Fleeting Times - An International student's experience at the U.S. Naval Academy

Guest blogger and international student, Niki Psarias, talks about her enriching experience at the Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference in Annapolis, Maryland. Here's what she had to say in regards to her week as a foreign delegate representing One To World:

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A line-up of the Naval Cadets

Prior to April 2011 I admittedly had little, if any knowledge about the navy, other than from a few films with a uniformed Tom Cruise or Richard Gere (if that even counts), let alone any specific allegiance to it over the army, or any other force for that matter. I grew up in London, and if anything I was far more likely to come across Territorial Army bases than ships and sailors. Little did I know, however, that a conference at the US Naval Academy, and the later achievements and popularity of a certain SEAL Team Six would have me wearing badges and academy hoodies with the slogan 'Go Navy, Beat Army!' with pride.

Every year since 1961 the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD has hosted a foreign affairs conference (NAFAC), inviting students from across the US to debate global issues. A One to World delegation has participated in the conference since 1991, with foreign students adding that vital international perspective to proceedings. I was international. Check. I’d been studying in the US. Check. And I had opinions. Double check. 

So it was armed with our international perspectives that the One to World group, consisting of members from various countries, including China, France, Germany, Pakistan, Albania, Cyprus, and now Great Britain descended the Amtrak on April 11^th and were greeted by a wall of white uniforms.

This year’s conference theme was ‘People, Power and Politics in the Internet Age’ and the conference found itself taking place during an incredibly fitting moment, the midst of the Arab Spring. What more relevant time to be discussing the role of the internet and new technologies, and for many roundtables at the conference the role of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, the use of which by protestors in the Arab world had been much publicized.

Niki Psarias (1st on the left) at the social with fellow student delegates

The conference was structured to the last detail (think NAFAC emblem embossed bags, notepads and water bottles for every delegate) and was a whirlwind of long days, lectures, debates, roundtables, good food and great discussion. The only gripe probably being the early starts, typical for the midshipmen but alien to all the visiting students-evident by the bleary eyes and copious coffee drinking before every morning’s first lecture-with the shuttle buses seemingly departing earlier and earlier from the hotel as the days progressed. Those early military time starts were understandable, however, when we saw how jam-packed our schedule was.

The lectures attended throughout the day served as a platform to inspire discussion at the individual roundtables, including such current and relevant topics as ‘Censorship: Boundaries and Global Communications’, ‘Terrorism and the Internet: Realities, Possibilities and Limitations’, ‘The Next Blitzkrieg: The Internet as a Political and Economic Weapon’ and my own roundtable, ‘Connection Technologies in Conflict Zones.’ Discussions, navigated by a moderator and senior advisor, were informal in atmosphere and were a chance for the One to World delegates to show off those international perspectives they’d brought with them. At the lectures we were fortunate enough to be presented with a diverse range of speakers including academics, admirals, professionals from the FBI and Microsoft, plus the incredibly inspired choice and coup for the conference, Facebook’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg.[1]

Roundtable discussion with student delegates and cadets

As well as the opportunity to debate and discuss with contemporaries, NAFAC proved to be as much a chance to learn about life at the academy itself. There were endless questions to the midshipmen, who seemed to be amused by our inquisitiveness and all to happy to answer questions they’d surely heard a thousand times before. Discussions were had over the lunch table, the dinner table (see a pattern here?) and the boarding school/Hogwartseque King Hall, the midshipmen’s dining hall, huge and loud, that had some moderators muttering ‘keep close’ to their delegates for fear of losing them in the vastness and cacophony. Nevertheless, everyone was intrigued by life on the Yard[2]:

So what time do you have to be awake every morning?

-Between 4-6am. Midshipmen’s days are planned with training and classes until 8pm.

How hard is training if you decide to become a SEAL?

-Very. Hell week anyone? No doubt after the revelations of May 1^st this line of questioning would have been far more extensive.

And for most university students the incredulous:

You have a curfew??

-Yes. Curfew is set at midnight on Monday-Friday.

Maryland Crab Cakes and other delicious seafood

On top of the conference activities delegates were treated to a formal brigade and a social event with easily the world’s best mini crab cakes (as to be expected of Maryland) and even the chance to try sailing, or manoeuvres on the YPs (Yard Patrol boats.)

