My actual Fulbright Journey commenced on July 2010 when I started applying for the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program. Thanks for the encouragement given to me by my principal Mrs Lakshmi Ramakrishnan , the confidence which my present Principal, Mr.Laksmipathy gave me and the support given by my husband, without which this journey would not have been possible…… The process of filling the application made me know my strengths and built confidence in me. It was only then I came to understand how much work I have done and also appreciated my own quality of work. THANKS to FULBRIGHT. Every step I put forward was with great confidence and with the will that I can and I will succeed. Slowly but steadily I crossed all the steps on the way till I received the letter saying that I was selected and must get ready for the next steps. It was then I realized that I am going to leave my home, country and live in a place where I do not know any one, even though it had always been my dream to go to the United States.
I had a mixed feeling of Joy, that I have got what I worked for , but at the same time fear, of living alone leaving all my people .I picked up courage and started working on the arrangements for the Journey . The Fulbright Nehru Scholar Orientation at Goa, India, arranged by the USIEF, made me realize my achievement and so gave me the courage to put out stronger steps forward. After that I was all excited and started looking forward to experience the new culture. The four week online orientation was indeed very useful and helped us to prepare ourselves to face the new culture with an open mind and also made us ready to adapt ourselves to any situation. I was ready, all set , to experience and make the best use of the opportunity to learn and share the differences.
ORIENTATION AT HOLIDAY INN, GOA, INDIA
FUN AT THE GOA BEACH, INDIA
SIGHT SEEING AT GOA, INDIA
SIGHT SEEING AT GOA, INDIA
Mahalakshmi, another Fulbright Teacher from Chennai was there at the airport at 10 pm on 31.07. 2011.We had already become close friends from December 2010 after meeting at the interview and TELP exam. We started discussing and preparing together for the Journey. Since we were going together we did not worry about our travel. Both of us have never traveled alone and this was our first experience going out of the country, on our own.
MAHALAKSHMI AND ME ATTENDING ORIENTATION AT GOA, INDIA
We enjoyed the journey from Chennai and reached Frankfurt at 7.30 am on the next day.We were on our way to the board the flight to DC, when we were stopped saying that there was an emergency search going on due to a bomb scare and we had to wait. We reached Washington DC safely, at 3 pm, on first August 2011.
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