A Year in the Fulbright Life: Alya’s Story
For the next year, Fulbright MENA will be showcasing a handful of students as they study in the United States with their new series, A Year in the Fulbright Life. Each month, spotlighted students will share an update as they continue on their Fulbright journey.
August 2021
I really loved Washington D.C! It’s such an amazing place to visit. Hands down one of the best places I’ve seen! I fell in love with D.C. because I could see all of the states written on the structural walls (of the National World War II Memorial). I couldn’t resist capturing a picture of myself with the state in which I will be pursuing my Master’s degree. Washington D.C. is definitely worth the visit!
Another incredible place I ventured to is Chicago! No wonder the Bean is the best place to capture a picture in Chicago. Visiting Chicago again brought back feelings of nostalgia, since I visited in 2013 when I was a Study of the United States Institutes (SUSI) participant in an exchange program in the United States.
Of course, visiting Chicago guarantees a visit to Willis Tower Skydeck! Being here brings back memories of visiting with my SUSI friends. It feels just as amazing to be back as it did the first time!
For my last stop on my trip, I visited an Iraqi friend of my mine and had the best time of my life exploring Michigan with them! It felt so comforting to be eating authentic Iraqi dishes again and enjoying my time on the lakes. While visiting the lakes, I was so happy to see how close Canada was to the American side in Port Huron. I felt like I was in two places at the same time!
Visiting Michigan means a must-go visit to the Henry Ford Museum. I was so overwhelmed to learn that this car was the same one that President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated in! It was one of the best places to visit for sure.
As a neuroscientist master student with a B.S degree in Biology I have always been fascinated by dinosaurs and prehistoric history. It was so interesting and exciting to visit the Field Museum in Chicago!
November 2021
During November, I celebrated Thanksgiving in New York City with a fellow Fulbrighter from Dubai. We had the chance to watch the amazing Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
While I was in New York, I tried something new and wound up ice-skating for the very first time at Bryant Park. I loved my new experience!
Alya is a 2020 Fulbright student from Iraq. She is studying Neuroscience at the University of Hartford.
Follow updates from Alya and other Fulbright students on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Check back here every month for more updates on the blog and Medium Series to see what Alya does this year!
