. his constitutional authority to carry Cuba and the United States. The legislation also seeks to pun¬ out foreign policy. Canada, Mexico and the European ish Russia for continuing to main¬ “The embargo is working,” says Union complained loudly and won tain an electronic eavesdropping Helms, defending his overall pro¬ a sympathetic ear from the admin¬ facility in the town of Lourdes out¬ posal. “We must not relieve [Castro] istration. Officials saw the provi¬ side Havana. It would cut U.S. of the pressure of the embargo by sion as a violation of several inter¬ assistance to Russia by the same giving him the undeserved legitima¬ national trade agreements, includ¬ amount as the rent Russia reported¬ cy and hard currency he so desper¬ ing the North American Free Trade ly pays for use of the facility — $200 ately wants. If Castro wants us to lift Agreement (NAFTA), and as com¬ million. Again, the administration the embargo, we must move in the parable to what Arab countries voiced opposition, contending that opposite direction.” have tried for years to hamper Russia needs the facility to monitor But Harvard University profes¬ Israel’s trade, a practice long con¬ arms control agreements. sor of Government Jorge demned by the United States. Finally, the bill lists a set of rigid Dominguez says, “The U.S. must Helms and his colleagues agreed to criteria for providing U.S. assis¬ remember that its main goal is a soften the provision but the admin¬ tance to a post-Castro government peaceful and democratic transition istration wanted it deleted in its — there must be no political pris¬ in Cuba, not the punishment of entirety. oners, human rights must be fully Fidel Castro nor the defense of The proposal to internationalize respected and the government must U.S. property rights. The U.S. the U.S. embargo against Cuba was organize free elections under inter¬ needs to shift its policy with regard a long shot indeed since the U.N. national supervision. The bill’s pro¬ to Cuba — not to abandon the General Assembly already is on ponents agreed to water down this totality of the trade embargo but to record several times vigorously con¬ provision after the administration reposition and engage the embargo demning the U.S. embargo. The last argued that it robbed the president as a bargaining chip for democratic time, the vote was 101-2 with only of flexibility and was an assault on peace.” ■

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AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 21 SLOWING NATO’S GROWTH

EAST EUROPE MEMBERSHIP

WOULD WEAKEN SECURITY ALLIANCE

BY JONATHAN DEAN

ver the past two centuries, the Russia and the states it formerly dominated in the Ck central issue of European network of security agreements, amis control agree¬ L security has been to define a ments and organizations for coordination of security I place for Germany in Europe. policy in Europe — NATO, Western European W The main task of European Union, the Organization for Security and f security for the next century is Cooperation in Europe, and the Treaty on to find a comparable place for Conventional Forces in Europe. The constant tin¬ Russia, and also for the many states in kering with security pacts and organizations that Central and Eastern Europe that have recently began with the fall of the Berlin Wall will not be fin¬ gained independence. The task must be carried ished until Russia’s place in Europe is defined. This out by peaceful means, far more rapidly than with will be a long and difficult task, requiring a lot of per¬ Germany, and in a way that includes Russia rather severance to meet the many ups and downs of than isolating it. Russian democracy. If it can be done for Russia, die The method that Western states have chosen for job of finding the right position for the states of defining the place in Europe of Russia and the other Central and Eastern Europe will become far easier. states is “integration,” linking diem with die West in a The Clinton administration endorses the tightening network of trade, cultural and security rela¬ approach of integrating Russia. But, instead of focus¬ tionships. After the success of die integration approach ing on die task of tying Russia into Europe, die with Germany, it was both inevitable and right diat it administration, togetiier with die new Republican would be tried with Russia, although the task of inte¬ congressional majority, lias taken a dangerous detour. grating Russia is far more difficult than widi Germany. It is giving priority to expansion of NATO member¬ Russia is far larger tiian West Germany, is not militar¬ ship to a few central European states — Poland, die ily defeated or occupied by Western troops and has a Czech Republic, Hungary and possibly Slovakia — as very large nuclear arsenal of its own. the main vehicle for its integration policy. In die security field, the problem is to embed A healthy NATO remains essential for European security, but die concept of expanding its member¬ During his long career in the Foreign Service, for¬ ship as a device for integrating the Eastern states is mer ambassador Jonathan Dean worked mainly seriously dawed. If diis idea brings about serious, on issues of East-West relations, European securi¬ enduring confrontation between Russia and the ty and international peacekeeping. He is now West, it may be die worst mistake in United States arms control adviser for the Union of Concerned policy toward Europe since World War II. Scientists in Washington, D.C. This article is Active U.S. engagement in Europe is essential to based on a recent article in Arms Control Today. prevent conflict and to gain the support of the

22 FOREIGN SERVICE ]OURNAL/AUGUST 1995 European states for U.S. global policies like non-pro¬ dates, like the Czech Republic, can justifiably claim to liferation, controlling environmental damage and meet all conditions. Unavoidably, movement toward peacekeeping. More specifically, the U.S. role in the inclusion in NATO of Central and Eastern Europe is to assure that feat's of German dominance European states and leaving Russia out has the appear¬ do not paralyze the operation of the European Union, ance of bolstering NATO’s function of insuring against to provide residual insurance against Russian misbe¬ Russian misbehavior. In doing so, it frustrates the com¬ havior and to help Western Europe to integrate mon Western aim of integrating Russia and the states Russia formerly dominated. Russia. Instead of complementing For the sake of a constructive relationship with each other, NATOs two most impor¬ The constant Russia, NATO leaders do not speak publicly about tant functions are clashing. tinkering with the alliance function of ensuring against a resurgent Russia, but it is much in their thoughts. Former Actual NATO membership security pacts and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger argues that for East European states, if NATO is essential for handling the two most dan¬ it is ever accorded, will bring fur¬ organizations that gerous contingencies from Russia — rising national¬ ther costs. The legislatures in the ism or implosion of the Russian polity. Tins NATO United States and other NATO began with the function of ensuring against a resurgent Russia is member-countries wall have to desirable and reasonable. Russia is unstable and agree to defend the territorial fall of the Berlin unpredictable and will remain so for decades. integrity of East European states Wall will not be Without NATO and its assurance of American sup¬ if they are attacked. Enlarging port, the European states might easily become NATO’s membership raises finished until intimidated by the threatening behavior of an questions about the continuing authoritarian Russian government. As far as effectiveness of NATO decision¬ Russia s place in Germany is concerned, take NATO away, and con¬ making, which will still be based cerns about German power would immediately on consensus. It will also entail Europe is defined. become audible throughout Europe, whether or not some economic obligation from these concerns would be justified. NATO states for aid to the NATO can ensure against Russian misconduct, Eastern European armed forces. If this aid is and cope with fears of potential German misconduct effective in building up these forces it will add to and coordinate peacekeeping. Rut NATO is serious¬ Russian annoyance with the program. ly overtaxed when it comes to the task of being the In pursuing its policy of NATO expansion, the main vehicle for integrating Russia and the East administration cites the need to counter instability in European states into the European security system. Central Europe. In practice, Poland, the Czech The administration project of bringing in the Republic and Hungary want to use NATO member¬ Central European states is quite far advanced. ship to gain the support of the U.S. and other NATO President Clinton has said that the issue of expan¬ members against any future pressures from Russia sion has been positively settled; the only open ques¬ and Germany. But the Central European states are tion is how and when. This position has been neither unstable nor presently threatened by Russia. endorsed by the NATO Council. Moreover, NATO has already stated formally that An internal NATO report laying out admittance the security of the NATO countries is inseparably conditions will be prepared by mid-summer. These linked with that of all other European states. The conditions include democratic governments; free-mar- entire course of the subsequent debate has made it ket economies; civilian control of the military, police clear that NATO wall, in fact, respond to negative and intelligence services; ability to pay a fair share of the Russian moves if they materialize. NATO costs; respect for human rights and for the ter¬ Rather than concern for the stability of Central ritorial integrity of neighboring states. The time will Europe, the administrations underlying motive for approach within the next few years when some candi¬ expanding membership is the health of NATO,

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 23 which the administration considers the sole effective vehicle for maintain¬ ing U.S. influence in Europe. In this view, expansion can revitalize NATO after its failure in Bosnia. However, expansion may have the opposite result, weakening NATO instead of strengthening it. Giving Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary NATO membership will leave most East European states out¬ side of NATO, along with a seriously NOT AT THE PATTERSON SCHOOL! dissatisfied Russia. Many countries Located on more than 1400 acres in the would be left in a no man’s land Blue Ridee Mountains, The Patterson School offers between NATO and an increasingly the Exceptional Education: resentful Russia, strengthening nega¬ The opportunity to erow academically, Physically and tive trends in these states. spiritually in a place which is not limited entirely by the Russia, too large and uncertain, four walls of buildines. cannot be brought into NATO or the • Co-educational • Grades 7-12, Boarding & Day European Union. Its membership in • College Prep • Christian Non-denominational NATO would make NATO incapable • Athletic and Work Programs of fulfilling its function of protecting THE PATTERSON SCHOOL against potential Russian misconduct. P.O. Box 500 • Patterson NC 28661 Russia can be brought into NATO only 704-758-2374 • 800-953-9904 • FAX 704-758-9179 after Russia has become a dependably functioning democracy, and NATOs protection for Europe is therefore no longer needed. This would be a desir¬ MARTENS VOLVO able long-term outcome for NATO. But it is far off. Meanwhile, Russia’s Dedicated to Diplomacy frequent proposals for NATO mem¬ bership from the time of Gorbachev to Worldwide Delivery to Diplomats the present — suggestions which and Members of International Organizations attest to Russia’s own desire for a Western connection — elicit only- pained grimaces and silence from NATO governments. NATO and the European Union can only integrate other states while continuing to exclude Russia. The administration insists that it can overcome the highly negative Russian reaction to NATO expansion, but Russian opposition seems deep- seated and widespread, coming from eveiy point of the Russian political Dana Martens, Diplomatic Sales Director Contact: spectrum. Russians consider, correct¬ ly, that one main motive of die Poles, VOLVO 202-537-3000 CARSMARTENS OF WASHINGTON, INC. Fax 202-537-1826 Czechs and Hungarians in seeking 4800 WISCONSIN AVE. WASH,. DC 20016 NATO membership is fear and suspi¬ U.S.A.’s Largest Diplomatic Dealer cion of Russia. For example, after the Chechnya disaster, NATO Secretary

24 FOREIGN SERVICE J OU RN AL/AU G U ST 1995 General Claes freely admitted that same time, because WEU is still grow¬ in decisions of the NATO Council. The fear of Russia was intensifying pres¬ ing as a military alliance, expanding its advisory status of the group would sures to gain NATO membership. membership will appear less threaten¬ diminish criticisms by non-member This evidence is not confined to ing to Russia than expanding NATO. states about big-power domination. The Europe. The National Security Parallel to WEU expansion, the suggested arrangement should be Restoration Act, passed by the House United States, other Western countries strengthened by new arms control nego¬ of Representatives in mid-February, and Russia would assure the security of tiations in die conventional and nuclear called for rapid action to confer NATO all tlie countries of the North-Soudi fields. France and Britain should join die membership on the Central European belt. The countries could have close United States and Russia in a reciprocal states. It is clear that this action, in association with NATO and with the system of safeguarding nuclear war¬ part, was motivated by traditional sus¬ Russian-dominated Commonwealth of heads and fissile materials, also designed picions of Russia. Independent States but would not as a framework for future cooperation For over 40 years, Russians them¬ become or continue as hill members of widi China on nuclear issues. selves have been taught to fear NATO either security grouping. Their security Under this approach, without being as their main antagonist. Inevitably, status would not become a source of subject to the strains of expansion, NATO there is a strong emotional residue of friction between die West and Russia, could continue to cany out its basic func¬ these views despite NATO s post-Cold but their security would be assured. tions of assisting die strengthening and War efforts to appear cooperative. The Meanwhile, an Advisoiy Committee expansion of die European Union and of NATO member with increasing influ¬ on European Security, with die United insuring against Russian misbehavior. ence in alliance affairs, Germany, is States, Britain, France, Germany and The United States would remain fully Russia’s traditional enemy. Events Russia as members, would be estab¬ engaged in Europe and in a position to since the collapse of the Soviet Union lished. Its function would be to discuss pursue its interests productively. Finally, have already revived historic Russian current issues of European security. diis European security architecture fears of encirclement by enemies. Through its membership in die advisory would move toward effectively integrat¬ Expansion of NATO into Eastern committee, Russia could have some say ing Russia — radier than alienating it. ■ Europe will keep these concerns at a high boil. It could establish an escalat¬ ing mutual alienation between the NATO states and Russia, bolster Russian nationalism and undermine 30-Day Rate the prospects for liberal democracy. for Foreign Service Travelers to Washington, D.C.! Instead of NATO expansion, the Are you coming to Washington, DC for 30 days or more? Want the benefits of an U.S. should follow a different course apartment without the hassles? The amenities of a hotel without the cost? We have which offers better prospects of the perfect solution for you... Hotel Anthony! Your stay will include: achieving its aims in Europe. NATO Fully equipped kitchen or wet bar New remote-contol television with and its core functions would be w/refrigerator, microwave, stocked HBO, ESPN, & CNN retained. 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AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 25 Focus

THE EMPRESS TREE

BY RUTH KLING

very morning Teacher Wang talks are so crooked one of them sticks straight out from to his dead wife, Pure Fragrance, his lips. Saliva flies from his mouth when he talks, and E as he performs his daily ritual. He hair grows out of his ears. inhales the fresh morning air and It had all been a mistake of course. Teacher Wang spits into the enameled basin at did fervently love the chairman. He really did. Wang the foot of his bed. He talks to would never knowingly do anything to insult the her as he sits up, clears his throat, sips from the chairman or the party. He was just writing a note to earthy-tasting infusion of ginseng in the covered cup Pure Fragrance that evening 23 years ago in the early by the bed and scratches his bald head. days of the Cultural Revolution. It was an honest mis¬ Pure Fragrance teases him about his modest take. The note said that he would be late for dinner. rooms in the house in the alley off of South Gate He used a scrap of yellowed newsprint to write a note Road in Nanjing. She tells him in his beautiful, yet hopelessly how shabby it looks. “It is true,” bourgeois calligraphy. Then he he sighs. “It is a spare room with tacked the note to his office door. only a bed, some chairs and a The nail pierced the heart of the table. I only have six wicker character of the chairman’s name shelves to hold my library.” She and the graceful brush strokes of laughs at him and says there is not ink obliterated one of his famous even room for her in his tiny quotations. A quotation that home, and she is only a ghost. Teacher Wang would be forced to “You are so beautiful,” Wang says recite over and over. out loud, even though in life she Teacher Wang recites that had never been a great beauty. quotation as he digs for the box of She was pear-shaped, her hair treasure that he has been told is was a dull brown and her teeth under an Empress tree some¬ were crooked. But her laugh where in Nanjing. He always car¬ made up for everything. He was ries three bags to the digs, one not handsome either. He has a inside of the other and each larg- bald spot on his head and only a few teeth left that er than the last, since he isn’t sure how big the box is.

Ruth Kling is coordinator of the China Studies program Editor’s Note: Readers responded to the call for fic¬ at the Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of tion with more than 60 submissions; we regret we Johns Hopkins University. She lived in China twice for a could not publish more stories. We encourage contrib¬ total of three years, including a two-year stint in Nanjing. utors to submit pieces of no more than 3,000 words for She is also a student in the part-time writing program at the 1996 fiction issue; the deadline is June 1, 1996. Johns Hopkins; this is her first published piece of fiction. Meanwhile, enjoy this year’s fine selection .

26 FOREIGN SERVICE J O U RN AL/AV GU ST 1995 Focus

Today he will dig under the Empress tree closest to the South Gate. Not only is it the most promising of all the trees, but it is in the most pleasant setting.

Would he need a small, a medium or large bag? This modicum of understanding does not keep the Would the box be ruined by the damp? Was it a box neighbors from finding some of his behavior to be of wood or metal? Would her photo still be clear? On odd. “After all,” they say to each other, “who but a good days he brings Yellow Feathers, his songbird, man not quite right in the head would go about the out for the walk to the tree. The bird sings and city digging holes around all of the Empress trees?” watches him with his little black jade bead eyes, Except for the digging and an occasional moan from cocking his head from one side to the other. his small house, he was harmless enough. “But you Sometimes the uncertainty of it all causes Teacher never know,” Mrs. Mao would say, as she nods her Wang to hesitate and on those days he stays in bed, square head of gray-black hair, arms resting on her reciting quotations and talking to Pure Fragrance. substantial stomach, her hands in the sleeves of her “Today is the day,” Teacher Wang says confidently quilted jacket. to Pure Fragrance as he ties his robe around his pro¬ Once Mr. Hu, two doors up next to the water truding belly and opens the door to the alley. “I am spout, the one with the walleye, asked Wang about sure of it. The box will be found today.” his habit of digging under Empress trees. He giggled “Good morning Mrs. Mao. Today I will be suc¬ and sputtered so violently that Mr. Hu had to help cessful,” Teacher Wang says, as he sees his neighbor Teacher Wang back in to his tiny room and make him on her way to the public toilet carrying her chamber drink some warm water. Wang then took to his bed pot. She responds with a little nod of her head and a during the day for two weeks, reversing his morning grunt, as she does most mornings when he declares ritual to the evening and only digging at night. Mr. that his search is almost over. Hu had been one of Teacher Wang’s students a long Teacher Wang always smiles and waves at his time ago. neighbors in the narrow alley of low brick houses. He No one in the alley knows the real reason why wears striped pajamas covered by a threadbare velvet Teacher Wang digs obsessively around the trees. robe as he fills his teakettle at the public faucet. They have their theories. Some believe that he was Teacher Wang stokes up his coal stove, just outside of from an old landlords family and had hidden his his low doorway, and boils water for the day. wealth during one of the anti-landlord campaigns. The neighborhood children find him terribly This was common practice among the landlord class¬ funny. They find everything about Teacher Wang to es. be quite funny — his pajamas, his faded velvet robe, Mr. Hu was of the opinion that Teacher Wang was the wire-frame glasses that always sit on the tip of his so completely senile that he thought he was digging nose, his habit of talking to himself and most of all in a garden. Mrs. Mao and most of the older ladies of they think his nervous giggle is quite hilarious. the alley believe that he is looking for a buried trea¬ Teacher Wangs conversations with his neighbors are sure rumored to be loot from the time of the Taiping punctuated with a giggle that sometimes seems to Heavenly Kingdom. The Taiping had ruled the city of burst forth from his lips of its own volition. Nanjing for 11 years in the 19th century. It was said “When Teacher Wang taught in a middle school, that one of the servants of Hong Xiuquan, the he had an unpleasant experience with the Red founder of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, had fore¬ Guard,” Mrs. Mao, the street monitor from down the seen the fall of Nanjing and hidden a treasure of gold alley and around the comer, explains to the children. and jewels somewhere near the Porcelain Pagoda.

