Where to, ForeignPolicyFocus?

Nine years after I've launched this blog, I had more than one reason to decide closing it. Not that I am no more interested in watching and writing about foreign affairs, but somewhere, in the middle of my personal journey, I've got stuck trying to figure out where my writing plans in the domain of foreign affairs will lead to...

Besides a couple of books about foreign policy and the usual news watching on my computer, I haven't dedicated too much quality time to international affairs. My concerns were rather relevant to the everyday simple citizen than to the scholar with a passion for conflicts, their resolutions and international actors. After being a journalist for over ten years, with an intensive activity in the field of international conflicts and resolutions, EU affairs and democracy progress, it seemed that, at least for a short while, I got more interested in personal growth and development, travel adventures around the Globe and fashion vanities. Nothing wrong with any of them, but not too much time for chewing properly the international news, in order to put together all those valuable information that help you see beyond the daily layers of immediate interaction. 

But I am that kind of person that hardly gives up. As I am litle by little planning to be back to my academic routine, I still hope this blog can be easily the best medium for sharing my impressions and ideas about the latest relevant international facts. I do have lots of books that can't wait to review on the blog soon, a short book project about to be finished in the next two months and many other topics I would love to approach from probably a different angle. I honestly can't wait to, and I am looking forward to celebrate in 12 months a 10 years ForeignPolicyFocus bloganniversary with a dramatic makeshift and many writing pleasant surprises!

Until then, let's cheer up for a 2018 full of personal and professional achievements! And a lot of good news and less dictatorships, corruption and violence in the world!

How do I find the news

With over 10 years of practice in the traditional media, out of which more than 7 years dealing with foreign affairs and 15 years of various blogging, including in the field of foreign affairs and diplomacy, I am familiar with a lot of sources useful for finding inspiration for articles. Able to read and communicate in several languages, I have the advantage of getting first hand access to a variety of worlds. I am not a big TV fan, and I usually prefer once in a while some podcasts, so the non-written sources do not have too much chaces unless there is a high emergency.

I travel often and an additional source of inspiration is represented by the direct contact with people and eventually, participation at various events related to foreign affairs, such as international conferences or events.

As I also have an academic background, with PhD in history, I prefer to let the topic cold down a little bit, till will achieve a bigger understanding of the entire context. There is always a temptation to write on the spot and as a journalist I follow very often this impulse. After all, we always needed to cover what everyone covered and missing the big subjects of the day would have mean a disqualification of the paper and especially of the journalist. Hence, the joy of being my own boss, with the blog as my playground and no one else to held me accountable for my omissions. I love to wait and see the different angles and first and foremost to read as much as possible for properly covering the issue. When you need to cover an instant news, you never have more than maximum 5-6 hours to do the research, ask questions and finish the writing. As a blogger, I do not care to offer news - although I am still looking forward to share that big secret no one else know about it before - but perspectives and views.

But there are also some predictable aspects of my daily search for diplomatic meaning: I do  have also a schedule of big international meetings and events - such as international gatherings as NATO or EU summits or big benchmarks - trying to give an idea about the possible agenda and the predictable consequences. 

As for now I am based in Germany, covering the local topics is predominant but expect to have covered other perspectives as well.