 And so it was with some understandable reluctance, armed with our aforementioned badges and academy hoodies purchased from the gift shop, numerous Facebook details (in keeping with the conference theme of course) and new friendships, the One to World delegation, exhausted but enriched by the experience departed Annapolis. 

The conference had been such a unique experience. Not only does NAFAC afford the exchange of ideas and experiences with your peers, but it’s also the opportunity to catch a glimpse into life at an academy and its incredible camaraderie and familial atmosphere that is otherwise unseen by the general public.

I would like to thank the academy (!), all our fellow delegates, our One to World coordinator, Asya, and of course the midshipmen for all their hard work and making us feel so welcome.

One To World Delegates with U.S. Navy Cadets

And as much as I’d love to turn you all into navyphiles One to World displays no favouritism and also participates at conferences at the US Military Academy at West Point, NY. So the next time you hear of such a conference, sign up! OTW needs you! I only wish I was still studying in the US and I could join you, and maybe add a ‘Go Army, Beat Navy!’ badge to my collection, but don’t tell any of the midshipmen that!

By: Niki Psarias

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[1] Watch some clips of the Forrestal Lecture here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEu-L1St6h0

[2] Vocab lesson: the academy campus is known as the Yard.

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For more information on attending NAFAC as a One To World Delegate or participating in another one of our activities and events, please contact Coordinator of Enrichment Programs, Asya Dinets at asya@one-to-world.org

Niki would love to hear your questions and comments-- feel free to leave them here! 

Sick of BBQs? Come to NO PASSPORT REQUIRED III: The Taj Mahal in NYC

Did you go to a barbecue this Memorial Day Weekend?

This past weekend, I headed over to my cousins house for a barbecue. Lucky for me, this barbecue was nowhere near as painful as the one he had on July 4^th, 2009.

That was the unfortunate day on which I walked into a cactus.

Twice.

This Cactus only looks innocent!

I really wasn’t paying attention to where I was going because I was busy watching the July 4^th fireworks-- a tradition that no American can go without on Independence Day! The most painful part wasn’t even walking into the cactus because actually walking into a cactus doesn’t hurt all that much. It’s the realization that you’ve walked into a cactus which shocks you and then hurts like crazy. When you finally realize that you have a million cactus needles in you, your throat starts to close, your legs start to wobble, and your body feels like it's going to collapse. Alright, perhaps I’m being just a little bit dramatic…

As a result of this terrible experience, I’m always on the lookout for other events that I can go to instead of my family barbecues where I am likely to run into another cactus. I’ve been scoping out some of One To World’s events, especially their ‘NO PASSPORT REQUIRED III’ event at Taj Lounge on June 14^th.

All proceeds will benefit One To World’s enrichment programs so it’s a great way to help make a difference while having a good time. There will be an open signature cocktail bar , a live DJ, a luxury raffle, and guests from all over the world. I’ve also heard that there will be some amazing raffle prizes, including high-end design items from Moss, Andrew Marc, Knicks tickets, and more!

If you buy tickets now, you’ll also receive a special early bird discount! Click here to buy tickets now!

NO PASSPORT REQUIRED III: The Taj Mahal in NYC

Date: Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Time: 7:00pm – 11:00pm

Location: Taj Lounge @ 48 West 21st Street (Between 5th & 6th)

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

I have never taken the G train. Whenever I see a connection for the G train at the station that I'm in, I will automatically turn and stare, wondering what magical creatures and adventures lie in wait for the lucky commuters on the G train.

Don't get me wrong though. I know that I am mistaking commuters' haggard faces for faces full of pure bliss and subway rats for dragons or unicorns but I will be unhappy if you tell me that the G train is not bound for a happy marshmallow filled destination. At the very least, I know for sure that it takes you to Hippieland (also known as Williamsburg!).

Murals in Williamsburg.

So what more needs to be said? Just the fact that it is a hippie haven makes Williamsburg cool beyond cool: which is why I'm secretly jealous that I don't get to take the G train to work. The neighborhood used to be an industrial area but it now houses a thriving art and music scene, giving the area a sophisticated glamor reminiscent of that in Manhattan. But if nothing else, the rent in Williamsburg resembles that in Manhattan.

