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October 2011 Vol. 11 No. 1 The Student Newspaper of the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies

“Comcast Sucks and the Government Should

Smash Them to Pieces”

By Anonymous

Exclusive Interview with Dean Harrington:Inside the Calculus DVDs and More...

By Adrian StoverJohn M. Harrington Jr., Ph.D. is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and

Professorial Lecturer in International Economics. He has also taught at SAIS as

a professorial lecturer for more than 30 years, including throughout a 20-year

government career at the U.S. Department of State, where he directed economics

education for foreign affairs professionals at the Foreign Service Institute and

directed the economic policy office for Latin American and the Caribbean. For

many SAIS students, however, he is known for the two interactive DVD-based

courses, pre-calculus mathematics and basic calculus for economists. The

Observer sat down with Dean Harrington recently to talk about the DVDs, the

half-life of lectures, and “a fear of symbols.”

SAIS Observer: How did the pre-calculus and calculus DVDs come about?

Dean Harrington: This goes back to really when Pre-Term was started. Around

that time, there was a perception that students at SAIS were not getting as much

out of the economics program as they should. One of the first real objectives of

Pre-Term was to have math as a key component of it. I taught exactly what is on

the DVDs over 10 two-hour classes, five for pre-calculus and five for calculus.

But the biggest problem we had was that for some people it went by them too

fast.

When you really think of all the material that was covered in a five-day period,

starting with 2 + 2 and ending up with constrained optimization, it went over

most people’s heads. When I thought about this, I thought why couldn’t we

design a course involving short lectures, or “bite-sized morsels of understand-

ing?” Taking the material in the math component that I thought SAIS students

needed to understand microeconomics and macroeconomics, I designed the

course and we filmed it in Nitze 417.

SO: Why use DVDs as a format and why not stream it over the Internet?

DH: The technology of streaming five or six years ago was not there. The world

of technology is changing so rapidly. We needed a high quality format so you

could see what was written on the board, and have audio so you could listen.

The way this was done, you just had to put me in front of a white board. I also

decided I didn’t want to have it distracting to have different clothes on each

time. I had a few similar blue shirts, and the same tie that I wore. Last year,

some students doing a service project in Costa Rica were running an auction to

raise money, so they asked if I might give out my tie for the auction. I rarely

used it, and it was actually pretty worn. So I gave it to them, and someone bid

$85 dollars for it.

SO: In your opinion, what is the most challenging module on the DVDs?

DH: Nothing is hard on there, not if you have the foundation behind it. One of

my best lectures on there is the one about elasticity. That is an area that con-

founds people. What is the elasticity of demand, and why do we have it? When I

did that one lecture, I knew if people only watched this one lecture that would

be good.

SO: Some of those early algebra concepts are pretty abstract though.

DH: Oh, yes. A weakness that most students have is a lack of understanding in

what a function is. How do you think about this thing called a function? It is an

abstract idea. What is an equation anyway, and why do economists refer to

“equations,” when they are really functions? If you open up some econometrics

textbooks they will talk about an equation, but it is really a function.

But this is what economics is built up on; thinking about the billions of activities

in the world somehow aggregated down into a relatively small number. To say

that out of the thousands or millions of people making decisions we can some-

how aggregate something that says quantity demanded is a function of price,

income, and the price of other goods; that is profound. But with notation to

express those relationships, you have a fear of symbols. (continued on page 3)

Sneak Preview: “Yes Comcast, we moved to a new place….What, you don’t

have a button for that? So we never get internet?”

While setting up my new internet service last weekend, Comcast didn’t do any-

thing right. On my last try, the machine couldn’t even get me to an operator.

They just kept asking me to punch in my telephone number and zip code. The

call kept circling back to the main menu and asking for my zip code…and tele-

phone number.

When was a live human going to answer? Turns out never. I hung up after a few

dizzying tours.

After many attempts to subvert Comcast—and by subvert I mean change my

account address—I hung up. Why can’t they understand that I need internet at

my new house and not my old house, because I don’t live at my old house any-

more? Is it really that hard?

Over the course of an evening—literally 4 hours—my roommate and I tried set-

ting up internet service at our new apartment again and again. Hold. Call. Get

hanged up on. Confused person. Can we have your name again? Can we have

your name again? Hold. Get Hanged up on. Hold.

He tried at least five times and I tried three or four phone calls, but nothing.

Zero. The humans we eventually talked to just couldn’t understand that we

moved across Washington, DC to a new place.

“Did I tell you about the Comcast Customer Pledge, Sir?” Luckily his phone

has a speaker and we had plenty of moving and unpacking to do while on hold.

[an evening later...]

After talking to five people, including managers in different languages, being

hung up on thrice, and talking to “Mr. Donga,” representative number 3355, we

called it quits.

Were they playing a practical joke on us? Was it April fools in a far-off land?

At one point in the night, we received an automated survey asking how satisfied

we were with our Comcast call. Press more buttons and then tell the beep your

feelings about Comcast. Beep.

(continued on page 9)

The “DC Pause” Needs to Get Paid!By The “DC Pause”

Alright people, listen up. Too much has gone on for too long, and it’s time

for me to get what I deserve. I ain’t doing favors for nobody no more, cause

like Rodney Dangerfield I ain’t get no respect. The fact is, whenever you use

me you don’t even realize I’m there!

Here’s an example: You’re at a happy hour/party/bus stop/speed networking

event (Damn, son, there are less embarrassing ways to find a job), you’re

wearing a suit because you dress down for nobody, you’ve got a classy drink

in your hand, and you start introducing yourself. You could be anybody and

work for whoever, but this is how it might go down…

“Hi, I’m Sarah. I work for Senator Dianne Feinstein (Pause).”

See that pause?

You just made it clear to that fool that you are the shit. Even if you ain’t! For

Christ sake, you could be anybody. All I heard before I kicked in were the

words “I”, “work”, and “senator.” But those words thrown in with the pause

were all that you needed to impress the shit out of anybody.

And that’s how I do my thing, baby. That’s the D.C. Pause.

Pretty soon you’re talking about what you do and who you know, trading

business cards, making plans to “do lunch” and all, and you’re one more con-

tact closer to being the well connected DC-er that you’ve always dreamed of.

You use me all the time. Fact is, you need me. But I’m not surprised that

you’re taking advantage of what you can get.

There’s people gettin’ used and abused all over this city, from Capitol Hill to

K Street. Remember that college intern who worked in your office last year?

The one who could have been learning valuable coffee-making and photocopi-

er repair skills, but you made her enter data instead? That was just mean. You

use me like you use unpaid intern labor, and I don’t know how the hell you

sleep at night.

But I’m taking a stand! Here’s how it’s going to be. You make it worth my

while, and I’ll continue to back you up. But if you don’t, I might not be there

for you.

Let’s see how that might play out:

“Hi! I’m Sarah. I work for Senator Feinstein…and…um…I work on…um…

what?”

Awww snap! Your gravitas just went KOBLAMMO! You’ll just have to keep

talking and pray that you don’t embarrass your stupid-ass self. Without me,

you’re nothing, and don’t you forget it!

Think it over, I’m sure we can work it out. You know where I’ll be if you

need me.

The “DC Pause” is a contributing writer for The SAIS Observer.

THE SAIS OBSERVEREditors-in-Chief

Peter Gruskin is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating inInternational Finance, Middle East Studies and Global Theory &

History, and graduates in December 2011

Ryan A. Pallathra is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating inStrategic Studies, and graduates in December 2011

Contributors (This Issue)

Adrian Stover, Jared Katz, Jimmy Church, Joe Wilson, John Pacheco,Katharine Cooley, Lindsay La Forge, Lubomir Sokol, Marisol

Trowbridge, Melissa Morgenstern, Michael Carbone, Nic Wondra,Nicole Epps, Philip Zager, Suzy Xiu, Wil Jackson, Wu Hao

The SAIS Observer is a newspaper written, edited, and produced bythe students of the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International

Studies (SAIS) of The Johns Hopkins University.

SAIS Students, Faculty and members of the Administration at theWashington, D.C., Bologna and Nanjing campuses are encouraged

to submit articles, Op-Eds, photographs, andother items for consideration.

Materials for publication, comments or inquiries may be sent to usat: [email protected]. The online edition of The SAISObserver and its full archives are at: www.saisobserver.org.

The SAIS Observer is an approved SAIS Student Organization.Opinions expressed in The SAIS Observer are not necessarily theviews of the Editors, SAIS, or The Johns Hopkins University.

