Undergraduate Exchange Program

© Sandra Kostandinova

The following narrative was written by the grantee.

There is a certain thing in my wallet that I know for a fact is there but I stopped paying attention to: my graduation picture. Just yesterday I opened my wallet to pay for my early morning frappuccino, and I saw this girl looking back at me with a smile that hides a thousand hopes, expectations, pride, a little bit of fear and a lack of confidence.  Somewhere between getting my five-year plan goals achieved, trying to figure out how to change the world and my constant complaining about why the day has only 24 hours, I forgot to be thankful for everything I am, was, and want to be.

July 24, 2009: the start of the Undergraduate Exchange Program Pre-Departure Orientation. Thirty young, motivated individuals from South Eastern Europe, Ukraine, and Mongolia gathered to prepare mentally and academically for the journey. 

Our days started early, which at first was a drag, being summer and our body clocks being used to sleeping late. In a virtual American classroom, we got the chance to meet inspiring lecturers who introduced us to a culture of critical thinking, not being afraid to speak our minds, and, most importantly, how to build a relationship of mutual respect in the classroom.  Personally, I found it extremely helpful, since coming from a country where the lecturer-student relationship is one-sided and utterly authoritative, a friendly approach and an openness to suggestions from the student was a new experience.

Meeting new people, learning about them and their ways, hopes and expectations showed us that in a way, we were all the same, no matter how different our home countries were or where we were going, we were connected by all those butterflies in the stomach that coming to the States causes at first.  

Volunteering was not forgotten. We got to work with children, and the most interesting and challenging part was that none of us could speak their language, nor could they speak English. This helped us see how cultural intelligence can strengthen or ruin a relationship.  As a grand finale, we enjoyed a cruise on the Bosphorus, marveling at Istanbul at night.

In essence, Istanbul has always been a place that connected something; the old world with the new in a seemingly perfect blend. For all of the 2009 UEPers, Istanbul will be a point of departure for 30 young individuals exploring the world.

University of Austin - Texas |