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 27 Focus

This pagoda was a fantastic structure covered with waiting list for a gas stove, and who pulled connections white glazed bricks and green tiles with tiny gold bells and got a new apartment in a building with running hanging from the eaves of each of its nine stories. water. Pure Fragrance’s ghost is amused by these sto¬ Hong was a mad genius who believed that he was the ries. She loves to hear the pet bird, Yellow Feathers, younger brother of Jesus Christ. He kept treasures trill as the towel covering his cage is lifted. She com¬ beyond compare in his palace, the former home of the ments on the vegetables Wang buys in the market. first Ming Emperor, and a harem of 80 women, all “Too expensive. How could you pay so much for with unbound feet. The story goes that the man who these rotten cucumbers?” she asks him. She reminds buried the treasure had heard that this pagoda was Wang that she prefers fried bread and soy bean milk about to be destroyed by a rival rebel leader and ran for breakfast, not the rice porridge and pickles that he there to save his treasure, but was blown to eats every morning. “If you were alive, my dear, I smithereens in the blast. The only remaining evidence would make you anything you wanted for breakfast,” of this famous structure is pale shards of porcelain he says as he smiles at her empty chair, the steam from embedded in the bricks of the low houses near the site his rice porridge fogging his glasses. of the pagoda. No golden wind chimes remain. When Wang talks to Pure Fragrance he does not Teacher Wang’s book-lined room seems to lend cre¬ giggle; in fact, his voice is quite melodious, as clear as dence to this theory and he rarely discusses his digging the song of Yellow Feathers and almost as deep as the habits with the neighbors, a sure sign that he has horns of the river boats that one can sometimes hear in something to hide. He always has his nose in a book, as the valley, which is not far from the river. if searching for something, and he frequently digs near the Old South Gate where the pagoda once stood. Wang hunts for his treasure every day when Wangs conversations with his neighbors are limited the weather is good. If the earth is so cold to brief discussions about the weather, the price of and hard that he cannot dig or it is raining vegetables in die market and occasionally a new cam¬ and muddy, he stays home. When he does go to one of paign. The campaigns of today are usually aimed at the trees, he stares at it first, assessing its potential. social behavior: It is not like the old days when a cam¬ “Would it be buried here, or is this the wrong paign meant life or death and the neighborhood com¬ angle? Should I go around to the other side? Would mittee had real power. Mrs. Mao appears to miss those that be where he could have buried it?” he wonders days. Mr. Hu was sorry that the comradely feelings out loud. everyone had for each other back then were now gone. At first, Teacher Wang had hoped that the Empress “Today it’s everyone for diemselves, no socialist val¬ tree that hid the treasure was the one he had stared at ues or obligations,” he says. They all agree that the from his hospital bed. Young Li had said that he had younger generation is quite rude. Teacher Wang nods buried the box of Pure Fragrance’s possessions under his head in agreement, a sycophantic smile hung on his an Empress tree. “Like that one,” Li said, as he point¬ face. ed out the window of the hospital ward where Teacher When Teacher Wang thinks about the old days, long Wang lay barely covered by a thin blanket. After that before the campaigns of the ’60s that his younger brief conversation, Young Li was sent to the cold, high neighbors dream about, he thinks of Pure Fragrance. deserts of Gansu where he froze to death watching the She was old-fashioned in every way, even her name commune’s herd of goats. Wang never had a chance to was old-fashioned and more suited to the vaulted halls find out the exact location where Li had hidden the of a Mandarin’s palace than the library of the middle box. school where they met and fell in love. If he could find that box, he could see her image Wang meditates on her image, the image of her that again. In the box were a few of her possessions — a he carries in his mind. He tells her about what is hap¬ string of blue plastic beads he had given her, a pair of pening in the alley — who was married, who was preg¬ silver and glass earrings, a jade bracelet, two tortoise¬ nant, who was fighting, which ones made it on to the shell hair combs, seven tiny chipped porcelain wine

28 FOREIGN SERVICE J O U RN A L/A U G U S T 1995 Focus

cups and a rosewood-framed photo of them on their bicycle bells as Wang carries his covered cage through wedding day, the only photo of her that still exists. the crowded streets. He is secretly proud of his bird’s The hospital stay was 20 years ago, but Wang still beautiful muffled voice. Other pedestrians stare at remembers the Empress tree and its hopeful shape, all him, surely hoping to get a glimpse of his wonderful its bare branch tips pointing up to heaven. In the bird. spring its conical clusters of trumpet-shaped purple Today he will dig under the Empress tree closest to flowers also reach upward, pointing to the sky as if it is the South Gate. Not only is it the most promising of all trying to show him something. Their light purple fra¬ the trees, but it is in the most pleasant setting. The grance came in through the window, sometimes mak¬ tree stands just outside of the South Gate that used to ing the dank hospital smells disappear. be part of the old city wall. The tall grey brick fortifi¬ The tree had kept Wang alive throughout his recov¬ cation rises above a canal on one side and sits at the ery from his leap out of the window of the classroom head of a traffic circle on the other. he had been imprisoned in for three years. He was The canal side of the gate appears to be taller since forced to recite the chairman’s quotations over and it grows out of the algae-covered black water of the over again, as his young jailers, some of them his for¬ canal. The water has a dank petroleum smell. Teacher mer students, shouted at him and slapped his face. Wang walks around the gate, since he does not want to Teacher Wang still chanted quotations every morning have to pay the 5-cent entrance fee. The gate is part of even now, just in case. the city’s historical fortifications. Tall tunnels lead into The doctors did not give him any painkillers after the grounds where steep inclines and steps climb up to he jumped from the window. They weren’t real doctors the ramparts and long vault-like rooms. These are anyway. They were all peasants who were from politi¬ empty now, but once stored munitions and housed the cally correct backgrounds, transformed from peasant- soldiers who guarded the city. Now there are vendors janitors to peasant-doctors one day by order of the Red in the rooms selling paper cutouts and carved soap¬ Guard. Since he had thrown himself out of the win¬ stone chops. dow, they were not very sympathetic except for a doc¬ Teacher Wang stops at a soft-drink stand on one tor-janitor who had once tried to comfort him. side of the traffic circle. A young woman in a tradi¬ Wang had gotten it into his head that they would tional dress sells him a small bottle of brilliant orange forget about him if he didn’t do something to gain their soda he drinks right there, so he can forgo paying a attention. The truth was that he had never understood deposit on the bottle. Her dress is maroon velvet, with why he had been locked up. He could never quite a mandarin collar and slits up the sides. She sits with write a self-criticism to their satisfaction. His hand her legs open, fanning herself with the front flap of the would shake, the words would not come. Sometimes dress. She wears red plaid boxer shorts underneath the the walleyed student’s stare would confuse him so dress. much that he would not know what was expected from Teacher Wang walks around to the back, near the him. Wang was certain that Pure Fragrance had not canal, and hangs Yellow Feathers’ cage on a small, done what they had accused her of. Her suicide did scraggly pine tree. He takes off the towel covering the not prove her guilt. cage and the bird sings and whistles loudly. Wang puts “Today will be the day we find the treasure, Yellow down the bags, pulls out a small shovel and stares at Feathers,” Wang says as he lifts the bird’s cage. the tree for a few minutes, with his hands on his hips, Teacher Wang emerges from the darkness of the alley the shovel sticking out at an odd angle. As he sits on into the sunlit street dappled by the shade of beech the banks of the canal and shares his roll with the tiny trees that line the avenue. He walks up South Gate yellow bird, he looks over to the other side where the Road, passing a dry goods store, a hardware store and Porcelain Pagoda once stood, staring at the low hous¬ street vendors who sell everything from key chains to es of brick that line the canal. Teacher Wang explains motorcycle parts. Wang stops at a bakery where he the scene to Pure Fragrance as purple-scented trum¬ buys a bread roll. Yellow Feathers trills softly at the pets drop on his head. ■

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 29 Focus

Pi AT 1,0 AND THE BOB-YAM

BY MICHELE SISON AND JEFF HAWKINS

“Mogo yeni o te a Ion ye. ” (“To see a man is not to know him.”)

— Dioula proverb

f that lad doesn’t cut it out, I’m gonna haul the embassy yesterday. He’s got an apartment two blocks off and hit him. Really, I’ve just had it. away in that tall shiny building with the glass doors. He’s I Every day, the same damn tiling. “Boss, loaded! But what a tightwad. All the other Americans dig boss, give me 100 francs so I can eat.” into their pockets for loose change, but not him! What’s Pulling at my pants with his dirty hands, looking up at me this guy’s problem anyway? He looks like he has a pret¬ with big, melodramatic eyes. In this West African coun- ty goodjob. I saw him once sitting next to the Big Man in tiy, at least, everyone eats. He’ll just the big black car with the flag flying have to find his coins somewhere as it swung around the comer. That else. I’m not made of money. If he Big Man always keeps coins in his knew how many bills I have to pay, car to give away as he’s stopped at he wouldn’t even ask. the traffic light up ahead. He’s good The kid’s constant badgering is to us street kids. just one more example of what we It’s not like I’m asking for a lot. I consular officers have to put up with haven’t been here in the capital long eveiy day. Everybody wants some¬ enough to find an apprenticeship or thing from me. Those 50 or 60 peo¬ other work. While we wait for job ple in the visa line at 7 o’clock each offers or for relatives to help us set¬ morning, jostling each other to get to tle in, we kids on this block scrounge my window. The young toughs offer¬ money for food from the people who ing to guard my car, not bothering to work in these office buildings. Not hide the menace in their voices. The much, really, just a few coins to buy vague friends of friends who call at some pounded plantain or a little odd times in the hopes of getting to rice. That’s why it seems so unfair know a diplomat. And then this kid. Every single day. that the new guy can ’t just give us a little. He has so much. I want to find a job, and I want to work hard. But This new guy is something else. He’s young, he dress¬ I need to eat first. Like my grandfather back in the vil¬ es cool, and he has a new car. I followed him home from lage used to say, “An empty sack can’t stand up. ”

Michele Sison is a political officer in U.S. Embassy It’s just as stick)' and hot as usual, but at least it’s not Abidjan and Jeff Hawkins is a administrative officer at raining anymore. I’m crossing my fingers that the tor¬ that embassy. This is their first published piece of fiction. rential downpours we’ve had every day because of the

30 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/AUGUST 1995 Focus

The new guy’s name is Bob — I overheard one of the dri¬

vers calling after him. Bob — what a funny word. It sounds like our word for “big yam.”

rainy season wall give us a break today, because I’ve been a suit. My cousin Mamadou bought an almost new dark asked to take our visitor, Ambassador Franklin, on a blue one for h imself at the used clothing market the other short walking torn- of the city. Ambassador Franklin is an week. He looks pretty good when he goes off to work as a important man in our bureau and could help a lot in get¬ guard for the cars outside that fancy nightclub down the ting me a good job next tour. Normally, a junior officer street. I tried Mamadou’s suit on last night just to see how it wouldn’t have much hope of getting face time with him, fit. I looked like someone — I don’t know who — someone but he wants to see tire downtown area before he goes who didn’t hang around in front of the American embassy with our ambassador to see die defense minister, and I all day long I guess. got picked to show him die sights. As I was sailing Bob-yam came out of the embassy I’m in luck. Those heavy, billowing tropical clouds with this man, and they started to walk down the hill have broken a bit. As we set out into the palm-lined, toward the market. Bob-yam didn’t notice me because I bustling streets of die town, diings seem to be going kept a few feet behind. I didn’t understand everything well. I try to make small talk as we dodge market women they said, but I heard Bob-yarn point at the tax office and widi mangoes and inexpensive sandals piled on their say “prime minister.” He teas wrong but the old man heads, businessmen heading home for lunch, and hawk¬ didn’t seem to care. The old man was sweating a lot by ers selling everything from cheap sunglasses to strong- that tune, and looked tired. These Americans must never scented hair tonic. I show off a bit of my knowledge of feel the sunshine where they’re from. It isn’t even a hot the city to Franklin and proudly point out landmarks like day — it’s the rainy season, after all. Bob-yam kept chat¬ the prime minister’s radier unimpressive little office and tering away in English — what a funny language. I the infinitely more imposing presidency complex. called out, “Hey, mistah” to Bob-yam to show that I Ambassador Franklin seems genuinely interested. He speak a little English, too. He didn’t hear me the first mentions die bureau’s need for new blood, initiative, time, so I tried again. “Hey, Mistah Bob — wha’ new?” enthusiasm. This is my cue. I’ll tell him how much I’d He looked mad. Don’t Americans greet each other? I like to work for him next year. know that Bob-yam knows who I am. He sees me Then he shows up. That damn kid. Tugging at me, every day on his way to ivork, sees me when he leaves the begging for money. Interrupting me with his constant embassy at noon to meet his friends for lunch, and sees nagging. Buzzing in my ear. I ignore him, but he just me every night when he trudges home with that little keeps going. I tell him to go away. He keeps it up. black suitcase he carries everywhere. Franklin looks distracted, and I tell the kid in street Bob-yam pretended not to see me. I caught his coat French to “get the hell away from me.” Franklin looks sleeve, and he turned around and told me to “go to a shocked. He shakes his head and says gravely, “I think it’s fiery place that has no exit.” I couldn’t believe that he time to go back to the embassy.” would say something so offensive to a neighbor, and as my uncle Ibrahima says, “Strong words are like a mango The new guy’s name is Bob — 7 overheard one of the tree bark: Once it’s split from the tree you can’t put it drivers catling after him. Bob — what a funny word. It back.” At least Bob-yam’s friend looked pained. Maybe sounds like our word for “big yam.” Anyway, Bob-yam he’s more polite than Bob-yam. walked out of the embassy this morning with this old man in a suit. What a sight! That suit made the old man sweat Needless to say, I didn’t get a chance to talk to like one of the workers down by the port. I’ve never owned Ambassador Franklin again. A couple of days later, I

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 31 Focus

drove over to the annual trade fair at the government- he’s done and that he’s about to get caught. He takes off. owned, white-elephant luxury hotel on the other side of The chase doesn’t last long. It’s tire busiest time of day town. I went with Anne from the consular section. We and the streets are full of taxis and mopeds and salesmen. went casual, just shorts, T-shirts, and Ray-Bans. We didn’t The kid darts in and out of traffic, and he obviously knows stay long, too much emphasis on rhetoric about the good his way around town. I run, but the hot, humid air is heavy things the president has done for the country and not with diesel exhaust that sears my lungs. I trip on some bro¬ enough local products on the floor. ken pavement just as the lad rounds a comer into a net¬ The next day the strangest thing happened. That lad work of small shacks and market stalls. I know I’ll never comes up to me and says, “Hey, boss, I saw you and Miss catch him in there and give up. The embassy guards, Anne at the fair. Good fair, huh? Give me 100 francs.” yelling, “Thief! Thief!” keep after him, though, and disap¬ Now, I wasn’t wearing a suit at tire fair, and it was across pear in the market after the kid. town. How the hell did he know who we were? If I saw Back at the embassy, I go up to tire Med Unit to have the that kid somewhere else and not wearing some dirty T- nurse take a look at the knee I banged up chasing the kid. shirt and tom shorts, I wouldn’t recognize him in a million As I return to my office, I see a seething, noisy crowd mov¬ years. Not him or any one of the dozens of kids that hang ing down the center of the street towards tire police station around outside the embassy and pester us unmercifully near the embassy. There seems to be some kind of fight for pocket change. I always just assumed that we looked as going on. I have better things to do than to watch this kind anonymous to them as they do to us. It makes me nervous of nonsense and go out to look at the damage to my car. that they watch us that way. My nose is still bleeding, my shins are scraped, and my The gmjs on the comer told me and Mamadou about whole body is bmised and aching. It’s the fault of Bob- free samples of fruit juice that they were giving out down yam, that pasty, slow-running excuse for a man. Why, I’m at the fair at the Hotel de la Republique. It was a Sunday, sure that he could not run fast enough to catch even an and there wasn’t much traffic, so we were able to walk elderly guinea fowl for his dinner, much less a meaty down there in about an hour. I saw Bob-yam near the young bush rat. juice right away. He was dressed like regular people — I was hanging out near my usual comer this morning, not in a suit, but I’d recognize his walk anywhere. He was chatting to the newspaper vendor Abdoulaye, a good- with this pale-haired woman. I tried to reinember what natured fellow who comes from near my father’s village they called her. “Anne,” 1 think. Was this his new girl¬ up north. Abdoulaye pointed to a gang of boys who friendPI like her; she always smiles at me. I saw Bob-yam looked unfamiliar to me — they weren’t any of the kids go into the fancy shop near the embassy yesterday and I’ve gotten to know since I came to the city. Abdoulaye pull out six blue bills from his pocket to buy a bottle ofper¬ yelled for the boys to nwve away from one of the embassy fume. I couldn’t believe he paid that much for a bottle of cars, one of the shiny new ones with the bright orange smelling water. Mamadou takes that much home in a good and black license plates. month, and it keeps the whole household going. I hope the “Get out of the way, you ruffians,” Abdoulaye bel¬ pale-haired one likes Bob-yam’s gift. lowed, as he started to chase them away. This was our cor¬ ner, our territory and Abdoulaye did not appreciate out¬ What the hell is drat kid doing?! I look out of the win¬ siders thinking they could be on our spot of the city pave¬ dow of the consular section. There, just across the street, a ment. I turned around to take a look, and saw that the car crowd has gathered around my car. I run outside to see the boys were vandalizing was Bob-yam’s. All of a sudden, what is the matter. The front side window of my car is shat¬ Bob-yam’s car let out a shrill keening sound, like the wails tered, the alarm is blaring, and he’s standing there with that of one of our women during the days following a great guilty, idiotic look on his face. Not running, just standing chiefs funeral. The boijs scattered, and I ran over to look there. Maybe I could tolerate begging and hanging around, at the damage. But just as I reached the side of the car on but not theft. I yell to the embassy guards to follow me, and which the window had been smashed in, I saw the I tear across tire street. Suddenly, he seems to realize what embassy gu ards, all of them beefy southern ers who never

