After six weeks living in Austin I
am ready to explain the difference between my expectations and the reality I
discovered in these days.
Used to watching American movies ,
I was completely sure about how people were: arrogant, superficial, and noisy.
I was wrong. The fact is that I discovered a completely different world
surrounded by them not only here at Austin, but also in the cities I visited. I
consider this is a good time to give them a feedback.
People in the Streets love foreign
students, they are used to them and always say polite expressions or show
interest in them. Workers in supermarkets, public transports and stores always
give their best to understand or indicate you something, even many New Yorkers
showed respect and patience. It does not mean that Americans are a perfect
society, but definitely are much better than I conceived.
The Host family experience showed
me how humble people can be. Bob and Diana receive students from all over the
world in their house and adopt them while studying here, in order to give them
a home and share special dates.
I learned in the ESL classes that
there are no barriers for friendship. I may forget some names with time, but
faces and stories will remain in my mind. Students who left their families and
countries behind, and came to US to study, make me feel proud of my country and
the possibilities and quality I have just a few blocks from my house.
In brief, although I thought I was
a free person, I had lots of prejudices about Americans. It is in every person
life, to know other cultures and discover by your own how other countries are.
When the ambassador told us the importance of this program, I did not understand
why governments and companies were spending money in such a big group if it did
not change them anything. Now I can see I was blind in several aspects of my
life, just closed to the society I knew and the image I had about US.
Thanks to every person who believed
in Friends of Fulbright, it was because of them that I could open my mind and
face a different world.
3 comentarios:
Dear Gasti,
Amazing post! Nice way to explain the differences between prejudices and reality. (I feel the same than you).
I want to thank you for the moments we enjoyed together. I will miss you... (Specially on Tuesday and Thursday mornings).
First of all, I really enjoyed your insights and hope that everyone who studies on a program like this is able to take little snapshots like those you write about back with them. Bridging borders and building tolerance is what exchange is all about. Secondly, I hope you will have the opportunity to share these ideas with Fulbright and people back home. I think it is really important for people who invest in programs like these to see first hand the kind of impact it has on it's people and country.
I'm happy you were part of this program and that it impacted you.
We are so lucky to have had this opportunity of living for six weeks in the United States. We have been able to learn English and subjects from our majors, know people from different countries, and be immerse in a different culture. Now, we have the responsibility to give back to society all we have learned here.
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