2 The SAIS Observer October 2011

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

FEATURE: INTERVIEW WITH DEAN JOHN HARRINGTON ...................................PAGE 1OP-ED ON COMCAST INTERNET ...............................................................................PAGE 1PHOTOGRAPHY BY JARED KATZ (SAIS ALUMNUS) ......................................PAGES 2 & 8THE “DC PAUSE” ...........................................................................................................PAGE 2页台湾 ............................................................................................................................PAGE 3THE SAIS EXISTENTIAL CRISIS ...................................................................................PAGE 3‘HAVE HEELS, WILL TRAVEL’ COLUMN ....................................................................PAGE 4‘HAVE LEATHER SANDALS, DO TRAVEL’ COLUMN ................................................PAGE 5SAIS THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND THE NEW SILK ROAD STRATEGY ................PAGE 6INTERNSHIPS WHILE AT SAIS ...................................................................................PAGE 6OCCUPY WALL STREET PROTESTS AND SOCIAL CHANGE ....................................PAGE 7APPRECIATING ITALIAN CUISINE WHILE IN BOLOGNA .......................................PAGE 8UPDATE FROM SAISer IN EGYPT .............................................................................PAGE 10JERSEY SHORE EXPLAINS THE MIDDLE EAST ......................................................PAGE 10‘SAIS IMPACTS’ COLUMN ..........................................................................................PAGE 11MA LA TANG IN CHINA .............................................................................................PAGE 11HOW BEN ALI’S “AUTHORITARIAN BARGAIN” FELL APART ...............................PAGE 12“SHOW YOUR SAIS PRIDE” 2010 PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS ................PAGES 12 & 16DEBUT OF THE NEW SAIS BOOK EXCHANGE .......................................................PAGE 13THE NEW STUDENT GOVERNMENT TEAM ..........................................................................PAGE 14CLUBS & ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................................PAGE 16

PHOTOS: Italy’s Students Protest Education Cuts in Bologna, Italy (Sept. 2008)

Photography by Jared Katz, SAIS Alumnus, BC 2009, DC 2010See More of Jared’s Work at: http://www.jaredkatzphotography.com/

Courtesy of Jared Katz


October 2011 The SAIS Observer 3

SO: Fear of symbols?

DH: If you read an economics article, and you read all the words and come to some

function, you’ll skip right over it and read the words. Words are symbols, but they

are the symbols that we start learning when we are in kindergarten, so we are used

to letter symbols and word symbols. But when it comes down to mathematical sym-

bols, it is a lack of practice. Most people’s lives are not spent dealing with mathe-

matical symbols. It could be that if you do mathematics, physics, or chemistry you

get used to it. But if you are reading something, you tend to just skip over all of

those complicated looking things. For example, f(x) is just an arbitrary symbol, but

it can be used to take ideas and relationships to express them symbolically.

SO: But it is the practice that helps you get used to it.

DH: Exactly. Learning does not take place while watching lectures. I used to say

this in statistics class, “You’re going to watch me lecture about statistics, and I’m

going to go through and solve a lot of problems. And you’re going to sit there and

say, ‘Sure, that’s easy.’ And then you’re going to think that it is easy until you go

and try to solve the problem yourself and think ‘Oh, it is hard.’” What is hard is

doing something. That’s when you learn.

For every lecture there is problem, because learning is going to take place not

watching the lecture. The half-life of a lecture is only about two weeks. The lecture

is important because it should convey some information, presumably, but it mostly

should convey excitement about the subject.

SO: Have the DVDs affected conversations with students?

DH: Not really. Sometimes I’ll be walking up the stairs, and the student walking

down will take a double take and think, “Oh I know this person really well, how do

I know this person so well?” My assumption is that most people know who I am

because of this, or else they have not prepared for the math. I was just in Bologna,

and some students came up to me and said “Dean Harrington! I just wanted to tell

you how much I like the DVDs.” That’s all that really happens.

Adrian Stover is a first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Southeast Asia

Studies.

The Exclusive Dean Harrington Interview(continued from page 1)

Reset your spam filters. I'm doing this again.

I’ll be the first to admit it. Last semester I had my SAIS Existential Crisis. Boy was

it brutal. I didn’t want to hang out with anyone. I didn’t want to be a Strategic

Studies person anymore. I didn’t want to go to my classes but did anyway. I didn’t

want to write random e-mails about random things to make people laugh. I didn’t

even want to flirt with Lois while she made my sandwiches. Life was miserable.

There was even a point where I started writing a Broadway musical about how I

should’ve gone to Business School. It wasn’t very good.

But something happened. I woke up one day and everything was awesome again. I

mean sure I’ll still be in debt until I’m ready to retire. And sure I still want to Hulk

Smash Dean Har___ton for calling my language selections “obscure.” But that’s all

okay because I can already tell this whole thing has been worth it. I realized this

over the summer.

You want a Macroeconomic analysis of why U.S. businesses should be interested in

focusing their attention on the East African market? BAM. There it is. In your face.

And with pretty pictures. Or how about one of our colleagues? You want someone

to make sure companies in Southeast Asia are worthy of investment with a detailed

analysis of why or why not? KABLAM. There it is “brah”. Next time why don’t

you challenge him? It's all coming together and starting to make sense. And though

I clearly don't owe this school one more dime, I at least owe them respect for what

they're molding us into.

So for those of you who are having the pleasure of Existentially Crisising currently

or will Crisis in the months to come, just remember this:

We’re awesome. The world needs fixing. And this is where the world fixers come

from.

Jimmy Church is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in International

Relations.

The SAIS Existential CrisisBy Jimmy Church

一页台湾吴昊（2010-2012硕士生）

2011年8月4日下午，南京大学代表团12人（另有20人从厦门出发）搭上从南京禄口机场飞往台湾高雄机场的航班，转机香港。将近深夜我们到达这次活动的目的地：高雄佛光山。

我们这一次参加的活动叫做“2011佛光山国际青年生命禅学营”。后来我们才知道有来自全世界40多个国家400多所学校的2000多名青年赴台参与了这一活动。

没有西门町，没有士林夜市，也没有忠孝东路，当我们知道这一次的行程时，确实有那么一点小失落。可是当我们经历了这七天的行程，再回过头来看这一次的台湾之旅，我们欣喜地发现，让我们感受到了这一次旅行别样的意义和价值，让我们体验到了有着别样风情的台湾——一个在繁华和时尚背后有着文化底蕴的台湾，有着人文关怀的台湾，有着浓浓真情的台湾。

我们的行程有两部分。

前四天所有学员在佛光山活动。在这四天里我们倾听了星云大师和众法师的对于佛学和禅宗的开示，聆听了包括北大新闻与传播学院徐泓院长、台湾教育部吴清基部长等学者对禅宗的体悟，参访了即将落成的气势恢宏的佛陀纪念馆。我们在旭日初升的清晨与湖光山色中盘腿禅坐，在晨光暮色、葱郁宁静的佛光山中行走，在斋堂中与两千多名学员、法师和信徒安静地品用斋饭，在大佛前的广场上与世界各地的青年一起献灯祈福。

后三天我们游览台南、台中和台北。主办方为我们安排了三条路线，南大的同学走的是西二线。三天的行程中，我们在白河莲花公园体验了观音莲，在国立故宫博物院见证了合二为一的富春山居图，在宜兰沙滩享受了海浪的洗礼，在金光明寺欣赏了精彩绝伦的陀螺表演，在佛光山的各个道场感知了佛教的智慧，在仁爱之家和新营讲堂感受了人间佛教带给世间的温暖和关怀。

此刻，我特别想用七个“最”字描述台湾之行的所感所悟。

最让我敬服的是星云大师。在见到大师之前，我很难想象一个建国初期只身来到台湾的扬州和尚是如何在半个多世纪里，在一个完全陌生的地域，开创出如此一大片蔚为壮观的人间佛教的事业。见到大师，聆听了他的讲学，观看了大师的纪录片之后，方才懂得他的艰辛，他的智慧，他的慈悲。大师说过：“我不懂管理，只懂人心。”这或许正是他能够经营这么一大片佛教事业的原因。

最让我惊叹的是佛光山的法师们。他（她）们有着极为高的学历，极为高深的学问，极为流利的英文以及极为慈悲的情怀。他（她）们的个人素质和个人魅力，每一刻都于无声无形之中影响着我们。人间佛教能有今天的影响力，正是有着这一大批有着大学问、大道行和娴熟的语言能力的法师们，在世界各个角落传播佛教，关怀世人。

最让我感谢的是每一队中为我们服务的小队辅们。他们大多是佛光大学和台湾其他院校的在校学生，年龄与我们相仿，但他们的奉献精神却让我们自叹不如。七天里，他们自始至终照顾我们衣食住行的每一个细节。而让我们最难以忘怀的是，有一次我们听完讲座回来的路上，突然下起了瓢泼大雨，在经过一段没有外墙的走廊时，十几个小队辅穿着雨衣，打着大雨伞，排成一队，为我们依次通过的两千名学生撑起了一片晴天，而他们早已被淋得全身湿透。

最让我享受的是台湾的素食大餐。在台湾的七天也许是我们很多人这一生最长的一段只食用素食的日子。然而，无论是在佛光山，佛光山的各个道场，法师们都用最好吃的素食大餐招待我们，让我们平生第一次知道原来素食也能那么丰富，那么香甜。

最让我感动的是佛光山所举办的各种社会公益事业。其中印象最深刻的是佛光山举办的仁爱之家，这里居住的几乎都是无家可归的老人。他们在这里的所有生活起居都由法师们、工作人员以及义工们照料并且不需要支付任何费用。另外，仁爱之家首创了老人日托班，招收宜兰附件的老人，给予他们各种文艺和教学活动，让老人们有了一个充实健康的晚年。

最让我觉得有创意的是在台北建筑工地的围墙上悬挂的一盆盆的绿色植物。建筑工地或者维修工地总难免影响一个城市的形象。可是这样一种创意的装点却瞬间把工地变成了城市的另一道独特的风景线。

最让我兴奋的是在佛光大学的最后一个夜晚。我们在露天广场上，一边为世界各地的青年带来的自己国家和地区最具代表性的、最精彩的表演欢呼呐喊，一边品尝着台湾各地的水果、小吃，还有经典的台式奶茶，还欣赏了惊喜而灿烂的花火。闭幕典礼结束后，已经将近午夜，我们兴致依旧，便结伴往建筑在山上的佛光大学的深处走去。在接近山顶的地方，我们看到了最最璀璨的，让我们一辈子都难以忘怀的，一整片的万家灯火。那时的我们，只想并肩坐在台阶上，静静地看着这最美丽的台湾灯火。

从台湾归来已有一个多月了，我依然会常常回忆起在佛光山国际青年生命禅学营所经历的点点滴滴，依然会想起风光秀丽，充满魅力的台湾。如果说台湾是一本书，我的七天台湾之行只是翻开了这本书的一页而已。期待着在不久的将来，在台湾回归祖国怀抱的那一天，能够再去那里，阅读一个更完整的台湾。

This article was written by Wu

Hao (pictured), who is currently

a student at the Hopkins–Nanjing

Center (HNC) for Chinese and

American Studies, in Nanjing,

China.


