US Department of State - Pre-Departure Orientation - Spouses and Dependents Panel

All aspects of preparing for the Fulbright (as an ETA, Scholar, and/or Researcher) are covered at the Pre-Departure Orientation over the course of several days (and there are additional orientations once in the host country as well)

In addition to participating in the North Macedonia Country Session, my daughter and I also participated in the Preparing for Spouses and Dependents Panel this week (also via a zoom call).

My daughter came with me to Moldova and started Kindergarten in Chisinau. She later returned with me to Moldova during the summer before 2nd Grade.  And she came with me to North Macedonia in middle school -- as a 6th Grader and also during the summer after 8th Grade. 

Proud Mom moment when she shared her experiences adjusting to life in the host country. Here she is talking about going to school at QSI.

We also have follow up calls scheduled with daughters of participants on the call. (That's one thing I miss about the in person PDOs - in the past, when P has joined me she has been able to visit with other kids heading abroad in a more informal setting.  Still, she will be able to facetime with a few other girls before they head out this Fall.)

So excited for these Fulbrighters who will be able to share the adventure with their spouses and dependents!

I wanted to get a better picture of P presenting - but - this was the best I could do

I loved getting the reminders on my watch throughout the day :-)

North Macedonia Country Session -- US Department of State -- Pre-Departure Orientation - July 2021

For me, the most valuable part of the Pre-Departure Orientation was the country session led by previous Fulbrighters. 

So it was a special privilege for me to be able to participate in this year's North Macedonia Country session.  The PDO was virtual again this year;  we met earlier this week via a zoom session.

The global pandemic took its toll on international exchange programs over the last 2 academic years. 

I am just so thrilled that the exchanges can resume.  And I am so excited for the next group of Fulbrighters heading to North Macedonia!

 

 

Great to get the calendar invite reminder for this session on my watch throughout the day :-)

Fulbright Advocacy Days - Virtual Meeting with the Office of Senator Marco Rubio

With my Fulbright Association Board Member "hat" on, I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet with the Office of Senator Marco Rubio.

Our advocacy team was comprised of members of the Fulbright Board from throughout Florida.

Our mission was to request the Senator's support for the Fulbright Program for FY2022.  (In years past, I traveled to DC to participate in advocacy meetings; this year we were in contact via a zoom call.)

The Fulbright Program is now in its 75th year with a strong network of 400,000 Fulbright alumni around the world (including 59 Nobel prize winners, 39 heads of state, 86 Pulitzer Prize winners, Members of Congress of both parties).  Fulbright reaches 165 countries. 

I hope this blog is testament to the lasting impact of partnerships developed as a result of the Fulbright exchange program.

During our meeting, we discussed the ways in which this public diplomacy program contributes to our national security. The Fulbright program helps to build strategic relationships with friends, allies, and trade partners -- especially critical to reconnect post-pandemic. Visiting Fulbrighters teach critical languages (e.g., at USF St Pete we had a Fulbrighter teaching Arabic). 

The Fulbright program brings financial and educational resources to communities across America who are hosting Fulbrighters from abroad.

 And Fulbright has had a lasting impact through the 400,000 alumni strong network.  (I recently presented a poster at a Fulbright conference on the impact of Fulbright - and compiled the number of articles and book chapters published, conference presentations, joint classes, and other projects and activities that grew out of my Fulbright awards -- now imagine multiplying that productivity by 400,000 -- and you get the idea of the massive impact of this exchange program)

#StandForFulbright

McLauchlan's Macedonian Musings featured on the Popova Kula Winery website!

I was searching for where one could purchase North Maceodnian wines here in the US (for a Fulbright Association reception/wine tasting event), when I happened upon my blog featured on the Popova Kula Winery website!

http://www.popovakula.com.mk

During my search I learned that there ARE some places in the US where one could purchase Popova Kula wines -- but -- not here.

Here is more from the original post:

Demir Kapija: Popova Kula Winery

On our way back from the archeological site Stobi, we stopped at the Popova Kula winery (the self-proclaimed "Temple of Wine").

