Fulbright scholar tells of her visit to ‘land of cheeseheads’

UW-Green Bay visiting lecturer and Fulbright Scholar Prof. Ibtesam Al Atiyat, a native of Jordan, recently reflected on her time, as she refers, “in the land of the cheeseheads.” “On my way to the university, a young American approached me on the plane from London to Chicago and said, ‘So, you are heading to the land of cheese-heads?’ No reaction came out of me. I had no idea what he was talking about, nor did I even dare to ask. On that plane I learned my very first lesson about Americans: very straight forward, social and friendly. They will approach you without any previous knowledge with a friendly smile or a joke and start a conversation right away.” The lengthy reflection ends like this, “A Fulbright Scholar in the United States is highly valued, and people coming form different cultures are often treated as celebrities. My pictures and activities were always in the university’s newspaper, and website. People appreciated me so much that I was invited to lecture everywhere one could ever imagine: a museum, a library, a church, etc. It was a great time. I wish it never ended.”