My Fulbright Experience: José M. Gutiérrez, Fulbright Spanish Language Teaching Assistant

Hi! It’s been a month since I came back home and the summer heat is making me miss Ferrum. Almost a year ago I found out I was coming to this place of the United States and the only thing I thought was that I was coming to the middle of nowhere. Now that my stay is over I cannot help feeling nostalgic, and not only because of the weather.

Back in September, I missed my hometown so much, but as time went by, I learned to appreciate this college. And it would have not been possible without the very nice people I met and the various activities offered by the college; it was especially helpful to go to the YMCA to adjust better to my new life. In addition, this semester I got involved in more activities. I went skiing and hiking with Ferrum Outdoors, and I also tried zip lining and rock climbing. I never considered myself and outdoor person but I must admit these activities made me realize how much fun I was missing.

I also went to the theater, had fun in the game club and the spring fling, participated in bowl making, enjoyed the choir presentation and the dance recital, and attended some Inquiring Minds presentations. I even had the opportunity to give a presentation about the Mayan culture and language. This college may be small but it has so many activities to offer that sometimes you need to choose between them. I can honestly say that I am glad I was sent to Ferrum.

Now, I must return to my English classes. It was an enriching experience to switch and teach Spanish in Ferrum. I got to compare beginner Spanish students here with English beginner students in Mexico. It made me realize the struggles that English students have or don’t have in Mexico depending on the aspects of language like pronunciation and grammar. My stay as well as the courses I took will also help me to improve my classes. Now that I have a better understanding of American culture and history, I feel more confident to promote it in my English classes back home. After all, language and culture are inextricable linked.

I can only be grateful for this experience and for all the wonderful people I met who made this stay even more enjoyable.

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My Fulbright Experience

José Gutiérrez at Philpott Lake near Ferrum.

By José Gutiérrez

Hi. I am José Gutiérrez. I am from Chetumal, Mexico. I am the fourth Fulbright Spanish Teaching Assistant (TA) in Ferrum. As part of the Fulbright program, around 400 teachers from all over the world come to the United States every year to teach their language as TAs. I hold a bachelor’s degree in English language and a master’s in Education, and I taught English in my hometown for two years before I came to the United States.

This exchange program was not only a great opportunity to refine my teaching skills but also to broaden my knowledge of American culture and customs. Precisely, the first-hand experiences I had last semester helped me to learn more about the culture. Thanks to television, movies and music, I had an idea of how big cities look like but I didn’t know much about the countryside. Last semester I attended some folk festivals in cities and towns like Salem, Martinsville and Greensboro, and I enjoyed the music, food, exhibitions, and crafts of the region, especially bluegrass music. I loved it! It was a semester full of first-time experiences: college football, Halloween, Thanksgiving, the fall, and lately the snow. And the cold, well, I am still working on that.

I also celebrated Día de Muertos and enjoyed the altars that students made as part of a contest. It was nice to see altars outside of my country. I have also encountered many Spanish speakers in Virginia and some neighbor states. It has not been really difficult to get authentic food from my region in Mexico, and I get to see how people have mixed their Latin American culture to the American one. Overall, this experience has made me appreciate more my culture.

Students at the Tertulia.

Last semester, I taught two sections of Spanish 101 and ran speaking workshops called “Tertulias”. Moreover, I took courses on American studies. This semester I will have more assistance duties and continue working on the “Tertulias”. I hope to have a great semester and to enjoy both the Spanish assistantship and the courses I will take.

View more of my photographs here.