The Power of Simple Connections

Visiting Schools in Lapland with the Fulbright Speaker Program

room, and was back less than a minute later ready to jump back in to work through each remaining problem.

Many of the students at both schools had never met anyone from the U.S. before, and I was constantly reminded that to be a Fulbrighter means you live as an ambassador and a conduit, ready to share your story and to listen, receive, and hold close the stories of others.

During my two-day visit, I shared a presentation on “Life in the U.S.” with four different groups. These Finnish primary students listened to me speak for a few minutes, took out their cell phones, and typed feverishly into Google Translate. Their hands shot up seconds later with questions like “What is your favorite color?” and “Do you have a favorite animal?”

Of all the memories I will carry with me, the strongest ones point to the resonance and power of the simple connections that, indeed, turn nations into people.

The Fulbright Speaker Program

Mikayla Patella-Buckley 2022-23 Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching Research University of Jyväskylä

www.fulbright.fi/us-teacher

The Fulbright Speaker program enables Finnish schools and other institutions to invite current U.S. students, scholars, and teachers for short visits to talk about their projects or, for example, U.S. school life or cultural aspects.

Learn more about the Fulbright Speaker Program and invite a grantee to your institution www.fulbright.fi/speaker-program.