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September 29, 2011
Carmel Valley
Del Mar native enjoys ‘surreal’ experience in Turkey through Fulbright program Kırıkkale, Turkey. “It’s a little BY CLAIRE HARLIN surreal having just graduated Staff Writer from college and taking on Del Mar native Alex this much responsibility at Warburton graduated last the university level.” spring from the University Warburton got his start of Chicago and is already teaching English through a teaching college classes — in program he volunteered Turkey. with in Chicago’s ChinaThe Torrey Pines High town. He said tutoring Chialumnus, who earned a nese immibachelor’s degrants gree in linthrough the guistic anorganization thropology, greatly imwas awarded pacted him last month a by showing Fulbright U.S. him that Student Prolearning Enggram scholarlish presents ship that challenges placed him in similar to an English inlearning structorship Mandarin (in in the counwhich Wartry of his burton is fluchoice. With ent). its livable enAlex Warburton “Being vironment, raised in Del growing Mar, in south side Chicago economy and central locaI sometimes had trouble tion on the globe, Turkey understanding what people was Warburton’s top choice said because it’s a different — and he just began teachtype of English than I’m ing there earlier this month. accustomed to,” said War“I write all my own burton. tests, come up with my own He said one of his curriculum,” said Warburton most memorable moments in an interview from his in teaching ESL was when temporary home of
Alex Warburton works one-on-one with one of his college students in Turkey, where he is working as a Fulbright Program scholar. PHOTO COURTESY OF WARBURTON makes it even easier to condifferent dialect,” said Warhe eased the discomfort of a student from China when burton. “She lit up when we nect with English learners. “I understand when my made the connection beshe admitted she had a students mess up, and it’s cause her husband was hard time ordering at McOK to mess up,” said Warmaking fun of her for havDonald’s. burton. “Look at all the mising an English degree but “I explained that it takes I make when I speak not being able to order at would be no different than Chinese.” McDonald’s.” if I were to go to China, beSince Warburton has Warburton also said his cause there the inlanders arrived in Turkey, he said experience learning Mandaand those in the southern, the trip has been exciting rin, a complex language, rural areas have a totally
and packed full of things like a press conference with the Turkish Ambassador and lectures on Turkish politics. Warburton said he’s not sure if he will pursue teaching in the future, but for the time being, he’s enjoying the worldly experience and being able to apply his very intense, theory-based education in a practical way. “This is probably a fantasy and unrealistic, but I would like to be a better teacher than I’ve had,” said Warburton. “I want to be able to explain to learners why things are the way they are.” Warburton is one of more than 1,600 scholars who traveled abroad this year under the Fulbright program, which is sponsored by the U.S. government to increase mutual understanding between people in the U.S. and those of other countries. The primary source of funding for the program is an annual appropriation by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.