32 FOREIGN SERVICE J O URN AL/AU GU ST 199 5 Focus

miss an opportunity to show their superiority to those of than severe boredom during my short imprisonment. us from further north, heading for me. Right behind them, charging heavily, was Bob-yam, who hujfecl and puffed as I was in a good mood. Self-satisfied. I had just read my he shouted “Thief! Thief!” at me. evaluation from the consul general and had typed out the I ran as fast as I could toward my aunt Fatima’s stall in obligatory “employee remarks” section — the last bit of the market, hoping that she would hide me beneath her real work I’d do here, as I was leaving in a few weeks. I felt yards and yards of cotton print cloth — but before I more or less at home in this country now, and the fact drat reached the safety of her stall, the embassy guards and a I had received my top choice for my next assignment rag-tag band of onlookers caught up with me and dragged made it easy to feel a certain detached alfection towards me to the police station next to the embassy. I was pum- this place. My French was much better, and I had even meled and pounded by the nastier of the two embassy tried a few words of Dioula at the visa window today, guards on the way to the police station, and by the time I which made the applicants smile good-naturedly. was dragged before Big Man on duty, I was a pretty sorry I propped my feet up on my desk and took a deep sip sight, all bloodied and dirty. of strong black coffee, glancing at the afternoon papers as Luck was with me this morning though. I could tell I relaxed after a long day interviewing applicants. I espe¬ from his facial scarring that the Big Man was from my cially liked Informations du Soir, a less-tiian-sober daily home region. 1 tried a few words of greeting using the that reminded me of grocery-store tabloids. Legitimate form we use for the oldest and most exalted chief back stories about arrested hank robbers or the latest postal home. From the moment I uttered the first syllables out of strike were liberally spiced with news about evil sorcery my swollen and bloodied mouth, I knew I was right. This and shocking scandal — such as the woman who had man was a kinsman, or not very far from one. He listened reportedly given birth to a toad. carefully to my story, and nodded his head in appreciation Then I saw the picture. Despite the injuries and bruises, when I reminded him that someone as unworthy as myself I knew it was him. That kid. Or Diallo Toure, since the arti¬ would never tell an untruth to .such a great man. After all, cle gave his name. The short article told the full story. everyone knew that, “The goat who wishes to watch his Toure, 13 years old, had been falsely accused by employees family grow does not play with the panther.” After hear¬ of the U.S. embassy of theft and had been caught and beat¬ ing my piece, the Big Man yelled in annoyance to the en severely by a crowd of bystanders. Following three days embassy guards and the crowd to go away. He then of imprisonment at die police station, Toure had been turned to me once more, and gave me some cool Fanta to released after two adult males confessed to the crime. dri nk and handed me a good chunk of sweet maize pud¬ Thirteen years old — the same age as my youngest ding he had tucked in banana leaf and a bit of new spaper. stepbrodier, Travis, who still revels in the Saturday morn¬ The Big Man leaned closer to me as he chomped ing kids’ shows at home, while shoving down the neon- loudly on a large mouthful of maize paste. In a fatherly colored, sugary junk cereal he loves so much. I dropped manner, the pot-bellied police chief explained that he die newspaper on my desk. My stomach knotted up, and was required by the neiu law to come up with a certain I felt uneasy, anxious. This mess was my doing. That kid, number of arrests per week. The district police com¬ Diallo, had been in the wrong place at die wrong time. missioner had insisted that the Big Man make the After two years here, I really saw so little, understood so precinct look good. Thus, the Big Man said he was littie. And Diallo Toure, not me, had paid the price. going to have to put me in one of the hack rooms for a I looked for him several times after that. I don’t know few days. Not to worry, he reassured me, he would what I would have done if I found him, but I wanted to make sure no harm would come to me, as I was obvi¬ somehow make things right. I never did come across him ously a young cousin who knew how to mind his man¬ again. After a while, I stopped searching. I stopped think¬ ners around his elders. I just got out this afternoon, ing about that kid. I’ve gotten very caught up in packing after three not very comfortable nights in the back out, preparations for a vacation with the folks, and lan¬ room of the precinct. My northern “uncle” was true to guage training. I leave in two days. I wonder if I’ll ever his word, though. I suffered from nothing more serious come back to this city, or even to this continent.

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 33 Focus

I’m back at home now, living in my father’s com¬ friends, ivho wished us well and joked with us that they, too, pound, getting reacquainted with my many stepbrothers would soon retire from city life to live in the countryside. and stepsisters. Although I am enjoying the tasty stews Every Monday afternoon, one of the big airplanes prepared by my fathers’ wives, I miss the noises of the from the capital traces a pattern over my village. I can¬ city — the sirens, the clanwring of the sellers, the loud¬ not hear it, but I see its shimmering form glide in an arc speakers of the mosques calling worshippers to prayer. towards France, or America, or wherever these beautiful Here in the village, life is quieter, calmer. silver birds go. I have forgiven Bob-yam, as I heard from I think back to my last day in the city. After leaving the Mamadou’s friend Issa (who came up from the capital police station , I had walked back to my comer and found last week) that Bob-yam had actually gone to look for me my cousin Mamadou, waiting for me. Mamadou had saved after I left my three days in jail. I guess he figured out up a small sum of money, and added to the money he got for that I hadn’t done anything bad. He had given Issa a rec¬ his shiny suit at the used clothing market, this was enough tangle of paper with shiny blue printing on it and a for both of us to take a crowded bush taxi back home. It was strange symbol of a haughty hawk with talons. Issa read the planting season, Mamadou reminded me, and our fam¬ to me what the card said: “Robert L. Simpson, Vice ilies needed our help in the manioc fields. The city was get¬ Consul and Third Secretary, Embassy of the United ting nwre and more dangerous, he said, and the police States of America. ” Bob-yarn had told Issa and the others sweeps for clandestine foreign workers were getting that he was returning to America, increasingly frequent. Neither Mamadou nor myself had I dream of riding one of those shiny airlines one day, ever had the extra cash to go to the authorities and obtain a and of meeting Bob-yam in the street in America. I’m national identity card. So, we had said goodbye to our city sure he would recognize me. ■

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34 FOREIGN SERVICE IOURNAh!AUCUST 1995 American Foreign Service Association

HARRIS, LA PORTA WIN AFSA ELECTION

BY DEIRDRE FERNANDES Congress and the American public. AFSA Governing Board President: F.A. 'Tex" Harris Journal Intern must do it." State Vice President: Alphonse F. La Porta Alphonse F. La Porta, who captured the AID Vice President: Garber Davidson Jr. USIA Vice President: Bruce K. Byers FSA's newly elected Governing State vice president's slot, agreed with Harris on FCS Vice President: Patrick Santillo S Board, a hybrid of former and new the importance of finding common ground. La Retiree Vice President Edward M. Rowell Secretary: Donald R. Norland ■s, needs to unite and work toward Porta was the highestranking winner on the Treasurer: Gail Lecce common goals, according to President F.A. Foreign Service Leadership slate, winning 826 State Representatives: Marshall Carter, Angela R. Dickey, Valentino E. Martinez, "Tex" Harris, who was reelected by a 3-to-2 votes, compared to 617 for Robert Pringle. Francis T. Scanlan, Mary Tamowka ratio on the Building Unity for Strength slate. "I would look at our objective as trying to AID Representatives: Gregg Baker, James R. Washington "Producing a united board which works develop, if not a synergistic - a symbiotic - rela¬ USIA Representative: Jess L. Baily together is the first order of business," he said, tionship on as many issues as we possibly can," Retired Representatives: Willard DePree, William Hanop, Arthur A. Hartman, noting in AFSA's past, divisions on the board said la Porta. "And I hope that right reason will Dennis Kux "produced a lot of heat, but very little light." prevail on the basic issues... such as resource FAS Representative:W\W\am W. Westman FCS Representative: Tom Kelsey But the biggest challenge before the board management, personnel [and the] employee ben¬ Staff is publicizing tne need to maintain America's efits area. The bottom line is that the board has to Executive Director: Susan Reardon Business Department diplomatic corps with sufficient funds for for¬ work together to promote sound management Controller: Kara Harmon Ebert eign affairs programs, he said. "We are less practices and ultimately to protect our careers." General Ledger Accountant Sheree L Beane Executive Assistant Leslie Lehman ready each year to advance and protect The new board, which took office on July Administrative Manager: Dianna Dunbrack America's interests in the world. The agencies 14, also included five new State representa- Administrative Assistant Amy Short Labor Management are not successfully telling this story to Continued on page 3 General Counsel: Sharon Papp Coordinator: Richard C. Scissors Representative: Peter Gaaserud Staff Attorney: Colleen Fallon • 1995 AFSA Election Results • USIA Labor Relations Specialist Carol Lutz Law Clerk: Monica Riva Grievance Attornies: Audrey F. Chynn, CONSTITUENCY PRESIDENT SECRETARY TREASURER VICE PRESIDENT AvoLisa F. Macon Dell Harris Norland Godec Crumpton Lecce Office Manager: Judy Shinn Member Services TOTAL 1612 2422 2371 1533 1716 I 2126 Director: Janet Hedrick Representative: Yolonda Odunsi Davidson Horween Retiree Liaison: Ward Thompson AID Professional Programs 103 314 266 105 87 322 290 132 Professional Issues: Richard S. Thompson Director of Development: Lori Dec Congressional Affairs Director. Ken Nakamura FAS Congressional Liaison: Rick Weiss 15 25 24 15 16 23 Corporate Relations Coordinator. Robert F. Krill Outreach Coordinator: Kenneth Longmyer FCS Santillo Internet Addresses: 17 40 40 17 18 39 61 [email protected] (Association) [email protected] (President) RETIREE Rowell O'Donohue Shepard 1320 531 674 I 1118 1086 604 155 AFSA Headquarters: (202) 3384045 591 1280 FAX: (202) 3386820 STATE Pringle La Porta Labor Management: (202) 647-8160 FAX: (202)6470265 826 645 623 794 844 I 537 617 826

USIA Headquarters: (202)401-6405 Byers FAX: (202) 401-6410 USIA 60 118 98 71 77 i 87 168

AFSA NEWS ‘AUGUST 1995 1 lives, all from the Foreign Service more resources to accomplish our objectives as character of the Foreign Service," Harris Leadership slate: Marshall Carter, Angela R. a professional association and a union." said. "The challenge of the board is to rep¬ Dickey, Valentino E. Martinez, Francis T. La Porta plans to reform the State Standing resent all the Foreign Service, and not any Scanlan, and Mary Tamowka. Other vice- Committee, as promised in the leadership slate particular subset of its members." presidential winners included Garber platform. One of the committee's main goals Dell, who lost to Harris by 810 votes, Davidson (AID); Bruce K. Byers (USIA); will be to formulate agendas that oan be for¬ said he was disheartened by poor voter Patrick Santillo (FCS); Edward M. Rowell warded to management at Slate. To accom¬ rticipation from State Department mem- (retiree); and as secretary Donald R. plish these goals, La Porta said he would like to rs. Only 31 percent of the 4,869 eligible Norland; and as treasurer Gail Lecce. AID enlarge the Standing Committee and form sub¬ State AFSA members voted, as opposed to representatives elected were Gregg Baker committees and task forces. 51 percent of the retiree AFSA members. and James R. Washington; for USIA, Jess L La Porta agreed with Harris that the new Harris received his most predominant Baity; for FCS, Tom Kelsev; and for FAS, board should focus on reducing proposed cuts backing from the retiree constituency - 68 William W. Weslman, who all nan as inde¬ to the foreign affairs budgets. "The board percent voted for him - although he still pendents. The four retiree representative should, as a matter of first priority, look at the would have won the election without slots were split between the two slates, with impact on all of the foreign affairs agencies of those votes. Dell, on the other hand, Willard DePree and Dennis Kux elected the budget reduction measures and develop a received most of his votes from active from the Unity slate, and William Hanrop oommon approach," la Porta said. "This is duty State employers. and Arthur Hartman from the Leadership something that up until new the AFSA board There was a 52 percent increase in slate. has not been able to do." Washingtorvbased active duty ballots Overall, the 22 new Governing Board Although there was a 24 percent returned this year over the 1993 election: members, who all have twoyear terms, increase in the number of ballots sent in this 1,173 compared to 558; and there was a include six Building Unity for Strength mem¬ year, compared to the election two years slight increase in the number of post active bers, eight Foreign Service Leadership mem¬ ago - 4,150 vs. 3,350 in 1993 - both duty ballots returned in this year - 1,043 bers, and eight independents. Hams and the opposition presidential candi¬ compared to 985 in 1993. In addition, the "I think that both the numbers and the fad date, Christopher Dell, said they were disap¬ highest number of ballots were returned that all of the state representatives elected are pointed that more people didn't vote. from retirees, followed by State, AID, USIA, from the Leadership slate is a very good and a Harris said he had hoped for broader FCS and FAS constituencies. very strong mandate for what we [State offi¬ representation on the Governing Board, AFSA Executive Director Susan cers] would like to see done," said La Porta. and he bemoaned a lack of retiree repre¬ Reardon said, "I think that everybody In the next two years, Ftarris wws to sentatives from AID or USIA, and a lack of cares about AFSA, and they are all going improve and strengthen AFSA's outreach pro¬ specialists, noting that about half of Foreign to work for a common future. But they are grams. "We must resist focusing all of our ener¬ Service employees are specialists. definitely bringing different perspectives, gies inward on immediate personnel oon- "I am very disappointed with the election and I think in the end, it's going to make aems," he said. 'We need more members and results in that they failed to reflect the true AFSA stronger."

CONSTITUENCY [REPRESENTATIVES

AID Washington Baker 342 363

FAS Westman 38

FCS Kelsey 59

RETIREE Kux Boyatt Kelly Hartman Chandler DePree Fernandez Harrop 1145 936 350 974 914 1048 862 951

STATE Tamowka Bates Carter O'Neill Dickey Kushner Scanlan Krieger Fukutomi Martinez 825 541 857 493 771 604 808 528 550 753

USIA Baily 176

2 AFSA NEWS • AUGUST 1995 AFSA EXPANDS MINORITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS

project with the Thursday Luncheon Group. £eaVe your Together, they are sponsoring the 1995 internships of University of Texas senior Beth Boburg in the Bureau of International most Narcotics and Crime; Howard University junior Jania Richardson in the office of the Deputy Secretary; and Morehouse College important senior Reginal Shaver in AID's Bureau for Africa. AFSA's sponsorship this year helped investment more interns than any other year since the program began three years ago. Left to right USIA Intern Eric Holt, AFSA President AFSA believes that internships "expand FA 'Tex" Harris, USIA Intern C.D. Gin Jr. students' interest" in foreign affairs, while With the follow-through mentoring sustains it. BY TONY LIN Ward Thompson, AFSA's retiree liaison Journal Intern who has been involved in AFSA's minori¬ management ty outreach programs in the past few n an effort to expand its minority O years, says the program's contributions outreach programs - and ulti¬ are two-fold: exposing minorities to the professionals mately to diversify the Foreign Service - Foreign Service and involving FSOs in AFSA is sponsoring six interns in the the process. Department of State, USIA and AID. Susan Reardon, AFSA executive direc¬ Minority Mentoring Program you trust tor, says that the awareness of the need to Coordinator Kenneth Longmyer will contin¬ diversify has been there "for a long time," ue to match students with retired FSO volun¬ Rental and Management but only in recent years has this belief been teer mentors. He will also help raise placed into action. "If [the Foreign Service of Tine Properties in awareness of internship and mentoring is going to survive and be relevant, it needs opportunities in minority communities. Northwest “DC, CheVg Chase, to be diverse." Starting at the roots will Before he retired from the Foreign Bethesda and Potomac prove to be most effective, she says. Service, Longmyer served in Israel, Sweden ana Germany. Most recently, he was director of international affairs at nillllllllllllll the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. He believes the minor¬ ity outreach programs will be "very, very helpful" in raising minorities' awareness of the Foreign Service. For the first time, AFSA is working with USIA to sponsor three interns in Africa. This year's recipients are Hampton University junior Tamara Frazier, who is working in ■■IBM Harare; Howard University senior C.D. Glin, Jr., in Accra; and Howard University Front, left to right Chairman of Diversity Executive Housing junior Eric Holt, in Kampala. Committee Jim Washington, Intern Beth Bobuig. Consultants, Inc. AFSA has also begun a cooperative Back: Ward Thompson, Intern jania Richardson. 7315 Wisconsin Avenue Suite 603 East Bethesda, Maryland 20814 CHILD CARE BOARD SEEKS VOLUNTEER 301/951-4111 he Board of Directors for the State Department child care center is seeking a vol¬ ounteer to serve as treasurer on the board. The board's primary responsibilities are to over¬ “We Jor your home see fundraising activities and the childcare provider's contract. The treasurer will be care responsible for handling the accounting needs for the board. The board meets several as if it Were our oWn. ” times a month for about two hours. The board is also seeking a volunteer to assist with fund¬ raising. Those who are interested should contact Donna Mavitte at (202) 647-2955 or Sharon Papp at (202) 647-8160.

