Jessie Beddow, Madison Hales, 
Rilie Atkinson and Jim Thomas are current Fulbright English Teaching Assistants located in the North-West Bohemia region of Czechia. Because of their geographical location, they constitute one “nest” - a group of ETAs and their Czech mentors who are encouraged to communicate and collaborate throughout the school year. The first in-person meeting of the whole “nest” happened on October 6th, when the group was invited to participate in a traditional, annual event at Gymnázium Chomutov. None of the guests knew what to expect, but the reality blew everyone’s mind. As if someone waved a magic wand, the grantees felt as if they were transported back to an American high school, full of cheerleaders, American football players, hot dogs, cornhole, and music. Students and staff were encouraged to dress up for this unique day. As an American, what does it feel like to participate in a Czech celebration of U.S. culture? Was there nostalgia? And could the program happen at a U.S. high school today?
Perspective of Jessie Beddow, ETA at Gymnázium Chomutov
It was the night before America Day and I was frantically sipping tea and taking medicine. The timing could not have been worse for getting sick. Students had been preparing for weeks, and they were buzzing with excitement about their costumes and cheerleading routines. Some groups were even practicing before school. I was determined to make it to the event.
On the morning of, I put on a cowgirl hat and headed up the hill to Gymnázium Chomutov. Each year, the school selects a different English-speaking country to highlight for a day. Past years have included the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. This year it was America Day, and each class competed against each other in various activities: mechanical bull riding, cheerleading, basketball, pumpkin carving, and American baking were among the competitions. I also introduced the idea of doing cornhole, which was a new game for many students.
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Leading up to America Day, I was curious about how my country would be represented. Often, what students see of the U.S. is through short-form TikTok videos and Hollywood films. When I arrived, it truly felt like I was back at my American high school for the day. Songs like “Sweet Home Alabama” played as I walked around and talked to students dressed like Spongebob, Mount Rushmore, and other famous American characters and landmarks. I watched in awe as students did a catwalk performance to showcase their outfits. My fellow ETA’s and I joked that we never would have had the confidence to do that in high school! As I watched U.S. Presidents and members of the Kardashian family, I was reminded that my country is comprised of so many different cultures and influences. It made me reflect on the many different positive, and negative, connotations that the U.S. has throughout the world. I am excited to explore these topics with students throughout the year.
By the end of the day, when my mentor announced the winners of the various events, I was left feeling so much pride and gratitude for this community that I get to be part of. On a day when I felt a little sick, my students provided energy, enthusiasm, and a little taste of my home back in the States.
I get really excited by the idea of continuing to collaborate with other Fulbright ETAs. Whether we are leaning on each other for advice with lesson plans or inviting each other to school events and community activities, it is so important to have a support system to celebrate the wins with. America Day felt like a win, and I was glad to share that with Madison, Rilie, Jim, and their students.
Perspective of Madison Hales, Gymnázium Česká Lípa
As our car pulled up to Gymnázium Chomutov, my eyes encountered an array of American symbols. Students walked around in costumes such as hippies, American celebrities, the Founding Fathers, and many more historical and cultural figures. American pop music filled the air while students explored the decorated school grounds. My students and I were curious and excited for what the day would entail.
Our morning began with singing the Star Spangled Banner and then watching a cheerleading competition. With smiles on their faces, the students in the crowd clapped and cheered on their classmates as they watched the cheerleading performances. Even the students from Gymnázium Česká Lípa felt the high energy from their surroundings and were showing off their own dance moves to one another. Afterward, we headed over to the mechanical bull and competed to see who could stay on the bull the longest. The competition didn’t stop there because we then headed over to the field to play a fun game of horseshoe toss.
