Exchange students are not an uncommon sight for HCP, but this year is the first time the school has had a teacher exchange. For the 2013 school year, Michael Kraus switched his role as Spanish teacher with Milagros Vasquez to teach in Mexico City as part of the Fulbright program.

Fulbright is a collection of international exchange programs sponsored by the United States Department of State (USDS) that provides funding for students and teachers to advance international education and access to education worldwide.

The Fulbright program Kraus and Vasquez are involved in is the Classroom Teacher Exchange (CTE). Unfortunately, the program is being discontinued due to funding cuts after the Sequester, according to Kraus. “There are other reasons that I could offer,” said Kraus. “However it doesn’t seem to make much sense to cancel this one Fulbright program, as it’s fairly cheap. The only costs are administrative costs to set up and conduct the program. Personally, I think the benefits far outweigh the costs.”

The program that is being canceled created contacts between France and Oklahoma that facilitated the Memorandum of Understanding on cultural exchange between the Ministry of Education in France and Oklahoma, according to Kraus.

“While I don’t pretend to make those kinds of contributions on the state or national level,” Kraus continued, “I have learned a lot about what works in our own school and system of education and I think I’ll be able to advocate for better educational practices both here and back in Oklahoma.”

This is the first time Kraus and Vasquez have ever done this. The problem is in getting administrative permission because of the riskiness of replacing a teacher with one they would have to take up on faith. “I owe Mr. Hunt and the HCP administration a lot of thanks for their willingness to allow me to go and to take a teacher that they didn´t know,” Kraus said.

For Vasquez, the process was simply answering to a national “call for participation”, as she put it, for all teachers to apply. “It was a one year wait before I was accepted into the program,” Vasquez said, “and six months to get a recommendation for a school.”

Vasquez has taught in Mexico for 22 years before now, and has been touring the US since. She has gained a new insight from teaching in Oklahoma.

“It has given me experience as role as a mother,” Vasquez said. “I have become more involved as a mother. There are free activities like museums and parks. In Mexico, people are not as active.”

The atmosphere in Oklahoma has also given her time to lay back. “It is very calm in Oklahoma compared to Mexico City,” Vasquez said. “Calm, but not paralyzed. You have time enough to do what you want to do. I have time to organize my life.”

During her stay in Oklahoma, she plans to learn more about the culture of the state. “Oklahoma is unique in certain ways compared to other states. The American Indian culture and Mexican culture have similarities. I wish to learn more about the ancient people of the state.”