As of September 2010 I am on a ten month cultural exploration of the Slovak Republic, teaching English and American Studies through the Arts as part of my Fulbright award. I am considered a foreign lecturer at a university in Central Slovakia and teach undergraduate students working toward their Bachelor's degrees in both teaching and translating English. This semester I have 7 classes ranging from Advanced Conversation, Listening Comprehension and Receptive Skills to a Adv. Special Seminar focusing on Productive Skills (Writing and Speaking English). I utilize an arts-based pedagogy including emphasis on character work, voice development and projection as well as playwriting. The end of each semester culminates in a presentation of the students one act plays that they have been working on. In my classes we deal with thought-provoking issues in American Studies and cross-compare with the relevance of those issues in SK culture.

Today was a stimulating class on social issues in America. At the forefront...racism. I am surprised to learn that hate groups have risen significantly over the last 11 years: In 2000, 602. In 2011, 1002. Although racism is very much alive in Slovakia (just mention the word "Roma") but goes under a different name, it is interesting for me to be in a culture that doesn't recognize the word 'nigger'.