We had another zoom cluster event in light of Covid and enjoyed our cluster community playing Bingo and sharing the quotes that get us through the tough times. And last week, we traveled with Rousse to Peru and Maria to Colombia to see the sights, sounds, colors and food of their countries – virtually. This was fun listening to their APIA Global Awareness presentations and we travelers can’t wait for the world to re-open! https://www.globalawareness.com
International Education Week (IEW) has been designated as Nov 14-18 by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It comes just before the Thanksgiving holiday here in the US. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. This was a celebration of two cultures and their peacefully learning about one another’s differences, starting from a common ground with the most basic of human needs. Food!
Our Greater Seattle cluster event this month focused on how to best share their culture, gathering for our own “non-traditional” Thanksgiving dinner at IKEA. We had more meatballs and mac-n-cheese than might be found at most host family tables perhaps, but we enjoyed a shared meal none-the-less, and spent some time learning about each other and the important cultural stories we hold dear.
Young women from Croatia, Sweden, Portugal, Germany, Mexico, South Africa, and Brazil shared sports jerseys, picture books, money, candy, chocolate, common holiday traditions and thoughts on their exchange year in the US. The hope now is that they continue to share. With families. With one another. With their childrens’ classrooms. With a boys/girls club. With a church group. With a library. At a birthday party. Anywhere. With anyone. After all, cultural exchange is the name of our game and what makes our world an exciting place. APIA provides tools via our Global Awareness program.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my 20 year career within J-1 visa programs has been in watching young women from around the globe test their inner strength and find their outer voice. Yesterday this group below did just that. The fear of public speaking crosses cultures, so we talked about how to best overcome this – practice. The goal of the J-1 visa is to gain a cross cultural understanding, but then ensure that learning is spread to others. These ladies spoke out loud and proud and are just getting started in making this world a better place.
Click here to read more about Global Awareness, a program of Au Pair In America.
Click here to read more about the State Department’s IEW events and how people on visa exchanges around the US are sharing cultures and appreciating differences.
