Washington, D.C. | February 5–7, 2026
After months of meeting virtually through discussion boards, webinars, and collaborative projects, it was finally time to meet my Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms cohort in person.
On February 5, I boarded a plane for Washington, D.C., excited to reconnect with people I had come to know online and eager to begin building new friendships before our international field experience.
As soon as I arrived at the airport, I met the first member of my cohort, Daniella.
Although we had never met in person, it felt like reconnecting with an old friend. Originally from Uruguay, Daniella now teaches English as a Second Language in North Carolina. During our drive to the hotel, we talked about our schools, our students, and our excitement for everything that lay ahead.
After checking into the hotel, Daniella and I met up with another member of our cohort, Kajal. Rather than waiting for the symposium to officially begin, we decided to take advantage of the beautiful afternoon and explore Washington, D.C. together. We spent time walking around the Capitol Building, taking pictures, sharing stories, and getting to know one another beyond the computer screen.
It had been years since I had explored our nation’s capital, and experiencing it with new friends made it even more memorable.
That evening, the symposium officially began with a welcome reception where our entire cohort gathered for the first time. Faces that had once appeared only in Zoom meetings and discussion boards suddenly became real people with incredible stories, unique backgrounds, and a shared passion for education.
The room was filled with laughter, introductions, hugs, and conversations that seemed to pick up right where our online course had left off.
After the reception, several of us decided to continue getting to know one another over dinner at a Kayu, a Filipino restaurant. It seemed fitting, especially knowing that many of us would soon be traveling to the Philippines for our international field experience. For some of us, it was our first opportunity to experience Filipino cuisine. We shared dishes, asked questions, laughed, and talked late into the evening.
It was a long day.
It was also one of the most enjoyable.
By the time I returned to the hotel, I realized these weren’t simply members of a professional cohort anymore.
They were becoming friends.
The following morning began with breakfast before we headed into a full day of learning.
Although every session offered something valuable, one presentation resonated with me more than any other. As an educator who has spent most of my career working in rural Appalachian Ohio, I was especially interested in the session focused on rural schools. Hearing Ashlie Crosson speak about global education in rural communities reinforced something I had been discovering throughout the Fulbright experience: students don’t have to leave their hometowns to develop global competence.
Global education belongs in every school.
It belongs in rural schools just as much as it belongs anywhere else.
Her message affirmed the work I had already been doing and gave me confidence to continue helping students connect their local experiences to the wider world.
Later that day, I also participated in a walking tour of the National Museum of the American Dreams. As educators, we often ask students to learn history through textbooks and classroom discussions. Walking through the exhibits reminded me how powerful learning can be when people experience stories in authentic settings. It was another reminder that meaningful learning happens when curiosity, conversation, and place come together.
That evening, many of us gathered once again for dinner. By then, conversations felt more relaxed. We talked about our families, our classrooms, our hopes for the international field experience, and the countries where we would soon be traveling. Every person brought a different perspective, yet there was an incredible sense of unity within the group.
Although we came from different states, different school systems, and different backgrounds, we were all preparing for the same journey.
Before I knew it, Saturday had arrived.
The symposium had gone by far too quickly.
As I made my way back to the airport, I traveled with Kajal and Saleeta. Our conversations continued all the way to our departure gates. We talked about our upcoming travel, what we hoped to learn, and how excited we were for the months ahead.
Saying goodbye was harder than I expected.
Just a few days earlier, many of us had been strangers meeting for the first time.
Now it felt like I was leaving friends.
What surprised me most about the symposium wasn’t the professional development or even the incredible speakers.
It was the people.
Fulbright had brought together educators from every corner of the United States, each with different experiences and perspectives, yet united by a common belief that education has the power to connect people across cultures and communities.
As my plane lifted off from Washington, I wasn’t simply heading home.
I was leaving with friendships I believe will last a lifetime, a renewed sense of purpose, and even greater excitement for the next chapter of this journey.
The Philippines no longer felt like a distant destination.
It felt like the next step in a journey we would soon experience together.
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