More murals in Williamsburg.

Even if you don't live in this neighborhood, Williamsburg is the place to be these days. It has a number of thrift stores if you're looking for some stylish or vintage clothing and some of the best restaurants in New York, including the famous Peter Luger Steakhouse. Or, for those who like to wander, Williamsburg has quite a few art galleries to explore as well.

All in all, Williamsburg is definitely worth visiting. If you're interested in spending a day in Williamsburg, be sure to sign up for One To World's walking tour of Williamsburg scheduled for Sunday, May 22. Click here to reserve your spot now! If you're really anxious about checking Williamsburg out before then, you can check out things to do in Williamsburg here.

The Roebling Tea Room
in Williamsburg.

Williamsburg is also home to
Brooklyn Brewery.

New York's Answer to Spring- The Twilight Cruise!

Ah, spring in the city. The snow sludge is melting off the streets, people are waiting for outside tables at restaurants, and fashionable skirts are brightening the sidewalks. Yes, spring is arriving (albeit slowly, but surely) and New York City is coming alive after a winter of hibernation. So what to do in the spring? Sadly, Central Park’s Sheep’s Meadow is still fenced in and those alluring outside tables?, not quite ready to be enjoyed sans jacket and scarf. But what about One To World’s Twilight Cruise? A chance to see the Statue of Liberty up close in its massive splendor as the boat circles. And as you return, the city lights up its majestic skyline, glittering like a cosmic city. It may be a bit brisk but you can sit outside or inside and observe this amazing city that you all now call home from a view most never see. Of course, inside, there will be dancing and grooving to DJ CAM JONES as well as conversing with the other 500 international and American students, rejoicing the end of school and the beginning of vacation. It’s a chance to meet people from countries and cultures you may have never even heard of and develop friendships that will last past docking and disembarkment. 

So come- it’s a blowout! A time to celebrate finals, papers and classes over, to relish in the warmth of spring and connect with people of all backgrounds! Welcome spring with us, the fantastically fabulous One To World crew, and 500 of our closest friends.


 

When: Saturday, April 30th, 2011 from 5:30pm-9pm

Where: Manhattan

Why: Party on a Boat!

Register Now Here!

Registration Deadline: Monday, April 25th, 2011

Why NYC's public transportation is amazing

Rainy days are not fun. Especially when the rain turns into little balls of ice that pummel your face like it's a moving target - kind of like Wednesday. But when it rains, I am grateful for public transportation because I can stand in the shelter of the bus stop. That usually means that I can spare myself the sight of my pathetic umbrella flipping in the presence of the fiercely nonexistent wind.

The waterfalls in the stations remind
 me of Niagara Falls.

But aside from these minor grievances, NYC does have a pretty amazing transportation system. Considering that you only need to pay $2.25 for a ride which can take you from one corner of the city to another, NYC's public transportation system is quite the system: the subway system alone has over 400 stations which service over five million people on an average workday.

Due to the fact that the subway system is so old - the first sections of the subway began operating in 1904 - there are some really impressive things about the subways, which, if you are feeling adventurous and decide to go exploring, can turn into an exciting expedition. Like the adventure that I had on the 6 train.

So I was on the 6 train one weekend and, it being the weekend, the train skipped my stop and went straight to it's last stop. Since I am lazy, I decided that I should just stay on the train. I mean, the trains always turn around, right?

The old City Hall stop. It looks just like this
in real life!

I wasn't actually sure. But I had made my choice and I wasn't going to admit I was wrong so I sat back in my seat and pretended to know what was going on. Then the most amazing thing happened: the 6 train went by the old City Hall station which was closed in 1945. It was gorgeous. The experience was like discovering a dinosaur fossil - or what I imagine it would be like to discover a dinosaur fossil.

Anyway, the point is that the subways are pretty cool: they're cheap to ride on and full of history. So if you had the chance to check out the New York Transit Museum, you should go. You'll definitely find out more about the quirks of the transportation system. Coincidentally, One To World is organizing a tour of the New York Transit Museum on Tuesday, April 5th. And what a coincidence! Here's a link to where you can register for the One To World tour.

Maybe you should click on it. What with all the coincidences, today may just be your lucky day!

