Fulbright Programme - First Diary Entry

Joanna Hall will be taking part in the Fulbright Programme this year.  Here is her first diary entry.

"Dear Diary"

Now there's a phrase I always wanted to write but never really had the time. Nor have I ever felt I had something that was truly worth recording. 

I am no Bridget Jones or Adrian Mole (ages 29 and 3/4) for that matter! However, if you bear with me I may just be about to embark on something that is worth recording.

Just under a year ago I applied for a programme, through the British Council, called the Fulbright Programme. The Fulbright Programme supports and fosters the opportunity for American teachers to exchange with their British counterparts for one year. The British Council administers this programme in the UK.

My Decision

The reason for my application although not a hasty one, cannot be attributed to one specific aspect. I have been teaching for 5 years, 3 at Mearns Primary in Newton Mearns, and I am happy in my job.

I have a lovely house, great friends, the considerable commitments that come with being a horse owner and last year embarked on a Post Graduate Certificate in Enterprise in Education. 

However, and after much soul searching, I presume I had developed the condition known as "itchy feet". 

The idea of an exchange appealed to me as I would get the opportunity to take part in a supported programme.  Then after a year of experiencing something truly different and potentially life changing, I return to the security of my life back in Glasgow.

Now don't let me put you off at this stage, but... While my application was successful, the process involved in matching me with a suitable exchange partner was far from plain sailing. Then there's the packing and organising! 

The USA

Nevertheless, in approximately two weeks I will leaving for the USA to embark on a teacher exchange with a Grade 3/4 teacher in Latham Elementary School, Cottage Grove, Oregon. 

I look forward to detailing my experiences (both highs and lows) on this page in timely intervals. I hope you read with interest and perhaps follow me on such an adventure in years to come. 

Joanna's Second Diary Entry