Yesterday morning I had the wonderful opportunity to share in a multicultural exchange relative to my being a visiting scholar and graduate student researcher in Chile.  By invitation of Education Director Fernando Verdugo and English Teacher Paulina Sepúlveda, members of  Universidad Autonóma de Chile sede Talca, three presenters shared with the audience.  Attendees for the event included members of the university community, local citizens from the city of Talca, and groups of local high school students.

We were very happy to have the students present on yesterday because there was a call for a statewide protest and teacher strike in opposition of educational reform policies.  Many of the teachers and students across the country had occupied school buildings in what has been an ongoing protests to governmental education policies.  However, we were able to provide a wonderful opportunity for the students who were in attendance on yesterday.

I was the first presenter and discussed aspects and highlights of living in the United States where I focused on having moved from Ohio in the north, to Georgia in the south, in order to pursue my PhD in adult education.  I shared about both the similarities and differences of each state highlighting the unique cultural milieus offered by each of the two.  The second presenter, Hanna Burdett and her guest, discussed what life was like living in the United Kingdom as her friend focused, more specifically, on aspects of being a native of Scotland.  The program ended with a wonderful presentation by Christo Groenewald who shared with the audience aspects of life in South African and was able to address many of the common misconceptions people hold about his part of the world  (such as the fact that Africa is a continent and not a country).  Christo shared about the wonder of South Africa’s diversity in relation to its people and cultural influences. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the presentations and have included aspects of what was shared among the photographs posted below.

Several people wanted to engagement with me after my presentation, especially about graduate study opportunities at UGA.  I was given some paraphernalia from the Graduate School before I left the United States and shared a copy of the graduate school magazine with a Chilean teacher who spoke with me quite extensively about her desire to pursue a graduate degree in the United States.  My power-point  presentation, in its entirety, from yesterday’s event can be located for viewing and enjoyment below. It includes embedded video links that feature OSU’s Brutus Buckeye, UGA’s Hairy Dawg and both universities’ student marching bands so don’t miss those embedded video links (you will need to minimize the  presentation in order to view the videos as they open up into separate browser windows).  🙂

My PowerPoint Presentation is located directly below.  Click the enlarge button on the right for better viewing:

UA English teacher Paulina Sepúlveda (center and to my left) and Education Director Fernando Verdugo (center in white shirt and tie)

The lovely gifts given to presenters after the program from UA on yesterday.

Back at the ranch of my hosts, Universidad Católica del Maule, officemates and friends enjoy a lovely tuesday afternoon of modeling.

While I offered a more conservative dark blue suit style, my dearest Romy delighted us on yesterday with what she called “Hippie Chic”.  Awesome!! 🙂