American Fellows at Anatolia

American Fellows at Anatolia

“You’re from America? What are you doing in Greece?!” For a group of recent American college graduates living and working at Anatolia, this is an all too common question.

Written by Sami Rebein

During a time of economic and political uncertainty, Anatolia has continued to attract bright and qualified young Americans each year to serve in various academic departments and student support offices across its schools through the Fellows Program.

What began as two fellows in 1995 has grown into nine positions for the 2015-2016 year, and will continue to grow. The Fellows Program is run by the U.S. College Counseling Office. Director Arian Kosti stresses the value of the fresh ideas fellows bring to Anatolia, saying, “the fellows bring to our school recent developments in their separate fields, as they have experienced them at their U.S. high schools and universities very recently. [Additionally] they also give our students who are thinking of studying in the U.S. the opportunity to better understand the U.S. system of higher education.”

Fellows live on campus, and in addition to their individual jobs, they advise clubs, lead Service as Action classes, and serve as role models to Anatolia’s students. College Counselling fellow, Alex Zink, says, “As a student who attended many different American and international schools overseas, I can say from experience that the ‘American’ aspect of the schools often fell short. I think this program allows for students to experience this American influence and exposure in a very personable way.”

The Fellows Program is “one of many school initiatives that vividly demonstrates Anatolia^27s role as a bridge between cultures, where the exchange of ideas and best practices is encouraged with the aim of preparing Anatolia students to be global citizens,” Fellows Coordinator, Christine Johnson, aptly puts it.

Fellows are drawn to the yearlong program because they see it as an exciting opportunity to learn about international education, experience Greek culture, and travel. Art fellow Laura Feld said the fellowship offered “the chance to combine [her] career goals in the arts with [her] passion for traveling.”

Elementary English fellow Erika Cain wasn’t quite sure what to expect when she first arrived in Thessaloniki. “From the United States life in Greece looked like endless days at the beach, and sunshine all year round,” says Cain. “This might not be completely true at Anatolia College, but what is true is that Greeks live a very fun, and enjoyable lifestyle and I’ve loved experiencing it.”

While language barriers and cultural adjustments can pose challenges for the Fellows, they all agree that the most rewarding aspect of being at Anatolia is the relationships they have built with students. Psychology fellow Roni Levy highlights that the most rewarding part of her job is “forming connections with my students and knowing that they feel comfortable coming to talk to me about the things going on in their lives.”

If there’s one thing all the fellows can agree on, it’s the high quality of education at Anatolia College. For resident Assistant fellow Mia Rawleigh “Anatolia is a positive, progressive place to work and I think the students, staff, faculty and fellows all benefit from being in this type of environment on a daily basis.” Student Services fellow Suzanne Francis echoes this sentiment, saying, “These students are getting so many things [from Anatolia]: trips, clubs, and languages, which most students do not receive in their lifetime. Anatolia prepares them to be good global citizens in an increasingly globalized world.”

The overwhelming consensus among the fellows is that Anatolia offers an amazing sense of community and interconnectedness. Though they face everyday challenges, the fellows all agree that living and working abroad for a year is an invaluable experience. They are grateful to the Anatolia community, as Service Learning fellow Daniele Starfield recounts, “One of the first things I was told upon arriving to Anatolia was, ‘we are all a big family here – we take care of one another.’”

Top row (left to right): Sami Rebein, Roni Levy, Mia Rawleigh, Alex Zink, Suzanne Francis

Bottom row (left to right): Erika Cain, Daniele Starfield, Laura Feld, Sarah Gardner