While she was not the most outgoing speaker we've had in this class, I think she might be my favorite. I loved hearing about her experiences! I think her attitude on life is just what the world needs - if you see a problem fix it, don't complain. For instance, when she was abroad she had to home school her children; to change that she started a school. This not only allowed her children to have more interaction with other children who had fathers (and maybe mothers) in the Foreign Service, but brought awareness to the problem.
I think the group she formed in Saudi Arabia (I thought that's where she formed this group, but it's not in my notes) is a great example of reaching out and learning about others. The sole purpose of the group was to learn about others so the two cultures would understand each other better. Furthermore, I thought it was great that in forming this group, they didn't take the "little things" for granted. They had groups that talked about parties & politics! Because that's what life's about - not just politics (as important as it may be to know what's going on).
I also thought the quote from the women she interviewed was very interesting and astute: "...American women allow themselves to be sex objects..." It's so true! Things can sell without the gorgeous woman - if someone wants something, they'll but it despite the advertisement not because of it. I understand that advertisers want to entice people to buy things they don't need, but they must not be creative at all if that's the only way they can think to do it. However, that woman is right, shame on women for allowing this to occur. It wouldn't happen if we didn't participate in it.
One of the questions Ms. Bird asked at the beginning of her presentation was, "does success equal leadership?" While I think that her life is an example of why this question could be a resounding "yes!" I don't necessarily think so. There are so many people that are "successful," but what about being successful makes a person a leader. For instance, a person who has earned a lot of money is perhaps successful in their career. But how does that equate them to being a leader? Why should I follow that person just because they make a lot of money. I think too often people do follow the rich, they confuse the idea of success with good leadership, which is likely part of the reason for the many problems our country has.
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Hey Katie- I definitely agree with your appreciating for her fearless-take charge kind of attitude. So often, it seems that we're seeing leaders that more or less follow a path of self-discipline, schooling, and entrance into the career of their dreams. Jerri was definitely a bit different in this regard. I don't remember whether or not she said that she had attended college.
Her story was a terrific one of taking what comes your way and truly making the very best out of it. I'm sure it must have been somewhat daunting and intimidating to be plopped into a foreign country. The language and even custom differences probably made it challenging to forge social networks. However, it did seem like the Foreign Service provided some outlets for making acquaintances.
One thought I had following Jerri's talk was, 'Would a woman today in her position strive to the lengths that she did and accomplish as much?' I am curious about this because it would be interesting to see whether a woman in Jerri's position would try to have even more of an impact as a wife and mother or would she be the Foreign Service employee.
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