It was an overcast (and drizzly) day, but still the views of the vineyards in the mountains were spectacular.  We enjoyed a tasting on the (covered) patio, overlooking the grounds (and the events that were taking place that day).  We sampled the Altan, Stanushina Rose, Prokupec, Vranec, and Muscat Ottonel.

Our server told us that there is a Museum of Wine in Demir Kapja. I found the website, here -- http://www.museumdk.mk/index.php/en/about-us/about-museum 
 
We were not able to add that museum to our itinerary on this excursion, but, would be fun to do on a return trip.

About the location, from the Popova Kula website:

"The Popova Kula Winery and vineyards are located on the south slopes of the Grand Hill (Veliko Brdo) west of the lovely town of Demir Kapija and close to the highway E-75.

Demir Kapija valley lays on the southeast part of the Tikveshiya  grape growing sub-region that is a part of the Povardarie region.

The oldest archeological findings proving that people in this area have grown vineyards and have made wine date 13 century b.c.

It is a location with excellent climate and perfect soil for grape growing.

King Aleksander Karadjordjevic had a kingdom that stretched across present day Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia,Bosnia and Slovenia, including the Adriatic coast and Panonian Valley. He had vast possibilities to choose from for the location of his vineyard.  However, following the advice of trusted consultants King Aleksander chose wisely and planted his first vines in the micro region of Demir Kapija on exactly the same location where we have our vineyards today."

The website also explains the origin of their name:

"To remain faithful to the people and historical fabric of the region, our winery was named after an important tower, the Popova Kula (Priest’s Tower) which once served as an important checkpoint on the old Roman road that passes next to our location.

The Popova Kula served as important markers of the region but has since been destroyed.  In tribute we have erected a new 17m high tower and named the winery Popova Kula."

Here is the Popova Kula website:  http://popovakula.com.mk/

and the Popoval Kula facebook page:
 https://www.facebook.com/Popova-Kula-Winery-301452074622/

I note on their website a link to how to buy the Popova Kula wines in the US -- and it looks like they can be shipped to Florida. So we will be able to enjoy a Macedonian Vranec after we return home.

 

 

my daughter enjoyed playing soccer with other kids while we enjoyed the wine and cheese

 

Guest Speaker in USF Women and Politics class -- Tanja Tomic

This week in my Women and Politics course at USF (in St. Petersburg, Florida) we considered why women are underrepresented in American politics -- and why so many other countries outperform the US in terms of the number of women in elective office.  One of the structural factors we considered was whether there were gender quotas. (Half of the countries in the world today have some form of an electoral gender quota.)

We were so fortunate to have join us live from Skopje, North Macedonia TANJA TOMIC

Ms. Tomic is a gender expert with experience working on gender issues over 15 years. She has held elective office at the local and national level, as member of municipal Council, member of City council, member of Parliament.  She has also served as trainer on different projects, such as Political Academy and School on gender activism and different IRI, NDI and ODIHR workshops. 

 

She has a wealth of experience and knowledge about women and politics in North Macedonia and beyond.  As we were considering women in politics from a comparative perspective, it was so helpful to have a former parliamentarian and party leader to explain how things like the gender quotas work in practice.

First, she explained the structure of the government in North Macedonia. 

You can learn more about North Macedonia by checking the CIA's World Factbook:

https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/north-macedonia/

And then she talked about the development of women's organizations that led to reforms such as the introduction of gender quotas. And explained how these quotas work in the Macedonian parliamentary system.  

While the quotas have increased the number of women in politics in Macedonia (currently MK ranks 29 and the USA ranks 67, in terms of % of women in the lower house of the national legislature), Ms. Tomic reflected on the challenges faced by women in politics - and issues that still need to be addressed as it relates to women's empowerment.

For global rankings of women in national legislatures that is updated monthly, see this site compiled by the Inter-Parliamentary Union:

 https://data.ipu.org/women-ranking?month=1&year=2021

 

Women elected officials still have to strive to be taken seriously and often are harassed on social media.

Here is a children's textbook portrayal of different careers, with women and men depicted in traditional gender roles.