Dear Have Heels, Will Travel,

She says she likes me but has a boyfriend. What does that mean?

--Sleeping Alone in DC

Darling, what this means is that you’re on layaway.

You are back-up.

Indeed, this is part of a phenomenon rarely mentioned in polite quarters, one

commonly referred to as the “Peer and Spare Rule”.

Guys, let me spell it out for you. The peer and spare principle states that when a

girl is in a ho-hum relationship and the thrill is gone, or it’s a long distance rela-

tionship, one must invest in a peer and a spare male-friend. Of course, both the

peer and the spare are used to bolster the self-esteem and swipe plastic at the bar.

Here is the huge difference: the peer is the guy who will listen to your problems,

rub your back when you’re down and tell you you’re pretty on your bad day.

There is no attraction on the female side. The spare, on the other hand, is still in

the running for the next “boyfriend” or “love of the night.” Long story short,

lonely SAISer, you need to figure out if you are the “spare” or the “peer”.

By the way, it’s hard to shift from peer to spare, and we would need an entire

column to explain. But here is an even better test that you can’t study for: ask

her to hang out for a movie night, and if she comes over in a sweatshirt and

baseball cap and eats garlic bread, you are most definitely a peer.


Why do SAIS guys never hit on SAIS girls? Is DC full of commitment-

phobes?--Lost in Translation in Nitze

Never is such an ugly world and I must believe SAIS guys do hit on SAIS girls

because I see these happy couples holding hands and giving each other smolder-

ing looks every time I walk into Nitze, and no, they’re not all from Bologna.

Legend has it that when midterms are over and applications are in, the SAIS

male after ingesting copious amounts of Dogfish beer feels the urge to interact

with SAIS women with such sparkling gems as:

“We should hang out sometime. I’m going to that SAIS party–are you coming?”

The SAIS female may even say something daring in response, like:

“Sure. Would you like to go to the party together?”

Invariably, the rapprochement is shut down by silence, awkwardness or my per-

sonal favorite the “SAIS fade away.”

So no, I don’t think the entire school is full of commitment-phobes. Perhaps it’s

more a mélange of commitment-phobes, the socially awkward, and the entitled

players.

And the Balance of Claimants, or lack thereof, leaves a surplus of single girls.


Why don’t SAIS students dance at Friday Happy Hour?

--Dancing in the Dark

Sometimes I feel like SAIS is the low budget version of Footloose and I’m talk-

ing the Kevin Bacon version here, not the bootleg remake with Julianne Hough

of Dancing with the Stars. Why don’t SAIS students dance at Happy Hour, you

ask? Could it be they’re too busy complaining about homework and the lack of

jobs in time period “t-plus-k”? Is this just middle school all over again?

Yes, it’s middle school—minus the fact that we’re taller and the acne has cleared

up. At the end of the day it’s a bunch of really smart kids awkwardly two step-

ping to a beat no one else is hearing in our production of No Rhythm Nation in

the Nitze courtyard. If you want to dance, who cares people?! We have music at

every happy hour—go for it.

Dear Have Heels, Will Travel

Are there secret, torrid love affairs at SAIS?

--SAIS Single

Well if it’s a secret torrid love affair then by power of deduction it would need

to remain a secret to maintain the torrid factor. Anyway, yes, plenty of people

are doing things they might never admit to, but I’m going to spill it anyway.

SAIS’ secret shame here is the “ambiguous friendship-relationship.”

You know those relationships where the couple spends all waking hours togeth-

er—lingering lunches, finishing each other’s sentences, and most importantly,

telling each other how attractive the other person is—but at the end they always

remind themselves that they’re just friends? I know, me too.

This epidemic is shocking, and if I had a dollar for every time I’ve sat with

friends analyzing these pseudo-relationships in a Soviet-style building on

Massachusetts Ave NW, I would probably be able pay my tuition. Or go shop-

ping for more heels.

Seriously, these freakish and ambiguous relationships are way too pervasive

and they need to stop now. Can we talk about the rat problem in DC?

Dear High Heels, Will Travel,

I’m paying $82 for a gym membership that I never use and these classesare sucking my soul dry? What can I do?

---SAIS Coucher

It’s obvious you’re a Vida Fitness member, so take advantage of the amazing

classes and the new pool on U Street. You’re already signed up.

All work and no play makes John and Jane very boring people and you do need

breaks. You can’t be productive all day. Like my friend Alex says, “health is

wealth!”

Take care of yourself and if you feel overwhelmed and it’s more than just miss-

ing a spinning class, talk to a good friend or talk to a counselor at JHU CAPS-

They’re here to help and listen.


You’re good. Do you have any other brilliant pieces of advice on love andlife?

--U.R. Phan

Yes. My mother, the penultimate diva, once told me: “If someone likes you,

you’ll know. If you’re confused, they’re just not that into you.”

Nicole Epps is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in International

Law and Organizations.

“Have Heels, Will Travel”

An Advice Column by Nicole Epps


I’m not in the business of giving dating advice (nor should I be, really), and nor-

mally I don’t get roped into anything remotely resembling a “battle of the sexes,”

but a recent SAIS Observer submission by “Have Heels, Will Travel” struck a

nerve with me, and I couldn’t help but rise to the occasion to defend my fellow

SAIS Men.

In her advice column in this very issue of the SAIS Observer (if you haven’t read

it already, please do), Ms. Heels Travel was asked why SAIS Guys never hit on

SAIS Dolls. In her nature, the response is witty and fair. It provides micro-

romantic anecdotes that can’t be disputed, and sheds light on the issue in an

incredibly classy and tasteful way. But so much more needs to be said. I’ll go

ahead and give it a shot.

To be fair, SAIS Guys aren’t perfect. In fact, we’re awkward, we’re quirky, and

maybe a little dorky. Some of us haven’t realized it or some of us hide it well.

But I for one have fully embraced my awkward-quirky-dorkiness. I know I don’t

always say the right thing at the right time, and I know I have no smoothness

when it comes to dating. I can’t pick the “perfect” place to eat. I can’t transition

seamlessly from one topic to the next. I can’t talk about “cool” things and

impress you with how “cool” I am (because I’m not “cool”). And I don’t care in

the least because just like my fellow SAIS men, I can do other things that I think

are pretty cool.

And ladies, whether you like it or not, you’re all dorky just the same and I’ll

admit that what I’m about to say doesn’t apply to all SAIS girls, because obvi-

ously not all of you are frustrated with not getting hit on by a SAIS guy, some of

you likely want nothing to do with us, and some of you probably have no prob-

lem getting attention at school (maybe even to the point of harassment…). But

for those of you who are frustrated with not getting what you think you want,

read on and see what you think…

It’s been my observation that many women at SAIS put up some pretty hefty

barriers, and I’m not so sure many are aware of it. It could be for a variety of

reasons (many of which are completely understandable), but here are some that I

can think of:

1. All the standard reasons to put up barriers +

2. This is Washington DC

3. Our school is an itty bitty fish bowl

4. This is a very career-oriented institution with career-minded students

5. You’re taking Corporate Finance

6. We’re all under a tremendous amount of self-induced stress to perform

7. Academics can be shy and the intelligent can be picky

8. Living abroad hardens the outer shell, especially in countries w/

obnoxious men

9. Some honestly believe our SAIS reputations will carry forward into our

careers

10. The Deans are always watching

11. The list could go on and on…

“Have Leather Sandals, Do Travel”An Op-Ed By “Plato”

And when you combine all these reasons into a great big lump of relationship

stress, my theory is that you are left with a SAIS girl with so many barriers that

getting into her heart is like infiltrating a fortress.

And thus, without further adieu, I’d like to introduce what I refer to as, “The

Allegory of the White House”:

Barrier #1 - The Police

Socially awkward guys who appear to be suspicious are asked to leave on sight.

Barrier #2 - The Lack of Invitation

Nowhere on the White House does it say, “Visitors welcome!”, and further-

more, nowhere on the White House does it say, “Guy X especially welcome!”

Barrier #3 - The Fence

Only those who are confident, stupid, desperate or some unity of the three typi-

cally have the courage to hop the fence into romantic territory. Some refer to

this as the great leap from the friendship or colleague ladder to the romantic lad-

der. It’s all the same concept.

Barrier #4 - The Lawn

The lawn is peppered with snipers, automatic weaponry, land mines and guard

dogs. Bullets of particularity shoot out various criteria of the most intricate

design. “I like that he started a hedge fund in Southeast Asia and speaks three

languages and all… but he doesn’t like Ke$ha…” A guy can only take so many

hits before he falls dead in the grass.

Barrier #5 - The Media

As each barrier is infiltrated, the White House press secretary releases juicy play

by plays of the entire infiltration process to her SAISy grad girl squad. Lame.

