Mariette Joubert, former South African diplomat, shared her responsibilities, adventures, emotions and joys with Chaffey students and staff in a special lecture.
"There is another culture out there with other rules and regulations. Different from you, and they have a right to be different. [You] have to accept it. Celebrate with them, understand them and learn," said Joubert.
The Global Career Center opened its doors and provided pizza for a mixture of 15 students and faculty members on Thursday April 15.
Sharing these experiences and tales served as exposure to a career that is somewhat shrouded in mystery and romanticism. Joubert outlined the political interaction between governments as well as the administrative side, in which she was employed since 1986.
For Joubert, being a diplomat is a life passion that requires one to "be a little bit of a gypsy" and a flexible actor.
Being in the administrative side of an embassy, as she explained to her captivated audience, is vastly more complicated and emotionally taxing than most people appreciate. A diplomat must understand the country from a philosophical level in order to mesh with the culture and promote international relations. Everything from kosher laws in Israel, to different meanings of nonverbal gestures in Bulgaria, are in the job description of a diplomat.
Joubert recommends not going to Bulgaria during the winter with only high heels. It was difficult to buy boots, as she did not realize that in Bulgaria, nodding your head "yes" actually means "no."
The job also entails dealing with tourists who become ill or die in the course of their travels. She frequently had the difficult task of notifying parents when their child died and was responsible for coordinating the return of the body to the family.
Diplomats are trained to handle difficult situations and how to accept the traditions of different cultures, but Joubert said she was wholly unprepared, in a real sense, to live in the strife and frustration of a different culture.
"You get a lot of training. They train you and they teach you about the culture shock you would have when you go to a foreign country. But nothing can prepare you for setting your two feet in a foreign country," said Joubert.
"I came here not knowing what to expect. I want to look into her career field, said Vanessa Herberger, film major.
"I like how she told her life experiences," said Diann McClanahan, who is pursuing global studies and law.
Most importantly, Joubert stressed passion in the line of diplomacy. "Never say that it is not possible to the person. Show them the light at the end of the tunnel."
Joubert hopes to return to Chaffey again to tell more of her fascinating stories and to encourage college students to consider the fast-paced lifestyle of being a diplomat.
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