2014 - Page 8 of 15 - Fulbright Student Program Blog

Enrichment Foreign Fulbright Fulbright-Millennial Trains Project

Go by Train: Taking Inspiration from Portland

August 7, 2014

Members of the 2014 Fulbright-Millennial Train group at the top of Oregon Health & Science University’s Portland Aerial Tram with Portland’s First Lady, Nancy Hales (left)

Our Fulbright-MTP participants made it safely to Portland for today’s launch of the MTP 2014 journey. They depart at 4:00 p.m. PDT (7:00 p.m. EDT) today and head first to Seattle, WA. Here, Fulbright Student from Indonesia, Alyas Widita, talks about arriving in Portland.

It felt like the flight from Minneapolis to Portland was the longest flight I had ever taken. The flight only took about three and a half hours, but the excitement of participating in this year’s Fulbright-Millennial Trains Project (MTP) made me impatient to arrive in Portland and meet with my MTP colleagues. Additionally, the fact that I sat in an aisle seat prevented me from being able to see the amazing American landscape down below, and also contributed to the feeling that the flight was longer than it actually was.

By the time I stepped off the plane and arrived at the terminal, bathed in light, I rushed to find the Flying Elephants deli, where Lindsay Patross (one of the MTP social media staff members) and Chris Dowd (brother of MTP founder Patrick Dowd) were waiting for the Fulbright-MTP participants to arrive. I was relieved to spot an MTP banner and the Flying Elephants deli easily and had a short chat with Lindsay and Chris, who guided me on how to get to Union Station via streetcar/tram. The journey to Portland’s city center allows tram passengers to witness a glimpse of the city’s natural beauty, and many of its enormous bridges and buildings.

Following Chris’ suggestion, I took the Red Line tram and stopped at the Old Town/Chinatown Station, where I had to walk approximately five blocks to reach Union Station. As I walked from the tram, I began to understand why Portland is often referred to as an example of excellent urban planning. The city planners have put much effort into ensuring that the streets, an element of the city that is continuously reiterated as the biggest public space, foster human interaction.

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Enrichment Foreign Fulbright Fulbright-Millennial Trains Project

“Millennials and Future Cities”

August 7, 2014

Our Fulbright-MTP participants made it safely to Portland for today’s launch of the MTP 2014 journey. Here they reflect on their Fulbright experience thus far, what they believe are the most pressing issues facing global Millennials today and how their Fulbright-MTP project is a vehicle for enhancing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

In the words of Alyas Widita, a Fulbright Foreign Student from Indonesia:

Alyas Widita is a current Fulbright Foreign Student from Indonesia.

I feel very fortunate to be awarded a Fulbright scholarship as it has enabled me to immerse myself with the voices, perspectives, and ideas of fellow Fulbrighters and Millennials around the world. Through these meetings and conversations, I believe the pressing challenges of my generation, the Millennial, are centered around one term: connection. Millennial is the first generation that has the resources and technology to recognize the world is, essentially, inextricably linked. Not only does the linkage manifests in global challenges such as climate change, sustainability, economic development, etc., but also relates to our daily life — what we wear and how we move. To that end, I believe the Millennial generation can shape a better world by further intensifying connection and solidifying understanding between themselves, as well as with generations before and after them. I would like to make sure Millennials and generations after me will continue to enhance this connection by being an active advocate of knowledge and cultural exchange.

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Enrichment Foreign Fulbright Fulbright-Millennial Trains Project

Sustainability Across Borders

August 7, 2014

In the words of Silvia Tijo, a Fulbright Foreign Student from Colombia:

Silvia Tijo is a current Fulbright Foreign Student from Colombia.

As both a Fulbrighter and a Millennial, what do you feel are the pressing challenges of your generation? Given your unique position, how do you feel you can personally address these challenges?

The most pressing challenge of my generation is to make a rational use of natural resources while maintaining or improving the quality of life that preceding generations have enjoyed without sacrificing the environment. As a Fulbrighter, I feel an obligation to expose the responsibility that humans have as a race regardless of our nationalities to further develop life quality in a sustainable manner. My current position allows sharing the “know how” of environmentally friendly construction with other societies that are not yet aware of the benefits of a properly designed edification in regard to a sustainable future.

What was the most striking thing you learned about the Millennial generation at your host university in your U.S. host city over your past Fulbright grant year?