Barrier #6 - The Door

Even if the guy makes it all the way to the door, in a lot of cases the door’s

been locked all along. Turns out she wasn’t really interested in dating or having

a relationship. Perhaps she was just lonely and starving for male attention.

So to the ladies who are upset that the dorky guys mentioned up above aren’t

hitting on them, I politely suggest you do the following and see if your odds

improve:

1. Fire the police.

2. Make an invitation with a clear indication.

3. Let a few of the snipers take a vacation.

4. Keep the press releases to a minimum.

But most importantly…

5. Unlock the damn door.

“Plato” is a SAIS Resident Philosopher.

6 The SAIS Observer October 2011SAIS Thought Leadership and the

New Silk Road StrategyBy Lindsay La Forge

When you make pleasant small talk at a SAIS event with a man you later find

out is the Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S., you know that what you have been

a part of that day was not just enlightening and current, but impactful in the

larger global dialogue on how countries function. This is what is at the heart of

a SAIS degree, the guarantee to students that sets the school apart: a place at the

table for discussions on some of the most timely issues global leaders are fac-

ing, as well as the education to capitalize on that opportunity. An event this

September, titled “The United States’ ‘New Silk Road’ Strategy: What is it?

Where is it Headed?,” brought this realization into focus.

As a recent alumnus of the International Law and Organizations program, and

more relevantly, of Fred Starr’s Central Asia and the Caspian Basin class, I was

proud to see the SAIS community once again at the forefront of a new dialogue

for global change. In my current capacity as a Program Officer for yet another

Dupont think tank, I try to capture what institutions and processes have been

essential in creating economic growth and how that growth produces measura-

ble peace and governance outcomes. I do this in order to make recommenda-

tions to fragile state leaders on their nation’s development. Thus I found the

event to be refreshingly practical, appropriately high-level, and deeply construc-

tive in the move toward crystallizing a New Silk Road concept.

Central Asia is an area of particular importance in my work, as the West slips

out of Afghanistan and a mixed bag of challenges—economic, strategic, and

political—that show themselves to be more durable than a decade of best

efforts. The Central Asia- Caucasus Institute (CACI) at SAIS began a discus-

sion fleshing out the details of Afghanistan and the region’s future, which up

until this point had been characterized only by Secretary Clintons call to “create

a New Silk Road” of interlinked markets in Central Asia, the Caspian, the

Caucasus and Eastern Europe, China, Pakistan, and India. Rich in imagery and

promise, but ultimately at risk of becoming platitudinous, it was refreshing to

hear Robert Hormats (U.S. Undersecretary of State for Economic, Energy, and

Agricultural Affairs), Sham Bathija (Senior Economic Adviser to Hamid

Karzai), and Juan Miranda (Director General of the Central and Asia

Department at ADB) provide robust policy frameworks for dealing with these

issues in the move to create a more comprehensive, regional, trade-based eco-

nomic order.

While gaps in the preconditions for regional cooperation were identified (i.e.,

security, infrastructure, commodities dependence, and investment risk), existing

assets were also a focus. Both the policy progress in areas like customs revenue

and border management and a discussion of potential for natural and human

capital existing within the region were considered. The internal historical factors

responsible for the doubling of trade in all the Eurasian sub-regions since 1995

came into play as indicators of the best practices which might result in success-

ful future policy design. Tangible policy recommendations were synthesized for

external actors in the planning for trade based growth, diversification, and

mobilization of the private sector. The practicality of the discussions was evi-

denced by the broaching of the Iranian cooperation subject and a real considera-

tion of comparative advantages within and outside of the region.

The construction of institutions for peace and prosperity for the entire Eurasian

continent is quickly becoming a call for action and leaders are excited to

embark upon this initiative. This region is positioned to assert itself as a domi-

nant player in global trade and politics, and the thought leadership provided by

CACI, as well as the high profile of practitioners with capacity to institute

change, were indicative of will that backs the necessary progress of the New

Silk Road strategy.

Lindsay La Forge is a SAIS Alumnus (BC ’10, DC’11) who concentrated in

International Law and Organizations.

Another year at SAIS means new people to meet and more parties to attend. It

also means additional rounds of internship freak-out sessions for most first year

students (and an even more exciting job search for us second years). The aim of

this article is to give you some valuable advice that might just help you land an

internship.

“Relationship Building” Rather than “Networking”At this point you have probably been told by your career services advisor and

your (SAIS) friends that “networking” is the key to an internship. I would argue

that “Relationship Building” is the vital component that you should concentrate

on during your search. This is a quantity versus quality process and quality

almost always wins.

Developing and maintaining a personal relationship with someone lends you

credibility as a candidate. Moreover, if the person has any sway in the hiring

process, they are more likely to back someone they can trust and know relatively

well rather than someone who handed them a resume yesterday.

In other words, who would you pick among two equally qualified candidates:

Candidate 1 who befriended you on Facebook and forwarded his resume, or

Candidate 2 who you’ve had dinner with on a few occasions over the past few

months? I think the choice here is easy—I still have yet to hear of any SAIS stu-

dent who got an internship through his random Linkedin friend.

Bottom Line: Develop a personal relationship first with someone before asking

him or her for leads. This takes time, so start now.

How to Start at SAIS

We’re all students at a prestigious institution and many of us worked before

coming here. Most people get caught up “networking” with people outside of the

school but in my opinion there are plenty of resources right where we are. So

start there. Reach out to fellow classmates and professors who share your inter-

ests. They are often gatekeepers for contacts within organizations that you may

be interested in, and chances are they would be happy to share them with some-

one who they know and trust.

Bottom Line: Start developing strong connections with fellow students and with

your professors. MIPP students are a particularly under-appreciated resource.

Questions & Answers:

Topic: Interning while at SAIS (during the regular semester)

Here is a question that I’ve heard numerous times, particularly from first year

students and our returning Bolognese friends. The responses come from alumni

and second year students who interned during the school year.

Q: How many hours should I intern per week?

A: 20 hours a week max, if you’re not taking a language, and less if you are.

Remember your opportunity cost: you’re paying a lot of money in tuition.

Q: Should I intern my first semester at SAIS?

A: Absolutely not. Figure out the flow of the school before taking on an intern-

ship. This is also time that should be used for the aforementioned “relationship

building.”

Q: What’s the best time to intern?

A: For students graduating in May, the spring semester of your second year is

typically the best time to intern. At the end of your internship the organization

can sometimes bring you on as a full-time employee.

I hope this helps you navigate through the treacherous internship waters and if

you find yourself stressed out, just remember that it could always be worse.

You could be looking for a real job like the rest of us.

Lubomir Sokol is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Latin

American Studies.

Internships While at SAISBy Lubomir Sokol


In the past few weeks the “Occupy Wall Street” protests have garnered much

attention by the media, the Internet community, and even some presidential can-

didates. The common question among pundits is “who are these guys and what

do they want?” The reply from the ether is vague but energetic, and the

turnouts keep growing. In number and by location, the Occupy Wall Street

movement is spreading. In this piece we discuss two opposing viewpoints on

the nature of this protest movement, the context of social media in which it is

set, and the prospects for its future.

The Historical Substance of MovementsIt has been a number of years since the revolutionary social movements of the

1960s and 70s when we saw icons of change like Dr. King, Malcolm X, and

Betty Friedan shake the foundation of American society. Unlike then, the social

movements today are lacking in terms of formal organization, recognizable per-

sonalities, and concrete policy goals. Making noise is not the same as having a

voice; and those that would claim that en masse turnout reflects a movement’s

power are sorely mistaken.

The focus until now has been increasing numbers and drawing attention. This

Wall Street exercise may as well be a walk around town, because the sustain-

ability of a movement is its agenda, not its numbers. Dr. King’s message

became America’s message in the 1960s because of its simplicity and succinct-

ness. The Feminine Mystique became the banner agenda for professional

women because it shattered the misconception that feminism was mutually

exclusive of femininity. A movement’s sustainability is derived from its com-

mon denominator policy goals, and with no concrete agenda it cannot survive to

affect change. So we must ask ourselves: is it about “sustaining” a movement or

achieving solid objectives in the end?

The age of connectivity is here, but that does not mean we are actually empow-

ered by connection alone. A movement’s power today is often measured by its

Google search hits, number of “likes” on Facebook, and so forth, but the

Internet’s ability to help fishers of minds cast a wide net is also its drawback.

One doesn’t always get the catch he expects. Due to no center and no concrete

agenda, the “Occupy Wall Street” events of late are easier to dismiss than

embrace.

But is it generational? Do we actually think differently than our parents once

did about our roles in society? The stressors seem similar: school, job, govern-

ment, friends and spouses; yet we subject ourselves to the diffuse and pithy con-

versation of the Internet rather than using that very tool to focus our rage. Be it

a frustration with bankers, politicians, or corporations, our generation must not

be distracted by the volume of our discontent. We must focus it into a genuine

set of generational demands.

The Modern Movement: Occupy the News CycleThere is little doubt that Occupy Wall Street is a movement of its time, borne

from a generation used to web-based collaboration, connecting, and sharing.

Using the Internet to promote participation in activism is not new, nor is using

social media to increase its reach. However, the participants’ understanding of

the media environment and decentralized administration have become the

movement’s biggest assets as it has garnered attention.

As is typical of the traditional news media, protests and marches in the new mil-

lennium have sometimes been noted, often been ignored, and only rarely have

been analyzed. Pundits and writers may argue over whether the police estimates

of the number of participants or the organizers’ estimates are more accurate, but

rarely do they try to intelligently engage with what drives the protesters. The

march or protest ends after a day or weekend, and once again it’s back to busi-

ness as usual.

