The Foreign Service Journal, March 2019

14 MARCH 2019 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL assistance and see such investments as part of a comprehensive immigration policy. This, too, is part of telling our story to the American people. Caryle Cammisa USAID FSO Development Diplomat in Residence Patel College of Global Sustainability University of South Florida Tampa, Florida Diplomatic Courier Service Centennial Ambassador Leslie Bassett’s memo- ries of Jessica el Bechir in the October FSJ ( “Jessica’s Journeys” ), both in life and her journey home, were lyrical. Thanks for sharing her story with all of us. I also enjoyed the November FSJ ’s cover-story focus on the centennial of the Diplomatic Courier Service, espe- cially since the couriers continue to play an important role in the work of the Department of State and its tenant agen- cies overseas. One aspect of couriering that was not covered was the role of nonprofessional couriers who step in to transport the pouch when a courier is unavailable. When I was serving at the USIS American Center in Madras (now Chen- nai), the non-pro courier “run” to the embassy in New Delhi and to the other consular posts was a much-sought-after opportunity to visit the capital or to visit friends at the other posts. I was twice chosen to take the pouch to Delhi. There was no premium class travel on Indian Airlines in those days, and both experiences were eventful. On the first trip, the heavy pouch was too big to go inside the cabin, so I had to watch it until it was loaded and the cargo-hold was sealed. I had to be the last to board the flight, maintain a clear view of the hold and then be the first off the plane so I could retrieve custody of the pouch. Fortunately, the embassy driver was able to help me get the pouch to the embassy with no difficulty. My second experience wasn’t so lucky. I again had a huge pouch, and this time I insisted on keeping the big orange sack on my lap, even though it wouldn’t fit under the seat in front of me. After much arguing, the flight attendants gave up and agreed to let the crazy firangi keep the pouch for the two-hour trip. But this time, when the plane landed in Delhi, there was no driver to meet me. In those days before cell phones, I waited for an hour in the hope that the driver was simply delayed before deciding I had to do something. So I got onto an auto- rickshaw and in my best Hindi asked the driver to take me to the American embassy. When we got to the front gate of the embassy, the local guard said auto-rick- shaws weren’t permitted through that gate. I insisted, and after conversations with Post One, was permitted to drive up to the front steps, where I paid the driver (getting a receipt for my reimbursement) and then struggled to lift the orange sack up to the chancery’s front door. There the Marine Security Guard on duty called the classified pouch room to come deal with the crazy guy who had just shown up in an auto-rickshaw with a diplomatic pouch. It was the last time I volunteered to be a non-pro courier. J. Michael Korff FSO, retired Arlington, Virginia n Send your letters to the editor: journal@afsa.org