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AFSA NEWS • AUGUST 1995 5

6 AFSANEWS •AUGUST1995

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8 AFSA NEWS • JULY 1995 Unlike most insurancea programs, which refuse to offer coverage at many foreign posts - and others, which charge accordingly - the AFSA Personal Insurance

NAME Plan will insure you and your

.* effects no matter where you ADDRESS go outside the United States. And that protection comes at the same low rate everywhere, For more information and an application, return this form via mail or fax, or call our AFSA desk directly for immediate answers to your questions. world-wide. The AFSA AFSA DESK • THE HIRSHORN COMPANY 14 EAST HIGHLAND AVENUE • PHILADELPHIA, PA I9I18 PHONE: 215.242.8200 // 800.242.8221 // D.c. AREA: 202.457.0250 • FAX: 215.247.6366 Insurance Plan. No exceptions, no excuses. The AFSA Personal Insurance Plan Focus

INSCRUTABLE IN ROME

BY JAMES F. O’CALLAGHAN

1 he was a first-tour econ officer and he a “Ms. Ventura,” interrupted die DCM. “I myself junior consul, and Brian loved Diana walked LBJ’s beagles in Cairo.” but she spuincd each fond advance. Diana dashed angry eyes at the bespectacled, pot-bel¬ I V Wisdom urged him leave this hopeless lied man at the conference table, and mumbled that State ^ a quest, yet when has love been wise? His probably had no women then. heart was hers from the moment she “This is important,” droned Pre-Pre-Advanceperson. exulted, majestic and beautiful in the Sexual Harassment “The president is very fond of her cat, a gift from the king Workshop, “Any man tries that with me, 1 don’t care if it’s of Siam, as is Mr. White, I mean, Mr. White is also fond the ambassador, I’ll punch him in the mouth!” of the cat. It is important the First Family feel at home as “Noble Diana!” he named her, and Bold! Alive! and much as possible so they can concentrate on dieir official Vibrant! But also Cold and Distant, she changed his name duties. Now dien, Bob, if you’ll continue with the assign¬ to Grief: If love denied is torment, ments?” love despised in Rome is Hell. Surely she needs sympathy now, Venus mocked him from her thou- he drought, and, again, “Faint heart sand statues, and Eros jeered wher¬ ne’er won fair lady.” He overtook ever Brian walked. He might have her in die hall. died for love, wan and wasted on the “Diana!” he cried through the Spanish Steps or drowned in the heavy murmur of bureaucrats. ‘Tough Trevi Fountain where he cast his break. I mean, I wish ... you know.” hopeful coins, but first the gods took “Easy for you to say. You get — pity in their playful Roman way. what’d you get?’ She had stopped, Suspicious Diana frowned on and Brian’s heart leapt: She had never learning, at the second Pre-Pre- asked a personal question before, nor Advance Countdown, that she stood this close. He had not realized would be die Inscrutable Control how blue her eyes were, nor noticed Officer. She turned plainly angry the yellow highlights in her red- when die White House Pre-Pre- blonde hair, nor seen her complexion Advance confirmed tiiat, yes, he was change from alabaster at die forehead referring to tiiat Inscrutable, the to soft rose petal on die cheeks. president’s cat. “I said, ‘What’d you get?” ‘Tou wouldn’t assign a man to babysit a cat!” “Me? Luggage. I got luggage.” “Oh.” She started down the hall again. Janies F. O’Callaghan is director of the American “It might not be so bad,” he offered. “You might get to Republics branch of the Fulhright program at the U. S. meet the president!” Information Agency in Washington. He has served in “Sure, as Kitty Litter Control Officer.” She walked Italy, Uruguay, Chile and Ecuador. faster.

36 FOREIGN SERVICE J OU RN AL/AU G U ST 1995 Focus

Venus mocked him from her thousand statues, and Eros jeered wherever Brian walked. He might have died for love, but first the gods took pity in their playful Roman way.

He tried to keep up, but the slow, fat bureaucrats but I found him on the list. Only it’s Howard Simpson.” made it impossible. He reached the elevator as she ‘That must be some communicator or something! THIS squeezed into the last space. Simpson is at Villa Tavema! TA-VER-NA! Capeesh? That’s ‘They say it’s a really nice cat,” he said feebly, as the the president’s chief of staff! She stays with the president! door shut. You get that suitcase to the residence RIGHT NOW!” “YOU DON’T HAVE TO SHOUT!” Brian shouted. The huge airplane crawled loudly across the tarmac, “I’ll handle it. But all the Tavema stuff was supposed to drowning out the sound of applause. Dignitaries be separate.” scurried to look dignified, and Security to secure, “Yeah, I know, I know.” George sounded repentant. and Brian jumped into the truck to join the fleet of vehi¬ “But someone screwed up and I’ve got the ambassador cles swarming around the plane. As in the practice drills, on my back.” they reached the cargo door in precisely one minute and “O.K., George. No problem.” 12, just as the crew secured the conveyer belt. As he walked quickly to the motor pool Brian con¬ Each piece of luggage would have the owners name and soled himself that he might see her at the residence, both hotel assignment, and Brian had only to see that they were of them insignificant among the VIPs. They’d trade air¬ loaded in the right sequence: Hotel Excelsior last, because port stories and laugh together. He mused on possibilities first off. He reminded the crew to double-check every¬ in die car, even as a red-eyed Howard Simpson thing, for even though the luggage of tire really important denounced the injustice of being awakened, at this hour, people was going by other means to Villa Tavema, the by some idiot who couldn’t read tags. ambassador’s-residence-made-temporary-White-House, a Where presidents sleep, no underling may drive; thus misplaced suitcase here could mean a sub-secretary’s wear¬ Brian afoot endured die Secret Service, their ID checks ing a rumpled suit to the Quirinale. The horrified FSNs and suitcase search and consultation with “Control.” He sorted the bags quickly and truly and well, as Brian dealt gladly left behind their stony faces — implacable as angels with incomplete or missing tags; consulting his room list he barring Eden — to walk the long and lovely tree-lined dri¬ deduced the missing information and directed firmly, veway to the villa. City noises faded and died, returning the “Excelsior!” or “Ambassador!” or “Europa!” perfumed night to primordial peace and promise. In precisely 22 minutes they were racing for Rome And suddenly, she was there, her still form white mar¬ behind the flashing lights of the carabinieri. And she was ble by moonlight, as if some jealous god had turned her ahead in the darkness: the White House luggage, includ¬ to stone rather than lose her to Time! But then she ing tire cat, had left almost at once. But he would catch moved gracefully toward a bush and bent down, and he up with her somewhere, somehow, and sometime she heard her say, “Here, kitty, kitty.” would be kind. “Diana,” he called softly. He was boarding the shuttle for home when his cellu¬ She turned. “Brian! How you doing?” lar- telephone beeped. He thought he would die. “Brown! Where’s Simpsons luggage?” “Fine, fine. And you, look...” He must not offend. “Simpson?” Brian repeated. ‘Tou look for the cat. Yes?” “Right. GLORIA Simpson, White House chief of “Yeah. The First Gentleman was real specific: staff. Don’t tell me you’ve never HEARD OF HER!” ‘Inscrutable needs his walk. Inscrutable doesn’t like a “Sure, George ... Sure, the Europa. That one didn’t leash!”’ She mimicked the famous voice. “And now have the right tag, just a sort of leather personal thing — Inscrutable has hid somewhere. Great.”

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 37 Focus

“Diana...” “What’d I do?” asked Brian. What?’ “Come on, we’ve got to find it.” “Oh, nothing. I just wanted to say, I really like that Instead of cats, diey found Secret Service agents, who name.” told their lapels to “be advised two embassy personnel “Inscrutable? Good name for a Siamese, I guess. report Saratoga missing,” which brought dozens of people Except it’s racist. Ah, there he is.” from die residence. A tall woman, who identified herself as The biggest cat Brian had ever seen strode across the Gloria Simpson, took a radio from an agent and began patch of grass, its tail high in die air and its sharply-point¬ barking orders. The ground lights came on and, organized ed ears testing the four directions. by a dozen conflicting voices, diplomats and drivers and “Big sucker, isn’t he?’ asked Diana. cooks and agents spread out to search the spacious gar¬ Brian nodded, afraid to speak and not to speak, lest he dens. break diis magic moment in which fair Diana spoke him Brian and Diana avoided the hostile sleepy eyes all fair. “Big,” he croaked. around them, but no one said anything except Simpson, “Bet he’d eat diese Roman cats alive.” who demanded, “Where’s my suitcase?’ before she disap¬ Perhaps in that moonlit circle words had power to sum¬ peared. No one else dared disappear and they wandered mon, for at tiiat moment a Roman cat appeared from some through the night from bush to cranny to shed, until the park or street or ruin. It looked miserably insignificant dawn brought two busloads of sailors and Marines from creeping beneath die manicured bushes, dashing ahead a Naples; soon after, Brian and Diana were sent away. few feet and then crouching fearfully. But Inscrutable The DCM assigned both of them as search part}' found it significant. liaisons “for die duration,” and although not in her party, “Uh-oh,” said Diana. “What kind of cat is diat?” Brian was happy to be out looking for die cat; finding it “Just a regular Roman cat, I guess ... oh. All. I see. “ would win gratitude, perhaps admiration. Perhaps more. Inscrutable on stiff legs stalked the scrawny feline, In any case, it was better to search for cats tiian to placate which began to utter a baby-like wail. White I louse aides or edit transcripts. He even enjoyed his “Oh hell,” muttered Diana. “We gotta grab him. You widening tour of Rome — by the second afternoon diey cut him off and I’ll sneak up behind him.” had searched from the far end of the Borghese Gardens to “Right.” the Piazza del Popolo —■ except for the grinning Marines Brian moved carefully to place himself between the showing him scrawny cats and asking, “SIR! IS THIS THE Siamese and the Roman cat. The latter stayed frozen while FELINE, SIR?” He’d growl back, “Stow that crap, die former looked up at him indignantiy. Diana crept on Marine!” But he couldn’t stop dieir speculating about “that silent goddess feet toward Inscrutable, who now changed blonde number who screwed up bigtime.” They had no course to maneuver around Brian, who moved right as die right at all to imagine the gratitude of moon-bright Diana. cat moved left, like they were playing one-on-one. He saw her next in twilight, in die embassy parking lot Inscrutable stopped. Brian stopped. Inscrutable right, where the president would greet die staff — an event to Brian left. Diana was almost on him. He moved to his left which even the disgraced were summoned. But his joy at and forward; Brian moved right and backward, and stepped seeing her was chastened by her tired troubled eyes. on somediing soft. A high-pitched eerrooRAWOW! pierced “Maybe I can get a job on one of those tourist buses, his skull as claws raked his ankle. He yelled and jumped and pointing out the Vatican to senior citizens from Des Inscrutable jumped and Diana jumped and something scur¬ Moines,” she said bitterly. ried away, and dien Brian was on Ills back with Diana’s “You’ll never have to do tiiat, Diana.” Promise. elbow on his chest. She held desperately to the Siamese’s tail “All my life I’ll be Diana Ventura, The Woman Who and the cat, looking to escape, scratched its way twice across Lost die Cat.” Brian’s face. Then it turned on Diana, biting her thumb. She You don’t have to be Diana Ventura all your life. screamed and the cat vanished into the darkness. “You know what Bob told me? ‘Find die cat or get on Diana held her wounded right thumb in her left hand die plane.’ Like I’m not miserable enough already, he has and wailed sort of like the cat. “Goddamn homy bastard!” to stomp on my face.”

38 FOREIGN SERVICE J O U RN AL/AU GU ST 1995 Focus

‘Well, he’s the DCM, Diana. It’s his job.” had only to pose the question to answer it. The assembled staffers stirred when a parade of impor¬ “Diana!” he said urgendy. “The Coliseum!” tant paper-carriers emerged from the Consular Section door. Then the ambassador appeared to announce “the The wizened littie guard stepped out of his smoke- president of the United States!” and suddenly she was filled cubicle looking as though he’d been guarding there in the floodlights, the president herself, and the first the place since it opened. As they explained tiieir gendeman! The staff applauded and cheered the familial' mission, his face changed from irritation to puzzlement to faces so long known to all of them. amazement: i signori americani wanted to enter the “Hi! Thanks for being here! Thanks for all your help!” Coliseum now, four hours after it closed, to look for a cat? die president said cheerfully, adding a few words about die “I’m sure die Foreign Minister will be most grateful,” importance of it all, and then she began shaking the wor¬ coaxed Brian. shipful hands introduced to her by the ambassador. As she “But,” asked die guard, “What about die minister of worked the crowd, die line of people collapsed and Beni culturali, eh? The Foreign Ministry doesn’t control reformed and split again. Diana and Brian maneuvered the Coliseum, does it?” backward, trying to escape notice, but it was not their “Oh Brian,” said Diana hopelessly. “That would take week: Suddenly The Hand was extended to Diana and die weeks! And how could he have come this far anyway?” ambassador nervously announced, “Diana Ventura, one of Diana discouraged was more dian he could bear. “Just our young economic officers. “ give me a minute, OK?” “Diana!” smiled the president. “Are you the one —?’ She let out a long sigh and shrugged. “Yes, Ms. President, I’m the one.” Brian smiled wanly at the guard, opened his hands in a “No,” coughed Brian. “Excuse me, Ms. President, I’m Roman gesture and put an arm gentiy on die man’s shoul¬ die one.” der, leading him a few feet away. “Brian Brown,” sighed the ambassador. “Consular officer.” “E lafldanzata,” he confided. “My girlfriend’s heartbro¬ “How sweet,” said the president, looking from Brian to ken about die cat.” Diana and back again. “And I’ll tell you a secret,” she “Ah, poverettal” the old man sighed, looking towards added, leaning close. “I hate diat cat. But find it anyway— her. “And so beautiful!” Pat’s driving me crazy! I’ll be so grateful.” “Yes,” agreed Brian sadly. “But she can’t diink of any¬ And then she was gone. thing until we find it.” “She’ll be ‘so grateful’ that you’ll get double promotions The guard began nodding and moving his right hand or something. Maybe.” Brian spoke cautiously, afraid jerkily up and down, emitting a low melodious sympathet¬ either to dash hope or encourage illusions. ic eeeehhlih. “Va bene, just this once—but don’t take any “Or a job in die White House,” she added dreamily. of die stones!” “I hope it’s not real soon.” He looked at her with all die They stumbled down die wallway to the small viewing pain of separation in his eyes. area and, despite tiieir urgency, stopped to gaze: The moon “Not likely,” she answered harshly, the pain of disillu¬ shone on half the ancient stadium, only to leave die other sion in her own. ‘That cat’s probably dead by now, flat- half in deeper obscurity; the effect was almost musical. tened on die Corso d’ltalia or somewhere.” “Beautiful,” said Diana. “But how will we see a cat?” Brian kept a respectful silence as diey walked slowly “Look,” he whispered. “There’s one — and another. through the tree-lined parking lot. That lousy cat!, he And two more.” thought. It’s somewhere at tins moment. Where? “Well,” On die ruins of die ancient tribunes, and in the niches he asked himself. “Where would I go?” along the wall, and die ledges, and on die stairways which He gazed around die ever-illuminated embassy grounds. had led festive Romans to their seats 1,800 years before, Cats lived here, of course, and in the Villa Borghese; he’d small vague spots of darkness moved cautiously, or jumped, seen them sunning themselves in die Forum and on the bat- or calmly sat and licked themselves. All cats are gray in the tiements of San Angelo Castle. But where would a tomcat moonlight, too, but soon diey could distinguish them by go to find an inexhaustible supply of cats all together? He size at least. None looked half die size of Inscrutable.

