The Fulbright Commission gathered during the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th of December all the Teaching Assistants that are currently working in the United States in a Conference sponsored by the United States Department of State aiming to continuing the monitoring process that started last summer with the various Orientation Programs held throughout the country.
During these days, the Teaching Assistants have shared our experiences, hopes and concerns with more than 400 colleagues from around 50 countries and with whom an intercultural communication has spontaneously arisen within a magic atmosphere of mutual understanding.
The wonderful organization has offered all the assistants the possibility to attend lectures that will help us in our teaching performance and our cultural immersion and it has also granted us the chance to be actively involved in presentations, debates and cultural stands as a way to share and learn from other assistants. Those presentations have dealt with different topics such as cultural shock and adaptation to a new environment and teaching strategies and methodologies regarding both linguistic and cultural issues.
Besides the theoretical lectures, the assistants visited a museum or accomplished a volunteering activity in women or veterans shelters. Thanks to this activity, we assistants have learnt more about the North American society and have contributed to improving the living conditions of some people.
During the conference, the various authorities encouraged us to continue connected to Fulbright once our program is over. All of them emphasized the positive impact of this program on the American society and wonderful opportunity that assistants from 50 countries offer the United States when sharing and teaching their languages and cultures.
I would like to highlight the wonderful experience this conference has been, both on the personal and professional side, an opinion probably held by most of my colleagues. All the assistants have contributed to building a tolerant, open and curious atmosphere, caring for each other’s cultures, a key fact that has made this conference successful.
Ana B. Lucas Honorato
Fulbright/Lectora de español en Gardner-Webb University, NC: