My Fulbright Experience: first impressions by Elba Garcia
“During my time at ISG, I have been welcomed with great kindness and warm hospitality. So far, I have been engaging with the faculty and staff, sharing my story as a Fulbrighter, and conversing about my experiences as an American student.
My favorite activity to do with the ISG students is my Open Business English Class, where we engage in conversations about business-related topics such as Interviewing practices along with cultural differences between the USA and Portugal, “Small Talk”, and “Work-life” balance. The most recent class included a film discussion of “The Devil Wears Prada”, which addresses many aspects of the previous class discussions.
Various themes were presented in the first half of the film and the students were welcomed to share their position/ideas in a respectful and safe space. There are times where the students reach common ground, while other times there are a diversity of perspectives, yet all the students listen and try to understand each other. Seeing the students engage in conversation always fascinates me; they never cease to impress me with how thoughtful the students are in tackling complex issues within the business world.
The students have shared how much they like the class, but I am the one who has been truly enriched by engaging with them every week. I cannot wait to see how they continue to grow in the remainder of my time at ISG.”