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 39 Focus

“He could be out there and we still wouldn’t see him,” other cat. The low wailing grew urgent. complained Diana. “And if he’s down there,” indicating the Brian moved quickly now. What need caution when all blackness of the ancient subterranean passages long since could be lost within minutes? Throwing the bag to Diana exposed to the sky, “we’ll never find him, even if he’s here!” he began climbing, digging Iris fingers into the ancient She seemed on the verge of sobbing. Brian’s own heart wall, scratching for footholds. Tire rough bricks raked Iris ached. He determined to be brave for botli of diem. face and legs, opening old wounds, but he ignored tire “Wait,” he said. “Just wait. Inscrutable isn’t here to pain, concentrating entirely on the wall’s edge, which study architecture. He’ll be moving.” jerked steadily closer. Weary Diana leaned lightly against him as they He could not see the cats but their raucous lovesong searched stones old beyond imagining, bathed in moon¬ guided him truly and well. He slipped, and made a racket light as ancient as time yet always newly arrived to show catching himself, then listened breathlessly. Still the wail¬ lovers in softest light. Perhaps they’d find their prize, per¬ ing. He sighed in relief: One more foothold and Iris head haps not, but for Brian diis moment mattered more than a would pop above the wall. cat or a career. He calculated the cat’s location in relation to his head “He’s there,” she said quiedy, breaking die spell. and hand as he stood up. “Where?” Picture it in your mind, he drought, tike shooting “On the other side, climbing up from the ... locker freethrows. Push up with the left leg, right arm around rooms, or whatever.” the cat, tuck him to your side, and scramble down, In a stadium full of cats, there was no mistaking his pluck him in the sack. Right. He took a deep breath heroic stature and majestic stride, as if he were a waking and pushed up. lion eager for Christian breakfast. Most of the other cats The two of them looked at him in surprise and disgust edged quickly away from him, like waves pushed from the but their shock provided his opportunity: He punched his bow of a warship, but some sat and looked back in coy fist through the air and wrapped it around the Siamese in admiration. Inscrutable studied them appraisingly. one motion, then felt for the foothold below. But ‘You go that way,” whispered Brian, pointing with the Inscrutable was no longer in shock. gunny sack. She nodded. They really do go for your throat, Brian thought in It wasn’t easy picking a route through the maze of amazement. Even a damned housecat. He tinned his face ruined walls and bleachers. Sometimes they had to jump away and held as tightly as he dared — Inscrutable dead carefully over chasms tiirough which lions and gladiators solved no problems. But the ungrateful beast reached once passed and then look quickly again for tiieir moving across somehow to draw deep gouges in Brian’s left hand, prey, for Inscrutable had set his own course toward a gray causing him to lose his grip, and his balance. He landed shadow 10 feet above him, which jumped from one stone backwards on something hard and jagged; despite the pain to another, wailing as Inscrutable closed. Brian willed tire spreading from head to hips to feet, he rejoiced that he Roman cat to cooperate, to occupy the single-minded vis¬ could now use two hands to control the demonic thing on itor just long enough. his chest. Their progress described a str ange clock-like dance to “Put him in! Put him in, quick!” Diana rushed to his tire cats singing as Diana and Brian, tire hands, moved side, holding open the sack. ar ound the face of the Coliseum to Inscrutable’s noon. The Brian rolled to his left, pushed Inscrutable deep into female reached tire outer wall as Brian and Diana closed die sack and let go as Diana closed it. As he squeezed his behind the Siamese, which seemed to lose patience. hands out, the cat got in some final shots at his fingers. Brian got the sack ready. The female could go no fur¬ “We did it!” Diana announced happily, tying the sack. ther: Inscrutable and he crept forward together — and ‘Yes,” he moaned. “We did.” As he sat up he heard then she jumped, somehow elevating herself 10 feet onto strange clicking noises in his neck and back. tire top of the wall. Brian cursed but Inscrutable seemed “You son-of-a-bitch,” she smiled, holding up the sack neither surprised nor concerned; surveying tire distance which twisted and hissed. casually, he jumped himself, landing within two feet of the As Brian stood up his ribs seemed to grate. “Ooo-ahh!”

40 FOREIGN SERVICE J O U RN AL/AU G U ST 1995 Focus

Brian groaned, standing up shakily. Placing his rough hand gendy on her white hand, he “You O.K.?’ she asked, putting down die sack. choked, “Diana, I think — I know, I’m ... in, like, love. Widi He gazed at her gratefully, saying, “Sure. Just a scratch.” you.” “Hey, good job getting die cat, Brian. Thanks.” Her eyes dashed recognition, or perhaps confirma¬ All the pain disappeared. It dissolved away like the heat tion, as if she saw now clearly what she felt but did not of a summers day when sun gives way to moon, and soft understand before. A smile played on her lips as she seaborne breezes chase away the dust and noise of noon. watched his hand gently slide up her arm, as if he had She had seen; she knew; she cared. He looked on her face awakened some primal memory deep in her modem in the moonlight and thought it wonderful diat he had woman’s heart, and transformed fond fantasy to frank found future happiness in this site of ancient suffering. proud desire which demanded satisfaction here and “Diana,” he said hoarsely, “I’m just glad ... just glad I now without fear or guilt or shame. She pulled her could do it. For you.” hand gently away from his, pivoted slightly toward her “Oh,” she said, surprised, looking at him again in a dif¬ right, and then swung back gleefully to punch him in ferent way. the mouth. “I mean, diese have been die happiest hours of my life, Brian fell back over a low wall and sprawled among Diana. Being widi you, I mean.” the ruins, staring vaguely past Diana frozen in triumph, She continued to gaze at him, her lips parting slighdy. toward the upper wall of the Coliseum, at cats. They The moonlight reflected off her alabaster forehead and in returned bored glances: Cruelty was nothing novel her blue eyes, and her dainty hand shone as white as die here, nor harsh justice, nor the decline and fall of stone on which it lay. He could contain himself no more: empires. ■

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AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 41 Focus

THE DOLL

BY FRANCES M. KNOWLES

he first I ever heard of die colonel matter of much urgency. They met for dinner the follow¬ and his wife came about when my ing evening, during the course of which the colonel relat¬ T husband proposed, midway dur¬ ed this heart-wrenching tale: A few years after the end of ing our home leave in late 1957, die war, the colonel’s infant daughter, bom after almost 12 that I accompany him to Macy’s in years of a childless marriage, had died. She had been ail¬ New York City to advise him ing since her birth, suffering from a heart problem regarding die purchase of a doll. “A doll?” his parents untreatable in 1948. Although the prognosis was terminal, and I chorused simultaneously. “For whom?” the colonel and his wife never gave up hope, tending to “For an acquaintance. ... A colonel... in die Japan Self- that baby every minute of every day during the four Defense Force.” They had been introduced by a mutual months she clung to life. friend at a males-only social function. After exchanging call¬ When the infant finally succumbed, his wife was incon¬ ing cards — a ritual among men in solable, withdrawing into a world of Japan — they had a spirited conver¬ her own, wanting litde contact widi sation, each taking an immediate lik¬ him and none at all with their family ing to die other. When the colonel and friends. It was not until the early suggested they meet again, my hus¬ 1950s that he came into possession band endiusiastically agreed, stipulat¬ of an American-made doll — a pink- ing, however, that such a meeting and-white, chubby, baby doll with must be postponed until after the first blue eyes that opened and closed, of the year, for he was to leave Tokyo flexible arms tuid legs, a rotating the following week for home leave head, and — the colonel bragged — where he would join me. I had pre¬ die ability to trigger little “mama” ceded him to the United States to cries when it was held in a certain spend time widi my ailing father. My position. His wife’s recovery from her husband happened to mention that depression, the colonel said, was his hometown was a few miles from instantaneous from the moment he New York City. had put that baby doll into her anus. Two days prior to his departure, For all the years since, she had cared my husband received a telephone call from die colonel, for die doll as though it were her own dead baby, dressing who pleaded for an appointment to discuss a personal it, bathing it, talking to it, pretending to feed it, and mus¬ ing it when she thought it was ill. The outside world, even Frances Knowles is a Foreign Service spouse whose the couples families, knew nodiing of the doll. The husband John was posted twice to Tokyo, Kuala colonel said he was telling his secret to my husband Lumpur, Sapporo, Wellington, and twice to Okinawa, because of a favor he was about to ask. where he was consul general. She is finishing two nov¬ Lately, the colonel confided, he had become con¬ els, and this is her first published story. cerned about his wife. She was sinking into another

42 FOREIGN SERVICE IO U RN AL/AUG V ST 1995 Focus

The colonel pleaded for an appointment with my husband to discuss a personal matter of much urgency. The following evening, the colonel related this heart-wrenching tale. deeper, more severe depression than her previous one, claiming diat the baby she had tended during the past I had all but forgotten tire colonel and his accursed five years should have grown some by now, but that the doll during the passage across the Pacific. But even doll was still infant size. The colonel had seen some¬ before the door closed behind us in tire genkan or where — who knew where — a New York City Macy’s foyer of our Japanese-style house, tire maid, Kiku-san, advertisement depicting a doll that resembled a little girl informed my husband that a man, identifying himself as and he thought it the perfect replacement for the baby a colonel and a personal friend, had been telephoning doll, in which his wife was showing less and less interest. every day for tire past week, sometimes twice a day, to Since my husband had mentioned he would be staying ascertain whether or not we had returned home. It was near New York City, would he be kind enough to pur¬ imperative, she emphasized, that danna-san (the master chase this doll and bring it back to Tokyo? My husband of tire house) return the colonel’s calls immediately, for said he could do nothing but agree to the mans request. it was a matter of utmost importance. “And you’re going to do it? Buy a doll that looks like I heard my husband’s part of that telephone conver¬ a little girl? Prolong that poor woman’s fantasy?” I asked, sation, which was in Japanese, and the word “footlocker” disbelieving that he would actually be a part}’ to such mentioned several times. When he hung up, he looked mischief. pensive. “The colonel’s wife is seriously depressed. She’s “I promised,” was his answer. neglecting her baby — I mean the doll! Hasn’t fed or “Well, I’ll have nothing to do with it. The woman is bathed it in a week or more. The colonel’s very worried.” obviously demented and tire colonel sounds as though he “He should be wonied about being worried that Iris could benefit from a session with a psychiatrist himself,” wife is neglecting a doll! And I’m wonied that you’re wor¬ I said. But, despite my objections he did go to Macy’s, ried about the colonel being worried!” 1 snapped at him. returning in mid-afternoon carrying a cumbersome box. “I hope that footlocker gets here soon.” He wanted me to look at the doll to see if it did, indeed, “So do I! Most of our winter clothes are in it!” meet tire colonel’s requirements, but I refused to even “We can always buy new clothes,” he answered. “But peek at tire thing, and tire box was never opened. the doll —” Our home leave nearly at an end, we repacked our “Forget that doll! Forget the colonel and Iris dement¬ footlocker which we planned to forward to Tokyo a week ed wife!” prior to our departure with the hope that it would arrive But my husband was unable to forget. He made a there at about tire same time we did. The doll and its box nuisance of himself, telephoning a staff member in the weighed only a few pounds and fit perfectly into the foot¬ embassy office that handled such matters as incoming locker, but it took up so much space that we were obliged overseas baggage to ascertain when he might expect to purchase another suitcase to accommodate the over¬ delivery of the footlocker. At last, 12 days after our flow of our personal belongings. This extra bag and its return, he was informed that it had arrived and we could contents, when added to our other baggage, put us over expect to receive it on Wednesday, two days hence. That tire weight limit, thereby requiring a hefty sum to be paid night my husband called the colonel with the good news. to tire airline. We flew to San Francisco, boarded a “I’ve invited tire colonel and Iris wife to come here on President Line ship and sailed to Yokohama via Honolulu. Thursday, about 4 o’clock. Is that all right with you?” To be honest, I harbored no small amount of ill will “Thursday? I’ll tell Kiku-san to prepare something. I toward tire colonel for these unnecessary expenditures. might not be here. I don’t really want to meet the colonel and his goofy wife,” I said.

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 43 Focus

“Please don’t be so hard-hearted. It means a lot to the it; it is insignificant.” We all sat down. Kiku-san brought in man.” die refreshments. I poured coffee, proffered die plate of “Hard-hearted? I’m not hard-hearted! I’m sensible! sweets while the colonel, my husband, and I made inane No couple in the whole world would spend all these years conversation about the miserable Tokyo weather, the devoting their time and energy rearing a doll! For Gods number of days it took a body to readjust to the time dif¬ sake, face reality. A colonel, a bona fide colonel, aiding and ference between Japan and the United States when one abetting his wife into believing sbe’s caring for a baby, a flew, but how fortunate my husband and I were to be five, honest-to-goodness baby! It’s wicked. Do we have a spared that problem having come by sea, and how we all baby? No, we don’t. What if I bought a doll and began looked forward to spring. The colonels wife spoke not a mothering it? You’d put me in a loony bin!” word. She sat on die edge of her chair, her hands folded “No, not if it was your only solace,” he said in such an in her lap, her eyes riveted to the floor. anguished voice, I melted. Even now, some diree and a half decades later, “All right then. I’ll be here. I’ll play the game. But I’m aldiough I’ve forgotten their surname, I can visualize the still dubious. What happens when the colonel’s wife colonel and his wife as they looked that day. She was a thinks this new doll should have grown up? Will you go glum-faced, slighdy buck-toothed, diminutive woman in back to Macy’s and buy a full-size mannequin for her?” her mid-forties, with a sallow complexion, black hair I le didn’t answer me. rolled into a loose chignon, attired in a dark brown kimono, a somber grayish obi wrapped around her waist, The front gate bell ground out its alert at pre¬ and immaculate white tabi on her feet. The colonel, con¬ cisely 4 o’clock on the appointed day. The doll versely, was a head taller than his wife, robust, with high in its box stood in the far corner of the fixing color, affable, and handsome widi graying hair plastered room. The day was sunless, damp, cold, and gloomy: down with a sickening sweet-smelling pomade. He must funereal weather. All the lamps were fit and the gas have been older than his wife, as are most Japanese men stove, our sole source of heat, glowed red. The maid older than their spouses, but he looked years younger. I ran — she always ran — from the genkan around the remember thinking drat the colonel’s wife was one of the house to receive the callers. My husband and I stood at most unattractive Japanese women I had ever seen and the window watching them as they made their way up wondering how he, so pleasing to look at in his well-tai¬ the xvinding path: the colonel walking, military style, lored dark gray suit, white shirt, and dark blue tie, had shoulders back, immediately behind the maid, while ever coupled himself with her. his wife, somewhat hunched over, followed. The visi¬ “And your vacation in America. How was it?” the tors carried umbrellas, for tire sky looked ominous. colonel asked me in English. We greeted our guests in the tiny genkan with the “Very enjoyable,” I replied. obligatory bows which were returned two-fold. The maid “And how is your father? Your husband, I recall, said relieved them of their coats, footwear was exchanged for your fatirer was not well and you were visiting him for a felt slippers, and the visitors stepped up into the living few months.” room. I was introduced, first to tire colonel and then to his “His health is improving,” I answered. “Thank you for wife, and then my husband was introduced to die colonel’s asking.” For the next 15 minutes or so, we chit-chatted, wife, or vice versa; I was so tense I can’t remember pre¬ my husband to the colonel’s wife in Japanese, she never cisely. The wife handed me a small, nicely wrapped pack¬ looking directiy at him, answering his questions in the age and indicated, by a gesture of her hand, diat I might Japanese equivalent of, “Yes, that is so,” or some such. The like to open it. Two dainty little handkerchiefs, with a “K” colonel and I spoke in English, his intelligible but some¬ embroidered in the comers brought forth an appreciative what stilted. Still, I thought him charming. “Ah” from me. “My wife, she make diem for you,” the My husband had just about exhausted I ns repertoire of colonel said in English. male-to-female small talk witii the colonel’s wife. He looked I bowed and thanked her profusely. She returned die at his watch. “Colonel,” he said in Japanese, “It’s getting on bow gracefully, mumbling the customary, “Don’t mention to 5 o’clock. How about switching to something more than

44 FOREIGN SERVICE J O U RN Ah! AUCU ST 1995 Focus

coffee? Would you join me in a drink?” The colonel’s face his glass down did he rise and carry the box to his wife. He broke into a broad grin, his eyes almost disappearing as his placed it in front of her and she bowed her head in thanks, substantial cheeks ballooned. He nodded enthusiastically. not looking at him. He smiled at her. “Open it! Open it,” “And as for you,” my husband addressed the colonel s wife, he urged. When she made no move to do so, he said, “Do “may I get you something? Sherry? Sake? Scotch?’ you want me to open it for you?” She shook her head no. The colonel put up his hand. “Don’t even ask her. “Then open it! Pull the string, take off the paper and She’s quite content with coffee. She doesn’t drink alcohol, look inside,” he commanded, resuming his seat. Ever so none at all, not even a sip of beer,” he explained. “But, of slowly she did exactly that: First die string was untied and course, I do, maybe too much sometimes.” He leaned rolled up, then, carefully, the Macy’s paper was removed, toward his wife. In a gentle, cajoling voice, different from folded neatly and set at her feet and finally the cover of his conversational tone, almost as though he were speak¬ die box was lifted. The rustling of tissue paper in which ing to a child, he asked her, “Isn’t that right? Don’t you die doll was wrapped and the hissing kettle on die gas often tell me so, that I have a tendency to drink too stove were die only sounds in die room. much?’ Her lips parted into the smallest of a smile and “Oooh,” she whispered. “Oooh.” The colonel got up her head bobbed up and down. and walked the few steps to stand at her side. She Another 30 minutes passed. The colonel looked about looked up at him and her little, homely face changed as the room and spied the box in the far comer. “About that she smiled her thanks. favor I asked of you,” he said to my husband. The box was “Do you like her?” he asked in a soft voice. retrieved from its resting place and set down next to the “Subarashi! Subarashi\” she answered. colonel’s chair. Not until he had finished his drink and set “My wife tiiinks she is beautiful. Very beautiful,” he

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AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 45 Focus

interpreted for me. His wife finally lifted the doll from its hearty nose-blowing in the bathroom went unnoticed by container. The thing appeared to be a few inches above die colonel and his wife who appeared to be aware of two feet tall but with its blond Shirley Temple curls and nodiing but each other and the doll. When I could focus the blue bow pimied over them, it seemed taller. On its my eyes again, I saw the colonel bent over, holding the feet were white socks and black patent leather Mary dolls arms, as one would do when helping a child take its Janes. Its lips, in a perpetual smile, were painted red and first steps, guiding the tiling along die carpet. His wife little white teeth showed between them. There were dim¬ clapped her hands as diough encouraging die doll to walk ples in its pink cheeks. It wore a blue velvet dress, the on its own. She, for die first time since her arrival, looked shade matching its thickly lashed eyes, which opened and me directly in the eyes. She was beaming. She rose, closed flirtatiously when its head was moved. On one bowed to me not once, but three or four times and said in chubby wrist was a bead bracelet while a miniature velvet Japanese, “Thank you! Thank you very much! I am so purse dangled from the other. She caressed the dolls grateful to you.” cheeks, fondled the curls, peeked under the skirt, set the I made a dismissive gesture, replying, hypocritically thing on the floor in front of her where it stood for a few “Oh no. Don’t even mention it. It was nodiing. Nodiing at seconds and then she lifted it, enfolded it in her arms and all.” hugged it to her flat chest. She rocked widi it, from side to When my husband reappeared, I could see diat he had side, murmuring unintelligible words into its blond curls. splashed water on his face mid eyes, for his shirt was spot¬ That pitiful gesture brought tears to my eyes so that I ted, and he was now completely composed. was temporarily blinded. My husband was so overcome, The colonel returned the doll to Ills wife’s lap. “Look he bolted from the room. The sounds of coughing and how happy diat woman of mine is!” he said, gesturing KEEPING YOU ON TRACK! ZORITA 8L RICHARD SIMUNEK Top 1% Nationwide i 1 i □ I would like to know how much home I can afford to buy. ! □ I would like a FREE MARKET ANALYSIS of how much my home is worth, j i □ I am interested in the following information: i AREA? □ Virginia □ District of Columbia □ Maryland j TYPE OF HOME? □ Single Detached House □ Townhouse □ Condo j ! NUMBER OF BEDROOMS? Price Range? $ | ! NEIGHBORHOODS? Please specify | I NAME i I ADDRESS i l CITY STATE ZIP I l l ATTN: Zorita and Richard Simunek Long & Foster Realtors Long & Foster Realtors 4600 Lee Highway 5101 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Arlington, VA 22207 Washington, DC 20016 FOSTER (703) 284-9365 (202) 296-4304 t£r REALTORS' Fax: (202) 659-0998 Fax: (202) 659-0998

