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Fulbright U.S. Student
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Standing in Others' Shoes
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Alumni Perspective: My Education in the "Land of Smiles"by Chike Aguh, 2008-2009, Thailand ETAMy mother and father hail from a small village in the south of Nigeria called Unubi. It is a place most people will never see and to which most will never go. Our ancestors were farmers for a thousand years before my father was born and, until him, no one in our family had ever gone to college. The moment that changed my father's life, and by extension mine, was the day that a Peace Corps volunteer named Mr. Smith from Kansas stepped into his classroom and began to teach him English. That moment inspired my father to come to America and in turn, started my path to ensure that others will have access to an education similar to the one that changed my family.
I taught one of the teachers from my school, Ajahn Panthira, that Los Angeles and New York City were not right next to each other, but it was she who taught me about the Moon River route and how to negotiate in the Chong Mek market, right across Thailand's border with Laos. I taught my host family in Bangkok about the structure of the American higher education system. But as I watched them pick up their son from Thammasat University with his dirty laundry in tow, talking about the semester and laughing about his newly long hair, they taught me that their family was not so different from mine. I taught the social studies teacher, Ajahn Benjamai, about the structure of the electoral college. But it was she who taught me the power of an historic election when she shook my hand and congratulated me on the day Barack Obama was elected President.
I came to Thailand to educate others but, as cliché as it may sound, it was I who was educated. The final and greatest lesson from my Fulbright ETA experience was the one that Senator J. William Fulbright hoped all scholars who bear his name would learn. For the short span of time I was on my grant, I was blessed to see the world as my Thai friends saw it. I did not always agree with that vantage point, I did not even always understand it, but I got to stand in their shoes and see things the way they saw them. And for the rest of my life, to the best of my ability, I will make sure that I continue to stand in others' shoes and help others to do the same.
To comment on Chike Aguh's article on State Alumni, please click here. |
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Alumni Perspective: Another Fast Food Nationby Emily Fisher, 2008-2009, NorwayWhile Norwegians are proud of their tradition of bringing matpakke for lunch - slices of bread with cheese and some fruit - it seems as though they may be in danger of losing this healthy cultural habit. Similarly, a warm family meal at the end of the day may also be going out of style as Norwegians have become busier. Picking up something at the nearest fast food restaurant is now all too easy.
In my conversations with students, I asked if they thought Norwegians' healthy habits were deteriorating and if they thought Norwegians would turn into what Americans are known for worldwide: being an overweight and unhealthy people with a love of fast food. And they all said yes, they thought so. Why do you think that is? Many fast food places. Cheap and quick options. Lack of family dinners. Kids are not active. Well, what do you [students] think can be done to prevent this from happening? Talk to students about the importance of being healthy earlier in life. Help parents learn how to feed their children nutritious foods. Make fast food more expensive. Instead of putting candies near checkouts, put fruit! Even though the students I talked with recognized that obesity is a growing issue for Norway, the healthy habits they mentioned showed signs of becoming unhealthy habits, such as regularly skipping breakfast or eating junk food after school. All of them had seen students buying sugar buns during a break or guzzling soda in between classes. What I've left Norway with is a greater appreciation for their cultural traditions of packed lunches and family dinners. I've also left worrying about the future of their health. Why, from a country of healthy and active people, do some Norwegians choose to treat their bodies in a way that might result in the multitude of health concerns affecting Americans? On my Fulbright grant, I witnessed the great effort Norwegians are making to promote preventative health care. Both the teachers and students I spoke with had ideas about how to make nutritional changes. Ideas, however, are not enough if appropriate actions are not taken. Countries should look at what has happened in the U.S. and take active steps to prevent the spread of poor nutritional habits. I left Norway hoping that they continue to hold on to the valuable traditions put in place by their ancestors. To comment on Emily Fisher's article on State Alumni, please click here. |
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Submitting Photos, Articles and Blogs to State AlumniState Alumni If you are not already familiar with State Alumni, it is a social network sponsored by the U.S. Department of State exclusively for all current and past participants of State Department-sponsored exchange programs, including the Fulbright Program. To register for State Alumni and gain access to the Fulbright Community, go to http://alumni.state.gov. The Fulbright Library The Fulbright Library on State Alumni is a new way to share, connect and collaborate with other current and former Fulbrighters. It offers a platform, categorized by subject area, for you to share your articles, blogs, classroom materials and other media related to your areas of interest and research, particularly work related to your Fulbright grant. For instance, if you are a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA), you may share your tips about assistant teaching English abroad. If you are already a member of State Alumni, you may access the Fulbright Library at https://alumni.state.gov/fulbright/library. Share your photos with the Fulbright Community!
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A Call for Articles and PhotosWe welcome articles with accompanying photos for future issues of the Fulbright U.S. Student Grantee Newsletter. Articles should ideally be about your experience of being abroad as a Fulbright grantee (and cultural ambassador), and any relevant and/or unique musings you might want to share with your fellow Fulbright grantees and others interested in the Fulbright Program. The length of the article should be no more than 500 words and not require much editing in order to be published. The accompanying photos should show you engaged in program activities, or be illustrative of your article's content. Please submit your articles with photos within two weeks of the release of this newsletter. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to receiving your articles! |