I really love being a Public Affairs Officer. Mostly. One down side is that I don't get to do as much of the fun stuff because I spend a good deal of time managing the budget, doing HR-related paperwork, supporting the front office, and responding to requests from DC. But recently I got to give a presentation to a school group on a topic close to my heart - National Parks.
My presentation skills may have been a little rusty, but my enthusiasm for the topic made up for it. For me, this is the perfect American culture topic - it combines America's natural beauty, American history, and maybe one of the best ideas America ever exported to the world - protecting the nation's most glorious natural wonders for the public. And, of course, it's a chance to show lots of pretty pictures. (If you want to know more, visit PBS's National Parks documentary page.)
After all the craziness of the elections, it was nice to talk about something fun and positive. And, I hope, it left a good impression with the students.
