Road Scholar : Home
Inside American Diplomacy With the Foreign Service

Program Number: 20545RJ
Start and End Dates:
2/10/2013 - 2/13/2013; 9/8/2013 - 9/11/2013; 10/13/2013 - 10/16/2013; 11/10/2013 - 11/13/2013; 3/16/2014 - 3/19/2014; 4/27/2014 - 4/30/2014; 5/11/2014 - 5/14/2014;
Duration: 3 nights
Location: Washington, District of Columbia
Price starting at: $695.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Political Science
Meals: 9; 3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

The mission of a U.S. diplomat in the Foreign Service is to promote peace, support prosperity, and protect American citizens while advancing the interests of the U.S. abroad. On this fascinating program, gain in-depth, behind-the-scenes knowledge of the personal experiences of active and retired Foreign Service officers and ambassadors. Examine important issues of U.S. foreign policy in action — enhanced by Q&A sessions — to better understand what tomorrow may bring.




Highlights

• Engage in frank conversations as you probe the most important foreign policy issues we face around the world today.
• Attend briefings and meetings with diplomats on field trips to foreign embassies in Washington.
• Gain an enhanced understanding and appreciation of the work of the U.S. Foreign Service.



Activity Particulars

Minimal walking and standing.



Enjoy a four-night version of this program with additional topics. Go to www.roadscholar.org/18260.




Date Specific Information

2-10-2013

"Politics of the Mediterranean World." Topics focus on current issues facing the regions of Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel, Turkey and more.



9-8-2013

"Politics of the Mediterranean World." Topics focus on current issues facing the regions of Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel, Turkey and more.



10-13-2013

"Africa: A Continent of Conflict." Experts from the U.S. Foreign Service shed light on topics ranging from Zimbabwe and Somalia to Tunisia, Libya and Nigeria. What are the major U.S. priorities in Africa? What explains China’s interest in Africa? This program will take you behind the scenes and tell you everything you never knew there was to know about Africa.



11-10-2013

“Close to Home: The U.S. and Its Neighbors." Topics focus on the Western Hemisphere, life after Castro and the easing of restraints in Cuba; Brazil’s rise as a regional powerhouse; the future of "Chavismo" in Venezuela in the post-Chavez period; the Drug War, immigration and border issues in Mexico; and other regional hot-button topics.



3-16-2014

"U.S. & China: Challenge and Opportunity in Asia." Examine U.S. foreign policy as it relates to China and Asia. Topics center on China’s rising economic might and regional influence, North Korea, human rights, and much more.



4-27-2014

"Politics of the Mediterranean World." The Mediterranean world has been a focus of political intrigue for centuries. Topics focus on current issues facing the regions of Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel, Turkey and more.



5-11-2014

"Middle East Conflict and Controversy." Topics focus on U.S. foreign policy toward Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, Yemen, Israel/Palestine and Hamas/Hezbollah.



Coordinated by Road Scholar.




Washington

From the sophisticated ambiance of Georgetown to the bohemian rush of Adams Morgan, D.C. is a world-class city offering visitors an unparalleled blend of history, politics and culture. One of our nation's magnificent metropolitan creations, it is home to grand monuments, humbling memorials, and some of the country’s most visionary architecture.
Accommodations
Modern, boutique hotel with free parking in Upper Georgetown.
Meals and Lodgings

Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Start Time: Hotel check in is at 3:00 pm. Road Scholar program begins at 4:30 pm. You will be staying at that night.
  End of Program:
End Time 1:00 pm. Hotel Check out is at 12:00, bags can be left at the front desk. You will be staying at the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. Please bring any form of photo identification in case our hosting embassy requires those for entry. A completed Health & Safety Form or Participant Information Form, and a Pre-Security Form are required to Attend this program; These 3 Forms are included in this Mailing.
  Parking availability:
The Savoy Suites offers three levels of FREE on-site, underground parking to all guests. Simply go to the front desk during check-in, identify yourself as a Road Scholar participant, and retrieve a parking pass that is valid for the entire week.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Washington, DC
  Nearest city or town:  Washington, DC
  Nearest highway: I-95 (I-495, I-395)
  Nearest airport:  Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
  From End of Program
  Location: Washington, DC
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

