Off To Washington DC!
Feb 8, 2023
Stepping out of a virtual space into the real world can feel a little disorienting, especially after you have grown accustomed to interacting with others online. Initially, that’s how I felt - a little disoriented - as I made my way to the Global Education Symposium from the Ronald Reagan National Airport.
Was I really in Washington, DC about to finally meet my fellow Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms - many of whom I had made connections with via the webinars, zoom rooms, discussions boards, and peer reviews online? Many of whom I had deep respect and admiration for because of their creative and innovative pedagogical approaches to instruction and student engagement, and making quality education equitable and accessible to all students? To be quite frank I was probably, as the youth would say, “fangirling”. What a great group of people to be excited about!
Fangirling aside, I’ve always thought that it was a little funny; to “know” someone based on your conversations or meetings online, then to see them in person and get to really know them through experiencing them and having your initial knowledge of them either shattered or expanded. Well…”shattered” may be a bit dramatic, but you know what I mean. I thought that this would also most definitely apply to Colombia, the country I would be traveling to for my International Field Experience (IFE). Prior to being accepted into the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program and finding out that I would be traveling to Colombia, the country was not really on my radar. The most I knew about Colombia was that it was a country in South America and that Colombians danced a really mean salsa! When my IFE country was revealed to me, I knew I had so much more to learn. I was eager to do so especially because of the similarities in the culture, music, and language of the student population at my school.
However, Colombia was still a ways away, and my Lyft was pulling up to The Madison Hotel. I arrived a day early, so I had some time to myself to explore. I decided to go to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture which, but the way, is GARGANTUAN. It took me 2 hours to fully explore just the bottom section. I wish I had more time to explore, but it was getting late and it was time to get ready for the Global Education Symposium!
A solo field trip to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture
Feb 9, 2023
Morning of Day 1 @ 8:00 AM
The Madison Hotel was buzzing with new arrivals as I made my way to the hotel snack counter to inspect the hotel breakfast offerings (always a must for me!). I recognized many of the Fulbright teachers and thought to myself that they looked exactly like their Canvas profile photos! As a loud and proud extrovert, I very much enjoyed saying hello to the folks in the Red Group - my primary Canvas discussion board group. I also greeted folks that I had spent some time with in the zoom breakout room sessions. The energy and excitement was palpable! As my fellow educators continued checking into the hotel, I went back to my room to enjoy a ham and cheese croissant and prepare for the day with some meditation and journaling.
Afternoon of Day 1 @ 3:00 PM
The IREX Check In Counter was open for business, so I paid them a visit at the Dolley Madison Ballroom Foyer. I said my hellos, collected my itinerary, name tag, and Fulbright swag. There was still time before my administrator arrived and the Welcome Ceremony, so I had lunch at a fun little pizza spot that was walking distance from The Madison Hotel. It was a great time to review the itinerary.
The next couple of days promised to be exciting and intellectually stimulating with concurrent panel discussions and workshops for teachers and administrators, and a Global Education Resource Fair. Also…a lot of food. Now THIS is how you do professional development!
Evening of Day 1 @ 6:00 PM
After my pizza lunch and welcoming my administrator, Diana, to the hotel, it was time for us to officially meet our fellow educators. We attended the Welcome Reception and had great conversations with the other attendees. At one point, we noticed that four big groups had formed. I approached one and inquired as to what the group was discussing, and it turned out that people who were going to the same countries had found each other and were sharing in their excitement together. Someone asked me where I was going for my IFE, then pointed me to the group with a man in a Hawaiian shirt who was holding the Colombian flag. Diana and I walked over and joined the circle. I looked around, trying to memorize the faces of the people I would be traveling to Colombia with. We all exchanged names, teaching assignments, and states. We were a good mix of subjects, grade levels, and experiences! Everyone was sharing things that they were excited to experience. When it was my turn to share, I said that apart from immersing myself in the Colombian education system, I was really looking forward to salsa dancing!
After the reception, we were ushered into the Dolley Madison Ballroom for dinner. I was seated at a table with Fulbright TGC Alumni, folks who worked at the Department of State, and fellow Fulbrighters and their administrators. The person next to me had just had her IFE experience in Colombia the past year and shared a lot of tips and tricks for travel, especially about how to handle potential altitude sickness in Bogota and what souvenirs to bring to your host school/s. After dinner, we all bid each other a good night. It was a good night indeed with rich conversations paired with equally rich dark chocolate cake.
Dining in style!