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| 2013 Cherry Blossom Festival in Seoul, South Korea |
It is my pleasure to introduce you to Fatimah Rashad. Fatimah and I studied abroad together in Guadalajara, Mexico and is a fellow Hampton University Alumnus. Since her time at our Home By the Sea, she has taken the world on by storm as she earned a PhD in Developmental Psychology and is now living her dreams as an *expatriate (expat) abroad. With that being said check out Fatimah's experiences abroad as first a student and now an expat.
1. Where did you study abroad?
I studied abroad at Universidad de Guadalajara (U de G) in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
2. When did you study abroad and how
long did you stay?
I'm
pretty sure it was in April of 2004 for 5 weeks of intensive Spanish immersion.
3. What was your sole purpose for
studying abroad? Did you accomplish that purpose?
My
sole purpose was to improve my Spanish communication skills. I totally
accomplished this goal. I learned more Spanish in that short period of
time than I did in 3 years of studying in Undergrad.
4. Were you initially excited and
ready to go or were there any fears or reservations? If so what were they and
how did you overcome them? If not what expectations ignited your excitement?
Initially,
I was excited and ready to go to Mexico. The idea of leaving school
before the end of the semester to get a head start on living abroad was
wonderful. The closer we got to our departure, the more I had doubts
about my Spanish skills. Would I be able to communicate to the taxi
driver at the airport so I could arrive safely at my host family's
house? All I had was a piece of paper with an address on it. I didn't
even know how to give basic directions such as turn, straight, left, or
right. Thankfully, the fear was unfounded. I'm really good at charades
and cab drivers have no shame in stopping to ask someone who is more
knowledgeable. I arrived safely without issue… and made it my business
to learn what I call taxi Spanish immediately thereafter.
5. What was your experience like
studying abroad?
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| *The Hampton Ladies - Study Abroad in Mexico, 2004. |
I absolutely
loved studying abroad. In addition to Spanish language classes, I took
dance and cooking classes at U de G. I remember meeting a group of
Korean and Japanese students who didn't speak English, so our only form
of communication was in Spanish. By the end of the program, I realized
how cool it was that we all had a foreign language in common. It was
also in Mexico where I learned to be independent and began my journey as
a solo female traveler. I visited Manzanillo, a sleepy beach town on
the coast, while my friends went to Puerto Vallarta. I boarded a bus and
found an affordable oceanfront hotel upon arrival. My first night
there, my neighbors - an older gentleman and his very young girlfriend -
introduced themselves and we became fast friends. They fed me,
introduced me to their friends and locals my age, took me around the
city, and showed me a great time. None of that would have been possible
if I didn't know Spanish and/or was with a large group. That trip was
near the end of my study abroad experience and was sort of like a
progress report for myself. I had grown in my communication skills from
not knowing basic directions or commands upon arrival to being able to
converse with others. I think the moment I knew I had improved was when I
was able to give taxi drivers directions to my host family's house -
navigating through detours and other construction in my neighborhood.
6. How has studying abroad changed
your life? You as a person?
Studying
abroad made me comfortable with being uncomfortable. I'm no longer
intimidated by foreign languages or the idea of making a complete fool
of myself in front of others when I try to communicate. I've learned
that it's OK to make mistakes. Studying abroad also ignited a fire in me
to become an expat one day. Now, some 9 years later, I'm finally living
my dream to live and work abroad. I've been in South Korea for 7 months
and will likely stay another year or continue my career in another
country abroad.
7. Are you bilingual or multilingual?
If so what languages do you speak? If so...(continue to the questions below)
I speak basic French, Spanish, and enough Korean to help me survive my day-to-day life.
7a. How has studying/working
abroad impacted your languages skills?
There's
something about being thrown in the fire - total immersion - that
quickly boosts your language skills. It's one thing to study a language
in a book or online, but I've found that type of studying pales in
comparison to learning the language as your needs arrive. For instance, I
had to learn how to read, pronounce, and understand menu items and
grocery store labels rather quickly upon my arrival in Korea because I
had no food in my apartment and was scheduled to work the next morning.
