ktravula – a travelogue!

Oh Fulbright.

I received a spirited email yesterday from someone who had found this blog through search for resources and tips about the Fulbright programme. Here’s an excerpt:

I came across your blog a few days ago when searching for fellow Fulbrighters who were willing to share their experiences on the Web. Either my research sucked big time or there were hardly any note-worthy ones except yours. I loved your posts especially your ’10 Reasons Not To Speak Your Native Language’. Haha..that was hilarious. I can totally relate to that. You see, I’m from Malaysia and our national language is Malay. Obviously it’s an unusual language but it has been quite useful during my stay abroad when we don’t want people to understand us. One day, my friends and I were caught red-handed by a Nigerian who spoke Malay!! Thankfully, we were just commenting on how cute he was. Yes, how about that. Turns out he has lived in Malaysia for quite a bit and he was used to the language. Taught me not to be so obnoxious and use Malay like there was no tomorrow =)

Mails like this make me happy to have – in some way, if only through random observations/rants of daily blog posts – provided resources or stimulus to those who might need them to apply for the Fulbright which I believe is a life-changing experience. It also reminds of why blogging is not such a waste of time after all.  For those that may still stumble on this page looking for resources, let me recommend the following links that might help.

What a Day (June 3, 2010)
A Short History of My Face (January 22, 2010)
Why Fulbright (December 16, 2009)
The Conference (December 11, 2009)
I Was Very Close (December 9, 2009)
The Beginning (August 10, 2009)

and a few others…

Like I said in response to the email, the only other most important criteria needed for applying for the program, along with the required knowledge of language, is curiosity and a sense of adventure, and an open mind.

 

Oh Fulbright. was published on June 7th, 2011, with the tags , , , , under the Uncategorized category. There are currently 7 comments on this article so far.

Help!

Hey blog folks.

How are you doing?

I have missed you. Well, I haven’t technically left, so what exactly could that mean? In any case, I have actually been enjoying my time here at home. And that’s why you haven’t heard too many complaints.

There are no mosquitoes here. (I think that Lagos has patented their presence 🙂 ) Heat is bearable, sometimes. But yesterday while it was about 85 degrees Fahrenheit here in Ibadan, I heard that it was almost 90 in Edwardsville. See? I can’t complain. I still miss it though. Edwardsville, I mean.

Now however, I have just found out that I now have more time on my hands than I originally bargained for. No classes to teach in the morning/afternoon. No Chris to hang out with in the evenings, or Catherine to disturb in the department. No youtube videos to make, and no bicycles to ride. Well, I still have that stack of outstanding translation works to do. But that’s too boring. What else should I do with this time?

All comments welcome! 🙂

And have a nice week.

PS: On June 3, I will be speaking to a group of new departing Fulbright FLTAs at the US Consulate in Lagos. I’ve been invited as a “resource person” by the Consulate. I wonder if what I can tell those nervous grantees about the experience can ever be exhaustive at a three hour lunch meeting. But try I will.

Help! was published on May 24th, 2010, with the tags , , , , under the Soliloquy category. There are currently 1 comment on this article so far.

Folake on the VOA

My friend, blog contributor, and fellow FLTA Folake from Fayetteville (note the alliteration 😉 ) talks to the Voice of America, here.

Folake on the VOA was published on April 8th, 2010, with the tags , , , , under the News category. There are currently 4 comments on this article so far.

Diana on the VOA

My friend Diana and fellow FLTA speaks to the Voice Of America, here.

Diana on the VOA was published on March 30th, 2010, with the tags , , , , , , under the Academic, adventures, News category. There are currently 2 comments on this article so far.

My Resolutions…

in all their 10 megapixels glory.

In lieu of promises of things I would do in the new year (which had, by this morning, included dropping the abbreviation LOL from my 2010 vocabulary, getting a better camera, making more savings, kicking my Papa John’s pizza eating habit, and drawing up new itineraries of new places to visit in the US), I now present my new year resolutions, which are in fact however resolutions from 2009, courtesy of my Canon Powershot SD 1200 IS camera. Some of the photos I’ve shared here before. Some not. For those interested in my photography, let’s catch up on Facebook. But note that I will not confirm friendship with people without profile pictures themselves, except we have known mutual friends. Sorry. :D.

With these, my 2009 is done at last. I may not have been the best Fulbright FLTA this year, but I sure had the most fun.

Enjoy.

(Move mouse over the photos to see their descriptions. Thank you for readership)

My Resolutions… was published on December 31st, 2009, with the tags , , , under the adventures, Art, Fun, Observations category. There are currently 7 comments on this article so far.