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Fulbright Program for U.S. Students

Fulbright FLTA Newsletter

Issue 11 | May 2008

Discovering Life in New Cities
table of contents

Teaching and Opening Minds at Clemson University

by Sawsan Zainal, 2007-2008, Bahrain

It is a great pleasure for me to write about my experience as a Fulbright FLTA at Clemson University in South Carolina. When I first learned of my admission to Clemson, I was so excited. I loved the program and how it would open opportunities for me to experience life in the States. At the same time, I was a little fearful about Clemson being located in the south. However, when I arrived, I was shocked because I never expected it to be the way it is. I had always envisioned that I would be living in a big, crowded city with lots of skyscrapers - like I had always seen in movies. Now, I really feel lucky that I ended up at Clemson.

Life is quiet and very easygoing at Clemson, as are the people living, teaching and going to school here. They are wise, friendly, and always smile and say, “Hey!” whether you know them or not.

I am a Muslim girl from Bahrain, and I cover my hair with a scarf. During my stay in the U.S., I never experienced any insults or misunderstandings about my culture or traditions. People are so open-minded; they respect individuals and understand that everyone is different.

Sawsan Zainal, 2007-2008, Bahrain 
Sawsan Zainal, 2007-2008, Bahrain (center, in teal blue sweater)
 

As a Fulbright FLTA, my main role is to teach my language to American students. Because Arabic has never been taught at Clemson, I was expecting a big challenge in introducing my language in a way that would be acceptable to American students. Once I began teaching Arabic, I found within the first few weeks that students had some anxiety about the way Arabic is written from right to left, or how the letters connect together to form words. To them, these were challenges. Eventually, my students succeeded in overcoming their anxieties. They have enjoyed writing in Arabic, and I, too, have enjoyed reading their sentences and written expressions. Teaching Arabic is not as easy as it seemed in the beginning, but I especially enjoy when I look in my students' eyes and they look surprised while trying to figure out what I am talking about!

Less than two months are left for me at Clemson, and while I am glad I will be returning home, I will miss my life here in the U.S., my friends, and the squirrels that greet me while walking to or from my classes in the morning or evening. Most of all, I will miss the people at Clemson. It has been such a wonderful, unforgettable experience, and it has taught me a great deal just by communicating with different people. “Yes, Clemson!” or “Go Tigers!” as we say here; I am very lucky and proud to be a part of Clemson!



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Submitting Photos to the Fulbright Photo Gallery


We are now collecting photos from the entire current cohort of Foreign, FLTA and U.S. Fulbright student grantees.


-- The first time you submit photos, please send an email with your contact information to sallen@iie.org or tclaudino@iie.org. This email should not include any attached photos and is simply to notify us that you will be submitting photos to a specific gallery.

-- Please indicate your grant year and the country in which you are engaged in your Fulbright program. Photos from non-U.S. Fulbrighters are organized by home country; photos from U.S. Fulbrighters are organized by the country in which they are conducting grant activities. When in doubt, please send us an email with your questions.

-- With all submitted photos, you must include a caption that clearly indicates your name, country and a brief description (i.e., the title of the event attended, location where the photo was taken, etc.) of the content of the photo.

-- If you would like to create your own gallery of photos instead of submitting them to a country gallery, please notify us and we will create a personal gallery for you. Again, please make sure to add captions to each photo you submit.

-- You can only add photos, not delete them. If you need to delete photos, please contact us.

-- Click on the link below to enter photo gallery's home page:

http://photos.fulbrightonline.org

Enjoy using the Fulbright Photo Gallery!



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Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Visit My City – Palo Alto, California

by Tri Anita Indrawati, 2007-2008, Indonesia

My name is Tri Anita Indrawati and I am a Fulbright FLTA from Indonesia. The city I am living in is Palo Alto, California. It’s known as one of the safest and most beautiful cities in the United States. I am currently at Stanford University with four other Fulbright FLTAs. It’s not easy to describe why you should visit Palo Alto in only 500 words, but I will try.

1. It has the best weather throughout the year. The sun shines so bright; it’s never too hot or too cold for an Indonesian girl like me. The lowest temperature here is only 3 degrees Celsius. If you are now in a state covered by snow, then my city is a great escape. It is warm and amazingly beautiful.

2. Stanford is here. It is the fourth-ranked university in the U.S. after Princeton, Harvard and Yale. Visiting Stanford will give you an opportunity to see how the some of the best American students lead their academic lives. This prestigious university offers not only a fascinating academic experience, but scenic views. The university provides tours everyday.

3. If you are interested in the arts, Stanford displays works of art around campus. Stanford has its own museum and you do not need to be an artist in order to enjoy it.

4. San Francisco is nearby and is only one hour away by train. The name of the city speaks for itself. There are many sites to visit including the Golden Gate Bridge, the Trans America building and beautiful beaches.

Tri Anita Indrawati, 2007-2008, Indonesia FLTA 
Tri Anita Indrawati, 2007-2008, Indonesia, (left)
 
5. The people in Palo Alto dispel any American stereotypes, in my opinon. It is amazing to see Americans who are nothing like you've seen on TV. The first time I was here, I was constantly thinking of the “never talk to strangers” message that I found in Hollywood movies. Californians are famous for their friendliness. You will never pass someone on the street without interacting. Californians say, "Hi" or "How are you?" or "Have a nice day." It does really make my day when I hear these greetings and salutations.

6. If you are someone interested in technology, then you must have heard of Silicon Valley. This heart of the American technology industry is within biking distance of Palo Alto. Here, you can see your favorite computer in the making.

7. Bikes are the main form of transportation and so everything is within biking distance. Bike paths are everywhere. The most popular place to bike is the Bay Area, which is only 20 minutes from Stanford. There, you can see birds and enjoy the scenery. You can rent a bike for a relatively cheap price at Stanford.

8. If you are someone who cannot survive away from the Internet, then this is the right city for you. Free Wifi is everywhere. Most of the restaurants downtown provide free Wifi. You can always order a cup of coffee and surf the net for hours.

9. If you feel like shopping, we have the Stanford Shopping Center, which offers every big store you can name. It has an outdoor atmosphere which enables you to simultaneously shop and enjoy nature. Sit near its fountains or enjoy the beautiful flowers planted at every corner

10. If you think it is cool to be on Facebook, Facebook thinks it is cool to be in Palo Alto. You can meet the people who've designed your favorite site right here in downtown, Palo Alto.

So come and visit us here in Palo Alto and experience life in California!



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A Call for Articles with Photos


We welcome articles with accompanying photos for future issues of the Fulbright FLTA Newsletter. Articles should ideally be about your experience of being abroad as a Fulbright grantee (and cultural ambassador), and any relevant and/or unique thoughts 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.

The Fulbright FLTA newsletter now includes themed articles written by both current grantees and recent alumni.

Please submit an article based on the theme of travel within the United States:

-For an article written by a current Fulbright FLTA grantee, write about your recent experience(s) of traveling within the United States

-For an article written by a recent Fulbright FLTA alumnus/na, write about your favorite trip(s) within the U.S. during your year as an FLTA

-An advice column written by a recently Fulbright FLTA alumnus/na on how to travel in the U.S. on a budget

-Top 10 List: top 10 reasons to travel to your host institution’s city or town as a current Fulbright FLTA grantee

Please submit your articles and 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 materials!



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