by Colleen Newman, intern
From Virginia Wesleyan College to Thessaloniki, Greece Amber Randolph is giving back. After graduating from Virginia Wesleyan in 2005, Randolph took a position as an International Teaching Fellow at the American Farm School in Greece. She first learned about the position through friends.
"I immediately knew it was the job for me," Randolph said. "I knew it where I was supposed to be."
Randolph believes that her involvement as a student in Honors 
and Scholars, Democracy Dialogues and the Traditional Music Club made her the involved, outgoing and flexible individual the American Farm School was looking for.
The American Farm School is a boarding school established in the early 1900s to help rural children bring modern technology back to their communities. The school is built on a working farm, for students 15 to 18 years old. Randolph's responsibilities included interacting with students as much as possible as an English immersion component, teaching an English course, monitoring study halls and becoming involved with student life.
"I even attended farm classes," Randolph said. "I picked grapes, learned how to make wine and milked cows."
Randolph joined the traditional Greek dancing club and performed in the town square during a community name day 
celebration. In Greek culture people are named after saints and each day of the year is dedicated to a different saint. It is more meaningful to Greek people to celebrate their name days than their birthdays. Communities also celebrate name day based on the saint for which the community church is named. The entire town parades through the streets with an icon of the saint and the celebration culminates in the town square.
Aside from participating in the community name day celebration, Randolph immersed herself in Greek culture by living in a residence hall with Greek students, baking over 700 Greek Christmas cookies and playing the role of a pilgrim in the Thanksgiving Play. The most important aspect of her job was developing relationships with the students.
"You become their friend and mentor as well as their teacher," Randolph said. "You develop friendships."
Randolph developed a close relationship with a senior girl named Mariathi. "She is one of the more studious girls from the class," Randolph said. "Her father is a fisherman and a painter. She is on a full ride and stands apart from the other students. We would go to coffee together on the weekends and I would help her study for the TOEFL because she wants to go to school in the U.S. We have a lot in common because of our different backgrounds and academic goals. She always asks for advice about classes and other students."
One of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences for Randolph was teaching an intermediate English course to a room full of Greek students.
"The students couldn't understand me and I couldn't understand them. We went through it together," Randolph said. "It was the most challenging thing I have ever done. I felt after this moment I could do anything."
Randolph noted two major differences between American culture and Greek culture. She describes Greeks as "laid back – people are late and change things at the last minute but no one minds. They are vocal and expressive communicators; they use a lot of hand gestures and facial expressions."
When discussing the laid-back atmosphere Randolph said, "There are café's everywhere. In Greece they make a cup of coffee last from one to two hours. I had to adapt to this type of leisure."
Randolph credits Virginia Wesleyan with preparing her for the 
experience by exposing her to different cultures on campus. She feels this gave her "an advantage when adjusting to new cultures." Also, because of her involvement in campus organizations and activities, she learned flexibility. "It was easy to transition and jump from one role to another," she said.
Currently, Randolph has transitioned to another new role: working in the Office of Admissions at Virginia Wesleyan. "I love Wesleyan and felt like I should give something back to the school," she said. Randolph will be returning to The American Farm School in Greece from the end of March through June. Additionally, she is applying for a summer position at the school that would allow her to stay through August.
Randolph strongly encourages anyone who is thinking about going abroad to "do it! You learn a lot about yourself and different cultures." If you decide to go abroad she says to "be open-minded; it's fun -- the adventure is the best part!" The experience "opens your eyes to so many opportunities."