46 FOREIGN SERVICE J O U RN AL/AU GU ST 1995 Focus

toward her. “I know how it will be! Shell start making or two. A piece of paper was handed over — the receipt clothes for the little one the minute she gets home and from Macy’s, I surmised — and the colonel looked at it, that will keep her so busy, she’ll have no time to shop or removed an envelope from his pocket, checked its con¬ prepare my meals or keep the house in order. I’ll be com¬ tents, and placed it on a shelf of the bookcase. pletely ignored. Isn’t that so?” he asked her. His wife gave the doll another hug then carefully laid it “You!” she said reprovingly and grinned at him. She in the box, fidgeted with its dress, covered it with the tis¬ was not so homely when she smiled. Not so homely at all. sue paper, rewrapped the box in its Macy’s paper, tied the “Well,” the colonel said after another few minutes had string around it and rose. She bowed several times as did passed, “this has been a momentous day. I know I also the colonel. My husband and I saw the guests to the speak for my wife when I tell you how appreciative we are genkan door where they dropped their slippers, the for your kindness to us.” He made a slight bow to my hus¬ colonel putting on his shoes and his wife slipping her feet band. “It was providence that brought us together, I think. into her zori. The maid helped them into their coats. The little one,” and he gestured toward tire doll, “is even Another round of bows and they were gone. We watched more beautiful than I’d hoped for.” Then in English he them as they made their way toward the front gate and the said, “Perhaps it was your good wife who chose her?” He street, Kiku-san, with a flashlight illuminating the path, in looked to me for confirmation. I forced my lips into a the lead, the colonel, clasping the unwieldy box in his smile, neither agreeing nor denying that I had participat¬ arms, right behind her, and the colonel’s wife, carrying ed in its purchase. “Now it’s time for us to be on our way.” their umbrellas, in the rear. They saw us at the lighted He motioned to my husband and both men adjourned to window and bowed several times. We waved goodbye. We the far side of the room where they talked for a moment never saw either one of them again. ■ The Remington Fits Your Washington Schedule.

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AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 47 Focus

AN EGG FOR BREAKFAST

BY EDWARD ]. CVETAN

ach evening Musick Mikaush had empty shell, and with friendly enthusiasm, cariy it, cra¬ prayed to Our Blessed Mother dled in his mouth, and drop it at the steel toes of a mil¬ E that the chickens in the unused itary patrol? roof cistern would not be discov¬ How does one pray for protection against some¬ ered, that their innocent noises, thing that could not happen but inexplicably does? their clucking and the lone-crow- Soon, in the bleached dawn, the military contingent ing of his one rooster wouldn’t betray him. Every will come, five or six, out of formation and dressed in morning when the sun sent its tender arms around the wrinkled olive drab. Musick has watched them each callused land, the cock unruffled his feathers and morning since the revolution and prayed whenever crowed. It was a happy sound not even Musick could neighbors were pulled from their home and marched hear, for he had chinked the old walls so that no sound in front of the squad. Never again to be seen. from the cistern could reach the The squad leader is Suskow, an military men on the ground. owl-faced man, his age too young Now Musick regretted that his and at the same time too old to fervent heavenly pleas had not guess. He wears a saber. It is covered all eventualities. He sheathed in heavy leather tooled should have prayed for his dog, with howling silver wolves and two too. He should have implored dingy tassels knotted at its throat. heaven to protect him from this At each step, the saber slaps his dog he called Ferdie, the constant knee. Suskow wears the Order of companion that followed his eveiy the Twelve High, an orange star, step, and looked to him time after on his tunic and this alone is rea¬ time, as if asking questions Musick son to fear him. would guess at and take time to When this detachment reaches answer in childlike tones. Musick Mikaush s old door it will Yet, how could Musick have stop and die coarse, hob-nailed thought to pray for the dog when boots of the five or six will rasp on he had no idea that Ferdie’s ani¬ the gravel. Because these men are mal ignorance would prompt the dog to take up the bored widi the routine duty they must perform — arresting those who are known free-thinkers and, Edward J. Cvetan is a retired Foreign Service staff officer therefore, capable of being anarchists — they are for State. He served at 10 missions, primarily in Europe impatient and that gives them the nerve to say dirty and the Hear East. His last assignment, before retiring in things to each other about Suskow. The squad leader 1983, was Djakarta. This story is based on an idea that will curse them. “Quiet, you fools!” germinated during a 1979 visit to an illegal fanner’s mar¬ He will toss his head, which looks so much like a ket near U.S. Embassy Moscow. night predators. The men know what will happen if

48 FOREIGN SERVICE J OU RN AL/AU G U ST 1995 Focus

How does one p ray for protection against something that could not happen but inexplicably does?

they persist. They will hold their tongues and their than a year. The king hung from the church spire in uneasy boots will be quiet. Suskow will clench a fist, the square to remind the people they had new rulers. bring it down on Musick’s door, hammer until the Alongside, the village priest was hanged, still in his planks threaten to separate from their ancient spikes cassock. and cast hinges. “Hey!” Suskow will shout. “Traitor of Raptors stripped the bones of these two martyrs. the people, show us your soiled backside.” Today they are weathered skeletons dangling from tire Inside, Musick will cringe and wish he had the tarnished cross of tire church whose once sacred struc¬ courage to be self-disposed and to have die bravery to ture is defiled by dirty words and obscene markings. open die door and face Suskow’s fearsome scowl. But When the wind blows from the north the martyrs rat¬ Musick knows he is not courageous or brave. He will tle against tire spire and villagers murmur that God is shiver and will be immobilized as he imagines what talking to them. will happen when Suskow breaks down the door. “listen!” they admonish their young ones. “Pay atten¬ “Hey, you, Musick Mikaush. You want it should go tion!” they warn. On tire day the kings army lost its final hard on you? Traitor! Show yourself before I break in battle the new rulers held a contest. The first person who the door.” put a stone in the glorious rosette window just above tire Musick knows this will happen to him and Musick great church doors would be called a state hero. A medal also knows he will be taken away and he will disappear would be awarded in the town square and every other cit¬ so that no one he knows will see him again. He has izen would have to bow to that person. seen this unholy scene acted out on his neighbors, The rosette window wreathed Christ fir His agony who, like him, had scorned or violated the decrees of of contemplation at Gethsemane. The wondering citi¬ the conquering regime. zens thronged in the square revered the church but He thinks of valiant Drezda, the bent great-grand¬ were too frightened to protest. They formed small mother who had lived next door. She had made a gift knots. Some were so nervous they giggled, but most of a basket of potatoes, laced with Paris green, and were morose. Women, some in aprons, and one, inter¬ delivered them herself to the palace gate. One of the rupted fir bread making, hands white with flour, made Twelve Most High died and two others were gravely ill their signs of the cross. Men were seen striking their for days. Musick watched through cracks of his bolted breasts. School boys, ambitious to have fun no matter upstairs shutters as Suskow’s group dragged her from how serious the proceedings, chased each other her small cottage. An hour later shots rang out from around the square. One boy, the town bully, shouted a the palace courtyard. boast: He could hit that window from a mile away. An edict was announced: Every citizen was “Oh, yeah?” his companions taunted. They dared required to show respect to the Twelve Most High by him to try. A woman in the crowd, the bully’s mother, spitting on Drezdas corpse. How his spine had iced shoved through the crowd and tweaked his ear. and pained when he forced himself to spit! He had “Don’t you dare,” she said. knelt, his way of apologizing, knowing she’d under¬ The gang of boys roamed to the other side of the stand how he detested what he had to do. square where Musick stood with his neighbor, an 80- The morning he awakened and learned their hum¬ year-old man. ble king was gone and new leaders were in power The citizens stood around and waited. The church seemed incredibly long ago, although it had been less had been there before any one of them, had guided

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 49 Focus

them past the sign posts of life: births, baptisms, con¬ one but instead it made some think that hitting the win¬ fessions, communions, romances, marriages, deaths. dow was a game of skill. Excitement mounted; some in It was their companion and their confidante to the the crowd began to shout; others wept. day they died. They did not doubt that what tire church Still others, mostly boys but also a few men, wanted said about everlasting life was truth. They believed they to be the first to score. Stones clattered like scattered would look back from a better world and see their loved hailstones from the spire, from around the window; one ones and friends left behind. They had faith that from even from the doorway of the church, so far from its diis other world drey would watch while their aban¬ mark that the one who hurled it was jeered. doned earth-body was anointed, mourned and buried in Then one found its mark. A soldier bet Musick’s the church yard. neighbor, the SO-year-old man, that he was too old to For a time nothing happened. Not one of the citizens throw a stone that far. The man took the offered stone threw a stone. They wanted the rosette window saved and heaved it. It was the only stone he needed. It for their childrens children. They needed the destroyed the window The very center — Christs face anguished countenance of Jesus Christ to remain, to bathed in celestial light — shattered. show future generations how to respect God in prayer. Two soldiers paraded the man around the square on Then from the depths came a stone. their shoulders. Women hissed and men scowled. It hit the front of the church, clattered away and did¬ Musick’s neighbor swore at them all, but that night he n’t damage the window. Someone whispered that the hanged himself in the nave, his noose slung from around stone was thrown by one of the conquering soldiers. the right arm of his crucified Savior. The brass hero There were gasps. That stone should have been the only- medal dangled from his breast and glared at the people. Security you can count on for your financial well-being. When you’re living abroad, State Department Federal Credit Union can help you and your family manage your finances. We offer a wide range of loans and credit plans with competitive rates and convenient repayment options. SDFCU offers low-rate personal and car loans, education and home equity loans, MasterCard, mortgages and more. Call our 24-hour rate line at 703-706-5000 or 800-296-8882 for more information. Contact us for a LOANLINER® application, free “Overseas Service Guide” or “Member Service Guide.” If you’re calling from overseas, please let our staff know and you’ll receive priority service. If you’re an embassy or consulate employee, cable the credit union, or see your SDFCU liaison. Our financial services can make a world of difference to you and your family.

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Now the hearts of the people are full of fear and as detachment would march with their orders. empty of love as the hollow church. Morning showed itself with mere gray streaks. Musick shivered. Tomorrow the reassuring comfort Musick made a hole in the small end of the egg, of his old oaken door would be violated. It was dark sucked at the smooth insides. It was a luxurious meal. without a moon and Musick could hear tire slaps of the A regal meal. No wonder the Twelve Most High had boots of the soldier on the comer as he made his imposed the penalty of death on anyone bold enough rounds. Musick slept a while, was awakened by to steal an egg from the state. Ferdie’s nose. The dog was anxious for the day to He returned the empty egg shell to the chickens, begin. then bolted the cistern door as if that could keep the Musick rose and lighted the old stove. The strong chickens safe from the military men. blue smoke of horse chips made his nostrils twitch. He In the street came the pounding of boots on pave¬ put a shallow pan of water on the fire and climbed the ment. These sounds, common each morning, com¬ cistern steps. Ferdie followed close at his heels. manded the streets discreet attention. From behind By the thin light of starting dawn, Musick searched shutters the people watched as Suskows cadence the roost. The dog, his ribs smooth and even beneath brought his detachment closer, then, if one was lucky, his tight fur, waited at the door. His tail hugged his past their door. flanks as he waited. Musick reached for the dog. Ferdie s nose came A mile away, from the military barracks, a bugle into his palm. He held the dog’s muzzle in the quiet sounded. The Home Guard would now be filing out¬ way he had of showing his love. The dog’s breath was side to stand muster. A few minutes later, Suskows slow and even on Musick’s skin. ■

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AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 51 Focus

WANDERINGS OF A COUCH POTATO

AN ARMCHAIR TRAVELER’S GUIDE To THE BEST NEW FOREIGN TRAVEL BOOKS

BY KAREN KREBSBACH

awn. Stretch. Yawn. As usual, hotels and restaurants; budget for price variances; adapt to muggy Washington summers just European tastes; avoid tire tourist centers; swallow your Y make me wanna curl up under my pride and save money; and be a good guest. His philoso¬ beach umbrella and read. And, as phy is simple: “A tight budget forces you to travel close to millions of Americans pack suit¬ the ground, meeting and communicating with the people, cases and verify flight schedules not relying on service with a purchased smile. Never sac¬ for dieir annual foreign sojourns, this weary tourist- rifice sleep, nutrition, safety or cleanliness in the name of wannabe is gonna relax and read herself around the budget. Simply enjoy tire local-style alternatives to hotels world. and restaurants.” Smart and funny, this well-organized As usual, books about Europe top the lists as guide is useful even for tire non-budget conscious. Americans’ most popular tourist destination, with hun¬ Thinking about returning to Europe after many, many dreds of new books out this year years? You might prepare yourself alone. George and La Verne with Elaine Kendalls Seeing Europe Fergusons 19th edition of Europe Again ... Confessions of a First by Eurail (Globe Pequot Press) is World Traveler (Capra Press), a jammed with schedules of training it witty', if uneven, collection of “con¬ through 23 cities in 17 countries via fessions,” as she calls them, drat the various Eurailpasses. Though cover the basics of travel, including useful for its train culture — it even how to read the ads: “‘Cozy,’ ‘tran¬ carries maps of innercity subways of quil’ and ‘centrally located’ might most capitals — the guide isn’t com¬ well be ‘cramped,’ ‘nothing do do’ prehensive in any other way. Most and ‘smog and noisy motorcycles’.” photos are out of date and out of Kendall believes the difference focus, but, hey, if you can get there between First and Third World trav¬ by train, this book will get you there eling often comes down to whether on time. PBS Host Rick Steeves’ one’s acquisitive instinct is sparked: Europe Through the Back Door “Once out of dre First World, you (John Muir Publications) promises might be excited, thrilled, chal¬ to help travelers through Europe with under $50 a day — lenged, edified, even stunned by your adventures, but and down to $20 a day, if you must — by following his “Six chances are you’ll zip right through customs, widr nodr¬ Commandments.” These include: Minimize the use of ing to declare,” she observes. Those who prefer to travel Europe like the Karen Krebsbach is editor of the Journal Most of these Europeans do may consider renting a Venetian villa or a books can be found at the Band McNally Map Cr Travel Swiss chalet with Michael and Laura Murphys Guide to stores, via The Literate Traveler at 1-800-850-BOOK, or Vacation Rentals in Europe (Globe Pequot Press). This through their respective publishers. comprehensive detail-packed guide covers Austria,

52 FOREIGN SERVICE J O U RN AL/AUGU ST 1995 Focus

Travelers’ Tales, that romantic series of travelers’ anecdotes, this year turns its eye on France. This sampler is rich in emotional nuance unavailable in fact-based guidebooks.

France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, sense approach to ghost hunting, including an 11-symbol Switzerland and tlic U.K. This guide includes names, key to help the tourer distinguish which sites include addresses and phone numbers of dozens of rental agen¬ ghostiy music and which ones feature animal ghosts. cies; price averages; accessibility of the units to railway In 1950, Marie Bennett Alsmeyer and her husband lines, highways and ferry terminals; and information on Henry did what diey now say was “a crazy, senseless tiling buying, leasing and renting cars. to do.” The couple bicycled 1,200 miles through Frances Ten years ago, the Dublin-born Niall Williams and Loire Valley, Normandy and Brittany, crossing to Christine Breen, who is also of Irish heritage, left behind Southampton and back dirough the hook of Holland to their New York City careers to take up life in Breens Paris. This charming travelogue of two World War II vet¬ grandfathers stone farmhouse outside the village of erans on a shoestring budget, Six Days After D-Day: Fill nihil in County Clare. Why? Because they sensed Cycling Through Europe (University of North Texas they belonged there. The fourth book in a series on die Press), will probably never be a best seller, but its a couples life in western Ireland, The Luck of the Irish, delightful read nonetiieless. Alsmeyer pours over her old Our Life in County Clare (Soho Press), is lush, reflective journals, letters and black-and-white photos to recreate and, well, pretty darned compelling. Here in Ireland, the the couples nostalgic six-month journey. people are real, die sceneiy is extraordinary, and die life Travelers’ Tales, diat creative, romantic literary series is difficult but satisfying. of travelers’ anecdotes bom in San Francisco, diis year The English have often been called die most idiosyn¬ turns its eye on France, witii Travelers’ Tales France, col¬ cratic of Europeans, and diis year, tiiree new playful guides lected and edited by James O’Reilly, Larry Habegger and are available to help travelers torn- a bit of England not Sean O’Reilly. This sampler, as have previous years’ Tales experienced by the average traveler. Cedric Dickens, die on India and Thailand, is rich, providing die emotional great-grandson of Charles Dickens, pemied his Drinking nuance unavailable in fact-based guidebooks. This is die with Dickens (New Amsterdam) as a tribute to his famous stuff memories can be duplicated from. relative. Replete with illustrations from Dickens’ books, Tom Higgins’ idiosyncratic Spotted Duck, s’il vous diis volume also contains dozens of recipes of the elder plait: An English Restaurant in France (Soho Press) is tire Dickens’ favorite alcoholic beverages. The autiior points stop' of an English couple’s decision to open a restaurant out that his great-grandfather included many vivid drink¬ serving English food in Lyon, arguably the world center ing scenes in his fiction and was a regular at the pubs along of culinary excellence. As the English would say, it was a die south bank of die Thames, as carefully chronicled mad idea, but, in this delightful chronicle, Higgins actu¬ here. But if you prefer rock and roll to rum, join Piet ally pulls it off, churning out many a laugh as he pokes Schreuders, Mark Lewisohn and Adam Smith with a tour gentie fun at tire French. of more than 400 Beades sites in and around London in But for those who’d rather eat French and live The Beatles London (St. Martin’s Press). Everydiing you French, Alastair Sawday’s Guide to French Beds and. never knew you wanted to know about the Fab Four. Even Breakfasts (Alastair Sawday Publishing) is a good bet. more fun is John Brooks’ The Good Ghost Guide (Jarrold Chosen by die French government’s tourist office as die Press), which details 1,000 ghost sightings, hauntings and guide most recommended to tourists, its 500 offerings odier supernatural legends of England, Scotland and range from 200-year-old farmhouses to 15th-century Wales. Divided into 10 regions, die guide takes a no-non¬ hunting lodges to rooms in houses on working vineyards.

