Chris Harris

Q&A Archives

Chris Harris

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¨ Why did you become a diplomat?
¨ How many years were you in Spain?
¨ Where (as a child) did you move?
¨ Was the website cool? [referring to the website in Vladivostok]
¨ When did you get your dog?
¨ Did you meet a lot of friends by going to 14 schools?
¨ When and where did you meet your wife?
¨ Is your dog playful What is that toy [in the picture]?

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QUESTION:
How did you know that you would become a diplomat? How did you find your diplomatic vocation?

ANSWER from Chris Harris on 10 January 2005:
To tell you the truth, unlike many of my colleagues, both my wife and I stumbled into the State Dept without previously thinking of it as a career. We were catching a ride to Rian's parent's house with a college friend who had signed up to take the test. Our friend convinced us to sign up as well - we overnight FedEx-ed our applications to just beat the deadline - and the rest is history. Up to that point I didn't really know about the Foreign Service.

But there are many reasons why we plan on making the State Dept our career, and why it is such a great fit for us. First, it is more than a job - representing your country abroad is an honor we take very seriously. We both find fulfillment in that fact that we are in service - our work is not just for profit, not just for our own advancement, but is in service to our country and to principles we believe in. In contrast I had a hard time justifying the long hours I worked as a market consultant in NY, because at the end of the day, I didn't know what I was working toward.

Secondly, the daily experiences we have living abroad add so much richness to our life. The perspective gained by seeing how the world operates, how people in different countries think and live, is invaluable.

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QUESTION:
How many years were you in Spain?

ANSWER from Chris Harris on 27 May 2002:
I lived in Spain for 2 years.

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QUESTION:
Where (as a child) did you move?

ANSWER from Chris Harris on 27 May 2002:
All up and down the East and West coasts of the U.S.

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QUESTION:
Was the website cool? [referring to the website in Vladivostok]

ANSWER from Chris Harris on 27 May 2002:
Kinda boring since it is for the Government so I had a lot of design restrictions.

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QUESTION:
When did you get your dog?

ANSWER from Chris Harris on 27 May 2002:
Last January [2002].

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QUESTION:
Did you meet a lot of friends by going to 14 schools?

ANSWER from Chris Harris on 27 May 2002:
Yes, from so many different walks of life.

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QUESTION:
When and where did you meet your wife?

ANSWER from Chris Harris on 27 May 2002:
In college: William and Mary in Virginia.

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QUESTION:
Is your dog playful? What is that toy [in the picture]?

ANSWER from Chris Harris on 27 May 2002:
Super!!!! A Coney Island Hot Dog squeaky toy.

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Last Updated:
27 August 2005