The first novel aspect of the movement then is its emphasis on sustained pres-

ence. Inspirations mentioned by participants include the 2009 Tea Party protests

and the 2011 Arab Spring, and although the Tea Party had the help and encour-

agement of the media from its beginning, its domestic political and media influ-

ence reinforced the importance of sustained pressure for Occupy Wall Street to

build awareness, increase turnout, and stay on the minds of political leaders.

Taken together with the increased dependence of the public and traditional

media on social media, the movement has survived beyond the initial media

blackout and condescending remarks, and forced the media and politicians to

(begin to) critically engage with it.

The second novel approach of the Occupy Together movement is its decentral-

ized administration, inspired in turn by the Arab Spring movements and

described by one participant of the Occupy DC group as “open source.” Besides

highlighting the fact that much of the web infrastructure and social media used

by the movement is free and open source (such as the WordPress publishing

platform), the ethos of the participants is one where everyone contributes to the

movement and incrementally improves and refines its aims and ambitions. In

this way, to start with specific demands seems counter-intuitive. Indeed, its

decentralized administration emphasizes its strongest asset: decision-making by

consensus.

While the trope of Congress being unable to agree is pat (they have no issues

supporting outsized military spending, tax cuts for the rich, and shielding offi-

cials and financial supporters from criminal prosecution, among other topics),

productively investing in the country’s future for a timeframe longer than a

campaign cycle does seem beyond them. The movement’s foundation on con-

sensus and participation seems fresh, and empowers Americans to take part in

the political decision-making process that ignores their interests.

Fizzle or Flourish?Whether it can sustain its message of consensus against an entrenched political,

media and financial class seeking to marginalize or co-opt it is unclear. The dis-

enfranchisement felt by Americans will remain until corrected, but whether that

needed social or policy change happens sooner or later, and in what context—

the diffuse organization of the modern blogosphere, or with the leadership of a

“center” with clear and concise goals—is still being fought over.

At the first general assembly of Occupy DC the question of demands was

raised; the media was berating Occupy Wall Street for its lack of demands.

Indeed, one of the more popular calls for action from Adbusters at the begin-

ning of the movement asked provocatively, “What is our one demand?” Here in

the capital, one participant responded, “demands are for when you have lever-

age.” First you build movement around general demands and discontent, and

only once you have the political class’s attention do you create policy demands.

But another replied, “Are we here to demand, or to come together?” Is the

intention of the movement to demand and be given concessions from those who

hold power—in turn legitimizing the unbalanced political relationship—or to

build participation and compassion into people’s interactions with each other

and with a system seen as actively ignoring their interests?

Concluding RemarksIndeed, will this be seen as one in a long history of traditional protest move-

ments, but less successful in its organizational capacity? Or will it be seen as

the start of a larger, deeper process, whereby Americans reconsider their power-

less in the political system and attempt to build a more participatory and hori-

zontal democratic process, where they not only feel heard, but can hear each

other?

While individual aspects of this modern movement may be nothing new, taken

together at this time it is casting itself as something relatively unfamiliar to the

U.S. political landscape. Rather than be driven by the formal institutions of

labor unions, churches, or schools, people from entirely different walks of life

are participating. But although the circles of those participating are expanding in

breadth, are they in depth? In an age where the participants have only cursory

contact with each other, the ability to connect disparate groups towards a com-

mon goal or enterprise becomes all the more important. If this is done by an

emerging leader or organization, the more likely the movement will make and

get some demands. But if it is done through its current participatory consensus

model, the movement will more likely be transformative.

Nicholas (Nic) Wondra is a first-year M.A. candidate & Michael Carbone is a

second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in China Studies & Energy

Resources and Environment.

The Occupy Wall Street Protests and Social Change Through the GenerationsBy Michael Carbone & Nic Wondra


An Italian Culinary Education:Studying Abroad in Bologna

By Suzy Xiu

I made the decision to spend my junior year abroad in Bologna with the intention

of, above all else, studying Italian gastronomy. The city is generally claimed to be

Italy’s culinary capital, even boasting the nickname “La Città Grassa,” the Fat

City. I hadn’t actually undergone any formal culinary training, so my plan was

essentially to try out every dish Italy had to offer.

Once I got here, however, I quickly learned that this would be an impossible task.

Tagliatelle, Fettucini, Spaghetti, Gnocchi, Linguini, Ravioli, Lasagna, Capellini,

Fusilli, Farfalle, Tortellini, Tortelloni, Tortelli... the offerings are seemingly end-

less.

Then there come the sauces. We start off with the traditional Bolognese sauce.

The best ones are always freshly made "in casa" with a rich and savory—yet sur-

prisingly delicate—ragù. It is perfectly spiced and then blended with plump red

tomatoes, into a hearty, satisfying sauce. When this is paired with Tagliatelle—

long, thin ribbons of pasta, you get one of Bologna's most classic dishes,

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese.

Also popular is the Gorgonzola sauce. Generally known as blue cheese in the

United States, it possesses a pungent aroma that is a deterrent for some. However,

those people haven’t tried it coupled with the soft, little, melt-in-your-mouth pil-

lows of dough called Gnocchi.

While there are many specialties in the region to choose from, my favorites so far

are the Tortelloni. Not to be confused with Tortellini, their tinier counterpart,

Tortelloni are large, deftly folded pockets of pasta bursting with a cheese filling.

The best dish I've had here so far is Tortelloni stuffed with sausage and

Gorgonzola, topped with pancetta and truffle shavings resting in a light cream

sauce. Heaven.

Despite all the culinary wonders offered here, the best part about Bologna is its

location. A central hub of the Italian rail system, it takes at most a couple hours

to get to most major cities: Venice, Rome, Milan, and Florence, to name a few.

I'm just a short (and cheap!) train ride away from the most authentic Florentine

steak, Risotto alla Milanese, Venetian seafood, and Saltimbocca alla Romana.

There is also a two-for-one Saturday train ticket deal until December to take

advantage of.

I fear I will really live up to the city’s nickname by the end of this year, but at

least I’ll be sure to savor every bite along the way.

Suzy Xiu is a Johns Hopkins University Class of 2013 undergraduate student

studying abroad at the SAIS Bologna Center in Bologna, Italy.

PHOTOS: Italy’s Students Protest Education Cuts in Bologna, Italy (Sept. 2008)

Photography by Jared Katz, SAIS Alumnus, BC 2009, DC 2010See More of Jared’s Work at: http://www.jaredkatzphotography.com/





“Comcast Sucks and the Government ShouldSmash Them to Pieces”

(continued from page 1)

Like the brilliant social scientists we are, we finally got to the root of the problem

(but didn’t find a solution). The problem, apparently, was that we live in a house

with two units. Two separate units. With concrete floors and beams in between.

“Oh, we don’t service that,” claimed a Comcast representative.

“So we don’t get internet?,” we wondered.

“Um,” they responded. “You can’t have two internet accounts in one place.”

“Oh yes we can! And we’re going to get that internet!,” we cried. “Let me talk to

your manager! I need internet and I need it now!”

At one point—no at many points—after having our Saturday night ruined, we

asked to speak to a manager. That got us put on hold for another 30 minutes and

eventually the waiting music stopped.

“Dude, where’d the waiting music go? I don’t hear it anymore.”

“Dude, the customer service people probably get electric shocks or money taken

out of their paychecks if a customer is on hold for more than X minutes. We defi-

nitely hit X minutes.”

“Damn, they probably just hung up.”

“Maybe they are messing with us,” I proposed to my roommate.

“Why don’t we press “two for Spanish” next time and talk to someone in a differ-

ent country. It can’t be April Fools Day in both countries. Plus, if they are messing

with us, it is just the English-speaking team who celebrate. It’s not like they’re

going to call another calling center and tell them in Spanish to mess with us

because it’s April Fools in the first country.”

Long story short, this didn’t work either.

So in conclusion, Comcast is a bunch of idiots. Policy relevance: Comcast is a

bunch of idiots and they need to be smashed to pieces by the State.

“Anonymous” is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Middle East

Studies and International Finance.

SAIS Student


Summary: The current events in Egypt suggest Egypt has numerous challenges

to address in the near and long term: rising debt levels, IMF loan refusal,

increased borrowing from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, religious fractiona-

tion and state provoked sectarian violence between Egyptian Muslims and

Christians, and an increasing level of hostility with Israel. These all foretell that

things will remain extremely complicated for Egypt, and this is without even

considering Egypt’s nearing parliamentary elections.

In this piece I discuss a number of challenges Egypt is currently facing regard-

ing the upcoming parliamentary elections. I begin by covering the divisions

within the liberal and secular movements and the strengths of the Muslim

Brotherhood in electoral competition. Next, I explore the shared ailments

among the liberal and secular movements in both Egypt and Syria. Finally, I

note the fear among Egyptian voters regarding continual political and economic

stagnation in Egypt and the possible emergence of the Muslim Brotherhood as

an elected political party.

The ruling Egyptian military council has recently moved the parliamentary elec-

tion date from September to November 2011. It appears the liberals and secular-

ists needed additional time to form cohesive political parties in order to compete

in the elections. If the elections had taken place in September as scheduled, the

individual liberal and secular parties would not have stood a chance against the

Muslim Brotherhood at the ballot box, according to many analysts.