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 53 Focus

Documented with color photographs of each B&B and written from 1872-1909, James explores politics, culture detailed maps — this guides main goal is to present the and religion in meanderings ranging from Venice to authenticity of Franee. A tour operator and environmental Naples to Rome. This edition also includes an appendix of activist, Sawday also lets travelers know which B&Bs offer James’ book reviews on Italian travel writing. organic food, wheelchair access and working farms. Not Finally, someone’s drought about the children on the your typical guide. trip. Betsey Biggs’ Kidding Around, Spain, A Young Active families who want to see France on foot can Person’s Guide (John Muir Publications) is a colorfully- check out Chet & Carolee Lipton’s Walking Easy in the illustrated introduction to that country, jam-packed witir French Alps (Gateway Books), aimed at recreational the right mix of recreational and historical tidbits guaran¬ walkers of all ages, but especially those over age 50. teed not to bore even the youngest traveler. Also available Covering Paris and five popular mountain towns in for London and Paris, these guides are not recommended France, this book advises what to pack, what to wear for children under age 10. and which trails to take, separated among “gentle,” If uncrowded isles are more your cup of tea, check “comfortable” and “challenging” routes. The series also out Linda Lancione Moyer and Burl Willes’ includes Walking Easy in the Swiss Alps and Walking Undiscovered Islands of the Mediterranean. Reviewing Easy in the Italian Alps, the latter of which covers islands off the coast of France, Italy, Yugoslavia, Greece Venice and six popular mountain towns in Italy. and Turkey, diis guide promises to show travelers the Two other recommended new books on Venice mins of a medieval castle, an active volcano, a funky include Jan Morris’ The World of Venice (Harvest nudist colony and secluded grottos for swimming — all Books) and John Freely’s Strolling Through Venice: without the bother of crowds. However, since the Walks Taking in the History, Monuments and Beauty of authors recommend traveling only in spring and fall, Venice (Penguin Books). Freely tours the banks of the maybe these islands can only be considered “undiscov¬ Grand Canal, including 115 churches and 33 museums. ered” by American tourists. Who can resist a closer look at this city, the “Gem of the In Eastern Europe, Rob Doson’s Eastern Europe by Adriatic, Bride of the Sea?” Neither guidebook nor Rail (Globe Pequot Press) has filled an information vacu¬ travelogue nor history, Morris’ book is a strange compi¬ um in that part of the world. Unfortunately, it’s unsophisti¬ lation of all three. First written in 1960 when she was a cated and not terribly detailed. Chronicles Abroad’s foreign correspondent in Italy, Morris has revised the Istanbul, Tales of the City takes on that city with a charm¬ volume three times, becoming “a highly subjective, ing collection of writings from Herman Melville to Gore romantic picture less of a city than of an experience. It Vidal. For a deeper historical view of the area, try John is Venice seen through a particular pair of eyes at a par¬ Ash’s A Byzantine Journey (Random House), a sort of odd, ticular moment — young eyes at that, response above scholarly travelogue that begins in Istanbul, moves over all to the stimuli of youth.” No question, it’s an odd the Sea of Marmara to Anatolia. A good read. assortment, out of sync with this decade, but Morris Few new Russian travelogues were published this year, creates a composite portrait that rings true of one of but one delightful companion is John and Kirsten Miller’s the worlds most romantic cities. literary compilation of the best about St. Petersburg, the For a new take on Italy, Marlene McLoughliris whim¬ jewel of the Russian empire, St. Petersburg’s Tales of the sical Road to Rome, An Artist’s year in Italy (Chronicle City, including some not-to-be-missed classics like Books) is an artists sketchbook in watercolors, where tire Dostoyevsky’s “Most Beloved” and Tolstoy’s “Father viewer travels from Florence to Rome via the hill towns of Sergius.” (Chronicle Books). Arezzo, Siena, Montepulciano, Assisi, Todi and Cortona. Traveler’s Yellow Pages and Handbook (Info Services Her illustrations are recommended more highly than her International, Inc.) for English-speaking residents and poetry, though. American novelist Henry James’ 1909 travellers to Russia & the Baltics, are terrific little “Yellow luminous collection of essays, Italian Hours (Penguin Pages” for Estonia, Northwest Russia, Moscow and Saint Classics), was re-released this year, a welcome addition to Petersburg, all new editions for 1995. It’s organized the few 1995 travelogues of that region. In these essays alphabetically in English, with thousands of listings, maps

54 FOREIGN SERVICE J O U RN AU AU GU ST 1995 Focus

CHOOSING A CITY/COUNTRY GUIDEBOOK The best way to choose a city or country guidebook is to read (2); Scandinavia (1); Scotland (2); Spain (2); Switzerland (1). thr ough a couple of versions of the series at a bookstore. Frommer’s Bed and Breakfast Guides (MacMillan & The key is to find a series that addresses a travelers partic¬ Co.): Bed and Breakfast in the Caribbean (1). ular needs, including the required level of travel comfort, budget Insider’s Guides (Hunter Publishing): Hong Kong (2); India limits and cultural interests. (2); Mediterranean France (1 - Oct.); Portugal (1); Vietnam, Laos Once a traveler selects a series — and uses it successfully — and Cambodia (1). most travelers will stick with it as a source for additional city and Insight Guides (Houghton Mifflin): Argentina (3-Oct.); country guides — at least until they’re steered wrong. Indeed, Budapest (2); Burma (9); Caribbean (3); Cuba (1); Ecuador (3); guidebooks depend on reader loyalty, with many urging readers Greece (1); Greek Islands (1); Hungary (1); India (5); Maylasia to correspond with the publisher on incorrect information or (16); Prague (3) South Africa (2); Spain (2); Trinidad & Tobago (2- future additions. In most cases, however, a country guidebook is Oct.); South America (2); New Zealand (5); Israel (3); Mexico (6). only as useful as its most up-to-date information. Frequent trav¬ Inside Guides (Inter-Hemispheric Education Resource elers, however, quickly realize that a book is only as good as its Center): Costa Rica (3); El Salvador (2); Honduras (1); Panama author, even if the series sets a level of standards. Many guide¬ (1). books, particularly the budget guides, are farmed out to inexperi¬ Karen Brown’s Guides (Globe Pequot Press): Austrian enced, lower-paid stringers who may not speak the local language Country Inns & Itineraries (1); English, Welsh and Scottish or may have limited experience in the country'. Country Hotels and Itineraries (8); French Country Inns and Below is a list of the most popular country guidebooks, com¬ Itineraries (8); German Country Inns and Itineraries (5); Italian plete with 1995 publication schedules. The number in parenthe¬ Country Bed & Breakfasts (3); Spanish Country Inns and sis indicates the number of its 1995 edition. Travel city and coun¬ Itineraries (5). try videotapes are not included in this list. Handbooks of the World (Passport Books): Caribbean The Asia Guides (Passport Books): Beijing (3); Bhutan (2- Islands (6); East Africa (1); India (4); Indonesia and Malaysia (3); Nov.); Guizhou (1); Hong Kong (4-Oct.); Koh Samui (2); Mexico and Central American (5); North Africa (2); South Shanghai (3); Nepal (1). America (71); Thailand and Burma (3); Vietnam, Laos and Berlitz Discover Guides (Globe Pequot Press): Canada (1); Cambodia (1). Turkey (1); Scandinavia (1). The Latin America Guides (Passport Books): Caribbean (1- Berlitz Pocket Guides (Globe Pequot Press): Athens (18); Dec.); Cuba (1); Galapagos (1-Sept.). Bali (1); Berlin (1); Channel Islands (11); Copenhagen (17-Sept.); Let’s Go Budget Guides (St. Martin’s Press): Austria (2); Corfu (21-Sept.); Costa Dorada & Tarragona (2); Cote d’Azur Britain and Ireland (14); Eastern Europe (1); Europe (26); (17-Sept.); Cyprus (1); Dordogne (1); Florence (1); Greek Islands France (14); Germany, Austria & Switzerland (4); Greece & (18-Nov.); Ibiza (18-Sept.); Istanbul (6-Nov.); Jamaica (13-Nov.); Turkey (7); Greece, Israel & Egypt (14); Ireland (2); Italy (14); Madeira (1); Mallorca (24-Sept.); Malta (2); Rhodes (1); Tunisia London (5); Mexico (8); Paris (3); Rome (3); Spain & Portugal (8); (17). Thailand (2). Baedeker Guides (MacMillan Publishing): Athens (2-Nov.); Lonely Planet Shoestring Guides (Lonely Planet): Africa Austria (3-Sept.); Brazil (1); Budapest (3-Sept.); Copenhagen (3- (7); Central Europe (1); India and Bangladesh Travel Atlas (1); Nov.); Greece (3-Sept.); Greek Islands (2-Sept.); Hong Kong (3- New South Wales (1); Thailand Travel Atlas (1); Western Nov.); Israel (3-Sept.); Nepal (1); Paris (3-Sept.); Prague (2- Australia (1), Sept.); Provence (2-Nov.); Singapore (2-Sept.); Tokyo (2-Sept.); Lonely Planet Travel Survival Guides (Lonely Planet): Venice (2-Sept.); Vienna (3-Nov.). Brazil (3); Britain (1); Colombia (2); Ho Chi Minli (1-Oct.); Birnbaum Guides (Harper Collins): Bahamas (2); Bermuda Indonesia (4); Jakarta (I); Java (1-Nov.); Korea (3); Mexico (5); (2); Canada (2); Cancim (2); Caribbean (1); Eastern Europe (1); Morocco (3); Micronesia (3 -Nov.); New Zealand (1); North Europe (3); Europe for Business Travelers (3); France (3); Africa (1); Queensland (1-Dec.); Rio di Janeiro (1-Nov.); Slovenia Germany (3); Great Britain (3); Ireland (2); Italy (3); London (3); (1-Oct.); Thailand (6); Tibet (3); Tokyo (2-Sept.); Vietnam (2); Mexico (1); Montreal & Quebec City (2); Paris (4); Portugal (2); West Africa (3-Oct.); Yemen (3-Nov); Zimbabwe, Botswana and Rome (4); South America (3); Spain (2). Namibia (2-Nov.). Bradt Guides (Globe Pequot Press): Albania (1); Burma (2); Lonely Planet Walking Guides (Lonely Planet): Tramping Central and South America by Road (1-Dec.); Central America in New Zealand (3). Backpacking (1-Dec.); Cuba (1); Estonia (1); Latvia (1); Lithuania Moon Handbook Series (Moon Publications, Inc.): Alberta (1); South Africa (1); Vietnam (2). & Northwest Territories (1); Atlantic Canada (1-Nov.); Bangkok Cadogan Guides (Globe Pequot Press): Crete (1); Northern (2); Belize (3-Dec.); Cabo (1-Nov.); Caribbean (1-Nov.); Ireland (2); Soudi India (2); Southern Spain (1); Western Ireland (2). Indonesia (6); Pacific Mexico (2-Dec.); Puerto Vallarta (1). Essential Travel Guides (Passport Books): Athens (1); Thomas Cook On the Rail Touring Handbooks (Passport Australia (1); Budapest (1); Florence and Tuscany (1); Israel (1); Books): Britain and Ireland (1); France, Belgium, the Ireland (1); New Zealand (1); Prague (1); Venice (1). Netherlands and Luxembourg (1). Fodor’s Irreverent Guides (Random House): Bahamas (1- Thomas Cook Passport Illustrated Travel Guides Oct.); Cancun & Cozamel (1-Oct.); London (1-Oct.). (Passport Books): Bah and Java (1); Berlin (1); Greece (1); Fodor’s City' Walking Tours (Random House): Spain’s London (2); Madeira (1); Mallorca (1); Mexico (1); Morocco (1); Favorite Cities (1); Tokyo (1); Venice (1). Normandy (1); Paris (2); Provence (1); Rome (1). Frommer’s Driving Tours (MacMillan & Co.): Australia (1); Trip Planner Series (Passport Books): Spain (1); Turkey (1). Austria (1); Britain (2); France (2); Germany (2); Italy (2); Mexico — KK

AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 5.5 Focus

of city squares and useful pronunciation guidelines. Each written, The Afghan Amulet (St. Martin’s Press) is like one even has a huge, fold-out city map. Paines elusive textile itself. An admirable original. Writer Philip Marsden won Britain’s prestigious Somerset Maugham Award for his historical narrative, The Asia once again tops the list of travel books as one of Crossing Place: A Journey Among the Armenians the most intellectually, physically and philosophi¬ (Dodansha Globe), which describes his six-mondi journey cally satisfying regions for experienced travelers. across 17 borders — from the Balkans and the Middle But man cannot live on words alone, so if you’re doing Asia East to Central Asia — in search of the diaspora of as a vegetarian, a handy friend to have along is Teresa Armenians. This intricate, passionate chronicle is sparked Bergen’s Vegetarian Asia: A Travel Guide (Noble Poodle by one simple act: A Turkish farmers tossing of the bone to Press). It covers everything from learning how to say “I’m the authors dog. When the farmer is asked what animal a vegetarian” in 10 languages to where to find vegetarian the bone has come from, he answers, “An Armenian.” So cuisine in China, Northeast Asia, the Himalayas, South begins this heartbreaking tale of the persecution of tins Asia and Southeast Asia. culturally rich people whose history dates back centuries. Travelers’ Tales (Travelers' Tales), that California compa¬ Travel writer Sheila Paine, who has spent the last 20 ny that collects tire tales of travelers, has chosen India and years researching tribal and peasant embroidery, has Hong Kong for its 1995 Asia releases. Though Hong Kong written a wonderful account of her two-year search for won’t be out until tire fall, tire India book is ravishing in tire an amuletic pattern, which took her through Pakistan, texture and variety of tales. Note editors James O’Reilly and Iran and Afghanistan, Iraqi and Turkish Kurdistan and, Larry Habegger in their introduction, “India — monsoon finally, Bulgaria. Lively, passionate, and beautifully and marigold, dung and dust, colors and corpses, smoke and

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ash, snow and endless myth — is a cruel, unrelenting place mission turns to protecting die India wilderness — after he of ineffable sweetness. Much like life itself. And, like life finds die wilderness in himself. itself (if reincarnation be true) worth visiting repeatedly, in If cycling your way around China is your idea of a this turn of tlie wheel and the next.” My personal favorite relaxing vacation, let Roger Grisby’s China by Bike, was penned by Hugues de Montalembert, a veteran world (The Mountaineers) help you out. This painstakingly traveler blinded by acid-throwing thieves in Manhattan, who detailed guide, however, is much more concerned with writes about his first trip since the accident. He speaks of getting cyclists exactly where they need to go than to how his new sight, “a visionary state that overcomes me provide much help in tourism. A must if you’re cycling, unawares,” helps him “see” things the ordinal}' tourist would but bring another guidebook for the rest. miss. De Montalembert makes India come alive like no Is diere a place on Earth more mysterious — or with a odier in this collection. reputation for being more mysterious — dian Tibet and its Daniel Taylor-Ide is in search of the yeti, or die abom¬ medieval capital of Lhasa? British reporter Peter Hopldrk, inable snowman, at the start of his book, Something who wrote Trespassers on the Roof of the World, the Secret Hidden Behind the Ranges (Mercury House). He first Exploration of Tibet (Kodansha International) thinks not. heard stories of the creature when he was an 11-year-old This is a fascinating account of all die explorers, missionaries, growing up in India, and so as a young man, he returns reporters or spies who sought to visit the three-mile high with his small family and camps out in the wild, uninhabit¬ “Roof of die World,” as Europeans called it, and its capital, ed valleys deep in Nepal to find and follow the large foot¬ ‘The Forbidden City.” Many never returned to tell dieir prints. The family’s odyssey, an oddly touching tale borne tales, but for those who did visit — or said they did — dieir of myth and nature, completely changes focus when his stories have become part of folklore of, as Hopkirk calls

