We’ve received a grant to be able to send PiA fellows out into the field to capture stories from the people they meet and crazy adventures they have in Asia.

So…why do we want to do this?
For many PiA fellows, the experience in Asia is incredibly transformative.  They are immersed in a new world and that confronts them with the realization that many of their ways of thinking are limited by cultural assumptions. Surrounded by so much that is new and foreign, they are challenged to put aside preconceptions and learn how to listen, how to be present in unfamiliar surroundings, and how to share their experiences with friends and family.  They all become “storytellers” in a sense – sharing stories of home with those they meet in Asia (including mundane details of life at home that they never though anyone would find interesting!), bringing home their stories of experiences in the field, and sharing stories from people they meet in Asia: students, coworkers, community leaders. And the more effectively and broadly they share their stories of Asia, the wider the ripple of the cultural immersion and new perspectives they’ve gained.

How will this work?
We’ve ordered a bunch of equipment and have sent it to our participating fellows in the field.  Here’s what they get (kits shared among fellows in the same post):

o Zoom H2 handheld audio recorder
o Silicon case
o Memory card
o External microphone

Here’s what we ask from them:
1.  Post 2 audio clips to website.
2.  Submit a final project – an interview that they’ve edited together with background  sounds/music, etc, – audio with visual “soundslides;” etc.

Their submissions will all be posted on this website, so please visit us again and enjoy!

Here are great links to other storytelling websites:

http://www.storycorps.org/
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/index.html
http://hearingvoices.com/stories.php?fID=104&fidType=producer
http://www.storycenter.org/
http://islandervoice.blogspot.com/