Studying/working abroad has taught me not to fear new languages, but to
embrace them as a beautiful challenge.
7b. How has speaking another
language or your willingness to learn the native tongue of the country impacted
your abroad experience?
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| Add caption |
Speaking
Spanish helped me most recently when I visited Cartagena, Colombia for 2
weeks to volunteer at a friend's youth center. It also helped me to
easily navigate the city and surrounding areas. I got to meet many
people in town who are now close friends. They opened their homes to me
and showed me what life was really like outside of the tourist areas.
That wouldn't have been possible without my language skills. In Korea,
my willingness to learn Korean has made my experience positive and
entertaining. I'm told by my Korean co-workers and friends that my
pronunciation is very good. In turn, native speakers think I'm more
fluent than I actually am. This turns into many rounds of laughter at my
expense, but it's all a part of the learning process.
8. How has studying abroad impacted
you career path and outlook?
After
Mexico, I knew that I could not only survive, but thrive abroad. As a
researcher and educator, I don't feel limited to locations in the States
whenever I look for positions. The world really is my oyster.
8a. What is your current
position and what does your position entail?
I'm currently an English teacher in the Gyeonggi English Program in
Korea where I develop English communication skills of children in grades
K-6 at a Korean elementary school. I use art, music, creative games and
other interactive activities in the classroom to create a comfortable
yet engaging learning environment. Essentially, they pay me to continue
being a kid and talk to people all day. It's an awesome gig! Before this
I was a professor at a college in New York City where I taught
Psychology courses on child development and English language
acquisition. It's nice to finally have some classroom experience to
compliment what I know from years of research and theoretical
perspectives regarding young learners.
8b. Is there an international
aspect to your position?
I introduce my students to as much culture as I possibly can. I let them
know that, just like Korea, America is much more than the images they
see on popular music videos. I also encourage them to learn more about
how children live in other cultures around the world. My 6th graders are
currently doing an email and video exchange with children in America to
improve their language skills and learn about the day-to-day lives of
children abroad. I also had an English Summer Camp with the theme of
Passport to the World. We created our own passports, "visited" a new
country each day, and learned about various cultural activities in
places such as Ghana, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, USA, and India. The
children and their parents loved it!
9. What characteristics does one need
to pursue a position such as yours?
Outside
of excellent English communication and organization skills, I think
some of the best characteristics to have for my position would be
passion, flexibility, creativity, and compassion. Try to remember what
it was like when you first learned a foreign language. Think about what
types of activities helped you learn and don't be afraid to utilize them
in the classroom - no matter how zany you think they may be.
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| Bali, Indonesia in August 2013 |
10. Do you have any advice for others
who want to study and work abroad?
Do
it! Seriously. What's holding you back from pursuing this? There are
plenty of resources via websites, Facebook groups, forums, and blogs to
help you navigate the process to study or work abroad in several places
around the world. If teaching English is something you're considering,
you can easily obtain a TESOL/TEFL certification to boost your
application. Groupon often has courses available for less than $100 each
quarter, so keep your eyes open for that. You can also check out
Dave's ESL Cafe for English teaching opportunities in many countries.
The internet is a powerful tool. Use it.
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Tokyo, Japan (September 2013)
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11. Do you have a website, twitter
name, Facebook page, etc that you would like me to share so that the
readers can find out more info and/ or connect with you?
My website is livetravelmore.com.
I discuss life as a new expat, provide tips on preparing documents and
teaching English in Korean public schools, and chronicle my travel
adventures throughout Korea and wherever else I land during my vacation
time. You can also like my Facebook page of the same name (Live, Travel,
More) on Facebook.
KoMiSa's Thoughts: Thank you very much to Fatimah for sharing her study and work abroad experiences on KoMiSa's World!!! Don't forget to check out Fatimah's website livetravelmore.com (The name itself speaks volumes). She shares a wealth of information and great stories that sure have inspired me. I sure they will inspire you as well!
Hasta el Proximo Vez,
KoMiSa
*expatriate (expat) - a person living outside of the country/culture they were raised
*Did you see me in the light blue shirt in Fatimah's "The Hampton Ladies" picture?
