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floraAnother post, continuing my notes from last week's Fulbright Orientation. These are mainly for my reference.
Fulbright and India
- India just became a full partner in 2008. Last year there were 40 Fulbright scholars to India from the United
States. This year, there are 89. Only 21 are visiting lecturers (including my husband). Also, the name of the award officially changed to "Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships".
- There is a large imbalance. About 95,000 Indian students are currently studying in the United States, but only about 2600 American students are studying in India.
- In this year's student Fulbright awards, there are 126 are Indian Fulbright students, and 142 from the United States.
- Fulbright scholars are expected to go beyond a simple teaching and research at their host institution; they are
encouraged to attend and hold workshops related to their fields of study. The Indian Fulbright commission can help
cosponsor conferences; funds are limited, so they recommend proposing events co-sponsored with NGOs and
universities. Sample conferences last year included the IAELP, Indo-American Environmental Leadership Program.
- There is a Fall conference for Indian Fulbrighters, and another in Spring for people there. The Fall conference is smaller and unanimously well regarded by attendees.
- Non-professional activities are encouraged; Fulbrighters are encouraged to attend weddings, festivals, and community engagements and events.
Advice from former Fulbright India alumni:
Donna - spent 4 1/2 months, left her family at home
- Packed her favorite pillow, slept well every night despite malaria meds
- Blank books and journals
- Advice: Take good notes at conferences and classes you attend; invariably she was asked to make concluding
remarks.
- Brought good Indian literature as reading materials for the plane; "Travelers' Tales from India", "Hungry Tide",
"Midnight's Children"
- Bring gifts for people who she met and who assisted her - officials, others. She went to her department chair and asked for gifts her college gives to visiting dignitaries - paperweights and other nice gifts with the
university insignia; keychains, hats, etc.
- Vitamins; she took a women's multivitamin and acidophilous.
- She did get a Rabies vaccination; she was not bitten herself, but met someone who had been bitten by a rabid dog.
- Be careful what you eat and drink; she didn't eat fruit unless she peeled it
- She drank "soda" - bottled carbonated water; make sure it's sealed and *you* open the bottle.
- Wished she'd broght a polarizing lens for her camera to cut through the haze; also wished for an Indian bird
identification book.
- Did NOT need clothing; 80% of what she brought she didn't wear.
- Just bring a good pair of sandals and sneakers.
- Women should wear loose-fitting clothes
- Medicines can be bought there.
- People were offering hopsitality, families into their homes
- 2 laptops, 1 for her flat, 1 for the office. She remotely connected to her desktop and library at her host
institution.
- Brought several flash drives.
- The stipend was very generous; she ate meals in the faculty hostel or ate in her flat.
- Type of visa is very important. She was a lecturer (teaching only) on an entry visa. She tried but was not permitted to do any research due to her visa, despite the wishes of the host institution.
Paul - medical/opthamologist
- Prepared with Hepatitis A, B, and Typhoid vaccinations
- Brought loperamide / Imodium
- Bring the bare essentials specific for you - peanut butter, dental floss, deodorant.
- He wore sandals the entire time
- Mosquito spray - 100% deet; brand "All-Out" is used there like a Glade air freshener
- Bring printed photographs of your family and friends to show to people, not just digital
- Weigh costs of Overweight baggage versus shipping; he brought lots back.
- He ate lunches at a hostel for 500 rupees a month ($10)
Henry - camel geneticist
- Brought Tabasco sauce
- Recommends BetterWorldBooks.com - ship worldwide for $4 a book
- Expect your Computer to break, and lose all your data; use Google docs, back up all your work online
- Buy adapters
- Reading: In Spite of the Gods - Edward Loose; good introduction to modern India
- Bring a suit or nice dress clothes to wear to a conference on Day 1.
- Also bring a pile of credentials - birth certificate, international drivers' license, anything with your name on it and an official government stamp.
- He rode a motorbike; was in rural; dangerous; bring own helmet, $200 in US - good helmets not available there.
- Bring big shoes for big feet
- He brought work gloves for working with camels, and was glad - they don't use them there
- Get all 3 Rabies shots. He had a friend who had both kids bitten by dogs
- Not just rabies; mosquitos are a problem
- Use high percentage DEET on clothes, not skin.
- Use local brand, Odomos, best stuff for mosquitos
- Major cities have stores with cosmetics available; he brought dial soap, Arm & Hammer toothpaste.
- Advice: have No Regrets; take advantage of every opportunity, weddings, dinner invitations
General advice:
- No toilet paper *anywhere*. You can get it there, but carry some in your bag or purse; on your person.
- Eat with your right hand. Use left for bathroom.
- Don't fly sick. If they suspect you are ill, they will give you a health exam as you enter the country and potentially detain you. Especially in era of Swine Flu.
- Don't wear shorts unless you're on an athletic field.
- Bring everyone else's contact info.
- Visit other Fulbrighters in India.
- The State Department has a website with access to over 20 thousand periodicals (like newspapers, journals, etc.) and a database for grants, $33 billion worth.
