It occurred to me that I never officially blogged about one of the most important events that happened during my internship in Paris. In fact, I'd even go as far as to say that it was one of the most remarkable experiences of my life-it's not every day that you shake hands with the president of the United States. It's true: I have shaken President Obama's hand, and it was electrifying. Some of you are cringing at this point (I had more than one person tell me I should have been throwing something at him rather than shaking his hand). Others of you see it as an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For me, it was an unforgettable moment that I will always cherish. Because it was some months ago, I'll rely on what I wrote in my journal about the experience:

"A burst of cheers to my right announced what I immediately knew: President Barack Obama had finally arrived. As he walked out from behind the blue curtain another wave of cheers were let out by me and those that could now see him. He seemed to leap up onto the mini-stage that was there for him and almost strike a pose as he took his place behind the presidential pulpit. Despite having giving several speeches that day as part of various D-Day ceremonies, he seemed fresh and rejuvenated-genuinely happy to be with us. I guess I thought he would be tired and maybe even a little irritated at having to greet another group of people. If that was the case then Mr. Obama could easily pursue an acting career in Hollywood following his 2nd term as president.

"He began his short speech with an awful 'Bonjour' and 'Comment ça va?' His effort was endearing, though. I got a video of the first minute or so of his visit, and I've already watched it several times. He thanked us for waiting and announced to us his nomination of the next ambassador to France. That got everyone cheering! To be honest, I don't remember much else of what he said; there was a lot of thanking us and telling us how much the work we do helps the country. He specifically mentioned the importance of facilitating trade and business, which I felt was a nod to the Commercial Service.

"For the first time I really understood how he took the country by storm in 2008. Say what you will about the man's politics-that he's a socialist, that he's ruining our country, that he's a poor leader-no one can deny the fact that he is an electrifying orator. Obama is a rockstar. It is hard to not want to follow and trust him when he speaks thanks to his charisma. Il est dynamique, as the French would say.

"Then the hand shaking began. He took his time. He held two babies. I didn't know politicians really did that; but then again, I guess there's a reason why they get mocked for it. There was a barrier about 6 feet from the podium that the 200 of us embassy staff had to stand behind. He went to my right, flanked by the secret service, and slowly made his way around to me (I was almost dead-center and was at the very front). There was a little girl next to me and he was sure to exchange a few words with the kids. Finally, he looked into my eyes. I had had my hand stretched out for the handshake for some time by that point. He took it with his right hand and put his left hand on my shoulder as I said, 'Hi, Mr. President!' He said, 'Keep up the good work!' As he was about to move on I added, 'Thanks for all you do for students.' I had a big grin on my face the whole time; I was really fortunate that another intern got an excellent photo of the two of us shaking hands.

"And then it was done in about 15 minutes. Two and a half hours of waiting that were completely worth it! It's very likely that I will never meet another president in my life, unless I ever do get into politics. We were at l'aéroport d'Orly. Obama literally flew directly from Normandy and we got on buses at the embassy that took us to the undisclosed location. He was late, of course, and I wonder if he would have spent a little more time with us had he not been behind schedule. Probably not, though. After all, he is arguably the busiest man in the world."

I did an internship in Washington D.C. last fall and I never saw the guy. Then I do an internship of a few months in Paris and I get to shake Mr. Obama's hand. It is amazing to me how such short moments can be so impactful. I'm grateful for the time I took to reflect on that moment to remind me how much I enjoyed my time in Paris. Maintenant, la question c'est quand est-ce que je pourrai retourner??