ONE TO WORLD EXPERIENCE IN NY

Last week I went to the NY Historical Society for a  ONE TO WORLD Welcome Reception in honor of 2008-09 metropolitan-area-based visiting Fulbright Scholars from around the world.  Some 204 students from 76 different countries are studying here.  Most of them, plus other guests, many of them former Fulbright Scholars in various places around the globe, attended.

After some introductory remarks, we went to the fourth floor for a cocktail reception.  The crush was awful and the din was worse.  Fight or flight--what was it going to be for me?  "I'm not running out of here," I said to myself.  "I'm going to talk with at least three people," I resolved.

For starters, I chose a Chinese man who was standing by himself.  "Are you having a good time?" I asked him.  "Oh, yes!," he replied.  "I think it is dreadful," I said, referring to the noise.  And so we began! (He is studying American democracy with special attention focused on politics, economics and culture.)

The next fellow was from India.  He had been a visiting scholar at an earlier time.  Now he lives and works in Princeton where he recruits for several businesses.  He spoke glowingly of his participation in the Global Classroom project and about teaching as a way to accelerate learning for oneself as well as others.

My next conversation was with Stephan.  Born in Paris but calling Mexico City home now, he is doing research in political science at New York University.  "Language as Power," is his topic.  

Two young people from Israel, both neuroscientists, joined us.  The young man had lived for a year in Ithaca, NY as a young boy when his father had a sabbatical there.  That had not been a happy experience.

All are loving living in NY.  (I told them I was, too!)  "It will be difficult to return," the young man from Israel said.  "It will be so quiet," said his young wife.

The students were going on to a bar--and more din.  I was thrilled to be returning to the quiet of home. 

As I reflected on the evening, I made this discovery:  Our greatest difference showed up in our tolerance (or lack of it) for noise.