As part of UB's International Education Week, five recipients of the prestigious Fulbright scholarship award, a government-issued international research grant, spoke about their experiences in America in a panel discussion titled "Through Fulbrighters Eyes: Views of the U.S."
The scholarship, set up by former Arkansas Sen. J. William Fulbright, provides students with the opportunity to travel to foreign countries to pursue their area of study.
The students, Nahirana Zambrano of Bolivia; Adolfo Mercado of Bolivia; Saed Khammash of Palestine; Grigorios Hskos of Greece; and Maud Mundava of Zimbabwe, spoke about their experiences in and impressions of the United States.
As a panel, the Fulbright scholars said some of the most important lessons they learned during their time in the United States occurred while meeting interesting people and learning about American culture.
Zambrano said she thought America was like "one big Disneyworld" until she arrived in Buffalo.
"It is good to realize that we all have our economic and social problems, but we also have fun," Zambrano said. "The states are not any different from the other countries of the world."
Zambrano came to UB to get her doctorate in American studies. She learned about the mission of Sen. Fulbright and was interested in obtaining the grant because she teaches English and American culture in Bolivia.
"I have met incredible people here with incredible ideas and views about the world," she said. "I admire my classmates; it is just so amazing that people are so hard working here."
The discussion was broken up into three sections - the panelist's impressions of the United States before they came here, differences in academic culture and their countries' views on American government and policies.
"My impression before I came here was that this country was the greatest country in the world," Khammash said. "Since I came here, many of these impressions were confirmed and satisfied."
Khammash spent two years in the United States working on his master's degree in pharmaceutical sciences.
However, Mercado, who is working on his master's degree in criminal law, said the first information he received about the United States was through the Bolivian media.
Before arriving in the United States, Mercado said he thought American colleges were revolved around partying.
"I have not seen too much fun here," Mercado said. "I am not sure if it is just UB or in general."
He also felt the media's portrayal of public transportation in Buffalo was misleading.
"No one tells you in the movies that you need a car to transport yourself in Buffalo," said Mercado.
According to Hskos, who is about to complete his fifth year in the Fulbright program for a doctorate in physics, one of his main concerns about coming to America was the high crime rate.
"I had the impression that you shouldn't walk around by yourself at night," Hskos said. "But I feel safer here than walking around Athens at night
The panelists also discussed how American schools practice a different teaching style from that of their homelands.
"The methodology of teaching is different in my country, the professor is always right," Khammash said. "Here, the professors care more about solving problems. This is what really matters after graduate school."
After seeing what America has to offer, Khammash said it is going to be difficult to return to Palestine.
"After being here, if you are going back home, research is difficult," Khammash said. "We know what is there and we know what is here. My place to work is here."
Mudava said living in America has inspired her to go back to Zimbabwe and try to change its government policies concerning education.
"My goal is to promote reading," said Mudava. "At home, the professors might be there, but we are lacking the libraries that you have here."
The group also spoke about America's influence on the world, specifically after Sept. 11.
"We have a saying in my country - if the U.S. sneezes, we will hear it," Mercado said. "After 9/11, we have already been experiencing some restraints in transportation and exportation."
"After 9/11 the new government regulations arrested people in the name of national security," Kammash said. "I think that it has changed the American values, and morals of equality and freedom."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
