Webinar with Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors, Thursday, September 23, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., EDT

This Webinar will be co-hosted by Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors. The Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors are a diverse group of Fulbright U.S. Student Program award recipients who have conducted research, studied or assistant taught English in an array of countries around the world. Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors assist in promoting the program by sharing testimonials about what it was like to be a Fulbrighter and by offering tips on how to apply.

Space is limited.

Reserve your Webinar attendance now at:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/578872907

All times are Eastern Time Zone.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements:

PC-based attendees
Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees
Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

Webinar with Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors, Thursday, September 16, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., EDT

This Webinar will be co-hosted by Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors. The Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors are a diverse group of Fulbright U.S. Student Program award recipients who have conducted research, studied or assistant taught English in an array of countries around the world. Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors assist in promoting the program by sharing testimonials about what it was like to be a Fulbrighter and by offering tips on how to apply.

Space is limited.

Reserve your Webinar attendance now at:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/748635786

All times are Eastern Time Zone.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements:

PC-based attendees
Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees
Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

The Diplomacy of Mutual Inspiration: Combining Service and Creativity in a Fulbright Grant, By Franz Knupfer, 2008-2009, Nepal

As the Fourmile Fire rages in the canyons west of Boulder and smoke covers the city, the autumnal light has taken on a hazy, golden quality, like the lighting in a painting by one of the Old Masters. I’m reminded of autumn afternoons in Kathmandu, where the lighting was almost exactly like this. I’m reminded, too, of how much I miss Kathmandu and my friends there, and how much my experience as a Fulbright grantee in Nepal changed me. As I write this, it’s been almost two years to the day since I left the States for a Fulbright grant in Creative Writing in Nepal. Though I’ve been home almost a full year, I still remember the route I took from my apartment in the neighborhood of Hadigaun to the deaf school where I volunteered in Naxal. When I close my eyes, I can still walk through the rooms of the school and see my students in their classrooms.

In my Fulbright proposal, I wrote about how I planned to volunteer with the deaf community and write a collection of short stories. Though I wanted to learn and write about Nepal’s deaf community, I hadn’t realized how much I’d learn on a deeper level, on the level of the body; the body’s knowledge, in many ways, is far more ineffable and profound than the mind’s. It’s what we mean when we say, “you had to be there.” It’s exactly the kind of experience that writers and artists need for their work, but it’s also the kind of experience that can be of tremendous benefit to anyone.

If you’re a writer or an artist, whether you’re a musician, a dancer, a photographer, a painter, or a filmmaker, this kind of ineffable experience is an invaluable kind of inspiration. I’d even say it’s essential to the process of making art. And if you’re applying for a Fulbright grant, regardless of whether you’re an artist or applying in another field, I’d highly recommend incorporating some kind of volunteer or service work into your project. Though volunteering isn’t a required component of a Fulbright project, it can be an excellent way to give your project structure and meaning. It can help give your research fullness and depth, along with the deeper, ineffable knowledge that the body experiences.

It’s a well-known fact that the Fulbright Program isn’t just about research but also soft diplomacy. I’d like to call it the diplomacy of mutual inspiration. Because I volunteered at the Naxal School for the Deaf in Kathmandu, I made many friends and gained the trust of the deaf community. My friends told me their stories and I began to see and even have a direct experience of their lives because I spent so much time with them. Volunteering gave me both inspiration and material for my work, while teaching sign language and art inspired my students. We were practicing the diplomacy of mutual inspiration. Gradually, my body began to learn the little details, and to know: the taste of Rojini’s samosas, the feeling of the brittle grass underfoot when I played soccer with the boys in the afternoons, the smell of jasmine entwined with that of the heavy smoke that fouled the air. I can still see the faces of my students as their hands shaped a new sign language word or learned to draw landscapes. As I was shaped by these experiences, I began to know and form a new, deeper understanding of Nepal and the deaf community there, and this newfound knowledge gave my writing a depth it didn’t have before. I just had to be there, and I was, and it was a Fulbright grant that made it possible.

A few things for writers (and other artists) to consider in their Fulbright research proposal:

Why do you have to go there? You can write (or make art) anywhere. In your proposal, make it clear why you need to go to a specific country to complete your project.

Spell it out. Once you arrive in your host country, your project may end up changing in ways you didn’t anticipate, but having a detailed plan will help you and the selection committees visualize your project.

Get in touch. Finding an affiliation isn’t just about getting a letter of support. It’s about finding organizations that are willing to work with you. Your proposal will help you articulate what you plan to do with the affiliation in question, how they can help you, and quite possibly, how you can help them.

Volunteer. Adding a service element can give your project proposal (and your grant experience) structure, and also shows the application committee that you’re serious about getting involved. Organizations may also be more invested in becoming affiliations if you’re offering something in return.

It’s about mutual inspiration. Your project proposal isn’t just about you and your research, but hopefully something bigger than just you. How can you make your project relevant to your host country and the community you’re working with?

Photo: Fulbright Alumni Ambassador Franz Knupfer, 2008-2009, Nepal (left), with a Deaf Nepali student.

Franz Knupfer’s article in the September/October 2010 issue of Poets & Writers provides in-depth information for writers applying for a Fulbright grant.

General Fulbright U.S. Student Program Q&A Webinar, Thursday, September 9, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., EDT

Have questions about applying to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program? Thursday's Webinar is designed for applicants seeking to learn more about the program and the application process. All questions are welcome.

