A Year in the Fulbright Life: Perrihan’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
Leaving home made me very uneasy and emotional; the closer I got to my departure date, the less excited I got. Moving to a new city where I didn’t know anyone terrified me. Luckily, my fears were put at ease since the transition went smoother than expected.
I met with my roommate for the first time, and we ran all the necessary errands together. Right away, we started touring campus and exploring Nashville’s gems.
We even had our first signature Nashville hot chicken on our second day in the United States.
September 2021
The weather has cooled down in Nashville, so I got to spend a day hiking for the first time! Afterwards, I treated myself with a large New York-style pizza.
October 2021
October was a very busy month! Between assignments and midterms, there wasn’t a lot of time to do anything other than school-related endeavors. However, I treated myself to a trip to Washington D.C.
for Fall Break where I got to see the U.S. Capitol and the other monuments. I also went hiking in Great Falls in Virginia. When I came back to Nashville, I noticed that the leaves had changed color and Vanderbilt’s campus was incredibly beautiful. I can’t stop taking pictures of it!
December 2021
I was so happy that I had the chance to travel during November and December. I first went to Pennsylvania over Thanksgiving break, where I witnessed snow for the first time during my Fulbright experience!
I also went on a hike in the freezing cold weather, but the view at the end was worth it. Thanksgiving dinner afterwards was definitely the best reward!
Over winter break in December, I visited New York City, which was also freezing! Despite the cold, I was excited to see the hustle and bustle of the big city.
Perrihan is a first-year Fulbright student from Egypt. She is studying Economics at Vanderbilt University.
Follow updates from Perrihan 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 Perrihan does this year!
