Sarah Grebowski speaking at GPS
A GPS alumna who has visited 31 countries since her graduation from GPS, Sarah Grebowski ’05, was the global series speaker on Thursday and said that each country has shaped her personality. A graduate of Boston College and a soon-to-be master’s degree recipient from the Foreign Service program at Georgetown University, Ms. Grebowski has studied in Morocco, worked as a research assistant in Lebanon, served as an election observer in Timor, and reported on the 2011 revolution in Cairo, Egypt, as a witness to the events.
The first piece of advice in her presentation to the students was “take risks and experience the world.” Admitting that she rarely if ever moved with a “foolproof plan,” her hard work ethic, strong writing, and critical thinking skills (“all learned at GPS”) helped her in her work with the Carnegie Middle East Center and with NGO’s. “Seeing the world is worth the risk,” she said, adding that she often “made an effort to place myself in uncomfortable situations.” In her work as an election observer in Georgia and Timor, she said she “learned as much from them about democracy as they learned from me.”
Her second message was that as Americans, “we need to understand and appreciate our place in the world.” Describing our membership in the global community as one of “privilege,” she said, “We can use that privilege and, in fact, have an obligation to make the world a better place” as citizens who can travel freely.
“Be yourself as a woman,” she then told the students. “Being female means you will face specific problems in social interactions,” she said, “but navigating the world as a woman will make you stronger.” Calling the US passport a “golden ticket,” she advised the audience to “be brave – don’t bother to stay where you think you belong…global travel or a global career is within your reach.”
Finally, she advised the students to “be prepared to readjust when life throws you a curveball.” When she didn’t get admitted to her first-choice university while a senior at GPS, she had a hard time dealing with the disappointment. However, her experience at Boston College led to her decisions to pursue international relations, learn Arabic, and upon graduation from Georgetown this spring, enter the Foreign Service and accept assignment to a consulate in yet another country. “Explore different options in college,” she told the students. “Ask yourself, ‘Where do I have the most room for growth?’”
In classroom visits after her presentation, she spoke in depth about the process of observing elections, the challenge of learning Arabic, and the difference between foreign service and civil service. She said she was welcomed by Egyptians who wanted her to share their stories from the Jan. 25th revolution and had few negative travel experiences, noting that most people have respect for the political freedom and economic opportunities enjoyed by Americans.
A blogger, global traveler, and future member of the diplomatic corps, Ms. Grebowski is a role model for GPS students and an inspiration to those who plan to move beyond their own comfort zone, said officials.