During my time with American Way magazine, I wrote about the DRD4 7R gene, also known as the "wanderlust gene." Only 10 percent of the population carries this gene. This small portion of the population is known to take more risks in order to produce dopamine. I fully believe I am a carrier of this "wanderlust gene." I began traveling internationally in high school and have been hooked ever since. To date, I've traveled to 30 countries including Jordan, Bahrain and Morocco.
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I took a temporary, three-month assignment in Doha, Qatar, in January 2022. I made the assignment more permanent in May 2022 and relocated from Washington, D.C., to Doha. I had the pleasure of living in Doha during the historical FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as the country welcomed over 1 million soccer ("football") fans.
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I was selected for an immersive language program with the U.S. Department of State in Jordan, interned with the Department of State at the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain and studied abroad in Morocco.
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Portland Communications - Doha, Qatar
After having worked with Portland Communications in Washington, D.C., for four years, I moved to Doha, Qatar, where I took on a more client-facing role. As a Senior Communications Manager, I advised key foreign government clients in strategic communication, crisis communication, and messaging development on topics that include foreign policy, economy, defense, counterterrorism, human rights, culture, tourism and sustainability.
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As a Senior Communications Manager,
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I monitored and assessed the impact of major political developments in the Middle East, Europe and the U.S.
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I provided insights into the global political climate, particularly as it relates to Qatar, and advised accordingly.
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As the head of the messaging and strategy development team, I helped my client ensure foreign policy goals are met and alliances are maintained.
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I managed, facilitated, and instructed bespoke trainings for government officials on the topics of media engagements, media monitoring, project management, writing, crisis communications and digital communications.
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I wrote briefing documents on political developments and talking points for government officials.
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As a senior member of the team, I managed junior team members and support their development through coaching and professional counseling.
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Please contact me at savanah.dickinson@gmail.com for examples of my work with Portland Communications.
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Grantee for the Critical Language Scholarship
I was selected to participate in the U.S. Department of States' Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program, an intensive and immerse 10-week language program. I studied Modern Standard Arabic, Media Arabic and the Jordanian dialect four hours a day, five days a week. Bound by a language contract, I was initially pushed outside my comfort zone, but I quickly realized the benefits of participating in an immersive program. My ear for the language and ability to converse in every-day situations drastically improved. Living with a Jordanian host family also proved to be an invaluable experience as it allowed me to converse in Arabic both at home and at school, while simultaneously adapting to the Jordanian lifestyle. Having lived in Bahrain as an intern at the US Embassy, I sought to avoid the "expat bubble" I found myself a part of in Bahrain. Living with a host family and engaging with my Jordanian language partners allowed me to avoid being entrapped by the "expat bubble" in Jordan.
Intern at the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain
During my 10 weeks at the Embassy in the summer of 2017, I observed how policies directed by D.C. influence the embassy's actions in country. On the other hand, I saw how events in the host country influence policies developed in D.C.
While interning in the Public Affairs Section,
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I worked closely with the locally employed staff within the embassy to learn about social media trends within Bahrain.
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I utilized this information to revitalize the embassy's online presence and revise the embassy's social media strategy.
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I strengthened relationships with other sections within the embassy to increase and diversify content output.
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I implemented an organizational structure to streamline content creation and review.
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I instructed the Public Affairs team on how to utilize Hootsuite for efficient and timely posting to the embassy's social media accounts.
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I developed and organized cultural programming and events including a speakers series hosted by embassy personnel, art workshops for Bahraini children and an exhibit at the Bahrain National Museum.
Examples of social media posts I created or supervised are included below. You can see more on the embassy's Facebook page, Twitter or Instagram.
U.S. Embassy Manama's social media samples
Study Abroad in Morocco
Between May and June 2014, I studied conversational Arabic and Moroccan marketplace culture with two LSU professors in Fes, Morocco. We conducted our studies during the week and traveled each weekend to Erfoud, Merzouga, Marrakesh, Ourika, Chefchaouen and Essaouira.
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Living in a foreign country requires a person to recognize and adapt to local customs and behaviors. During my time studying abroad in Morocco, I realized:
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It was unacceptable for me to wander through the city without a male companion. A jarring experience in the old medina of Fes inspired me to strive to better understand the gender dichotomy of countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
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Infrastructure improvement in a developing country like Morocco is a slow and tedious process.
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The Moroccan people put Southern hospitality to shame. We were warmly greeted and welcomed into acquaintances' homes for a piping hot cup of mint tea on a daily basis.
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The locals were happy to help me with my Arabic in exchange for a chance to practice their English.