22.33

Voices of Exchange delivers unforgettable first-person stories from people transformed by international exchange. For our first ever episode of Voices of Exchange, we travel to Florianópolis, Brazil, with Critical Language Scholar and disability rights advocate Anna Landre. Anna takes us on a journey of overcoming cultural, lingual, and physical barriers in a new city, while describing the lessons she learned to advocate for herself and for others with disabilities. Through Anna’s story, we learn that we are more alike than different. This podcast is brought to you by the Office of Alumni Affairs in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).  New episodes will be released every two weeks on all major podcast platforms.  https://voices-of-exchange.captivate.fm/listen You can also listen to Voices of Exchange on our website: Alumni.state.gov/alumni-news/voicesofexchange.  Also follow us on Instagram @voicesofexchange.

Welcome to the final episode of 22.33. In this special goodbye episode, we shifted our focus to interview Christopher Wurst, 22.33 mastermind and former director of the Collaboratory in ECA. This past summer we got to learn more about Chris, his time in ECA, and his work as a Foreign Service Officer. Thank you to everyone who has been with us on this journey. We loved being able to share two seasons of stories with you. To keep hearing stories like the ones we shared on 22.33, head over to ECA’s new podcast series, Voices of Exchange. Use the link to subscribe today:  https://voices-of-exchange.captivate.fm/listen

IVLP from Scotland

IVLP from India & Bangladesh

Fulbright Student Program to South Africa

Critical Language Scholarship in Jordan

Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Brazil

FLEX & WYLET from Mongolia

English Access Microscholarship Program & MEPI from Yemen

Our bonus collection of food anecdotes from all over the globe. This month's featured story is from our English Language Programs colleague Joe Bookbinder. Just wait until you find out what the Chinese stew was made out of...

Fulbright Student Program to Mozambique

Fulbright Student Program to Vietnam

Fulbright Program to Samoa

Summer Work & Travel from Ireland

Fulbright Student Program in South Korea

Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Kazakhstan

IVLP from Nigeria

Fulbright Scholar from Lebanon

Fulbright English Teaching Assistants in Sri Lanka & Oman

Imagine, you've left your comfort zone. You moved to a foreign country that's 12 time zones away, most people speak a different language, and the lifestyle and culture are radically different, but you slowly make your way. And one day you meet a group of strangers that you identify immediately as your kind of people. And, just as you feel you have made it, an unspeakable tragedy occurs. How you react will change your life forever. This is 22.33, a podcast of exchange stories.

This week a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) program participant from Atlanta, GA describes her experience while living in China and studying Mandarin. Learning to better communicate boundaries, having your Americanness challenged, and cherry-picking with the neighborhood, join us on a journey around the globe through international exchange stories. For more information about the CLS program visit https://www.clscholarship.org.

In this week's episode, we interview a Fulbrighter who went to Egypt for the English Teaching Assistant program. This program places American teachers in classrooms abroad to provide assistance to local English teachers. Fulbright ETAs help teach the English language while also serving as cultural ambassadors for the United States. The age and academic level of their students vary by country and from kindergarten all the way to the university level. Find out more about the program at https://us.fulbrightonline.org.

This week, hear about the sweetest rickshaw ride in Mumbai, the funniest man in India, and what it's liked to be dragged onto a Bollywood dance floor. Join us on a journey from Colorado to India, to learn that sometimes it just easier to be your real self. This is 22.33, a podcast of exchange stories.

In this week's episode, a Fulbrighter from Western Kentucky University travels all the way to Shiyan, China to study math teacher education and discovers that both math and American sitcoms are truly universal languages.

Claire Ouedraogo is the winner of the International Women of Courage Award and the President of the Songmanegre Association for Women’s Development (Association féminine songmanegre pour le développement), an organization she founded that focuses on eliminating female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and promoting female empowerment through family planning education, vocational training, and micro-credit for women in the rural and underserved Center-North region of Burkina Faso. She also serves as a senior advisor on the National Council to Combat Female Genital Mutilation. She is an active member of the Burkinabe Movement for Human and People’s Rights. In 2016, the prime minister of Burkina Faso nominated her as an Ambassador of Peace for her work in empowering rural women. Despite the increased threat of terrorist attacks and violent acts against civilians in Bam Province, Mrs. Ouedraogo continues her courageous work on behalf of vulnerable women threatened both by FGM/C and terrorism. Note: This is the translated English version. The original French-language recording is also available in the previous episode (S02E45).

