A Year in the Fulbright Life: Nadim’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.

July 2019

Mahatma Gandhi once said “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. This was my motivation from the very first steps of the Fulbright application until I took my first step on the American soil in Chicago O’Hare International Airport. A great first impression of the United States before taking my plane to Manhattan, KS, where I had one of the most interesting experiences that I have ever had: An English Language Program at Kansas State University.

38 Fulbright Scholars from 31 Countries gathered in the little apple “Manhattan, Kansas” to live together for three weeks. From “noun phrases, punctuation, final presentation…” and “Aggieville, Talent show, Karaoke party… ” these were the keywords of the highlights of my Fulbright experience so far. What an inspiring experience this was!

The first picture that I took in class at K-State was like a dot between what I was doing back home in Tunisia and my first days in the United States. I brought some souvenirs related to my work on preventing violent extremism within BEDER Organization and put them next to some gifts from K-State announcing the start of my Fulbright journey.

I had the honor to be part of one of the Fulbright Scholarship Board’s quarterly meetings. During this meeting, I had the privilege to meet Dr. Jeff Bleich, Chair of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Chatting about our Tunisian “Jebba” and “Chechia” was an amazing cross-cultural moment when people from all over the world got to learn about Tunisia.

The K-State ELP coordinators gave us the chance to meet host families once a week so that we would get to know Americans. Lucas invited us to be a part of his life and we were privileged to have his support during the program.

August 2019

Different flags, diverse nationalities, multiple languages but the same mindset: “I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things” — Mother Teresa.

That’s why we had an inspiring moment during our talent show, a moment when we were able to share our cultures through sounds, images and words.

During the final presentation of my pre-academic program, I had the chance to discuss one of the major question related to Architecture and Education. As a team of artists and scientists, we tried to answer the question “How can arts contribute to a better education?”

A very well-deserved round of applause to our dear Agnes, the ELP program coordinator! One on those who made our wonderful time during our pre-academic program possible!

4.0 GPA for an ELP program is not bad!

September 2019

During a study trip to Cleveland, my group took pictures and analyzed a site for our architecture studio class. The project is to design an urban “Apple Park III” for Apple Inc. in Cleveland, OH. Here I am with my friends Gabriella and Maria.

When it comes to geography in Ohio, the Cuyahoga River is a key element! Kayaking for 5 miles on the river, with my friend Abdo, was a key moment during my first weeks in Kent.

October 2019

A new urban proposal “Apple Village III” for Apple Inc. in Cleveland, OH. A new experience with a wonderful team and a great midterm presentation!

November 2019

The first snow in Ohio was a special moment for me since I am from a Mediterranean county which has a very different climate.

December 2019

During winter break, we went on a trip to New York City, Washington, D.C., and Boston. This was a very memorable trip. Here, I am in Times Square in New York.

January 2020

The last days of break! I took a trip to Philadelphia before going back to Kent State. Visiting Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell made this adventure an enriching experience.

February 2020

As an architecture student, trips are a great way for me to learn about different styles and techniques. On one of these trips, I went to Miami a few days after the Super Bowl. It was such an amazing experience.

March 2020

After making the choice to fly back to Tunisia due to the pandemic, I found myself flying from Akron, Ohio, to New York City. I was the only passenger! It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

April 2020

Once in Tunisia, I had to quarantine for 14 days. It was tough, especially with online courses, but we made it with the support of volunteers from the Tunisian Scouts and the Tunisian Red Crescent.

May 2020

My first year in the United States started with my pre-academic program where I met some of the most brilliant minds from all over the word. We had a virtual reunion after finishing school.

Nadim is a first-year Fulbright student from Tunisia. He is studying architecture.

Follow updates from Nadim 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 Nadim does this year!