On Being an Ambassador

This afternoon I spent some time with the Indonesian ambassador to the United States. Not me alone—there were about nine people in the group—but a photographer and I were part of the entourage.

I was in the background, observing, most of the time, but I did have a few minutes to chat casually with the ambassador. I asked him about recovery efforts from the tsunami and he explained some of the challenges of managing the situation that have contributed to a slower-than expected process.

He was kind, bright, quick to smile, and very unassuming. He was attentive to and interested in me and what I had to say. It seems strange that after just a couple of hours in close proximity with someone, you can develop a personal connection, but I feel a certain kinship with him and his wife now. They were warm and gracious and personal.

While transcribing an interview today I came across a compelling quote from a professor. She was talking about the value of meeting individuals from other cultures; the more individuals one meets the better one understands a culture and realizes that the stereotypes don't apply universally to all members of that culture. "It’s so easy when we don’t know anyone [from a culture] to demonize [that culture]," she said. "And it’s so difficult when we do know someone to demonize them."

I have a very different view of Indonesia and Indonesians now than I did five hours ago. I have an appreciation, respect, and fondness for the country and its people born of a simple interaction with a kind man and his wife.

I guess that's the role of an ambassador. He served that role well today. I hope I reciprocated adequately.


Some fascinating facts about Indonesia that were new to me...

Population: more than 220 million (fourth largest country in the world, behind China, India, and the United States)

Geographic Size: about 3,200 miles from one end to the other, similar to the distance from Florida to Alaska

Geographic Composition: an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands (not all inhabited)

Languages: 731

Diversity: 500 different cultures