Over the past summer, as I was showing my friends around the greatest city in the world, I had made a casual remark about how walking through Manhattan was essentially walking past every single company that has ever rejected a job application from me. Having applied for a million and one jobs and having gone through an infinite number of one night stand equivalents - a moment of bliss when I get the call for an interview, the awkward waiting period afterwards, and then ultimately, rejection –  I realize that I’ve learned a lot (aka developed a long list of complaints) from my job-hunting expeditions.

The first lesson being that rejection letters have a lot of room for improvement. The “Dear X, while you are a highly qualified candidate, you aren’t good enough” letter is anything but consolatory. How about something nicer? I bet you would feel good about yourself if a company wrote to you: “Dear X, You are an amazing candidate and we would hire you on the spot if not for the fact that we require employees to jump in front of a moving train while gathering radioactive sludge and fighting off mutant geese that like to breathe fire. We just value your life too much to put you through that. So we hired a chump instead.”

The second lesson was that career fairs are mechanisms of torture. Who likes to stand in line for half an hour to talk to a recruiter for 15 seconds? Not to mention the fact that recruiters then use up those precious 15 seconds to tell you to apply online. You mean I could have been stuffing my face with ice cream and clicking away at my computer in a zen-like coma instead of standing  in line for hours in shoes that hurt while suffocating from the heat generated by hundreds of people crammed into one tiny room? You should have said something sooner.

Cute but clueless. 

And the third lesson was that it helps to know what you’re applying for. Back in the day - when I was a naïve college freshman - I had applied for an internship and did not quite know how to prepare for the interview. When my interviewer asked me a question about the industry, I stared at her - and did the goldfish. Let’s just say it’s not very attractive to open and close your mouth like a fish gasping for its’ last breath as it flops around on the floor right before it drops dead when you're trying to come up with an appropriate response.

Needless to say, I didn’t get the job. Forever afterwards, however, I have been very diligent about doing my homework before going to any interview. And externships, where you interact with someone in your chosen industry or shadow them for a day, are a great way to prepare for interviews. It's a chance to learn about the industry that you want to work in and the types of positions that you want to apply for because you’re getting facts straight from the source.

Last weekend, for example, I met with a lady who worked in a field that I want to establish a career in. Although it was just an informational interview, I learned a lot more from the hour that I spent talking to her than I would ever have learned from googling. The best part was that I was able to directly ask her what employers look for when hiring and what I can do to make myself stand out.

So do yourself a favor. Don’t do the awkward goldfish: take advantage of the job shadowing opportunity that One To World offers to students. It's a worthwhile investment.

Volunteerism

On Saturday, February 19th, One To World is hosting a volunteer event in partnership with Publi-Color, a nonprofit dedicated to engaging teenagers in school by involving them in improving their learning environment. Through their efforts, Public-Color hopes to keep disengaged students in school and off the streets while teaching them a marketable skill – commercial painting – that can help them break the poverty cycle and eventually pay their way through college and to a better future.

By participating in this activity, you can not only make a difference in someone else’s life, but you can also experience the service-oriented culture that is popular for students throughout the US. Is public service a popular concept in your home country? In the US, public service plays an important part in education as students are often encouraged to volunteer and ceremonies are held to recognize their contributions to the community.  

This push to cultivate volunteerism in students can start as early as Junior High School, when students are around 10 years old. Induction ceremonies for Arista and Archon – nationally recognized honor societies for outstanding academic achievement and outstanding service to the school and community, respectively – are held every year. And at the college level, students are bombarded with opportunities to volunteer. Have you volunteered in your home country? What did you do? Volunteer experiences in the U.S. can range widely from  picking up garbage off the highway to building water treatment plants in Nicaragua.

Arista/Archon inductees are conferred with pins in their schools' colors.

Even after their formal education is over, the US’s volunteer culture continues to have a strong grip on students. Many students are encouraged to take a “gap year,” a period of time when students take a break from formal education to travel, volunteer, study, intern, or work. Is there something similar in other countries? A number of students also end up participating in service-oriented programs like Teach For America, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, Green Corps, and City Year, all of which offer a living salary in exchange for a full year or two of service.

