Day 250 - A visit to the consulate before my V.I.P arrives

For the first time in twenty three and a bit years of being alive, I was asked to officially represent the United Kingdom. This was at the Turkish Consulate, for the fifth Young Leaders Symposium. We were to discuss how the Gallipoli Campaign of 1915 had an impact on the younger generations of today. The event was hosted by the Turkish General Consul for New York, chaired by the Australian General Consul and attended by representatives of the New Zealand, Indian and Canadian government.

I was presenting with an eclectic mix of similar aged individuals from all over the world. When I say eclectic, I am not just referring to their nationalities but what they were actually doing in the United States. For example, the Kiwi that I was speaking to was studying Fine Art at NYU, the Australian was studying for his PHD in economics at Harvard and the Indian gentlemen was a qualified Doctor who specialised in disaster response mobilisation.

Throughout the morning, I learnt a great deal with regards to the events at Gallipoli and how the ANZACs (Australians and New Zealanders Army Corps) were involved. It was incredible to hear how some of the soldiers were just fourteen years old. Everyone had very different explanations as to how these events, where so many young men died in honour of a flag and their 'mates', effected each one of the speakers. I focused on the availability of information at the time, how the information was presented to the young soldiers and ultimately whether this even mattered, because you were about to go on a new adventure and fight side by side with your closest friends.  Although solemn in parts, it was a fantastic way to spend a morning and speak to a group of talented individuals that I would unlikely have come across normally.

Afterwards, I had to hot foot it to JFK, as my good friend Mike 'Bobbo' Robinson was crossing the pond for the weekend. Managing to get to the airport just in time before he arrived, I scribbled his name on a piece of scrap paper and stood their proudly waiting.

We chose to travel by yellow cab to into the city, so that he could see the NYC skyline in all its glory. After dropping his bags of at my apartment in Newport, we then caught the ferry back into Manhattan. As we were sailing back into midtown Manhattan and Bobbo was gazing wide eyed out the windows, I thought back to the similar expressions that I pulled when I first moved to the city. Getting caught up in work and my studies is all to easy and it is not until you are running around New York with someone that is getting neck ache from looking up so much, that you realise (all over again) what an amazing place and opportunity this is.

As I had to go to class for a few hours to present on how I think Apple can increase their revenue streams, I parked Bobbo up in the Oyster Bar at Grand Central to take in the commuters that stop for a tipple before there way home. An ex-londoner himself, I am sure it wouldn't have been to out of the norm.

After my presentation, I picked him back up and we went over to the Skyroom (330w 40th Street) for a Mountbatten Alumni event.  It was a fantastic venue, especially for a NYC virgin's first night, as the rooftop bar had a fantastic view of Manhattan and the open bar was more than willing to ensure that we were 'well fuelled' for an evenings worth of entertainment. As I said to Mike at the time, this is most certainly the best way to spend your first night in New York; looking over it, drinking its free booze and mingling with its locals.

Quite a day really!