Fulbright Reality Czech

Christian Blackburn and Britt Mobley are Fulbright English Teaching Assistants. When Christian signed up to spend a year at the Technical High School in Liberec, and Britt at a Vocational High School in Tábor, they knew they were in for the adventure—but they couldn’t have imagined just how much this year would teach them. As two Southerners from the Carolinas, they came with their accents, traditions, and a hope to bring a piece of home into our classrooms. What unfolded, though, was something deeper and far more rewarding: "Spending a year as Fulbright English Teaching Assistants in the Czech Republic gave us the chance to reflect on who we are, where we come from, and how we connect across cultures. From the mental labor of language learning and lesson planning, to navigating the paradox of American pride and cultural humility, to sharing sweet tea and pork belly on a football field, this year reminded us that true exchange happens in the everyday moments of showing up...

Anna, Maddie, Saemyi and Madison arrived in the Czech Republic in August 2021 to assist with English language education at Czech high schools in Litomyšl, Kolín, Světlá nad Sázavou and Jaroměř as Fulbright grantees. All of them met for the first time at the in-country training that the Fulbright Commission hosted during the last week of August at Castle Liblice, located about 30 miles North of Prague. The training for the 33 English Teaching Assistants who are currently placed at high schools all over the Czech Republic took five days. For the last two days, Czech high school teachers, who serve as mentors of Fulbright ETAs during their whole 10-month stay joined as well. To encourage communication and cooperation among grantees and teachers placed nearby, all American grantees and their Czech hosts were grouped into so-called “nests.” Some nests are nice and tight, with grantees located within 30 minutes away of each other, while other grantees have to travel a bit more. Looking at th...