Fulbright Orientation in Washington, D.C.
I never would have predicted the weird feelings I get when people ask if I’m from Utah. It’s on my nametag and in the official Fulbright materials… and yet I’ve been so thoroughly immersed in Minnesota life, I kind of forgot this would be the case. And so when people ask me where I’m from, or ask me about Utah because they see my nametag, or even ask me questions about my school, I’m at a loss for words. I guess in a few weeks “my school” will be my new school, in Minneapolis. And yet I don’t know that I want to claim that place. I feel such a committment to SLCSE and such pride in the things we were/are doing there. Except, I am no longer a part of that “we.”
In short, I feel very much in limbo. Having to repeatedly introduce myself makes me feel unmoored.
Today we heard a solid presentation led by Craig Storti on “The Art of Crossing Cultures.” (I was expecting for it to be painful, but it was not.) He gave us a list of factors we will need to adjust to in our new country. They included things like:
- From being in control of most circumstances to being at the mercy of many circumstances that are beyond your control.
- From working within a well-defined structure to having to create your own structure.
- From people looking to you for guidance and direction to having to look to other people for their guidance and direction.