What does it mean to enter into a new environment where everything is unknown? Explore this experience as our speaker explores a Whole New World when entering the United States for the first time as a Fulbright Scholar. Alaa Zaid is a 2020 Egyptian Muslim graduate of the Faculty of Languages, Literature, and Simultaneous Interpretation at Al Azhar University, further enriched by her diploma and pre-master’s studies in Written Translation and Simultaneous Interpretation from Ain Shams University. Driven by a passion for cross-cultural exchange and genuine connection, she embarked on a transformative journey in August 2024 as a Fulbright Scholar and Arabic Language Teaching Assistant at Stetson University. Drawing on her diverse background as a teaching assistant, five years of teaching English as a second language, and two years as an Arabic-English translator and interpreter, Alaa is committed to bridging cultural divides through meaningful dialogue and understanding. Her work as a translator and interpreter has given her a different perspective, allowing her to see both worlds firsthand and experience the richness of both cultures. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx