Razak, center, and other faculty at her university in Malaysia.
SPOKANE – Five years after she was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at WSU Spokane, a Malaysian researcher discusses her experience – and the lifetime collaboration it initiated – in a recent book of similar testimonials put together by the University of Malaya Press. She commends the helpfulness of her American hosts, shares difficulties, and encourages others to pursue similar cultural exchange and growth.
Rogayah A. Razak worked at WSU for three months in winter-spring 2006 to create a prototype Malay language assessment tool for preschoolers. With its help, early identification and intervention could help children at risk of language delay.
Some of her insights on various aspects of her experience are excerpted below:
Collegiality and scholarship
“My Fulbright enabled me to work with Professor Charles (Chuck) Madison, who has published two standardized language tests. With his experience and expertise, he advised me on test constructions. Former Associate Professor Jeanne Johnson’s experience in child language development gave me insights regarding the various tests and the philosophies underlying them.
“The Speech and Hearing Sciences Department at WSU shares offices with a similar department of Eastern Washington University, so I had the privilege of getting to know faculty from both universities. The faculties interacted and worked together as one big family. People went out of their way to assist me.
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Madison with Malay students during his visit
to Razak’s university. |
“Years later, my research collaboration with Professor Madison is still active. We are co-authors of the newly developed language assessment test for Malay preschool children. He was a visiting professor to my department in July-August 2008.
“We are doing research to standardize the test all over the country and are applying for a research grant to continue the work. Our journal article is being considered for publication in the Asia Pacific Journal of Speech, Hearing and Language Sciences.”
Community
“My four children and I arrived in Spokane on a cold winter afternoon following a tiring, 24-hour journey. Members of faculty had either donated or loaned items for our apartment. It was a delight to see the beds made up with fresh sheets for the weary travelers.
“My children found schooling in the United States very different from Malaysia. Teachers genuinely care for students and their well-being and self development. Malaysia has an exam-oriented system where students are pressured to perform; much time is allocated to drills, memory work and strict discipline. Schooling in the U.S. was a breath of fresh air!
“Colleagues and neighbors invited us to their homes. My children and I experienced the American culture and way of life: we baked Valentine’s cookies, decorated Easter Eggs, went to a Memorial Day barbecue, and enjoyed fly-fishing expeditions.
“I enrolled my 10-year-old son in a soccer youth league. When the coaches knew we did not have proper transportation, they went out of their way to arrange rides. The team came out of the season as champions. My son earned the title ‘kid with the good footwork’ and was sad to leave Spokane and the league.”
Challenges
“There were two significant challenges: Banking and my children adapting to school.
“I needed a Social Security number to open a bank account, but getting one took about a month. Then, the checks I deposited took another 11 days to clear. Money sent by my husband in Malaysia was also issued to me as a check – requiring 11 days to clear.
“Future Fulbrighters should be informed about these procedures in the orientation briefing.
“Adapting to a new school was a challenge, particularly for my 15-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter. It took three weeks for the youngest to be comfortable and about 6-8 weeks for the eldest. The other two – a girl, 12, and boy, 10 – immediately liked their schools and blended in without a glitch.”
Like family
“I not only gained academically from this experience, but I also gained intercultural experience and, more important, an adopted family.
“My host, Chuck Madison, and his wife, Nancy, greeted us at the airport and took the five of us and our luggage in their two cars. Chuck took us to high school, middle school and elementary school to register my children – a process that took nearly a full day. I cannot imagine not having Chuck’s help.
“My host welcomed and accepted my children like his own grandchildren and organized numerous outings together with his grandchildren. We saw children’s theater, went ice skating, shared dinners and visited the science museum. My children now have an additional uncle and auntie, ‘Uncle Chuck’ and ‘Aunt Nancy.'”
Cultural exchange
“This experience has enriched our global outlook. We got a firsthand understanding of the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of Americans – their world view and way of life. We brought the message that we are friendly, warm individuals and that our Islamic faith perpetrates friendship, love and peace.
“Challenges and issues that individuals face are similar regardless of nationality, creed or race. In most cases, these are the things that will foster relationships and friendships and bring people closer together. The Fulbright program is most successful at the individual level, where it helps combat stereotypes and misconceptions.
“We arrived in Spokane in winter, apprehensive about what to expect. We left in spring, full of warmth, friendship and sorrow at leaving our second home.”
Read another recent WSU Today article about a Fulbright Visiting Scholar on the WSU Pullman campus here.