Fulbright Orientation

I recently attended a 3-day Fulbright orientation in Washington, DC.

I booked the first flight to arrive in DC and the last flight out of DC on the conference days (at the time of booking I did not know the meeting schedule). This meant that I arrived with a couple of hours to spare before the Orientation was in full swing. I used the time to stop by the Lucas/Spielberg Rockwell exhibit at the Portrait Gallery and the Albright "Read My Pins" exhibit at the Smithsonian Castle and to enjoy a delicious lunch at the National Gallery of Art.

Lots of great substantive and administrative information at the many briefings.

Fulbright is sending the largest delegation ever to Moldova this year: 10 scholars and ETAs. We had 3 break-out sessions with scholars returning from and leaving for Moldova. These were especially helpful. We could ask all sorts of (idiosyncratic) logistical questions answered in a small-group setting. (e.g., Q: Can I get soy milk for Peggy? A: Yes, likely at the French grocery store, LaFourchette at MallDova -- and American-style mall, complete with foodcourt (with McDonalds, KFC, and Sbarros) and a movie theater)

I also found the Regional Experts Session to be especially informative. I was in the "Eurasia" briefing, for those traveling to Russia, Belarus, the Ukraine, and Moldova.

The briefing about our health benefits was sobering, to say the least (e.g., our benefits include $10,000 to cover the costs of shipping our dead body back home). However,this was all very important information that one needs to be aware of and to prepare for before an actual emergency strikes. (Needless to say, I have already purchased Peggy's supplemental travel medical coverage. The presentation definitely put the fear of God in me. I will also buy the supplemental coverage for me, if I leave Moldova during my assignment, and I will buy it for Ramsay when he comes to visit. I have never purchased travel insurance for any of the international (or domestic) trips that I have taken. Apparently I need to thank my lucky stars that nothing ever went horribly wrong.)

Other sessions about grant administration included helpful nuts and bolts information/tips. I also appreciated the session on social networking and State Dept alumni resources. (I will be getting a fulbrightmail email address!) I had already created my blog before the Orientation; fortunately, all my posts have been within the commonsense guidelines.

Before I left DC, I was able to stop by the Moldovan Embassy. It was just north of Dupont Circle. I was greeted by Tudor, who was able to answer all of my questions about the upcoming referendum election and about the various political parties in Moldova. Turns out he is an ULIM alum (the university where I will be teaching) and while a student there he wrote a paper comparing the Moldovan Constitutional Court with the US Supreme Court.