A Latvian Teacher's American Experience

"People smile here more and are more helpful," she said. "My colleagues were so welcoming. One has even invited me to Thanksgiving. I've always heard about eating the big turkey, so I'm very excited."

While Gertnere is enjoying the wealth of resources, friendly environment and way of life in America, Peters said she is seeing the other side of things, living in a country where the scars from the Soviet times still "run deep."

"I've learned a lot about life in a country that has been so oppressed," Peters said. "The people here are really survivors and are so grateful for their freedom. Some people even go into stores just to buy something little every day, not because they need to but because they can."

Peters said people in Latvia were not as open or trusting at first.

The biggest frustration is the lack of technology, she said, noting that she is one of the few teachers who have a computer in the classroom.

The other day, the school copy machine broke, and teachers had to pitch in money to get it repaired, she said.

"It makes me sad, because these students don't have much money," the 29-year-old said. "There isn't even hot water in all the sinks, because they can't afford it. The library has a tiny, measly collection, and the students already pay a lot of money for their books."

Students in Latvia are interested in learning about America, she said, asking about Tom Cruise and Britney Spears.

Many have not met anyone from the United States before, Peters said, and some have even asked her for dead batteries she planned to throw out because they were from the United States.

"I think the Fulbright Program is much more important to international understanding and opening cultural dialogues than people realize," she said. "The things I'm learning here are going to be very important to teaching other students about cultures, but more than that, the things I am teaching the children here are going to hopefully help future generations as this world becomes more and more globalized."