As a result, all the trivial chores of running an embassy--showing slides, cooking and serving dinner, fixing toilets, paying the water bills--have to be handled by the ambassador and one or two assistants, in addition to their major duties of keeping themselves informed of the local situation, negotiating with local officials, and serving overseas nationals.
因此，大使先生要自己放幻燈片、寫請帖、打信，夫人得下廚張羅宴會菜餚，秘書要辦些換燈泡、修馬桶、繳水費的雜事，而瞭解當地政情、與當地政府接觸，和僑民聯繫等「正務」，自然也不能少。