Career Corner: A Chat with Fatimah Rashad

 

2013 Cherry Blossom Festival in Seoul, South Korea

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Fatimah Rashad. Fatimah and I studied abroad together in Guadalajara, Mexico and is a fellow Hampton University Alumnus. Since her time at our Home By the Sea,  she has taken the world on by storm as she earned a PhD in Developmental Psychology and is now living her dreams as an *expatriate (expat) abroad. With that being said check out Fatimah's experiences abroad as first a student and now an expat.

1. Where did you study abroad?   

I studied abroad at Universidad de Guadalajara (U de G) in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.  

2. When did you study abroad and how long did you stay?

I'm pretty sure it was in April of 2004 for 5 weeks of intensive Spanish immersion. 

3. What was your sole purpose for studying abroad? Did you accomplish that purpose?

My sole purpose was to improve my Spanish communication skills. I totally accomplished this goal. I learned more Spanish in that short period of time than I did in 3 years of studying in Undergrad.

4. Were you initially excited and ready to go or were there any fears or reservations? If so what were they and how did you overcome them? If not what expectations ignited your excitement?

Initially, I was excited and ready to go to Mexico. The idea of leaving school before the end of the semester to get a head start on living abroad was wonderful. The closer we got to our departure, the more I had doubts about my Spanish skills. Would I be able to communicate to the taxi driver at the airport so I could arrive safely at my host family's house? All I had was a piece of paper with an address on it. I didn't even know how to give basic directions such as turn, straight, left, or right. Thankfully, the fear was unfounded. I'm really good at charades and cab drivers have no shame in stopping to ask someone who is more knowledgeable. I arrived safely without issue… and made it my business to learn what I call taxi Spanish immediately thereafter.

5. What was your experience like studying abroad?

*The Hampton Ladies - Study Abroad in Mexico, 2004.

I absolutely loved studying abroad. In addition to Spanish language classes, I took dance and cooking classes at U de G. I remember meeting a group of Korean and Japanese students who didn't speak English, so our only form of communication was in Spanish. By the end of the program, I realized how cool it was that we all had a foreign language in common. It was also in Mexico where I learned to be independent and began my journey as a solo female traveler. I visited Manzanillo, a sleepy beach town on the coast, while my friends went to Puerto Vallarta. I boarded a bus and found an affordable oceanfront hotel upon arrival. My first night there, my neighbors - an older gentleman and his very young girlfriend -  introduced themselves and we became fast friends. They fed me, introduced me to their friends and locals my age, took me around the city, and showed me a great time. None of that would have been possible if I didn't know Spanish and/or was with a large group. That trip was near the end of my study abroad experience and was sort of like a progress report for myself. I had grown in my communication skills from not knowing basic directions or commands upon arrival to being able to converse with others. I think the moment I knew I had improved was when I was able to give taxi drivers directions to my host family's house - navigating through detours and other construction in my neighborhood.

6. How has studying abroad changed your life? You as a person?

Studying abroad made me comfortable with being uncomfortable. I'm no longer intimidated by foreign languages or the idea of making a complete fool of myself in front of others when I try to communicate. I've learned that it's OK to make mistakes. Studying abroad also ignited a fire in me to become an expat one day. Now, some 9 years later, I'm finally living my dream to live and work abroad. I've been in South Korea for 7 months and will likely stay another year or continue my career in another country abroad.

7. Are you bilingual or multilingual? If so what languages do you speak? If so...(continue to the questions below)  

I speak basic French, Spanish, and enough Korean to help me survive my day-to-day life.

 

7a. How has studying/working abroad impacted your languages skills?

There's something about being thrown in the fire - total immersion - that quickly boosts your language skills. It's one thing to study a language in a book or online, but I've found that type of studying pales in comparison to learning the language as your needs arrive. For instance, I had to learn how to read, pronounce, and understand menu items and grocery store labels rather quickly upon my arrival in Korea because I had no food in my apartment and was scheduled to work the next morning. Studying/working abroad has taught me not to fear new languages, but to embrace them as a beautiful challenge.

