http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/index/ en U.S. Department of State 2009-11-07T00:24:20+00:00 About the Author: Preeti Shah serves as Vice Consul at the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey.

As President Obama, with his trademark smile, graciously shook the hands of the young participants, I took a deep breath. The town hall discussion with 100 Turkish students and students studying in Turkey had gone off without a hitch. Assigned as the press site officer from the U.S. Consulate General here in Istanbul, I watched as an old cannon factory, first built in the 15th century, transformed over the last two weeks into a television studio and audience venue. Complete with bright lights, multiple camera positions and an open press invitation that resulted in over 100 journalists vying for angles, the event demonstrated our President’s willingness to talk openly not just to Americans but also to students all over the world.

Chattering nervously before the event, several students told me how they couldn’t sleep last night, for fear of getting up late and missing the event. Some of the students were alumni of Department of State programs, but for many, this was their first interaction with anyone representing the United States. I became aware of just how monumental this day had become, particularly for these students. They had been given an unscripted and unrehearsed opportunity to ask questions of President Barack Obama. No topic was off limits, and President Obama shared his thoughts in his characteristically warm and open manner. He fielded his first question about climate change and moved on to topics including Turkey’s possible membership in the EU, nuclear proliferation and the possibility of peace in the Middle East. Watching the faces of the Turkish students as they had the chance to talk with the President, my President, I was in awe. After the event, the students who participated in the town hall created their own Facebook group. They are using this social network to share videos and pictures of the event and continue the conversation begun by the President.

Coming at the tail end of his Europe trip, that included the G-20 meeting in London, Turkey represents President Obama’s first visit to a Muslim country, the significance of which has not gone unnoticed by both the Turkish and international media. Living in Istanbul, I have seen the effect of the President’s popularity firsthand – an Obama look-alike graces billboards in the metro and along the roads touting low interest rates at a Turkish bank. Public opinion in Turkey regarding the U.S. has been on an upswing for the past few months. President Obama’s visit, and specifically his gregarious interaction with students, has served to highlight the enduring friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Read more about the President's conversation with Turkish students or watch his remarks to them at the White House Blog.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/conversation_with_turkish_students/ 2009-04-09T15:06:58+00:00 About the Author: Preeti Shah serves as Vice Consul at the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey.

“Um, so… can you tell us a little about your personal life? Like, do you date and stuff?” the 16-year-old with furry boots asked, as her classmates giggled in response.

“That’s a good question actually,” I responded, smiling. “Dating in this line of work can be tough, but it can also be pretty exciting,” I continued, sharing with the 25 high school juniors some of the pitfalls and bonuses that come with being a Foreign Service Officer.

The opportunity to serve as a Hometown Diplomat during my two week vacation at home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan was one that I had looked forward to for almost a year. A proud graduate of the local public school system, I was eager to share my experiences as a diplomat. More importantly, my goal was to raise awareness about the myriad career options about which I, at the same young age, was completely unaware.

Though it was immensely gratifying to hear from students, both after the presentations and via emails, that they were now seriously thinking about government service as a career option, I’m certain that I am the one who benefited the most from the experience. Not only was I asked questions about issues I hadn’t considered in a long time, such as how I reconcile my personal beliefs to that of official policy, but I was also reminded of what an adventurous career I have in the Foreign Service. The “war stories” I shared took on a new life as I saw them through the eyes of young adults who had never heard of this job and life.

My high school has always been very ethnically diverse, and was even more so when I returned as a Hometown Diplomat 10 years after graduating. I was careful to emphasize my school’s diversity by sharing with the students the times when I had negative experiences based on stereotypes about Americans. I told them that one of the best parts of my job is getting up in the morning and knowing that I, just by being me, represent one of the United States’ strongest assets. By encouraging these young students to consider themselves as examples of America’s opportunities, I renewed my own faith in the very same and returned to my job with newfound energy and enthusiasm for being one of the faces of American diplomacy.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/sharing_experiences_motivates_service/ 2009-01-26T16:04:01+00:00