Generally speaking, if you want to volunteer in the US, it isn’t hard to find an opportunity to do so. With sites like VolunteerMatch and New York Cares, you can dictate nearly every criteria of the activities that you want to volunteer with. Whether your criteria are simple (you’re just having a bad day and suddenly decide that you need some karma)  or elaborate (must work with Children, must be next to the L line, and must be on Wednesday night), you’ll be sure to find a volunteer opportunity that suits you. So even if you can’t attend the volunteer event on February 19^th with One To World, you can always find some other meaningful things to do!

  

NY Knicks Basketball - You've Got To Be There!

At the end of this month, One To World is giving students a unique opportunity to attend a Knicks vs. Pistons game at Madison Square Garden – complete with private box seating and VIP access to the pre-game players warm up. After having not made the playoffs in 6 years, things are finally starting to look up for the New York Knicks who are in a good position to make the playoffs.

Considering that the Knicks suffered their worst home loss at Madison Square Garden against the Dallas Mavericks nearly a year ago to date, the upcoming matches seem to be much more promising and are sure to be exciting to watch. At the very least, the probability of another devastating 50-point loss seems to be essentially nonexistent given the Knicks’ performance this season!

Perhaps with this season’s arrival of the talented Amar’e Stoudemire, the New York Knickerbockers will be able to recapture some of their former glory days – a period between 1968-1875 where the Knicks made four 50+-win seasons, three Eastern Conference Championships, and two National Basketball Association (NBA) titles. However, regardless of whether the Knicks are able to repeat past accomplishments from their “golden era,” the simple fact that they’re doing so well this season has garnered them a generous amount of attention, not surprisingly so since Americans have a cultural fascination with the game of basketball.

But the reason behind basketball’s popularity in America might simply be because the game was first created in the USA. In December 1891, Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education professor, created basketball to occupy the gym class that he was teaching at Springfield College, located in Springfield, Massachusetts. The game quickly spread through the US, and subsequently to Canada, thanks to its prevalence in YMCA’s throughout the US; it quickly gained a following in colleges and high schools throughout the nation.

In fact, one of the reasons why basketball spread so quickly to so many – even establishing itself on an international stage - is because of its minimal equipment and personnel requirements. In the 2008-2009 academic year, for example, over 900,000 students in over 17,000 high schools throughout the US played basketball competitively. The sport has also inspired a number of movies for children and adults alike: if you can remember back to your childhood days, you might recall Hoosiers, Space Jam and Air Bud movies; and more recently, Coach Carter and Glory Road.

 What role do sports play in your home community? How do U.S. sports fans compare with fans in your home country?

Holiday Party Re-Cap

On December 9^th, a total of 56 Fulbright students, representing 34 countries, joined One To World staff and supporters in celebrating this holiday season at the Pomegranate Gallery in Soho.

The gallery, owned by Iraqi-born artist Oded Halamy, was buzzing as students, scholars, and One To World staff and supporters mingled in the warm, multi-cultural atmosphere, discussing the impressive collection of American and Middle Eastern art in the gallery and enjoying the wine and selection of international hors d’oeuvres.

Overall, students had a great time mingling and enjoying the holiday festivities at the annual One To World Holiday Party.

            What did you think of the event? Let us know what your thoughts about the Winter Holiday Celebration are!

Thanksgiving Wrap-Up

If you happened to go shopping at Macy's on Black Friday, you would have probably noticed a few things that told you Thanksgiving is unequivocally over:

• The animated Christmas display in their store windows. However, the perpetual crowd that stands in front of the display makes it understandable if you bypassed the whole thing altogether.
• The lights adorning Macy’s main entrance. But you are in New York and New Yorkers do walk with a purpose – who has the time to be looking around?
• The Christmas trees scattered every few feet inside the store. But as shopping is such an extreme sport, it is perfectly excusable if you were so engrossed in your shopping that you didn’t notice them.

Even if you were at Macy's and missed all of the above signs, there really is no excuse for not noticing that the Holiday season is upon us: there is holiday music galore on the radio; the Salvation Army is showcasing their latent bell-ringing talents around major landmarks in Manhattan; and the UNICEF snowflake is back up on its perch on 57^th and 5^th! You can’t help but notice these festivities everywhere you look.

