International diplomacy can deal with matters of global consequence such as trade and the environment. It can deal with the deeply personal aspects of helping nationals in distress overseas. And it can also deal with the mundane drudgery of working in a large bureaucracy. In my conversation with Tom Barker, the New Zealand Deputy Consul-General in Shanghai, we cover all of these aspects in our short time together. I couldn’t possibly talk to a diplomat from New Zealand without bringing up the character Murray Hewitt from the HBO Series “Flight of the Conchords”. So if you’ve never heard of this TV series, then I would highly recommend watching an episode or two after listening to this podcast. Chapters 00:00 - Trailer & Intro 02:11 - Part 1 15:52 - Part 2 24:12 - Outro Instagram: www.instagram.com/oscology Facebook: www.facebook.com/mosaicofchina WeChat: www.mosaicofchina.com/wechat