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| Washington Capitol |
As Fulbright Visiting Students, we have
the important responsibility of representing our country, sharing our beliefs
and culture, and seeking mutual understanding. I am a PhD Student at
Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP) in Brazil and I
am a Visiting Student at the University of Washington on a Fulbright/ CAPES
Scholarship. Last Monday, Martin Luther King Day, the Fulbright Association Greater
Puget Sound Chapter organized an event. Fulbright Alumni and Visiting
Fulbright Students went to Olympia, WA for a one-day trip and guided tour of
the Washington State Capitol building. Robert Schafer, docent at the Capitol
and member of the Fulbright Greater Puget Sound Chapter Board, was our guide.
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| Matt Manweller |
We started the tour visiting some of the main rooms
of the Capitol: State Reception Room, Senate Chamber, House Chamber.
Robert Schafer shared interesting information and stories about the Capitol with
us. After the tour, we met Matt Manweller, current Representative of the 13th
Legislative District – Ellensburg and member of the Republican Party. He has a
seat in both the Labor & Workplace Standards and Technology and Economic
Development committees. He talked about his responsibilities and about recent
rally at the capitol, in which teachers demanded better school funding from
lawmakers and equitable education for all.
The Governor's Director of International Relations
Schuyler Hoss gave us a clarifying view of the relations between the Washington
State and states from other countries. He explained that the Washington State has
the supported of the Federal Government until now, but they have some concerns
about the new scenario after the presidential inauguration. It was also the
opportunity to advocate the Fulbright Program and its impact for international
relations. Lastly, Supreme Court Justice Susan Owens met us at the State’s Supreme
Court Room, where she explained how they choose the cases and what is the role
of Supreme Court; she also shared some information about her routine.
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| Supreme Court Room |
As Fulbrighters, we always hear that our most
important role is to be ambassadors of our home countries and that this is a
challenging responsibility. In the occasion, we learned more about the
organization of the Washington State and met other students and alumni from
different countries. It was a great opportunity to share our thoughts, research
topics and stories during the activity organized by the Fulbright Association
Great Puget Sound Chapter board.