            But before we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, let’s recap our Thanksgiving celebrations. This year, 125 students were able to experience an authentic Thanksgiving with American host families in and around New York - spanning 4 states. Some spent the day celebrating the holiday and some spent the entire 4 day weekend with their hosts. Besides meeting new people, learning about Thanksgiving traditions, and having amazing dinners, some of the students also had the opportunity to travel a bit with their host families. Take a look at what some of the student’s did over their Thanksgiving weekends!

Learning to play Apples to Apples.

“Today was wonderful. The students are great - we want them back, anytime! This has been the very best, and important, Thanksgiving I've ever had.”  ~Host in Westchester County, NY

At the Choo Choo Barn in Strasburg, PA.

“I am so impressed by my host family, they are so generous! They are the best people who I have met in U.S.A. If I didn't attend this program, I am sure I would thanksgiving day without any meaning. It was great chance in my life time!”  ~Song Yang, Student from South Korea

Having Thanksgiving dinner!

“We had a wonderful weekend. Lots of fun and special memories. One Chinese student shared that this was her first time out of NYC in the year she has lived there.  She had been depressed and lonely-  ready to go back home to China. She said that she experienced love here during the weekend that she hadn't seen since arrival in the US.  She was encouraged and able to keep going. I sat in silence with tears in my eyes. That is the reason we do what we do!”  ~Host in Lancaster, PA

  

At Hershey Park in Hershey, PA.

“My dinner and thanksgiving was awesome. Surprisingly there were lots of topics to discuss and the food was great and the hosts were hospitable in every way. They made me feel quite at home and I had a great time.”  

~Naurin Ramay, Pakistan

At the Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market in Lancaster, PA.

“From this, I knew more American customs from the Thanksgiving holiday - not from books.  Their devotion deeply affected me.  Several get-together activities were full of fun.  This program is beneficial to people coexisting peacefully.” ~Jenny Hua Liu, Student from China

Browsing the shops in Amish Country.

If you have any stories of your Thanksgiving experience that you’d like to share, we’d love to hear about it!
  
This post was researched and written by One To World intern, Jessica Zhang.

Volunteer With One To World!

If you need a break from class or are interested in meeting other international students (as well as the One to World staff!), why not participate in a volunteer event?

On the November 17^th – 19^th, a total of 11 international students did just that: they contributed their time and effort at our West Broadway office to help with our year end mailing appeal. Ultimately, their efforts will help us to raise awareness and funds to ensure that the variety of programs we offer will continue to be available for you to enjoy!

As one of the perks of volunteering, the students had the opportunity to learn about American culture and each others’ experiences in the United States; the volunteers also had the chance to explore the area around West Broadway. Over lunch at a local restaurant, for example, the conversation topics were a great learning experience, ranging from the differences in the types of pasta offered on the menu to finding a part time job as an international student. 

We think you’d enjoy volunteering with us too and would love it if you could stop by at one of our volunteering events the next time you have an hour to two to spare!

Countries represented:

Albania        Cameroon        China        South Korea        Thailand

If you volunteered your time with us, we would love to hear what you think! Did you have the opportunity to interact and learn about new cultures from One To World staff and other volunteers? Are there many volunteer opportunities in your home country?

Cultural Cuisine

On Wednesday November 3^rd, One To World once again hosted its one of the most popular events--Cultural Cuisine. This time, ten Fulbright grantees and international students came to sit around a table to discover Chinese Cuisine in the heart of New York City's famous Chinatown. Besides tasting the authentic Chinese Cuisine and discovering the uniqueness of Chinatown, students had a great time meeting new people and catching up with old friends.

The countries represented were:

South Korea   China   Austria   Germany   Ireland   Cyprus   Canada   Honduras

Thank you to everyone who attended! Don't forget to stay tuned for more great events brought to you by One To World.

Send us a comment and tell us about your Cultural Cuisine experience on Wednesday, November 3rd- Which dish was your favorite? What did you learn about Chinese cuisine? 

This blog post was written by One To World intern, Xi Chen, graduate student at NYU and leader of this Cultural Cuisine outing. 