Although not all of these activities were a part of my high school experience (unfortunately, there is no bullriding in Michigan), there were feelings that brought me back to my high school teenage years. The day was filled with community and school spirit. Students from across all of the schools supported one another throughout the day's events. Onlookers at the fashion show hyped one another up with cheers and claps as their classmates strutted the runway. Students gave one another high-fives and pats on the back after they had attempted and amusingly fallen off the mechanical bull. During the dance lesson at the end of the day, everyone helped each other learn the dance moves and danced together with joy and smiles on their faces. The attendees of America Day, both Czech and Americans, came together to celebrate American culture as one supportive and uplifting community. The day was a snapshot of U.S. school spirit and the universal feeling of community.
Overall, I truly enjoyed having the opportunity to join the other ETAs and their schools during this day of celebration of U.S. culture. We look forward to future collaborations between our schools where we can share our own experiences, traditions, and insights into U.S. life & cultural topics.
On the morning of America Day, I was doing my best to convince the handful of students that arrived before school that the day would be worth the lack of sleep and long drive to Chomutov. In reality, I was anxious that we would all come home with mixed impressions and tired limbs. Since coming to the Czech Republic I’ve been met with varying opinions about the United States, our political system, and the overall culture of our country. It can be taxing at times to be a sort of representative of a diverse body of people, values, and ideas. I genuinely did not know how a school could put together an event that would capture a positive cultural experience and entertain a large body of Czech students.
I’m happy to say that this has been one of my favorite experiences since coming on my Fulbright adventure. Not only did my students and I bond over cake pops and key lime pie, we were all able to laugh and participate in incredible activities that made me feel back at home. From the cheerleading to cornhole to sitting court-side at a basketball tournament, I felt like I was in high school again (in the best possible way). The ETAs and I commented a few times on how the music and atmosphere were sweetly nostalgic. I felt like a guest of honor and am grateful for the welcoming environment and all the hard work that was visibly orchestrated. My students could not stop talking about riding the mechanical bull or watching the costume contest the entire ride home. We had meaningful discussions, and many asked me for recipes for the food items we tried. It was lovely to see what people outside of the United States think of our country, and I cannot express enough how gracious the students at Jessie’s Gymnasium were to invite us!
Perspective of Jim Thomas, Hotel Management, Business Academy & Engineering School in Teplice
Growing up in the UK, a lot of my impressions about the U.S were second-hand, much like the students at Chomutov. While I recognised that it wasn’t bull riding, horseshoe throwing and cheerleading all-day every-day, it wasn’t until I arrived in the U.S for university that I got a real idea of what the country was actually like, even from an outside perspective. This made it really interesting for me to see the kinds of activities and cultural markers that America Day would include. The day was full of energy - 8 in the morning and the entire school was out practicing and performing their cheerleading routines, something I was not expecting at all.
Growing up in the UK, a lot of my impressions about the U.S were second-hand, much like the students at Chomutov. While I recognised that it wasn’t bull riding, horseshoe throwing and cheerleading all-day every-day, it wasn’t until I arrived in the U.S for university that I got a real idea of what the country was actually like, even from an outside perspective. This made it really interesting for me to see the kinds of activities and cultural markers that America Day would include. The day was full of energy - 8 in the morning and the entire school was out practicing and performing their cheerleading routines, something I was not expecting at all.
While it would be impossible to truly capture the essence of any country, let alone one as cosmopolitan as the U.S, in just one school event, I think that Jessie managed to create an atmosphere that was in two parts authentic but also allowed the students to explore some of the more over-the-top, stereotypical parts of American culture they may have heard about but never had the chance to experience. There was such enthusiasm and joy in the students from the off which I think is a testament to the work Jessie and the staff at the Gymnázium put into the day, it really paid off!
After a full day of competitions, costumes, and American treats, we got a true taste of U.S. culture in the Czech Republic. It was amazing to spend a day among hundreds of Czechs who wanted to celebrate the U.S. based on what they have learned inside and outside of the classroom. The day was a small snapshot into the richness and diversity of U.S. experiences, and it was eye-opening to see how students in a small town view American pop culture, politics, and history. These are topics that we will continue to explore throughout our remaining eight months in Chomutov, Česká Lípa, Kladno, and Teplice.
