The Busiest Week of My Life (5/17/2010-5/24/2010)

I started work at the IMF on May 24th 2010, two days after graduation. The week before that was packed with things I absolutely needed to do before entering duty. On Monday the 17th (also my birthday) I traveled to the Big Apple to pick my visa from the Canadian Consulate in order to travel to Canada to apply for a G-4 visa to work at the Fund. I spent most of my birthday inside the Consulate. At lunch time I went to the Rockefeller Center and walked around the city looking for a suit for my commencement on May 22nd. I was the last person at the Consulate - for some reason the officers had misplaced my file. When I got the visa I set out for Canada. I called the Travel Office at the IMF to arrange my flight to Ottawa but it was a bit too late in the day. I left the US for Ottawa on the next day. Early Wednesday morning (May 19th) I literally walked into the embassy past the line (thanks to my semi-diplomatic status) to the G-4 window.The actual visa, however, was going to be ready on Friday the 21st.

On the 20th I visited the currency museum right next to the Bank of Canada - Canada's Central Bank. I got a lot of interesting factoids. For instance, did you know that from 1941 to 1944 Italy, and later Germany dumped paper money inside Greece to weaken its currency, and therefore its economy, bringing about hyperinflation similar to the kind we had in Zimbabwe?

That evening I attended the launch of The Canadian Century, the first book by the MacDonald Laurier Institute, one of Canada's budding free market think tanks. The authors seek to articulate steps Canada needs to take in order to move out of 'America's Shadow', and own the 21st Century. Obviously I cannot tell you anything else about the book because I have not yet read it.

My stay in Canada was most pleasant, thanks to my friends Pedro and Kenya, two of the most ardent advocates of liberty in Canada, if not the world..:) Both Pedro and Kenya work in Parliament in Ottawa. They took me on a special tour of the building at 8pm, yes at night with no tourists around. I must add that the security was not as particular as it usually is in some parts of the world. I recall standing right outside Prime Minister Harper's office. I believe it was the same evening that I was introduced to Poutine, an exquisite Canadian remake of French fries - one word, tantalizing! If ever you are in Canada, treat yourself to some poutine.

I arrived back into the USA at midnight of May 21st with my new immigration status ready to take on the world. But first I had to graduate. My commencement was on May 22nd at 11 am and I was happy to have made it. Jessica was kind enough to pick me up at Bradley International airport in Connecticut. Even though I needed it I could not sleep on the drive back to Hampshire College. When we arrived my friends were still up and I badly wanted to hang out and reminisce.

When I walked up the stage at noonish to get my diploma, I was physically exhausted but emotionally euphoric. I fear, however, that I was not able to fully absorb the significance of that special day. Most importantly I was sad that my mother and family were not there to share the day with me. But I am glad that Jessica's family came to support me. Thank you guys! A few days from now I will submit a post on my reflections on the significance of the 22nd of May. The following day, May 23rd, Jessica and I drove down to DC (9 hrs). I started work the next day, May 24th at 9am. I am yet to have a formal orientation but; I have already started doing work for some economists.