Friday, May 2, 2014
Letter to Ms. Anna
Dear Ms. Anna,
I am writing this letter to express my gratitude and appreciation for allowing me the opportunity to serve as your intern with United States Department of Commerce-International Business Trade Administration-Commercial Services. These past four months have been so exciting and I feel the skills I have learned are invaluable. You have been a phenomenal supervisor, educator, and mentor.
I must admit, there were times where I did doubt myself and work. Knowing that you were there every step of the way to encourage, guide, and assist me, made that self-doubt disappear. You had confidence in me, which is something I am very grateful for. I look forward to the day when I have interns, and I can do for them, what you have done for me.
Thank you for this amazing opportunity. I look forward to what the future holds for me and know that my time spent here at USEAC has forever changed me.
Thank you,
Shane Thompson
What I have learned...thus far.
I can not believe the semester is finally over! It feels like just yesterday that it was January. I am also shocked that I have been here at the United States Department of Commerce for four months now! Time really does fly by! I feel I have learned so much and have so much to still learn! Lucky for me I will get that chance! I was required to commit to a year when I applied. I am excited to see what the coming months have to offer and what I will learn.
Thus far, I feel some of the most important things I have learned are patience, time management, being thorough in your work, and knowing that if you want change, truly want change, you have to be the one that does it.
Working for a government agency, you learn that things take quite a long time. There is a lot of bureaucracy and red tape one must go through to complete tasks. Patience is required when working with the outdated software, helping a client apply for the necessary trade permits or even understanding the ever changing requirements.
Time Management is so very important. Here at the USEAC we are on constant deadlines to make sure clients get the necessary tools to succeed. We also host a slew of event on increasing trade all over the world, so making sure everything is planned accordingly so things go off without a hitch, is crucial. We work with many people in congress and at embassies and consulates all over the world, far more important people than myself, so being prompt and ready when either at the office or responding to their emails is important. The same goes for being thorough in your work.
Lastly, I have learned that if I want to change the world, then I must be the one who changes it. There are so many global issues I have been exposed to because of this internship, some good, some bad and it has lit a fire in me to help others, more so than usual.
I feel that I still have a lot to learn from my internship and am excited for the opportunities that await. Being here has solidified even more so that I do want a career in the public sector. I love interning here and knowing that I have hand in helping grow our global economy. To be honest, when I first started I did not think it would be something I would be so passionate about. Which just goes to show that you should always remove yourself from your comfort zone. Exposure to that which is new can be scary, but is always worth it in the end.
To my fellow classmates and bloggers, I hope your experience was just as rewarding as mine has been.
Cheers!
-S
Thus far, I feel some of the most important things I have learned are patience, time management, being thorough in your work, and knowing that if you want change, truly want change, you have to be the one that does it.
Working for a government agency, you learn that things take quite a long time. There is a lot of bureaucracy and red tape one must go through to complete tasks. Patience is required when working with the outdated software, helping a client apply for the necessary trade permits or even understanding the ever changing requirements.
Time Management is so very important. Here at the USEAC we are on constant deadlines to make sure clients get the necessary tools to succeed. We also host a slew of event on increasing trade all over the world, so making sure everything is planned accordingly so things go off without a hitch, is crucial. We work with many people in congress and at embassies and consulates all over the world, far more important people than myself, so being prompt and ready when either at the office or responding to their emails is important. The same goes for being thorough in your work.
Lastly, I have learned that if I want to change the world, then I must be the one who changes it. There are so many global issues I have been exposed to because of this internship, some good, some bad and it has lit a fire in me to help others, more so than usual.
I feel that I still have a lot to learn from my internship and am excited for the opportunities that await. Being here has solidified even more so that I do want a career in the public sector. I love interning here and knowing that I have hand in helping grow our global economy. To be honest, when I first started I did not think it would be something I would be so passionate about. Which just goes to show that you should always remove yourself from your comfort zone. Exposure to that which is new can be scary, but is always worth it in the end.
To my fellow classmates and bloggers, I hope your experience was just as rewarding as mine has been.
Cheers!
-S
Slow and Steady Wins the Race...
Well sometimes, anyway.
This past week at USEAC has been extremely slow, watching grass grow would have been more thrilling! All is good though, when I have downtime, which is rare, I am able to work on school stuff, and having downtime this week while at my internship has been fantastic! I have been able to study, write, and read in preparation for finals. So it really worked out in my favor. That being said, I am all but done with class this semester. Which is such a relief, until summer school of course.
I will be heading into my final semester at ASU this fall and I could not be more thrilled! The notion of being so close to the finish line is exciting and terrifying all at the same time! I can not believe it is almost here. What next you ask? Well I am hoping I ma able to land a great job. Grad school is definitely something I want to do, but I would like to take a few years off first. Get some experience under my belt. When the time comes to apply for grad school, I am throwing around the idea of either pursuing my MPA, MPP, or going to law school. Maybe my master and law! I have been looking into dual programs. The downside to a dual program, is that most are four years. Which, right now, is a pretty big pill for me to swallow.