Space is limited.

Reserve your Webinar attendance now at:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/111030170

All times are Eastern Time Zone.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements:

PC-based attendees
Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees
Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

A Much-Appreciated Change of Pace, By Thomael M. Joannidis, 2009-2010, Cyprus

My Fulbright year in Cyprus was characterized by adaptability. Initially, I planned to “hit the ground running” and begin immediately gathering quantifiable research results for my proposed project. During my first days, however, I realized the value of taking things slowly and devoting some time to getting to know the people and culture, while also finding ways to connect with the community. At first, my New York upbringing felt quite at odds with accepting that things do not always work on a fast-paced schedule and that, in the meantime, I should sit with locals, enjoy the lovely weather and a Cypriot coffee. Yet, it was often in these moments – without a voice recorder or a list of questions – that my research began and people became comfortable enough to share their lives. Changing my project’s pace allowed me to begin understanding the soul of Cyprus, what matters to the people and the rhythm of their lives.

Volunteering with two non-governmental organizations which also served as my affiliations was essential to getting acclimated. The work I did with Hands Across the Divide, a grassroots, bicommunal women’s peace group (meaning that there were both Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot members), and Future Worlds Center, a large organization working in a number of areas including the promotion of civil society and peace, was not usually related to my research. I appreciated their time and willingness to assist me with my research and felt that the best way to thank them was to volunteer my time. On Fulbright, everything becomes a learning experience and an opportunity for personal growth. I supported staff by helping to facilitate and prepare for events on a range of topics including development education, youth activism and annual organizational meetings. Sometimes, my tasks were more administrative in nature, such as preparing agendas or taking minutes. At other times, I had an opportunity to present and actually participate in the programming. One of my best memories occurred when I volunteered to help at a bicommunal youth activism retreat which involved camping on a natural, undeveloped beach, surrounded by the sea on one side, and rocky terrain on the other.

Volunteering also benefited me in two additional ways. First, it took some of the pressure off of rushing to complete my Fulbright project. Cyprus is so different from New York City. I think that without volunteering, I may have become too overwhelmed by being over 5,000 miles away from home and feeling pressured to complete my research. Instead, I always had something that needed my help, gave me new ideas to consider, and an opportunity to meet people. When it came time to conduct formal interviews for my project, I had already formed a network of people, some of whose first experience of working with me was as a volunteer. Second, volunteering helped to refine my research. The more events I attended, casual conversations I had, the more my research became something pertinent to my personal and professional experience, and to Cypriot life. Volunteering prepared me to conduct my research in a way that aligned more closely with Cypriot cultural expectations of communication, pace of life, and privacy.

Through the lens of my volunteer experiences, I began to explore the development and suppression of identity, predominantly gender identity, in Cyprus. Due to what is known as the “Cyprus problem,” which has kept the island geographically divided across ethnic lines, membership in one of the two main ethnic groups, Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots, has historically defined national identities. Other identifiers such as gender, sexual orientation, race, and immigration status, are often not acknowledged. Furthermore, social issues have been overshadowed by the political problem. My research sought to explore the relevance of other identities beyond ethnicity to those I interviewed. Is there any evidence of social issues, including discrimination, in Cypriots’ lives? How do they define themselves and their communities? What do they value? What impact has the “Cyprus problem” had on their identities?

As I write up my findings and prepare to present them at a conference in Cyprus this fall, I realize that embracing Cypriot culture is something that has not only helped my research truly evolve but also provided me with a different outlook on life – both professionally and personally. After nine months of research in Cyprus, I not only have a better understanding of how the country perceives gender identity, but also a better understanding of myself. I know now that I can succeed in Manhattan, the Mediterranean - or any place in between.

A few tips for applicants:

1. Make your proposal accessible to readers who may not know much about your subject. In fact, consider having people outside your field read it. Is there anything they would suggest or find unclear?

2. Stay positive - even on days when your progress feels less than optimal. Getting all of the moving parts of the application to converge can feel daunting. If you remain focused and persistent, it will all come together.

3. When seeking an affiliation, be creative, flexible, and leave yourself plenty of time. I found it helpful to connect first with an American organization located in Cyprus that could recommend specific in-country contacts. However you make contact with potential affiliations, remember that standards of communication abroad may vary. Receiving a response to an email, for example, may take more time than you are accustomed to.

4. Do not expect to complete the application in a very rigid, linear way. While you may want to send potential affiliations, recommenders and others a perfect and polished proposal, waiting for that to happen can take more time than you think and can hinder receiving valuable feedback to help develop your project.

Photo: Thomael M. Joannidis, 2009-2010, Cyprus, climbing up to St. Hilarion Castle on the Kyrenia mountain range.

Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Webinar, Tuesday, September 7, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., EDT

This Webinar is designed for Fulbright U.S. Student Program applicants interested in learning more about Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) opportunities.

Space is limited.

Reserve your Webinar attendance at:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/263732570

All times indicated are Eastern Time Zone.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements:

PC-based attendees
Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees
Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

Webinar on Applying to the Western Hemisphere, Thursday, September 2, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., EDT

This Webinar is designed for applicants interested in learning more about Fulbright U.S. Student Program opportunities available in the Western Hemisphere.

Space is limited.

Reserve your Webinar attendance at:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/224569059

All times are Eastern Time Zone.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements:

PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer