The World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings are taking place this weekend and the block around 19th and H Street is filled with delegates from all over the world. Not even outside the IMF across the street from my office are there normally this many men dressed in black. Thursday morning, I walked in together with French Minister of Finance Christine Lagarde and her team,  followed by a photographer who franticly was taking pictures (needless to say, I checked Le Monde after to see if I ended up on a press photo), and this weekend I have been invited both to the House of Sweden to listen to Swedish Minister of Finance Anders Borg, as well as to the Swedish Residence for lunch with the Swedish delegation. It would have been quite interesting, especially since Sweden is predicted to grow with around 5 % this year and has its finances in order as opposed to the US and most of the EU countries. Unfortunately, I am struggling with an assignment for my Food Policy Master’s which is due on Monday, so except for the weekly Saturday brunch with Patrick this morning, I am locked up in my apartment this weekend. But since one of the issues discussed during the Spring Meetings is the continuing rise in food prices, writing a paper on food systems it is probably a better use of my time anyway.