Note: This is the original French-language recording. The English translation is also available in the next episode (S02E46). Claire Ouedraogo is the winner of the International Women of Courage Award and the President of the Songmanegre Association for Women’s Development (Association féminine songmanegre pour le développement), an organization she founded that focuses on eliminating female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and promoting female empowerment through family planning education, vocational training, and micro-credit for women in the rural and underserved Center-North region of Burkina Faso. She also serves as a senior advisor on the National Council to Combat Female Genital Mutilation. She is an active member of the Burkinabe Movement for Human and People’s Rights. In 2016, the prime minister of Burkina Faso nominated her as an Ambassador of Peace for her work in empowering rural women. Despite the increased threat of terrorist attacks and violent acts against civilians in Bam Province, Mrs. Ouedraogo continues her courageous work on behalf of vulnerable women threatened both by FGM/C and terrorism.

Moving from the United States to South Korea means leaving what you know and surrounding yourself with things that are unknown and mysterious. In this week's episode, we hear from Lauren Garza about how her international exchange experience through Fulbright and how it had her guessing people's ages, searching for tea fields, and even establishing a nonprofit to help orphans. Join us on a journey from Omaha, Nebraska to Chicago, Illinois to Gumi, South Korea on this episode of 22.33, the podcast of exchange stories.

This week, Bigfoot meets Mary Poppins, disco meets polka, and what happens when you turn the handle the wrong way? Join us on our journey from Waterford, Wisconsin, to Hamburg, Germany, and diving fearlessly into a new culture in this interview with an alumnus of the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange program.

Lives Without Limits! John Register, a Sports Diplomacy program partner, and two-time Paralympic athlete from the United States tells us what living without limits means to him. #WithoutLimits And in recognition of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, ECA has launched the Lives Without Limits campaign to promote the importance of inclusion within international exchanges. Join ECA, our alumni, and our partners in the exchange community in celebrating the spirit of human potential. Check out John's video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv7pgclyiTE

Oh, for peat's sake! Join us this week on a journey deep into the heart of Ireland's magical bogs, places of lore, and as we learn from Fulbright National Geographic Storytelling Fellow Emily Toner, very precious resources.

Stories that have to be heard to be believed. Living and studying with shaman in Mongolia. This week, entrepreneur, investor, theater artist, and co-founder of Zuckerberg Institute Michael Littig recounts the transcendent and life-changing lessons he learned as a Fulbright Scholar on the other side of the world. Photo: Patrick Schneider / Graphic: Kate Furby

On a fellowship in the Balkans to research the concept of identity, Christiana Botic discovers her family background is much more complicated than she thought, leading to a journey over many borders and an inescapable realization about how people see themselves.

Meet the remarkable 'Sophia' Huang, the fearless driver of the #MeToo movement in China. However, due to the censorship of that specific phrase, the cause Sophia champions instead features two emojis: Rice ("mi") and Bunny ("tu"). A fearless journalist, who uses her platform to highlight the injustices of sexual harassment and gender-based violence, Sophia has become a role model for many young women in China. Photo: Christopher Wurst / Graphic: Kate Furby

This is the incredible story of Susanna Liew Koh, a 2020 recipient of the U.S. State Department's International Women of Courage Award. Following the February 2017 abduction of her husband, Christian pastor Raymond Koh, allegedly by state agents, Susanna Liew has fought on behalf of members of religious minorities who disappeared in Malaysia under similar circumstances or who face persecution for their beliefs. Susanna actively pursued justice during the Malaysian Human Rights Commission’s 2018-2019 public inquiry into enforced disappearances and continues to push the government to investigate these cases and prosecute those responsible. Despite police harassment and death threats, she continues to advocate for her husband and others, not because of her faith or theirs, but because of their rights as Malaysians.

As a Gilman Scholar, David Rader thought that going from the United States to South Africa would be a radical change, but it turned out to be nothing compared to the dramatic contrasts within his new home and the realizations they provided. This week: poignant stories from Capetown.

This week, Will Tyner, a coder from Silicon Valley, travels to Romania on his Fulbright National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship, to see the power of civic tech unleashed. On the frontlines with Code for Romania, Will witnesses how the first generation after Communism uses technology to hold their government accountable and makes it a force for good.

A very special episode, featuring the story of Meaza Ashenhafi, Ethiopia's first female Supreme Court Chief Justice. Her story is an inspiration for women and girls everywhere. With over 225,000 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumni, each has a story to tell and Maeza Ashafeni has been selected as one of the outstanding #FacesOfExchange. This initiative will highlight 80 years of the IVLP by showcasing 80 accomplished alumni, their lives and leadership, and the impact of their exchanges on the global community. Check out more stories at eca.state.gov/facesofexchange

This week is all about gratitude--for the essential workers keeping us safe and for those we are closest to. From 91-year-old "Granny" in an assisted living facility in Alabama to a little boy obsessed with garbage trucks, to an international super-host. With original new songs from Grace Jerry and Nelly's Echo. Graphic: Kate Furby / Photographs: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture & Library of Congress

This episode is all about the power of music--to connect people, to break down barriers, to inspire, and to evoke powerful emotions. This week: musical inspiration from all over the world and original songs by Giselle Felice & Erik Abernathy, Wordsmith, Seth Glier, Stela Botan, Tony Memmel, Just Wade Tam, and more. Turn this one up loud!

This week it's all about human connection--valuing it, missing it, and finding creative ways to get it. Stories about discovering a newfound appreciation for little things, feeling empowered and out of control at the same time, and the magical community-building qualities of the Lily of the Valley. Plus a premiere of Tim McDonnell's song "Stir Crazy." Graphic: Kate Furby

This week: Getting to know a musician playing backyard quarantine concerts in his Washington, DC neighborhood. An exclusive new song from Seth Glier. A massive recommended reading list from all around the globe. And more quarantine memes...

Somehow it’s already our fifth installment of Connecting Through Isolation. How did that happen? This week: Inspirational and dramatic poems, original music, stories of perseverance, and how people of all faiths can come together around a common theme. Plus our first installment of "Quarantine Memes" from our colleague Ana-Maria. Graphic: Kate Furby / Photo credit: Alec Favale

With a bit of stir-craziness setting in, this week's stories remind us of the power of art to connect us and transport us, and the surprising power of flour, sugar, and eggs to bake away our isolation. Have cupcakes ever seemed so profound? This week: stories from India, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Washington, DC, New York City, Virginia and, my home state, Minnesota. From teenagers in Afghanistan to a Parliamentarian in Europe, to an award-winning Midwestern chef. Graphic: Kate Furby

Our third edition of a global conversation that shows how we are all in this together, so we're never alone. Stories this week about balancing the joys of springtime with the difficult realities of self-isolation, the vital importance of science at this moment, and a wonderful story of how the COVID-19 crisis might look through the lens of an almost-two-year-old. Stories from San Diego, CA; Holyoke, MA; Alexandria, VA, Washington, DC; Hideaway, TX; and rural Lithuania. Graphic: Kate Furby / Photo credit: Nynne Schroder

The second edition of our new global conversation. We’re all alone, but we’re all alone together. As we navigate our collective new reality, stories are still coming in from around the world. More and more we see how things we might have taken for granted before, art, music, culture, even our own families, are supporting us through this. This week we offer a small window into others’ lives, stories came in from Bangladesh and Libya, Oklahoma City and Baltimore. No matter where you live, I hope you’re all staying as safe and healthy as you can.

The first of 22.33's special new series "Connecting Through Isolation," featuring self-recorded clips from 22.33 alumni from around the world who, separated though they may be, are together in social distancing. In this episode, messages from three continents, original songs, and the sense that, even though we are apart, we are all very much together.

This week's special bonus episode follows Sabrine Chengane, a Fulbright Scholar from Algeria, who, in the course of an exchange to the University of Nebraska to study public health, found herself at the front lines of the first COVID-19 cases in the United States. Her experiences, conducting research for the school's state-of-the-art quarantine facilities as it began admitting infected patients, were profound. Note: This episode was produced before the global COVID-19 pandemic. We have temporarily paused conducting new 22.33 interviews, but will continue to air curated episodes into the foreseeable future.

Nighat Dad's trip from Pakistan to the United States was also your first time on an airplane. This led to some, well, awkward situations. But ss a lawyer and digital rights activist, she paved the way for thousands of girls in Pakistan, including Malala, by educating them on safe cyber behavior. Through the Cyber Harassment Help Line, the first of its kind in Pakistan, Nighat fights for women's access to technology and promotes women's rights despite numerous challenges and threats. Note: This episode was produced before the global COVID-19 pandemic. We have temporarily paused conducting new 22.33 interviews, but will continue to air curated episodes into the foreseeable future.

What happens when you leave your comfort zone to move to another country and are forced to interact with a different culture, a new language, and unique ways of life you might not be used to. In this episode, we take a journey from Illinois to India with Benjamin Simington, a Fulbright student researcher who went to Carthage College in Varanasi. His research focused on Kabir, a medieval Indian mystic and poet, and he shares stories of 30 hour train ride through India solo, swimming in the Ganges, and trusting one's heart knowledge.

"Going to school in Soweto township meant that you had a lot of challenges. However, no challenge was greater than the day your math teacher stopped showing up and the students decided one by one that they no longer needed to be in class. So what did you do? You as a student decided to become the teacher. " This week we interview Labang Nong, from South Africa, who started a youth education and tutoring program called Go Maths in 2004. He visited the United States as part of ECA's prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).

This week our guest is Chantal Suissa-Runne, editor of Nieuwwij, the largest multimedia platform on diversity and interfaith matters in the Netherlands. She has founded various projects in the field of interfaith dialogue, conflict resolution, social resilience, youth empowerment, refugee support, and the prevention of radicalization. These include several award-winning initiatives, such as the “Getting to Know your Neighbors” initiative, the "Mo & Moos Jewish-Muslim Leadership" project, the "Democracy in the Classroom" teacher training, and the "180amsterdammers.nl" website.