Weddington 704-243-5782
Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country known for its beaches and rainforests . Home to about 30 million people , it is ruled by a constitutional monarchy , much like Britain .
These facts may not hold much significance to the average Union County resident , but to Tyler Lee , a world history teacher at Monroe High School , they are important .
Lee is one of 100 Fulbright Scholars from around the world going to Malaysia in January . He will teach English in a Malaysian high school for 10 months .
The Fulbright is an American scholarship available to students , teachers , scholars , professionals , scientists and artists . Founded by then United States Senator J . William Fulbright in 1946 , the Fulbright Program funds international educational exchange .
“ I ’ ve never done something like this ; just going somewhere new and experiencing a new culture – in terms of teaching , living and meeting some new people who are having the same experience as me ,” Lee said .
Lee , 23 , applied for the Fulbright after Steven Hyland , one of his professors at Wingate University , encouraged him to do so . “ I didn ’ t even know things like that existed . I had no idea there were opportunities just sitting there .”
A track coach at Monroe High , Lee was seated on an activity bus on his way to a track meet when he got the email that he had won the Fulbright .
“ As soon as I saw the words , “ Pleased to inform you ,” I knew I had won . I just sat there in shock . Then I had to sit at the track meet for several hours coaching , thinking , ‘ Oh my gosh ! Oh my gosh ! This really happened .’ ”
When he received the email , Lee called Hyland to share the news . “ He had a staff meeting with all the faculty at Wingate . He just ran into the meeting yelling , ‘ Tyler won ! Tyler won !’ He was through the roof .”
There were several reasons why Lee requested Malaysia in his Fulbright application . He said he had always enjoyed studying Asian history , and found it particularly interesting that his grandfather was a fighter pilot in Vietnam .
“ I took a globalization class and we talked a lot about Malaysia because of its central point in Southeast Asia ,” Lee said “ The country is very much involved in globalization history because so many things
Monroe High teacher embarks on new adventure in Malaysia
Tyler Lee was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to teach English in Malaysia .
went through there . I thought it was an interesting place .”
Lee is not nervous about teaching in another country , but he is a little concerned about the logistics of moving there .
“ I ’ m not married , but I ’ ve been in a relationship for a couple of years ,” he said . “ That ’ s going to be tough . I know I can get WiFi , but I don ’ t know how strong it ’ s going to be . Leaving my girlfriend and putting my life in a storage unit for 10 months makes me a little nervous .”
Lee said he was grateful to have been given a leave-of-absence from teaching in Union County Public Schools . “ They ’ ve secured my job , which is great , but I ’ m not sure if I ’ ll still be teaching at Monroe High School . November is not exactly an ideal time for me to show up . It ’ s right before Thanksgiving break . I think they ’ ll just see where the need is .”
His students have been asking if he ’ ll return to Monroe High . “ I told them that ’ s the plan , but I ’ ve been honest with them . My job is safe , but I may not be back here . I don ’ t want them to be disappointed if it doesn ’ t work out .”
Victoria Yercheck , a ninth-grade student in Lee ’ s AP history class , had mixed feelings when she heard the news he was leaving .
“ I was kind of upset that he was leaving because we all love him ,” Victoria said . “ He ’ s our first AP teacher and he ’ s been helping us learn the skills we need . So we ’ re kind of sad that he ’ s leaving , but it ’ s a really cool experience . If you get that kind of opportunity , then you should go for it . Since I want to be a teacher , that ’ s something that I think I would want to do ; go abroad and teach in other countries . That sounds really cool .”
Lee said he is curious to see what differences there are between American students and those in Malaysia . He has also been asked to coach a sport , but hasn ’ t been told what sport .
If the opportunity presents itself , Lee plans to do a little traveling while abroad . “ Malaysia is around so many different countries , but the major countries , like India , China and Japan , are relatively far away ,” he said . “ I don ’ t know realistically how much money I will have to be able to do that .”
Growing up in a military family , Lee lived in Germany as a child , so it won ’ t be the first time he ’ s had a residency outside the United States .
“ I was very young , so to me it was just a regular place . It didn ’ t feel like it was different .”
Lee admits that part of the allure of traveling abroad is the adventure . “ I have no problem being adventurous and having new experiences . I ’ m young . People have been telling me for a long time to take advantage of that . So I am .”
The Fulbright Program operates in more than 155 countries worldwide .
— This article was provided by the Union County Public Schools Communications Office .
Weddington 704-243-5782
Tutoring & Exam Prep www . huntingtonhelps . com / center / weddington
Parent Teacher Magazine • Jan / Feb 2017 • 9