Who Are the Muslim Brothers?The Muslim Brotherhood is the largest and best-organized political faction in

Egypt. In the upcoming elections, they will run under the name of “Freedom

and Justice Party,” and may prove to be more capable in attracting large num-

bers of committed voters than previously expected. Despite not participating

fully in politics under Mubarak, the Muslim Brothers’ constituents still seem to

know who the Brothers are as a party, what they stand for, and how they will

implement various policies if elected.

In terms of the liberals and secularists, they are still too divided and there exist

too many uncertainties, considering how they intend to make their promises

materialize for the average Egyptian.

As the protests continue though, the Egyptian economy continues to suffer. It is

reported that increasing capital flight could wipe out billions of dollars lent to

Egypt from the Gulf Arab states in a matter of months. Currently, the capital

flight is ten times more than the amount of aid promised to Egypt from both the

U.S. and Europe combined, or about $130 billion a year.

The young protesters in January did a phenomenal job of rebelling against the

state, and many lost their lives for it. However, this wasn’t necessarily enough

to make long-lasting change. The protestors now need to learn how to “do poli-

tics”. These young protestors are not trained politicians and most do not have an

educational background in politics, and it is questionable if they know exactly

what they want to bring to the state. As well, there is no consensus among the

liberals on what should be in the constitution. The liberals and secularists are

more of a movement, and therefore should not be seen as representing any sin-

gle political party. This further complicates Egyptian politics.

What Does Syria Have to Do with Egypt?Although Egypt and Syria are in two very different situations, the liberal oppo-

sition in each share an important ailment - they are unable to unify. Both the

liberal Egyptian and liberal Syrian opposition fail to offer a viable plan for a

future without their respective despot. The opposition groups in both states

learned to decentralize in order to avoid the targeted retribution of the secret

police and intelligence apparatus. Centralization meant death and even asylum

abroad didn’t safety from the assassin’s bullet. Now the opposition movements

in Egypt and Syria must learn to bridge their divides in order to offer a clear

plan on how their countries should be run.

The liberals and secularists in Egypt should be careful; it is unknown how much

patience the average Egyptian worker has for continuous protesting and political

circus. The biggest threat for the liberals and secularists in the upcoming elec-

tions does not come from the committed religious voter, but from those

Egyptians who want a little more daily stability. These voters want an opportu-

nity to go back to a full day’s work and the ability to predict and manage a con-

stant income.

Where Economics and Politics MixIn order to reverse political and economic stagnation then, the Egyptian voter

may vote for the Muslim Brotherhood even if they don’t quite agree with all

their views. The average Egyptian voter may be impressed just enough with the

party’s organizational ability and commitment to achieve any viable Egyptian

future that they decide to place their bets with the Brotherhood.

Wil Jackson is a SAIS M.A. candidate currently in Egypt.

The Latest from EgyptBy Wil Jackson

While writing a research paper on Iraq, I needed to illustrate Henry Kissinger’s

statement about the Iran-Iraq War: “It’s best if both sides lose.”

Simultaneously rooting against both the Yankees and Red Sox partially exem-

plifies this, but I needed an example with wider appeal. Then I found a suitable

explanation: Mike “The Situation,” from Jersey Shore.

Much like the Iran-Iraq War, the recent feud between cast members Mike “The

Situation” and Ronnie presented a scenario in which one would hope both sides

would lose. However, this analogy goes even further because Mike challenged

Ronnie, who is approximately three times his size.

Mike is Iraq and Ronnie is Iran and Mike’s decision to slam his head against

the nearest wall as a means of resolving the feud is a metaphor for Saddam

Hussein’s self-defeating tactics. Yes, Jersey Shore represents the end of MTV’s

attempt to be music-related…a decade later.

If The Real World was trapped in a tanning booth after a dozen vodka-sodas, it

would be Jersey Shore. However, we are not finished yet. In addition to making

the viewer feel better about their own life, the show is a metaphor for Middle

Eastern politics. As mentioned earlier, Mike represents Iraq and his much larger

rival, Ronnie, represents Iran. Mike and Ronnie started disliking each other

while competing over their fellow cast member Sam. Ronnie ended up with

Sam and their semi-functional relationship provides recurring drama. This sur-

prisingly resilient alliance makes sense if we understand that Sam stands for

Syria.

Despite Mike’s initial affinity for Sam—after all, the Ba’ath Party once ruled

Syria and Iraq—Sam has stayed with Ronnie, just as the Iran-Syria alliance

remains strong.

The rest of the cast falls into place too. DJ Pauly D, with his tripartite name and

“Blowout” hairstyle represents the United Arab Emirates and its massive con-

-struction projects. His tall hairstyle mirrors the tallest building on Earth, the

Burj Khalifa.

Pauly’s best friend, Vinny, with his tendency to criticize the insanity of his

housemates, is like the UAE’s neighbor and home to the highly critical Al-

Jazeera. That would be Qatar. And with her combination of artificially

enhanced cleavage and puritanical refusal to hook up with cast members, Jenni

stands for Saudi Arabia.

The mascot of the show, Snooki, serves as a mirror of the show. Author Sandra

Mackey employed the idea of a single entity “mirroring” the regional geopoliti-

cal environment in her book Mirror of the Arab World: Lebanon in Conflict.

With her hard drinking, constant searching for fun, adoration of beaches, and

general lack of modesty, Snooki stands for Lebanon. Google “Haifa Wehbe” if

you disagree with this assessment.

Snooki’s closest friend, and late addition to the show, Deena, represents

Lebanon’s neighbor, Israel. Deena’s inability to find a housemate willing to

hook up with her, immortalized in the question, “Pauly, you don’t want to do

sex?,” illustrates Israel’s difficulty in finding acceptance in the Middle Eastern

community.

Finally, Jenni and Snooki’s friendship in the face of Snooki’s personal difficul-

ties represents the role of Saudi Arabia in rebuilding Lebanon after its civil war.

Yes, Jersey Shore provides a metaphor for explaining Middle Eastern politics.

Further elaboration of the explanatory power of this model, including a discus-

sion of the role of fame (America) in the region will be addressed in my forth-

coming Master’s Thesis.

Philip Zager is a first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in Middle East

Studies.

How Jersey Shore Explains the Middle EastBy Philip Zager


SAIS ImpactsA Column about Innovative Impacts SAIS Students,

Faculty, and Alumni are Making Around the World

By Marisol Trowbridge

“Trade and Aid at SAIS”

Shamarukh Mohiuddin, a SAIS student from Bangladesh, has long had a pas-

sion for improving her home country’s opportunities for growth. So when she

bumped into Shabbir Ahmed Chowdhury, the founder of the U.S.-Bangladesh

Advisory Council (USBAC) at a social event, she swiftly pitched her idea to

turn his small, but high-level initiative into a full-fledged organization and a sig-

nificant player on Capitol Hill.

Shamarukh, now the Executive Director of the U.S.-Bangladesh Advisory

Council (www.usbac.org), spends her time outside school doing research and

advocacy on trade policy, foreign aid and climate change, introducing bills in

Congress and hosting events with international dignitaries to foster better trade

relations between the two countries. This work is currently supported by grants

from individuals, corporations and a major foundation. This network has

allowed her to take the USBAC from an organization that is primarily devoted

to talks between high-level officials, to an organization with boots on the

ground in the policy world.

Currently she’s working on two main projects for the USBAC. First is legisla-

tion she helped draft, designed to create duty-free, quota-free market access for

least developed countries (LDCs). For example, Bangladesh and Cambodia

each face about $650 million and $420 million respectively in duty fees every

year just on clothing and apparel entering the U.S. market. These amounts are

much higher than the tariffs faced by wealthier countries such as Britain and

France. Meanwhile, the annual U.S. aid budget for these countries is about one-

fifth of the duty fees.

Many of these policies were put in place in the 1930s and remain in place

today, although textile and apparel production and employment in the U.S. has

rapidly declined over the past few decades. USBAC’s duty-free bill would cor-

rect these oversights, allowing trade policy to keep pace with the changes in the

U.S. economy while leveling the playing field for developing countries.

Shamarukh’s second big project is focused on climate change policy. Since

Bangladesh is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change,

Shamarukh is working to retain Congressional support for funding climate

change “adaptation assistance” to at-risk nations. The projected bill for the first

five years of climate change adaptation in Bangladesh stands at around $5 bil-

lion over five years, but little support has been extended by the U.S. govern-

ment to Bangladesh so far, despite pledges made at the Copenhagen and Cancun

Summits.

Beyond this U.S. policy work, the USBAC also advises the Bangladeshi gov-

ernment on how to strengthen laws and push for labor rights, aiming to get

Bangladesh on the list of Millennium Challenge Account countries.

All this high-intensity work might seem intimidating, but Shamarukh was pre-

pared for her role by the time she joined USBAC, and she’s not the sort of per-

son who seems to need much rest. For several years before SAIS she worked

multiple jobs at the same time. From her first position as Research Associate at

the Progressive Policy Institute, where she studied the effects of trade policy in

LDCs, to her work with GlobalWorks Foundation and its multi-stakeholder

“Trade, Aid and Security Coalition,” to her simultaneous consulting gigs for the

Business Council for Global Development and Fontheim International,

Shamarukh has had ample opportunities to rub shoulders with policy makers.

She has learned how to call people on the Hill, push policies, ask for support,

and get comfortable bringing officials and other big-wigs to the negotiating

table. She understands the process of getting work done in Washington and she

has been prepared to navigate the system with patience and perspective.

