A Year in the Fulbright Life: Reham’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 2022
I went to a boutique chocolate factory as part of the UVA orientation. UVA arranged a visit to Gearhearts Fine Chocolate, where we met the founder of Gearhearts. He talked about how he maintained his business for 25 years. It is a success story, indeed. We also learned how to make chocolates. I put together a box for myself and I took it back home.
This photo was taken at a dish party organized by the university (they call it a “Potluck”). We were told to bring our country’s famous dishes as a cultural exchange. I made falafel . They requested it by name from me. It was the first time in my life to do Ta’mya (Egyptian falafel) at home here.
The Rotunda Sing. This is how UVA welcomed us. It was an a capella concert by talented UVA students who have been practicing in addition to studying. The voices were really great and the venue was fabulous. The Rotunda was designed by Thomas Jefferson as the architectural and academic heart of the University’s community of scholars. He named the University’s original buildings the “Academic Village.” As the phrase suggests, the Academic Village is based on the Jeffersonian principle that learning is a lifelong process, and that interaction between faculty and students is vital to the pursuit of knowledge.
The last kiss I gave to my son Mostafa before I left him. It is heartbreaking to be away from him for a whole year. I definitely cry a lot, but I am thinking that hopefully someday he will be proud of his mom.
I miss him so much. My husband. The love of my life. My companion. The one I depend on in everything.
Now I have to feed myself or no one will. I get to enjoy bagels in their home country. The best thing about Virginia is its beautiful nature.
This is the view from the balcony of my room. I heard that there are also deer that sometimes walk in the street. I cannot wait to see one.
My first shopping trip at Walmart, one of the most famous hypermarkets in the United States. I needed to get a blanket. Something I learned about Americans is that they love air conditioning. I live in a townhouse and I was not able to find the central AC control unit when I first arrived. I was freezing. Now I have my blanket and know everything.
How impressive! The place I always belong. The law school! It has been a while since the last time I went to school, but I managed to find my way back here after eight years of being a transactional lawyer and two years as a prosecutor. Now I am a student again, with hopes of success and excitement for this great experience!
Selfie from the orientation. I had tired eyes after 27 hours travelling from Egypt to Virginia. I arrived at 2:00 a.m. and I went to the law school at 9:00 a.m. I was exhausted but excited and curious. My first impressions are: great university, great Assistant Dean, and overwhelmingly nice and helpful classmates. I guess I had a lucky start!
We had so much fun at the Carter Mountain Orchard and enjoyed a live performance. Meet my new friends. All of them are LLM students from different countries such as Italy, Germany, Japan, United States, China Panama, Russia, and other places. Can You spot the other Fulbrighter?
September 2022
Law school is very hard and exhausting, but UVA is great at helping us dive into the courses without collapsing from exhaustion. As you can see, they host a lot of fun activities, especially softball! We created a team and played against the JDs. We even did an opening dance for the team! It was so much fun. We also had a jersey day, when we all wore UVA Law School clothes. I had the chance to attend a game with my friend from Panama.
I am always genuine about how I feel, so, of course not every day is sweet. I go through hard days when I am anxious and down. I missed my son’s first day of school, which was hard for both me and my family. But I keep encouraging myself and count the blessing I already have. Thank goodness for everything!
December 2022
The Fulbright community at Charlottesville, Virginia, has been so kind and welcoming since I’ve arrived here! They keep inviting me and other new Fulbrighters to outstanding events and do their best to involve us in the community and keep all of us connected. I really appreciate their existence and the role they play in making us feel at home in Charlottesville, Virginia. I am truly proud to be part of the Fulbright community
Reham is a 2022 Fulbrighter from Egypt. She studies Law at the University of Virginia.
Follow updates from Reham 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 Reham does this year!
