A Globalized Perspective on My Teaching and Education Experiences
Fulbright in Česky Têšín, Czech Republic
August 2019 – June 2020
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How Will I Remember?
My favorite decoration is a photograph – a single photograph captures a memory that speaks a thousand words and adds infinite splashes of color to any room. My room is full of photographs – photographs that capture memories spanning all the way back to when I was two years old, running around, trying to keep… Read more
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Home Again and Onward
An innocuous, white, sixteen-passenger Econoline van pulled into the parking lot of Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida. Inside, the van was brimming with excitement after an endless winter of anticipation had finally ended. As the doors opened, out spilled all eight members of my family, each of us eager to embark upon our first real… Read more
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As I work on expanding upon my language learning skills, and globalizing my perspective, I wanted to share some new words that help to define my purpose for this blog.
First, I am looking to move past what is called “Saudade,” a Portuguese word that means “an emotional state of nostalgia and longing for someone or something distant.” My “saudade” represents my freshman year self – the scared and emotionally fragile young woman afraid to forget her life with her father and let herself live and love again.
I want to move toward “Hygge,” a Danish term that refers to “the warm feeling you get while enjoying the company of great friends and all life has to offer,” and “trouvaille, a French word defined as a “chance encounter with something wonderful.”
Moments of empathy, linked to sitting one on one with students, jump out at me as times when I have been able to move from “saudade,” to “hygge” and finally concluding with “trouvaille.” These are moments when I am able to reflect with students and take a step back from the books, talk about life and simply connect. These moments have been sprinkled throughout my Bates education journey and moments I hope to continue to find and share while teaching the English language in the Czech Republic.
Redefining Escape 