Q-A with visiting Fulbright TEA participant: Dan Chita, from Romania


Earlier this academic year, 23 educators from 13 countries joined the UW–Madison School of Education community as part of the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (Fulbright TEA) program. The visiting teachers arrived from countries across Eastern Europe and Central Asia on Sept. 11 and stayed through most of October. 

The Fulbright TEA participants attended academic seminars with a specialized focus on media literacy. While in Madison and as part of the program, the Fulbright TEA participants developed skills in media literacy and how to critically think about a range of issues in a global context. They also spent time in local school districts and got a taste of living in Madison with a range of fun, cultural activities like touring the Wisconsin State Capitol, visiting the Dane County Farmers’ Market, and celebrating with the School of Education at its annual Homecoming Tailgate event. 

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of State, administered by IREX, and hosted by the School of Education’s Global Engagement Office.

Portrait photo of visiting Fulbright TEA participant Dan Chita, from Romania
Dan Chita

Before departing, some of the visiting teachers shared their thoughts with the School of Education about their time via a Q&A. Following is what Dan Chita, who is from Romania, shared about his experience:

Why did you apply for the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program? 

Chita: The Fulbright TEA is a life-changing experience in many ways, not just because you acquire new knowledge concerning the topics involved in the courses, but also for many other reasons: meeting and opening up to new people from different cultures, improving your language and communicative skills and, last but not least, becoming aware of your place in the world. People are essentially the same everywhere, but culture plays a major role in adapting us to all kinds of situations. Before being American, Italian or Japanese, black, white or female or male or anything in-between, each and any one of us is one fraction of humanity, which is not a truism, as it may seem at first, but a warm and tender feeling of belonging and not feeling lost out there.

How would you describe your experience? 

Chita: It was joyful, inspiring, eye-opening, refreshing, exhilarating, stressful, sometimes hard to adapt to, rarely edgy, all into one. Just the way life is for all of us, a rollercoaster of sensations and experiences. I enjoyed the warmth of the American people, their outbursts of kindness and genuine politeness. I am glad to notice that courtesy is well-kept and fresh in Wisconsin. America may be a land of many contrasts, but I like to look at the bright side of life and I honestly believe that our American “cousins” across the pond are truly good people. 

Is there a particular highlight that stands out to you from this program and your time in Madison? 

Chita: There were a few highlights that struck me as great. I liked it when we all had the feeling of having gotten lost in the wilds while hiking close to Devil’s Lake, but still managed not to lose our temper and make the best of it. Besides that, I also find the whole group experience to be emotionally rewarding and energizing.

What is one thing you learned during your time in Madison that you hope to take back home and be able to implement it in your classroom there?

Chita:  The only thing I would like to take back is my love of the American values, which are basically about caring for one’s neighbor and doing good to your community, and share both my enthusiasm and the knowledge I gained to as many people as possible, my students included. 

What did you know about Wisconsin and the United States before coming to Madison? And how, if at all, have your perceptions changed about this state or the U.S.? 

Chita: I knew almost nothing about Wisconsin before, but now I can attest to it: It is a cozy and friendly place to live in. The countryside is the perfect place to retire and spend your last years in peace and tranquility, that is, if you are lucky enough to retire and still be in good health. The United States, on the other hand, is the big picture, lurking in the background. Even though everybody knows a bit of it and can tell a few words about it, not even Americans cannot wholeheartedly express their full knowledge about such a huge and culturally rich country. America contains many Americas inside: it is beyond any shadow of doubt that its very survival as a political entity is a miracle. Yet, it is this very miracle which keeps the world going and shapes its steps into the future.

Note: This story was funded in part by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

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