The United States Ambassador to Australia, Robert McCallum, and his wife Mimi toured Monaro High School, Snowy Hydro and met with shire councillors when they were in Cooma last Thursday.
A selection of students from year seven to 12 had the opportunity to listen to the ambassador explain about American politics, foreign policy and culture and asked some hard hitting questions of their own about airport security.
During his visit to the Snowy Mountains, the first since he was appointed ambassador on August 23, 2006, Mr McCallum officially opened the Snowy River Festival at Dalgety on Friday night.
The staunch Republican said he would return home to Tennessee when asked what he would do in the likelihood his diplomatic appointment ends when the Democratic Party comes to power under president elect Barack Obama in January.
Mr McCallum ruled out the possibility of returning to the Department of Justice, where he served as the Associate Attorney General following his appointment by president George W Bush in 2003.
"That was a political appointment. And no I would not work for Barack Obama if asked. We're going back to the States to figure our what to do next and we have our first grandson there," Mr McCallum said.