Night Lives Young Diplomats Collaborate on ëSights and Soundsí at Upscale Lounge Gazuza by Serena Lei I had just finished a 10K run and I came across this field, with this incredible cloud structure, and this cow just looking back at me as if to say, ëWell, are you coming?í" Katherine Foster fidgeted with nervous energy as she explained the origin behind "Gerry," a black-and-white photograph of a cow in the middle of a field. "It made me laugh because it was such a good expressionóthis white face, sort of matter of fact, as if he had seen me once before." Foster sat on the edge of her barstool, waiting for people to arrive, scanning the room for faces she recognized. Tonight was the opening of her photography exhibit at Gazuza, a new upscale lounge on Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. The event, titled "Mid-Summerís Sights and Sounds," was being held in collaboration with DJ Ben Chang. What is different about Chang and Foster than other artists, is that during the day they are both Foreign Service officers stationed in Washington, D.C.óthe former an American and the latter a Canadian diplomat. "Gerry" is a good example of the playful nature of Fosterís work. Her photographs are nostalgic and sweet. Take "Holly Howe" for example, a photograph of sheep crossing a bridge in Lake District, England. They are the sheep that you see in story booksócottony and bunched together in a sheep traffic jam, without a clue as to where theyíre going and no real concern for why. Foster titled the photography "Holly Howe" after a farm in her favorite childrenís book "Swallows and Amazons." In "Wish," three young boys have thrown pennies onto a glass floor, mistaking it for water in a fountain. Foster is standing on the level below, taking the picture from the other side. The boys are looking down at her curiously, their wishes suspended on the glass between them. Fosterís photographs cover a wide range of countries, from her home in Canada to the Royal Palace in Thailand. "Sail," a recent photo set in Paris is one of the few color pieces. Twenty or 30 toy boats are lined up in rows on the water. Children are waiting for the rain to stop so that they can set their boats to sail. From the angle of the photograph, the boats look almost full size, but the neon bright colors of the sails identify them as toys. "Ashra," a picture of a young girl from Nepal in 1987 is one of Fosterís favorite photographs. Someone remarked that it reminded him of a National Geographic print, but it seems to have more of the simplicity and warmth of a family photo. Also a DJ Ben Chang first introduced himself to Steve Maguire, manager of Gazuza, by slipping a business card underneath the door of the soon-to-be-opened establishment. On the front it said: "Benjamin Chang, Special Assistant to the Secretary of State." On the back, it said: "I also DJ, visit me at www.thehouseofchang.com." Chang now spins at Gazuza on a regular basis. His music fits the sound Maguire envisioned. "Iím trying for a real European mentality," Maguire said. "A frankness, an ease of living. Ben and I talked about this light style of music, music that you would listen to in a convertible on the way to the beach in Barcelona ... a Mediterranean vibe." Chang greets everyone like a good friend. He has an infectious amount of energy and seeing the growing crowd filling Gazuza on a Wednesday night seems to fuel his enthusiasm. "The thing about being a DJ that I love: Itís not just the music, itísóinteracting with people," Chang said. "You are creating an aural environment, you can mold the setting, help direct the energy." He described the music he plays at Gazuza as laid back and eclectic, "nothing too overwhelmingóbossanova to acid jazz to midtempo." Except for one song, a series of eerie, sharp chirps that sound unfortunately like a scene from Hitchcockís "The Birds," most of his music succeeds in achieving that laid-back atmosphere. Until people started asking him for a CD of his music, Chang did not think of himself as a DJ. "I realized," he said, "These people donít know me as a diplomat, they know me as a DJ." When asked for his card, he still hands out his State Department card, adding his personal Web site to the back. Excitement of the New Although DC is her first posting with the Canadian Foreign Service, Katherine Foster admits to leading a nomadic life. Her photographs are evidence of her travels. She recently returned from an extreme sports adventure race in Canada that involved navigating through dense forests, mountain biking, canoeing, and rappelling more than 26 hours without sleep. Foster is articulate, bright, and multifaceted. "I just get excited about new experiences," she said. "I want to try new things all the time, but in terms of the things Iíve done for a while, they do go togetheróthe traveling, the sports, the photographyóthey mesh really well. I love experiencing it for myself, but I also enjoy drawing other people into these things." As the international environmental officer at the Canadian Embassy, Foster covers U.S. policies on issues such as climate change and trade and the environment. Recently, her biggest challenge was convincing her European counterparts that the United States would not return to the Kyoto Treaty. Her interest in international affairs began in college when she volunteered for an outreach program similar to the Peace Corps. "As a university student, you delve into theories and ideals," she said. "But when you are faced with the reality of the situation, thatís when the real education happens." Foster was working on her doctorate at McGill University in Montreal when she was led away by an offer to work on the North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA) Environmental Commission. Her doctoral work on multilateral trade organizations gave her the background for the position. She has also lectured on geopolitics and taught photography classes. "Being challenged on a couple of levels is a necessity," she said. "Not just political and intellectual work, but also with outreach and creative outlets." Full-Circle Experience Ben Chang got his first taste of foreign service when he was 14, traveling to the Soviet Union as part of "Children as Teachers of Peace," a student cultural exchange program. He continued to work with the organization, traveling to Central America the next year, and then back to the Soviet Union. "It was after [Central America] that I began to think about my role in the world, my concept of the world," he said. He attended Georgetown University and joined the Foreign Service shortly after graduating. One of his assignments returned Chang to Russia in 2000 as a member of Madeline Albrightís staff. "To be back where it all started was fantastic," Chang said, "It made a lasting impression on me at that age...and then there I was, 14 years later, during the actual summit with President Clinton.... I really felt full circle with that experience." Changís first assignment as a U.S. diplomat was in El Salvador. He has also served as a staff aide to Bill Richardson, who was then serving as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. As a Chinese-American diplomat who speaks fluent Spanish and no Chinese, Chang has dealt with several instances of ignorance or misunderstanding. A visa applicant in El Salvador requested a Japanese visa from Chang, while another asked to speak to the "real" American consular officer. He has been mistaken for a diplomat from China and, more than once, was held back by security who did not believe that he was part of the American group. "I donít take offense," Chang said. "Itís good that this is the face they see ... this is what it means to represent the U.S. overseas. It is one of our strengths, and one of the unique aspects of our nation." On Loan Foster had sold six photographs by the end of the evening. She will determine how long to keep the exhibit at Gazuza after seeing how it is received in the first week. "I would love for it to stay up," Maguire said. "I think it is appropriate for this venue, it adds a worldly aspect." Fosterís initial anxiety had dissipated, as she was now busy encouraging friends to sign her guestbook, tickling them with the feathers on the end of her purple pen. The sign that Chang has taped to the front of his turntables reads like a blurb from a museum brochure. The sign informs us that heís on loan from the permanent collection of the House of Chang. Unfortunately, he is only on loan to us until the end of the month. Chang will be leaving for France in August for his next assignment with the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. "At the end of the day," he said, "I like to do this sort of thingófind a rea lly interesting and engaging communityóand bring worlds together. Katherine Fosterís photography is on display at Gazuza, 1629 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. The phone number is (202) 667-5500. Sunday to Thursday, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. DJ Ben Changís schedule is posted on www.thehouseofchang.com. Serena Lei is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C.