Cultural Ambassador
The highlight of my career was being honored to be a Cultural Ambassador by the U.S. Department of State to Argentina.
I worked with the Department of State as part of their cultural outreach program with 13 schools, several organizations, like an orphanage for HIV+ kids, and the local government and media. The main goal, besides an exchange of culture, was to create a book illustrated by children called Cayendo Hacia Arriba, based on my bicycle trip around the world. Besides helping kids make the book, my visits included a motivational talk about my experiences and lots of one-on-one time with the teachers and students. Ultimately, we gave away 2000 copies of the book and certificates of achievement to all the students and teachers.
The event was a big success. According to the Ambassador, “We made a big splash.” The media loved the story. It was seen in almost every country in the Western Hemisphere. The students and teachers showed great appreciation. And one school, Escuela No. 607 Bernardino Rivadavia, awarded me with an honorary diploma.