A Year in the Fulbright Life: Joy’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
Just before I waved goodbye for one last time to my family in Jordan, I took my very last picture in Amman before traveling all the way to Burlington, Vermont, to start my academic journey!
With constant hours of flying and waiting, I arrived in beautiful Burlington without any expectations of what would happen next. I decided to take each day as it comes and trust the process; a challenge for my extra-organized and detail-oriented self!
After settling in my new apartment viewing the Winooski River, nature was the first thing that captivated my heart in Vermont. Spending as much time outdoors by the river or lake brought so much joy to my soul.
This is a picture of me by Lake Champlain after enjoying a delicious chocolate creemee (Vermont is incredibly famous for its creemees — local soft-served ice cream with many flavors!)
Although creemees are certainly popular, getting my scoop of Ben and Jerry’s (a globally operating ice cream company based in Vermont) is definitely a must in Vermont. I enjoyed walking between the beautiful shops and restaurants in Church Street that all taught me one valuable lesson — shop local!
My first day on campus was very memorable. With buildings dating back to as early as 1791, there is so much history to admire in this place! After a tour with other international students, I knew the next couple of years at University of Vermont- Montpelier (UVM) are going to memorable. Pictured here is the Old Mill, one of the oldest buildings on campus, and where I will attend my classes this fall. So exciting!
After the tour, all graduate international students attended an orientation to get to learn more about Vermont specifically, as well as education and culture in the United States in general. After a week of valuable lectures, we enjoyed creemees by the lake (again!) and got to know each other more.
With classes starting on August 30th, I met more students and professors as well. I also got to spend more time on campus discovering new buildings and good studying spots. Billings Library, built in 1883 and shown in picture, remains one of my favorites so far.
While studying remains a major part of my academic journey here, I still try to enjoy stress-free activities on the weekends. Throughout August, my Saturday mornings were incomplete without enjoying a beautiful morning hike, which was something I have never done before. The beautiful view at the summit makes the hike worth it! My favorite hike so far was at Niquette Bay State Park in Colchester, Vermont. What was so special about this hike was that it was also a poetry walk, with poems to read here and there, while catching our breath!
September 2021
When classes started in September, summer days were ending and there was still so much to discover in Vermont! I went to a fair for the first time and enjoyed a lot of good rides and good food. We also saw the cutest ponies, and obviously “Grumpy” was my favorite!
Settling in also meant creating stronger bonds with my roommate. Bella, who studies Arts Education at the University of Vermont, has been my hiking and grocery shopping partner. It’s great to have her around all the time. I not only enjoy her company but also love seeing the great art she is always creating! Here’s a painting she did for our shared space.
While enjoying the last days of summer in the mountains, seeing the leaves change color is amazing! I can’t wait to see the same spots change over the seasons.
With fall comes lots of new activities! I happened to attend one of the most unique ones so far: a Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival! It was such an amazing experience to see a big group of people celebrate fall while chucking pumpkins as a competition! I also enjoyed great food and music with my friends in the beautiful town of Stowe.
Studying abroad is a great experience. I’m so glad I’m able to balance my studies and my social life. I’ve been able to create so many friendships inside and outside of the classroom. People in Vermont are very friendly, which helps a lot!
October 2021
Happy fall! I am very grateful to share my experience and recount how my months in Vermont are going.
It is especially great to discover new parts of Burlington around this time of the year because the scenery is gorgeous wherever you go. Here is a picture of me excited to discover the Fletcher Free Library (my new favorite study spot).
With winter approaching, I have been enjoying every minute of fall activities such as apple picking, attending fall festivals, and pumpkin painting (which I’ve never done before).
Speaking of first times, I also got to watch the University of Vermont’s ice hockey team play (go Catamounts!). It was such a fun experience to cheer on our team with friends.
With November approaching, I can’t believe how fast the semester is going by. I am looking forward to seeing how the last couple of months of the year unfold in my beautiful journey here.
November 2021
It is fascinating how familiar a place can feel only after being here for four months. Many corners in Burlington now hold beautiful memories that I will forever cherish. While I continue to learn each day, I am having a blast in Vermont surrounded by friends that quickly became my family.
I find so much joy and love in meeting up with friends, hanging out together, and talking about what home means to each of us. I always feel a sense of comfort when I talk about life back in Jordan. Having conversations about what home means to each of us has also made me realize that Vermont has become my home too.
