Yesterday was one of those days that left me feeling blessed and fortunate enough to be doing what I am doing, not only in my career, but in my Fulbright project here in Eswatini. I spent the day going to the local/national media stakeholders to get a feeling for the culture here, as the word "media" means many different things to many different people. And before anyone can work on challenges they must first learn the system that it is built on.
What I ended up getting in addition to Eswatini Media Culture 101, were introductions to some of the most creative, intelligent, and willing to learn individuals, professionals, and students that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I got to spend some time with executives and staff at a newspaper and radio station, and was given a behind the scenes tour. I met everyone from engineers to front office staff, and they had the same thing in common. A desire to do their job professionally and do it correctly. Their willingness to learn is unmatched and I am not kidding when I say that.
The reason I am here, and the project I am working on is to help them transition to a digital world. The majority of the media here are analog, and the struggle is real for them operating this way in a world that is quickly leaving analog behind. So to spend a few hours with these stakeholders was wonderful time spent. I'm fortunate enough to be at the point in my career where I am not too far removed from a lot of the issues they are having and feel lucky to be able to help them. So when I get back to the US, one of the first things I want to implement is a dialogue between them and our media in a Virtual Professional Workshop Series that will give them the training they need moving forward. This is a great opportunity for both sides (if anyone reading this in the business back home wants to help, email me) and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish! #Fulbright #WorldOfLearning #MeredithCollege