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Fulbright U.S. Student
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Fulbrighters in the Field
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2008-2009 Fulbright U.S. Student CompetitionThe 2008-2009 Fulbright U.S. Student Competition will open on May 1, 2007. For more information, please click here. |
Power of Performance Poetryby Susan Pietrzyk, 2006-2007, ZimbabweA Zimbabwean performance poet told me that in witnessing an embodied blending of lyrical poetry styles and socio-politically conscious spoken word, “You tend to feel a performance more than you hear it.”
Most commonly we hear bleak stories coming out of Zimbabwe. At the same time, these are stories entangled in a maze of politics and ideological agendas which have underhandedly forced their way into Zimbabwean spaces. In addressing the political and ideological maze, a performance poet can poignantly unravel why something such as HIV/AIDS is interconnected to a deeper past and present concerning, for example, class, colonialism, disease, gender, homosexuality, politics, race, sex, and violence. A performance poet not only conveys what Zimbabweans experience at the level of daily life, but also effectively critiques the various paradigms which hinder the paths to social justice. Both the words which are spoken as well as the performance of the poet reveal energy, ingenuity and a hunger for individually -- collectively continuing to chart avenues and action for new visions and more peaceful futures. HIV prevalence in Zimbabwe has been steadily declining in the last few years. I can and do read about this trend in governmental and donor reports, the newspaper, and scholarly journals. Behavior change is what most credit as the reason for this significant and important trend. What is generally difficult to capture and gain a feeling for in quantitative evidence, are the voices which may have played a role in inspiring change. Reports tracking shifts in tangible behaviors such as condom use and age of sexual debut are limited when it comes to understanding the fervor that a voice might instill. Voices and the words which are performed, are both heard and felt as forms of leadership in spaces where people may be searching for beacons of expertise. Lest we not forget all that voice as performance conveys. And best we take heed of the poet. |
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Submitting Photos to the Fulbright Photo GalleryWe are now collecting photos
from the entire current cohort of Foreign, FLTA
and U.S. Fulbright grantees. -- Please indicate your grant year and the country in which you are engaged in your Fulbright program. Photos from non-U.S. Fulbrighters are organized by home country; photos from U.S. Fulbrighters are organized by the country in which they are conducting grant activities. When in doubt, please send us an email with your questions. -- With
all submitted photos, you must include a caption
that clearly indicates your name, country and a
brief description (i.e., the title of the
event attended, location where the photo was
taken, etc.) of the content of the photo.
-- Click on the link below to enter photo gallery's home page: http://photos.fulbrightonline.org Enjoy using the Fulbright Photo Gallery! |
My Fulbright in Kingstonby Afreen Akhter, 2006-2007, JamaicaI stepped into Kingston, Jamaica after a rigorous bout in the concrete jungle of New York City. I was completely thrown. I’d never inhabited a place where I was caught in so much earth. Mountains stretched above me on every horizon, and the roads were lined with greenery so vivid I could swear I was awash in a painting. As I grew to know the country better, I became more aware of the stark mix of prosperity and poverty in Kingston. The dichotomy is aggravated because of the size of Kingston. In this tiny urban sphere, I witnessed the most intense economic disparity on a daily basis.
With the aid of the vibrant founders of SISTREN (who oft-times fly about the main office screeching American oldies at the top of their lungs), I’ve been working in the poorest parts of Kingston. I’ve spent most of my time, thus far, as a director of a women’s drama group in a community called Hannah Town. The Hannah Town women are, invariably, a combative, lively bunch. Most rehearsals have moments of violent outbursts, either verbal or physical in nature, which have become easier to mitigate with time. Ironically, their real fire comes out in those moments they perform. I remember my first street theatre performance with them quite vividly. They stepped out of bounds of their enclave to an adjacent ghetto, clad in costumes that were bright and revealing. Despite the decades of conflict between the two ghettos, and the innumerable lives lost on both sides, they performed on the opposing ghetto’s raw streets. In those minutes, their passion and love of the craft became truly apparent. The response was unbelievable. The opposing ghetto thronged the pseudo-stage and cried praise throughout. At the end, both communities came together to discuss the piece’s social import, and had dinner. It was a profound moment. Since then, we’ve performed on many other streets, for the Prime Minister, the leader of the Opposition Party, and have many performances to come. Alongside Hannah Town, I’m attempting to start up similar theater groups in other Kingston ghettos and implement literacy projects with members of the collectives. My time as a Fulbrighter, which is far from being finished, has been uncanny. |
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Photo of the Month
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Post-Grant Opportunity for 2006-2007 U.S. Student Fulbright AlumniUNESCO FULBRIGHT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM 2007-2008 Many of you have already heard about the UNESCO Fulbright Fellowship Program. The competition for 2007-2008 is now open. With sponsorship from the UN Foundation/Better World Fund, the Institute of International Education and UNESCO have created a professional development opportunity for U.S. Student Fulbright alumni. Now in its fourth year, up to five 2006-2007 U.S. Student Fulbright grantees will be selected to intern as UNESCO Fulbright Fellows at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France for a six month period starting September 3, 2007. While the preference is for Fellows to start in September 2007, some positions may permit a January 2008 start date. This will allow grantees with grant periods ending in fall 2007 or later to apply. However, since some positions will require that Fellows start in September 2007, 2006-2007 grantees whose original grant period ends after September 3, 2007 will be eligible to apply for the UNESCO Fulbright Internship Program in 2008-2009, if it is offered. Eligible grantees should check the Fulbright website in March 2008 to determine if the program is available, and if they are eligible. Additionally, 2005-2006 Fulbright grantees whose original grant period ended after September 1, 2006 are eligible to apply for the 2007-2008 competition. Grantees may only apply for the UNESCO Fulbright Fellowship once. The five UNESCO Fulbright Fellowship areas are: Ecological and Earth Sciences; Communication and Information; World Heritage Conservation; Global Literacy and Education. Opportunities to travel on business trips to project sites will be available in some placements. While all degree levels will be considered, recent graduates and Master's degree applicants are strongly encouraged to apply. Fellows will be provided with a travel and settling-in allowance, and a monthly stipend to cover basic housing, meals, and incidental expenses. If you are interested in learning more, visit www.fulbrightonline.org/us, and click on “Resources for Current Fulbrighters” on the left-hand side. The deadline for applications is Monday, April 16, 2007. Late applications will not be accepted. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Valerie Hymas at vhymas@iie.org. The UNESCO/Fulbright Fellowship program is truly an extraordinary opportunity to gain hands-on experience and to compliment your Fulbright experience! |
A Call for Articles with PhotosWe welcome articles with accompanying photos for future issues of the U.S Fulbright Student Grantee Newsletter. Articles should ideally be about your experience of being abroad as a Fulbright ambassador, and any relevant and/or unique musings you might want to share with your fellow Fulbright grantees and others interested in the Fulbright Program. The length of the article should be no more than 500 words and not require much editing in order to be published. The accompanying photos should show you engaged in program activities, or be illustrative of your article's content. Please submit your articles with photos within two weeks of the release of this newsletter. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to receiving your articles! |