As I said earlier, knowing I am so close to end of my undergraduate career is great! All the blood, sweat, and tears I have lost over the past few years will have accumulated into one of the most expensive pieces of paper I will ever own! ;) Expense aside, I am proud of myself for making it this far. Education is by far one of the best things a person can do for themselves. It is the one thing that can never be taken away from you, and in some odd way, I find that very comforting.
To any of my fellow bloggers that are graduating in a few weeks, congratulations and may all your wildest dreams come true!
Cheers!
-S
This past week at USEAC has been extremely slow, watching grass grow would have been more thrilling! All is good though, when I have downtime, which is rare, I am able to work on school stuff, and having downtime this week while at my internship has been fantastic! I have been able to study, write, and read in preparation for finals. So it really worked out in my favor. That being said, I am all but done with class this semester. Which is such a relief, until summer school of course.
I will be heading into my final semester at ASU this fall and I could not be more thrilled! The notion of being so close to the finish line is exciting and terrifying all at the same time! I can not believe it is almost here. What next you ask? Well I am hoping I ma able to land a great job. Grad school is definitely something I want to do, but I would like to take a few years off first. Get some experience under my belt. When the time comes to apply for grad school, I am throwing around the idea of either pursuing my MPA, MPP, or going to law school. Maybe my master and law! I have been looking into dual programs. The downside to a dual program, is that most are four years. Which, right now, is a pretty big pill for me to swallow.
As I said earlier, knowing I am so close to end of my undergraduate career is great! All the blood, sweat, and tears I have lost over the past few years will have accumulated into one of the most expensive pieces of paper I will ever own! ;) Expense aside, I am proud of myself for making it this far. Education is by far one of the best things a person can do for themselves. It is the one thing that can never be taken away from you, and in some odd way, I find that very comforting.
To any of my fellow bloggers that are graduating in a few weeks, congratulations and may all your wildest dreams come true!
Cheers!
-S
Birthday and Wedding Shenanigans!
I was talking to my best friend the other day and we were discussing what we should do for our birthdays. Her birthday is this month and mine is in June. A slew of ideas have been thrown around, keeping it low-key, dinner with friends and family, planning a weekend getaway, or throwing large fun parties. Every year the two of us stress out about what to do and every year, with the exception of my party last year, we are disappointed. We just set the bar too high for ourselves, and subsequently are let down.
She was just suggesting to me that I get a group of friends together and we hit up Lake Pleasant this year for mine. We would rent jet-ski's and make a day out of it. This sounds amazing, but upon looking up the cost of jet ski rentals, I just might have to pass. That being said, I have just decided that this year, I am not going to plan anything. I will just let the day lead me. If it leads me to a relaxing day filled with shopping, massages, and a nice dinner or a full day sitting in my underwear, eating junk food, and binging on Netflix and Hulu, then so be it! :)
Enough birthday talk, this morning my cousin called me from Hawaii. She and her boyfriend are there on a two week vacation, totes jealous. Turns out her beau proposed to her! Not only in Hawaii*swoon*but on top of a volcano over looking the whole island! *double swoon* I am so happy for her and am very excited to welcome him into the family! I am even more excited for the wedding, whether it is small or large, I know it will be fabulous!
So congrats my darling cousins! I love you very much! And cheers to my unknown birthday plans!
-S
She was just suggesting to me that I get a group of friends together and we hit up Lake Pleasant this year for mine. We would rent jet-ski's and make a day out of it. This sounds amazing, but upon looking up the cost of jet ski rentals, I just might have to pass. That being said, I have just decided that this year, I am not going to plan anything. I will just let the day lead me. If it leads me to a relaxing day filled with shopping, massages, and a nice dinner or a full day sitting in my underwear, eating junk food, and binging on Netflix and Hulu, then so be it! :)
Enough birthday talk, this morning my cousin called me from Hawaii. She and her boyfriend are there on a two week vacation, totes jealous. Turns out her beau proposed to her! Not only in Hawaii*swoon*but on top of a volcano over looking the whole island! *double swoon* I am so happy for her and am very excited to welcome him into the family! I am even more excited for the wedding, whether it is small or large, I know it will be fabulous!
So congrats my darling cousins! I love you very much! And cheers to my unknown birthday plans!
-S
Thursday, May 1, 2014
USEAC Strengths
I feel that our biggest strengths at USEAC is communication. Communication with each other, the clients, embassies, consulates, and foreign business owners. Without communication our entire department would cease to exist. Communication, especially in this situation is important. Our clients rely on us to have the correct information about trade stats, as well as putting them in contact with correct foreign officials. This is extremely important, as all US businesses interested in exporting need to comply with the export laws and regulations, not only for our country, but the country they are doing business with. Just today I received an email about a US company not following the regulations and compliance, they illegally traded and have since been hit with a "small" $45,000 fine! If they continue to do business illegally they can have their trade rights suspended for at minimum year, face jail time, or be forced to close!
Pretty steep penalties. Alas, do not attempt to mess with the US government! :)
Another strength of USEAC, is that we are usually the first stop for the businesses. Trading goods and services with foreign countries, especially if you have never in the past, is a rather daunting experience. We are here to provide any information to assist the client in making the transaction as smooth as possible. So if all they are wanting is a quick questions answered, or they require a full one on one sit down explaining the process step by step, we are there to help.