SAVOY SUITES COMPLIMENTARY SHUTTLE SERVICE

 

 
 

Service:

 

Hotel Shuttle
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

0.0
Prices are subject to change.
   

Complimentary shuttle service is provided from the ADAMS MORGAN/WOODLEY PARK-ZOO METRO STOP. Please call 202-577-5355 to schedule a pick up. Shuttle Service hours are Monday thru Friday 6:30am - 10:30am & 4:00pm - 10:00pm Saturday & Sunday: 8:00am - 12:00pm & 4:00pm - 10:00pm

 

From all area airports

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Super Shuttle
phone: 800-BLU-EVAN
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

See "comments" section
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

See section for each individual airport 
 

Distance:

 

See section for each individual airport
   

From BWI: $35 for first guest, $12 for each additional guest, $1 fuel surcharge per person. From IAD: $29 for first guest, $10 for each additional guest, no fuel surcharge. From DCA: $14 for first guest, $10 for each additional guest, no fuel surcharge. (Prices quoted in December 2008, based on using the "shared van" service.)
 

Dulles International Airport (IAD)

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi
Any

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$45
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

45 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

45 miles
   

Please make sure to schedule plenty of time to travel from IAD to the hotel (and back).
 

Union Station

 

From Train Station

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi
Any

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$15
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

15-20 minutes, depending on traffic 
 

Distance:

 

5 miles
   

Union Station is the end station for Amtrak, MARC and VRE trains. The DC bus terminal (stop for Greyhound, Peter Pan, and other major bus lines) is located two blocks north of Union Station.
 

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi
Any

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$15
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

15 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

6 miles
   

DCA is the closest airport to our location.
 

Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI)

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi
Any

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$60
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

1 hour 
 

Distance:

 

60 miles
   

BWI is the least convenient airport to our location, but often offers the lowest airfares to the DC area.
 
