Snapshot of the Month: Jasper Erwin Tolarba – Jordan (2019)
Photo caption: In Amman, Jordan during my Fulbright fellowship (2019-2020) Q: Tell us about your Fulbright experience. Where did you go? When? What did you do? In 2019–2020, I was honored to serve as a U.S. Fulbright Research Fellow in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, where I was hosted by Jordan University of Science and […]
Snapshot of the Month: Catherine Del Buono – Italy (2022)
Photo caption: Lungomare, Naples. 2022 Q: Tell us about your Fulbright experience. Where did you go? When? What did you do? I was a Fulbright Scholar in 2022 in Naples, Italy. I did art-based research with the psychology department at University of Naples Federico II. With their help, I was able to conduct interviews with […]
Snapshot of the Month: Payton Hodson – Ecuador (2024-2025)
Photo caption: Exploring caves in the Amazon Rainforest with my Kichwa language classmates/professor and Ikiam University English students/coworker! Q: Tell us about your Fulbright experience. Where did you go? When? What did you do? From September 2024 through June 2025, I served as a bilingual English Teaching Assistant in Tena, Ecuador at Universidad Regional Amazónica […]
Preparing for Events of Mass Violence in Ecuador – Sarah Maness – Ecuador 2025
Ecuador is currently experiencing an exponential growth in crime. Since 2016, the homicide rate has increased 500% and in 2023 was 45 per 100,000, the highest in South America. This rapid and unprecedented increase in crime, driven by gangs and the drug trade, has created an environment of fear and panic in a once peaceful […]
A Peruvian’s Journey of Growth and Discovery – Johann Cardenas – Peru 2021
In 2021, I received the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship from the Fulbright Peru Commission. This prestigious award brought me from my home country, Peru, to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, marking the beginning of a transformative journey. My arrival at Illinois was both exciting and daunting. However, the welcoming community of the Fulbright Student Association […]
A Fulbright Family: A Mother and Son’s Shared Legacy in Nepal
When Patrice Moulton first set foot in Nepal, she never imagined it would become a defining part of her life—let alone shape the journey of her son, Bryce. A psychologist by training, she arrived in the country after the 2015 earthquake, working to create safe learning spaces for children. That experience led to a Fulbright […]
The Russians Are Coming. The Russians Are Coming. No, It’s a French Robot! – Patrice Flynn – Russia 2019
My Russian Fulbright took an advantageous turn that demonstrates how the Fulbright Program brings scholars together in unexpected and meaningful ways, this time through robots. To teach global capitalism in the U.S., I am constantly on the look-out for ways to move beyond old teaching techniques to ones that meet the changing needs of new […]
A Bike Ride Through Thasala, Thailand
“We’ll take two Thai teas waan noi,” I say to Bo, my favorite barista in town. Her smile says, “I know you only like a little sugar.” Ali and I thank her and tuck our teas into our bike baskets. After teaching five classes, we are excited to bike to my local beach. While making […]