The Foreign Service Journal, December 2018

64 DECEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL ments, but also with documents related to vendors, organized crime, human smuggling, money laundering rings and possible trafficking-in-persons cases located in Mexico. The most interesting thing about my job is that the investiga- tions are always different. Documents can easily be purchased or altered in Mexico, and the training we provide to our Mexi- can contacts on fraudulent travel documents and imposters is an asset to our office. Often, contacts who take these training courses go on to generate successful cases that detect fraudulent documents. This training work helps us learn about other trends and improve our work. A Win-Win Equation n KHALIL DERBEL, POLITICAL SPECIALIST, U.S. EMBASSY TUNIS, TUNISIA My journey and career with U.S. Embassy Tunis have been mostly successful and rewarding. Analyzing and explaining the grains of that success and feeling of accomplishment may seem an arduous task, but limiting the analysis to two areas makes it easier. Part of working in a multicultural setting is bridging two cultures. FSNs not only fulfill their functional duties; more importantly, they are also negotiators, facilitators and no small part of the bilateral relationship. Their native knowledge and understanding of the reality on the ground, and the relationships they build and nurture with a broad range of contacts, are essen- tial elements of informed analysis and pertinent reporting. All local staff can contribute, not just political and economic assistants. Yet American staff often overlook the valuable insights to be gained from a driver or shipping assistant. A large audience of policymakers in Wash- ington rely on information from post to make proper decisions. I have been in that position many times. Once when a prolonged security and political crisis hit Tunisia in 2013, I kept close watch for breaking events and arranged meetings for the political and economic coun- selor with various parties on almost a daily basis, so that we got a sense of what was at stake for each actor. This helped us convey well- informed messages to policymakers and facili- tated timely support from the U.S. government to democratic forces. Following the election of a new parliament and the formation of a new government in early 2015, my work as the lead embassy contact with parliamentar- ians contributed to easier embassy access to the number one institution in the country and helped the work of the economic section, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforce- ment Affairs and USAID. Like American employees, LE staff have career goals and aspirations. Therefore, career mobility at post is a reality and often a necessity. I have experienced it, and so have many col- leagues. I spent 15 years teaching at the Foreign Service Institute Tunis Arabic Field School, so the decision to close the school was a life-changer for me. I made the right decision in the end to stay with the same employer and moved on to a new job as grants analyst at the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative’s Tunis Regional Office. That assignment, which lasted for one year, turned out to be one of the most rewarding. It barely took a few weeks for me to find a way to positively contribute to the work of the section. I also learned that experience accumulated and skills acquired over the years always come in handy. All the skills we take for granted, such as organizational, drafting and interpersonal skills, are good and useful for most jobs. When a higher position opened in the political/economic section, I jumped at the opportunity. This was yet another big career change, but an enjoyable chapter, too. I still recall my first days as a novice political specialist trying to find a place in one of the busiest hubs of Embassy Tunis in a country that was going through a major political transition. To my benefit, the margins of progress ahead of me were wide and the motivation to apply myself to the task was high. I also owe part of the success of my own transition to the tremendous support I received from the section and the mission’s leadership. I am grateful to Embassy Tunis for adopting preferential hiring for FSI teachers, and for sustaining a policy that encouraged personnel to move up whenever their back- ground and skills matched a vacant position. I believe this is a win-win equation. I have also come to enjoy the role of infor- mal mentor for LE staff colleagues. I often discuss with them the highlights of my career and real experiences I have been through, and share some of the ingredients of suc- cess. Having made rewarding career moves prompts me to encourage younger colleagues to invest in their careers, and to think big for themselves and their future. Khalil Derbel.