A Place to Be

As a child, Jatinder Cheema survives the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan and later goes on to enjoy a long career as a diplomat with USAID, serving in Asia, Africa, Central Asia, Armenia, Afghanistan, Eritrea and more. A Place to Be is the story of the choices she makes and how she navigates life and work as a woman, transitioning from country to country, somehow making each place a place to be--a home. She often finds herself in hardship assignments, in remote areas, confronting difficult cultural differences and geographical challenges. Cheema's experiences with USAID illustrate the complex role that development, humanitarian assistance, and diplomacy has played in America's role in the world.