Diplomatic corps descending on Alaska for American fieldtrip

What defines the American experience? Diplomats and international policy makers want to know -- and when asked to choose where in the states they'd like to observe Americana firsthand, they chose the Last Frontier. The "Experience America" trip, sponsored by the U.S. State Department is at hand. Next week, while Alaska Dispatch is hosting the Arctic Imperative Summit in Girdwood, ambassadors will be touring the 49th state from Anchorage up to the North Slope and Barrow, then back down to Seward and Resurrection Bay, according to a press release. "By sharing Alaska's story with these distinguished diplomats, we are fostering international goodwill, laying the foundation for new and productive international partnerships and strengthening America's relationship with countries all around the globe," said Capricia Marshall, a State Department official. This trip -- June 21-24 -- marks the seventh "Experience America" trip and the third during the Obama administration, Marshall said. Other states recently visited include California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois and Georgia.