Now that I am back from the Fulbright orientation in DC, I have had a chance to reflect on all that we did. Hands down, the best part of the week was meeting other passionate educators from around the country and around the world. I knew that going into the week that it would be jam-packed with meetings and sessions, with information sharing a gathering, and with learning more about the details of our Fulbright programs.

I met the four other teachers who will be going to Singapore when I go. I met a Fulbright alumna who was in Singapore two years ago. I also met three Singaporean teachers who are here in the US on a Fulbright. We talked about living in Singapore, education in Singapore and even the food in Singapore. We probably could have talked even more, but I learned a great deal to feel confident about our move there. While I still await my assignments to local schools where I will be observing classes and teachers, I was assured many times that the MOE in Singapore is well organized and on top of everything.

One of our first workshops at the orientation was about the art of crossing cultures. I particularly appreciated this session as it illuminated the differences between US culture and other cultures. While I can sometimes have general sense of these differences, this session really articulated those differences for me and gave me strategies for dealing with them. I keep finding myself going back to the handout and re-reading the information the speaker gave so that I can better internalize it before we leave.

Going into the week, I was feeling anxious about finding a school for my children to attend in Singapore since I found out that the local schools are not an option. I know that my children are happiest when they are active, engaged, and learning in a social setting. I very much want them in a school in Singapore for their sake. It will also give me another lens to view schooling in Singapore. I was VERY gratified to learn that IIE was able to find funds to cover the cost of international schools, which have very high tuition for a school teacher’s salary. This is a huge weight that has been lifted and will allow me to focus my energies on my learning, my inquiry project and the work that I look forward to doing in Singapore.

I’m picture below in front of the official Fulbright banner/backdrop, and I’m basically smiling as big as I can. I’m even happier now than I was when I first found out that I got the Fulbright. I hope my smile reflects that!