Driving Directions
  TO THE SAVOY SUITES FROM THE NORTH (I-95) AND BWI AIRPORT -From BWI Airport, follow signs to I-95 South. -Continue on I-95 South to I-495 West toward Silver Spring. -Stay on I-495 about 8 miles. -Take exit 34 which is Route 355 South/Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike. -Take a LEFT turn at the end of the ramp onto Wisconsin Avenue which is also Route 355 South/Rockville Pike. -Continue on Wisconsin Avenue about 7 miles. -Pass the National Cathedral at Massachusetts Avenue. -Go 3 blocks to the Savoy Suites Hotel on your LEFT at 2505 Wisconsin Avenue.
  TO THE SAVOY SUITES FROM THE EAST (US Route 50) -Take US Route 50 (West) toward Washington. -Follow signs for New York Avenue. -Continue to the end of New York Avenue at 7th Street. -Take a RIGHT onto 7th Street. -Go 5 blocks on 7th Street. -Take a LEFT onto P Street. -Continue on P Street to Logan Circle. -Go ½ way around Logan Circle and continue on P Street. -Continue on P Street to Dupont Circle. -Go ½ way around Dupont Circle and continue on P Street. -Continue on P Street for about 3 miles through the residential neighborhood of Georgetown. -Take a RIGHT onto Wisconsin Avenue. -Go 6 blocks to the Savoy Suites Hotel on your RIGHT at 2505 Wisconsin Avenue.
  TO THE SAVOY SUITES FROM THE FROM THE SOUTH (I-95) -Follow I-95 North. -At the Capital Beltway take I-395 North toward Washington. In about 5 miles you will pass the Pentagon on your left. -Continue about ½ mile to the 14th Street Bridge. -Continue onto the bridge. -Merge to the LEFT lanes before the end of the bridge. The sign will say “US Route 1 North”. You will come off the bridge onto 14th Street. -Continue straight on 14th Street. -Take a LEFT on I (Eye) Street. -Continue on I Street until it merges with Pennsylvania Avenue (around 20th Street) at Washington Circle. -Go ½ way around Washington Circle and continue on Pennsylvania Avenue. -Continue on Pennsylvania Avenue which merges onto M Street. -Go 6 blocks on M Street. -Take a RIGHT onto Wisconsin Avenue. -Continue on Wisconsin Avenue about 1 mile to the Savoy Suites Hotel on your RIGHT at 2505 Wisconsin Avenue.
  TO THE SAVOY SUITES FROM THE NORTHWEST (I-270) -Take I-270 South toward Washington. -At the Capitol Beltway, follow I-495 East toward Silver Spring/College Park. -Do NOT follow signs that say Washington I-495 West or South. -Continue on I-495 about 1 mile. -Take exit 34 which is Route 355 South/Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike. -Take a LEFT turn at the end of the ramp onto Wisconsin Avenue which is also Route 355 South/Rockville Pike. -Continue on Wisconsin Avenue about 7 miles. -Pass the National Cathedral at Massachusetts Avenue. -Go 3 blocks to the Savoy Suites Hotel on your LEFT at 2505 Wisconsin Avenue.
  TO THE SAVOY SUITES FROM THE WEST (I-66) AND DULLES AIRPORT -From Dulles Airport, take the “Dulles Access Road” (NOT THE TOLL ROAD) to I-66 East. -From other points west, take I-66 EAST toward Washington. -Continue into Washington on I-66. You will see the Kennedy Center on your left. -Follow the signs for Constitution Avenue. -Turn LEFT on 23rd Street shortly after merging onto Constitution Avenue. -Go straight on 23rd Street about 5 blocks, until you get to Washington Circle. -Go ¾ way around Washington Circle and continue on Pennsylvania Avenue. -Continue on Pennsylvania Avenue which merges onto M Street. -Go 6 blocks on M Street. -Take a RIGHT onto Wisconsin Avenue. -Continue on Wisconsin Avenue about 1 mile to the Savoy Suites Hotel on your RIGHT at 2505 Wisconsin Avenue.
Equipment Requirements: While not required, we suggest bringing a notebook for use during lectures. As the hotel offers free high-speed wireless Internet access throughout the facility, feel free to bring your wireless-enabled laptop computers.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Arrival & Registration, Orientation & Opening Presentation
(Sunday, February 10)
   
 Afternoon: HOTEL CHECK-IN: Available from 3:00pm.

REGISTRATION: After you have your room assignment, program registration begins at 4:30pm in the hotel lobby, where you will pick up your arrival packets including your name tag and the most up-to-date schedule that we'll review during orientation this evening.

Please be aware that program activities and scheduled times could change due to local circumstances. In the event of any changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

 Dinner: Enjoy a buffet dinner in the hotel restaurant. Begin getting to know your fellow participants and find out what you share beyond a love of lifelong learning and discovery.
 Evening: ORIENTATION: After dinner, you'll have an informative overview of the program plus an opportunity to meet the program staff and your fellow participants during an introductory get-acquainted session. We will review the updated schedule, responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Orientation will last approximately an hour.

PRESENTATION: AFSA programs for Road Scholar begin with an introduction to the Foreign Service, embassies, the Department of State, and the work performed by diplomats around the world. Generally, the program administrator (a retired Foreign Service Officer) will make this presentation.

Established in 1924, AFSA (American Foreign Service Association) is the professional association of the United States Foreign Service. AFSA's principal missions are to enhance the effectiveness of the Foreign Service, to protect the professional interests of its members, to ensure the maintenance of high professional standards for both career diplomats and political appointees, and to promote understanding of the critical role of the Foreign Service in promoting America's national security and economic prosperity. Our particular focus in this program is the Mediterranean world: a focus of political intrigue for centuries.
   
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Expert Presentations on Countries and Issues of the Middle East, Free Afternoon, Evening Program
(Monday, February 11)
   
 Breakfast: Enjoy a buffet breakfast in the hotel restaurant, they begin serving at 6:30 am!
 Morning: PRESENTATIONS: This morning features our first topical presentations. We will have two this morning, one from 9:00-10:20am and the other from 10:40am-12:00pm. There will be a short break between the two presentations.