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Enrichment Foreign Fulbright Fulbright-Millennial Trains Project

Supporting Yemen’s Marginalized Populations

August 7, 2014

In the words of Ammar Mohammed, a Fulbright Foreign Student from Yemen:

Ammar Mohammed is a current Fulbright Foreign Student from Yemen.

We are living the most technologically advanced generation of all times – yet have some of the most pressing challenges in the history of humanity – be it economic, environmental, social, or political. As a Fulbright scholar in sustainable development, I always contemplate the solutions for those challenges. I believe that a sustainable solution is a combination of addressing the above challenges. I see social entrepreneurship as the key to solving economic and social challenges—putting into account preserving the environment—that creates new markets and promotes social integration and participation. Entrepreneurs are leaders who transform communities. Entrepreneurs can also multiply their impact by lobbying the government for more support for young people and legislation that encourages entrepreneurial ideas. I believe that this hybrid model of social entrepreneurship and policy advocacy will be my first priority to tackling present challenges.

During the past year, I’ve come to see how this generation has diversified mindsets. There is a tendency to change the status quo through various means available exclusively to the Millennial generation. There are numerous campaign initiatives to improve the life of the less fortunate and for social justice around the world. The most striking aspect, however, is that this generation tends to shift entrepreneurship to be more socially oriented, using technology to that end. Social entrepreneurship, crowd-funding and impact investing show how a business can solve a social challenge and at the same time be profitable. In fact, this is one aspect I will definitely take back with me to Yemen and work to promote it.

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Enrichment Foreign Fulbright Fulbright-Millennial Trains Project

“Only In Boston”

August 6, 2014

As our Fulbright-MTP participants make their way to Portland for tomorrow’s launch of the MTP 2014 journey, they reflect on their Fulbright experience thus far, what they believe are the most pressing issues facing global Millennials today and how their Fulbright-MTP project is a vehicle for enhancing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

In the words of Anser Shaukat, a Fulbright Foreign Student from Pakistan:

It’s been two years since that bright eyed lad stepped out of Logan, on what he would later learn, is considered a particularly bright and beautiful day in New England.

As I sit now preparing for my upcoming journey in the Millennial Trains Project, excited about discovering the varying cultural landscapes of the U.S, I can’t help but think about that boy and my first experience in the landscape of Boston.

Anser Shaukat is a current Fulbright Foreign Student from Pakistan.

My plan was to take the bus-tram hybrid, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Silver Line to South Station and from there transfer to the bus to New Bedford, my final destination. I thought I had done my research, looked up the times and the routes, but I was in no way prepared to handle the unique challenges offered by a new city. I huffed and puffed my three pieces of brand new luggage on the Silver Line, which right up until that moment were my trophies of readiness; Two years of life in the land of the free, packed in two pieces of checked baggage and one hand carry. A hundred and thirty pounds; barely under the weight limit. The inevitability of the situation makes me laugh at that boy and the pride he had in those bags. He had felt ready then, prepared to take on the new world and his new life.

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Enrichment Foreign Fulbright Fulbright-Millennial Trains Project

“Every Recession Has Silver Linings”

August 6, 2014

In the words of Katie Nikolaeva, a Fulbright Foreign Student from Russia:

Inequalities in the standard of living around the world makes people look for better places to live, thus creating immigration issues, which become more and more acute, especially for the developed countries. While governments are struggling to solve immigration problems, the cultural and religious differences contribute to the outburst of ethnic conflicts. These conflicts constitute a big challenge for the modern society, while people slowly learn not to resist, but tolerate ‘foreign’ cultures.

I study international economics at Brandeis International Business School, where students from over 50 different countries represent nearly all of the world’s major cultures and languages. Brandeis is my first experience in communicating with so many international people at the same time.

Katie Nikolaeva is current Fulbright Student from Russia.

The most striking thing is that even though all these students have various opinions and thus contribute to the development of social diversity and open-mindedness, all of them (representing their own countries) also have similar problems: ethnic conflicts, economic growth issues, international trade barriers, poverty (which is an issue in any country in the world, no matter how developed the country), religious conflicts, political instability, environmental problems, and so on and so forth.

After my first year as a Fulbright scholar at an American university, I can say that in today’s world with plenty of wars and conflicts, people from different countries and cultures SHOULD get together in order to discuss the current problems and listen to each other’s opinions. Thus, the society would benefit from the resulting range of viewpoints and experiences.

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