“I graduated from College in 2000 and I studied history and languages in Adelaide. After my honours in history, I undertook a Masters of Arts at the University of Melbourne. I knew I always wanted to live overseas, to work in government, and to be a good representative for Australia – contributing to our national interest in some way. It turned out that DFAT was a great fit for me and I have been with them ever since, starting off working in Fiji, before moving to China and now DC.” Life in DC seems to agree with both Sarah and Kate. “Life on an overseas posting is busy, challenging and rewarding,” Kate said. “Washington DC is an exciting place to be professionally, but also great for my family. My two little kids have just had their first Halloween and we are about to (hopefully!) have their first white Christmas. We can’t wait to travel and explore more of the States during our time here.” “DC is a great place to live,” Sarah agreed. “It is relatively small (about 650,000 people), but as the capital of the United States, it has all the benefits and professional opportunities of a much larger city. As a ‘policy wonk’ I (still) get extremely excited when I drive past the White House or the Supreme Court or go running in the National Mall.
“Lastly, I fell in love with, and recently became engaged to a local, so we are planning to stay in DC for a little while longer.” Both women said they would encourage students who were thinking of living and working overseas. Sarah encouraged students to explore how they might be able to make it work. “Don’t let anything get in your way. Australia is a wonderful place to call home, but there are amazing personal and professional benefits to be gained living, working, or studying overseas. Consider applying for scholarships from organisations such as Rotary International, which provide fantastic support for students and professionals working in the public interest.” “Just do it!” Kate said. “It is enriching and fulfilling. I am lucky that my work takes me overseas and much of it is organised for us. I admire people who do it independently. I think the ties to home actually make it easier to move away. The Geelong community is strong and different to other places in Australia. It is easy to reconnect when we return – which means we can take the opportunities to live and work elsewhere.” The world is your oyster.
Kate Seward outside her new Washington DC home.
55 Ad Astra Issue No 129