After honing his political acumen alongside Washington’s head
honchos, Patrick Foley is ready to get down to the nitty
gritty.
After honing his political acumen alongside Washington’s head honchos, Patrick Foley is ready to get down to the nitty gritty.
As about a dozen young Gilroyans have gone before him, he will travel to sister city, Takko-Machi, to live and work for a year and soak up a little local flavor. The position of Coordinator of International Relations in Takko only has two requirements – a college degree and citizenship of the garlic capital of the world.
Foley, 22, has both and much more to offer as Gilroy’s yearlong ambassador to Japan’s garlicky capital. A graduate of Hofstra University on Long Island, N.Y. with a degree in political science and a concentration in international relations, Foley has worked with the assistant secretary of state on myriad projects, from negotiating treaties to arms reduction sales.
“It was an inch deep by a mile wide,” he said of the experience he gained during his internship.
However, his experience thus far has been “very regimented, formal” and he’s ready to work at the local level, and found just the right opportunity in Gilroy’s sister city program with Takko.
“He’s very involved in politics and went to a great university,” said Ted Uchida, who has played an essential role in facilitating Gilroy’s sister city relationship with Takko. “Patrick’s a great guy and I really think he’s going to excel.”
He will depart June 1 to a country he’s never been to that speaks a language of which he knows little.
“I have a long way to go!” he laughed when speaking of his Japanese. “This is such a daunting task. But the globe is becoming increasingly connected and I want to bridge the gap by embracing their customs.”
One tradition that he finds nerve wracking is choosing just the right gifts to present to his colleagues and superiors when he arrives in Takko. Despite the stress, he is encouraged by the gesture. Both Foley’s grandfathers fought in World War II and “here we are exchanging gifts. It’s the epitome of moving forward,” he said.
Once in Takko, Foley will serve as a school teacher, an ambassador, the resident expert on American culture and overall jack-of-all-trades. He will also facilitate the various trips Takko’s students will make to his hometown. A self-identified perfectionist, he’s nervous about being on display for the next year. After all, how many tall, fair-skinned redheads are living in the tiny town of Takko?
