Q&A with Jade Isabella Lau (CAS ’21)
Jade Isabella Lau earned a BA in Anthropology & Religion with honors from CAS in May 2021. Her senior thesis focused on the representation of Chinese indentured laborers in Cuba from 1847 to 1894. Following graduation, Jade was one of eighteen selected for the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) in Vietnam. She currently teaches English at Trà Vinh University, in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. The Fulbright ETA Program aims to forge mutual understanding between the United States and Vietnam through teaching and intercultural exchange.
Q: How did you learn about this Fulbright program?
A: I was introduced to the Fulbright Program in Vietnam by my Anthropology Professor and Fulbright alumnus Dr. Merav Shohet. Dr. Shohet conducted her ethnographic field research in Da Nang and Quang Vietnam through a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship (2006-2007). She is also a recipient of the Fulbright-Hays Group Project Fellowship: Study at Advanced Summer Institutes in Vietnam (2004). In May of 2021, I attended a Vietnam Studies Symposium orchestrated by Dr. Shohet, in which I was introduced to more Fulbright scholars and their work.
While studying abroad, I was recommended to apply for Fulbright by my Professors and Fulbright alumni. Based on our shared experience studying abroad and interests in culture and language, my Professors recommended that I apply for the Fulbright Program.
I was deeply inspired by how Fulbright was formative in building my Professors’ careers and globalizing their perspective. Upon researching the Fulbright Programs further, I was enthusiastic to apply to the English Teaching Assistantship Program in Vietnam, as it was perfectly aligned with my values, experiences, and future aspirations.
Q: What does your role entail?
A: At Trà Vinh University, I am independently responsible for teaching over 100 students courses in English speaking and listening. The majority of my students are in the same generation as me. I teach about 14 hours of class each week.
To create spaces for students to explore concepts outside of the curriculum, I host weekly office hours as well as workshops covering themes such as language, culture, identity, and poetry. I also visit classes of students who are not majoring in English to guest teach and answer student’s questions. Further, I support the English Speaking Club and other extracurricular activities on campus.
Outside of teaching, I host festive celebrations, field trips, and informal get togethers to facilitate intercultural conversations.
Q: Could you tell us about your experience so far?
A: I often joke that one of my closest friends here is my supervisor’s three year old nephew. We point at things and say their colors, we count numbers, we repeat phrases that we hear a lot–not always fully able to understand the depth or weight of them. Our pronunciation is sloppy, sometimes to the point of being incomprehensible. Many things fly over our head because we simply can’t understand everything.
I say this both because I am grateful for my relationship with him; but also because I feel a certain frustration having the linguistic capabilities of a three-year-old, while having the responsibilities and tasks of an adult. It can be frustrating, isolating and difficult. I want to express myself, but I can’t, or I am incredibly limited.
I recognize this is how my grandparents and many immigrants who don’t know English feel when they come to the United States. Through complete linguistic immersion, I can now authentically empathize with those who feel this way. Although it has been challenging, I feel an intense motivation to meet them half-way. I need to learn their native language, so they can more easily learn mine. We need to build bridges to make communication more accessible.
Some of my most rewarding, memorable, and transformative experiences have stemmed from my role as a cultural ambassador. Especially because for most of the people that I have met here in Vietnam, I am the first American, or foreigner, they have ever met. For that reason, many hold stereotypes that Americans look and behave a certain way. They are surprised to see I have brown instead of blue eyes, to learn that my last name is Chinese, and my family speaks Spanish. I am proud to embody and share the diversity of the United States.
To me, Fulbright is about building relationships and deepening understanding through the reciprocal exchange of knowledge, language, and culture.
I don’t shy away from being open about our challenges. I’ve had conversations about colonialism, colorism, discrimination, privilege, war, and inequity. I have found that by being vulnerable, honest, and open, I earn my students’ respect and they reciprocate it. Through these conversations, we build understanding, and work towards a more peaceful future for us all.
I share many aspects which exemplify the dynamism of US culture; holidays, music, foods, history, traditions and customs. For example, I was the first teacher at my university to host celebrations for Halloween, I taught about Día de los Muertos, and explored concepts such as history, colonialism, and indigeneity during Thanksgiving. In class, we sing karaoke to popular English music, and play the games that I enjoyed in school. Analogously, I have participated in many sacred traditions and everyday customs of my local community. I have vibrant memories of attending a Vietnamese wedding, and Khmer Buddhist celebrations such as the Kathina festival. I feel very grateful for having been invited to many homes and hometowns. When I visit, I meet family members of all ages, we cook, eat, sing, share stories, and laugh together. In all of these moments, the most universal feeling is connection.
Q: How has your undergraduate education informed your current experience in Vietnam?
A: My experiences studying Anthropology at BU constantly informs how I navigate my everyday life and work. In my position as a Fulbright Cultural Ambassador, I am sensitive to the fluidity, dynamism, and pluralism of human cultures and identities. I am proud to share stories of multi-vocality which honor the vivid diversity of the United States and other English language learners. I aim to continue to utilize my anthropological toolkit to forge connections, share knowledge, promote peace, and deepen understanding of the human experience.
Q: What comes next for you after this grant ends?
A: After Fulbright, I will continue working in education abroad. I believe the linguistic and cultural knowledge gained while teaching abroad better prepares me to teach English in a way that empowers the students’ native language and culture.
My experiences have fueled my interest in the intersection of education and anthropology. I have witnessed the transformative power of intercultural communication and collaboration. In the future, I hope to pursue higher education degrees in anthropology and education.
Ultimately my goal is to intertwine my knowledge of English, Spanish, and Vietnamese to teach in my local community of Orange County. Of which, Spanish and Vietnamese are the most spoken foreign languages.
Q: Tell us something interesting or surprising about yourself!
A: When I first studied in Vietnam in 2020, I met an artist and musician living in Sài Gòn. Together, we painted traditional Vietnamese conical hats, nón là’s, to celebrate Lunar New Year. I was enchanted watching her play traditional Vietnamese instruments, especially the bamboo flute, because it reminded me of the Cuban music my family and I listen to.
Throughout the pandemic, we stayed in close contact. She continued to share traditional Vietnamese music and contemporary art with me.
As soon as I could return to Vietnam through the Fulbright fellowship, I reunited with my friend. She helped me purchase a bamboo flute of my own, and has been teaching me how to play it. I often return to her studio to drink tea from her hometown in the central highlands, admire her artwork, learn about Vietnamese folk stories, traditions, and traditional music. I am deeply inspired by her, and touched by her wisdom, kindness, and generosity.
In addition to learning to play the bamboo flute, I have found novel and unexpected ways to connect with the local community of Trà Vinh. For example, my students invited me to walk in their fashion show that will showcase rainbow colors in the spirit of LGBTQIA+ pride. I have also modeled for local photographers. During my most recent photoshoot, I was honored to wear traditional Vietnamese clothing, Việt phục.