7b. How has speaking another language or your willingness to learn the native tongue of the country impacted your abroad experience?

Add caption

Speaking Spanish helped me most recently when I visited Cartagena, Colombia for 2 weeks to volunteer at a friend's youth center. It also helped me to easily navigate the city and surrounding areas. I got to meet many people in town who are now close friends. They opened their homes to me and showed me what life was really like outside of the tourist areas. That wouldn't have been possible without my language skills. In Korea, my willingness to learn Korean has made my experience positive and entertaining. I'm told by my Korean co-workers and friends that my pronunciation is very good. In turn, native speakers think I'm more fluent than I actually am. This turns into many rounds of laughter at my expense, but it's all a part of the learning process. 

8. How has studying abroad impacted you career path and outlook?

After Mexico, I knew that I could not only survive, but thrive abroad. As a researcher and educator, I don't feel limited to locations in the States whenever I look for positions. The world really is my oyster.

8a. What is your current position and what does your position entail? 

I'm currently an English teacher in the Gyeonggi English Program in Korea where I develop English communication skills of children in grades K-6 at a Korean elementary school. I use art, music, creative games and other interactive activities in the classroom to create a comfortable yet engaging learning environment. Essentially, they pay me to continue being a kid and talk to people all day. It's an awesome gig! Before this I was a professor at a college in New York City where I taught Psychology courses on child development and English language acquisition. It's nice to finally have some classroom experience to compliment what I know from years of research and theoretical perspectives regarding young learners.

8b. Is there an international aspect to your position?
 I introduce my students to as much culture as I possibly can. I let them know that, just like Korea, America is much more than the images they see on popular music videos. I also encourage them to learn more about how children live in other cultures around the world. My 6th graders are currently doing an email and video exchange with children in America to improve their language skills and learn about the day-to-day lives of children abroad. I also had an English Summer Camp with the theme of Passport to the World. We created our own passports, "visited" a new country each day, and learned about various cultural activities in places such as Ghana, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, USA, and India. The children and their parents loved it!

 

9. What characteristics does one need to pursue a position such as yours?

Outside of excellent English communication and organization skills, I think some of the best characteristics to have for my position would be passion, flexibility, creativity, and compassion. Try to remember what it was like when you first learned a foreign language. Think about what types of activities helped you learn and don't be afraid to utilize them in the classroom - no matter how zany you think they may be.

Bali, Indonesia in August 2013

10. Do you have any advice for others who want to study and work abroad?

Do it! Seriously. What's holding you back from pursuing this? There are plenty of resources via websites, Facebook groups, forums, and blogs to help you navigate the process to study or work abroad in several places around the world. If teaching English is something you're considering, you can easily obtain a TESOL/TEFL certification to boost your application. Groupon often has courses available for less than $100 each quarter, so keep your eyes open for that.  You can also check out Dave's ESL Cafe for English teaching opportunities in many countries. The internet is a powerful tool. Use it.  
 

Tokyo, Japan (September 2013)

11. Do you have a website, twitter name, Facebook  page, etc that you would like me to share so that the readers can find out more info and/ or connect with you?
My website is livetravelmore.com. I discuss life as a new expat, provide tips on preparing documents and teaching English in Korean public schools, and chronicle my travel adventures throughout Korea and wherever else I land during my vacation time. You can also like my Facebook page of the same name (Live, Travel, More) on Facebook. 

KoMiSa's Thoughts: Thank you very much to Fatimah for sharing her study and work abroad experiences on KoMiSa's World!!! Don't forget to check out Fatimah's website livetravelmore.com (The name itself speaks volumes). She shares a wealth of information and great stories that sure have inspired me. I sure they will inspire you as well!

 Hasta el Proximo Vez,

KoMiSa

*expatriate (expat) - a person living outside of the country/culture they were raised
*Did you see me in the light blue shirt in Fatimah's "The Hampton Ladies" picture?