There I was dressed like a biker chick in my motorcycle boots and leather jacket (my usual flying ensemble) as the paparazzi photographed my twenty-six year old colleague, Jordan Brown and I, as if he were my “boy-toy,” while we checked our bags at LAX.
This was just the beginning of what was to become an enormous, life-altering trip on a four-country tour of duty through Eastern Europe as a US Special Diplomacy Envoy. (Stop laughing.) Now I’ve taken many a press tour in my day to promote various career accomplishments including The Nanny, NY Times bestsellers Enter Whining & Cancer Schmancer, and The Cancer Schmancer Movement. But nothing rivaled the pace, the publicity or the opportunity afforded me by the US State Department to spread my message overseas for better women’s health awareness and empowerment as well as my vision to make the twenty-first century the “Century of the Woman” by creating more female friendly societies worldwide.
Next came Kosovo. This is the youngest country on the planet! It is quite war-torn as a result of a bloody war between the Serbians and the Albanians which left the country seriously divided. Muslims and Christians feuding. A north and a south connected by a single small bridge. And everyone everywhere joined by so much more than that which divides them. For those who simply desire food on the table, a roof over their heads, good health, a happy family, and an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work, there is little encouragement by the powers that be towards the kind of peace, love and tolerance that knows no borders or religious denomination.
On both sides people were happy to receive us. Again the influence of Italian food was prevalent. There were plentiful amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, which thrilled me to no end. And the landscape is beautiful. Deep wide valleys filled with farmland surrounded by beautiful majestic mountains.
The US Military base Camp Bondsteel is the largest American military base overseas. So of course we went to visit and speak to the troops. Little did I know that I would be flown on a Black Hawk Helicopter to the site and that wearing Donna Karan Couture clothes with Manolo Blanik heels was probably not the best choice. But what do I know? I’ve never been a Diplomat before. Whenever I make personal appearances as the Nanny, I’m always expected to look like a million bucks!
Next time: fatigues and flat boots all the way. It was kind of comical though, when General Kay had to practically carry me over the rock walkway or else ruin my crocodile shoes which are the most expensive shoes I own!
Photos by: Fran Drescher, Jordan Brown, Bobbie Ashkin
Read more about Fran’s Tour of Duty here.