After five years in DC, Shamarukh also came to understand that there was a gap

between academic theory and policy and that someone must bridge it. Today

she does just that, boiling down her policy recommendations to simple talking

points in order to get clear ideas across. After SAIS, Shamarukh plans to seek

more funding for the USBAC and foster U.S.-Bangladesh relations by expand-

ing programs. She also hopes to include a program to engage Bangladeshi

expats in the advocacy process.

Indeed, Shamarukh may get only four hours of sleep, but she appears far from

burnt out. In fact, her work seems to energize her, and she bubbles over as she

talks about it.

Shamarukh will be a force to contend with in the years to come.

Stay tuned for more articles about SAISers making impacts. If you know some-

one you’d like to see highlighted in this column, please contact

[email protected] with a few lines about who, when, where, and why. All

nominations will be considered.

Marisol Trowbridge is a first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in

International Development.

Ma La Tang: It Hurts That GoodBy Melissa Morgenstern

As a student at Beijing Foreign Language University (Bei Wai), I avoided Ma

La Tang like the plague. The problem was that plague looked mighty fun! For

the uninitiated, Ma La Tang is a customer-chosen concoction of vegetables,

noodles, tofu, meatballs, and whatever else your procurer of goodies happens to

have on stock. Everything is boiled in some kind of liquid, and served to the

customer with a choice of condiments. Near my university, customers’ selec-

tions were boiled in frighteningly red oil, sitting in a burnt and beat-up traveling

iron lung, and then served on a saran wrap-lined metal plate with a side of

sesame sauce.

But I refrained from trying the tempting culinary mystery for an entire year.

Why? Well, there really is something about an industrial metal vat of pepper-

infused neon red oil simmering away in an underpass at ten at night that speaks

to one’s germaphobic side and curiosity simultaneously. For my first year in

Beijing, the germaphobic side won. Hence no Ma La Tang.

My second trip to Beijing introduced me to a new facet of Ma La Tang: one

didn’t have to submit one’s self to the metal vat treatment to partake in the fun.

A good friend took me to a Ma La Tang hole-in-the-wall between a donkey

meat sandwich hut and a tobacco and alcohol store. I grabbed my little laundry

basked and went to work stocking up on cellophane noodles, mushrooms,

spinach, and meatballs. Somehow passing off my basket to the isolated chef in

back, whose only friend seemed to be that very same vat of angry red oil, lent a

sense of safety to the whole experience.

With my germaphobic side appeased, I sat down and completely surrendered to

the happiness of knowing that I’m finally going to eat something that would

probably be at the top of the non-exis-

tent list of “edible threats to U.S. secu-

rity”. That oily, sesame sauce-dressed

concoction of veggies, noodles, and

meatballs made my entire Beijing life!

It also enflamed by tongue and stom-

ach, but that was nothing a donkey meat

sandwich couldn’t cure. My concept of

Ma La Tang was completely rearranged

by my introduction to Nanjing Ma La Tang. The dirty little laundry baskets

were there, the selection of tantalizing local goodies was present, but no indus-

trial vats, no neon pepper oil, and no evidence of sesame sauce to be found. All

I could see was a spaghetti pot of water and some small colanders to easily

remove one’s selections from the water.

Where’s the danger? Where’s my feeling of violating the FDA? I quickly

buried these questions when my bowl arrived. My bowl of Ma La Tang soup!

It was a soup of mystery seasoning, garlic, sesame, and vinegar surrounding

voluminous meatballs, almost invisible cellophane noodles and limp spinach.

Eating my newly discovered Ma La Tang soup was a glorious mixture of sharp

pain and delicious pleasure. The only thing missing was a donkey meat sand-

wich.

I guess it is a well known fact amongst the China and East Asian studies

crowds that regionalism in China exists in everything, especially the food. But

for me, that regionalism tends to really make the deepest impression in the form

of a personal culinary adventure waiting to be shared with others. And hopeful-

ly they’ll find that it hurts just as good as you said it would.

Melissa Morgenstern is first-year M.A. candidate concentrating in China

Studies at the Hopkins–Nanjing Center (HNC) in Nanjing, China.


How Ben Ali’s “Authoritarian Bargain”Fell Apart in Tunisia

By Peter Gruskin

Society for the political-economist can be divided into two spheres perhaps: the

material and the political.

Materially, Tunisia was progressing to some extent under the Dictatorship of

Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, with a few economic indicators trending in the right

direction after he took power in 1987. Economists seem to concur that Tunisia

fared “ok” as a result of IMF-inspired liberalization programs initiated in the

1980s. The adjustment period—which can mean lower growth while reforms

are implemented—went fairly well, and during the 1990s, Tunisia grew at

around 5% annually. Not bad for a developing country, many thought.

Economic equality, as measured by the Gini coefficient, improved over time

too. But while Tunisia’s policy bureaucrats were on the right track, the Tunisian

people were going nowhere politically. That wouldn’t last long.

Even under Ben Ali, social indicators improved over time and today Tunisia

enjoys one of the highest literacy rates in the Arab world. As well, gender

equality was an important theme for both post-independence regimes. No matter

how brutal they may have been against detractors, the two post-WWII govern-

ments prioritized development. They reduced infant mortality rates, fought

poverty with direct transfers and educational programs, and achieved a decent

degree of fairness in distribution of resources.

However, in recent years the economic and political spheres became too entan-

gled, which made for the backwards “separation of powers” set-up that much

more difficult to sustain. After Ben Ali wrestled the presidency from the long-

standing Habib Bourguiba in the late 1980s, he seemed decent on the political

liberties front for a few years. Ben Ali initially let some Islamists out of jail and

tried to co-opt his critics in a 1989 amnesty offer; but soon enough the repres-

sion set in.

Readership of state-run and self-censored newspapers—arguably an indicator of

how much propaganda the masses are willing to stomach—fell in the early

1990s, despite the advances in literacy. Islamists were rounded up and put in

jail for political activities and the opposition parties were vetted by their main

competitor—Ben Ali—before they could run against him in national elections.

Contrary to what some initially thought, Ben Ali was not going to serve as a

bridge president: he was in it for good. To this end, he proposed a constitutional

referendum to abolish term limits and extend the maximum age for contestants

to 75. Some speculated that he would be Tunisia’s president for life.

Then, December 2010, the coil sprung.

The main problem with this model of “developmental dictatorship” is simple:

higher expectations.

Take education for example. Under the “authoritarian bargain”—in which the

masses received material benefits (government jobs, social services, infrastruc-

ture, food and oil subsidies, macroeconomic progress, etc.) in exchange for

political accountability—education was free and the quality was fairly good.

But the regime’s success in this venture was double-edged. People began to

expect jobs commensurate with their higher skill levels upon graduation. The

dilemma was that the good jobs tended to be in the public sector because the

private sector was underdeveloped for a number of reasons. Not least among

them was corruption, which foreign investors saw as an impediment to receiv-

ing reliable business information necessary for investment. Furthermore, eco-

nomic liberalization programs called for making the public sector more effi-

cient, which often meant cutting employees to keep deficits in check.

The government simply could not absorb all the graduates, and in recent years

unemployment for some degree-holders stood in the range of 20-30%. Tunisia

could not grow fast enough to meet this lack. As a result of these structural

problems in the economy and absence of voice in policy matters, Tunisia’s edu-

cated youth no longer bought into the authoritarian bargain, which political sci-

entists have proposed to explain the lack of democracy in certain authoritarian

countries.

Thus when Mohammed Bouazizi, an unemployed graduate and street vendor, lit

himself on fire in December of 2010, it signalled an end to the politics of com-

promise.

It was no longer worth it for Tunisians to keep quiet.

Today, there is an interim government in Tunis, which despite its shortcomings

is more open and legitimate than the previous regime. Regular elections will

now be held, and given Tunisia’s strong track record and macroeconomic know-

how, it is fairly likely that the country will continue to develop over the next

few years both materially and politically. Tunisia is now generally considered to

be the easiest economy to manage of all the Arab Spring nations.

So while the initial results of the Arab Spring may be a dent in GDP and tempo-

rary bout of instability, in the long-run the country is considerably more likely

to emerge as both a prosperous and fair place for the bulk of its citizens.

Peter Gruskin is a second-year M.A. candidate concentrating in International

Finance and Middle East Studies.

2010 “Show Your SAIS Pride” Photo Contest - Top 3 Winners

1. “SAISers in 中国 (China) - Jinghong, Yunnan” by Katharine Cooley2. “SAIS in Kibera Slum - Kenya” by Joe Wilson

3. “SAIS at the Beach - La Ceiba, Honduras” by John PachecoCourtesy of The SAIS Office of Communications (http://www.sais-jhu.edu/saispride)

1

2

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Introducing Your SAIS Student Government Association OfficersThe SAIS Student Government Association (SGA) serves as the primary interface between students and the SAIS administration. We are

your advocates with the Administration, Alumni, and other Student Groups and we strive to enhance the quality of student life at SAIS.

Our goal is to make SAIS the best international relations program in the world. We aim to work with the student body, faculty, administra-

tion and alumni to seek continuous improvement of key SAIS performance indicators, including career placement, student satisfaction, and

alumni participation and to continue the trend of a fun, lively school environment, by engaging students in social activities and functions.

Chris Cochran (MA-3), President

Chris is from Searcy, Arkansas, a city where "thousands

live as millions wish they could." Before coming to SAIS, Chris lived and worked in Honduras with CARE International. He learned

Spanish while living with a Honduran couple, along with their four-year-old daughter. Chris rides his bicycle to school and can be seen

riding all around the city, frequently donning fashionable socks underneath his rolled-up pantleg. He loves SAIS and is pleased to be serv-

ing you as your SGA president.

