My grandfather was a great influence on my worldview. I grew up listening to him and his group of Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian friends sharing stories, sometimes in the Arabic language, realizing that the boundaries between countries were somewhat artificial and that the world was becoming increasingly interconnected. My interest in communication started then.

While pursuing higher education in communications, I realized that I wanted to use my knowledge and skills to help people. As a graduate student, I helped organize a number of awareness-raising campaigns to advance humanitarian causes. This experience reinforced my conviction to work in a context wherein my activities would have far-reaching impact. While working on a project about the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, I worked with people with knowledge of and experience in the United Nations. The Organization’s truly global nature and wide scope of operations attracted me from the very beginning. 

I was working as a political analyst at the Embassy of Mexico in Canada when I passed the National Competitive Examination (now the Young Professionals Programme). My very first post took me to a complex and interesting place: Afghanistan. Shortly after arriving in the mission, I was deployed to one of the hotspots, Jalalabad city in the Eastern Region, right on the border with Pakistan. It was a “first” for me in many ways: my first UN assignment, my first experience in a conflict zone, and my first heightened exposure to events that constantly made headlines. 

It took me a while to get used to my new environment but soon found that working with Afghan colleagues was a truly gratifying experience. Their personal stories opened my mind to a new reality and it has permeated every aspect of my life. They taught me almost as much about Afghanistan as about life itself by letting me take a peek into their own lives. 

After 17 months at the mission in Afghanistan, I was reassigned to New York in September 2012 through the Managed Reassignment Programme, where I continue to be based. I started my third post in June 2014, working with the Iraq team at the Department of Political Affairs. I happened to arrive at the time when the current crisis in Iraq had just unfolded. The learning curve has been steep and the workload sometimes very heavy. We have to respond quickly, be it providing inputs for speeches for the Secretary-General or drafting analyses for ad hoc situations. Typically, by the time I wake up, there are already dozens of emails waiting. Being in a situation like this, I can’t afford to be disconnected for too long, so I developed a habit of frequently checking emails and text messages. Being part of a team that knows how to deal with stress has really helped me cope with various challenges. 

Working at the United Nations enables me to embrace different cultures that otherwise may be inaccessible. The organization’s broad range of activities and missions offers me the opportunity to embark on a rich and multidisciplinary career. All of these matter to me because they satisfy my curiosity towards the world and strengthen my conviction to help others.