Presenters are active or retired diplomats who are experts on each topic. So that the subjects and areas being discussed will be as current and relevant as possible, speakers are not finalized until a few weeks before the program; however, you can expect AFSA experts in this program to address some or more of the following: Morocco, Libya, Islam, Egypt, Israel and Palestine, Turkey, Syria, Europe and Muslim immigration, Hamas and Hezbollah, and the politics of petroleum.

 Lunch: Enjoy a lunch buffet in the hotel restaurant.
 Afternoon: PRESENTATION: There will be another expert Foreign Service presentation from 1:00-2:30pm, following up or expanding on the morning discussions.

FREE AFTERNOON: You’ll have free time from 2:30-6:00pm to explore our nation’s capital on your own. We highly recommend some of the neighborhood attractions such as Washington National Cathedral, Dumbarton Oaks museum and gardens, and Embassy Row.

 Dinner: Enjoy a dinner buffet at the hotel restaurant.
 Evening: EVENING PROGRAM: From 7:00-8:30pm, you’ll hear from another Foreign Service expert on a topic of current interest followed by a film, typically documentary-style and related to the subject of the program. Films generally last 60-120 minutes.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Embassy Field Trips, Expert Presentations, Evening Program
(Tuesday, February 12)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant. Depending on the morning travel schedule, time for breakfast may be a bit shorter than usual. If that is the case, the coordinators will let you know the previous evening.
 Morning: EMBASSY FIELD TRIPS: We will board our bus for field trips to embassies or other sites related to the program topic. In this program, we might visit the Embassy of Turkey and the Islamic Center of Washington, DC. Note: The specific field trip sites will be determined a few weeks before the program commences.

There are more than 170 foreign embassies in Washington, DC. Embassies usually comprise several facilities. An embassy "residence" is the ambassador's official home, while the "chancery" is where diplomatic offices are located. Other facilities might include a separate office for cultural or military attache or for consular operations. Whether an embassy or the headquarters of a special interest group, we will meet with officials who will tell you how they represent the interests of their nation or organization.

 Lunch: We will return to the hotel in time for a buffet lunch in our regular location.
 Afternoon: EXPERT PRESENTATIONS: There will be two more presentations from 1:00-2:20pm and 2:40-4:00pm, with a short break between each session. The politics of the Mediterranean world have repercussions far beyond geographical borders, and AFSA guest lecturers will speak to you from personal experience.

You?ll have free time from 4:00-6:00pm to do a bit of exploring on your own, talking with new friends, or just relaxing.

 Dinner: Our closing dinner together in the hotel restaurant is generally a special meal.
 Evening: EVENING PROGRAM: The evening features another expert-led topical discussion from 7:00-8:30pm, followed by an activity TBA.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Expert Presentations, Wrap-up Session, Program Concludes
(Wednesday, February 13)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: EXPERT PRESENTATIONS: Learn more about how American diplomacy works amid politics of the Middle East with lecture-discussions from 9:00-10:20am and 10:40 am-12:00pm, with a short break in between.

WRAP-UP SESSION: From 12:00-12:30pm, we'll review the highlights of what we have learned, address any lingering questions, and invite ideas from the group for improvement of the program.

 Lunch: Our closing lunch will begin slightly later than usual, at approximately 12:30pm. If you need to depart early, the kitchen staff can provide you with a simple boxed lunch to go. The program concludes with lunch.

We hope you have enjoyed this exciting new program and will return for other rewarding Road Scholar learning adventures in the future. Best wishes for all your journeys!
   
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


Newspapers


Author: Various


Description: We do not require any reading prior to the program. We do recommend staying current on the news, as our topics will be current. Following the program, we will distribute a list of recommended readings to follow up on the course content.





You can't find a better value than Road Scholar.


As a not-for-profit organization, we are dedicated to providing all-inclusive educational programs at great value. From lectures to gratuities to field trips to accommodations - the tuition you pay up front is all that you pay.



Specifically, this program includes:

Plus these special experiences...

View the Daily Schedule to see more

And included with all Road Scholar programs:


© Road Scholar 2013 | Call toll-free: 1-800-454-5768