Fulbright FLTA Newsletter

My Experience As An FLTA

At first, I regarded teaching as a huge task because I was going to teach Americans who did not know me, my language or my culture. But my fear turned to courage when my program began with different orientations and workshops to enhance my language teaching. I remember the first teaching I did which made me more courageous. I always look forward to my Yoruba class because I regard each class as an opportunity to put my skills to use and teach students new things. I am not surprised to see the students are always eager to learn because there are many facilities which make the class conducive to learning. Teaching Yoruba at the University of Wisconsin has really made me a better language teacher. The use of the Internet, CD-ROMs, and video clips in the classroom help students to learn faster. These tools also expose them to my culture more than just in the classroom. I see the availability of these facilities as an aspect of the American educational system which needs to be emulated by African governments. If facilities like these can be introduced into our educational systems, teaching and learning will become easier.

Taking classes has also helped to improve my academic performance; I have been exposed to lots of information which I will use in my future research.

Olayinka Margaret Olagbegi, 2007-2008, Nigeria

The spirit of inquisitiveness is another thing I've noticed about Americans. They are always ready to obtain information on what they do not know. What amuses me most is the way they read in buses, in restaurants, etc. They are always reading, and I think I have taken up this habit unconsciously; no wonder they are so well-informed!

Americans smile a lot. I've noticed that everybody smiles at me each time our eyes meet; this also gave me a feeling of relief. Though I have come to realize that not all the smiles are real, the fact still remains that when someone welcomes you with a smile, the first impression you have is a sense of being accepted and belonging.

I was shocked to hear students address their professors by their first names. The relationship between students and professors in the U.S. is completely informal. I think that this has a positive effect on the academic performance of the students.

I had the opportunity to attend an international education festival at Lodi High School where I was asked to speak to the students about my culture. Some of them still think there are no houses in Africa, no electricity in Nigeria, no vehicles, etc. I saw myself as a firsthand, African informant; at least this is part of the reason why I am here as a language and cultural ambassador.

Food is another thing that really baffles me in this country. Everybody seems to have more than enough food to eat. ‘Buffet’ is the order of the day at any gathering that involves eating.

I know I have become a better person academically, culturally, socially, and economically (I have learned how to be prudent with my spending; I see this as something that is really helping the economy of this country). My horizons have been greatly broadened particularly with my studies, and I have witnessed my hidden potential as a successful academic. I wish this program could be longer than it is, but at the same time, I can’t wait to go home to make positive educational changes in my country. I am so happy to be a participant of this prestigious program!

A Fulbright Experience Builds Your Personality and Expands Your Horizons

Being able to experience the life of a Fulbright FLTA grantee was very important to me. Adjusting to a new life in a new country and getting acquainted with a culture that differs greatly from the one that I was used to were challenges I met with great enthusiasm and excitement. A 'Fulbright personality' reflects a deep understanding of different cultures, respect towards religions and a belief in promoting harmony and friendship with others. I endeavored to learn about different communities and exchanging cultures with them. Through these desires and beliefs, the opportunity to live a new life in a different country became a reality. I am gaining a wide spectrum of knowledge while being a Fulbright FLTA grantee. I am learning so many things while teaching Hindi, which in turn is nurturing my future prospects.

Ashih Kumar Pathak, 2007-2008, India

A Fulbright FLTA grantee teaches his or her language and blends his or her culture in their language. A student learns a language faster with the description of the country where the language originates. It’s a great achievement for people who are Fulbright FLTA grantees teaching culture and language to U.S. students. It makes me happy when people respect and appreciate me.

Some amusing facts about me include when I came to the university’s dormitories and my room was on the tenth floor where I stayed for seven days alone. The floor was so quiet sometimes I used to get scared as if I was the helpless horror movie character! The biggest shock for me was that being a vegetarian in the U.S., I was asked to eat raw vegetables. I didn’t know the difference between American vegetarians and Indian vegetarians! However, these experiences gave me the encouragement to face new challenges.

Teaching a language involves passion and patience. I initiated the Hindi language courses at my university, and I am teaching the beginner’s course to my students. I faced many challenges in teaching my students the Hindi alphabet because they had never heard the language before. They held the misconception that learning Hindi is like learning most Western languages, so I used language drills for this purpose. I did many exercises conveying the content of the text and as a result, my students have started reading the script and understanding it better. I appreciate when my students do something well every time. This motivates them and fosters their efforts to speak faster and more fluently. Teaching my native language has helped me to take a vested interest in doing my job more seriously and dexterously.

A request for all Fulbright FLTAs is that whenever you have an opportunity to go somewhere or someone invites you to his or her house, or if there are any international events to attend, don’t miss them. I play games with international students and have tasted foods from different nations. My purpose is to build a relationship of mutual understanding between different countries; love and enjoy this land of opportunity. Spread the sweet bond of friendship everywhere so that the world can be peaceful and people can enjoy life's real beauty.