Would I run a similar organization any different? I don't think so. Communication with clients is what I feel makes our organization great and is something I would do regardless. If I had to change anything, it would be simplifying the computer programs we use. They are not user friendly at all and are extremely time consuming and tedious. by making them easier to navigate/search/perform data entry, we can increase productivity immensely. This in turn would allow for us to assist more clients and establish a more efficient rate of response.
Pretty steep penalties. Alas, do not attempt to mess with the US government! :)
Another strength of USEAC, is that we are usually the first stop for the businesses. Trading goods and services with foreign countries, especially if you have never in the past, is a rather daunting experience. We are here to provide any information to assist the client in making the transaction as smooth as possible. So if all they are wanting is a quick questions answered, or they require a full one on one sit down explaining the process step by step, we are there to help.
Would I run a similar organization any different? I don't think so. Communication with clients is what I feel makes our organization great and is something I would do regardless. If I had to change anything, it would be simplifying the computer programs we use. They are not user friendly at all and are extremely time consuming and tedious. by making them easier to navigate/search/perform data entry, we can increase productivity immensely. This in turn would allow for us to assist more clients and establish a more efficient rate of response.
A new driver's license for Arizona! But my current one does not expire for 42 years!
Yes, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. Arizona will finally be issuing new a license, and the first thing I noticed was the expiration date. According to the sample photo it will expire 5 years after it is issued. I could be wrong on that, although I totally am ok with it the new expiration date. Like I said my current drivers license does not expire for 42 years! 42 YEARS!!!! That is insane. ADOT says that those who are capable drivers do not need to have their license renewed every few years, hence the long expiration date. You are, however required to update your photo every 12 years. Something I was unaware of. Those with old licenses will not be required to obtain the new one until their picture needs to be replaced or it expires.
What is even more interesting is that the sample id picture has a young man on it who appears to be in his late twenties, early thirties, yet his DOB is 1957! What moron flubbed that up? AND if he really is 57 years old, please tell me what he is doing so I may look just as amazing! ;)
Lookin' good, Jelani Sample!
I am actually quite excited for this new id, which is designed to help protect against identity theft. I have been reading articles, seeing Facebook comments, etc. talking about the ugly design of the id, who the hell cares! It's a drivers license, not a piece of jewelry or article of clothing! If you want to complain about something ugly complain about the horrible uprising of students on campus wearing overalls! That is a REAL crime and one that is truly hideous!
Stay fashion forward, my friends!
-S
SanTan Beer now available in SoCal!!!!
One of my favorite local breweries, San Tan Brewery is expanding to Southern California! The are starting with sales in San Diego at bars, restaurants, and retail stores like BevMo and Total Wine. I am always so excited when a local company expands. The have plans to start in San Diego and work their way north up the coast towards Santa Barbara. They also hope to expand to Texas. I am not quite sure what the expansion entails. I would imagine it will just be a distribution center in the other states, so as to maintain the 'Arizona brewed' image.
I recently have become more of a beer drinker. There are so many artisan and craft beers out there! For so long I only thought it was the stuff you see at the grocery store like, Budweiser and Coors, which in my humble opinion is total crap.
There is a great ale house downtown called Angels Trumpet. They have 31 taps and every beer is something I have never heard of or tasted. What is really cool is when they run out they never replace the tap with a beer that they have had in the past, they pick a completely new brew! They are always interesting beers and great way to try new flavors and brands. If you are new to beer, I suggest you get a flight. You are given three or four 8 ounce glasses of whatever taps you like. Always a great option when trying to find your favorite beer.
Another exciting brewery on the horizon is Mother Bunch Brewing. I have never had any of their beers, but I will soon get to try! They are opening a brewery in downtown Phoenix at the historic J.B. Bayless building at 7th st. and Garfield. I am really looking forward to this opening, not only for a new craft beer joint, but another great restaurant and pub to add to the downtown scene.
So here's to craft beer and the great individuals who brew it!
Cheers!
-S
I recently have become more of a beer drinker. There are so many artisan and craft beers out there! For so long I only thought it was the stuff you see at the grocery store like, Budweiser and Coors, which in my humble opinion is total crap.
There is a great ale house downtown called Angels Trumpet. They have 31 taps and every beer is something I have never heard of or tasted. What is really cool is when they run out they never replace the tap with a beer that they have had in the past, they pick a completely new brew! They are always interesting beers and great way to try new flavors and brands. If you are new to beer, I suggest you get a flight. You are given three or four 8 ounce glasses of whatever taps you like. Always a great option when trying to find your favorite beer.
Another exciting brewery on the horizon is Mother Bunch Brewing. I have never had any of their beers, but I will soon get to try! They are opening a brewery in downtown Phoenix at the historic J.B. Bayless building at 7th st. and Garfield. I am really looking forward to this opening, not only for a new craft beer joint, but another great restaurant and pub to add to the downtown scene.
So here's to craft beer and the great individuals who brew it!
Cheers!
-S
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