The holiday season is so beautiful here, too. I enjoyed a delicious “Friendsgiving” meal and was extra thankful for the special time I spent with my friends. Saying goodbye to the last falling leaves, welcoming in the first snow, seeing the Christmas tree light up in Church Street, and cutting down a REAL Christmas tree for the first time are just a few things I’m thankful for. With Christmas approaching and my first fall semester at the University of Vermont ending (I can’t believe it!), I can’t wait to celebrate more of what life has to offer and create more memories wherever I go!
December 2021
Happy December! Being in Vermont for four months already feels like a dream. Although this month started with lots of deadlines and exams, everything went smoothly. After celebrating the end of the first semester (and my birthday!) with friends, I got to spend Christmas in Florida with my roommate and her family. From cookie decorating to enjoying endless beach days, my Christmas week and New Year’s Eve were unforgettable. I can’t wait to discover what journeys 2022 will hold!
January 2022
I welcomed 2022 by watching a beautiful sunrise on a beach in Florida. Reflecting on the success of my first semester at the University of Vermont (UVM) and how enjoyable my winter break in Florida was, I wished for a continuation of positive experiences as the next semester approaches. Adapting to a new place, meeting new friends, and building a strong connection with my studies can bring a lot of stress, but I have found serenity in my journey and in everything I’ve done so far. Therefore, I decided to dedicate one word for each month this year, with serenity serving as a perfect word for January 2022.
Such serenity has granted me new eyes, allowing me to finde beauty in everything I see and wherever I go.
The sunrise was not the only beautiful thing I saw this month. The beautiful snow in Vermont has brought so much warmth to my heart, despite the cold weather. Such serenity has taught me to live in the moment, to work hard, and to never discount my dreams.
Looking outside the plane window over New York City, I was determined to extend my serene lifestyle throughout the year. After a wonderful winter break in Florida with my roommate, I am more than ready for an exciting spring semester at the University of Vermont with my classmates and friends.
Here is to more successes, more joy, more beauty, and more serene memories waiting to be created this year.
February 2022
Whenever I sit down to write my monthly update, I go back to all the photos I took over the past month. So many smiles, lots of scenic views, and tons of snow! As cold as it is in Vermont, the joy in these pictures brings so much warmth to my heart.
While I’m almost always reading a book or writing a paper for class, I made sure to make the best out of my winter in Vermont. Going to winter festivals, walking on frozen lakes, tubing down the hill, and drinking some hot cocoa while watching the ice floats on the water were some of the many beautiful moments this month.
Being a graduate student is exposing me to a whole new world of opportunities and knowledge. Not only am I reading books I’ve always dreamt of reading, but I’m also learning a lot from my colleagues and classmates.
Another fun activity I participated in this month was transcribing the records of the Colored Conventions for Douglass Day together. We found a lot of valuable information while transcribing and participating in such an important event. I’m very thankful for all these learning experiences and special moments.
March 2022
While I expected many states in the United States and many countries around the world to be experiencing spring in the month of March, I was still around lots and lots of snow here in Vermont. Therefore, the best decision was going skiing — for the first time! — at Smugglers’ Notch in Stowe Resort during spring break.
It was such a fun experience and a very pleasant break from school and all my books that awaited my return. I also enjoyed ice-skating and realized how many activities can be done during the winter here!
In Jordan, as in many other countries in the MENA region, we celebrated Mother’s Day on March 21st. It was bittersweet to see my mom’s smile on the video camera after wishing her a happy Mother’s Day from all the way across the world, but I am sure that she is proud of me and everything I am accomplishing here. I could not have done it without my family’s constant support.
My Fulbright experience has so far not only enhanced my educational experience as a whole but has also given me a better perspective on what family is. Family is whoever celebrates you from afar back home, as well as all of the friends that celebrate and support you closely in a newfound home, like the one I found in Vermont.
April 2022
I think it is extremely important to pause sometimes and reflect on the past — both near and far — to prepare for what the future holds. While it snowed for what I hoped was the last time in April, I reflected on what a great winter it has been here! I also gave myself a pat on the back for adapting to a climate harsher than the one I am used to, and actually using the beautiful snow as an excuse to try many outdoor winter activities.
I also reflected on what a great academic year it has been as I approached my finals. I was extremely honored, for example, to conduct an independent study with my professor on reading the great works of Edward Said and analyzing them in relation to world events and modern-day literature. I also attended UVM’s EGSA (English Graduate Students Association) symposium and supported my friends who read their papers during the conference.
