Romania took hold of my heart in 2015 and since then has consumed my mind and soul. As with any genuine commitment, my relationship with this beautiful, complex country has grown and deepened over time as I have learned of its many tragedies, as well as its many triumphs. I have surrendered myself to Romania. [...] As I continue my Romanian journey, I marvel over the resiliency and fortitude of the people. I am fortunate to have developed close relationships, familial in many ways, with many Romanians. And I am eternally grateful to have been granted a Fulbright and honored to become part of this amazing community.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Event Featuring U.S. Fulbrighter Chealin Won
On Wednesday, May 9, the Fulbright Educational Advising Center hosted a cultural event as part of the Pacific American Heritage Month. The event opened with a screening of the indie film The Motel, directed by Michael Kang, which tells the story of a young boy going through the pains of growing-up, trying out different identities. The screening was followed by a discussion led by our guest speaker, Chealin Won, Fulbright ETA. After engaging the audience – mainly university and high school students – in a short interactive exercise, meant to settle some of the identity and heritage themes explored by the film, Chealin shared her personal perspective on Korean-American identity, touching upon issues such as growing up in two worlds, navigating cultures and negotiating culture-specific norms, models of masculinity-femininity across cultures, class differences, (inter)ethnic stereotypes. Chealin also talked about ethnic identity in the academia, the hits and misses of living inside a new language, and the role and impact one’s own ethnic community has in helping the individual adjust to new norms and customs.
Many thanks to Chealin Won for a fruitful and lively discussion, and for joining us in this event!