Fulbright and India
- India just became a full partner in 2008. Last year there were 40 Fulbright scholars to India from the United
States. This year, there are 89. Only 21 are visiting lecturers (including my husband). Also, the name of the award officially changed to "Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships".
- There is a large imbalance. About 95,000 Indian students are currently studying in the United States, but only about 2600 American students are studying in India.
- In this year's student Fulbright awards, there are 126 are Indian Fulbright students, and 142 from the United States.
- Fulbright scholars are expected to go beyond a simple teaching and research at their host institution; they are
encouraged to attend and hold workshops related to their fields of study. The Indian Fulbright commission can help
cosponsor conferences; funds are limited, so they recommend proposing events co-sponsored with NGOs and
universities. Sample conferences last year included the IAELP, Indo-American Environmental Leadership Program.
- There is a Fall conference for Indian Fulbrighters, and another in Spring for people there. The Fall conference is smaller and unanimously well regarded by attendees.
- Non-professional activities are encouraged; Fulbrighters are encouraged to attend weddings, festivals, and community engagements and events.
Advice from former Fulbright India alumni:
Donna - spent 4 1/2 months, left her family at home
- Packed her favorite pillow, slept well every night despite malaria meds
- Blank books and journals
- Advice: Take good notes at conferences and classes you attend; invariably she was asked to make concluding
remarks.
- Brought good Indian literature as reading materials for the plane; "Travelers' Tales from India", "Hungry Tide",
"Midnight's Children"
- Bring gifts for people who she met and who assisted her - officials, others. She went to her department chair and asked for gifts her college gives to visiting dignitaries - paperweights and other nice gifts with the
university insignia; keychains, hats, etc.
- Vitamins; she took a women's multivitamin and acidophilous.
- She did get a Rabies vaccination; she was not bitten herself, but met someone who had been bitten by a rabid dog.
- Be careful what you eat and drink; she didn't eat fruit unless she peeled it
- She drank "soda" - bottled carbonated water; make sure it's sealed and *you* open the bottle.
- Wished she'd broght a polarizing lens for her camera to cut through the haze; also wished for an Indian bird
identification book.
- Did NOT need clothing; 80% of what she brought she didn't wear.
- Just bring a good pair of sandals and sneakers.
- Women should wear loose-fitting clothes
- Medicines can be bought there.
- People were offering hopsitality, families into their homes
- 2 laptops, 1 for her flat, 1 for the office. She remotely connected to her desktop and library at her host
institution.
- Brought several flash drives.
- The stipend was very generous; she ate meals in the faculty hostel or ate in her flat.
- Type of visa is very important. She was a lecturer (teaching only) on an entry visa. She tried but was not permitted to do any research due to her visa, despite the wishes of the host institution.
Paul - medical/opthamologist
- Prepared with Hepatitis A, B, and Typhoid vaccinations
- Brought loperamide / Imodium
- Bring the bare essentials specific for you - peanut butter, dental floss, deodorant.
- He wore sandals the entire time
- Mosquito spray - 100% deet; brand "All-Out" is used there like a Glade air freshener
- Bring printed photographs of your family and friends to show to people, not just digital
- Weigh costs of Overweight baggage versus shipping; he brought lots back.
- He ate lunches at a hostel for 500 rupees a month ($10)
Henry - camel geneticist
- Brought Tabasco sauce
- Recommends BetterWorldBooks.com - ship worldwide for $4 a book
- Expect your Computer to break, and lose all your data; use Google docs, back up all your work online
- Buy adapters
- Reading: In Spite of the Gods - Edward Loose; good introduction to modern India
- Bring a suit or nice dress clothes to wear to a conference on Day 1.
- Also bring a pile of credentials - birth certificate, international drivers' license, anything with your name on it and an official government stamp.
- He rode a motorbike; was in rural; dangerous; bring own helmet, $200 in US - good helmets not available there.
- Bring big shoes for big feet
- He brought work gloves for working with camels, and was glad - they don't use them there
- Get all 3 Rabies shots. He had a friend who had both kids bitten by dogs
- Not just rabies; mosquitos are a problem
- Use high percentage DEET on clothes, not skin.
- Use local brand, Odomos, best stuff for mosquitos
- Major cities have stores with cosmetics available; he brought dial soap, Arm & Hammer toothpaste.
- Advice: have No Regrets; take advantage of every opportunity, weddings, dinner invitations
General advice:
- No toilet paper *anywhere*. You can get it there, but carry some in your bag or purse; on your person.
- Eat with your right hand. Use left for bathroom.
- Don't fly sick. If they suspect you are ill, they will give you a health exam as you enter the country and potentially detain you. Especially in era of Swine Flu.
- Don't wear shorts unless you're on an athletic field.
- Bring everyone else's contact info.
- Visit other Fulbrighters in India.
- The State Department has a website with access to over 20 thousand periodicals (like newspapers, journals, etc.) and a database for grants, $33 billion worth.
