USEFP

One of my host organizations is the U.S. Educational Foundation for Pakistan, which is a bi-national entity created to exchange students between our two countries. The USEFP also administers the Fulbright program for those Pakistanis who want to "exchange" with (and to) the United States.

Today, I spent the day with Mehreen and Rukhsana, who both work for the USEFP in Lahore and counsel students about how to apply and enroll at graduate schools in the United States. Mehreen attended Harvard and Rukhsana attended Philadelphia University (then Philadelphia College of Textile Science).

We spent the day counseling families and students about the regions of the United States (e.g., Indiana is very cold and California is warm and both have great schools) and various programs (i.e., the difference between an MBA and a engineering management degree). These kids are extremely bright and so eager to come to the United States, where our educational system is seen as the example for the rest of the world. Their parents are naturally concerned and ask about crime, urban vs. rural areas, costs, how their children will be treated, educational quality, the difference between public and private schools, etc.

All in all, a terrific day. And, they treated me to pizza.