On Wednesday, February 11th, I had the pleasure to join about twenty individuals from all around the United States at a Small World Cafe hosted by Gulf Coast Diplomacy and Global Ties Detroit with guest speaker Fred Ketchem. Ketchem had a long and fulfilling career at the Department of State, serving in nearly 200 countries and retiring as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Assistant Director of the Diplomatic Security Service.
For this particular Small World Café, Ketchem spoke on “Managing Change in the International Realm.” With a career in the Foreign Service, every day is full of exciting, new challenges, especially when stationed overseas, and Fred Ketchem’s experience was definitely no exception. Ketchem spoke of high-stress moments in his profession including an unexpected volcano eruption and an alarm declaring an imminent missile strike from a nearby country. Although those two events were terrifying and definitely memorable, Ketchem emphasized the most difficult changes came from everyday cultural unfamiliarities and that planning was by far the best way to successfully adjust to those changes. He explained how asking the right questions and thoroughly researching beforehand were critical elements to being well-prepared, which he deemed necessary as “anything can become the new normal” with the Foreign Service.
Ketchem also touched on the structure of the Department of State itself with an interesting analogy. He described the Foreign Service as a “miniature city” with citizens from all types of diverse backgrounds in a plethora of unique roles working for the common goal of keeping the city on the track to success. Every role is specific and requires different skills, but Ketchem made a point of highlighting one specific ability applying to the entire field of work: writing a coherent paragraph. As simple as it sounds, he stressed being able to communicate one’s thoughts as clearly as possible was the most important factor of doing the job efficiently, regardless of a person’s job title.
Small World Cafes present the perfect opportunity to interact directly with incredible individuals just like Fred Ketchem who tell their own fascinating stories. Being able to build those connections from the comfort of your own home is so refreshing. In this time of social distancing and isolation, experiences like these are more important than ever for creating a sense of solidarity and compassion from all corners of the globe.
— Isabella Brammer, Youth Diplomat & Senior at Pace High School
