In this episode, Dan is joined by Ambassador Javier Rupérez, former Spanish Ambassador to the United States. They begin by discussing Rupérez's experiences growing up under the Franco regime and his initial political experiences in organizations that opposed the dictator. After university, Rupérez joined the Spanish foreign service where he was exposed to the international system. Rupérez then describes his involvement in Spain's successful democratic transition. Once Spain became a democracy, he played a critical role in guiding the country's new foreign policy. Rupérez recounts his successful campaign for Spain's membership in the NATO, despite political opposition. This is the first in a series of two episodes from Dan's conversation with Ambassador Rupérez.