A Year in the Fulbright Life: Maryam’s Story
A Year in the Fulbright Life is a blog serie about showcasing a handful of students as they study in the United States. Each month, spotlighted students share an update as they continue on their Fulbright journey.
November 2022
The pleasant climate is one of my favorite aspects of living in Manhattan, Kansas. When the sun goes down, the sky takes on the most beautiful hue. I also enjoyed my first snow this month, and I hope next time I can build a snowman and share this experience with you.
The first person I met after my arrival in the United States was Rei. They’re an exceptionally nice person all around. Soon after we became friends, they treated me to a trip to the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. During our time on the road, they bought me my first spice pumpkin latte and it has since become one of my all-time favorite beverages! At the fair, we participated in many activities such as face painting, buying Renaissance-themed crowns, listening to Renaissance music, watching stage acts, and engaging in several sports, including high striker and archery games!
Alyse was the second person I met after my arrival in the United States. Not only has she been very generous, she has also introduced me to many different fun activities. She also introduced me to two lovely individuals: Ali from Pakistan and Shamna from India. While traveling, we have engaged in many conversations about our respective cultures and shared many laughs.
We visited the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Missouri. I was astonished the entrance fee was free! The art was mesmerizing and almost alive. I was utterly captivated by the artists’ accuracy and the perfect execution of their works. Moreover, the museum exhibits an encyclopedic collection of art from nearly every continent and culture, including ancient Egypt. I was so honored to be given this opportunity to tell my friends about the rich history of my homeland. When we were done, we went to an Indian restaurant, where I had some of the best shrimp masala I’ve ever had. Afterwards, we sampled Korean sweets and purchased some souvenirs. We were especially thankful to learn some basic Korean greeting phrases from the helpful shopkeeper! I thoroughly enjoyed myself and want to do it again.
My new friends have been incredibly kind and considerate. Since I arrived shortly after my birthday, they bought me many hoodies and gifts themed after my favorite anime. They invited me to numerous celebrations, both private and public, including Halloween. I was so grateful to connect more with the local community thanks to my friends!
One of the most active organizations that I have been introduced to since my arrival is Bridges, an organization welcoming and serving international students studying around San Francisco Bay Area. I participated in many of their events, including hiking at Konza Prairie Biological Station, where I first met Hunter. We ended up becoming friends, and he invited me to join him and his family and friends during Thanksgiving. I had a great day; the turkey was fantastic, and I especially liked the casserole — my first ever! I also tried a lot of other new types of food that I ended up absolutely loving.
December / January 2022
For the New Year’s holiday, I traveled to Colorado where I had the pleasure of meeting two fellow Egyptian Fulbrighters as well as another Egyptian scholar from Arizona State University. This is in addition to lots of other people of different nationalities that I had the chance to meet on my trip. We went on a lot of adventures, including a trip to the Denver Art Museum and going ice tubing, but the highlight of this journey was the Garden of the Gods.
At the Garden of the Gods, one of the other Egyptian Fulbrighters gave me her University of Kansas hat (the University of Kansas and my host university, Kansas State University, are rivals). When I wore it, everyone from my university was like, “Maryam, what are you doing?” To which I replied, “Sorry, fashion comes first.”
April 2023
I had the privilege of being selected as one of three speakers for my department’s symposium. The experience was incredibly enriching, and it was an honor to share my insights with professors and fellow colleagues while responding to their feedback and questions. The symposium was shared on various social media platforms, and I was thrilled to receive support from my family and friends on those posts.
More pictures here : https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=680920953835807&set=a.183289800265594 / https://www.instagram.com/p/CrRlUc1rpYq/
Additionally, I had the opportunity to participate in an event called African Night, where we introduced attendees to the diverse marriage traditions and customs of different African countries, including Egypt. The event featured a captivating fashion show, and I had the pleasure of dressing up as an ancient Egyptian. Many people were fascinated by the outfit and approached me to take pictures and ask about my country.
May 2023
Furthermore, I recently presented my final project in ENGL 680, focusing on R.F. Kuang’s novel Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: From Gendered Blood to Magical Silver: Student Symposium on Asian American Lit. I’m delighted to share that my professor commended my progress and effort in the project, which was truly gratifying.
Additionally, as part of our ENGL 830 course, we had the opportunity to visit Salina and watch the musical Something Rotten. It was my first-ever musical experience, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying every moment, bursting into laughter throughout the performance.
On a personal note, I have had the opportunity to deepen my relationships with some amazing colleagues. People like Cecilia, Lindsey, Pete, Alison, and Natalie have become great friends. Additionally, I am fortunate to still be enjoying the company of friends I made last semester, including Lamya, Baheeja, Deema, Alyse, Ali, Judy, Exy, Bemnet, Precious, Nokwanda, the two Maryams from Pakistan, Shamna, Eman, Rahul, May, and Tinashe. Their friendship and support have made my experience here even more enjoyable.
These past months have been truly remarkable, filled with growth, learning, and cherished memories. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had and the wonderful individuals I have had the pleasure of knowing.
Maryam is a Fulbright student from Egypt. She is studying English Language and Literature at Kansas State University.
Follow updates from Maryam 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 Maryam does this year!
