[image1-right]Lizzie Johnson (MS ’10) was recently named the recipient of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship through the U.S. Department of State Fulbright Program.
The assistantship placed Johnson at the St. Kliment Ohridski University in Bitola in the southwest part of Macedonia for the 2011–2012 academic year. There, she worked with a U.S.-based professor as the on-site assistant for a distance-learning course in English literature, gave presentations on higher education and college life in the U.S., and led a book club at a cultural center in Bitola. She also developed training workshops for staff and teachers at a public school where they had only recently opened the library, covering ideas for outreach, tech services, and integrating library resources into the school curriculum.
Johnson’s interest in the program was fueled primarily by her curiosity about international librarianship as well as services to multi-lingual populations. During her studies at GSLIS, she was a graduate assistant in the Slavic library, and she has always found the cross-cultural exchange of information to be an exciting process. She chose to apply to Macedonia because of her long-standing fascination with the Balkan region, an interest that was only further solidified by her recent time spent studying and working in Greece.
Eventually, Johnson would like to find a cataloging or reference/instruction position where she can continue to address the issues of international librarianship, and she feels that her experiences in Macedonia have brought her closer to achieving that goal.
“The grant has been a great opportunity to gain insight on higher education outside of the U.S. and further develop my classroom instruction skills. I was able to gain first-hand experience with developing library services for English language learners, international students, and anyone who may use multi-lingual resources,” she said.
When not working or studying in Bitola, Johnson was able to travel to many places within Macedonia and experience the amazing cultural and linguistic diversity that exists there from town to town. “I’ve been able to see many examples of traditional visual and performing arts, festivals, and Roman archaeological sites, as well as to discover the delicious food and wine available in Macedonia. There is so much natural beauty here, as well, and I’ve had the pleasure of hiking in the national parks and enjoying the scenery of Lake Ohrid,” she said. “The people I’ve met have been amazingly kind and willing to share with me their insights on Macedonia’s long history and on the country’s future. I really hope to return in coming years as my time in Macedonia on the Fulbright grant has been a wonderful experience, both professionally and personally.”
The Fulbright program is sponsored by the U.S. State Department and is the largest U.S. international exchange program offering opportunities for students, scholars, and professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide.