US Department of State Pre-Departure Orientation for Europe and Eurasia -- 2018-19 Fulbrighters to Macedonia!

So excited for this group! They are the Macedonian dream team -- the 2018-19 Fulbrighters to Macedonia from the US:  Fulbright ETAs (English Teaching Assistants), Fulbright Student Researchers and a Fulbright Scholar.  They will be placed in universities throughout Macedonia. 

Prior to heading out on their Fulbright, the State Department's Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs organizes a Pre-Departure Orientation for Scholars and Students to Europe.

(I participated in such a PDO prior to heading out on my Fulbright to Moldova  my blog post about PDO prior to heading to Moldova and was later asked to assist with outbound Fulbrighters to Moldova blog post for PDO for Moldova group the following year)  And, of course, I participated in the PDO prior to heading to Macedonia.

During the orientation, there is a full agenda that includes sessions about US foreign policy and the role of Fulbright in that policy, sessions with regional experts, breakout sessions for each country as well as sessions about grant details and health insurance and safety and security.

Anything that you think you would need to know before heading overseas as a part of the US government's flagship exchange program is covered. 

Even during the meals -- which are sometimes tables are arranged by country, sometimes by grant type (ETA, student researcher, scholar), and sometimes open networking -- much is accomplished.

I found the country sessions to be so helpful as I was preparing for my Fulbright, that I was delighted and honored to be asked to return to the PDO to meet with the outbound Fulbrighters to Macedonia this year.

As an added treat, my daughter and I were asked if we wanted to present on a panel for those bringing Spouses and Dependents. She had an incredible time living and learning in Skopje, and she was happy to share her story.  (Bonus -- she made new friends with girls her age who are heading off to Baku.)

In our Macedonia breakout session

some of the "show and tell" materials that I brought -- so much to see and do in Macedonia -- the ancient Roman ruins, the Byzantine frescoes, the Ottoman fortresses, the natural beauty of the mountains and lakes -- too bad that more MK travel info not readily available in the US

the Welcome Dinnner

at the panel on Spouses and Dependents.  wonderful to be joined by FPSA colleague, political science professor from UWF Alfred Cuzan, who was a Fulbrighter in Estonia and brought his wife with him (and she, too, was on the panel)

my daughter answers questions about what it was like to adjust to a new school

with my "Junior US Scholar Alum"  :-))

with my "Junior US Scholar Alum"   :-))

Yay! Finally met Ellie Dawson in person! We had been working on a civics education project together with the NGO DemocracyLab - via skype/email/googledocs

Also -- you might enjoy this video of the Fulbright program, showed during one of the open sessions: Fulbright video

on the first night we took a stroll from the hotel around the White House, after stopping off at one my old fav hangouts, the Old Ebbitt Grill

on the second night enjoyed dining with Fulbright journalists at the National Press Club

We took the first flight out of Tampa and the last flight back from DC.  This meant we could do a few things in DC before and then after the orientation.  Right after we arrived we checked into the hotel -- and then we went to see the National Museum for Women and the Arts -- the only museum devoted to women's art in the world.

National Museum for Women and the Arts

Then we stopped by for a quick visit to the https://www.acypl.org/ American Council of Young Political Leaders. More about the Macedonian delegation that I hosted in Florida can be found on this blog - or hashtag #ACYPLMacedonia

with ACYPL CEO Libby Rosenbaum

Then we were able to make a quick stop to the National Portrait Gallery. I really wanted to see the new portraits of the Obamas!

This was amazing! So much more vibrant in person. My picture does not do it justice

This is one of my favorite artworks of all time -- the Preamble of the US Constitution -- made of license plates

National Portrait Gallery

a quick bite for lunch in Chinatown - and then it was back to register for the orientation

After the conference on Friday, we stopped by the Supreme Court - to visit former colleagues and to pick of a few slip opinions (including Trump v. Hawaii)

The first woman on the US Supreme Court -- Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.  When I was growing up, there were No women on the Bench - and there never had been any women on the Bench.  Now, as my daughter stands to gaze at Justice O'Connor's portrait there are 3 women on the Court.

this exhibit about the forgotten legacy of the woman artist who painted judicial portraits in the late 1800s

one of the two marble elliptical staircases at the US Supreme Court

stopped by to see my former student David who now works for my Member of Congress -- Rep Charlie Crist - here we are in the subway from Canon HOB to the Capitol

looking up at the Capitol Dome

of course we had to stop by and visit these strong women

former capitols -- including Philadelphia and Trenton

quick stop into Air & Space Museum -- my daughter was just at NASA Space Camp for a week

a gorgeous day - and a short walk from our hotel to the Mall

the National Museum of the American Indian is a favorite spot -- in addition to the exhibits -- we highly recommend the cafe -- the best food of all the Smithsonian! My fav -- the (spicy) Mexican hot chocolate

The Lenape leaders gave this wampum belt to William Penn in the 1680s as a sign of peace and friendship