Kari Filerman
Pepperdine University, Malibu, California
Host: Grupo Financiero Banorte, Mexico
Field: Business
Dates of Grant: September 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006

My grant was slightly different from the traditional Fulbright research opportunity. The Bi-national Business grant attracts graduate level business and law students who are interested in US-Mexico commerce. The grant involved a 10-month internship at a participating company and evening business classes. While my grant was a little more structured than others, and involved working at a bank and wearing a suit, I was committed to enjoying all elements of the Mexican lifestyle. I decided to sink my teeth into this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Traveling in Mexico was by far the most exciting aspect of my year abroad. Although I was located in Monterrey, an industrial city located in the north-east Texas border region, I was determined to discover the diverse attractions all over the country. In my 10 months I have explored remote beaches on the gulf, the jungles of Chiapas, and central colonial cities such as Guanajuato and Zacatecas. I have danced with Mariachis in Guadalajara, toured tequila plants in the city of Tequila, ridden horses in ghost towns, and have climbed Aztec ruins outside of Mexico City. And in my travels, I truly began to understand a nation that is so geographically close to the US, but yet, so different.

My year abroad was further highlighted by my integration into Mexican culture, which was facilitated by my sense of openness. With new Mexican friends I embraced activities such as dancing to Nortenas, celebrating new holidays, watching telenovelas (Mexican soap operas), and eating lots of new foods such goat, grasshoppers, crocodile, and many others, with lots of chile, of course. In this process I learned not only the difference between Mexicans and Americans, but more interestingly, the differences between the Mexicans from different regions. I noticed drastic variations in attire, diet, political attitudes, religion, and even appearance. An additional pleasure of the observation was the sheer appreciation I received for my interest. Most Mexicans proved eager to share their lifestyles and their perspectives with me. And at the end, I realized that it was these interactions, my daily exchanges, which Senator Fulbright envisioned when he fathered the global program.

Each day as a Fulbrighter brings new challenges and discoveries that most individuals don't encounter back home. And with a sense of openness and adaptation, a grantee will have the capacity to not only survive, but also to embrace and relish a truly wonderful and unique opportunity.

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