This Too Is Diplomacy
by
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From the chapter: "Teacher Abroad:" I spent many hours at the Rastafarian school up in the hills of
A surprise at the Rastafarian school one morning was the unscheduled visit of their supervisor. I was seated on a small chair in a circle of children. We were telling a story together, and I was unaware of the supervisor's arrival. She often said later how surprised she was to walk in and see the wife of the American Ambassador on that small chair working with those children. She said it made her rethink the lessons she had been taught on her Castro-sponsored training session in
Whenever, with the demands of Embassy life, I felt tired or pressed for time, I realized the only part of my schedule I could drop would be my work with schools. This was something I would not do. Instead, I promised myself to keep the next free day (perhaps two weeks hence) unscheduled and rest then. My work in schools was important to me as part of who I was, not only an Åmbassador's wife, but also a teacher. I knew, too, that my work enhanced the effectiveness of the Embassy. The Åmerican business community thanked me publicly for "improving the climate in which we conduct business." And at a meeting one day the Prime MInister told my husband, "Please tell Dorothy, that because of her I am moving the improvement of Early Childhood Education from my third five year plan to my first."
When we left
The Minister of Security, the man responsible for safety of diplomats in his country, wrote a farewell note to my husband that read. "We are sorry to see you go, but must you take Dorothy with you? She is irreplaceable." This was the man who had once complained that I was too active, that my trips used up too much of his staff's time. "At least," he said when he took us out for a farewell dinner, "I won't have to be sending my men chasing you all over the country now."
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About the Book
While building connections throughout the world, Dorothy Irving advanced understanding of American ideals as well as American interests. In this book she talks about some of these activities - about the challenges and the rewards of doing something she loved and that made a difference. She tells us of the positive impact her actions had on the countries where she lived. She writes, too, about learning new customs and new languages, establishing homes wherever she lived, and about raising three children in the nomadic life of a Foreign Service family. Some of the stories are funny; some,heart-warming; all are interesting; all are true. This Too is Diplomacy is the story of one Foreign Service family and of how one Foreign Service wife represented Åmerica.
About the Author
Dorothy J. Irving, a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Columbia University, has been active all her adult life in interracial and and intercultural activities in the United States and overseas. She is a recipient of honors from organizations in these fields and a recipient, also, of the Mount Holyoke Alumnae Assn. Sesquicentennial Award, given to only 50 out of 25,000 living graduates, in "recognition of her activities in national and international community relations that have made a significant impact." She has been recognized by leaders of countries where she served with her career diplomat husband, Ambassador Frederick Irving, for her role in easing tensions in many situations between the United States and other countries. The Irvings were in the Foreign Service for 28 years. In retirement, Dorothy continues her interest in international affairs and in children's education. She and her husband live in the Greater Boston (MA) area, where they are frequently visited by friends from the countries where they served. She has written several articles for local newspapers and college publications; some of them appear in this book.