An Unexpected Journey

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An Unexpected Journey

The Adventure Begins

On February 24, 2015, I learned I was selected to be a Fulbright Scholar in Montreal, Canada. I was so excited, I left the the email in my inbox until weeks after I actually arrived here in August. To this day, there's a part of me that is sure I'll wake up on February 23, still waiting to hear the news. Below is the text from the email.

Good news! Congratulations on your selection for a 2015-16 Fulbright U.S. scholar grant. An official letter of selection from the J. William Foreign Fulbright Scholarship Board (FFSB) is attached. Please reply to confirm receipt.

I was in the kitchen, standing at the bar with several feet of snow outside while the kids were playing nearby. I had been frantically checking my email since (being honest here) I learned I had been selected as finalist. Below is how it all went down.

March 12, 2014 I attended Fulbright Workshop sponsored by UT featuring a visiting staff member from CIES. I also scheduled a one-on-one consultation that day and identified some initial locations and programs. Fulbright has a lot of programs, but you can only apply to one position, so you really have to be thoughtful in your application.
July 1, 2014 I began work formally on my application. I had done quite a bit of research before then on the project and potential locations, but really didn't start drafting the application until now. Being a bit farther out let me get feedback from several people and gave me time to get it to a good editor.
July - August, 2014 I did a lot of writing, emailing potential contacts in countries I was looking into applying for and developing my proposal. Initially, I had dismissed the Person and Society Research Chair in Concordia as I didn't think they would see the fit with my project. I am eternally grateful that they were willing to discuss and eventually endorse my application. I cannot overstate how much of a longshot I felt like my application was - especially to Montreal.
August 1, 2014 I hit "send" on the application. I'm not sure I have the right adjective to describe how that felt - excited, relieved, and nervous all come to mind. Then, the wait began. I was entirely too superstitious to tell many people I had applied. That feeling got immeasurably stronger with the next two notifications I received.
November 7, 2014 I received an email informing me I'd made it past the first (and some say most difficult) step - the peer review process. Here it an excerpt from the email, which came with a caution that there were more steps to come, including the country review.

Dear Dr. Biddix:
It is a pleasure to inform you that the peer review process, organized by IIE’s Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), has been completed and that you are among those recommended for a Fulbright award in Canada.

Please know that this peer review process constitutes only the first phase of the rigorous review process Fulbright applicants undergo.

February 24, 2015 I received the email telling me I had been selected. There was some caution again in this letter suggesting it was pending funding and other factors, but for most recipients this is the "you got it" notification. I want to share the closing line from that email, as I think it really captures the focus I've tried to keep in mind here.

We hope that your Fulbright experience will be highly rewarding professionally and personally, and that you will share the knowledge you gain as a Fulbrighter with many others throughout your life.

In the coming posts, I hope to relate what a Fulbright is and reflect on what it means to be a "Fulbrighter" as I experience, grow, and learn in Montreal. I plan to relate our experiences as a "Fulbright Family" and share some of how we "developed an international understanding" by learning from, working with, and enjoying our experiences alongside the friends we've made while here.