London, England
The most stringent security I have ever encountered was at the United States Embassy in London. All of us in the group had to have complete background checks before our appointment. We also had to have our camera cleared through the embassy and have our equipment and bags that we brought to our meeting thoroughly checked. Looking over my emails from the visit, I realized I started arranging the meeting with the American embassy in August, the year before our trip the following May. We wanted to go to the American Embassy in the United Kingdom, as it also houses the United States Department of Agriculture’s agents. These agents work to promote American agriculture and trade partnerships in the United Kingdom and Ireland. My goal was to show my students the international nature of the agricultural industry and how North Carolina is connected to the United Kingdom.
One item I noticed while reading through my emails while preparing for this post was how thorough my email contacts were with a contact I made at the American Embassy. I knew we did not want to do anything that would endanger the Americans living and working in the Embassy, so we did not want to do anything out of line or that would negatively impact the U.S. State Department.
Once we were in the embassy, we met with and interviewed the head of the USDA attachment. It was fascinating for the students to gain firsthand knowledge of U.S. trade policy and its impact on their industry. At the time of our visit, it was uncertain whether Scotland would vote to leave the United Kingdom or if the United Kingdom would vote to leave the European Union. Through our questions and answers, we gained a wealth of knowledge about American-British relations.
We took a photo of the group, which we were allowed to share, in front of the wall listing all the U.S. Ambassadors to Great Britain/United Kingdom. The first was none other than John Adams. He, along with four different Presidents, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren, and James Buchanan, served as the British Ambassador before they were elected President. We enjoyed our time at Grosvenor Square, but the U.S. Embassy was then in the process of moving across the River Thames to a building affectionately nicknamed the Sugar Cube.
Our visit to the American embassy was an exercise in patience, in finding the right contact, and in being flexible when a change is needed. I was delighted that my students got to see a behind-the-scenes look at the federal government in action. When traveling the world, be thankful for these State, Agriculture, Military, and probably CIA/NSA workers who provide a sense of home and a fortified location to return to if needed. If you are traveling abroad, it is generally a good idea to know where your home country’s embassies and consulates are located. If you need to go to your embassy or consulate, be patient as it takes time to clear security and to process anything that is needed. The most common reasons why someone would need to visit is because of an issue with a passport or a visa, but embassies are a lifeline for people in another country if they have an emergency.