Third-year students in American Studies at the University of Bucharest ended their spring semester seminar in American Icons by completing a joint assignment with undergraduate students at the University of Miami, Ohio. Their instructor, U. Allison Wanger, coordinated a project where Romanian students and American students in a similar class at Miami had the opportunity to interview one another. Each student was assigned a partner from the other institution, and together they discussed the cultural significance of specific American icons.
Their findings were then integrated in written papers submitted for the two respective classes. The project used various online platforms, such as Whatsapp and Skype, to connect Bucharest students in real time with their American peers at Miami University.
Despite technical challenges and the 7-hour time difference that sometime complicated setting up the interviews, both groups reported that they enjoyed discovering the variations in cultural perspectives about the same icons, but also the commonalities they shared. Romania took hold of my heart in and since then has consumed my mind and soul. As with any genuine commitment, my relationship with this beautiful, complex country has grown and deepened over time as I have learned of its many tragedies, as well as its many triumphs.
I have surrendered myself to Romania. I am fortunate to have developed close relationships, familial in many ways, with many Romanians. And I am eternally grateful to have been granted a Fulbright and honored to become part of this amazing community. Theresa L. Burriss U. Fulbright Scholar, Marian Zulean Fulbright Visiting Scholar, I participated in classes, workshops, and presentations, applied advanced new methods in my research, and even attended the largest and most important conference on international education in the world.
Yet, in retrospect, the aspect that mattered the most was that I encountered an engaged, diverse, and welcoming academic community. Dana Solonean Fulbright Student Researcher, The University of South Carolina has a big campus with diverse colleges, research units and many activities for students, faculty and the general public.
