Back to Life, Back to PD

Well, it was my first official week as the newest staff member, the Assistant Director for Research & Publications at the USC Center on Public Diplomacy. After three weeks of full-time work, I feel almost adjusted and very excited about public diplomacy. Of course I'm excited about PD but what's even more exciting is that I feel like I've been reading more about PD and enjoying myself more than I had in quite a while. I guess a vacation and break from school work does that to a person.

So this week was the start of the 2010 Summer Institute in Public Diplomacy and I got to attend a fabulous talk by Charlotte Cole of Sesame Workshop. Public Diplomacy, co-production and children's television programming, it automatically puts a smile to my face. Just hearing the Sesame Street theme song brings back fantastic memories - and broadcasting to children globally, in their own languages and cultures - can certainly bring smiles to many small faces around the world. Muppet Diplomacy - such a great project - if only the adults would stay out of it and if we could all remain children forever.