Arita is from the Narathiwat Province in south Thailand. She is a teacher at a public high school where she teaches computer, history, English, and Thai subjects. Her father is a farmer, tending to fields of tropical fruit and rubber trees. Mathawee came to Minnesota to improve her English teaching skills and to learn about American culture. Prior to her exchange trip, she utilized newspapers, books, the internet, and subtitled movies to learn more of the language and culture.

Highlights of her American experience so far include a trip to Mall of America, visiting the Black Hills, seeing Mount Rushmore, and observing every day life. There are shopping malls in her home area but none are similar to Mall of America. She has visited local farms and observed that farmers here have much more land than their Thai counterparts. They also have many machines to care for and harvest crops unlike her family’s farm where much of the work is done by hand.

Mathawee is Muslim and wears a hijab on her head and a style of clothing that allows only her face and hands to show. Her hosts, Barb and Dave Muellerleile, are tuned into her religious customs. During this month of Ramadan, they prepare a pre-dawn meal for Arita, who must fast from the break of dawn to the setting of the sun. In Thailand, all meals include rice on the table in much the same way American meals typically include bread. Mathawee is enjoying trying American cuisine. There are some franchise restaurants in her country such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and she has discovered that the food is seasoned the same way.

In comparing teaching and learning practices, she notes that American students have a wide variety of materials in our schools compared to those in Thailand. Mathawee is especially impressed with the library and media center resources available. She has already gleaned many new teaching ideas for lessons and is sharing those with her colleagues back home through photos, video clips, and e-mail.

Mathawee is enjoying the friendly culture and loves meeting new people including her neighbors in North Mankato.

Jun Li

Jun Li is from Beijing, located in the northeastern corner of the People’s Republic of China. Her subject is English and she has taught many levels of public school students from elementary to senior high. A high value is placed on education in her home country. From an early age, students work tirelessly to prepare for the national college entrance exams which all seniors take over the course of two days in June. Students must earn a high score on the test to gain admission to college.

Being proficient in English is a requirement of the test. Li explained that English is the international language and being able to read, write and speak it is a tool to pursue areas of study. In China, students are taught British English with clear enunciation of words. One of Li’s first observations is that people here speak quickly and with less enunciation than she is used to so it took her a few weeks to adjust.

Li knows her experience at WEM will help her greatly in her teaching. She believes she will be a much more effective teacher of English having spent a year in an environment surrounded by English-speaking staff and students. She has taught abroad before. In 2000-01, Li visited Beijing’s sister city, a suburb of Paris, France. She’s also spent time in western Europe. Travel experiences allow her to teach beyond the textbook and be able to say to her English students, “I’ve been there.”

Being here has meant going through a transition period. She adapted to the fast speaking pace but continues to get used to American ways with “fast food.” Li observes that people here eat “a lot of junk food, starting at a very young age” and are larger in size because of it. American meals take but a few minutes to prepare due to processed entrees where in China, the preparation and cooking of whole foods may require a few hours. She misses the rice, noodles and abundant seafood of her home country.

Li has spent her first month observing in elementary classrooms and is sending updates to her colleagues via e-mail.

Both teachers say their American experience gets better every day. They’re excited to work with WEM students and will begin doing so later this fall. The school district has a budget for materials and supplies to support the exchange teachers as they present classroom lessons designed to share their cultures.

Local support makes these experiences possible. Past sponsors include Waterville Area Lions Club and Don and Joyce Kaplan. Sonia Ziemer oversees the WEM AFS program. If you’re interested in hosting a young person or supporting cultural exchange, contact Mrs. Ziemer at 507-267-4504.

Meet the AFS students in Part 2 of the series coming in October.