Fulbright Friendships & Reunions

It's been nearly 5 months since my return from Morocco, 7 months since the Fulbright Global Symposium, and a year since the course work for the Teachers for Global Classrooms began...and what a wild ride. To say that I have continued to grow is an understatement. And the ways in which I've grown through this experience can't be fully expressed, I don't know if I have the words to describe this past year, 2026 especially. And me being wordless doesn't come easily - Language Arts teachers and Speech & Debate coaches (I find) are rarely without words. :) LOL

It's been a year of change for sure and includes changes that have been good, bad, and ugly. That is the human experience I suppose, and life - it keeps on life-ing. Philosophy teacher coming out in this post for sure. 3rd period is still in my brain and a gifted young student brought up some of his insights in what sets humans apart from other species. Perhaps his words are resonating and what prompted me to return to write about it. Moments like this remind me of why global education isn't just about geography—it's about holding space for students to grapple with big, human questions. It makes me want to intentionally carve out more of these open-ended inquiry moments throughout my curriculum this year.

What really has been on my mind this week is the relationships formed through this experience.

Over the Labor Day weekend, I took a few extra days to travel to Ohio. It was my first visit and despite the difficult reasons prompting the trip, I had a good time exploring Cleveland with a new friend; a friendship brought about through difficult life circumstances. But to focus on the positive and the silver lining in any cloud, I can say I have a chosen sister in Ohio.

Back to the original point I thought I wanted to make...on my way to Ohio, after noticing a long layover in Chicago, I decided to make the layover EXTRA long and I scheduled a day in Chicago. I was able to visit and connect with my wonderful friend and Team Morocco alumna, Alicia. We spent the day together at her campus where I got to meet her students, refresh my French skills, speak to her colleagues, including the IB Coordinators, and we ended the day visiting another Fulbright alumna on her campus; Cheryl completed her International Field Experience in Peru.

The three of us spent a wonderful afternoon chatting, catching up, connecting, and making plans for future visits. Catching up with fellow educators like Alicia and Cheryl always acts as a vital professional recharge. Being part of this network reminds me that global teaching doesn't happen in a vacuum; having a community of passionate peers to brainstorm and share best practices with is the absolute anchor of sustaining long-term energy in the classroom. Alicia and I ended our visit over dinner with a friend of hers, who completed her Fulbright experience several years ago. I ended up in Alicia's guestroom over night, in her stunning 100+ year old home and I flew onto the rest of my adventure the next morning.

What really stands out about my 24 hour stay in Chicago is the pure joy and lifted spirits I felt as soon as I hugged Alicia and she handed me a cup of coffee - much needed after the red eye flight out of LA. Throughout our visit, we reached out to our Team Morocco family, and even got to video call a couple of them. See the silly pictures below. Who knew that taking a screen shot of a video call would be so difficult. LOL Thank you Matt & Rabi for taking care of that for us & recording the memory.

I can't wait to continue to build the relationships formed on this experience. As educators, we often tell our students about the importance of lifelong learning and collaboration, but getting to live it out through these continued professional connections—like cheering on Rabi at NCTE—is where the real magic happens. Any time I can get with my new friends is time well spent, and I always return to my students with fresh inspiration. And stories to share.

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