Fulbright Welcome Reception Re-Cap

On Tuesday October 19^th, One To World hosted its annual Fulbright Welcome Reception at the Princeton Club in Midtown Manhattan. This annual reception served as the official kick-off for One To World’s new year of one-of-a-kind enrichment programming. This year’s exciting event was attended by a total of 228 guests, of which there were 122 Fulbright students and 38 Fulbright scholars representing 58 countries. There were also 68 friends of One To World who celebrated with them. 

The countries represented were:

Afghanistan              Germany               Norway
Argentina                  Greece                  Pakistan
Austria                      India                      Peru
Azerbaijan                 Indonesia              Poland
Belarus                      Iraq                       Romania
Belgium                     Ireland                  Russia
Brazil                         Israel                    Serbia
Bulgaria                     Italy                      Sierra Leone
Canada                      Japan                    Slovakia
Chile                          Kazakhstan          South Africa
China                         Kuwait                  South Korea
Colombia                   Latvia                   Spain
Croatia                      Lithuania              Sweden
Cyprus                      Mexico                  Switzerland
Czech Republic        Mongolia               Tunisia
Denmark                  Morocco                Turkey
Egypt                        Nepal                     United Kingdom
Finland                     Netherlands           Vietnam
France                      New Zealand
Georgia                    Nigeria

We want to thank everyone who was in attendance. It is our hope that throughout the year, you will continue to take advantage of One To World’s wonderful enrichment programs. We have a great year planned and are excited to offer a multitude of meaningful activities that will offer you the chance to experience American life and culture in many different ways.

We would love to hear from you! Were you able to connect with a fellow scholar or student from your home country? Or perhaps you connected with a Fulbright alum?

Discover New York with One To World

Host, Monica Mecca and student, Yaeji Chun

Have you ever been in a foreign locale and thought – “I really wish I knew a native to show me the places that are off the beaten track- I’d love to get a perspective of the city through the eyes of someone actually living here!”

 

One To World aimed to fulfill this request on Saturday, October 2^nd with their first Community Visit of the semester- Discover New York. Thirty-four International students were paired with twenty native New Yorkers (or people that commute to NYC for work and play) and taken on unique tours planned exclusively by the New York City hosts themselves.

Students went beyond just taking a bite out of the Big Apple; they also had the chance to discover the outer-boroughs as many hosts brought their visitors to various neighborhoods in Brooklyn and across the Hudson River to Hoboken, NJ.

Send us a comment and tell us about your Discover New York experience on Saturday, Oct 2nd- Where did you go and what did you learn?

Furthermore- What is the most unique experience you’ve had in a foreign country? Did you have a traditional family-style dinner in native’s home? Did you watch a local sporting event or partake in some sort of recreational activity? We want to hear from you!

Mirko (Italy), Yashil (India), and Yolande (France) 

One To World's First Fall Event

For One To World’s inaugural blog post, we wanted to recap our first event of the season!

On September 15, 2010 Fulbright scholars and their families took advantage of one of the last summer evenings at One To World’s Fulbright End of Summer Rooftop Gathering. At the event, Fulbrighters mingled with returning grantees, One To World staff, and Junior Board members. There were 92 guests in attendance, 50 of whom were Fulbright Grantees from around the world. Thirty-eight countries were represented that evening including:

Australia                                 Jordan          

Austria                                    Kazakhstan        
Belarus                                   Mexico       

Belgium                                  Morocco 

Bosnia & Herzegovina       Norway

Brazil                                       Pakistan

China                                      Peru
Cyprus                                   Russia

Dominican Republic          Saudi Arabia

El Salvador                           Sierra Leone

Finland                                  Slovakia
France                                   South Africa                  
Germany                               Spain

India                                       Sweden 

Iraq                                         Switzerland 
Ireland                                   The Netherlands

Italy                                        The United Kingdom  
Japan                                    Tunisia 

One To World’s Fulbright End of Summer Rooftop Gathering included live Jazz music and spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline and the Hudson River from the Rio Gallery’s outdoor rooftop terrace. Dominican-inspired refreshments were served throughout the evening, as the Rio Gallery is located in Washington Heights, a neighborhood rich in Dominican culture.

Thank you to everyone who attended! Don't forget to stay tuned for more great events brought to you by One To World.

If you attended the event, we would love for you to comment on your experience. Did you meet anyone from your home country? Was it your first time to Washington Heights? How are you enjoying New York so far?