Marcus Watson (MA-3), Vice President

Marcus is a born and raised Londoner, but regrettably

speaks less like Michael Caine and more like Colin Firth. He spent his formative undergraduate years at Trinity College Dublin, in which

time he made several dubious student films and became well acquainted with a certain black alcoholic beverage. After graduating, Marcus

moved back to London where he trained and practised as a corporate lawyer. In between all this, he spent time interning with a microfi-

nance organisation in East Africa, working as a pro bono legal adviser in London and travelling across the world whenever he could.

Cornelius Fleischhaker (MA-3), Treasurer

Cornelius is a Latin American Studies concentrator,

originally from Germany. He developed his interest in international relations living in the Dominican Republic, Turkey, Mexico, Brazil,

New York and Beloit, Kansas. This past year at SAIS, he has been active in the German Club, responsible for all beer centered activities

and participated in the soccer club, the Latin American Club as well as the African Diaspora Club. During the fall semester, inspired by

recent events, he completed a short, one night internship as a Chilean mine worker. By being German, he brings a competent and prudent

approach to the treasury, proven by a strong track record of quantitative and organizational ability. As a rare example of the European-

born, first-year –DC breed, he is in a privileged position to inspire unity between different groups of students at SAIS.

Nicole Epps (MA-3), Social Chair

Nicole was born and raised in New York City and can

run a four minute mile in stilettos, hail a cab and order

takeout at the same time. She has years of event planning experience, from intimate dinner parties to black-tie affairs for the Mayor of

Atlanta. Whether you are into paintball, cocktail hours or listening to Malcolm Gladwell, Nicole is the girl for you when she's not studying

International Law, combating international trafficking or impersonating Wonder Woman. Her top priority this year, will be hosting events

that showcase the diversity of our student body and DC in general. Wednesday “Hump Day” activities including massages, movie night,

psychic readings, casual dinners after speaker series, “SAIS Nite Out” at local sporting events, First Fridays at art galleries, and Music and

Drinks at area museums, are just a few events that would make great additions to the SAIS calendar. She looks forward to being your

Social Chair and discovering the DMV area with you this year!


SAIS students sand-skiing and riding camels outside of Dubai.

Elan Bar (MA-3), Bologna Campus (BC)

Representative

Elan never knows how to answer the question “Where

are you from?” Born in LA to Israeli parents, he went

to school in Santa Barbara, moved to Italy in 2005,

holds British citizenship and speaks some Spanish.

While living in Italy, he came to appreciate the finer

things in life, like how a glass of wine is exponentially

more enjoyable when sipped along a Venetian canal,

and that everything tastes better wrapped in lard. As

the Bologna Center Representative, Elan looks forward

to following up on his time as Class President in Bologna. He can’t wait to share some of the dolce vita with his new DC classmates. Good

times will abound, with aperitivi, Euro-pop dance parties and possibly a revival of BC Gastronomica. Properly incentivized, he may even

divulge the secrets to making a proper ragù. He also hopes to learn to love the East Coast, even if there's no In-N-Out.

Mary McGurn, M.I.P.P. Representative

Mary comes to SAIS with extensive experience in

Africa, including previous assignments in Namibia and

Côte d’Ivoire. Most recently, she served as the Interim

Director for Community Affairs at the Africa Center

for Strategic Studies, one of five U.S. Department of

Defense regional centers. In this capacity, she was

responsible for overseeing the Africa Center’s short-

term and long-term engagement strategies with over

4,000 current and future senior African civilian, mili-

tary, and opinion leaders throughout the continent. She also had regional responsibility for Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean. Prior to

joining the Africa Center, Mary ran a successful field program for the Sierra Club and served as Deputy Director for Scheduling on a

national presidential campaign. She also held positions at the White House and the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. during the Clinton

Administration. Mary earned a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Service as well as a Certificate in African Studies from the School of Foreign

Service at Georgetown University. In addition to English, she speaks fluent French and is learning Swahili. As the MIPP representative for

SGA, Mary is looking forward to building bridges between the MIPPs and the rest of the SAIS community.

Bobby Corrigan (MA-1), 1st Year Representative

Bobby was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil but speaks no

Portuguese. In fact, learning the language of his coun-

try of origin is one of the reasons he's here. Prior to

arriving at SAIS, Bobby worked at a homeless shelter

in downtown DC and has spent most of his formative

years in and around the DC area. As a child he spent

time living in Brazil, the Philippines, New York, and

Mexico. A huge Washington Capitals hockey fan, Bobby came quite close to declaring a Russian and Eurasian Studies concentration based

solely on the fact that Alex Ovechkin hails from Moscow. Though adjusting to the culture and customs of further NW DC has been diffi-

cult, Bobby looks forward to representing his fellow first years.

Monica Kang (MA-1), 1st Year Representative

Monica Kang is a Strategic Studies concentrator with

an interest in East Asian politics and security. As a

Korean-American, she has lived most of her life in

both the United States and South Korea. She complet-

ed her undergraduate degree at Boston University and

has worked at the U.S. State Department (Washington,

D.C.), the United Nations (Geneva, Switzerland), and at Chosunilbo (Seoul, South Korea). Leadership has always been a key part of her

life. While patience, diligence, promptness, and organization are her strengths, she believes that the key to good leadership is passion and

willingness to ‘make things happen.’

(more SGA information on next page)


2010 “Show Your SAIS Pride” Photo Contest: "IDEV-China Studies Trip: Sparklers in Southwest China" by Meredith GaffneyCourtesy of The SAIS Office of Communications (http://www.sais-jhu.edu/saispride)

Careers in International Development

Careers in Development club provides a way for students to learn about and con-

nect to international development jobs. We host networking and informational

events with SAIS alumni and other professionals, and also conduct several

development-related trainings. Our events are run by volunteer facilitators, and

students are encouraged to suggest and help organize events they are interested

in. Students interested in joining our mailing list to be informed of upcoming

events and job and internship postings should email [email protected] with

their name, concentration, and date of graduation. Also, if you have an event

idea or would like to help with any of our upcoming events, please let us know!

So far this year we have hosted events with past CID alumni, nonprofit leaders,

and World Bank employees. We have events with the IDB,

microfinance professionals, and a training on "austere medicine" for develop-

ment workers overseas this year.

The Alexander Hamilton Society

The Alexander Hamilton Society is an independent, non-partisan organization

that seeks to promote constructive debate on contemporary issues in foreign,

economic, and national security policy. Membership is founded upon a belief

in a common set of principles, although we wish to encourage debate in order

to improve the quality of public discourse. The Alexander Hamilton Society

began last year at a dozen universities; there are now more than 30 Alexander

Hamilton Society student chapters nationwide, as well as two professional

chapters in New York and Washington, DC. We host public debates each

semester on a contemporary foreign policy or national security issue as well as

small, monthly lunches at SAIS to discuss a chosen topic among members.

Leadership roles are open and available to any who attend meetings regularly.

Contact information: Nicole Silverman or Jacklyn Schay at:

[email protected].

Clubs & Activities

The Tangential Economics Society

The Tangential Economics Society is a pompously-named-but-actually-very-

relaxed economics discussion group. We get together on Friday afternoons

before happy hour and chat about economics and drink beer. Our discussions

cover a wide range of topics--from ecology to politics to finance--and we dig

into the ideas without worrying about what the prof might think or next week's

paper. If that sounds like fun to you (and you know who you are!), send us an

email at [email protected] and we will be happy to add you to our

mailing list. New econ nerds (and econophobes too) are always welcome--just

bring your curiosity and maybe some snacks.

The Russia & Eurasia Club is a social and academic club. Members participate

to whichever degree they like, from occasionally meeting up for drinks, to

planning large academic events. One social event we did this semeser is a

vodka tasting--distilled from different sources, infused vodkas, and even car-

bonated vodka. On the academic side, or club has put together some rewarding

events. Last year we organized an all-day speaker series on three regions

around Russia, with prominent speakers such as Angela Stent, and Thomas

Graham. This year we plan to have a similar scale event on the region 20 years

after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In addition, next month we are planning

an event on the Caucasus. Club leaders are Serge Korepin and Tristan Zoerb;

[email protected] and [email protected].

Russia & Eurasia Club

SAIS Corps

Looking for exotic community service opportunities that will make you feel bet-

ter about spending 20 hours a week working on econ problem sets and prepping

for interviews with McKinsey? Tired of writing about agricultural policy in your

favorite emerging market? Then SAIS Corps is right for you! SAIS Corps

organizes community service programs in D.C. throughout the year, providing

rewarding opportunities for altruism in far-flung places more than a 7-minute

walk from Nitze. SAISers know all too much about political systems in West

Africa and water access in Mongolia, but spending too much time on Think Tank

Row can make you forget that not everyone in the District wears a suit and works

in a shiny office in the Northwest. SAIS Corps is notorious in the District for

canned food sorting competitions at the Capitol Food Bank and interpreting

American culture in dance form for indigenous tribes in Panama. Want to be a

part of the service madness? Then there’s an opportunity this year for you! See

the below list of events for ways to get involved and keep an eye out for SAIS

Corps emails coming soon.

Questions, comments, gesticulations? Email SAIS Corps at

[email protected].

Upcoming Programs:

November 4: Capitol Food Bank

Mid-November: Thanksgiving Food Drive

December 19: Dreams For Kids Holiday for Help Gift Wrapping

SAIS SGA Officers and Committees

October_2011_Issue__FINAL_Color

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