Embassies do not play on home turf. Therefore, it is indispensable for the embassy staff to acquire local knowledge. The staff members need to study the host country’s language. Culture, history, politics, and practices. It is also help to understand the host country’s social customs, patterns, and etiquette. Only on the basis of a thorough understanding of the host country can an embassy’s political section give assessment and make suggestions with a sense of confidence. Local knowledge must be accompanied by contacts that are useful as sources of information. Access to the bazaar of rumors is easy; each cocktail party provides an opportunity to pick up the latest talk of the town. It is, however, a demanding task to establish reliable contacts with governments, parliaments, and non-governmental institutions of all kind.