From the start – Brad Deacon – Germany 1993
From my arrival in Bonn for orientation, I found myself surrounded by some of the most interesting people I’d ever met. Fulbrighters from across the U.S., in Germany to study economics, physics, medieval literature, engineering, music, and so many more areas. All with vastly different lives and experiences, but brought together for a few days […]
Fulbright Opens Hearts, Minds, and Doors to the World – Philip William Calvert – Iceland 1994
I vividly remember the day in the spring semester of my second year of graduate school when I received the letter from the Fulbright Association accepting my application to be a Scholar to Iceland. I carried that letter to my next class, which was taught by my mentor, Dr. Turley. The joy on his face, […]
My First Attempted Coup d’Etat – James Nolan – Spain 1979 & 1989
Photo Above: Poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and James Nolan in his Barrio Gotico apartment, Barcelona, 1991. This past January 6, I sat glued to the television watching as state representatives in the nation’s Capitol cowered on the floor while a mob of shouting louts invaded their congressional chamber, interrupting the Electoral College’s certification of the presidential […]
Blood Diamonds: Before and After Sierra Leone’s Civil War – Susan Ruel – Sierra Leone 1978
My Fulbright year in Sierra Leone made an incalculably significant impact on my life. When I left in 1979, I saw no hint that a vicious civil war would break out there just over a decade later. On arrival in 1978 as one of a tiny group of “pothos” (whites) in country, I felt such […]
My Greek Odyssey – George B. Salimbene – Greece 1965
It starts out with my Fulbright voyage to Greece where I am scheduled to teach ESL at the University of Athens, and then the adventurous years that follow. Including years later a meeting with Senator Fulbright in Athens. George B. Salimbene – Fulbright to Greece 1965
Argentina Friends – Brenda Hargrove – Argentina 2006
I was so pleased to have an exchange with an Argentinian educator so similar to me! She had certainly never been outside of her country to North Carolina! I shared as much as I could about the culture, school system, family, etc. with her while she lived with me for three weeks in October, 2006; […]
Strong Heart Of Glass – Michael Janis – United Kingdom 2012
The University of Sunderland is home to the National Glass Centre in the UK, as well as the Institute for International Research in Glass (IIRG). As a glass artist, this was exactly where I wanted to do my Fulbright Fellowship. Artist and studio mate Tim Tate was also a recipient of a Fulbright Specialist award, […]
Developing a Passion for International Education – Matt Schiesel – Poland 2015
A few weeks into my role as an American English teacher at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland, I found myself curious about the structure and methodology behind Polish higher education. The use of retake classes and exams, the focus on thematic lessons and academic integrity – not all of this was new to me, […]