Teen Ambassador: New Friends, New Opportunities

By Annika Ramani

I would like to thank all the speakers and chaperones who have organized, advised and prepared us throughout the week.

My time here at the 'I Want To Be An Ambassador' Camp was very memorable. I learned a lot more about what it really means to be an ambassador, and how to communicate with other people more effectively. I also made new friends, learned about different cultures, and was influenced by a multitude of people. I learned and realized that diplomacy doesn't just mean communication between diplomats, but also negotiation between average people.

One of my favorite experiences was being part of the Cuban Missile Crisis Simulation. This helped me refine my diplomatic skills as we had to help 'President Kennedy' decide how to move forward with the ever-pressing Soviets and Cubans. We were divided into different approaches and had to present them each in a persuasive manor, which proved a challenge.

This camp has opened many doors and opportunities to foreign service and being an ambassador. I learned what these roles mean and how they affect others.

Additionally, I made new friends who were interested in the same topics as I was. Overall, I hope to explore being an ambassador more and this camp has proved to be the perfect opportunity for just that! Thank you!

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Annika Ramani, 12, is a rising Eighth-grader at the Carlow Campus School. Annika participated in the Camp Delicious! program sponsored by Luminari in 2015 and has returned this summer for the I Want to be an Ambassador! camp.