Fulbright ETAs
(English Teaching Assistant)
What is Fulbright?
Fulbright is a United States program that sends students, teachers, and scholars to 140+ countries. It began in 1946 after a U.S. Senator (J. Williams Fulbright) introduced the idea in the U.S. Congress. Learn more: https://us.fulbrightonline.org/about
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What is an "English Teaching Assistant" (ETA)?
Fulbright offers several types of scholarships. One type is the "ETA,” which sends U.S. citizens to other countries. The goal of the ETA is to "provide assistance to the local English teachers." Learn more: https://us.fulbrightonline.org/about/types-of-awards/english-teaching-assistant-awards
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How can I go to the United States through Fulbright?
There are several ways that Brazilians can receive Fulbright scholarships to go to the U.S. The scholarship that is equivalent to the ETA, but for Brazilians, is called the Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (“FLTA”). Through this program, Brazilians can go to the U.S. and teach Portuguese at a university for one year. Learn more: https://fulbright.org.br/bolsas-para-brasileiros/
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Who is the 2023 ETA at UNESP Rio Preto?
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Raquel Luna​
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Hello everyone! My name is Raquel Luna and I will be working here in São José do Rio Preto this school year as a Fulbright ETA. I am so excited to be here and work on our English language learning goals together. I'm also looking forward to sharing about U.S. culture and what it means to me. Similarly, I can't wait to learn more about Brazilian culture from all of you. It's going to be a great year of cultural exchange!
I was born and raised in Orlando, Florida, a place famous for sunshine, beaches nearby, and of course Disney World and other theme parks! My parents are from the island of Puerto Rico, which is a territory of the United States located in the Caribbean. I have so many fond memories of visiting Puerto Rico: spending time with my family, visiting the beautiful beaches, exploring the lush El Yunque rainforest, and eating lots of delicious food!
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So, it makes sense that some of my favorite hobbies involve being outdoors, being with friends and family, and eating! I love going to the beach or the pool, hiking, rollerblading, doing yoga, and just feeling the sun on my skin! I also enjoy trying new restaurants or making new recipes at home. Since the sixth grade, I have played the saxophone, and my dad and my brother also play musical instruments. So, music has always been a huge part of my life. I'm a big fan of all kinds of genres, but some of my favorites are jazz, RnB, salsa, bachata, reggaeton and gospel. I love hearing genres and artists from other countries and cultures as well. Currently, I've been listening to lots of flamenco, kizomba, and MPB!
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I attended university at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where I majored in Linguistics and Spanish & Portuguese. My passion for languages started when I studied Latin in high school, and it grew even stronger when I began to study Spanish and later on Portuguese. During my time in Atlanta, I worked on an organic farm at my school where I planted and harvested all kinds of vegetables and fruits (and even harvested honey from our bees!), played in my college jazz band, and got involved in Emory's Latinx student community. I really enjoyed all the things that Atlanta offered in terms of delicious food, fun concerts and events, and a diverse cultural community.
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After graduating from university in August 2022, I moved back to Orlando and began my preparations to move here, and I am so thrilled to finally be here, not only to serve the UNESP community and Rio Preto as a whole, but also to learn and grow in so many ways. I am a firm believer that learning a language is so much more than words; it's about learning and embracing a new culture as well, and I am so excited to put that belief into practice in the classroom and in my life here in Brazil!