As I picnicked outside and wrote papers in the beautiful spring weather, I am extremely thankful for how this academic year has turned out. I can only hope for a greater future that I have yet to enjoy!
May 2022
As the trees bloomed, I submitted my final papers for my spring semester and welcomed my first Vermont summer! I felt very grateful for completing my independent study on Edward Said, preparing my thesis project, and a HUGE reading list for the summer, where I will be focusing on MENA women in literature using a Saidian postcolonial lens.
Summer meant reading by the lake, enjoying ice cream with my friends, and going on beautiful hikes in Stowe which is one of my favorite towns in Vermont. Going to the farmers’ market has also become one of my summer rituals after my morning walks by the Winooski river.
I also celebrated two graduations this month. I attended the second year cohort of the English MA program at the University of Vermont to support my graduating friends and I also celebrated my sister’s high school graduation in Amman from afar.
As I finish my first year and move to my next one here at UVM, I am very thankful for all the people I met and the memories I created with them. I cannot wait to see what this summer and the next year hold for me!
June 2022
Experiencing Vermont’s summer has been great this month, especially as I discovered new spots every day to watch the sunset after enjoying a good book outdoors.
Being here and surrounded by beautiful views of nature made me spend way more time outside than I was used to, and it was so refreshing! As a way to spend even more time outside, I went camping in Maine! After a beautiful week of camping in Maine, I made sure to check out Portland’s city life before heading to Vermont again.
On my way, I also visited Montpelier, Vermont’s capital, which was very artsy and pretty!
Lesson of the month: Go outside, because spending time with nature is never a bad idea!
July 2022
I visited Portland, Maine in July after camping at China Lake for a week. While camping was wonderful, it was even better to feel Portland’s lively community while enjoying the town. While there, I got to see the ocean and Port Elizabeth’s lighthouse! Plus, I enjoyed some great lobster!
August 2022
I celebrated being in the United States for one year on August 3rd. It was a surreal feeling; the journey I have anticipated for a long time is now already halfway over! As I was beginning my preparations for the start of the fall semester of my second, and final, MA year, I was very grateful for how outstanding this experience has been.
My first year in the United States was full of hard work and achievements. I also did not rest in pushing myself to set and complete new goals, even in the summer. I was able to complete my reading list of 45 books written by female writers from the MENA region in preparation for my comprehensive exam and thesis defense this year.
Also, I participated with Fulbright as an alumna panelist to prepare incoming students for their experience in the United States and answer their questions and concerns.
On the fun side, I went to fairs and amusement parks, had delicious dinners and enjoyed quality time with friends old and new during the last days of summer.
If I have learned anything from Fulbright, it is to pay it forward, especially for my people. This month, I started a book club with a group of friends back home to spread the culture of reading and to create healthy reading habits in my community. I was truly joyful to share my love for books with people I know and wanted to know, and the success of the first meeting was the cherry on top for the beautiful summer (and year) I have truly enjoyed here.
As the semester starts, I wish all students the best in their academic journey, and I ask them to live their life to the fullest and savor every moment; memories can be made every day.
September 2022
In September, I spent a weekend in San Diego to attend a Fulbright Enrichment Seminar and had the pleasure of meeting over 100 Fulbrighters from 37 countries. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I am beyond grateful for the everlasting friendships I made.
I am also proud to announce that I passed the comprehensive exam for my thesis reading list! It felt great to see all the effort I have made this summer pay off.
November 2022
I was honored to present a paper on speculative fiction and imagining women’s liberation at the Pacific, Ancient, and Modern Languages Association (PAMLA) 2022 in Los Angeles. I also had a great time sight-seeing and visiting beaches and the downtown area.
Thanksgiving was a beautiful time, and it was a pleasure to spend it with my new friends. During my time as a student, they’ve quickly become as close as family. I was so grateful to share the holiday with them! November also means wrapping up the semester, which comes with plenty of academic work. I am currently writing two seminar papers; the first explores similarities and differences between Picasso’s paintings and T.S. Eliot’s poetry. The other explores possibilities of changing the ESL framework to enhance student’s language learning experiences.
Joy is a 2021 Fulbright student from Jordan. She is studying English at the University of Vermont.
Follow updates from Joy 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 Joy does this year!
