A Year in the Fulbright Life: Enas’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
This month, I had the opportunity to attend the first synchronous session for the Fulbright Gateway Program administered by Wayne State University. We were divided into small breakout rooms to get to know the other Fulbrighters from all over the world. I was very shy to start talking, but after a while, I could not stop talking! I immediately made friends with new people from across the globe, which is the beauty of the Fulbright network.
On August 16th, I arrived at Cairo International Airport ready for my 24-hour flight to Salt Lake City, Utah. I was so excited to go, but very nervous about leaving home. After all, I was leaving a city where everything and everyone is familiar to me for a completely new place. I am looking forward to seeing myself adapt to the new community that I will soon be joining.
Upon arriving, I learned about the tradition of taking a photo in front of the U on your first day of classes and another one on your graduation day. I am definitely looking forward to my graduation photo as an MS in Economics graduate!
September 2021
Being a Fulbrighter means having a family wherever you go. I am the only Egyptian Fulbrighter to go to the University of Utah. In the beginning, I was very nervous about being alone in a whole new city, but the Fulbright community here proved me wrong!
The Utah Chapter of the Fulbright Association held a gathering for all Fulbrighters a few days after my arrival. I was surprised to meet more than ten Fulbrighters from all over the world. Also, each individual of the board of the Fulbright Utah chapter has been extremely helpful and cooperative to make sure that my transition was smooth. They even ordered us a cake to celebrate the 75th Fulbright anniversary and the largest cohort of Fulbrighters ever to attend the University of Utah!
Labor Day was my first national holiday in the United States. On that day, I decided to try hiking for the first time ever!! I went to a hiking trail in Antelope Island. It was a five-mile trail with a 400 ft elevation. In the beginning, I thought I wouldn’t enjoy the hiking experience as I am not used to this elevation and it was very hot. But after I finished the hike and had a chance to witness the magnificent view, I guess hiking has become my favorite outdoor activity!
No, this is not snow. I am standing on the bottom of a lake! This was once one of the big lakes in Utah, Lake Bonneville. It then dried up and we are left now with the Bonneville Salt Flats. This is one of the most unique natural features in Utah.
You cannot visit Egypt without eating Koshary, so I brought Egypt to Utah! I made the most famous Egyptian dish, ‘Koshary,’ during the food event organized by the Fulbright Association in Utah (FULBRIGHT COOKS)! Koshary is a nutritious vegan dish that consists of rice, lentils, pasta, chickpeas, and fried onions. It is served with a tomato sauce that is full of garlic and onions, which we call “salsa,” and another sauce made of garlic and vinegar.
I am so glad to be part of the largest cohort ever of Fulbrighters in Utah. Being a Fulbrighter provides you with a family wherever you go!
October 2021
After finishing the first half of my first semester, it was time to relax to prepare for the next half! I chose to spend my Fall break in Lake Tahoe! It was a 9-hour drive from Salt Lake City. The lake is MAGNIFICENT! It lies between Nevada and California. If you are on the east side of it, you are in Nevada, and on the west side, you’re in California! This lake is one of the clearest lakes worldwide. The degree of the water clarity is almost 99 percent. Can you believe it? I tried kayaking for the first time in my life in the lake. It was a spectacular experience.
I can’t remember how many photos I took by Lake Tahoe. Each side of the lake is breathtaking, but this side was my favorite. We drove all the way up to the mountain to get a wide view of the lake. The little island (which is not little at all small since the lake itself is huge!) is called Fannette Island. I loved watching the sunset at this view.
It was my first time celebrating Halloween! The Utah Chapter of the Fulbright Association invited us to a pumpkin-carving party to learn all about Halloween traditions. My fellow Fulbrighters and I really enjoyed carving pumpkins. We then carved this pumpkin with a Fulbright touch to add to our celebration.
November 2021
I didn’t know before that Americans take Thanksgiving so seriously! I was worried that I would have to spend Thanksgiving alone while other people were spending time with their families; I felt so homesick and missed my family so much. But because I am a Fulbrighter, I am always surrounded by loving and caring people. I was invited by a Fulbright alumnus here in Salt Lake City to have Thanksgiving dinner with his family. His family welcomed me so warmly. There were so many people at the dinner! I met his wife, son, daughter, son-in-law, granddaughters, and their extended family. Everyone was extremely kind and welcoming. We even had interesting discussions over dinner. They were curious to know about me, my family, and my home in Egypt. I also got to have the typical Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, mashed potatoes, and mac ‘n cheese. It was a very nice experience!
Since finals were right around the corner, I had a lot of deadlines and assignments on my plate. I prefer to study at the Marriott Library at the University of Utah. It is a huge library with many study rooms and quiet areas. My favorite place to study at the library is the Grand Eccles Reading Room. It is a silent space for studying with a great view overlooking the beautiful mountains of Salt Lake City.
December 2021
For my first winter break in the United States, I decided to travel to California. I was missing the sun and warm weather after many snowstorms here in Salt Lake City. This trip was so special to me because it was during my birthday week. I was really excited to spend my 24th birthday in a new place! I started my trip in San Diego and was lucky to have amazing weather! My first stop was Seaport Village to enjoy the bay view.
I am a big fan of sunsets. I always enjoy watching the sun as it fades into the colors of the sky. I went to an amazing place called Sunset Cliffs to watch it. It was magnificent to see the ocean and the mountains together! I sat on one of the cliffs for more than an hour enjoying the ambiance. The sound of the waves and the birds together with the cool breeze of the ocean were out of this world!
On New Year’s Eve, I went to Sea World in San Diego. It was such a unique experience. The shows featuring whales, dolphins, and sea lions were amazing! I got the chance to see birds and animals that I have always wanted to see in person. I saw penguins, sea otters, orcas, sharks, and dolphins. What amazed me the most was seeing flamingos for the first time! I have always imagined them to have bright pink feathers, but it turned out that they are more orange than pink. Regardless, it was a memorable experience. I spent the entire day at Sea World and enjoyed the fire show at night for the New Year’s Eve celebrations.
On New Year’s Day, I went to Los Angeles. I started my trip there by visiting the Griffith Observatory. I was waiting for the bus to take me there, but it turned out that the bus wasn’t operating due to the holidays, so I decided to walk to the Observatory. According to Google Maps, it was a 30-minute walk. Little did I know that it was a hike to the highest part in L.A.! I was not ready at all to hike, but it turned out to be the most amazing trail I have ever hiked! I did the hike right before sunset and got to see the beautiful colors that made up the sky. Seeing L.A. from the top of the mountain made me realize how beautiful the city is!
After the unexpected hike, my stomach was rumbling. I decided to have dinner at one of the most famous Californian chains, In-N-Out. When I walked into the restaurant, I heard some people speaking Arabic in an Egyptian accent. I decided to approach them since I was feeling homesick. After I met them, I found out that they were fellow Fulbrighters! It was such a coincidence! It’s just unbelievable how you can run into Fulbrighters everywhere you go!
One of the highlights of this trip was my first visit to Universal Studios in Hollywood. Being at Universal was like living inside the movies that I’ve loved for years. I was in love with Hogwarts Castle and everything related to the Harry Potter experience. It was absolutely unforgettable!
On my third day, I went to visit two of the most famous neighborhoods in L.A.: Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. In Beverly Hills, I walked around to look at the beautiful houses and nice parks. The architecture there was very elegant and unique. At Santa Monica beach, I enjoyed the beautiful weather. I got to ride the famous Ferris wheel to see the entire area from afar.
Lastly, I visited the Hollywood Walk of Fame. To be honest, it was my least favorite part of L.A. since it was so busy and crowded. However, one section did catch my eye. In honor of the recent passing of Betty White, many people laid flowers and letters by her star to commemorate her.
January 2022
This was the first time I was able to go out after testing positive for COVID-19. After I tested negative, I was super excited to go for a hike. I went to one of the easy trails near the Great Salt Lake Shorelands. The trail was empty, but the surrounding views were amazing. It was definitely a much-needed adventure!
February 2022
It is still so cold in Salt Lake City and I am very busy with schoolwork, but I have learned to enjoy the little things every day, including a beautiful sunset with a pink sky that I witnessed on my way home from campus.
February is the month of love, and I had the chance to attend some of the Valentine’s Day celebrations in downtown Salt Lake City at Gallivan Center.
Whenever I feel homesick, I cook something to remind me of my home. I cooked the famous Egyptian Macaroni Bechamel dish, which is a pasta dish with bechamel sauce and minced beef. It is my favorite comfort food.
March 2022
Once again, another snowstorm hit Salt Lake City. The front of my house was absolutely covered in snow!
I attended a St. Patrick’s Day parade at Gateway Plaza in Salt Lake City. It was super fun! I enjoyed seeing people’s costumes and watching them perform famous Irish dances.
April 2022
April marked the holy month of Ramadan, which is the month during which Muslims fast from dawn until sunset. It is usually a time where families and friends gather to enjoy tasty meals and desserts together. In Egypt, there are always wonderful festivities and nice celebrations during the whole month. Even though it was so hard spending the month away from my family, I tried to bring some of the festivities to my room by hanging up decorations.
During Ramadan, it is customary to cook lots of delicious food and desserts, and then share them with loved ones. Since I have some Muslim friends here in Salt Lake City, we decided to gather every Saturday during Ramadan to break our fast together and to revive some of our rituals back home. Every Saturday, we agreed on a menu together and each cooked a different meal.
April was also Cherry Blossom season in Salt Lake City! I went to the Utah State Capitol to enjoy an amazing view of the cherry blossom trees. It was magnificent to say the least!
May 2022
The first week of May was my finals week. I even had two exams back-to-back in one day! Another exam fell on Eid Al-Fitr, which is usually an extend holiday off in Egypt. However, having exams on this day did not prevent me from celebrating it. I went with my friends to a mosque nearby to participate in the special Eid prayer. It was my first time going to a mosque in Utah, which was a terrific experience! The crowds and the excitement in the air reminded me of being back home.
I had three weeks off in May before starting my summer internship in Salt Lake City in June, so I went home to visit my family! I went nine months straight without seeing them, so I was thrilled to finally be with them again. I also really missed visiting the beaches in Egypt, especially in Alamein City.
June 2022
I started my summer internship as a Research Assistant at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. I am so proud to work at a leading public policy research center in the state. Fun fact: the institute is located in a gorgeous old mansion!
Summer is so beautiful here in Utah! Even though it is hot, the mountains are incredibly beautiful.
July 2022
I experienced my first fourth of July in the United States! I went to the Gateway Plaza to enjoy the fireworks and had a magnificent experience.
I also went to the Wild Flower Festival at Snowbird. It is an annual event where attendants get to see rare species of wild flowers blooming on the mountains. We went on a hike with a botanist and explored the beautiful trails and views.
Enas is a 2021 Fulbright student from Egypt. She is studying Economics at the University of Utah.
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