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them, “gatecrashers... who tell die stray of the forcible open¬ nent, from the rich oral history of early Africa to the self- ing up of a land which only ever wanted to be left in peace.” conscious words of self-described colonial “oppressors” to As a historian, the audior does a more dian credible job of the haunting phrases of the “oppressed” in search of iden¬ sifting through the fact and fiction of diis land, and his vivid tity. If Africa interests you at all, this volume is imperative. writing makes tliis place come alive. Although John Updike called author Edward Hoagland Two good literary anthologies on Japan have emerged “the best essayist of my generation,” he’s, well, no John diis year: Lafcadio Hearn’s Writings from Japan (Penguin Updike. His spotty, arrogant African Calliope: A Journey to Classics) and Harry Guests Japan, A Travelers Literary the Sudan (Lyons & Burkford Press) is hardly commend¬ Companion (Passport Books). The first are of die writings able, a sort of long-winded stream of consciousness that of Hearn, a man bom of European parents who married a leaves the reader wondering: What’s die author’s point? Japanese woman and would become a Japanese citizen, One definitely doesn’t get that feeling from Tim Youngs’ who sees his adopted country through loving, but clearly study of African narratives in Travellers in Africa, British Western eyes. The second anthology, with 75 extracts from Travelogues, 1850-11)00 (Manchester University Press). fiction, poetry and travel writing, is also worth a read. A Nineteenth-centurv British publishing was ripe with travel¬ diird book, Alan Booths Looking for the Lost, Journeys ogues, becoming die dominant form for the explanation of Through a Vanishing Japan (Kondasha) is an elegant, foreign cultures to die British. But because so many were meditative look at the slow deadi of a culture, and a mov¬ bom of diis adventure-writing tradition, Youngs’ ability to ing examination of an autiiors life as he nears deadi. As his provide cultural context is useful, and in an odd way, almost last work before dying of stomach cancer, the 46-year-old required. In fact, diese writings about Africa probably say Englishman recounts his journey by foot through three of more about Englishmen than Africans. By any account, die most remote regions of his adopted country, where he these pieces are an entertaining step back a century, when lived for 20 years. men were men and colonialists were colonialists. If action is more on your mind, T.R. Reids guide, Ski Academic Dale Peterson of Boston, who penned the Japan! (Kodansha International), is it. Written by The very funny Chimpanzee Travels: On and Off the Road in Washington Post’s East Asian Bureau Chief based in Africa (Addison-Wesley), is quite honest about his disin¬ Tokyo, who took up skiing out of boredom when Desert terest in traveling. It’s die chimps he’s following, not the Storm was the center of news in 1990-91, it packs a wallop adventure. Amateur primatologist Peterson is merely try¬ in terms of facts, maps and skiing terms in Japanese. ing to educate himself about “diose hairy creatures with diumbs on dieir feet” in the hope of convincing famous Chinua Achebe did it. Both Graham Greene and chimp scientist Jane Goodall to collaborate on a book. VS. Naipaul did it quite well, in fact. Nadine Thus begins his adventure of traveling through East, West Gordimer even won a Nobel Peace prize for doing and Central Africa in search of the elusive chimps, so sim¬ it. Doing what? Writing about Africa, diat continent that ilar to humans that he finds himself remembering die has inspired so many writers tiiat “it is said there are as words of an anthropologist he had interviewed before die many Africans as there are books about Africa — and as trip: “They’re human.” Practically every person he meets is many books about Africa as you could read in a leisurely chimp-centered, either anthropologist or wildlife expert, lifetime,” according to Oona Strathem, editor of Africa: and most of them are pretty strange — but in a good way. Traveler’s Literary Companion (Passport Books). A deli¬ Who hasn’t thought about wildlife when considering a cious survey of literature from 51 African countries, this lit¬ trip to Africa? Dam few, notes safari leader Mark K. erary companion contains work by locals, exiles, explorers Nolting in Africa’s Top Wildlife Countries (Global Travel and foreign visitors — from poets, playwrights and audiors. Publishers). Though it often reads like one long advertise¬ The sheer diversity of the works are cause for celebration, ment for Iris tom' company, which organizes personalized lint there’s more: The volume provides a detailed overview safaris and tours, this book has quite a bit of useful infor¬ of each region’s geography, culture and politics as well. mation, including data on game reserves and parks in 15 Could there be more? Indeed. The book attempts to African countries and with descriptions of 20 kinds of chronicle the various literary movements across the conti¬ safaris.

58 FOREIGN SERVICE JO URNAL/A UG UST 1995 Focus

Irritating though his prose may be, Nolting knows his fiction.” But don’t read this book. species — and has the color photos to prove it. To keep yourself organized on safari, try Global Travel Publishers’ Looking for an affordable vacation close to home? Travel Journal Africa, a journal that promises to “be more Consider Latin America. Mexico, the Caribbean than a diary of dreams come true but a trip planner, packing and parts of South America offer some of the best guide, financial record keeper, wildlife encyclopedia, photo bargains. Travelers should note that three new guides on log and more.” That, plus 41 pages of wildlife you may see. the region are now available from some of the most superb Connecting with animals is one tiling; humans are guidebooks: from Moon Publications. All written by travel another. Elizabeth Devine and Nancy L. Braganti, authors writer Chicki Malian, die new guides include the Yucatan of The Travelers’ Guide to African Customs lx Manners Peninsula Handbook, the Cancun Handbook and the (St. Martins Press) penned similar tomes for Latin Central Mexico Handbook. All are lightweight, portable America, the Middle East and Europe. Ambitious though softcovers jam-packed with everything needed in a guide¬ this volume is, it comes off as superficial. Although this book: background, maps, photos, insider tips and — the guide promises to “give you the inside track on such issues often overlooked cultural context. From tourist traps to as what to wear, when to dine, how to converse, how much off-the-beaten-track hideaways, these guides offer consis¬ to tip, how to gesture and when and where to bargain,” I tent, accurate details without pretension. Their only daw is learned not one new fact about traveling in Africa. In fact, their attempt at offering Spanish vocabulary: Three pages their best advice is: ‘There’s no better way to enhance a is hardly enough to aid a stranded American tourist even in trip than by immersing yourself in the culture of die coun¬ the most desperate situation; better to bring another, try. Read, read, read. Read histoiy. Read biography. Read phrase book.

~ ^ Going Stateside Soon?

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AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 59 Focus

Writers from John Steinbeck to D.H. Lawrence have edge up again, it will erode the paychecks of Mexican long been captivated by the country that is Mexico, and workers and campesinos before it affects our travel dollars. editor Alan Ryan has helped collect all their voices in The ... Please be extra generous with tips, please don’t haggle Reader’s Companion to Mexico (Harcourt Brace). These excessively in the mercado.” This no-nonsense guide, irrev¬ personal “reports,” some laudatory, some whining, come erent and playful, offers lots of tidbits the tourist simply together to provide a fascinating, nuanced portrait of a wouldn’t find anywhere else. The three pages of illustra¬ country loved and hated by Americans for centuries. tions on universal hand signals are particularly useful if Clearly, Ryan’s keen eye has been trained by years of insults are a big part of your vocabulary. Don’t laugh too reporting on Latin American literature, music and culture. loud, though; with more than 150,000 copies sold, this is Ryan, clearly a man who’s been in love widi Mexico for a one of the more popular guides to surviving travel in long time, had one goal, which he has met: “I wanted a Mexico. book that would be like a trunk filled with letters from a Two new travel journals are now available on that odd branch of the family that’s lived and traveled for many strip of land called Baja California. Englishman Graham years in Mexico.” Machintosh’s Into a Desert Place (W.W. Norton) chronicles For the first time in three years, Carl Franz has updat¬ his 3,000-mile, two-year walk around tire desert wilderness ed his very popular The People’s Guide to Mexico (John of the Baja. Eating ratdesnake and cactus and distilling sea¬ Muir Publications), whose philosophy is summed up not water, this fellow’s journey was anything but relaxing. As only in the title, but in the foreword: “[The recent devalu¬ travel accounts go, this one was amusing, if uncompelling. ation of the peso] is going to be a bonanza for budget trav¬ Much more fulfilling is filmmaker Jonathan Waterman’s elers. Aware travelers will note that when prices do start to resdess, two-month jaunt kayaking with his wife Deborah,

60 FOREIGN SERVICE J O U RN AL/AU GU S T 1995 Focus

as told in Kayaking The Vermilion Sea (Simon & Schuster). Life of Adventurer Nicol Smith (Log Cabin Manuscripts). Here, the focus isn’t on the desolate land, but on the life- This is an odd jewel of a biography of Smith, whose claim filled sea; Waterman’s account is a fine, even-handed view to fame was as the first American to travel the Bunna of life above and below the floating kayak. Road; the first American to visit Hainan Island; and the Elsewhere in the Americas, Canada has produced tire first to take movie footage of the worlds highest waterfall noteworthy homegrown travelogue, Edward Hoaglands — Venezuela’s Angel Falls. Kan- does an admirable job of Notes From a Century Before: A Journal From British drawing a clear portrait of a man whose wanderlust earned Columbia (Sierra Club Books). Hoaglands modest offer¬ him a reputation, as well as wealth. ing, actually a journal of Iris three-month hip in 1966 Jim Rogers, who penned Investment Biker: On the through British Columbia, is humorous and, in a strange, Road With Jim Rogers, also vowed to make money off Iris northern kind of way similar to the way the television series travels. In this unique travelogue, which unfortunately Northern Exposure got under the skin of many a television dishes up more than its share of boredom and bad photos, addict, is, well, entertaining. The characters Hoagland Rogers and his girlfriend spend 22 mondis driving their meets — missionaries, explorer, gold prospector, Indian motorcycle 65,067 miles by road (and thousands more by guide — and die tales he tells are from an era long past, air, sea and rail) across six continents. Unfortunately but diey’re still fresh. Rogers’ lack of writing skill has made many of the mun¬ dane details of his trip no more interesting than looking at A host of general travel books are also on the market, somebody else’s family photos. However, as a multimil¬ including a handful of recommendations, such as lionaire investor who was able to retire at age 37, Iris inter¬ Sharon E. Karrs Traveler of the Crossroads, The est was financial: He sought out bankers, business owners

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AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 61 a Educational Titles from KRIEGER Focus MANAGEMENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING: Understanding Eastern European Perspectives edited by George Tesar Orig. Ed. 1994 182 pp. and investors for long chats. The result? A pretty interesting take on tire ISBN 0-89464-741-5 Paper $16.50 world’s many economies. Just skip the appendixes, which itemize what the Future and practicing managers need to understand how their eastern Euro¬ pair packed in their bags and which provide a daily mileage log. At least pean counterparts view the world of in¬ Rogers will be able to write off the trip as a business expense. ternational management from their own perspective of a rapidly changing envi¬ Two books on travel health should be at the top of your pile of reading: Dr. ronment. This book examines these Stuart R. Rose’s sensible and well-organized The 1995 International Travel important issues at the center of the HedthGuide (Travel Medicine, Inc.), updated annually, which lists the health recent economic changes: • management education advisories and hospitals of every country in the world. For those with psychi¬ • concept of international competition atric needs, such as help in overcoming tire fear of flying, authors Cherry • consumer behavior as perceived by the eastern European managers Hartman and Julie Sheldon Huffakers Fear of Flying (The Eighth Mountain Q Press) do a credible, if simplistic, job in tackling one of die great phobias of DEVELOPING all time, via visualization and affirmation techniques. INTERCULTURAL There are few new books to recommend for children diis year, but Aim COMMUNICATION SKILLS by Virginia B. Ricard Banks’ adorable Children’s Itinerary (The Little Bookroom) is a perfect travel Orig. Ed. 1993 (Professional Practices Series) companion for kids aged 6-12. Encased in a thumbprint-proof and spill-proof ISBN 0-89464-663-X 198 pp. $19.50 plastic cover, the book allows little tourists to record every detail of their trip, The three-part framework for growth presented in this book is focused on the from museums and restaurants to memories of their best and worst days on user (needs, values, preferences, and the road. Maureen Wheelers practical Travel With Children (Lonely Planet) roles), the user's intercultural commu¬ helps parents deal with babysitters, kids’ health and even how to travel while nication skills, and future skill develop¬ ment. Six skill areas common to all cul¬ pregnant. It’s of limited use for coping with teenagers, but then what is? tures are highlighted: valuing, observing, Do women travel differently than men? Travelers’ Tales: A Woman’s listening, thinking, speaking, and gesturing. GJ World (Travelers’ Tales) is unconvincing in its premise that they do. Trying THE BILL OF RIGHTS: to capitalize on its successful series of country-focused tales, this anthology Our Written Legacy isn’t up to the same standards. But with 50 stories of travels to every conti¬ by Joseph A. Melusky & Whitman Ridgway nent, there’s plenty to wander among. Orig. Ed. 1993 268 pp. In contrast, Writing Away: The PEN Canada Travel Anthology ISBN 0-89464-533-1 Cloth $26.50 (McClelland & Stewart), edited by Constance Rooke, offers a high-quality ISBN 0-89464-827-6 Paper $18.50 ffi selection. This PEN anthology includes an impressive collection of the travel THE CONSTITUTION: writings of 34 of Canada’s best, from Margaret Atwood’s low-budget sojourn Our Written Legacy by Joseph A. Melusky in Europe to Gaeme Gibson’s birding expedition to Cuba. Not every story is Orig. Ed. 1991 338 pp. a prize — and certainly tire photos are unspectacular. ISBN 0-89464-334-7 Cloth $27.50 Speaking of birds and Canadians, birdwatching is reportedly becoming ISBN 0-89464-550-1 Paper $21.50 one of the fastest-growing pastimes in North America, if you believe what the THE TROUBLED ENCOUNTER: travel magazines report. But don’t be a birdbrain and forget to take along The United States and Japan by Charles E. Neu Peggy van Hulsteyn’s The Birder’s Guide to Bed ami Breakfasts (John Muir Orig. Ed. 1975, Reprint 1979 272 pp. Publications), which features 250 bed and breakfasts in North America, as ISBN 0-88275-951-5 Paper $17.00 well as an exhausting index of birding sites, tire American Birding Code of Domestic orders add $5.00 for first book, Ethics and an Aid to Understanding Bird Jargon. $1.50 each additional for shipping and handling. Foreign shipping costs So you drought you had a bad trip last year? Commiserate with 51 travel writ¬ available on reguest. ers, novelists and journalists who coughed up their greatest travel disasters in the T Call or write for more information I delightful 1 Should’ve Stayed Home! (Book Passage Press), edited by Roger & KRIEGER Rapoport and Marguerita Castanera. This is a terrific find, with pieces from ^ PUBLISHING COMPANY ^ PO Box 9542 Isabel Allende to Helen Gurley Brown, who regale readers with foreign tales Melbourne. FL 32902-9542 about ‘The Flight From Hell,” “Libidinous Finns,” and “I Think Our Driver is (407) 724-9542 ■ Fax (407) 951-3671 Direct Order Line (407) 727-7270 Stoned.” Believe nre, if you haven’t had tire energy or tire funds to take a trip abroad this year, this book will ensure that you’ll never leave home again. ■

62 FOREIGN SERVICE J O U RN AL/AV GU ST 1995 Just Published The United Nations and Mozambique, 1992-1995

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AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 67 POSTCARD FROM ABROAD Comforting Americans in Mexican Jails

BY LINDA EICHBLATT

Wlien I met him, David had audiorities, detained for a couple of been held in a Mexican 1 try riot to judge. weeks and ultimately deported to tire jail near the Chiapas bor¬ nearest U.S. port of entry. der for two years already. As the lone I learn about Before they are driven under gringo in the rural jail, the 35-year- guard to die border, however, I must old was easy to spot — a tall, blond their lives, and visit them, verify their citizenship and fellow who spoke little Spanish. He explain what’s happening to them. had been arrested for the possession / contemplate These people rarely have any identifi¬ of marijuana seeds, after being cation papers. Some are psychotic. stopped by police for vagrancy. their existence. One woman did not want to talk to me Though it was not a large quantity, because she claimed I had irradiated the self-described hippie was sen¬ her with plutonium. Another woman, tenced to seven years in jail. whom I call the American Pie Lady, I visit American prisoners in jails explained tiiat she left the United throughout Mexico every three senior Foreign Service national at the States because “she drove her Chevy months to provide vitamin supple¬ consulate to write monthly letters to to the levy, and the levy was dry, alas.” ments and English books — and to the government of Mexico, inquiring The majority are alcoholics. They remind them that their government whether die law still required a full want nothing to do witii U.S. detox cares about their welfare. Unlike most seven years for possession of a handful centers and social services casework¬ of the 50 prisoners I’m visiting this of seeds. To everyone’s surprise, the ers. They don’t want to face the disap¬ month, David took responsibility for four monthly letters had an effect, pointment of dieir families. Everyone his crime. In Mexican prisons, many recently prompting David’s release and everydiing has failed them. They of the inmates’ families live with five years before his sentence was up. are true loners in the world. diem, but in die midst of the small vil¬ He was brought to Mexico City for And me? Well, I just write the lage that was the prison, David was deportation, ironically on my 53rd arrest cables that are sent to the alone, surrounded by roosters, chil¬ birthday, and we celebrated by shar¬ State Department, make the rare dren and women frying tortillas. ing a hamburger and malt from the contact calls and process the paper¬ I told David he could call me col¬ local Burger King. Eveiy bite he took work. I try not to judge. I learn about lect once a month, and in a way, I was accompanied by a low moan of their lives, and I contemplate their became his lifeline. “I was a joke pleasure. He had lost 40 pounds dur¬ existence. A dollar goes far here, and when I came here,” he told me. “A 35- ing his confinement, surviving pri¬ the kindness of strangers is not a for¬ year-old teenager who wanted life to marily on beans and rice. He gotten precept in Mexico. Few real¬ be a party. But after two years of promised he’d never go near marijua¬ ly want to go back to the United enforced sobriety and isolation, I have na again, and I believed him. States, and many will return to become a grownup. ... And I’m start¬ The remainder of my time is spent Mexico almost immediately, crossing ing to fall apart.” visiting the folks I call my the long border by avoiding check¬ Back in Mexico City, I asked die Margaritaville people. They are the points. Back to the bus stations, the American down-and-outers, the warm beaches, and the tree-shaded Linda Eichblatt is U.S. Embassy drunks and the mentally ill men and plazas. Back to the slow road to die Mexico’s arrest and detentions officer women who are picked up for loiter¬ death they are seeking. Back to for the capital’s consular district. ing by the Mexican immigration Margaritaville. ■

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