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Trent Students Learn of Canadian-German Relations and Life in the Foreign Service

Roman Waschuk - Life in Foreign ServiceAccording to Roman Waschuk, "managing constant change is part of a foreign service life". This was one of the many messages Mr. Waschuk passed along to students and interested members of the public during an intimate talk delivered on February 6 in the Pit at Lady Eaton College.

Mr. Waschuk, the Minister-Counsellor (Political and Economic Affairs) with the Canadian Embassy in Berlin, was at Trent to discuss Canada's relationship with Germany, the Foreign Service as a career, and the enhanced Youth Mobility Agreement, designed to encourage more young people from Canada to travel to and work in Germany.

Joining the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 1987, Mr. Waschuk has served abroad in Moscow and Kyiv, and has been working at the Canadian Embassy in Berlin since 2002, first as Political Counsellor and now in his current post as Minister-Counsellor.

After nearly 20 years in the field, he has become an expert on working in the Foreign Service and, as such, had many tips to offer anyone thinking about following the same path.

"It is a highly globalized career," Mr. Waschuk explained. "It requires a lot of flexibility and a willingness to move around a lot."

Having a diverse background with experience across many disciplines was one recommendation he had for anyone looking into this type of career. Being able to communicate in multiple languages is another asset. Mr. Waschuk knows this from experience as he is able to speak English, French, German, Ukrainian, and Russian. 

A career in the Foreign Service may not be the right fit for everyone but, no matter what your interests, Mr. Waschuk highly recommends getting involved in Canadian-German relations, even if that just means travelling abroad and soaking up some of the outstanding cultural experiences Germany has to offer.

"The cultural scene in Germany is very rich," says Mr. Waschuk. From zoos to opera houses, Germany has it all. In addition, Germany is also one of the only countries to have a real demand for Canadian culture, so anyone travelling abroad is sure to feel at home.

Anyone interested in exploring all that Germany has to offer is encouraged to explore the enhanced Youth Mobility Program. To be launched within the next month or so, the program grants young people the chance to work abroad for up to a year, and is definitely not an opportunity to miss!

For more information about the program and the Canadian Embassy in Berlin, visit the web site at www.kanada.de.

 

 

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